A lesson from midwives

In Exodus 1:7, some time after the death of Joseph, we find out that the Israelites “multiplied and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.” Nervous about the growing number of Israelites, Pharaoh decided to make slaves of them. Unfortunately this plan was not as effective as Pharaoh hoped. In fact, it had the opposite effect to that which Pharaoh had hoped, “The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out.”

Realizing that the measures he had taken to keep the Israelites down were not enough, Pharaoh resorted to more drastic measures. Summoning the midwives who helped deliver the Israelite babies, he instructed them to kill every male Israelite child that they helped to deliver. Then, in Exodus 1:17, we come upon this statement:

“But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.”

Upon learning what was happening, Pharaoh again summoned the midwives and asked for an explanation. They responded by saying that the Hebrew women were strong and delivered their children before the midwives arrived. Whether or not this statement was true, it was clearly not the real reason the midwives were not doing what Pharaoh commanded them. According to verse 17, the real reason the midwives would not do as Pharaoh had commanded is because they “feared God.”

What may not be readily apparent reading this story is the fact that, by disobeying Pharaoh’s command the midwives were putting themselves in a dangerous position. Undoubtedly they were risking their careers and perhaps even their lives by refusing such a direct order by the Ruling Pharaoh. But clearly the Midwives were women of principle, and were not willing to sacrifice those principles or their fear of God for any immediate deliverance. When we see this story in this light, their boldness is quite commendable.

But the best part of the story is yet to come.

As a result of the midwives standing for their belief in both the value of human life and the righteous judgment of God against those who would disregard it, verse 20 says, “God was good to the midwives.” While this verse doesn’t make it clear exactly what form God’s goodness took, the next verse does: “Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.” As a direct result of their boldness and their willingness to oppose the law of the land to be true to their convictions, God blessed the midwives – very likely with both homes and large families.

The principle of this story is easy to see. At some point in our lives each one of us will face, as Christians, situations like the ones faced by the midwives. Though we may never be in a situation where our lives are at stake, we are often in situations where we are pressured to compromise our beliefs for the sake of our immediate comfort or protection. The assurance we have when we find ourselves in such situations is that if we will stand up boldly for our convictions, we too will experience the goodness of God on our behalf as a result. Keep this in mind today as you go through your day, and perhaps before the day is out you will have an opportunity to rise to such an occasion like the midwives did.