Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”
19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.
22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born[c] you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6 And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6 And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses,[a] saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
To My Daughters,
The midwives feared God and God provided households for them and dealt well with them. The midwives put the lives of the innocents above their own. They showed compassion and saved God's people. Obedience is a beautiful thing to behold because through it we see God working His perfect plan...weaving His beautiful tapestry in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
I also love how God focused not on the midwives sin of deceit but remembered what they did out of obedience to Him. For what it is worth, here are my thoughts on this. God does not remember a believer's sin. Our sin was buried with His Son. It is as far as the east is from the west. The bible tells us that God keeps a book of remembrance for each of us...a scrapbook so to speak. That scrapbook contains only those things that we did in faith...the gold, the silver and the precious gems. It does not contain those things that we did in our flesh...the wood, hay and stubble. He remembers those things that were done in submission and surrender to the Spirit of God in our life. He remembers the works that count for eternity...the works that He specifically prepared beforehand for us that we are to walk in. Saving those little ones counted for eternity. The works that we do...the ones that God has prepared for us also count for eternity.
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him."--Malachi 3:16-17
These verses are so very beautiful. Our work is not in vain. Our God remembers them all!!! He will make those who fear Him His jewels and will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him."--Malachi 3:16-17
These verses are so very beautiful. Our work is not in vain. Our God remembers them all!!! He will make those who fear Him His jewels and will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
God used the midwives fear of Him and the compassion that He placed in their hearts to preserve the male Hebrew children alive...to preserve His nation...His chosen people. Their obedience may even have encouraged Jochabed to see Moses' as a beautiful child and defy Pharaoh's next command to the parents, which was to drown the males born to them.
Jochabed saved her son. She built an ark for him and placed him in the very water which she was suppose to drown him in. This reminded me of Noah and the ark he built in obedience to God. God used the ark to save 8 people alive by shutting them in it and conveying them them to safety and a new life.
Jochabed put her son in the ark that she made and God navigated the waters and brought him to Pharaoh's daughter in whose heart He had also placed compassion. This in turn, enabled Moses, through various circumstances all orchestrated by God, to be nursed by his mom and taught Scripture at an early age. Moses' foundation was God...specifically the God of the Hebrews...not the gods of the Egyptians. Through Jochabed's obedience and compassion as well as the compassion of Pharaoh's daughter God prepared Moses' perfectly for the job of deliverance He would later call him to.
God used the midwives obedience mightily in His plan for His people's deliverance from bondage. The midwives feared God more than they feared man. Their obedience began a chain of events that brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the land that God had prepared for them. We look back and say wow...but God will likewise use your obedience to Him to also bring beauty from ashes. Surrender to Him and watch Him work the glory of His majesty in your own life.
Love
Mom
