Exodus. The Rewards of Fear 1:1-22

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1 Exodus The Rewards of Fear 1:1-22 Today we re going to meet a couple of midwives. The practice of midwifery continues today, though it is held by some in our culture in disrepute. The Multimedia Encyclopedia describes the midwife this way: A midwife is a person who provides care to women during pregnancy and childbirth. While the practice of midwifery differs markedly among the midwives of the world, most focus on the natural, normal aspect of pregnancy, providing prenatal care, directing the birth procedure, and giving psychological encouragement to the woman and her family during the birth experience. Midwifery has been a common practice worldwide at least since biblical times. Throughout the world today, midwives continue to deliver a majority of the world's babies, not only in rural isolated countries with poor access to medical care, but also in many developed countries, such as Japan and the Netherlands, where infant mortality is very low. In the United States physician-attended births have become more customary. Although a revival of midwifery began in the 1960s, especially among those interested in a natural or a more family-centered birth experience, today fewer than 5 percent of U.S. births are attended by midwives. In general, midwives use very little hi-tech equipment in providing care during labor and birth. Many have the additional training necessary to perform safely such procedures as episiotomy (surgical widening of the vaginal opening). Most midwives, particularly those with formal training, have an arrangement whereby a physician will be available in cases involving complications or unexpected emergencies. In addition to providing technical expertise, midwives also address the pregnant woman's emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Midwifery training varies country to country, ranging from basic apprenticeship training to accredited degree programs for nurse-midwives registered nurses with additional training as midwives. There are over 30 nurse-midwifery programs in the United States. Graduates who pass national certification exams gain the title certified nurse-midwife (CNM). While many doctors and women prefer that a physician be on hand throughout labor and birth in case of emergency complications, recent studies of nurse-midwife-attended births indicate that birth outcomes are as good and sometimes better than births of women of similar risk attended by physicians. ~ Lisa Paine 1 As noted here midwifery has been know since biblical times. The Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible has the following to say about midwifery in biblical times: There were, of course, Israelite midwives from the very earliest times. Even before the exodus they may have formed a kind of guild, with their own code of ethics and recognized leaders (two are named in Exodus 1:15). Mothers sometimes died in childbirth, but often the midwife was very skilled. Tamar successfully gave birth to twins who seem to have been locked in a difficult position (Genesis 38:27-30). Ezekiel, speaking about Jerusalem, throws light on what was normally done after a birth: When you were born, no one cut your umbilical cord or rubbed you with salt or wrapped you in cloth. Midwifery was perhaps the only honorable public duty in which a woman could be employed. 2 1 Multimedia Encyclopedia, Grolier Inc., The Software Toolworks, Novato, CA, Alexander, BA, Pat, Organizing Ed., The Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible, Batavia, IL, 1986, p

2 III. Israel - A Persecuted People A. The Rise of Israel Vs. 1-7 B. A New King Over Israel Vs C. The Slavery of Israel Vs D. The Final Solution for Israel Vs Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. Exodus 1:8 Introduction: But before we can meet these women, we have a few other issues we need to cover. And while these women are very important, it is the motivation for their acts that is our example. The main personalities of Chapter 1 include: The new Pharaoh. It is unclear exactly who this may have been but more on that in a few moments. And as already noted Shiphrah and Puah the Hebrew midwives. As we consider this chapter, we will once again be reminded God is in control, even when life is at its darkest. We will consider the basic principle of scripture that God s concerns are different than ours and all we are called to be is obedient and to fear Him. A. The Rise of Israel: As I hinted last time, it appears the book of Exodus originally was not separate from Genesis. It is clearly a sequel and continues on from the end of Genesis. These are the names So, we move straight from the death of Joseph to a listing of those who first entered into Egypt. I don t intend to spend much time on technical arguments and issues that aren t significant. I ll just note this passage tells us that seventy individuals entered Egypt. Elsewhere different counts are given, but this, as we noted a few weeks back this only an issue of who are included in any given count and what is the purpose of that count. The seventy include Jacob s children and grand children. These are the individuals who came down to Egypt under Joseph s direction. They relocated in order to survive a major famine which had hit their area of Canaan. Though as we know it encompassed most of the area including Egypt. Through Joseph s preparations the family, as well as the people of Egypt, were able to survived the famine. The people and the ruler of Egypt had much to be grateful to Joseph for. And, though most probably didn t realize it, his God. As the scene opens all those who originally came from Canaan had died. Some three hundred fifty (350) years have passed. God has greatly blessed the Jacob s decedents. They have grown into a mighty people, great in numbers. By the time of the opening of Exodus, the Hebrew people are somewhere in the neighborhood of two million individuals. B. A New King Over Israel: So now let s go back in time to Egypt. Things had changed in Egypt. The country had a new king, one who didn t know Joseph. Whether this means Joseph had been actually forgotten or simply relegated to stories of the past, isn t clear. But enough time had gone by that the benefits the country had incurred under Joseph no longer carried any weight. ) 14 (

3 This change in leaders had caused a shift in policy for an additional reason. During the time of Joseph the Pharaoh was from the Hyksos Dynasty. That king was of the Asiatic peoples who invaded Egypt. Though they adopted Egyptian culture, they were not Egyptians. This is why they accepted and appreciated Joseph as an ally in a land where their rule was resented. But Amosis I ( BC) defeated the Hyksos and it was this man who was the grandfather of Thutmose I. The pharaoh may also have been either Amenhotep I ( BC) or even Thutmose I ( BC). No one can say for sure who this man was. In any case the Hebrews had always been disliked by the Egyptians as a race. Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians (Genesis 43:32). Now the Hebrews were seen as potential allies of any Asiatic peoples who might desire to come in and retake Egypt. Keeping all this in mind, we hear Pharaoh express fear over both the number and strength of the People of Israel. While he wanted to use them as slaves, he didn t want them to become a threat. Now whether this was a real danger or simply Pharaoh s paranoia isn t clear. What is clear is the king was afraid and he intended to do something about national security. Principle: Within these first two sections is a principal we find through Scripture. It is: God's word is reliable. Back in Genesis 12:2-3 we saw God s promise to make a great nation of Abraham s seed. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. Here in verses 9-10 we see the people have become numerous. We will look at the second half of this promise later in the study. Second, God promised Abraham his seed would face great oppression in a land that was not their own. Then the LORD said to him, Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions (Genesis 15:13-14). Again, we will see this promise fulfilled as we go a little further into the book. The point here is we can have absolute confidence in the Lord in our own lives, because we can see all through history God has always kept His word and therefore He always will. That being the case, why do we live as if we doubt it? He promises: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13). ) 15 (

4 Yet often we live as if the Lord has made a mistake, practical atheism. We cannot endure this! Why doesn't the Lord do something? The problem is instead of using the way out He provides we operate in our own strength. Then we wonder why things go so bad. Can you think of any examples of this in your own life or you have observed? So here we see the rise of the Hebrew people and simultaneously the rise of anti-semitism. While it is called fear of their numbers it is really hatred of their race. One more point must be made. It is in verses 9-10 the Pharaoh declared war against God. While later God will harden the king s heart, here Pharaoh chose his own direction against the Hebrew people, against God. All that follows is a result of his choice. And this issue isn t whether he realized what he d done, he did it. C. The Slavery of Israel: One way to destroy a people is to oppress them into submission. This was step one of Pharaoh's plan for the control and eventual destruction of this despised people. The Hebrews were to be used as forced labor, to build cities for the throne. This slavery would accomplish two purposes: 1. It would end the ongoing expansion of the Hebrew race, and 2. It would build two cities to guard the eastern boarder. But what was the effect of this persecution? The numbers of Israel increased and they spread even further. This resulted in the Egyptians increasing their efforts to destroy these people. I think here we see another major principal of God, that under pressure His work grows. Under oppression the people of Israel increase. Principle: We see this growth occurring during the persecution of the Church which lead to believers being scattered. Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went (Acts 8:3-4). This in turn led to the gospel being spread as the Lord commanded in Acts 1:8,. you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. So the Church grew. It is much the same for the believers in that it is only through hardship and troubles we are given the opportunity to mature. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:1-4). ) 16 (

5 If we desire to grow and mature then we must risk asking for and be willing to endure pruning. We must be prepared to accept the Lord s working in our lives. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not make light of the Lord s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:4-11). D. The Final Solution for Israel: Pharaoh intended to end what he saw as a threat to Egypt s security. Satan wanted to end what he saw as a threat to his program, the destruction of the source of the Messiah. We see what is to become the standard solution to the Jewish Problem : extermination. Pharaoh called for two women, identified as Hebrew Midwives. What is unclear from the text is, whether this means midwives to the Hebrews, or Hebrews who are midwives. These two women are probably Hebrews, but this can't be stated as a fact. It is also fairly safe to assume these weren t the only midwives around for some two million people. But they would have been the two who were responsible for overseeing all those serving the nation. Anyway, Shiphrah and Puah were commanded by the king to kill all males as they were born and let the daughters live. This would certainly solve his problems if they carried out his instructions. Unfortunately for the Pharaoh, these two women had some knowledge of Who the God of Israel was and consequently they held Him in fear. They refused to carry out the orders of Pharaoh. Instead they came back with a story about the stamina of the Hebrew women. By the time they arrived on the scene the babies were already born. Some see this as a lie told in a good cause, but a lie nevertheless. Some commentators believe this was the truth. Hannah gives an interesting perspective on this when he notes: watch as they deliver (literally look upon the two stones): The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain, but perhaps the reference is to a birthstool. It might also refer to the genitalia. 1 1 New Living Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, IL, 2008 Apparently this implies that the baby boys were hidden by their parents so that it was impossible for Shiphrah and Puah to kill them. The answer seems illogical; actually the midwives may have simply responded slowly to house calls. 3 3 Hannah, John D., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Volume 1, Exodus, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL., 1986, p ) 17 (

6 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown actually see no problem here, but a matter of how the passage is translated. To make or to build a house, in Hebrew idiom means to have a numerous progeny. The passage, then, should be rendered thus: God protected the midwives, and the people waxed very mighty; and because the midwives feared God, the Hebrews grew and prospered. 4 In the final analysis regardless of whether or not the women lied, they were blessed because they feared God and acted accordingly. R. B. Allen notes, a theological problem arises in that God appears to bless these midwives for lying (vv. 19f.), although some scholars argue that God rewarded them because they feared Him, not because they deceived Pharaoh. 5 The result was God was kind to Shiphrah and Puah, and as some believe, He did so by providing them their own families. But even more importantly because of their protection of the unborn, God blessed the nation and it continued to increase. Whatever Pharaoh tried to do to destroy the Hebrews just led to their further growth. So the king went back to the drawing board and came up with a new improved final solution. If he couldn t kill the males at birth then he would kill them right after. The people were ordered to throw their male babies into the river, but they can forget about the females. We don t know to what extent this ruling was followed. But next time we will look at the fate of one specific baby boy. Will Pharaoh succeed in destroying the Hebrews? And what do they think about all this? These and other startling questions may probably never come up again, but who knows. Meanwhile come back next week and please read Chapter 2. Conclusion: While the book of Exodus deals with redemption, that of Israel from Egypt and humanity from sin, it presents an even more important message. For when we speak of redemption, we speak of the nature of God, His faithfulness, and His love of His fallen creation. After all when Moses is first commissioned to redeem the people from slavery it is God who sends him forth. I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you (Exodus 3:14). We are to be comforted and reassured, first by the fact that the people we meet here are very real with the same failings, short comings, and sins that we experience in our lives. Neverthe-less, God loves them, forgives them and constantly moves forward with His plan to redeem them and us. No matter how fallen we are, no matter how greatly we fail God, He never fails us. The plan of redemption exists because of our fallenness. Therefore God is never surprised when we do 4 Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. 1, William B. Eerdman s Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 1978, p Bromiley, Geoffrey, W., general editor, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, MI, 1979, p ) 18 (

7 not measure up to Christ s example. But like the loving parent He is, He reaches down and picks us up once again, setting us on His purpose of conforming us to Christ s image. As we examine the history of this new nation, Israel, and as we are inclined to be critical let us never forget that this account is given to us as a mirror to remind us of who we are and Who God is. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:11). And the most important lesson we can apply to ourselves is one of humility, that is seeing ourselves in light of our human frailties and God in light of His loving mercy. Psalm 57 To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. BE merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his mercy and his faithfulness. Selah. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy faithfulness unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. ) 19 (

8 Exodus The Rewards of Fear 1:1-22 III. Israel - A Persecuted People A. The Rise of Israel Vs. 1-7 B. A New King Over Israel Vs C. The Slavery of Israel Vs D. The Final Solution for Israel Vs Introduction: (Exodus 1:8) A. The Rise of Israel: B. A New King Over Israel: (Genesis 43:32) Principle: (Genesis 12:2-3, 15:13-14; 1 Corinthians 10:13

9 C. The Slavery of Israel: Principle: (Acts 8:3-4; John 15:1-4; Hebrews 12:4-11) D. The Final Solution for Israel: Conclusion: (Exodus 3:14; 1 Corinthians 10:11) Personal Application: Under what circumstances might you find yourself in a position of having to disobey authorities? How might you be able to do so? Prayer for the Week: Lord, give us the courage to obey You regardless of the consequences. In Christ s name, amen.