Two Midwives: Risky Obedience That Helped Save a Nation
Who led the Israelites from Egyptian slavery to freedom in the promised land? Easy answer, right? Moses! Well, obviously God was the One who transitioned the people from oppression to independence, but He used Moses to guide the nation of Israel and point them toward Him along the way.
What if the question changed just slightly… Who played an irreplaceable role in the Israelites being freed from Egyptian slavery? The answer here could still be Moses! But it could also be several other people who helped Moses survive as a baby and then grow up in safety, with all of his needs met. Two of these people were Shiphrah and Puah. If those names don’t ring a bell, don’t worry! These two ladies’ story is only a few verses long, but without them, Moses may not have survived past being a newborn.
First, let’s take things back a few years. Remember Joseph? His God-enabled interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams helped prepare Egypt for years of famine. Eventually, Joseph’s entire family moved to Egypt to be closer to the food supply, and the Israelite population grew and grew.
After Joseph’s entire generation had passed away, the new king, who knew nothing about how Joseph had helped the Egyptian people, started to stress when he realized how numerous and powerful the Israelite people had become. He treated them poorly and oppressed them with forced labor, but no matter what, the Israelites continued to multiply and spread. So he went to the next idea on his list and decided he would direct the murder of any male infant born to an Israelite woman.
Enter: Shiphrah and Puah, two Hebrew midwives. These ladies were instructed by the king to only let baby girls live and to kill any newborn sons after helping the mothers deliver their babies. Shiphrah and Puah, however, did not go along with this plan.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. -Exodus 1:17
I love the apparent simplicity of this verse. It does not say they debated what to do, made a pros/cons list, consulted with other people, or stressed about whether or not they would get caught. They may have done these things, who knows!? But what we do know is that the Bible says it plain and simple—they feared God, so they didn’t do something they knew was wrong. End of story.
What’s crazy to think about is the fact that without Shiphrah and Puah, Moses probably would not have lived past infancy. But because he did live past infancy, Moses grew up to be a great man who was used by God to liberate His chosen people. WOW.
The rest of the midwives’ story tells us that because they feared God, God was kind to them and gave them families. The Egyptian Pharaoh questioned them but did not punish them, and then he moved on to the next idea on his list.
There’s so much to Shiphrah and Puah’s unique and intriguing story. But even just a quick overview like this one gets my mind spinning as I think about what I can learn about God and myself from the midwives’ story in Exodus 1:8-21.
What can we learn about God from Shiphrah and Puah’s story?
- God sees and uses people from all walks of life.
- God is worthy of my fear (reverence and awe).
- He protects His people.
- God works in surprising ways.
- God showers His abundant blessings and favor on those who trust and obey Him.
- He is in control of the tiny details in every story.
- God is still sovereign and good, even in the midst of painful and troubling situations.
- God is faithful.
- He does not abandon His children.
- God is more powerful than any earthly authority.
What can we learn about people/ourselves from Shiphrah and Puah’s story?
- We can trust God to have our backs.
- When we obey and revere God above earthly authorities, He will honor our loyalty to Him.
- Sometimes we are called to step out and act in brave faith.
- Our fear of God should determine the direction of our lives—our actions, words, mindsets, choices, etc.
- While we are called to respect our earthly authorities, we are also compelled to abide by the principles and commands found in God’s Word.
- We are never too lowly, too small or too unimportant to be used by God.
- Small acts of obedience can lead to greatness in the Kingdom of God.
What else do you learn about God from this story? What do you learn about yourself? How can you apply that to your life today? Pick out the one lesson you’re learning from Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus 1—you know, that one that’s resonating in your heart right now—and talk to God about it in prayer. Write it down somewhere where you’ll see it, and let that lesson move you forward in faith.