These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

For a little context, this passage comes after Joseph and his brothers were born. Joseph had been the favorite son of his father Jacob, which made his older brothers jealous. They sold him into slavery, brought back a bloodied jacket and told their father Joseph was dead.

Joseph had ups and downs: serving and rising in fame, then getting thrown in jail, and then interpreting a dream for the Pharaoh and being appointed his second in command. After he reconciled with his family they moved to Egypt and were given land there.

Now we find that after a time of peace and posterity, a new Pharaoh reigned and Joseph and his brothers had died. The new Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites and forced them into back-breaking labor. This evil Pharaoh even ordered some midwives to kill all the firstborn male babies of the Israelites, because he was afraid of their growing numbers. But the midwives stood their ground and did not do this evil thing. Later, Moses is born, raised as an Egyptian, and ends up leading his people out of Egypt and to the promised land.

So what would have happened if the midwives caved and killed the male babies? Moses might not have been born. God would have had to find another way to save the Israelites. And the midwives would have been judged for doing evil.

Seems to me that we are in a time in the USA where evil has cropped its ugly head up again. And we need people to stand up to evil rulers and do what is right.

Will I take a stand for what I know is right, even if it costs me everything? Will God‘s righteous ways be more important to me than my own welfare?

Lord, thank you for this passage in Exodus that tells us about the faithful midwives. They played a small but crucial role in your plan to redeem the Israelites and to conquer their enemies. May you find me faithful in the roles you would like to play in advancing your kingdom and winning souls!