Shiphrah and Puah - Activists

Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.  If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”  But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders.  They allowed the boys to live, too.  So the king of Egypt called for the midwives.  “Why have you done this?” he demanded.  “Why have you allowed the boys to live?”  “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied.  “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.”  So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful.  And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. [Exodus 1.15-20]

Shiphrah and Puah, what an example to us today!

These two God-fearing Hebrew midwives blatantly disobeyed a direct and specific order from Pharoah then lied to his face in a proactive effort to save baby boys he intended to murder.  Their pro activity was not merely an idea, but an action.  This pleased God to the extent that He gave these two (apparently infertile) women families of their own.  Mind you, these women were not initially fighting their own battle, but the battles of others.  They disobeyed civil authority and lied to cover it up and this pleased God.

Now whatever could the application of this be today?  God-fearing people must not participate in the wrongs of those around them.  On the contrary, God-fearing people must first obey God. 

Furthermore, God-fearing people do not have to wait until the wrongs around them affect them personally!  Just because we may not be affected personally by Godless actions around us today does not mean this Godlessness will not directly affect us tomorrow!  In my opinion, it is (always) time for God-fearing people to make a stand.  

However!  There will be a price to pay!  As we know from this story of the Hebrews, the very act that pleased God then caused even more harsh lash back from Pharoah.  Are God-fearing people ready for this?  It is one thing to be proactive against what is a fixed level of persecution.  But when the result of being proactive is an increased level of persecution, will God-fearing people remain committed?

Father, it sure is easy to make bold statements here.  By Jesus Christ, help me to take the troubles of God-fearing people as my own ...and do something about it.