Since the descendants of Jacob lived in Egypt, the Israelites have increased in number as time passes by, and have become more than Egyptians. At this, the king of Egypt feels threatened and gives a strict order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.
“When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”
If they disobey the royal order, they cannot avoid death. However, the midwives who fear God do not do what the king told them to do and let the boys live. Hearing this, the king of Egypt gets very angry and summons Shiphrah and Puah.
“Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
Then, God gives them wisdom and the midwives avoid the crisis, saying,
“Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous. They give birth before the midwives arrive.”
God is kind to the midwives, and the people increase and become even more numerous.
The midwives could be in danger of their lives when they disobeyed the king’s command, but they stood on the side of God and acted accordingly. So the two women, who did not harm the nation even at the risk of their lives, could get out of the crisis and their families prospered.
The reason the midwives could stand on the side of God at the crossroads between life and death was that they feared God. Those who belong to the kingdom of God put God’s will ahead of everything at any time.
While living the life of faith, we sometimes find it difficult to make a decision. Then, let us judge with a God-fearing heart and act accordingly. Heaven’s wisdom and blessings will be given to us abundantly.
Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. Ps 34:9