Artist interpretation of the midwives Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus 1. Image source.

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do. (Exodus 1:17)

By Brian Shilhavy

In the opening chapter of the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, we have a record of the actions of two women who changed the course of human history, by defying their King’s orders.

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.

So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?”

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.

Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them. (Exodus 1:15-21)

The result of the midwives’ resistance and refusal to obey the King’s edict, was that one of the baby boys who was spared was named “Moses” and went on to become a prophet of God and the leader of the Hebrews, delivering them from their bondage and slavery, and the one who met with God on Mt. Sinai where the Ten Commandments and related laws were given for a new society.

The midwives themselves, who were apparently already leaders in the Egyptian culture and probably the head of a society or “midwives guild” that was used to assist in child births, were rewarded by God with “established households.”

That may not seem like much in our own cultural way of thinking here in the 21st Century, but an “established household” in times of antiquity was something akin to a family dynasty or empire.

Abraham, for example, the father of the Hebrews, had a “household” that at its height probably numbered well over 1000 people. He literally had his own trained armed forces, and in Genesis 14 we read:

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. (Genesis 14:14-16)

So Abraham’s “household” defeated an army of four kings in battle.

That’s quite a household!

The text in Exodus is not clear if the two women, Shiphrah and Puah, were themselves Hebrews, or just midwives who worked with the Hebrews in delivering their children. We have no other trace of them in history besides this text, and although their names appear to be Semitic in origin, the Hebrews had been living in Egypt for hundreds of years by now, and undoubtedly the Egyptian languages at least had some Semitic influences.

The strongest argument in favor of the midwives being Egyptians (Africans) and not Hebrews is that it would have been unlikely that the King of Egypt would have asked Hebrews to murder their own babies.

There was no doubt racial prejudice present against the Hebrew slaves, and animosity towards the Hebrews from the Egyptian ruling class at this time.

It is also unreasonable to believe that only the Hebrews “feared God,” and never the Egyptians. Hundreds of years earlier, at the end of the book of Genesis, the Hebrew Joseph was the leader of Egypt under the direction of the Egyptian King at that time, and both of them “feared God” by obeying his instructions to save the country from 7 years of famine.

Whom Do you Fear?

Hundreds of years later, a new Hebrew King would rule over the Hebrew people by the name of King Solomon.

King Solomon was recorded to be the wisest man to ever walk the earth:

“Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked.

I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.” (1 Kings 3:7-13)

Then the fulfillment years later:

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls.

He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34)

So how did the wisest man of the world define “wisdom”?

There is a whole book in the Bible dedicated to Solomon’s writings, the Book of Proverbs, and there he wrote:

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:1-7)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. (Proverbs 10:27)

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16)

The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15:33)

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. (Proverbs 19:23)

Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. (Proverbs 23:17)

The opposite of the fear of the LORD is the fear of man.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

The one man who can claim to be wiser than Solomon is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He said the same thing:

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.

But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. (Luke 12:4-9)

Two African women, Shiphrah and Puah, feared God more than they feared their king.

And the course of human history was forever changed.

Who Will Fear God and Resist Today?

Here in the United States today, we don’t have a single “king,” but we have many government authorities acting like they are kings, trying to impose their tyrannical decrees all in the name of a supposed “pandemic.”

There is no doubt anymore that more people are suffering and dying due to the actions of these tyrants, than people being hurt and dying due to a virus.

And children are suffering the most, just as it has always been throughout history when tyrants rule.

But the only thing allowing them to continue their reign of terror, is a compliant public. So far, at least, not enough people have chosen to resist, and fear God instead.

Many of the edicts and commands that have been issued in the name of COVID have their roots in Satanic practices, and quite obviously against the laws of God, and the teaching of the Bible.

One of the best ways Satan works through tyrants to impose his will and stop people from gathering together, is through social isolation, which includes covering one’s face.

But Jesus said:

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:18-20)

There is power in assembling together. Do not think for one second that Satan does not know this, and fear it!

God wants his people to assemble:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

To resist tyranny and go against the crowd is not easy. But for the one who fears God more than man, that’s what we are called to do, even if it means giving up everything here on earth that we cherish and value, including our own family members who may choose to go their own way in a different direction.

Take special note of these words spoken by Jesus:

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.

I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)

So if you find yourself today disagreeing with almost everyone around you, if you are beginning to question your own sanity because it seems like the whole world is following the path to slavery and hell, take comfort in knowing that you are probably on the straight and narrow path that leads to life, because Jesus prophesied that there would not be many who would be willing to resist and go against the crowd.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.

Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:12-23)

Comment on this article at Created4Health.org.

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