The Extermination of Children
September 22, 2022
Commentary
Satan certainly filled King Pharaoh’s heart with a very cruel plan of destroying the children of Israel. One day he called the Hebrew midwives, whose work it was to take care of the new-born babies and their mothers (v. 15). Pharaoh instructed them to kill all the Hebrew baby boys as soon as they were born but they were to let the girls live (v. 16). However, the midwives feared God more than they feared Pharaoh and they let the baby boys live (v. 17). When we fear God more than we fear anyone or anything else, God can do mighty things through us.
The king of Egypt called for the midwives (v. 18). Perhaps the midwives wondered if they would be put to death for not obeying the king. The king questions them as to why they have saved the boy babies. However, it didn’t matter to the midwives who was against them when God was for them. They choose to obey God and God blessed them with children of their own (vv. 19-21). “Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty (v. 20). God blessed the midwives for their courageous actions. He always blesses wholehearted obedience! (Psalm 127:3) tells us “Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
Pharaoh did not give up. Next he issued a public proclamation to all his people. He said,"Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive” (v. 22). He thought this would get rid of the swiftly multiplying Jews. However, this set the stage for the special account of the protection of baby Moses. The new Pharaoh was more concerned about national security than human decency. When people become a means to an end in themselves, we are not treating them as God wants us to. The midwives believed in obeying God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Because of this God rewarded the women by giving them families.
Application
Have you ever had an experience that looked like there was no way out? This is when God wants you and I to completely depend on Him and Him alone.
Exodus 1:15– 22 (NET)
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery: If it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she may live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women—for the Hebrew women are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!” 20 So God treated the midwives well, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he made households for them.
22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons that are born you must throw into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”
Illustration: The Obedient Dog
A missionary translator was endeavoring to find a word for “obedience” in the native language. This was a virtue seldom practiced among the people into whose language he wanted to translate the New Testament. As he returned home from the village one day, he whistled for his dog and it came running at full speed. An old native, seeing this, said admiringly in the native tongue. “Your dog is all ear.” Immediately the missionary knew he had his word for obedience. (cf: Eph. 6:1) (Ministers’ Research Service).