Exodus 1:15-22
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
I couldn’t help but think about a passage just studied in our Sunday Bible class from Revelation 12:4b, “The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.”
The targeting of Israel’s sons in Egypt was Satan warming up for That Child. Every male offspring of Abraham’s race was a potential threat. Every one of them could be another Abraham, another man of faith. Or even more, every one of them, being seed of the woman, might possibly be the One prophesized (Gen. 3:15) who would slay the Serpent, crushing his head.
As a subsidiary of Satan, the Pharaoh of Egypt was a pragmatist, not a moralist. To him, the Israelites were a powerful utility, but nothing more. They were simply serviceable means to an end. Any increasing power of Israel must be diminished to prevent them from overwhelming their masters. So, attack the problem where it seems easiest. Simply use Israel’s midwives to euthanize every newborn male. This was Pharaoh’s no-nonsense and no-pity methodology. Use women to destroy men.
Such a demonic scheme worked once—in the Garden. Employ a woman to devastate Adam, the man of God. Here Pharaoh uses the same machination, except it didn’t work.
Eve appeared vulnerable and receptive. Satan used that against her. The difference between her and Shiphrah and Puah is that Eve failed to fear God. With the midwives, the Word of God prevailed. These Hebrew women were women of faith and would not be manipulated. It wasn't easy, mind you. It’s not easy being a woman whom God created ”as the weaker vessel.” (1 Peter 3:7)
But this is no insult to them. After all, weakness is a general human condition. Indeed, weakness is exalted in Scripture. St. Paul’s boasted in his weakness for therein was God’s power displayed in his life (2 Cor. 11:30, 12:5-10). Christ Himself came in weakness and “was crucified in weakness.” (2 Cor. 13:4) God chose the weak things to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27). These weak vessels, these Israelite midwives, now proved themselves stronger than Pharaoh or even the commandant of death, Satan himself.
These women were not pragmatists. They were protectionists. Through abiding respect and reverence for God, they would not be an instrument, an unholy tool to be wielded by criminal hands. To them, life is sacred because God who created life is sacred. It was natural for them to attribute vigor to the mothers of Israel, unlike the Egyptian women in child-bearing, because the God of Israel is Himself hardy and enduring.
Shiphrah and Puah are perhaps the most courageous women in the Bible, not so much for what they did as for what they didn’t do. They didn’t compromise their faith. They didn’t obey a command which countermanded God's Law. They didn’t yield to threat. They didn’t lie either. They were shrewd in answering Pharaoh, but how clever that is when dealing with a snake!
The vigilance of these midwives whom God honored should be an example to us. Remember, the devil will try again. Pharaoh, when he couldn’t get these women to do his dirty work, turned to men. As a matter of fact, he elicited the entire population of Egypt to heave Hebrew baby boys into the Nile.
Is it any surprise then that the devil seeks to steer all of society behind such evils as abortion, euthanasia, carnality, and avarice? Is it any wonder Satan still would induce sinful women to lure men to destruction “like ox going to the slaughter”? (Proverbs 7) The devil only wishes to use people as a utility, simply to be serviceable to his own ends. Men who therefore use women as a utility will only find themselves hoisted on their own petard.
The devil attacks what he views as weak. What a fool he is. Shiphrah and Puah have proven that the weakest, the poorest, the lowliest, and the defenseless (whether infant, woman, or man) who have a living faith in Israel’s God not only survive but thrive.
Such faith rests entirely on the Word and believes That “male child” of Revelation 12, is Jesus Christ, born out of Israel who would “rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” Through faith, what a mockery is made of Satan who, having affected the downfall of mankind by a woman, is now crushed by God who has used a woman to bear the Savior of mankind. That’s not only his defeat; it is poetic justice.
Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Shiphrah and Puah would not be surprised to see how God blessed Mary. After all, God used them, didn’t he?
For Shiphrah and for Puah
Whose courage did not fail
Their fear of God over Pharaoh
No evil could prevail.
The sons of Israel’s portion
Would live to sing God's praise
To bow with their protectors
To Christ, for endless days.
