In our story today, at the beginning of the book of Exodus, we learn that many years have passed since Jacob and his family went to live in Egypt. Joseph, who ruled at the king’s right hand, is long gone and forgotten. A new king rules the country, and this Pharaoh sees the Israelites – the descendants of Jacob – as a major threat to his power. Therefore their goal is to control and control them.
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, employed slave masters over the Israelites, and used them as laborers to build new cities. However, the people of Israel continued to grow, so the king also ordered that their children be killed. Midwives, who were trained to be assistants in delivery, were tasked with becoming killers.
The power of the Pharaoh dominates this story, but there is another power also at work in this story. In fact, much of the early part of this book of the Bible is about the battle between the gods of Egypt and the one true God who chose to bless all nations through Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites.
However, the midwives trusted God rather than Pharaoh, so they chose to be servants of life rather than death. Their actions helped the people of Israel to grow, and the Lord blessed them with their families.
Again we see that God is faithful to His promises.
