Literal Reading
-What is happening in the opening scene of Exodus? We are introduced to one overarching, painful reality. The descendants of Joseph are being afflicted. Israel has become a major threat to the new Pharaoh who had no connections to Joseph or Jacob, and he had no appreciation for what Joseph did for Egypt therefore no loyalties to Joseph’s people. Pharaoh saw Israel as foreigners multiplying like rabbits. The children of Israel were living somewhat different from Egyptians, they had not entirely acclimated to Egyptian culture, they in turn had no loyalties to those who were abusing them. Ten times the text says in various ways, Life became difficult for Israel, they had taskmasters, they endured hard labor, they labored rigorously, their lives were bitter with hard labor, all kinds of labor. Children were being killed and all pharaohs people were given the green light to kill Israels baby boys! Israel had become Egypt’s slaves as God had said hundreds of years earlier to Abraham. Genesis 15, “your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.” God was right. but alongside that hard truth, he gave Abraham another promise one of hope. “i will also judge that nation and after they will come out with many possessions…to your descendants i have given this land.” The hardest part was almost over, 400 years enslaved in a land not their own, was about to end. Next God would judge. God keeps his promises.
Meditative Reading
Worldly leaders make decision based on in fear and self preservation, as did Pharaoh. he was afraid that Israel and all their Numbers would eventually rise up against Egypt. He was covering his own skin. Pharaoh and even world leaders today mostly do not care about morals, laws and individual lives, especially those who do not fear God. They worship the gods of money and power. In contrast to Pharaoh’s fear, who is supposed to be strong and powerful, we see another fear rise up, but of the weakest among the people, the midwives. They are female, they are childless, they are likely the poorer of the people. and yet they fear God, they do not fear for their own lives and so their decisions are very different. Rather then kill, they preserve life. Rather then enslave they offer freedom. what i sense God saying to me personally through this passage is a question? who do you fear and why? are the decisions you make based in fear for self or fear of God? are you willing to cut down others to preserve your own life, or risk your life to save others? Jesus said, “those who seek to save their lives will lose them, but if you lose your life for my sake you will find it.” The midwives were healed, their wombs open and they were given their own families and children because they took a risk to fear God and save innocent lives. but pharaoh’s life was destroyed. his country was maimed his people plundered and cut down.
We know the names of these midwives! how curious. How phenomenal that their names are written in the book of life. It was one of these midwives who delivered Moses, who permitted him to live. God uses women to multiply and grow his kingdom, which is why women are a target to Satan since the garden. It is women who carry seed. The word of God is seed. We can either bring it to life or we can crush it, and snuff it. What will we do when it comes to the word of God? will we fear the worldly leaders saying the scripture must not be practiced and spread or will we fear God and let the seed live? Will we preserve life or will we destroy it?
Prayer Response
Thank you Lord for keeping your promises to Abraham. Thank you for proving your faithfulness. Give us courage and strength in the presence and under the authority of evil, selfish leaders who are addicted to power and self preservation. Protect us from those above us who do not fear you. Teach us to fear you as the midwives did. Establish our homes and families. Raise up midwives in the spiritual realm that fear you, raise up midwives in every sector and corner of this country.
Transformational Reading
the world is changing constantly and I need to stay rooted in the fear of God, not man. The world is a scary place for a godly individual presently, as it was in Egypt. There is rumors of wars, oppression, affliction on every side. people of faith are being targeted and persecuted for aligning with the truth of God’s word and there may come a day when we are not safe our children are not safe. where will i stand? Am i willing to risk my life to save another because fearing God means believing what he has said. This means i must know his word and trust that he keeps his promises.
The Spiritual Relationship
How does this correlate to Easter? death and resurrection? Israel was despondent. the text says at one point they could not hear because they were so distressed. They were like dead men. Dead in their transgressions. The good news is bad before its good. and things were bad for Israel. They had no freedom. We can see similarities between the oppression of the children of Israel in Egypt and the oppression of Rome in the first century. The darkness and the affliction that sin creates is present in this story and today in our lives. Sin is a cruel taskmaster that inflicts harsh labor and bitterness and death and sorrow in our lives both individually and communally. Paul says the physical comes before the spiritual it reveals the spiritual. We are about to explore the physical realities of sin and the deliverance of our mighty God. Yes Egypt is the world, and sin is the slavery and Israel the elect of God and God the deliverer of his elect. It basically is the good news laid out within the context and history of the old testament.
my faith place 