Rebel Midwives: The Story of Shiphrah and Puah

Trigger Warning: Non-graphic descriptions of infant death

Guiding Scripture: Exodus 1:17 - “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

• When most Christians think about the Book of Exodus in the Bible, they focus on the story of Moses and how God used him to miraculously deliver of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, Moses wasn’t the only person God used to deliver His people. Two Hebrew women named Shiphrah and Puah became instruments of God’s saving power as well, and their story is also worth telling. Today, we’re learning about the unique way that Shiphrah and Puah saved their people before Moses was even born.
• Just as God loves to use our small beginnings, Satan tries to kill our beginnings while they are still small.
  1. Exodus 1:8-10 - “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. ‘Look,” he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.’”
• As a result, great deliverance is often connected to great oppression.
  1. Exodus 1:11-14 details the pain and suffering the Egyptians caused the Israelites and how it was directly tied to their increasing numbers.
  2. Matthew 1:16 tells us that King Herod caused a similar tragedy in Jerusalem after Jesus was born because he was afraid that Jesus would grow up and take his throne.
• Sometimes obeying God means defying people in power.
  1. In Exodus 1:15-16, we learn that Pharaoh specifically instructed Shiphrah and Puah to kill any Hebrew boys that were born, but to let the girls live.
  2. The Bible tells us to respect God-ordained authority (Romans 13:1-2). However, obedience to God is our first priority. If the Holy Spirit directs us to stand for God, we must do so (see Season 4, Episode 77).
• Sometimes your legacy as a believer is tied to what you kill. Other times, it’s tied to what you allow to live. 
  1. Now, this is not a reference to people. You might kill toxic mindsets or generational curses, for example, while allowing the dreams God has given you for your future to live.
• Obeying God can put you at risk.
  1. Exodus 1:19 - “The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
• God can take the very thing that the enemy tries to kill and cause it to flourish.
  1. Exodus 1:20-21 - “So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.”

Action Step: In Episode 92, we talked about the importance of small beginnings. Is there anything in your life that the enemy is trying to “kill” while it’s still small? Ask God to help you identify things that you’re tempted to give up on and then strengthen you enough to allow them to live.