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Reading a passage like today’s, our eyes may go to the story of Moses’ birth. Including Moses’ mother who had to let him go. Our special music was all about that.
But for today’s sermon, I would like to focus on the Hebrew midwives.
Among the many people that appear in today’s story, the midwives are the only ones mentioned by name. They are Shiphrah and Puah.
The fact that their names are mentioned tells us how important they are. They indeed play a significant role in the overall story, right before Moses is born.
In these women, what we see is boldness.
We see their courage. We see their willingness to do what is right. We see their determination to do what is good by saving lives.
They stand up for what they believe in, even when they are under an immense pressure to do the opposite. Their boldness is inspiring to see.
To live the life we are called to live, we need to be bold. Boldness is the key to living a meaningful life.
No wonder God has given us our church theme for this year. Being bold also has been the running theme this summer, starting with our summer camp. In Sioux Valley, one lesson we taught the children and youths was the importance of being bold.
Without boldness, we cannot be who we are. We cannot stand up for what we believe in.
Without boldness, we simply become who others want us to be. Our spirit breaks easily in the face of an opposition. Rather than living the confident life God wants us to live, we live in cowardice.
Yes, it is not easy to be bold. It is a struggle that all of us have.
But we can easily attribute our struggle to be bold to our difficult environment and circumstances. There are visible, concrete factors that we can point to.
Since my environment and my circumstances are this way, it is hard for me to be confident and courageous. We may not say these exact words, but this kind of attitude shows up in indirect ways.
Last Sunday, we hosted some international guests at our church. During fellowship time, I spoke to this young woman.
She was bright, sharp, and intelligent. She had just graduated from university. I asked what she had studied. She majored in literary studies with a minor in critical theory. Not necessarily what most people choose to study.
But before she told me that, she said with some hesitation: “It might not be what people think as practical…” That little remark revealed something to me.
In our world that values production and efficiency, she felt that what she had studied wasn’t useful and would be frowned upon. Yet, she said she studied it because she was interested in it. She loved reading, writing poetry, and exercising her imagination.
So I told her to be confident in what she was drawn to. That as long as she is faithful to that, she will find her own unique path in life.
The midwives weren’t in an ideal environment or circumstances. They weren’t in any position of power. They were under Pharaoh’s command to kill all the baby boys. Not following it meant they risked getting themselves killed.
Yet, even under this tremendous pressure, they stood firm. They chose to go against Pharaoh’s order. They let all the boys live.
What made it possible for them to do this?
It wasn’t a desire for recognition or self-preservation. It was something else. Not what we would expect.
This one verse tells us:
But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. (Exodus 1:17)
Behind the courage of the midwives was their fear of God.
They weren’t afraid of Pharaoh. They were afraid of God. Their fear of God was the secret to their boldness. Isn’t that interesting?
We don’t usually connect boldness with fear. That is our understanding of fear.
We see fear as an obstacle to being bold. Fear only robs our confidence and makes us small. If anything, it breeds a stronger survival instinct within us.
Fear makes us do whatever we think will keep us safe and secure. When we are afraid, everything becomes about me.
But that’s not what we see in the midwives.
They did what was going to put them in even greater danger. So, how did the fear of God make them bold?
Fear of God is not the kind of fear that we usually think of. It is not the same as being ‘scared’ of someone.
But ironically, that is how many people grow up in the faith. Being scared of God, who could punish us if we do something bad. Some people still live with this superstitious fear of God. Their religious devotion is for their own sake.
In Scripture, fear of God is spoken of in a different way.
Fear, in this case, has to do with a sense of awe and reverence. It comes from our experience of God’s power and presence.
The psalmist declared:
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him,
for he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:8, 9)
Fear of God comes from seeing God for who he is. It moves us to silence, humility, and wonder.
When we experience something much bigger and greater than ourselves, that’s what happens.
In that sense, fear of God is not negative. It is positive.
That is why the writer of Proverbs said—
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10)
Fear of God is the foundation of our spiritual life. It is the anchor and the beginning of our life.
Without it, we cannot worship God. We cannot have a right perspective. We cannot value and respect the lives of others. We cannot live boldly.
Oswald Chambers, the Scottish theologian and the writer of the famous devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest,” said:
The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.
When fear of God is absent, all other fears flood into our lives. The negative ones.
Every fear dominates our life. Fear of authority; fear of upsetting the status quo; fear of strangers. We worry especially about what people think. They begin to dictate our thoughts and choices.
I wonder if the pervasive symptom of anxiety in our modern life is rooted in the fact that we have lost the fear of God.
We see that in Pharaoh. He was the new king. He had all the power. He had every reason to be bold.
But in reality, he was anything but bold.
He lived in constant fear of his people. He was afraid of losing what he had.
He does everything to break the Israelites, but nothing works. The more he tries to control, the more out of control he feels. He only becomes more desperate.
It is easy to demonize or brush off someone like Pharaoh. But when we are afraid, we can just as easily become a Pharaoh. Controlling, manipulating, calculating the way we see fit. That is when we begin to do more harm than good.
My friends, when you are afraid, do not cave into your fears impulsively. The more attention you give, the more power you give to them.
Instead, look to God. When you are afraid, keep your eyes on him. See him for who he is. Know that he is the Lord of your life.
You will gain a clear perspective. You will know what to do or say. You will find your confidence in him. You will be able to rise above your fears and stand strong – not just for yourself, but for others as well.
Shiphrah and Puah knew they were in God’s hands, not Pharaoh’s. Even in the midst of their troubles, they experienced God’s guiding hand. They fulfilled their calling as caregivers by rescuing precious lives. Standing before Pharaoh, they held their ground and knew exactly what to say.
The boldness of the midwives wasn’t loud or boisterous. It was quiet and unassuming.
Yet, we see how transformative it is. Through their boldness, God opens the door and sets the stage for the birth of Moses – the one to bring Israel out of Egypt.
I still receive regular updates from the church in Cuba (El Jordan). When I see them, I feel inspired. They are so resilient.
Their conditions haven’t improved much. We’ve learned that it has gotten worse. But with the little power they get from time to time, they are still doing what they can.
Just this past week, they celebrated the Youth Week, where the young people took the lead in all church activities and projects. They also led a fasting and prayer service for the congregation.
Even in the midst of persecution, they look to God, worship him, and take care of one another. They are thinking for themselves and living creatively.
May the fear of God give birth to the same boldness within you. Fearing God, ultimately, is to trust in him. To put your life in God’s good hands and to keep going forward. From the palm of God’s hand, you can soar confidently.
Be who God has called you to be. Do what God has called you to do. Live the life that God has called you to live. Be who you are, where you are.
Do what is good, stand up for the truth, and keep the faith. God will help you.
BE BOLD!
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