The Extermination of Children

Exodus 1:15–22
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Satan certainly filled King Pharaoh’s heart with a very cruel plan of destroying the children of Israel. One day he called the Hebrew midwives, whose work it was to take care of the new-born babies and their mothers (v. 15). Pharaoh instructed them to kill all the Hebrew baby boys as soon as they were born but they were to let the girls live (v. 16). However, the midwives feared God more than they feared Pharaoh and they let the baby boys live (v. 17). When we fear God more than we fear anyone or anything else, God can do mighty things through us.

The king of Egypt called for the midwives (v. 18). Perhaps the midwives wondered  if they would be put to death for not obeying the king. The king questions them as to why they have saved the boy babies. However, it didn’t matter to the midwives who was against them when God was for them. They choose to obey God and God blessed them with children of their own (vv. 19-21). “Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty (v. 20). God blessed the midwives for their courageous actions. He always blesses wholehearted obedience! (Psalm 127:3) tells us “Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

Pharaoh did not give up. Next he  issued a public proclamation to all his people. He said,"Every son that is born ye shall cast  into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive” (v. 22). He thought this would get rid of the swiftly multiplying Jews. However, this set the stage for the special account of the protection of baby Moses. The new Pharaoh was more concerned about national security than human decency. When people become a means to an end in themselves, we are not treating them as God wants us to. The midwives believed in obeying God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Because of this God rewarded the women by giving them families.

Application

Have you ever had an experience that looked like there was no way out? This is when God wants you and I to completely depend on Him and Him alone.