Exodus-Fear of God
Introduction:
If you’ve ever been to a performance, you know there is a certain amount of anticipation before the curtain rises. Attendees find their seats and settle in their coats and handbags. They may make conversation with those around them or check the programs. Ushers roam the isles and children make last minute visits to the restroom. When the curtain rises, hushed attention now shifts from the waiting to the experience you have come to see. The same can be said of the first chapter of Exodus. The first paragraph serves as a transition, a summary of where the people have Israel left off from Genesis. The curtain rises and we see what God has planned next for His people.
Scripture:
Read Exodus Chapter 1.
v. 1-7 …they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong
When we pick up the narrative at the end of Genesis, the sons of Israel were already in Egypt. There had been a famine in the land, and God had placed Joseph there ahead of time to care for his father and brothers as refugees. Two hundred years pass and the nation of Israel grows in number and in strength.
Even at this point in the story we see the faithfulness of God. In Genesis 46:3-4, as Israel traveled with his family to Egypt to see his son Jacob that he had been parted with for many years, God promised He would make them a mighty nation, go with them and bring them out. God knew that they would be enslaved and need a deliverer. He would not leave them alone. He would bless them and make them increase in number. He also fulfill His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, when He calls Abraham to follow Him, He promises to make him a great nation. God keeps His promises and can be trusted.
v. 8-22 …but the midwives feared God
There arose a new king over Egypt, a new Pharaoh who didn’t have Joseph as his second in command. Generations had passed and the Israelites had multiplied as God as promised Abraham his decedents would be as many as sands in the sea[1]. The people were so many the Egyptians were afraid they would dominate their country so they oppressed them and made them a national of slavery and put them to work building monuments and cities.
Another strategy in thier ethnic domination was to control their births and increase the number of daughters. Yet, the midwives obeyed the commands of God over the commands of the oppressive king and let all the males live. This action describes a theme of Exodus that we will see developed in Moses as a leader—the call to fear God over the fear of man. It is something that many Christians struggle with today. Do we call the moral majority good or do we define our sense of right and wrong by God’s standards? Do we seek the opinion of others above what God thinks of our thoughts, words, and actions? Do we strive to impress those around us or humbly desire the approval of our Creator?
The fear of man also illustrates another application in this chapter. God has designed humanity to flourish under authority structures[2]. Since the world’s brokenness at the fall, authority has also been changed by the curse. Since sin entered the world, all who hold God-given authority don’t always care for those as they should. In the case of government, many times secular institutions command things that oppose the Lord’s commands. This may cause confusion if you read verses like Romans 13:1-7 or 1 Peter 2:13-17 where the believer is told to submit to the government. Yet both those passages and others in Scripture[3] point to God as the source of authority. Logically then, authority is defined as good when it follows the mandates of God. In the case of the midwives in this chapter of Exodus, was it good for them to commit murder as declared by the Pharaoh, or value human life as commanded by God? Though the law had not yet been given, the midwives knew it was wrong because they feared God and were sensitive of the conscious He had given them[4]. When is it right to obey government or any other authority over you? When it is asking you to do evil.
The midwives names were Shiphrah, meaning beauty, and Puah, meaning splendor. Ultimately their trust in God over threat from an earthly power resulted in blessing for them. God blesses those who fear Him[5].
Reflection:
-Do you see God as someone who is faithful to His word? Do you trust Him even when circumstances seem contrary to His promises?
-Every person fluctuates between the fear of God and fear of man. In what circumstances to you tend to fear man over God?
-Is it clear to you how to honor God practically and when to “disobey” men in order to live out His commands? If not, who in your life can you gain counsel from that is spiritually mature and biblically sound?
-When and how has God blessed you for following His commands? Respond in prayer and thankfulness.
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[1] Genesis 22:17
[2] For more about this concept check out this podcast by Crossway https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rf93LBezCyECfcUlLFEKY or another blog post I’ve written https://houseyourebuilding.blogspot.com/2023/10/ephesians-beauty-of-submission.html
[3] Hebrews 13:17, John 19:11, Acts 4:18-20, Daniel 3:1-30, 1 Timothy 2:1-2
[4] Romans 2:14-15
[5] For another blog posts that teaches about the fear of God read this https://houseyourebuilding.blogspot.com/2020/10/seeking-wisdom.html
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