Sermon #2 from "Take Off Your Sandals" series on Exodus

A tale of courage and defiance against the regime.

Based on Exodus 1:15-22

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 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. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

Discussion Questions

1. What is Pharaoh's next move, according to this episode? What are some things that we learn about the midwives?
2. Why did they defy the king? Why was this an act of courage?
3. What kind of answer did they give the king when he asked why they had not killed the newborn boys? What do you think of their answer? Are their circumstances today when Christians might respond in this way?
4. Why did God reward the midwives for their courage? What is the lesson for us in this?
5. The story mentions their fear of God twice. What does it mean to fear God?
6. "Without eternity in the center of your thinking, your picture of life is like a jigsaw puzzle missing a central piece." (Paul Tripp) How might this affect our lives today?
7. Are you facing a situation where courage might be required? Take some time to pray for each other.