Pharaoh's Plot


God's Exceptional Choice 
Out of Slavery - Into Nationhood
The Birth of Moses
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) 

Exodus 1:8-22 New International Version

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 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."

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

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.


For Reflection

This story should sound familiar to our contemporary ears. The Hebrews had been immigrants living in exile, prospering under the Pharaoh who made Joseph a ruler. But leaders changed, and the new Pharaoh was not as accepting as the old one.

Apparently, the Pharaoh was fearful of the Hebrews. He alleged that if they continued to multiply as rapidly as they had, they would turn against Egypt and join forces with Egypt's enemies. So the Pharaoh tried economic, social, and violent suppression. But that did not work. Then he tried genocide.

But the midwives, sympathetic to the Hebrews and fearing God, refused to participate in the Pharaoh's plot. For their bravery, God rewarded the midwives.

Finally, in desperation, the Pharaoh issued an edict to kill all Hebrew boys that were born and throw them into the Nile. 

Fortunately, Moses escaped death and led God's people out of captivity. 
 

Pray

Pray for those who suffer under tyrannical leaders. Pray and develop confidence that God will set all things right.

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