The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”
Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
Two Hebrew midwives, a Levite woman, and her daughter wouldn't seem to have much in common with a Princess of Egypt.
Yet, as the book of Exodus begins it is the courageous and faithful act of women in the first two chapters of Exodus that will propel the future of God's chosen people.
The first new characters named in the story of the Exodus are two women - midwives from among the enslaved Hebrews - Shiphrah and Puah. Did you know their names? I didn't. In all the years of reading and hearing the Moses story, it always seems to begin with the bravery of Jochebed and her daughter, Miriam (who interestingly aren't named here), as they put the baby, Moses, among the reeds to save him from Pharoah's wrath.
But it is these two women who make the first act of defiance against the tyrannical king of Egypt. Long before Moses will set his people free, Shiphrah and Puah take the first step to make sure Moses will be around for his grand story.
Why do they take this step? Why do they decide not to follow Pharaoh's orders to kill all the boy Hebrew babies at their birth? It isn't, as one might imagine, because of a blood loyalty to their people. Or even if that element is there, it is not the reason we are given.
The reason is that these two midwives fear God, not Pharaoh.
Fear of God.
It's a phrase that's become rather out of fashion among mainline Protestants. Among evangelicals we hear it sometimes after a disaster, natural or otherwise, has happened in this country. We hear that we don't adequately fear the Lord and so God's wrath has come upon us.
Admittedly that's an argument that I've dismissed. Growing up in the Lutheran church as I have, God's faithfulness and love have always been the primary characteristics of God that I've held onto. Fearing God has never been something I've considered all that often. In fact, I've commented here on the importance of God's telling us not to be afraid.
But am I shortchanging God by doing that? Is there more to fearing God than meets the eye? Did Shiphrah and Puah know something that I don't?
Is God worthy of fear and not simply love? And can we both fear God, and yet, not be afraid?
Consider the moment of baptism. That moment is the moment we are told that God's claim on us comes to fruition. It is the moment that the old self - our old Adam or old Eve or whatever term you wish to use - begins its death throes. It is the moment that new creation blossoms.
It is the moment that the reality hits us - whether we are aware of it or not. God is changing us. God's claim on us is stronger than our selfishness, our will, and our sin. God's claim on us IS who we are.
And we have a lifetime to live into that reality.
THAT should scare you.
Not Freddy-Kruger-Walking-Dead-Frankenstein's-monster-Friday-night-horror- movie-scare you, but dig-into-your-bones-and-reach-in-and-make-you-face-the- truth-about-yourself scare you.
We've done our best to tame God. We've tamed church. We've tamed the sacraments. What happens to us by God through church, through the sacraments and through our formation should make us shake in our boots.
Shiphrah and Puah, as well as many other Biblical folks knew something we often forget. God won't be tamed. God reaches down and grabs us and molds us and uses us and creates new creatures out of us even when we forget to fear.
And yet at the same time, God tells us not to be afraid. It is one of the paradoxes that keeps the dance of faith moving.
Because in the end, these women, by their fear of God, were not afraid. They made a bold and courageous act that defied a tyrant and set God's blessing of the world outward even more.
God of power and might, remind us not to take for granted your work in our lives. Move us to not stay still and satisfied or to be afraid of this world, but always looking outward to where you would have us go next. Amen.
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