Subject: The pattern of fear of God from Joseph and the Hebrew Midwives
Homiletical idea: Even slaves, our fear of God can save thousands
Intro: The role of the midwives (covelhête in Arabic) is key in remote countries where there is no physician to assist pregnant moms. Midwives become sisters of those moms, following up during all the process of pregnancy and pos-pregnancy. Imagine how terrible was for those Hebrew heroines to receive from the Pharaoh the command to kill the Hebrew boys. So before we move on, let’s pray in honor of those great heroines.
/ Outline: This story starts around 3,500 years ago. The text says that a new Pharaoh rose and he didn’t know Joseph. 400 years earlier Joseph was a slave when he was 17, but because he was devoted to God he became the administrator of all Egypt and he saved his father’s house from the famine and his name was remembered forever by the people of Israel. Well, that new Pharaoh didn’t know Joseph, and he was afraid of God’s people so he wanted to make the Israelites a not so big people, and he decided to make their slavery harder. But then Israel became even greater and stronger. So then in the verse 15 Pharaoh speaks to two of the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, so that they would kill the baby boys and let the baby girls live. But because they feared God, they let the boys live, and Pharaoh asked them why, and they said that the Hebrew women were stronger and faster than the Egyptians so they delivered the babies by themselves. And the Bible said they were blessed with families, because they feared the Lord./
(FROM THE STORY OF JOSEPH AND THE MIDWIVES WE CAN DRAW THREE IMPORTANT LESSONS)
- A. Their fear saved thousands
i. Joseph and those midwives, even being slaves, feared God and saved thousands.
- B. Their fear will never be forgotten by the Lord
ii. Pharaoh and others might forget your fear, your devotion. But not God.
iii. Their fear will be always reminded in the Scriptures.
- C. Their fear blessed their families
iv. The Bible says this: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31 (NIV)
v. Taking the risk to die for others like Jesus, the midwives were courageous examples of faith for their families.