Havasu Christian Church
Scary stories in the Bible!
October 9, 2022
“Bravery yields a great result!”
Exodus 1:15-2:10
INTRO: On our 3rd week of “Scary Stories in the Bible,” we find ourselves in Egypt! At this time, Egypt is the “Superpower” of the entire region around it. Their reach and influence extends into Africa, into what we call the Middle East, and even around the Mediterranean. They are at the height of their power.
The Jewish people, who came to Egypt as guests, courtesy of Joseph, have multiplied from a big family, to a Nation! And they continued to get even bigger. Pharaoh is concerned that soon there will be enough of them to be a threat, so he has them put to forced labor. If anything, this accelerates their “fruitfulness.” So, the Pharaoh comes up with a plan.
(I) It was a scary time to be a midwife!
Exodus 1:15–21 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.” So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.
a. Women whose job it was to help bring new lives into the world were ordered to kill them instead!
i. These women are probably the leaders of a group of midwives.
ii. Pharaoh at this time, is perhaps the most powerful human on the planet!
1. When he gives an order, you’d better be listening and following instructions!
2. He not only has the power to tell you what to do, he has the manpower to back him up!
a. His people are expected to refer to him and treat him as a “god” even if they don’t really believe it!
b. These women faced a tough choice!
i. Listen to Pharaoh?
ii. Listen to God?
c. These women “Feared God!”
i. They wanted to please God, and were willing to put their own lives in danger rather than follow the evil orders of the Pharaoh!
1. They offered an almost mocking excuse.
a. The Hebrew women are just plain tougher than the Egyptian women! They don’t wait for our help!
Friend who grew up as a “Missionary’s Kid” in the African bush! When Charlene was in the states and pregnant, the African woman who helped raise her spoke to her on the phone and told her “Don’t you embarrass us African women by screaming and carrying on like those American women during labor. Just bear down and get it done!”
b. These Hebrew women seem to have that same attitude! Just get it done!
d. These midwives are rewarded by God for listening to Him instead of Pharaoh!
i. “He established households for them.”
1. It would seem that God causes these ladies to have many children, and perhaps, these families become important because of their faithfulness!
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THESE LADIES?
* It isn’t always easy to live a life, pleasing to God.
They have to directly defy the most powerful ruler around. Not for the faint of heart!
* It may be necessary to put your life in danger to follow God!
That’s where trust comes in! “Fear God” doesn’t simply mean to be frightened. It means to want to please Him!
* When the choices are following man, and following God, GOD IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT CHOICE!!!
There are those in our time who think they have the right, not only to choose to have their babies killed, but also feel it is the proper thing to compel doctors to do it for them. They expect a pharmacist to fill prescriptions that will kill a baby.
A person who “fears God” will have to say “No!” to this, and take the risk of consequences.
In the USA, we have the right to vote. I would urge you, before you look to see if a candidate is a Democrat, Republican or Independent, find out where they stand on abortion! Many of the candidates we’ll be voting for or against have made abortion THE issue of their campaigns. See where they stand and vote accordingly!
* When we make the right choice, God will bless us. Perhaps in this life, but certainly in the life to come!
(II) It was a scary time to be the mother of a baby boy!
a. Pharaoh decides to put the burden of killing children on their parents and the community.
Exodus 1:22-2:2 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.” Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.
i. WOW! Pharaoh will hold everyone around responsible for seeing to it that newborn baby boys are killed!
1. Not only would the parents be in trouble, but so would the neighbors!
a. These tactics have been used down through the centuries by evil tyrants!
b. Why spare the little girls?
i. Pharaoh probably figured they would be easier to assimilate into Egypt.
1. No Jewish family names to keep alive, no “hotheaded men” running around.
b. Moses’ family bravely decides to ignore the order of Pharaoh.
i. We know there are at least two older siblings. His sister, whom we’ll read about in a minute. We find out later in Exodus, her name is Miriam, and a brother, Aaron, whom we meet later in Exodus.
1. It was undoubtedly dangerous for all of them to defy Pharaoh!
ii. It would be incredibly difficult to keep a baby quiet for 3 months!
1. Anyone around them who heard the child could have sold them out!
2. But he was beautiful! (Every mother thinks that about their baby… Ours were beautiful! Just ask Robin!)
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS FAMILY?
* Life is precious!
Especially children!
Psalm 127:3–5 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
* Government doesn’t always steer people the right way, neither do people!
It is important to put what God says ahead of what government says. Also, be careful WHO you listen to! If they aren’t looking to God for the truth, they won’t have it. “JUST FOLLOW YOUR HEART” is the worst advice anyone ever gave!
(III) Moses’ mom did what she could do to help the situation!
Exodus 2:3-10 But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
a. She didn’t give up!
i. She did “a craft project!”
1. Weaves a basket, makes it waterproof.
b. She takes a big chance!
i. Moses is placed in the basket
ii. She puts him in the water, among the reeds, near where Pharaoh’s daughter bathes.
iii. She leaves her daughter to keep an eye on him and see what happens.
c. The “Big chance” pays off!
i. Moses is found.
1. He’s crying… Maternal instinct kicks in!
ii. Miriam bravely steps up!
1. “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?”
2. I don’t think Pharaoh’s daughter was dumb!
a. She immediately knows this baby boy is a Hebrew.
b. Miriam “just happens to be there” to offer to find a nurse? RIGHT!!
c. Not only does she send Moses home with his mother, she pays her to take care of him for her!
i. Eventually he is returned to her and becomes her adopted son.
1. But what he learned from his family sticks with him!
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PART OF THE STORY?
* When God allows you to be put into a difficult situation, don’t give up!
Do what there is that you can do, trust God to take care of the rest!
* Expect help to come from unexpected places!
Who would have thought that the daughter of the man who said to kill the baby boys would save one of them?
Guy in the storm…. God’s gonna save me!
Canoe… Nope! God’s gonna save me!
Boat… Nope! God’s gonna save me!
Helicopter… Nope! God’s gonna save me!
Dead… “God why didn’t you save me?”
God answers, “I sent a canoe, a boat and a helicopter! What more did you want?”
* Be ready to adapt to God’s plan!
Don’t be stuck on YOUR plan! God has the benefit of seeing the past and the future! You don’t! He actually knows what’s best!
I’m sure it broke Moses’ mom’s heart to give him up. But look at what came from that!
Acts 7:22 “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.
This knowledge would be VERY handy later on when Moses is leading the nation of Israel!
* Allow others to help you!
Miriam watches over her brother.
She is then able to give Pharaoh’s daughter “plausible deniability.” “Dad, I found this baby… Isn’t it amazing that this girl happened by and she knew a lady who could nurse him for me?”
Conclusion:
Serving God isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it!
Human Life is precious!
Old humans, young humans, middle aged humans, humans in the womb… They are ALL precious!
Human beings are “image bearers,” they are made in the image of God!
Animals are wonderful creatures and shouldn’t be wastefully used or abused, but they are not “Image bearers!”
“Image bearers” should be protected from those who would hurt them. Animals or people!
Plan the best you can, but leave room for God to act in unexpected ways!
