The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Exodus 1:17,
"The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live."
What Pharaoh, "the king of Egypt" told the Hebrew midwives to do was to kill any new-born Hebrew baby boys. As the Israelites were living in the land of Egypt, they had become "exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers", verse 7, such that the Egyptians "came to dread the Israelites", verse 13.
In response, Pharaoh wanted to pare down the numbers of the Jews and ordered the midwives to begin killing the males when they were born. However, the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh because they "feared God."
The fear of the Lord can only be arrived at in our hearts and minds by recognizing not only that God exists, but also embracing everything he reveals to us about himself. In just a short time following the midwives' disobedience to Pharoah, God will reveal himself through Moses to these Israelites (as spoken by the Lord himself), "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Not a God to trifle with, and given a choice, these midwives opted to obey their God rather than Pharaoh and suffer what they might for doing so.
I recall Jesus' teaching, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." Luke 12:4-5.
"The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live."
What Pharaoh, "the king of Egypt" told the Hebrew midwives to do was to kill any new-born Hebrew baby boys. As the Israelites were living in the land of Egypt, they had become "exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers", verse 7, such that the Egyptians "came to dread the Israelites", verse 13.
In response, Pharaoh wanted to pare down the numbers of the Jews and ordered the midwives to begin killing the males when they were born. However, the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh because they "feared God."
The fear of the Lord can only be arrived at in our hearts and minds by recognizing not only that God exists, but also embracing everything he reveals to us about himself. In just a short time following the midwives' disobedience to Pharoah, God will reveal himself through Moses to these Israelites (as spoken by the Lord himself), "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Not a God to trifle with, and given a choice, these midwives opted to obey their God rather than Pharaoh and suffer what they might for doing so.
I recall Jesus' teaching, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." Luke 12:4-5.
Our faithfulness to God will be determined by our fear, reverence and awe, as well as our love of him. Our faithfulness, as manifested by these Hebrew midwives, is a yardstick, a measuring rod, of what is in our hearts relative to what we have embraced about God. It is the very things we think, do, and say, that proclaims to the world around us, to ourselves, and God himself, as to the place the Lord takes in our hearts.
Do you want to know where your heart is, relative to God? Just look at what you thought, said and did last week, and you will know all you need to. God certainly knows.
Kind of sobering, isn't it?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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