An amazing thing about the bible and all the bible characters we have been and are about to study is this. They are regular human beings doing their jobs and fulfilling a need in their lives or in others in a Godly fashion.
Shiphrah and Puah were two such real people. They, (perhaps along with many others) went about their occupation to help deliver the Hebrew babies. They were midwives this was their job.
In the midst of doing their job they were thrust into the lime light of the powers that be in that day and time. Like so often happens the good work of God and His people had been forgotten and now the Hebrew people were perceived as a threat to the Egyptians. Pharaoh’s plan, like so often is the case of cowardly leaders, ordered the midwives to kill all male Hebrew babies when they were born. But Shiphrah and Puah along with the other midwives could not.
Their reason was not they loved babies so much, though this certainly could have been a contributing factor.
Equally, there actions was not a result of the fear the people would harm them, though they certainly would have.
No there reason was a simple one. Ex 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. This fear of God could not be for their lives, though God was able, if he so desired, to punish unto death any He deemed in need. But so was Pharaoh and that fear would have been much more predictable as Pharaoh was not known for compassion.
Shiphrah and Puah respected God and knew He did not allow the shedding of blood, Whosoever sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Ge 9:6. They were determine to be faithful to God regardless of what the law of the land required. Choosing punishment of man over the wrath of God.
Truly this is what the Book of Exodus is about and we are about to study some of the greatest people of the Bible who were just common everyday people.
