GOVERN BY THE FEAR OF GOD OR FEAR OF MEN.

The book of Exodus opens with Israel flourishing. A new Pharaoh arose. He saw their growth as a threat. To control them, he imposed harsh slavery, forcing them into grueling labor. But when OPPRESSION COULD NOT STOP GOD’S PEOPLE FROM MULTIPLYING, Pharaoh escalated his cruelty.

He issued a secret command to the Hebrew midwives:

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐲—𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐦.” (v16)

THEY WERE MIDWIVES; A CARETAKERS OF LIFE. Women whose hands were TRAINED TO DELIVER, TO PROTECT, TO COMFORT. And Now, Those Same Hands Were Being Asked To Destroy. It was genocide disguised as policy—a quiet attempt to erase a future before it began.

And here Scripture slows down to give us one line that carries eternal weight:

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.” (v17)

Notice the sequence: FIRST, THEY FEARED GOD, then they disobeyed Pharaoh.

But here, the phrase teaches us to look beyond grammar and see the principle behind the story.

FEAR OF GOD IS TRUE REVERENCE THAT PRODUCES MORAL COURAGE.
It shapes ordinary people to stand firm when faced with extraordinary pressure.

The midwives stood between a Throne and A Newborn Cry. Between Authority and Innocence. Between a Command and Their Conscience.

They Were Not Warriors. They Were Not Prophets. They Were Not Political Leaders. They Were Ordinary Women Doing Ordinary Work.

Yet IN THAT ORDINARY SPACE, THEY MADE AN EXTRAORDINARY DECISION: they refused to cooperate with Pharaoh.

IMAGINE THE PRESSURE. Pharaoh was the most powerful ruler of that time. DISOBEDIENCE COULD MEAN PUNISHMENT OR DEATH. And yet Scripture emphasizes: THEY FEARED GOD, NOT PHARAOH.

Many of us may not face a Pharaoh. But WE FACE SOMETHING SIMILAR. We FEEL PRESSURE TO COMPROMISE, to SILENCE OUR CONVICTIONS, to follow the easier path.

COMPROMISE OFTEN FEELS SAFER, more PRACTICAL, PROTECTIVE. We ask ourselves:
“If I stand firm, what will happen to me?” “If I refuse, what might I lose?” “If I speak up, will I suffer for it?”

And slowly, self-preservation begins to shape our choices. WHO HOLDS THE GREATEST AUTHORITY IN OUR HEARTS? WHOSE VOICE DETERMINES OUR ACTIONS WHEN PRESSURE RISES?

WHERE OUR DEVOTION BELONGS MOST WILL DETERMINE HOW WE ACT.

If we are devoted to people, we will comply.
If we are devoted to our comfort, we will compromise.
If we are devoted to God, we will stand firm.

The midwives could have reasoned: “We have families. We need to survive. Let us just follow orders.”

But Scripture does not say they were devoted to Pharaoh. It says "𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙙."

And THAT FEAR WAS NOT TERROR.
It was DEVOTION that SHAPED ACTION.
It was LOYALTY that OVERRULED INTIMIDATION.
It was CONVICTION that RESISTED INJUSTICE.
It was ALLEGIANCE to a HIGHER THRONE.

And BECAUSE OF THAT CHOICE, A GENERATION OF HEBREW BOYS SURVIVED. One Of Them Would Be MOSES.

Here is the uncomfortable truth: WHEN WE ARE DEVOTED TO THE OUTCOME MORE THAN WE FEAR GOD, WE SLOWLY SURRENDER PIECES OF OUR INTEGRITY.

COMPROMISE MAY PROTECT US TEMPORARILY. BUT INTEGRITY PROTECTS OUR SOUL.

Sometimes WE COMPROMISE NOT BECAUSE WE ARE WICKED; BUT BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID.

Afraid Of Loss.
Afraid Of Being Alone.
Afraid Of Suffering.

But the story of SHIPHRAH and PUAH asks us gently:

What Happens To Us When We Choose Safety Over Faithfulness?
What Kind Of People Are We Becoming?

GOD DID NOT ABANDON THEM. Scripture says HE DEALT WELL WITH THE MIDWIVES. (v20) The same God who saw their quiet courage sees ours.

And maybe THAT IS WHERE COURAGE STILL BEGINS TODAY—NOT ON A STAGE, NOT IN A SPOTLIGHT—BUT IN A QUIET DECISION WHERE NO ONE IS WATCHING.

We may never stand before a king.
But WE WILL STAND IN MOMENTS WHERE WE MUST DECIDE WHOM WE OBEY.

And in those moments, may we CHOOSE REVERENCE OVER OUTCOME.
May we CHOOSE OBEDIENCE OVER COMFORT.

May we FEAR GOD MORE THAN WE FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES.