17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

Savior’s Servants Disobey

The midwives of the Hebrews may have been Egyptians or they may have been Hebrew slaves in charge of all the midwives who cared for the women and newborns in the tribes of Israel. I always enjoy looking at the meaning of the names in the Bible, these two heroes were named Shiphrah which means fair and Puah which means splendid. They certainly live up to their names.

They told Pharoah that the Hebrew women delivered too fast. This probably wasn’t a lie but was the cunning plan of Shiphrah and Puah. They probably instructed all the midwives throughout the region of Goshen to take their time when they got the call that the baby was on its way. Whether it was a plan, or even if it was a deception, the outcome is the same, these two righteous women would not obey a sinful law.

They feared God and did not obey the commandment of the king of Egypt but saved the children alive. God used these two women to save all the future generations of Israel and to protect the Messianic bloodline that one day would mean the salvation of all mankind.

They didn’t know any of this though. All they knew was that the command from the King was evil and against God’s law. That was enough and they would not obey.

Isn’t it amazing the people God uses, especially the faithful women of the Bible. Here the midwives obey God and overcome Pharoah’s plan. Later in this same story it is the faith of Moses’ mother and sister that save the future leader of the nation and through him their people would be set free.

Serving The Savior May Mean Disobedience

This is the first time in the Bible of what we call civil disobedience today. The refusal to obey an evil, immoral law of man because of the greater, higher law of God. We must understand that once again, this is a balance of the Christian life. On one hand God’s word clearly tells us to obey the civil authorities who rule over us. We clearly read this in places like Matthew 20:21–25; Romans 13; and 1 Peter 2:11.

Romans 13:1-3 ​1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

But notice the fifth verse of Romans 13 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

Our obedience is a matter of fearing judgement, but it is also a matter of our conscience. When the laws of God are contrary to the laws of man, then as Acts 5:29 shows us in the example of Peter and John, “we ought to obey God rather than men”. This is what the midwives did. It is what the people of God have done whenever they are faced with ungodly rulers and immoral laws.

Daniel and the Three Hebrew Children

This principle of “civil disobedience is most clearly seen in the story of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah better known as Shadrach; of Meshach; and Abednego. When Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful king the world had ever know up to that time, told them to bow before an idol or be thrown into a burning fiery furnace there reply was

Daniel 3:16 O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful, (we don’t need to worry) to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

That is the answer every true child of God has made to every evil ruler, government or despot throughout history. “We don’t need to think about what we will do. We will not obey that which is against our God. We will obey God rather than men.”