Two Funny Names

Shiphrah and Puah; I am guessing these two names just don’t roll off your tongue every day.  And you don’t hear much about these two women from the book of Exodus. They never seem to be included at the cool kids table, but God made sure they made His book.  

These women were Egyptian, and it has been said they “were chiefs over all the midwives, who were more than 500.”  Although Egyptians by birth, these women embraced the Hebrew faith. We are told in Exodus 1:21, they “feared God.”

When you read in Exodus 1:15-20, you see where the Pharaoh has ordered these two Egyptian midwives to kill all male children as soon as they are born.  But these two women, stood firm in the God of the Hebrews, and not the king of Egypt.  Because of their faithfulness, and with much risk, God not only protected them from a sure death from disobedience of the Pharaoh, He commended them and rewarded them.  

Shiphrah and Puah are the definition of having courage and standing firm in their faith.  They had risked their own lives for many Jewish infants.  

It is not easy standing firm in God’s ways.  Especially when everything in the world is telling us differently.  These two women weren’t just standing up for what they believed, they continued with the right actions. 

A question to ask ourselves is are we standing firm in God’s Truths, or are we watering His Word down to not stir up trouble or dissention?  

Out of love and desire to promote unity, many will compromise God’s Truth.

As Pastor Steven Cole says, “Scripture is clear: any compromise with the world, whether in doctrine, morals, or relationships, has disastrous consequences.”

Embrace the courage and the power given to us from God.  And let us pray to not be ashamed of our faith but to have sufficient courage so Christ will be exalted in our soul, body, and mind, whether by life or by death.  

Lord, increase our faith. Give us a thirst for your Word and a desire to know you more so that we can respond biblically and confidently to today’s culture.  Not compromising you and your ways but glorifying you in all we do.  Let our conversations be of Your Truths, and they draw others closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.