Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, otherwise they will multiply, and in the event of war, they will also join those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.” So they appointed taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they dreaded the sons of Israel. The Egyptians used violence to compel the sons of Israel to labor; and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they violently had them perform as slaves. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other was named Puah; and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.” So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.” (Exodus 1:8-20 NASB)
This week I am going to give you a series of three lessons from the life of Moses that reveal that history, especially Biblical history, is not just a compilation of stories, but history helps us understand what is happening in the world today. History repeated shows that the writer of Ecclesiastes was right when he penned these words under the inspiration of God, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV).” History also can lead us into making the right choices in life, and in supporting or peacefully opposing certain political initiatives, and also in circumventing leaning on our own understanding.
Lesson #1, today’s history lesson, shows us that all these new attempts to modify the practices, policies, and legislation regarding voting rules are not something new. I am not being radical, but rather I’m just being real, pointing out truth that just might cause us to question what is happening in our country today.
In the text above, the king of Egypt fears that the Hebrew people are multiplying to the point that they present a threat to life as they know it. The king attempts to limit the growth of the Hebrew population, by asking the midwives to put to death the boys that are born. The midwives fear God, as the text says, and they let the boys live. They had the presence of the Lord influencing their choices. The king’s new policy, his new proposed practice, and his plan was rooted in fear and that fear, was colored with the changes that would potentially come as it related to the balance of power. The majority feared the minority. “What has been is what will be.” Years ago either in an Applied Leadership class or a Diversity class, both courses that I taught at the college level, we looked at the projections of what was referred to as the “Browning of America.” For the students in the class the purpose of covering this subject matter was to equip them to deal with the predicted, changing demographics in the workforce. We may have briefly discussed the implications on politics and cultural changes, but we were more concerned about effective leadership.
Our lesson today is not about effective leadership, but the lesson is to show that decisions that are being made today and the political wars that are being waged in our country mirror the same thing that was happening in the time of the Pharaoh who was ruling before the birth of Moses. Maybe it will make us look specifically as how this relates to the political doings that are going on. Perhaps, however, it will cause us to look in a general sense at how we can keep mistakes of the past from being part of a vicious, non-ending circle. Maybe the cycle of impeding the growth of boys to men can be broken. Perhaps ambivalent or apathetic perspectives of what is reported in the news will be replaced by active caring to make our world better. Maybe you will be like the midwives and at least speak up for what is right in the sight of the Lord when discussions are open to all employees at your workplace or when you use the “open door” to show integrity by sharing your input, even if it is unpopular. Now, I have to ask: “Have you ever looked at this lesson from Exodus above in connection with our Lesson #1?” Okay, that’s it for today. But I will have two more lessons that will follow this week. I hope they stir up your minds and have a positive impact on you. Be blessed!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NASB)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King