Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. Guided by the hand of
Speaker 1: their brother Joseph, a man of dreams and visions, the
Speaker 1: families of Israel found sanctuary in the region of Goshen.
Speaker 1: There on the fringes of Egyptian grandeur, they multiplied.
Speaker 2: These Hebrews are contributing nothing and taking everything. They grow
Speaker 2: crops on my land, heard on my hills, and drink
Speaker 2: from my rivers.
Speaker 3: What do I get in return? Nothing?
Speaker 2: Even worse, they are so great in number that they
Speaker 2: can be trusted.
Speaker 3: If our enemies choose to invade. What's to stop.
Speaker 4: Them from joining their side?
Speaker 3: What are your commands, Lord Pharaoh?
Speaker 2: The Israelites are no longer guests in my land. From
Speaker 2: this day forth, they shall be bricks laid at the
Speaker 2: foundation of my empire.
Speaker 1: The soldiers marched into Goshen, their armor clinking with the
Speaker 1: cold efficiency of death. They claimed the fields, drove the
Speaker 1: herds into Pharaoh's barns, and stripped the people of their tools.
Speaker 1: Egyptian commanders were appointed over the Hebrews, each flanked by
Speaker 1: battalions of soldiers, eager to enforce their lord's decree, And
Speaker 1: so the children of Israel were bound in chains. Their
Speaker 1: lives consumed by the relentless toil of Pharaoh's ambitions. Day
Speaker 1: after day, the sun rose and set, casting its unforgiving
Speaker 1: light upon a land where time itself seemed to stretch
Speaker 1: into eternity. Under the lash, beneath the weight of stones
Speaker 1: and mortar, the people of Israel cried out to the
Speaker 1: God of their fathers, Oh.
Speaker 5: Deliver us, rescue york people.
Speaker 6: Two midwives, a king's command, and a choice that defied
Speaker 6: in empire. Shallo, my friends from here in the Holy Land,
Speaker 6: Welcome to the Chosen People. I'm ya l Extein with
Speaker 6: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. If you haven't
Speaker 6: yet followed the podcast, be sure to do so now.
Speaker 6: That way you never have to miss an episode, and
Speaker 6: that small step helps us tremendously as we try to
Speaker 6: be discovered by more people so that we can inspire them.
Speaker 6: If you're interested in finding out more about the prophetic,
Speaker 6: life saving work of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
Speaker 6: you can visit our website at IFCJ dot org. Do
Speaker 6: we fear God more than man? Across the sands of
Speaker 6: ancient Egypt, Pharaoh's decree comes down, a command to kill
Speaker 6: every newborn Hebrew boy. Two Hebrew midwives stand at a
Speaker 6: crossroads of life and death, of power and righteousness. In
Speaker 6: the face of absolute authority, they choose defiance, fearing God
Speaker 6: more than they feared the king. This is a story
Speaker 6: of quiet rebellion and unwavering faith that changed history forever.
Speaker 6: As we step into this saga inspired by Exodus one
Speaker 6: twelve to twenty two, ask yourself this, when human power
Speaker 6: and divine command collide, where does your allegiance lie?
Speaker 1: Blood tears and broken prayers dripped onto the Egyptian sands.
Speaker 1: The Hebrews, once free, now lived under the crushing yoke
Speaker 1: of bondage, them memories of liberty fading like distant echoes.
Speaker 1: The generations that had known life outside the chains of
Speaker 1: servitude were gone, and in their place remained a people
Speaker 1: born to the lash, acquainted only with despair. They no
Speaker 1: longer prayed as their ancestors had. Their prayers were brittle,
Speaker 1: spoken to a god who seemed more myth than reality.
Speaker 1: The God of Abraham was a faint echo passed down
Speaker 1: through generations. The elders held tightly to his memory, but
Speaker 1: with each generation the grip loosened. The only god they
Speaker 1: knew now was Pharaoh an ever present force, his wrath
Speaker 1: burning upon their backs like the relentless desert sun. His
Speaker 1: taskmasters were his priests, and the backs of the Hebrews
Speaker 1: were the altars upon which blood and flesh were sacrificed daily.
Speaker 3: Yet within them a.
Speaker 1: Spark still smoldered, a remnant of their forefather, Jacob, a
Speaker 1: sliver of hope that refused to be extinguished. In their despair,
Speaker 1: they multiplied, They loved, they laughed, They clung to each
Speaker 1: other in the face of overwhelming aunts. Their shared commitment
Speaker 1: to one another whispered prayers to the God of Jacob
Speaker 1: amidst the beatings was their only weapon, their quiet rebellion.
Speaker 1: But this strength made them a threat the cruel pharaoh
Speaker 1: who enslaved them. Rameses the First had passed. The Israelite
Speaker 1: scars told the tale of his legacy, a legacy of brutality, conquest,
Speaker 1: and oppression. His son SETI took his place. Both drank
Speaker 1: from the same well of hatred and pride as their forebears.
Speaker 1: Their thirst for power was in safe, and their knights
Speaker 1: were haunted by visions of revolt.
Speaker 3: These Hebrews are like rats breeding in the shadows. They
Speaker 3: already outnumber my soldiers. We must cut the Hebrews off
Speaker 3: before they become unmanageable.
Speaker 4: Shall we execute some of the men, Lord Pharaoh, don't be.
Speaker 3: So foolish and short sighted. Those men lay my bricks
Speaker 3: and hoist the statues of my greatness. I need their
Speaker 3: arms and legs. No, we need to cut them off
Speaker 3: for a generation, starve their multiplication. Yes, we must take
Speaker 3: the children. How shall we proceed, Bring me the middle
Speaker 3: the women who aid the mothers in labor at.
Speaker 4: Once, Yes, Lord Pharaoh.
Speaker 1: The air was pierced by the cries of a woman
Speaker 1: in labor. Her breath ragged as she fought through the pain.
Speaker 7: That's right, my dear, keep breathing, Do not push, and
Speaker 7: do not fight, Just breathe.
Speaker 1: Shifra sat on her birthstool, gently coaching a young woman
Speaker 1: through labor. Her tone was steady, gentle, and comforting. She
Speaker 1: guided the mother to be through every step and position.
Speaker 7: Lay on your side, now, my dear.
Speaker 1: Shifra was a master at her craft. Midwives were revered
Speaker 1: pillars among the Israelites. They were steady guides, bringing babies
Speaker 1: from the womb into the world and mothers from maidenhood
Speaker 1: to motherhood. She, like few others, truly feared God Most High,
Speaker 1: her faith as unshakable as the earth beneath her feet.
Speaker 1: With each birth, each cry of a newborn, and each
Speaker 1: silence of a child lost, Shifra drew closer to the
Speaker 1: heart of the Creator. Shifra gripped the woman's legs and
Speaker 1: spoke with a firm, steady voice.
Speaker 7: Now as the time, my dear, do not hold back.
Speaker 3: You must push.
Speaker 7: Now, let's meet your child.
Speaker 1: The young mother did as she was told, her face
Speaker 1: contorted with pain and determination. The woman pressed her legs
Speaker 1: against Sheifra's hands and pushed. Her labored sighs gave way
Speaker 1: to shouts of brief pain. The woman's screams filled the room,
Speaker 1: raw and powerful, until finally the child emerged into Sheifra's
Speaker 1: waiting hands.
Speaker 7: A strong, healthy boy, My dear, your husband will be
Speaker 7: so proud.
Speaker 1: Her cry pierced the air. A strong, healthy boy. She
Speaker 1: immediately placed him on his mother's chest.
Speaker 7: May God most hy bless you and your child. My dear,
Speaker 7: there is no greater joy and pain than being a mother.
Speaker 7: It hurts you now, but the real soreness comes later
Speaker 7: when he is no longer suckling, and is off to
Speaker 7: the quarry. Enjoy these moments, my dear Savor them, as
Speaker 7: Sarah savored Isaac long ago, for every child is a miracle,
Speaker 7: not just the ones born to the matriarchs.
Speaker 1: The ordeal over, Schifra set to work, cleaning up boiling
Speaker 1: water for a warm pad and tea. She moved with
Speaker 1: a practiced grace, her hands never faltering as she stirred
Speaker 1: the leaves, letting the fragrant steam rise. She soaked cloths
Speaker 1: in hot water, pressing them gently against the mother's abdomen,
Speaker 1: and brought a cup of tea to the woman's lips.
Speaker 1: Shifra left the tent with her birthstool. The moon hung low,
Speaker 1: shrouded by a haze of dust and smoke. The paths
Speaker 1: she walked were jagged, ill, kept a reflection of the
Speaker 1: broken lives lived by those who walked them. After a
Speaker 1: day of hauling stones and paving roads for Pharaoh, nothing
Speaker 1: was left for the Hebrews In Goshen, Sifra watched as
Speaker 1: men returned from their labor, their bodies battered, their spirits bruised.
Speaker 1: They steeled themselves before entering their homes, hiding their despair
Speaker 1: from their children, their pain from their wives. Sifra's heart
Speaker 1: ached as she watched them, remembering each of them as
Speaker 1: babes cradled in their mother's arms, full of life and promise.
Speaker 1: Now they were shadows of men, their backs bent, their
Speaker 1: faces hard, trudging forward like beasts of burden. Sifra made
Speaker 1: it to her home, which she shared with the other midwife.
Speaker 1: She entered with worry creased on her brow, reclining at
Speaker 1: a table weaving a basket with her coarse hands.
Speaker 3: Was poor.
Speaker 1: She was ten years Sheafra as junior, but just as respected.
Speaker 1: Sensing Sheafra's weariness, Poora stood and took the birthstool from her.
Speaker 1: She poured a cup and placed it in Sheafra's hands.
Speaker 8: Did Ziva have her child?
Speaker 7: Yes, a strong little boy with a head fat enough
Speaker 7: to split the nile. For a moment, I was worried
Speaker 7: about that poor girl. But she did it. She was
Speaker 7: a strong one, steady till the end.
Speaker 8: Oh, another boy, another back for Pharaoh's whips.
Speaker 7: As I walked back and saw all the men coming home,
Speaker 7: memories of them as babes flashed before my eyes.
Speaker 8: Yes, but for all their suffering, they still fall in
Speaker 8: love and have children. They still laugh and forget their
Speaker 8: troubles for moments long enough to make love and bring
Speaker 8: forth a new generation. The cycle repeats again and again.
Speaker 8: Even in despair, moments of love sustain us. This is
Speaker 8: the way of our people.
Speaker 1: They sat in silence, letting the weight of the day
Speaker 1: settle around them, until a loud knock shattered the quiet.
Speaker 1: Sheifra's blood ran cold. She knew that knock the same
Speaker 1: brutal pounding that had preceded the seizure of her husband
Speaker 1: and son, taken to serve Pharaoh's army and never returned.
Speaker 4: Probo saves.
Speaker 7: Ready yourself, my dear.
Speaker 1: She opened the door, and immediately it was flung wide.
Speaker 1: Three palace guards storming inside. One seized Sheifra by the arm,
Speaker 1: another advanced on poor. They knew better than to resist,
Speaker 1: remaining silent and submissive as they were dragged away. Sheifra
Speaker 1: had heard stories about the great city of Pharaoh, but
Speaker 1: none could properly prepare her for its grandeur. Compared to
Speaker 1: the slums of Goshen, the city surrounding the palace seemed
Speaker 1: like another world. They were escorted through the bustling streets
Speaker 1: of thieves, The crowded markets were filled with the sounds
Speaker 1: of merchants walking their wares and the clatter of donkey carts.
Speaker 1: Merchants and nobles reclined at tables with cups in hand.
Speaker 1: Music played in the streets, adding to the incessant and
Speaker 1: never ending noise. The palace loomed ahead, its walls high
Speaker 1: in imposing, adorned with banners and emblems representing the might
Speaker 1: of Pharaoh. Upon entering the palace grounds, the atmosphere changed dramatically.
Speaker 1: The city's noise gave way to an almost reverent silence,
Speaker 1: broken only by the murmurs of priests and the soft
Speaker 1: footsteps of servants. The floors beneath their feet were smooth,
Speaker 1: polished stone, cool to the touch, and glee under the
Speaker 1: flickering light of oil lamps. The architecture was awe inspiring,
Speaker 1: with tall columns carved to resemble lotus flowers and papyrus plants,
Speaker 1: symbolizing the eternal life of Pharaoh's kingdom. The air was
Speaker 1: thick with the scent of incense and a heady mixture
Speaker 1: of myrrh, frank incense, and other exotic spices meant to
Speaker 1: purify and sanctify the space. The palace, walls built of limestone,
Speaker 1: were adorned with intricate carvings and hieroglyphics, each telling stories
Speaker 1: of gods, kings, and conquests.
Speaker 3: When Pharaoh addresses you, keep your eyes on the floor.
Speaker 3: Only Egyptians can gaze at the sun and live.
Speaker 7: I cannot tell if he's breathing a threat or explaining
Speaker 7: a fact.
Speaker 1: The opulence became even more overwhelming as they were brought
Speaker 1: deeper into the palace. The walls were painted in vibrant colors,
Speaker 1: depicting scene of gods and pharaohs triumphing over enemies, with
Speaker 1: gold and lapis lazuli inlays catching the light. The air
Speaker 1: was cool there, protected from the heat by thick stone
Speaker 1: walls and high ceilings. They passed through gardens filled with
Speaker 1: lush greenery, rare flowers, and fountains, all meticulously maintained, creating
Speaker 1: an oasis of tranquility. Yet Shifra and Poor were far
Speaker 1: from tranquil.
Speaker 8: What could Pharaoh possibly want with us?
Speaker 7: We wouldn't be summoneer in such a manner for something good.
Speaker 7: He is going to demand something of us.
Speaker 1: Finally, Shifra and Poor were led into the throne room.
Speaker 1: It was vast, with a high ceiling supported by massive columns,
Speaker 1: each painted with images of the gods. The throne was
Speaker 1: a masterpiece of craftsmanship, inlaid with precious stones and gold,
Speaker 1: flanked by statues of falcons and sphinxes, symbols of the
Speaker 1: pharaoh's divine authority. Then they saw him, Pharaoh SETI, seated
Speaker 1: on this throne as a figure of almost other worldly presence.
Speaker 1: His shaved head wore a head dress adorned with sapphires.
Speaker 1: His bare chest bore golden wings. In his hands with
Speaker 1: a crook and flail, symbols of his rule over Upper
Speaker 1: and Lower Egypt. His gaze was stern and penetrating, and
Speaker 1: the weight of his authority was palpable, filling the room
Speaker 1: with an almost tangible sense of power. The midwives were
Speaker 1: brought forward, their movements closely monitored by the guards and courtiers.
Speaker 4: Meil before the image of raw the Lord of the Nile,
Speaker 4: the morning and evening star.
Speaker 1: Pil Pharaoh, Shifra, and Poor kept their heads low and
Speaker 1: their gaze fixed on the door. The tension in the
Speaker 1: room was thick as they awaited the pharaoh's words. The
Speaker 1: women were acutely aware that their lives were entirely in
Speaker 1: the hands of this living God. Any slight misstep could
Speaker 1: lead to severe punishment.
Speaker 3: You are the midwives who aid the Hebrew women in labor.
Speaker 7: Yes, yes, Lord Pharaoh.
Speaker 3: Then you know where and have more witness to the
Speaker 3: rapid multiplication of your people. You are breeding like rats
Speaker 3: under ground. I shall have an end to it.
Speaker 1: The women were silent, knowing better than to ask questions
Speaker 1: or reply with a comment.
Speaker 4: I have brought you here instead of sending an.
Speaker 3: Envoy to communicate the severity by which I give my command.
Speaker 3: When you are on the birth stool and you see
Speaker 3: a son born to a Hebrew woman, you shall kill
Speaker 3: him without a second thought. If it is a daughter,
Speaker 3: then the baby shall live. This is the decree of Pharaoh,
Speaker 3: the image of raw, the Lord of the Nile, the
Speaker 3: morning and evening Star.
Speaker 1: Poor tensed her entire body. Sheifer could tell she was
Speaker 1: about to speak, so she grabbed her forearm and squeezed,
Speaker 1: wanting to silence Poor before she had a chance to speak.
Speaker 3: These are the commands you are to relay to the
Speaker 3: other midwives. I want the streets painted red with the
Speaker 3: blood of the Hebrew rats. And I understood it.
Speaker 1: Took everything in Shiphra to open her jaw and breathe.
Speaker 3: Out a reply, yes, Lord Pharaoh.
Speaker 1: Poora's eyes darted sideways to Sheifra. She returned her gaze
Speaker 1: with an intense stare to remind her of where they
Speaker 1: were and who they were speaking to.
Speaker 3: Now leave me.
Speaker 1: The women were roughly escorted out and thrown into the
Speaker 1: streets of thieves, forced to find their way back to
Speaker 1: Goshen on their own. The second the gods were gone,
Speaker 1: poor lashed out at Sifra.
Speaker 8: How could you agree to such a hideous thing? Schiffra,
Speaker 8: be quite.
Speaker 7: Proud, Come with me.
Speaker 1: The two women wove through the busy streets and tucked
Speaker 1: themselves into the shadows of an aneway. The slight flickering
Speaker 1: of nearby torches illuminated Sheifra's intense stare.
Speaker 7: Do you really think I'd kill those babes?
Speaker 5: Do you?
Speaker 7: Defying Pharaoh would have led to our deaths. Then he
Speaker 7: would recruit other midwives and threaten them. If they refused,
Speaker 7: then he would rifle through all of them until he
Speaker 7: found someone willing to agree. We had to say yes,
Speaker 7: no choice. Does that mean will do what he's asked?
Speaker 7: Of course not I fear God most high, more than Pharaoh.
Speaker 7: It would be his children slain on those birthing stools.
Speaker 7: I will play no part in it.
Speaker 8: You speak the truth. But what are we to do
Speaker 8: with these commands? Pharaoh will know if we have disobeyed him.
Speaker 7: We tell him that Hebrew women are stronger than the
Speaker 7: Egyptians and are giving birth before we have a chance
Speaker 7: to attend them. It's only a half lie.
Speaker 8: We must tell every woman under our care to hide
Speaker 8: their children from the taskmasters and guards. Yes, good, my
Speaker 8: dear Shifra, I fear this is only the beginning of
Speaker 8: Pharaoh's cruelty. We must prepare the rest of our people
Speaker 8: for what's to come.
Speaker 1: The clouds hovered low of Agoshin as if to shield
Speaker 1: the Hebrew women from Pharaoh's high gaze. Shifra Poor and
Speaker 1: the other midwives operated by night, stealthily helping each mother
Speaker 1: through birth. They sent messengers to each household when a
Speaker 1: baby was expected to be born. That signaled the older
Speaker 1: children to start a commotion on the opposite side of
Speaker 1: town to distract Pharaoh's guards, allowing the women to give
Speaker 1: birth without fear of being heard. Months of this past,
Speaker 1: and newborn boys were kept safe. God blessed the other
Speaker 1: midwives and gave them favor. He gave them children of
Speaker 1: their own and kept them safe. The Hebrews continued to
Speaker 1: multiply and thrive. The whips of Pharaoh wouldn't remove their hope.
Speaker 1: His cruel decrees wouldn't quell their love. The children lived
Speaker 1: and grew strong. However, their defiance wouldn't go unnoticed for long.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh didn't forget his decree and knew that Goshen's silence
Speaker 1: was deafening to their guilt. He sent for Sifra and
Speaker 1: Poa again. This time they were taken by and thrown
Speaker 1: onto the palace floors. Pharaoh's rage was a living thing,
Speaker 1: coiled and ready to strike. He gripped his scepter, pointing
Speaker 1: it directly at them, his voice trembling with fury.
Speaker 5: Did you think your defiance would escape my eye? I
Speaker 5: am Sah. I alone can awaken the eye of horace.
Speaker 5: Nothing passes from my gaze. Why have you let these
Speaker 5: children live?
Speaker 4: Answer me?
Speaker 1: Poor began to speak, but she first stopped her. She
Speaker 1: was the elder. If anyone would receive the ire of Pharaoh,
Speaker 1: it would be her. It was her joy to risk
Speaker 1: her life for the children's sake.
Speaker 7: Lord Pharaoh, truly nothing escapes your eye. However, we are
Speaker 7: not blessed with such a sight ourselves. These hebrew women
Speaker 7: are not like the Egyptians. The Egyptian women give birth
Speaker 7: on silken sheets. You have rituals and ceremonies that harken
Speaker 7: to the arrival of each child. Yet these Hebrews are vigorous.
Speaker 7: They are able to give birth while working the fields
Speaker 7: or stirring a pot of stew. Once whispers of your
Speaker 7: decree surfaced, they've been giving birth before we have a
Speaker 7: chance to attend to them.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh took a step down from his throne, and though
Speaker 1: Sheipra dared not look up, she could feel his presence
Speaker 1: looming over. Each step he took was like a hammer
Speaker 1: blow to her soul. The air thick with his anger.
Speaker 5: I gave you Hebrew dogs a chance door bay. It
Speaker 5: was my mercy that held my spears at the bay.
Speaker 5: But no longer my will cannot be thwarted. It is
Speaker 5: as steady as denial, and as forceful as the lady
Speaker 5: eating flame of the sun.
Speaker 3: You Hebrews will.
Speaker 8: Know my power.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh turned to his captain and raised his scepter. Sheifra
Speaker 1: caught a glimpse of his arms. They were tight with muscle,
Speaker 1: firm and steady. His entire body was tense with anger.
Speaker 5: Gush, will weep with the whils of mothers, as I
Speaker 5: tell their sons from their breasts. Take every son under
Speaker 5: the age of two, and cast.
Speaker 3: Them into the nile.
Speaker 5: The crocodiles will feast on the flesh, and the waters
Speaker 5: were turned crimson as a symbol of my power over them.
Speaker 1: Pharaoh turned to Sifra and Poor. His breaths were hot
Speaker 1: with rage.
Speaker 3: I ought to kill you both for failing me, but
Speaker 3: I want I want you to bear witness. I want
Speaker 3: you to gaze upon the blood denile and remember that
Speaker 3: no man or God is more powerful than the Pharaoh.
Speaker 1: PUA's hands were pressing aggressively against the marble floors. Her
Speaker 1: body was shaking with grief. Tears streamed down her silent,
Speaker 1: trembling cheeks.
Speaker 3: Weep if you must, but know that your tears do
Speaker 3: not sway me.
Speaker 5: Gods, get them out.
Speaker 3: Of my sight.
Speaker 1: Shifra and Pooa were cast out again. This time they
Speaker 1: were thrown down the steps. They tumbled into the dust.
Speaker 1: The midwives cast their heads up from the floor and
Speaker 1: watched hundreds of soldiers march out of the palace barracks
Speaker 1: towards Goshen.
Speaker 8: They're marching towards Goshen. We have to beat them there
Speaker 8: and warn the others.
Speaker 7: You run ahead, my dear. I am not as spry
Speaker 7: as I used to be. I will see if I
Speaker 7: can slow them down.
Speaker 8: What how, what are you going to do?
Speaker 1: Shifra held her friend's face and kissed her on the forehead.
Speaker 7: I will do what I must, as should you run,
Speaker 7: my dear.
Speaker 1: Pouare's legs moved swiftly, bending through the crowded streets of thieves.
Speaker 1: Her strides were like a gazelle's as she desperately tried
Speaker 1: to reach Goshen before the soldiers. She for a turn
Speaker 1: toward the battalion of soldiers. She steadied her breath and
Speaker 1: marched toward them. She halted their steps and stretched her
Speaker 1: arms out. She had no plans to fight. She only
Speaker 1: needed to buy more time.
Speaker 7: If I can say just one child, it will all
Speaker 7: be worth it.
Speaker 1: Shifra lifted her voice and echoed the promise God made
Speaker 1: to Abraham. She believed in her heart of hearts that
Speaker 1: they were a chosen people, and not even fairer would
Speaker 1: thwart the promises made to them. With a resolute stare
Speaker 1: and steady voice, Sifra yelled, I will.
Speaker 7: Make you a great nation.
Speaker 9: I will bless you and make your name great, and
Speaker 9: you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who
Speaker 9: bless you, and I will curse him who curses you,
Speaker 9: and through you, all the families of the earth shall
Speaker 9: be blessed.
Speaker 4: Quit your babbling and step aside.
Speaker 9: Remember your promises, O God, most hime, shut up, remember
Speaker 9: your chosen people.
Speaker 4: Silence her, deliver us.
Speaker 1: She for a step back and looked down. Her spear
Speaker 1: was driven straight through her belly. She coughed and blood
Speaker 1: poured out onto the dust. She fell to her knees
Speaker 1: and looked up. Her final thoughts were that of her
Speaker 1: husband and sons.
Speaker 3: She missed them.
Speaker 1: She longed to hold her child again in her arms.
Speaker 1: In her final moments, she prayed that God would deliver
Speaker 1: her people. She for a fell into the dust. The
Speaker 1: soldiers trembled over her body. On the way to Goshen,
Speaker 1: Poor was far ahead, desperate to warn the women so
Speaker 1: the children could be saved.
Speaker 5: Wow.
Speaker 6: What an incredible story. The raw unyielding courage displayed amid
Speaker 6: such brutal oppression is awe inspiring. My heart aches for
Speaker 6: the lives lost, but it sores that the resilience of
Speaker 6: the Chosen people. Here's something that I find fascinating. During
Speaker 6: the darkest period of Israel's enslavement, it was the courageous
Speaker 6: women of Israel who led the way. In Exodus one seventeen,
Speaker 6: it says, quote the midwives, however, feared God end quote.
Speaker 6: Their bravery was a beacon and a land crouded by despair.
Speaker 6: Pharaoh demanded the death of every male Hebrew child. But
Speaker 6: Schiffra and Poah, those midwives with godly hearts, they stood defiant.
Speaker 6: They feared God more than the king of Egypt, choosing
Speaker 6: life over death, choosing hope over despair. We've all heard
Speaker 6: that old saying behind every great man is a great woman.
Speaker 6: But isn't it true? Not only do great women stand
Speaker 6: behind the great men of history, Almost every major step
Speaker 6: in God's plan in the Bible was actually driven by
Speaker 6: the courage and initiative of great women. Sarah's decision to
Speaker 6: follow Abraham Rebecca's plan for Jacob to secure the blessing
Speaker 6: of Isaac roots kindness and care for Naomi, Abigail's wisdom
Speaker 6: for David, and Esther's decision to risk her own life
Speaker 6: to save the Chosen people.
Speaker 7: The list goes on and on.
Speaker 6: When we think of the story of Exodus from Egypt,
Speaker 6: the first name that comes to mind is the hero
Speaker 6: of the story is Moses, and Moses is certainly deserving
Speaker 6: of this recognition. It was Moses who heeded God's call
Speaker 6: to confront Pharaoh. The Bible itself testifies to Moses's status
Speaker 6: as the greatest of all prophets of Israel. But as
Speaker 6: we see from today's story, during the darkest period of
Speaker 6: Israel's enslavement in Egypt, it was the courageous women of
Speaker 6: Israel who paved the path to redemption. They defied Pharaoh,
Speaker 6: risking their lives in the process and allowing the children
Speaker 6: of Israel not only to survive, but to flourish. In
Speaker 6: our next episode, we see Moses's mother hiding her newborn
Speaker 6: son from the Egyptian authorities for three whole months. When
Speaker 6: she couldn't hide him any longer, she actually put him
Speaker 6: in the river to save his life. And then Moses's sister, Miriam,
Speaker 6: another courageous woman, stood guard so she could interview at
Speaker 6: exactly the right moment. We'll also see Pharaoh's daughter defind
Speaker 6: her father's royal orders by saving this Israelite child, who
Speaker 6: had ultimately become the redeemer of the chosen people. While
Speaker 6: the rest of the Exodus story is led by Moses
Speaker 6: and Aaron, these courageous Israelite women set the stage for
Speaker 6: Israel's liberation from Egypt and eventual birth as a nation.
Speaker 6: Let's take a closer look at these two Hebrew women
Speaker 6: who aren't as known as Esther or Ruth or Rebecca.
Speaker 6: These women who ordered by Pharaoh to kill all male
Speaker 6: newborn babies actually feared God more than Pharaoh's punishment. These
Speaker 6: women who showed their full compassion to those little babies.
Speaker 6: Verse twenty tells us, so God was kind to the midwives,
Speaker 6: and the people increased and became even more numerous. But
Speaker 6: what does it mean that God was kind to the midwives.
Speaker 6: One train of fife and Jewish tradition teaches that the
Speaker 6: midwives reward was the second half of that verse, which
Speaker 6: says the people increased and became even more numerous. You
Speaker 6: see the love of the midwives for the nation, for
Speaker 6: Israel was so great that this was the most wonderful
Speaker 6: reward that they could possibly receive. I'm speaking to right
Speaker 6: now from Israel, the Holy land which the Chosen People
Speaker 6: have now returned in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. And
Speaker 6: one thing that allowed us to return and allows us
Speaker 6: to remain here is that love for the nation that
Speaker 6: God gave us and for His word, the Bible that
Speaker 6: we are still studying right now. Before we go, this
Speaker 6: is another interesting teaching in Jewish tradition about the midwives
Speaker 6: that I want to share with you. In English, verse
Speaker 6: fifteen says the King of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,
Speaker 6: but the Hebrew text is actually ambiguous. It reads ivriot
Speaker 6: lem al dot mietzrae melerillomort. These two words ivriotle mi
Speaker 6: al dota ivriot can be translated either as the Hebrew
Speaker 6: midwives or the midwives of the Hebrews.
Speaker 7: You know what that would mean.
Speaker 6: One of those translation means that the midwives were Hebrew,
Speaker 6: that they were the Israelites, and the other translation actually
Speaker 6: means that these midwives were Egyptian. That would mean that
Speaker 6: these brave Egyptian women had such a strong sense of morality,
Speaker 6: of what was right and wrong, that they even defied
Speaker 6: the decree of their own king in order to save
Speaker 6: the Israelite babies. This alternate teaching in Jewish tradition is
Speaker 6: very important to me because it reminds me that the
Speaker 6: work that we do at the Fellowship, work that's only
Speaker 6: possible because of the help of millions of Christian friends
Speaker 6: who support and love Israel and the Jewish people, is
Speaker 6: something that's holy. Like these Egyptian midwives, you are Christian friends,
Speaker 6: just like Corey ten Boone, so many others see clearly
Speaker 6: what is wrong and what is right, and you, our friends,
Speaker 6: are proud to stand with Israel and help save Jewish
Speaker 6: lives here in the Holy Land. So what does this
Speaker 6: ancient story mean for us today? Think about your own life.
Speaker 6: Have you ever faced a moment where doing the right
Speaker 6: thingment standing alone? At our workplaces and our schools, or
Speaker 6: even with our families, we encounter modern day pharaohs, pressure
Speaker 6: to conform to what's wrong, to compromise our values shift
Speaker 6: from who as courage reminds us that our small acts
Speaker 6: of faithfulness really matter. You may feel like your stand
Speaker 6: is insignificant. When we stand up for what is right.
Speaker 6: We participate in the same story that saved Moses' life,
Speaker 6: God's story. Our everyday choices to be honest, to be kind,
Speaker 6: to stand up for the oppressed are how we His
Speaker 6: Chosen People take part. Your faithfulness is seen by God.
Speaker 6: Trust in him and he will bless you.
Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle Eckstein
Speaker 1: ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray dot
Speaker 1: Com app today. This prey dot Com production is only
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvatore, A Celts, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
Speaker 1: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
Speaker 1: enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
Speaker 1: leave a review.