Spirit-Filled Rebels
The story of Genesis. It’s the story of highs and lows, good and evil, heartbreak and celebration. It’s the happy ending we didn’t know we needed - a complete regeneration and restoration of hope as Joseph welcomes his family back in forgiveness.
But, like most stories with human characters, good things come to an end. As Genesis shifts to the book of Exodus, in one verse the story shifts from hope to despair.
Exodus 1:8 A new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
A new king who didn’t know Joseph, or his family, or the God they worshipped. And this king, Pharaoh, was a jealous king. He saw the Hebrews multiplying rapidly, a sign in those times of God’s blessings. He worked them to the bone, and even though they were already slaves, he forced the Hebrews to do the most difficult labor in the land: making bricks. Eventually Pharaoh would even take away straw, a key component of brick making, while forcing them to maintain their daily quota.
But that’s not all. Pharaoh ruthlessly ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill all the sons that were born. Every Hebrew baby boy was to be killed. The Hebrews must have been in despair. Imagine, a pregnant wife, seeing her husband worked until his body was broken, knowing if she had a son, he would be taken away and murdered.
However, in the midst of despair, God always has a beam of hope. The light that keeps His people going. And that light, in this Exodus story, comes from this line:
Exodus 1:17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
This is obedience. Loyalty. These midwives, in opposition of a king that could make their lives extremely difficult and put them to death, they chose to fear the correct authority. They appealed to an authority above themselves, above humanity, and above their “king”. They brought about the salvation of a nation, because instead of killing baby Moses, they saved him. They floated him down the Nile River, trusting that their decision would be blessed by Almighty God. These women with no power saved the world.
This is the same obedience we are called to as followers of Christ. As Jesus Christ himself said:
Matthew 10:28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Too often we kneel to our world. To our government, to societal trends, to our peers; even to ourselves. We seem to have forgotten who’s really in control. The same God that sent the plagues, that showed His power over Pharaoh and Egypt. The same God who set His people free, and showed them the promised land. The same and only God that defeated death. So why do we fear anything else? Why do we give power to any other entitiy than our Creator?
Our God can set us free. From fear, from trepidation, and from anything holding us back from His goodness. The world is telling us to back down, to be quiet, to fit in, don’t make waves, don’t upset the balance. But it’s time, followers of Christ, to take a stand. To take a stand based in love, and faith, and loyalty to a good God. And our stand, although it comes in the form of gentleness, love, and compassion, it is relentless. It is the rock in the shoe and the water drip on the forehead of our society.
Our rebellion isn’t loud and fierce like human-caused rebellion. Rather, it’s Spirit-filled rebellion based in obedience to God. It’s Jesus-like rebellion. And at the end of that rebellion, we must accept the consequences, which may end at the cross. Just like the midwives. Just like Jesus.
And to top it all off, we have the comfort of our Good Shepherd that promises to guide us all the days we live.
Psalm 23 (CSB)
A psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. 2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.
So, as you go out into the world, be in rebellion, and win people to Christ.
