“There are way too many of these Israelites for us to handle. We’ve got to do something: Let’s devise a plan to contain them, lest if there’s a war they should join our enemies, or just walk off and leave us.”
Living into the promise God made for Adam and Eve, Noah and his family, Abraham, Issac and Joseph....being fruitful and multiplying is now a bad thing in the eyes of those they surround. Yet, Joseph and his family are now a mere memory, and not even that. The Hebrew peoples are now called Israelites, a reflection of whence they came (Jacob = Israel).
Amazingly even as the reigning powers see the prosperity of the Israelites and decide to do 'something' about it; mainly get rid of all the male boys that are born (Take note, God will reverse this)...God still operates in this story.
This story is kinda a punch in the face to the reality of living in america. With present day rhetoric concerning unaccompanied minors from other countries becoming headlines. Not to mention the clash of cultural religious groups on the other side of the world. How can we not have a mirror placed before us when we read this scripture?
Do we respond to these children and these circumstances like Pharoah? Or like the midwives? Politically those are complex issues. Biblically, God continues to find ways of working through complex issues.
Lord, continue to show us your word so that we might live into what you are doing behind the scenes. - Amen!