LORD’S DAY, JANUARY 6
Exodus 1:18-21
Matthew 5:33-37

“… let your communication be,
Yea, yea; Nay, nay ...”

REWARDED FOR LYING?

The king of Egypt called for the midwives and demanded to know why they did not obey his commands, and why they let the newborn male babies live. One can only imagine the frustration and desperation of the king of Egypt at this point. In his exasperation, it is a wonder that he did not command the midwives to be put to death, considering he had no qualms ordering infanticide. The king of Egypt could have killed them to make an example of them and ordered other midwives to do his bidding. He did not even need to call for them, having found out what had happened. Is this not God’s protection for those who fear Him instead of fearing man, even Pharaoh, the king of Egypt? How did the midwives reply to Pharaoh’s interrogation? They stated simply that, unlike the Egyptian women, the Hebrew women were strong and full of vitality and delivered their own babies even before they could reach these women. God blessed these midwives and gave them houses.

Some believe God rewarded the midwives because they managed to save the babies. Some accuse God of inconsistency since He rewarded the midwives and Rahab, but punished Ananias and Sapphira for lying. There is an article, written in “defense” of God, that wrongly explains that the Old Testament God overlooks certain things. And that, unlike the midwives, Ananias and Sapphira’s motives for lying were for financial gain, pride, and a desire for prominence. In addition, the article states that even if the midwives did lie, God still rewarded them for their works, not their words.

But God’s Word is clear. He blessed them “because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses” (Exod 1:21). The Hebrew wives were full of vitality, and delivered easily and quickly, even before the midwives reached them. When we fear God, we do not lie, not even to save our lives. We do not sin to do good and think God will reward us. It is a false, dangerous, and sinful concept.

THOUGHT: Does the end justify the means in God’s eyes?
PRAYER: Father, may I never lie to “help” Thee or to “do good.”