Egypt Babylon Egypt: Shiphrah and Puah against abortion. Study 5

Egypt Babylon Egypt: Shiphrah and Puah against abortion. Study 5

 

29/05/20

 

The enmity of the dragon towards the remnant of the seed of the woman is evident in many fronts and getting bitter. This can still be seen amidst the noise on the media which is designed to steal away the precious seed of God’s Word.  The Word which should have an abiding influence in our lives is easily been aborted before it springs up, no wonder we are caught in up in dry lifeless formalism. The riotous protests in Minnesota show us that the diversion tactic by emotive issues in the US and around the world are effective as pot brewing up and soon we shall witness a boiling point. We should however keep our focus on the synthesis, which is always the great controversy between truth and error and will soon conclude with the destruction of the remnant of the seed of the woman of Revelation 12. One of the warfare against the seed is illustrated in the principles behind the abortion movement and it's bloody history. This is probably an emotive subject but in the loving spirit of the First Angel Message of Revelation 14, we have to preach with a loud voice the call for God’s people to only fear Him and not the countenance of “man gods”. Abortion is murder and we shall not kill unborn infants whose life begins from conception to birth. In the attempt to stop the birth of a deliverer of the slaves, Pharaoh legislated for (according to modern terminology) "birth control of cells in women’s ovaries" of Hebrew male babies. This greatest danger to the unborn slave child was wisely rejected by Shiphrah and Puah, in these "civilised" days, they would be hated as "pro life" fanatics. Isn't it our stance as God fearing Christians to promote life in everything we do? We protest against religious persecution but not against infanticide. God was watching the actions of these faithful midwives and dealt well with them. Although the death cults have converted themselves according to modern fashionable sins, there is no difference between Pharaoh's charge to cast into the river every "slave baby" and the sale of aborted fetus by the "Roe v Wade" powerful organisation I can't name on this blog. The message of life which is the light of man will lighten the earth; the time has come for the Church (woman) to be pro-life like Shiphrah and Puah. We now need to speak out of the abundance of our heart against apostasy, xenophobia, racism, abuse any kind, etc. as indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God.

Our scripture reading today says “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive”- Genesis 50:20.

The story is taken from Exodus chapter one.The king of Egypt and his counsellors had hoped to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, and thus decrease their numbers and crush out their independent spirit. Failing to accomplish their purpose, they proceeded to more cruel measures. Orders were issued to the women whose employment gave them opportunity for executing the command, to destroy the Hebrew male children at their birth. Satan was the mover in this matter. He knew that a deliverer was to be raised up among the Israelites; and by leading the king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine purpose. But the women feared God, and dared not execute the cruel mandate. The Lord approved their course, and prospered them. The king, angry at the failure of his design, made the command more urgent and extensive. The whole nation was called upon to hunt out and slaughter his helpless victims. “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. While this decree was in full force a son was born to Amram and Jochebed, devout Israelites of the tribe of Levi. The babe was “a goodly child;” and the parents, believing that the time of Israel’s release was drawing near, and that God would raise up a deliverer for His people, determined that their little one should not be sacrificed. Faith in God strengthened their hearts, “and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” Hebrews 11:23.  - PP 242.2

Genesis 37:18-20 "And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams". Every Word has a geminating principle and the soil of the heart has to be right, as man we should not plant our seeds on unsuitable grounds by the wayside. “As the birds are ready to catch up the seed from the wayside, so Satan is ready to catch away the seeds of divine truth from the soul. He fears that the word of God may awaken the careless, and take effect upon the hardened heart. Satan and his angels are in the assemblies where the gospel is preached. While angels of heaven endeavor to impress hearts with the word of God, the enemy is on the alert to make the word of no effect. With an earnestness equaled only by his malice, he tries to thwart the work of the Spirit of God. While Christ is drawing the soul by His love, Satan tries to turn away the attention of the one who is moved to seek the Saviour. He engages the mind with worldly schemes. He excites criticism, or insinuates doubt and unbelief. The speaker’s choice of language or his manner may not please the hearers, and they dwell upon these defects. Thus the truth they need, and which God has graciously sent them, makes no lasting impression.  - COL 44.3

Satan has many helpers. Many who profess to be Christians are aiding the tempter to catch away the seeds of truth from other hearts. Many who listen to the preaching of the word of God make it the subject of criticism at home. They sit in judgment on the sermon as they would on the words of a lecturer or a political speaker. The message that should be regarded as the word of the Lord to them is dwelt upon with trifling or sarcastic comment. The minister’s character, motives, and actions, and the conduct of fellow members of the church, are freely discussed. Severe judgment is pronounced, gossip or slander repeated, and this in the hearing of the unconverted. Often these things are spoken by parents in the hearing of their own children. Thus are destroyed respect for God’s messengers, and reverence for their message. And many are taught to regard lightly God’s word itself. Thus in the homes of professed Christians many youth are educated to be infidels. And the parents question why their children are so little interested in the gospel, and so ready to doubt the truth of the Bible. They wonder that it is so difficult to reach them with moral and religious influences. They do not see that their own example has hardened the hearts of their children. The good seed finds no place to take root, and Satan catches it away.  - COL 45-46.1

The primary seed that was the target of the Dragon in Revelation 12 was Jesus Christ. “The arrival of the magi was quickly noised throughout Jerusalem. Their strange errand created an excitement among the people, which penetrated to the palace of King Herod. The wily Edomite was aroused at the intimation of a possible rival. Countless murders had stained his pathway to the throne. Being of alien blood, he was hated by the people over whom he ruled. His only security was the favor of Rome. But this new Prince had a higher claim. He was born to the kingdom. Herod suspected the priests of plotting with the strangers to excite a popular tumult and unseat him from the throne. He concealed his mistrust, however, determined to thwart their schemes by superior cunning. Summoning the chief priests and the scribes, he questioned them as to the teaching of their sacred books in regard to the place of the Messiah’s birth. “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” they said; “for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” Satan was bent on shutting out the divine light from the world, and he used his utmost cunning to destroy the Saviour. But He who never slumbers nor sleeps was watching over His beloved Son.  - DA 65.1

Herod in Jerusalem impatiently awaited the return of the wise men. As time passed, and they did not appear, his suspicions were roused. The unwillingness of the rabbis to point out the Messiah’s birthplace seemed to indicate that they had penetrated his design, and that the magi had purposely avoided him. He was maddened at the thought. Craft had failed, but there was left the resort to force. He would make an example of this child-king. Those haughty Jews should see what they might expect in their attempts to place a monarch on the throne. Soldiers were at once sent to Bethlehem, with orders to put to death all the children of two years and under. The quiet homes of the city of David witnessed those scenes of horror that, six hundred years before, had been opened to the prophet. “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”  - DA 61-65

Psalm 83:3-5 "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:"

God desires to bring men into direct relation with Himself. In all His dealings with human beings He recognizes the principle of personal responsibility. He seeks to encourage a sense of personal dependence and to impress the need of personal guidance. He desires to bring the human into association with the divine that men may be transformed into the divine likeness. Satan works to thwart this purpose. He seeks to encourage dependence upon men. When minds are turned away from God, the tempter can bring them under his rule. He can control humanity. 1MCP 261.2

But Satan had an object to gain here, to defeat the purpose of God, and he stepped in to take possession of your mind and thereby thwart the work of God.  “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates. Jealousy, evil surmising, evil-speaking, are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension. The members of Christ’s church have the power to thwart the purpose of the adversary of souls. At such a time as this let them not be found at variance with one another or with any of the Lord’s workers. Amidst the general discord let there be one place where harmony and unity exist because the Bible is made the guide of life. Let the people of God feel that a responsibility rests upon them to build up His instrumentalities.  - 7T 182.2

To be continued…

Study by Tarisai P Ziyambi

The Silent Messanger Blog