Women of Valor: Miriam, A Courageous Sister

by David Chadwick

Miriam was first mentioned in Exodus 2:4, but not named until later in the story.

After Moses’s mom, Jochebed, who we learned about yesterday, hid Moses in the Nile’s bulrushes, Miriam watched over the “cradle” in the water. I wonder what was going on in her young mind. Maybe she was making sure no animal attacked him. Or to keep an eye out for other enemies. I can’t help but wonder if she sensed the special calling God had on her brother.

We don’t know all the nuances of Miriam’s personality, but I would have to imagine that she had a strong prayer life and used that time hiding in the bushes to intercede for her baby brother.

When Miriam saw Pharaoh's daughter take him, she initiated a conversation. Surely that took great courage for a young Hebrew woman to speak to a princess of Pharaoh's court! But she did and brilliantly offered to have her mother come and nurse the child.

Isn’t God good? Isn’t he faithful? Not only did Moses get protected and “adopted” by the princess, but God also allowed his mom to nurse him for some time. Some children, even now, will nurse up to the 3 or 4 year mark, so it could be that God used Miriam’s courage to give Jochebed an open door to being involved in the very important, early years of Moses’s life.

Do you think Pharoah ever knew this lad named Moses was a Hebrew? Maybe or maybe not. I have to believe having the name Moses helped protect his identity.

Miriam later wrote worship songs and helped lead Israel in worship after having gone through the Red Sea. Though not flawless (she even rebelled once against Moses!), she apparently had great faith. And her faith helped give Israel one of its greatest leaders, setting them up to enter into the Promised Land, which would ultimately usher in the Savior of the world!

Miriam was flawed and fabulous. Yet what we remember most about her is her love for her brother, Moses, and her great song she helped write and sing in Exodus 15. She is a woman of valor.

May her great faith and praise always guide our own!

Women of Valor: Jochebed, A Wise and Discerning Mother

by David Chadwick

First mentioned in Exodus 6:20, Jochebed is our next woman of valor.

Jochebed was the mom of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. As the story unfolds in Exodus 2:1-10, she gave birth to Moses knowing the Pharaoh had issued an edict for all Hebrew male babies to be killed.

With a heart of wisdom, she decided to hide Moses in the bulrush. One day, Pharaoh's daughter, who we will learn more about in a couple of days, discovers Moses while bathing in the Nile River.

Miriam, Moses’s sister, watched as everything unfolded. The daughter approached the Pharaoh's daughter and asked if she would like for her to find a Hebrew nursemaid to nurse the baby. Amazingly, by God’s providence, the Pharaoh’s daughter agreed to the proposition. Miriam fetched her mother, Jochebed, to nurse baby Moses in safety!

Have you noticed how shortsighted we can be in believing in the greatness of God? In spite of the fact that Moses had to be hidden in the face of possible death, God figured out a way to return him back into the hands of his mother for nourishment and comfort. What a mighty God we serve! His overarching providence of his world is perfect.

I have to believe Jochebed knew that the baby Moses was special. Hebrews 11:23 says that Moses was a “beautiful child,” meaning urbane, gifted, and most likely already carrying characteristics of a leader. Like many moms do, I would imagine Jochebed discerned these qualities in her son even as a baby!

God has a sovereign, providential plan for his world. Moses was a part of that plan and so God protected him, using people like Jochebed to carry out his story. Jochebed was an essential part of that plan!

God is not looking for ability, but availability. May we all remain available to whatever God asks of us in whatever way he wants to use us in accomplishing his plan for the earth!

Women of Valor: Puah, The Midwife with Great Faith

by David Chadwick

I love the special women God has put in my life. I have seen biblical strengths of women of valor in my own mom, my wife, my daughter, my daughters-in-law, my granddaughters, and many others. I believe strong, Godly women play such an important role in God’s story. Women are made uniquely in the image of God, just like men, but carry unique parts of his heart that men don’t have.

We are looking at some of the women of valor in the Bible, particularly in the book of Exodus. Yesterday, I told you about a woman named Shiphrah. And if you were reading her story in Exodus 1, you probably noticed that I waited to mention the other midwife of this story.

I feel like both midwives were so significant that they each deserved their own day.

In Mark 6:7, when Jesus called the twelve disciples, he began to send them out two by two. There is something significant about two people standing together in strength and courage.

Shiphrah was strong, but probably stronger because she stood next to Puah. And vice versa.

Alongside Shiphrah, Puah protected and oversaw the birth of male babies in spite of Pharaoh’s edict to have all Hebrew baby boys murdered. Puah is another true heroine of the faith and a woman of valor.

Along with her probable friend and fellow midwife, Shiphrah, she stood against a dark and evil force. Because of her great faith, male babies lived, the nation of Israel grew and grew. Over time, these people entered the Promised Land and eventually ushered Jesus into the world.

This Jesus is the one who crushed the head of the serpent in the Garden of Eden who stimulated sin into the world. No wonder the enemy motivated Pharoah to kill the male babies in Egypt. The enemy was trying to thwart the birth of Jesus later on.

Note as well that like Shiphrah, Puah, too, was blessed by God with her own family! You really do reap what you sow. Because Puah sowed seeds of life, protection, birth of babies and children to families, God gave her a great family.

Puah’s great faith is rewarded. Her great faith helped form a nation. And through this nation God brought in Jesus, the Savior of all of the world.

Shiphrah and Puah: two midwives purposefully appointed by God to show us all the importance of faithful obedience to God and his sovereign plan for the world.