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.

Women of Valor: Shiphrah, The Midwife Who Feared the Lord

by David Chadwick

My wife, Marilynn, wrote a book called Woman of Valor where she explains that more than a virtuous or excellent woman, the Proverbs 31 woman in Hebrew culture is actually referred to as a woman of valor. A strong, mighty courageous presence in the life of her family and community.

This week, I want to look at five women of valor from the Bible who played a significant role in saving humanity.

Shiphrah is today’s woman of valor. You’ll find her story in Exodus 1:15. She was a Hebrew midwife during the tumultuous times when the Israelites were under Pharaoh’s captivity.

Pharaoh issued a decree to have every single Israelite baby boy killed. This was all a part of Satan’s demonic attempt to kill the seed of the women of Israel who would become the Messiah of the world and one day crush the head of the serpent, Satan.

But Shiphrah refused to obey Pharaoh’s orders. Exodus 1:17 says that she feared God and did not do as was commanded. After letting the baby boys live, Pharaoh called Shiphrah in and asked her what was going on. Shiphrah told him that by the time she would get to the moms, the boy babies had already been born.

Was she lying? We aren’t totally sure, but she clearly felt some prompting to protect and guard those precious Hebrew baby boys. And as we see in verse 20, “God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” Shiphrah’s protection seems to have received God’s approval. And because of her obedience, the birth of these boy babies allowed the Israelites to grow and grow.

Shiphrah is a true heroine of the faith.

Why did she do this? She “feared the Lord.” Isn’t that the key for all our faith? We must fear the Lord more than anything else. It’s the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Fear of the Lord leads to faith! And, as a result of their faith, God gave these women children of their own. God truly is the rewarder of those who have faith (Hebrews 11:6). The nation of Israel continued to grow because of Shiphrah’s faith.

And through that nation, Jesus was born—the one who would destroy the evil one’s works and life.

This midwife’s courage to save those young boys paved the way for the Savior of the world!