July 8, 2025 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Exodus - The Fear of the Lord

Exodus 1:15  And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16  And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17  But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18  And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19  And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20  Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21  And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Pharaoh the king of Egypt had no fear of God; His lack of fear was the ultimate cause of the destruction of his kingdom.

Pharaoh did not know of Joseph who was used of God save the country of Egypt and bring his own family safe haven in Goshen Egypt. The Hebrew people were growing in number to the point they were more in number and mightier than the Egyptians.

The king of Egypt was afraid thinking that if they had war, Israel would side with her enemies. The king decided to place taskmasters over the people and force them into labour keeping them busy and distracted so they would not rise up against them. (This same tactic has been employed down through the ages in human history.)

We also find that the king of Egypt wanted to reduce the population by destroying the all the male children. He gave commandment to the midwives to destroy the children. (This also is another tactic used in human history and even today in some countries and by various means.)

However, as in every generation, there are those who fear God and can see the truth through the phi-sod of good intentions. There are those who choose to fear God rather than man.

Exodus 1:17  But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

God’s word has much to say about the fear of the Lord.

Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Psalm 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

When men and women fear the Lord, they, by virtue of that knowledge, will live in such a way as to please the Lord.

The Hebrew midwives feared the Lord and God blessed them. They chose to do right even when the world around them was choosing to do wrong.

Do you fear the Lord? The fear of the Lord is found in scripture teaching us about the Lord. Would you find such a fear?

Psalm 34:11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Psalm 19:9  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

The fear of the Lord is a good clean thing and it endures forever. It begins with knowing one is a sinner and placing ones trust in Jesus to save the soul.

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook