If you are in my Sunday School Class, you can prepare yourself to discuss the following text with all of its questions:

FAMILY BIBLE CHURCH PASTOR’S SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
JAN. 4, 2009 “COMMITMENT OF THE MIDWIVES” EXODUS 1:8-21

8Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enegypt?mies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
· What type of government did the people of Egypt have? How could things so quickly change for the Jews in the land?
· Do you think that things are going to improve for the Christian community now that we are about to have a new president?
· What was the fear of the Egyptian people? Do you believe that there are any politicians who are afraid of the “Moral Majority?”
· Was there any real fear that the Egyptians had to deal with?

11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
· What was the initial plan that the Egyptians had in order to keep the Jews in check? Was there any thing wrong with that plan?
· Have you ever seen any of the great architectural wonders in ancient Egypt? How could anyone build such wonders? Who does this text say helped to build some of them? What does that tell you about the Jewish people?
· How did the harsh treatment of the Jews affect them? How do you respond when people make things difficult for you? What can we learn from this? Who was the best school teacher that you ever had?

13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
· In that the Jews were doing all of the work for the Egyptians, what does that tell you of how that they ultimately would come to depend upon the Jews for all of their labor?
· Can you ever “depend” upon others too much? What would happen if our government failed, would you have the ability to take care of your family in a crisis situation?
· Why do you think that the Jews put up with should bondage? Why do people allow themselves to get into bondage to begin with?
· What are the many forms of bondage that people can be enslaved by? Have you ever bought anyone to our “Celebrate Recovery” ministry?
15And 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: 16And 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.
· What is a midwife? Do you have an opinion about the reliability of using a midwife? Have any of our ladies ever used a midwife in their child bearing experience? Would you recommend a midwife for someone else?
· What did the Egyptians ask the midwives to do? Should doctors be allowed to do whatever they decide they should do without repercussions?
· Do you believe that there are too many law suits made against doctors for failures that might occur in surgery? Should all surgeries come with a guarantee of success? Why do people try to sue other people so often? Has this made America a safer place because of law suits?
· Should parents know what sex their child is before it is born? What if the parents should want a male child, and the child is a girl child, and they decide to abort the child if it is a girl, what then? Do you think that that might ever really happen? Is abortion murder? What if you are “commanded” do so by your own government?

17But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18And 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? 19And 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.
· How did the midwives respond to the commandment of the government? How would you have responded?
· Did the midwives lie to the government? Is it ever wrong to lie to the government? Have you ever lied to the government, Lois?
· How would the Egyptians have known that the babies being born were not being killed? How would they have gone about determining the “sex” of a child? Isn’t that a form of government intrusion? Do you believe that we have too much government intrusion into our lives? How did this come about? Who allowed all of this to happen to us?

20Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 22And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
· Was God angry with the midwives for not obeying the government? What did he do for them because of their obedience to him? Does God build houses today?
· Do you believe that most of the Jews obeyed the new commandment to have their children thrown into the River? Did the mother of Moses?