SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY
EXODUS 1:1-22
#sanctityofhumanlife
INTRODUCTION
On January 22, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation designating the third Sunday of January (or close to that) as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Bush #41 and Bush #43 continued the tradition during their presidencies. Since that time, churches and pro-life organizations across the United States use this day to bring awareness to the attacks that are daily waged against human life through the abortion industry.
I happen to think that such an effort should highlight the sacredness of all human life even though the official day is meant to highlight abortion and those related issues. Our culture is in many ways enamored with death and dismissive of life easily. Every human life is important. Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6).
THE WORD: SACRED
This morning we are going to focus on the idea that human life is “sacred.” What does the word “sacred” even mean?
In the Old Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “holy, apartness, and separate.” This word is used of God, places, and things. It is the idea that something that is sacred is not humdrum normal, but has some kind of special status no matter what it is that is designated as sacred. The opposite word for “sacred” is “profane.”
In the New Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “to hallow, to separate and dedicate to God, separate from the profane, to purify or renew.” The word is used of items that are set apart for use by God or that are considered holy. Some other words that are opposite of “sacred” is “secular,” “unremarkable,” or “temporal.”
I realize that in explaining the meaning of “sacred” I am mostly using synonyms and antonyms of the word without really explaining what the word means. To fully explain what “sacred” means, let’s look at Exodus 1 where I believe we see “sacred” tied to the value of human life in action. This will help us understand.
TRANSITION
The end of the Book of Genesis in chapter 50 finds Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, about to die and his family along with all of Abraham’s descendants residing in Egypt. The last verse of Genesis says:
READ GENESIS 50:26 (ESV)
“So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”
Insert 430 years and many generations and we have the beginning of the Book of Exodus. Let’s read Exodus 1.
READ EXODUS 1:1-22 (ESV)
“These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. 15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
EXODUS 1 EXPLAINED
VERSES 1-7
In verses 1-7, we are told that the People of God, who are the descendants of Abraham, multiply and flourish in Egypt. This idea of populating the earth by birth and filling the earth with life is repeated by God in 14 different passages in Genesis and is highlighted in this first chapter of Exodus. This is a persistent idea from God Almighty that human life is a blessing and good. Babies are a blessing from God. Life is a blessing from God.
The names we read at the beginning of Exodus 1 are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. These are the great-grandchildren of Abraham who became the heads of their families and together became a great nation as God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:2 (also Genesis 18:18, 46:3).
VERSES 8-14
The next set of verses beginning in verse 8 gives us the central problem of the chapter. We are actually presented with several problems that are interrelated. A new king (pharaoh) in Egypt came along and didn’t know how much Joseph had done for Egypt and why all these non-Egyptian Hebrew people were occupying land in Egypt. Each generation the numbers of people of Israel grew and grew because God blessed them with life.
The pharaoh was fearful that the numbers of Hebrew people outnumbered the Egyptians and he needed to put them in their place. This fear led to “taskmasters” (verse 11) and eventually “slavery” (verse 14). Fear of those in power led to shrewd oppression which led to even more dread for those in power which led to ruthless slavery. That is the progression we see in these verses.
VERSES 15-17
The fear and dread of the Egyptians combined with the tendency apparently of the Hebrew people to engage in sex combined with the blessing of God for lives, means that the problem for the pharaoh did not go away, but only got greater even after the Hebrews were slaves.
The king of Egypt had an idea. His command to the midwives is recorded in verse 16.
RE-READ EXODUS 1:16 (ESV)
“When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”
Pharaoh’s decree to kill the male Hebrew babies was an act seeking to rid human life from the earth because he was afraid. He wanted to rid Israel of any potential fighting men. He wanted to rid Israel of any potential leaders. He wanted to stay in power. He was afraid of the unknown and what all the increasing number of slaves would do in the future. The command of the pharaoh is not considered proper or Godly. He was being immoral. How do we know that? How do we know that this policy of the pharaoh was wrong or morally incorrect? Where does it say that?
It is shown in verse 17.
RE-READ EXODUS 1:17 (ESV)
“But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
The command of the Pharaoh was in direct opposition to the command of the Lord to be “fruitful and multiply.” God was blessing the people of Israel with children and Pharaoh was seeking to circumvent that plan. His command was opposite of what God wanted. The midwives did not obey the command of the king of Egypt, but obeyed the King of Kings instead.
VERSES 18-22
The chapter concludes with the pharaoh going around the righteous midwives and continuing his policy. The midwives obeyed God rather than man and were blessed for it. Verse 20 tells us that “God dwelt well with the midwives.” He did that because they honored life. They protected life. They treated life as… “sacred.” That is what “sacred” means and what it looks like. The midwives did not obey the command of the king because life is sacred and is not to be treated as common. The lives of the babies… every life… was considered a gift from God Almighty and was not to be thrown away, taken away, or rejected.
The chapter concludes with the pharaoh going around the midwives and continuing his policy. Verse 22 tells us that the pharaoh commanded “all his people” to throw babies into the Nile River to kill them. I feel like the situation escalated. Now the order to kill has moved from a few people to anyone who spots a Hebrew boy baby. Anyone can lawfully and with the backing of the government, toss a baby into the river to kill it. It was an open season on lawfully killing Jewish baby boys.
It seems to me, overall, that the central issue of Exodus 1, which is made up of several interrelated smaller issues, is the lack of respect for the sacredness of life. Not only did pharaoh enslave people different than him, but he also commanded others to kill babies. There is a severe lack of respect for the sacredness of life. Pharaoh led his people and his culture in a lack of respect for human life.
TRANSITION
This morning we are focusing on the idea that human life is “sacred.” “Sacred” looks like midwives disobeying the king in order to preserve human life. That is what “sacred” means. This is what sacred looks like… especially as it relates to human life. The midwives would not destroy something that God considered good.
What do we do with this? I think there are two ways we can approach this issue and apply this passage.
TAKE COURAGE TO STAND
The first application of this passage is that you and I can emulate Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives, when it comes to our views about human life. They took courage and took a stand. They fully understood the issues at hand and they decided to follow God. They took a stand. We can take courage to stand as well.
The Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, defied Pharaoh’s orders and refused to kill the babies, saving the lives of many children. They valued life. They obeyed God in stark opposition to the king and the policy of the land. They acted out of a fear of God, choosing to honor Him rather than obeying Pharaoh’s unjust command.
As the people of God, believers in Jesus can take a stand and do our best to oppose policies and laws in our land that would devalue life. In the face of societal pressure or fear of consequences, we must also stand for life. God's people are called to act justly and choose life.
I happen to think this passage highlights the sacredness of all human life. Our culture is in many ways enamored with death and dismissive of life too easily. That is an opinion of mine, but I happen to think it is an informed opinion.
ILLUSTRATION…arizonachristian.edu/2020/07/30/faulty-understanding-majority-of-americans-reject-human-life-as-sacred-see-humanity-as-basically-good-copy/
In fact, in a study by Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center, they report that the majority of Americans no longer believe that human life has intrinsic value—with six out of ten rejecting the fundamental idea that human life is sacred. Stunningly, only 39% of Americans today agree that human life is sacred, or that it has unconditional, intrinsic worth.
Every human life is important. Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6). We find that Truth and those words in the Bible. Every human person is an image bearer of God Almighty.
This means we need to consider some issues in our society and know what we believe and why. Some of these issues are easy to parse out in Scripture and some of them might fall into the category of opinion… but all of them center around the value or the devaluing of human life:
Abortion and the needs of the unborn
Adoption as a real alternative to abortion
Assisted Suicide for certain groups of people
Capital punishment uses
Discrimination based on race or age or ability
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
For-Profit Prisons
Human trafficking and modern-day slavery
Mental health challenges
Violence in movies, TV, and in music
Again, some of these issues are easy to parse out in Scripture and some of them might fall into the category of opinion. Be diligent to know and believe that all life is sacred, every human life has value in the eyes of God, and determine where you might stand on some of these issues. Every human life is important. We are to value life and not devalue it.
The first application of this passage is that you and I can emulate Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives, when it comes to our views about human life. They took courage and took a stand. We can take courage to stand as well that all human life is sacred.
TRANSITION
The next application is so very important, but also important to talk about.
HOPE AND HEALING FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY ABORTION
Statistics tell me that I am talking to a room of people where abortion may be in your past. Women and men are impacted by abortion. In a room with this many people, those impacted by abortion will be in the double digits. If I ignore this, I would not be the pastor you need me to be. If I ignore this, I would not be preaching the whole counsel of God. This second application point is specifically for you who may have abortion in your past.
First, there is grace from God for your hurts. Many have been deeply affected by abortion, whether directly involved or through the loss of a child. I acknowledge the pain, loss, guilt, and shame that you may feel. This passage in Exodus 1 is a passage about a Sovereign God showing grace despite the suffering. God was with them in their suffering. The Truth is God's love is not based on our righteousness or our worth or our actions, but on His mercy. God loves you.
READ ROMANS 8:1 (ESV)
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
That verse in God’s Word from the Apostle Paul applies to anyone in Christ. This verse applies whether you believe me or not. There. Is. No. Condemnation. In. Christ. For those who have experienced abortion, God offers forgiveness and healing through Jesus Christ. We are called to come to Him, no matter our past, to find peace, restoration, and new life.
I hope and pray that these words are helpful.
Second, there is restoration through the cross of Christ. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, died on the cross for the forgiveness of all sins, including the choice of abortion. It is in the cross… or more specifically… the blood of Jesus shed on the cross where we find forgiveness. It is also where we find the strength to move forward in grace.
That is true for any sin by the way.
That is true for any sin that has us in the grip of guilt or regret.
That is true for anything from our past that we feel God can’t or won’t forgive.
It is in claiming the blood of Jesus Christ that we find forgiveness and can be confident of peace.
I hope and pray that these words are helpful.
THE WORD: SACRED
This morning we have been focusing on the idea that human life is “sacred.” What does the word “sacred” even mean? In the Old Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “holy, apartness, and separate.” In the New Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “to hallow, to separate and dedicate to God, separate from the profane, to purify or renew.”
We see “sacred” in action and defined for us when two Hebrew midwives refuse the order of an earthly king to obey God in not killing the babies. That is the bottom line of the passage. These two women chose life. They chose to disobey an immoral law. I would like you to prayerfully consider this passage and the words we have shared today as you think about the sacredness of human life.
* As the people of God, believers in Jesus can take a stand and do our best to oppose policies and laws in our land that would devalue life.
* As the people of God, for those who have experienced abortion, please believe that God offers forgiveness and healing through Jesus Christ giving peace and restoration.
PRAYER
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit go with you as you cherish and protect life, knowing that God’s love and forgiveness are available to all. Amen.
VIDEO FROM PREGNANCY CHOICES [1:58]
INVITATION
