Date: 15 Aug 2002
Time: 17:51:50
I'm using this text - and calling my sermon "The Fabulous Five." (you know - the 5 women in this story) - Kadoda in OR
Date: 18 Aug 2002
Time: 20:45:26
There are two great songs about this text on The Prince of Egypt- Nashville CD. The first is a lullaby by Alison Kraus ( I forget the name) and the second one is Milk and Honey Bound by Pam Tillis- they both speak well to the idea that God is somehow in this story. My copy is at the church, so I can't post the words right now, except from memory, and the songs deserve better than that. If any one is interested , let me know and I'll post the words here to all of the Kraus song and the first verse of the Tillis song.The Kraus song is really pretty, by the way.
RevGilmer in Texarkana
Date: 19 Aug 2002
Time: 10:20:49
Dear Kadoda in OR: You have peaked my interest, tell me more. I'm allways interested in upholding women in the Bible. Rev. Nancy In NE
Date: 20 Aug 2002
Time: 13:15:09
Oppressed people...need a Moses to lead them out!
Date: 20 Aug 2002
Time: 17:42:47
I was interested in Rev. Gilmer's comment that somehow God is in this story. Another source I consulted mentioned how throughout this story there really is no mention of God's activity, God's presence, and then left me with the thought that maybe God had already done enough. Does that mean then that the onus is on us to act according to our faith, to our beliefs, to our conscience, as these women did. Maybe life comes down to more what we do as God would have us do rather than sitting back, depending on what God does. Rev. Tim, Ontario, Canada
Date: 21 Aug 2002
Time: 12:13:44
God certainly has a presence in verses 20 and 21. Because the midwives FEARED(a great Old Testament word)God, God blessed them. The Hebrew verb for "dealt well" implies "doing good," "showing favor," and "making glad."
Of course, the focus of this passage is still on the faith of the women. Verses 20 and 21 serve to remind us just who is the behind all this.
Also, I am trying to count Jochebed's blessings. 1) Her son is still alive. 2) Moses becomes a "free" man, not a slave. 3) Jochebed, as Moses's nurse, gets to stay with her son. 4) Presumably, Jochebed moves from the fields to the palace. 5) She gets paid to nurse Moses. I guess this means she is no longer a slave. It also means that she gets paid to do the very thing she most desires.
DSS
Date: 21 Aug 2002
Time: 13:08:10
Another interesting aspect of this story is that Pharaoh accepts the reasoning given to him by the various women. He is all powerful but he doesn't question their motives. His own daughter must have realized that this baby she "rescued" from the Nile was part of an attempt to save its life, and yet, her desire to nurture leads her to defy her father and once again he accepts it. Does he really want his edict to be carried out? Also, does he not realize that such a "stupid" edict would eliminate a replacement workforce for years to come, which would delay, even halt, the construction of monuments to his reign? Ah, well, once again we have a case of "...de woman, she smarter than de man..." I think that is how it is put in the song. Rev. Tim, Ontario, Canada
Date: 22 Aug 2002
Time: 05:55:22
Having preached the past few weeks on th OT story of Joseph and fmaily, I will continue this week and next with Exodus. I too am drawn to the women who saved the babies in this story. But it seems like just scratching the surface to point out that their social situation and to lift them up as heroes. They make me ask things like - what would I do in a situation of such danger and cruelty - this killing of babies. I think of many related examples - holocosts, wars, slavery, where people had to make the choice, take the stand for life, for the goodness of life, against raw power to deny it. I also thiknk of domestic violence and what it takes for a victim to find the courage to leave or confront or survive. In these cases, the presence of God and a faith in God seems key. Left to ourselves we might beocme cruel and cowardly or just too weak and hopeless to resist. But we can draw on courage from faith in God. And we can look to examples like the midwives who were so cleverly faithful in the face of death and threat. Jim in CT .
Date: 22 Aug 2002
Time: 18:26:09
There is a great sermon on the Sermon and Sermon site about the bravery of the women. It's at
http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/a-or21-keeping.html
You can also access by going to the main website at
http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermon.html
and clicking of sermons for year A, then scrolling down to the appropriate Sunday where there are links to other sermons and resources also. Hope these connections work.
revsophia, UM in Central PA
Date: 22 Aug 2002
Time: 19:06:27
Preachers!!! Is everybody on vacation in August?? Ok, I'm thinking midwives facilitate in birth. Assisting in birth became more important to them than following commands. Who among us fears God enough to bring ministry to birth regardless of how dangerous? The "king" pharoah commanded death. He spoke death against God's blessing. The New Interpreters explains that the words of blessing and strength are repeated forcefully. But the King tried to use royal force against God's blessing. I am going to follow the king and his commands. He appears not only insecure, but not one to be feared, if the lowest persons on the public servant rostrum would ignore his commands that lightly and make up such a lame excuse.they must not have feared Ramese I as much as they feared this God who was not even a God of their culture. They must not have even had much faith in the Eygptian Gods to put themselves at such risk for the Hebrew God. It will be interesting to begin exploring these marginal characters. The king should have waged his campaign against the women, who facilitated an underground movement to cause liberation. I always am facinated about how Jocobed obeyed the king's command to throw the infants in the water. He did not specify that you could not throw them in the water in a saftey raft. Maybe as we look at the kings vague commands we learn something about leadership and being clear and knowing our constituients. Said too much already. Gen.
Date: 22 Aug 2002
Time: 19:09:38
There was a story on one of those morning shows yesterday: In China the government has required only a few births per family, and now baby boys are to be destroyed. Midwives have been notified.
The soldiers of Pharoah and Herod goosestep down China pathways and kill baby boys. Moses, where are you, now that we need you again?
Date: 22 Aug 2002
Time: 21:05:16
Rev. Tim - Your remark about maybe God has done enough made me think of the prayer entitled Dayenyu in the Jewish prayer book. It says something like, If God had freed us from slavery and not led us through the Red Sea, it would have been enough. If God had led us through the Red Sea but not given us the promised land, it would have been enough. And so on. I have it in a book at my office, i'll see if I can find it.
kbc in sc
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 09:36:30
To kbc, I like that. It seems to bring our relationship with God into a more realistic perspective as to our responsibilities. The ideas that I have expressed here and developing for Sunday, have their basis in the sermon that revsophia mentioned. And she is right, it is an excellent sermon, on its own, or, as in my case, the foundation for the direction I believe the Word is taking me. Have good one everyboy. Rev. Tim, Ontario, Canada
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 14:51:09
Rev. Gilmer, Thanks for mentioning those songs. My daughter has the song book so I will be able to look them up for myself. To everybody, even though the comments are few, thanks for the imput. Your thoughts triggered a few creative juices to flow. August does seem to be a month for clergy holidays doesn't it. Also, if we looked at the Gospel, I would suspect more of our colleagues are over there. I will check back one more time tomorrow. God's blessings to all of you. Rev. Tim, Ontario, Canada
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 14:55:55
Rev. Gilmer, My daughter just informed me that the Nashville CD is different than the book she has. She is hoping to get it soemtime. Hwoever, if it isn't breaking copyright, could you post those words you mentioned. Thanks. Rev. Tim, Ontario, Canada
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 16:33:12
A man in our congregation lost his wife under protracted and difficult circumstances. Throughout the experience, his faith remained strong and he remained serene. When I asked him how he had kept such peace under such trying circumstances, he said, "At the start of it, I gave my wife to God, and I never took her back again." Seems to me that his statement sums up what Moses' mom did. She gave the difficult circumstances and the son she loved to God and never took them back again. God then went on to bring things to proper fruit, including a happy role for the woman who had so deeply trusted her God. Buckley in WA
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 19:59:30
Dear ones,
Child's commentary on Exodus says that Egyptian princesses had to possess chastity. She was a virgin who came home with a Jewish baby who grew up to be the leader of freedom for Israel. When you concentrate on the midwives, preachers, you might consider all the women in the passage: the Egyptian princess, the birth mother of Moses, the sister who stood guard and arranged the adoption [a potential lawyer?], and how they are reincarnated in the gospels.
Blessed Sunday,
The Oklahoma Irishman
Date: 23 Aug 2002
Time: 21:39:04
Rev. Nancy - Recently went to camp & had five girls in my cabin - was going to begin with a story about how they all were connected by this one experience - and how the 5 women in Exodus were all connected by this one child - Moses. Kadoda in OR
Date: 24 Aug 2002
Time: 15:47:48
Meant to do this sooner, but if you're still desperate at this late hour, this may help. Fretheim's commentary on Exodus (the Interpretation series) says that ironies abound in this passage, and lists eight. (I took off on that for an adult Bible school class and had them do a charades thing acting out the ironies - the concepts, not the words. It was fun.)
Ok, eight ironies: 1. Pharaoh's chosen instrument of destruction, the Nile, is the means of saving Moses. 2. The daughters are allowed to live, and then they are the ones who thwart Pharaoh's plan. 3. The mother saves Moses by following Pharaoh's orders. 4. A member of Pharaoh's own family undermines his policies, leads to the dynasty's destruction. 5. Egyptian royalty heeds a Hebrew girl'sadvice. 6. The mother gets paid by Pharoah to do what she most wants to do. 7. Moses is educated in Pharaoh's court, to be a, Israelite leader. 8. The princes gives a child a name that says what he will do for his people.
Hope this helps. kbc in sc
Date: 25 Sep 2003
Time: 06:01:15
"Do not throw your pearls to swine. Mt.7 Truth is to be cherished. I would never consider placing my bible at the feet of passionate haters of truth. They would trample underfoot the very heart of God. Just so, the women who refused to kill Hebrew boys, cherished life and truth. Their "profession" was delivering babies. They used their jobs to serve truth and rightness in spite of the order from Pharaoh. We are to "fear God not men." Jochebed did obey the order, she put her son in the Nile but added a step by protecting him. Was this rationalizing obedience? Intuition and common sense and wisdom are divine gifts from God. They are not necessarily acts of rebellion. I am humbled at the brave acts of these women. They were not searching for greatness by their acts of compassion. They reacted by the gut wrenching love that tugged within them, they could not kill a child. Unbelievers are still created in the image of God. Margie Fisher, PA