What does Pharaoh's decree reveal about the value of life in Exodus 1:22? Setting and text “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: ‘Every son born to the Hebrews must be thrown into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.’” (Exodus 1:22) The decree and its message about life • Human life is reduced to a political problem. Children become objects to manage, not persons to cherish. • Only males are targeted: Pharaoh calculates future strength and sees boys solely as potential threats, stripping them of intrinsic worth. • State-sponsored violence is normalized. By commanding “all his people,” Pharaoh drafts an entire society into complicity, teaching that convenience outweighs conscience. • Selective survival exposes a utilitarian ethic—keep whomever benefits the regime, discard whomever doesn’t. God’s perspective in the same narrative • Midwives feared God and preserved life (Exodus 1:17). Their reverence shows that acknowledging God naturally leads to protecting the vulnerable. • God blessed the midwives with families (Exodus 1:20-21), highlighting His approval of life-affirming courage. • Moses’ rescue in Exodus 2 foreshadows divine intervention: the very river meant for death becomes the channel of deliverance, proving that God values every life beyond human decrees. Broader biblical witness on the sanctity of life • Genesis 1:27 — Humanity is “created in the image of God,” establishing equal value for every person. • Psalm 139:13-16 — God knits each child together in the womb; life is sacred from conception. • Deuteronomy 30:19 — “Choose life,” underscoring that honoring God means safeguarding life. • Proverbs 6:16-17 — The Lord hates “hands that shed innocent blood,” condemning Pharaoh-like cruelty. • John 10:10 — Christ comes “that they may have life,” revealing God’s heart to protect and enrich human life. Lessons for believers today • Reject utilitarian views that measure people by usefulness, productivity, or convenience. • Stand against any policy or practice that devalues the unborn, the weak, or the marginalized. • Honor conscience over culture; like the Hebrew midwives, fear God more than social pressure. • Trust God’s sovereignty: even when evil targets life, He is able to redeem, rescue, and bring His purposes to fruition. |
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