When Courage Answers Evil
When Courage Answers Evil
18So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”
Commentary - When Courage Answers Evil
Exodus 1:18-19 brings us to a moment of confrontation between Pharaoh and the Hebrew midwives. Pharaoh demanded an explanation for why his order to kill the Hebrew boys had not been carried out. The midwives gave him an answer, but it was neither full nor honest. They told Pharaoh that Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives could arrive. Scripture records that God approved of their actions and blessed them. This moment teaches us something vital: as Christians, we are not required to cooperate with or respond to anyone who challenges us while we are doing God’s work. Nor are we required to tell them the truth. The midwives were not obligated to justify themselves to Pharaoh, whose intentions were evil. Christians are not called to hand over the tools of destruction to those who oppose God’s purposes.
God’s people are called to protect the innocent, to push back against darkness, and to reflect God’s nature. The midwives chose God’s law over Pharaoh’s decree. They did not stand by while innocent children were threatened. They acted with courage and wisdom, risking their own safety to save lives. This is what it means to fear God. It is not just about being afraid of what God might do. It is about living in a way that takes all of God’s character into account—His greatness, His faithfulness, and His kindness. The midwives lived with reality in view. They did what God required, not what Pharaoh demanded.
This story must shape how we interpret other biblical principles. Sometimes Christians use commands like “do not judge” or “turn the other cheek” to justify passivity in the name of “love” and “tolerance.” The midwives did not refuse to judge. They made a clear moral judgment about Pharaoh’s command. They did not turn the other cheek while children died. They intervened. The command to turn the other cheek is about personal insult, not about standing by while others are harmed. The call not to judge is about avoiding self-righteous condemnation, not about refusing to discern between good and evil and to call evil what it is. Christians are called to active engagement against evil. We are not called to be passive observers. We are called to get involved, to push back against the powers of evil people, and to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
This narrative also rejects moral relativism. There is a fixed moral standard rooted in God’s character. The midwives acted on that standard. They did not remain neutral. They intervened when objective evil was occurring. God did not bless them for being clever or for deceiving Pharaoh. He blessed them for their faithfulness to His law and their courage to act when it mattered most. Christians are not required to remain neutral, passive, or tolerant in the face of evil. Tolerance is not faithfulness. Passivity is not courage. Neutrality is not the fear of God. It is a choice to let evil go unchallenged.
For our church today, this story is a call to courage. We live in a world where we may face pressure to remain silent or to comply with things that go against God’s will. These concepts are being actively taught in Western Christianity. This is not the story of Exodus. We may be challenged, questioned, or even threatened for standing up for what is right. We are not required to cooperate with those who oppose God’s purposes. We are called to protect the innocent, to push back against darkness, and to reflect God’s nature in our actions. Let us be a people who stand firm, who judge rightly, who refuse to be complicit when evil seeks to harm others.
In His Service,
Ryan Goodnight