PHENOMENAL WOMEN
(WOMEN WHO FACE OFF WITH PHARAOHS)
Exodus 1:1-22
June 1, 2014/Crossroads/Pastor Joyce Reed
This past Wednesday two women who greatly impacted my life passed away: Maya Angelou
and Pastor Ronny Lanier. One I only knew by reputation, the other I knew personally. One was
renowned in big circles, the other in small circles, but both had a huge impact on the people in
their sphere of influence. And, interestingly enough, both were African American.
Maya Angelou was best known as a writer and a poet. Her poem Phenomenal Woman begins
like this:
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
And her poem Still I Rise inspired millions of African women to stand up and be noticed. This is
the last stanza of that poem:
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Being a writer myself, I was infused with strength when I read words penned by a woman of
Maya Angelou’s courage and determination in the face of great odds. Her autobiography I Know
Why the Cage Bird Sings detailed the poverty, abuse, and struggle of her childhood and early
adulthood. She invited me into a world of another race, another culture, that was foreign to me
at the time—me, a young, white, middle-class American woman. And I am grateful for her
willingness to testify that women are more than sex symbols, are more than care-takers, are more
than household accessories . . . women have gifted minds and gifted hearts and, and we are a
powerhouse to be reckoned with.
The Rev. Ronny Lanier was a native of Medford, MA. She served as a regional missionary at
urban Christian Centers in Denver, Chicago, and California before returning to MA to work
tirelessly with the American Baptist Churches there. Ronny’s motto was “Be of Good Cheer”
taken from John 16:33 where Jesus says to his disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Ronny had two goals in life: “to be of more and better service to God, and to be of more and
better service to people.” She was constantly invested in people. Her energy was boundless. For
years, even into her 80s, she would organize bus loads of people in MA to travel to a Missions
Conference in Green Lake, WI. And once there, she would badger most of them to sign up for
the Walk-A-Thon that earned scholarship money for children’s education in other countries.
Inevitably, she always raised the most money!
David and I met Ronny when we ministered in MA. She would send us cards at Christmas and
Easter, and on our birthdays that always included $1 which her elderly mother would tuck in, and
a signature that included “Be of Good Cheer.” Once we came to the mission field, these
beautiful cards would eventually find their way to Mexico as well. Her friends at Andover
Newton Theological Seminary, where Ronny earned a doctorate, laid a brick in her honor that
says, “Inspiring Baptists with Constant Energy.”
As a pastor and a missionary, Ronny inspired generations of men and women. One of my best
friends in MA, Pastor Debbie Blanchard, calls Ronny her spiritual mother. She says, “I can’t
remember a day of my life when Ronny wasn’t there.” And when Ronny met my friend Karen
Mason for the first time in 2000, Ronny told her, “I’m adopting you as my daughter #3,127.”
I can only imagine how many adopted daughters Ronny had by the time of her death 14 years
later! She is one of my heroes in the faith. Her legacy of “Be of Good Cheer” has been
imprinted on my heart.
This morning I’m going to share with you the story of two women who were as brave, talented,
and inspirational as Maya and Ronny. The story takes place in Egypt, approximately 200 years
after the death of Joseph.
Joseph, you might recall, was one of Jacob’s 12 sons. He was sold into slavery by his jealous
brothers, ended up in Egypt, and through a series of dire yet profound circumstances, eventually
became second in command to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Due to a drought in Israel, Jacob and his
other sons immigrated to Egypt, and settled there. And for a long time, the Hebrews and the
Egyptians lived in peaceful accord. Eventually, that changed.
Our story begins there, in Exodus 1, verses 1-22. Open your Bibles and follow along with me.
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2
Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad
and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.
6
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were
exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that
the land was filled with them.
8
Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to
his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly
with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies,
fight against us and leave the country.”
11
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom
and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they
multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them
ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds
of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.
15
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
“When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see
that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared
God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the
king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you
let the boys live?”
16
19
The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are
vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
20
21
So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.
And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
22
Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must
throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”
Here we learn about two phenomenal women: Shiphrah and Puah. Hebrew midwives, they
obviously had high status and probably oversaw all the local midwives since 2 women would not
have been sufficient to deliver all the babies being born to the Israelite nation. We can also infer
that they assisted the Egyptian women in birth, too, from their remarks in verse 19.
During this time in history, women gave birth by sitting on a birthing stool. In addition to
coaching the woman through labor, the midwife would cut the umbilical cord, wash the infant in
water, rub it with salt (which was a disinfectant but also symbolized the child would be raised in
truth and integrity), and then the baby was wrapped in swaddling cloths. (Ezekiel 16:4)i
So, why do these 2 midwives come to Pharaoh’s attention?
Pharaoh, concerned about an internal Hebrew uprising, begins to strategize how to deal with
these foreigners in his midst. First, he enslaves them, but that doesn’t seem to curb their
numbers at all. In fact, they seem to multiply. So then he hatches a more devious plot: he will
assassinate their children. But like most ruthless dictators, he orders others to carry out the deed.
So he calls in Shiphrah and Puah and instructs them to murder any boy child they deliver.
Can you imagine their horror as he speaks these words. Women who have dedicated their lives
to bring life into this world, are now commissioned to take life away. It’s a pivotal life moment:
what will they do? What would God have them do?
It seems like a no-win situation. If they obey the Pharaoh, then they become responsible for
murdering the children of their Hebrew sisters. If they don’t obey the Pharaoh, then not only do
they jeopardize their lives, but probably the lives of their families and all the other midwives as
well.
Even though we know so little about them, we learn that they had deep faith. They feared God. I
have no doubt that they prayed, perhaps even fasted, and agonized with their other midwife
friends about what course of action to take next. And ultimately, they choose obedience to God,
instead of obedience to Pharaoh.
Verse 17 is perhaps one of the most inspirational verses I’ve ever contemplated in Scripture:
“The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;
they let the boys live.”
Now, Pharaoh is not a stupid man. He notices that the Hebrews continue to prosper. That baby
boys, especially, don’t seem to be disappearing. So he calls a second audience with the
midwives.
Look at verse 18:
18
Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this?
Why have you let the boys live?”
Another pivotal moment. How would you answer? I think their reply is one of the most creative
and somewhat amusing answers in history:
19
The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are
vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
That the Pharaoh believed them, reveals how little men knew or cared about childbirth during
this time. But it also reveals how God blessed these women with creative ingenuity. They
decided to delay their arrival to each birth so that they didn’t have to compromise their
profession, or their faith.
What is more amazing is that Pharaoh didn’t kill them regardless. I believe this is because God
directly intervened at that moment and shielded these women’s lives. Now, we know that God
doesn’t always step in and do this. Many people have stood up for their faith and consequently
lost their lives as a result. But in this moment, two lives were spared. And we’re even told that
God blessed them with many children as a result of their faithfulness
Notice, too, that Pharaoh’s evil intentions were not thwarted either. He just came up with
another strategy to make sure the boy babies died. Sometimes we do the right thing and it only
temporarily stops evil, but that doesn’t mean God is thwarted in his purposes. More about that
next week!
Like Maya Angelou and my friend Ronny Lanier, Shiphrah and Puah also left a legacy:
When you’re facing off with Pharaoh, fear God instead.
How did these 2 women find the strength to do that?
How do you and I find the strength?
Author Jeremiah Wright in his book, “What Makes You so Strong?” poses this question to the
African woman. But I think women of any culture will identify with his question. Listen:
“What makes you so strong, black woman? How is it that after being the mothers of ancient
civilizations and the mammies to some of this country’s founders and presidents; after years of
being messed on and messed over; after years of being walked on and walked out on; how it is
that the pharaohs of this land fail to kill your spirit? What makes you so strong?
How is it that you still the bear the wisdom of the Queen of Sheba and the courage of Queen
Esther? After all that this world has done to you- the abuse and misuse; after all that black man
and white man, have exploited and humiliated; what makes you so strong?
What makes you Maya Angelou’s phenomenal woman? What makes you Destiny Child’s
Independent Woman? Is it really the sun of your smile, the ride of your breast, the grace of your
style? What makes you so strong? How can you rule a nation like Queen Cleopatra; yet, lead
your people out of bondage like Harriet Tubman?
What makes you so strong? By what power or by what name do you do what you do? My sisters
what makes you so strong?”ii
In regards to Shiphrah and Puah in our story this morning, I think they were so strong because
they were women of conviction. They saw everyday how God brought life into the world. How
God sustained life; how God took life away. They understood the daily rhythms of faith and
love, and let it lead their lives. They remembered the stories of their ancestors Eve, Sarah, Hagar,
Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel and vowed to continue the faith legacy of their grandmothers. They
were women with backbone, keepers of the flame; spiritual women who protected and sheltered
others through troubling times.
And it is their faith, their willingness to stand in the gap for the next generation, that can inspire
you and me today. Because just like Shiphrah and Puah, we live in perilous times.
Today we are witnessing some of the most devious attacks on the future generations of our
children. These are the times when we still find ourselves living in a land of Pharaoh.
Pharaoh whose agenda is to take back the civil rights gained by previous generations.
Pharaoh whose agenda is to say, “This type of tragedy is beyond our control. We can’t do
anything about it,” when yet again a mentally disturbed person accesses a gun and ruthlessly
shoots our sons and daughters down in cold blood.
Pharaoh whose agenda is for us “to make bricks without straw” as funds that support our
children’s education, health care, and future employment opportunities are slashed to the bare
bones, or perhaps taken away altogether.
Pharaoh whose agenda allows pregnant women to be stoned to death by her own family
members because she married a man of her own choosing. (The United Nations estimates 5,000
women are murdered worldwide by family members each year in "honor killings," so named
because the woman's actions are considered to have brought shame on her family. But women's
advocacy groups say the crime is underreported and the figure could be around 20,000 a year.)
Pharaoh who agenda is to keep men, women, and children enslaved in labor and sex trafficking
because it generates millions of dollars in revenue.
Pharaoh is still alive and well in the 21st century.
The hard questions you and I have to consider this morning are these:
What Pharaoh has God placed in front of me?
What unjust person or situation is God placing before me?
Where do I need to take a stand?
Where do I need to rise up, and put my faith into action?
There is no shortage of Pharaoh Agendas: human trafficking, poverty, lack of education, world
hunger, gun control, affordable health care, affordable housing, fair wages, arms control, civil
rights . . . the list can go on and on. Options abound because sin abounds in this world.
And God is looking for men and women who are not afraid. Who will stand up to oppressors in
creative, ingenious ways and say, “No, I won’t be a part of this. No, this is not the right thing
to do. No, my God says this is wrong.”
This is scary stuff, people. It’s not easy. In fact, in some extreme cases, it might even cost you
your life.
Matt Darvis, age 26, shares: “Last week I watched as a group of my mates in Australia went to
court after staging a ‘prayer vigil’ in Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s office for the 1138
children currently being held in detention by Australia’s immigration authorities.
As I saw the images of my friends being arrested and taken away by police, I was struck by one
thing –Would I be willing to do the same?
Up until this point I would say that I’ve lived a pretty ‘good life’. By that, what I really mean to
say is that I’ve done some ‘good’ things. I’ve spoken up on important causes, helped raise funds
for needy projects and encouraged others to do the same. Things that often earn me the smiles
and compliments of others. Things that I can let myself feel pretty satisfied about.
But in seeing these friends of mine literally standing in defiance of the law for something
they so strongly believed in… well I decided that being ‘good’ is no longer good enough.
I don’t want to live a ‘good life’ where… the help I offer to others is ever so neatly staged and
controlled in such a way as to not risk too greatly my own personal desires for comfort, pleasure
or safety.
And as the blog continued, Matt challenged himself and his readers by asking these two
probing questions:
1. Do I know what I believe, why I believe it, and what it is I would be willing to do about
it?
2. Do I live out my life and convictions with those most affected by the issues I care
about?iii
If people look at my life, can they immediately ascertain not only that I have faith, but also
where my faith takes action?”
On June 1, 1843, a tall straight-backed black woman named Isabella left New York City with
only 25 cents in her purse. She did not know exactly where she was going, or why--but she felt a
need to change her life.
She had been born a slave on an upstate farm 46 years before. She had given birth to 5 children.
She had worked as a house servant and a field hand and eventually earned her freedom with
some help from white friends. Now, she was trying to decide what to do with the rest of her life.
She took a ferry to Long Island and trudged the roads, talking to God. She wanted to change so
completely that she decided to throw away her old name. What would her new name be?
A word slid into her mind: Sojourner. A sojourner went from place to place, stopping for a
while, but never staying put. She liked it. What about a last name? Again a word slipped into
her mind: Truth. She would wander the roads of America to share her faith that God was a kind
father, the source of all truth. Sojourner Truth would be her name.
Isabella had learned from her slave mother that men may be cruel, but God was kind. God was
always ready to listen to your grief. Isabella’s mother had taught her to talk to God. It was an
amazing gift of faith from a woman who had seen most of her children sold as slaves.
As she began her new life as Sojourner Truth, Isabella discovered people liked to hear her talk
about her experiences as a slave and her trust in God’s sheltering hand. Soon she met people
who were dedicated to abolishing slavery in the United States. They held meetings and invited
Sojourner to attend. She captured everyone’s attention with her remarkable ability to get to the
heart of the matter. Often after an impassioned speech she would break out and sing:
I am pleading for my people-A poor downtrodden race,
Who dwell in freedom’s boasted land,
With no abiding place . . .
I am pleading for the mothers
Who gaze in wild despair
Upon the hated auction block,
And see their children there . . .
I plead with you to sympathize
With sighs and groans and scars,
And note how base the tyranny
Beneath the stripes and stars.
Sojourner’s faith fueled her passion in life: advocating freedom for those oppressed. She never
wavered in her faith that God’s love and mercy would support her people. On her deathbed in
1883 she said to one of her nurses, ‘I ain’t going to die. I’m going home like a shooting star.”iv
When you die, what do you want to be remembered for?
Will you be remembered as someone who stood for Truth?
Who stood up against the Pharaohs of this world so that future generations would
be saved?
Whose faith was the backbone of your life and framed every decision that
you made?
How will you be remembered? That all depends on what you do today.
May Shiphrah and Puah
May Maya and Ronny
May Matt Darvis
May Sojourner Truth
May the God of Phenomenal Women and Phenomenal Men
Flood your heart with strength and give you the courage to stand strong in the face of opposition.
i
Every Woman in the Bible by Sue and Larry Richards. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1999. Pages 65-67.
ii
Paraphrase of Jeremiah Wright quoted in a sermon “The Women in My Life” by Reverend A. LaMar Torrence, Pastor of Cross of Life Lutheran
Church, read on www.sermoncentral.com
iii
Blog by Matt Jarvis, May 12, 2014, http://www.redletterchristians.org/im-done-living-good-life-im-making-3-promises/
iv. Fleming, Thomas. “One Woman’s Amazing Crusade.” From Guideposts magazine. November 1996. pgs. 34-37.