Shiphrah and Puah: Breaking the Law

Exodus 1:8-21

I would love to
be an upstanding citizen,
do what the law says.
Usually, I do.
I would love to
submit to authority,
obey my rulers.
Usually, I do.
But I cannot, now.

For how can I obey
the laws of man
if they would have me break
the Law of God?

Don't you see
the death all around you?
No - you only see the law.
Don't you hear
the piercing cries of bereft mothers?
No - you only hear the law.
Don't you care
for the vulnerable trampled underfoot?
No - you only care about the law.

How
can you value something dead
above pulsing, screaming life?
How
can you expect me,
a servant of life
to obey the rule of death?

Sorry.
No.
I don't care anymore.
Take me.
Put me behind bars if you will.
Do what you like.
But don't speak to me
about your laws
when lives are at stake.
Don't expect me
to do what is wrong
just because it's the law.
For how can I obey
the laws of man
if they would have me break
the Law of God?

I will resist.
I will tell lies.
I will disobey.
I will fight.
And you may look on
in horror and disgust
as I trample your law.
But in the end,
in the eyes of God
I will be right.


_______________________________

[18. July 2019]

So I was sitting here with writer's block, not knowing how to start, when I realised that the story of Shiphrah and Puah is so very relevant right now. It has actually been replaying in the news recently. I ended up writing this with Captain Carola Rackete in mind, as well as other modern-day Shiphrahs and Puahs: brave people who stand up against unjust laws to do what is right.

Thousands of refugees trying to cross from Africa to Europe drown in the Mediterranean every year. Last year, 2'277 died or went missing (stats from UNHCR here). Meanwhile, many European countries are extremely restrictive. Carola Rackete, who does rescue missions on the Mediterranean, was arrested for docking a migrant rescue ship in an Italian port without authorisation - "against the law". Discussions about this on social media became truly sickening: people (many of them would call themselves "Bible-believing Christians") argued that people like Rackete are doing wrong rescuing the drowning because these actions break the law. One should not encourage illegal immigrants to come to Europe. In these discussions, the people suffering and drowning on the Mediterranean are dehumanised. I have in all honesty seen people claim it's "their own fault" and they should just stay in their countries. I can't believe this kind of terrible rhetoric. Since when is saving lives wrong? Since when is following "the law" more important than serving human beings loved by God?

I had to think of all this when I decided to write about Shiphrah and Puah - two Midwives who broke laws, told lies, and pretty much acted in a way that I know certain people, certain Christians even, would think wrong. They were commanded by the Pharaoh to kill Hebrew boys upon birth. They refused, saving many lives. They covered up their disobedience by lying that the Hebrew mothers gave birth too quickly for them to arrive on the scene in time.

Sometimes, we need to break laws to do what is right. Because it is more important to obey God than man (Acts 5:29). The worldly authorities are not God. I on purpose referenced Romans 13 for the first stanza, since that is often quoted to support submission to authority. But Paul is not talking about total, blind obedience in all things. He is talking about, as Christians (who will always be foreigners in this world because we serve a different master and belong to a different kingdom) respecting the society we live in as well as its rules. But it should be obivous to us that there is a very, very clear line in how much we can obey what other authorities dictate. Because ultimately, Jesus is our Lord, not our country or our government, and our allegiance should be to the Kingdom of God, not any country on this earth. There is a place for civil disobedience in obedience to God. Just because something is law does not mean it is right.

We need to discern and follow the will of God. Ask ourselves what Jesus would do - Jesus who died a criminal's death on a cross because he broke the law.

Art: Ancient Roman relief carving of a midwife