When Authority Commands Wrong

In Exodus 1:12-22, we encounter a sobering chapter in Israel’s history. The Israelites, once welcomed as guests in Egypt, had multiplied and prospered. Pharaoh, fearing their growing numbers, turned that blessing into a threat. He enslaved them with forced labor and, ultimately, commanded that every newborn Hebrew boy be killed. These decrees were legal in Egypt, but they were morally abhorrent. Though this story unfolds in ancient times, its tension feels strikingly relevant today as Christians navigate workplaces, institutions, and systems that may expect compliance over conviction. It raises a pressing question for believers in every generation: What should we do when human authority asks us to act unethically?

Recognize the Limits of Human Authority

Verse 17 tells us, “The midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them; they let the boys live.” The midwives respected Pharaoh’s position, but they recognized a higher authority: God Himself. Their example reminds us that no earthly ruler has the right to compel us to sin, and that legal or institutional power does not automatically carry moral legitimacy.

As followers of Christ, we honor authority as part of God’s design (Romans 13:1), but we also acknowledge that human authority has boundaries. When human commands oppose divine commands, faithfulness requires drawing a clear line. Reverence for God clarifies where obedience to flawed human authority must end and when moral courage must begin.

Courage Is Required

Defying authority is rarely easy. The Hebrew midwives risked punishment, imprisonment, or even execution, yet their fear of God outweighed their fear of Pharaoh. Christians today may face different kinds of risks: loss of reputation, job security, or social standing. The principle remains the same: obedience to God demands courage.

Courage doesn’t imply recklessness; it means conviction under pressure. For pastors, leaders, and everyday believers, the temptation to compromise often appears in small forms: a quiet lie, a silent assent, an unjust policy left unchallenged. Yet courage is often forged not in dramatic public moments but in the quiet consistency of ethical conviction lived out day by day.

God Honors Ethical Resistance

Verse 20 tells us, “God dealt well with the midwives.” Their refusal to participate in Pharaoh’s evil did not go unnoticed. God blessed their faithful bravery and gave them families of their own. Their story reassures us that standing for what is right, even when costly, is never wasted in God’s economy.

Faithful resistance may not always bring immediate or visible reward, but God’s approval and eternal recognition far outweigh any earthly consequence. When believers choose righteousness over convenience, they join in God’s ongoing redemptive work. The same God who honored the midwives continues to strengthen those who walk in moral clarity today.

Discernment Matters

Not every disagreement with authority requires disobedience. Scripture teaches believers to respect and pray for governing leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and to submit when possible (Romans 13:1-7). But discernment is essential when obedience to human authority clashes with obedience to God.

Discernment helps us avoid the twin dangers of blind compliance and reactionary defiance. It is nurtured through prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel within the body of Christ. Discernment turns moments of moral tension into opportunities to reflect Christ through both humility and conviction.

Moral Courage in Today’s World

In our modern context, this kind of moral courage touches every sphere of life. In the workplace, believers may face pressure to participate in dishonesty or exploitative practices, yet faithfulness calls them to act truthfully even when it costs them. In matters of government and law, Christians may at times need to practice civil disobedience when legislation contradicts God’s Word or undermines the dignity of human life. Even within the church, spiritual authority must always be tested against Scripture; respect for leaders never requires surrendering moral discernment. In each setting, believers have the opportunity to embody the midwives’ faith by choosing integrity over compromise and demonstrating that God’s authority governs every dimension of life, from boardrooms to pulpits, classrooms to homes.

Exodus 1:12-22 reminds us that moral courage sometimes requires saying “no” to human authority in order to say “yes” to God. The midwives’ quiet defiance stands as a timeless example of steadfast obedience rooted in the fear of the Lord. Their story still speaks today, calling believers to anchor their allegiance not in convenience or compliance, but in conviction shaped by God’s truth.

When human commands collide with God’s, those who are faithful stand like the midwives: quiet, steady, and anchored in the authority of the One whose kingdom has no rival.