EPISODE · May 13, 2026 · 26 MIN
Exodus 1: The More They Were Oppressed
from Come & See Podcast · host St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in London
It begins with a simple observation that carries the weight of the entire book: the more the Egyptians afflicted the children of Israel, the more they multiplied. Pharaoh — threatened by a people he no longer understands — tightens his grip. Slaves. Taskmasters. Bricks without straw. And then something worse: an order to the midwives to kill every Hebrew boy at birth.But the midwives feared God. And they did not obey.In this first deep dive into Exodus, we unpack one of scripture's most quietly radical stories: two women, Shiphrah and Puah, who chose God over Pharaoh. We wrestle with the tricky question of whether they lied — and what God's blessing of them means. We also explore why God sometimes seems to allow suffering to go on longer than we'd like, and what he might be doing in the waiting.Key questions explored:• Why does God allow his people to be oppressed? Where is he in the suffering?• Is it ever right to disobey a government for the sake of God?• Did the midwives lie — and does that affect how God blessed them?• In what ways does the early Church's growth under persecution mirror Israel's story?
What this episode covers
It begins with a simple observation that carries the weight of the entire book: the more the Egyptians afflicted the children of Israel, the more they multiplied. Pharaoh — threatened by a people he no longer understands — tightens his grip. Slaves. Taskmasters. Bricks without straw. And then something worse: an order to the midwives to kill every Hebrew boy at birth.But the midwives feared God. And they did not obey.In this first deep dive into Exodus, we unpack one of scripture's most quietly radical stories: two women, Shiphrah and Puah, who chose God over Pharaoh. We wrestle with the tricky question of whether they lied — and what God's blessing of them means. We also explore why God sometimes seems to allow suffering to go on longer than we'd like, and what he might be doing in the waiting.Key questions explored:• Why does God allow his people to be oppressed? Where is he in the suffering?• Is it ever right to disobey a government for the sake of God?• Did the midwives lie — and does that affect how God blessed them?• In what ways does the early Church's growth under persecution mirror Israel's story?
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Exodus 1: The More They Were Oppressed
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