Faith of Moses

By Faith .. Moses

One of the most exciting chapters of the bible is Hebrews 11 because it summarizes God's view of who all are worthy to be placed in the hall of fame of Faith. And amongst the faithful of the Lord who are mentioned there, one of my personal favorites is Moses. While this account just makes a casual passing mention of David (Heb 11:32), despite him being called a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), the word dedicates 8 verses to the faith of Moses.

Moses is a model of faith for all of us. In the below excerpt, we will look at a few reasons why he qualified to be in this hall of fame.

1. He forsook worldly titles - Heb 11:24

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter

Here was a man who was the second in command of the land of Egypt (which is equivalent of the Americas today in terms of the development (social, scientific, economic) and also the decadence and depravity (moral, spiritual, etc). He was earmarked to become the next pharaoh probably. And yet, look at the humility of this man, who when called by God refused the title that the world offers. He refused to be called the son of the Pharaoh's daughter, and chose to identify himself with the slaves of Egypt.

How easy it is to fall into the trap of earthly honors and glory, all at the cost of forsaking the heavenly! As the Lord reminds us, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

2. He chose affliction over pleasures - Heb 11:25

choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Christian life is all about choices. God honors you for your choices. You win or lose rewards based on your choices. You choose to follow God (or not!). Moses chose well. He chose to be afflicted along with the children of God and he chose NOT to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Remember, friends, the pleasures of sin are but for a season. It always tastes bitter at the end. Moses chose suffering afflictions with the slaves of the land rather than continuing to enjoy sin. He had set his mind on eternity and a healthy, holy fear of the Lord consumed him. It provoked him onto the righteous path and to forsake the way of sin.

You are either a friend of God or a friend of the world system. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Moses chose the friendship with the Creator and that comes at a cost - of leaving and forsaking Egypt.

3. He chose the reproach of Christ - Heb 11:26

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Even before Christ was manifest on this earth, there are people who suffered reproach for his sake! Moses bore the reproach of Christ. Even today, there is a reproach that the world will place on us purely because we are a zealous disciple of Christ. Friend, welcome and embrace this reproach. I'd much rather be reproached by men than be reproached by God. Again, Moses chose reproach over the treasures of Egypt.

Once you have tasted the heavenly and once your spiritual eyes are opened, you know that the best that the world can reward you with is but dung and trash compared to the eternal weight of glory. Paul had such a mindset.

(2 Cor 4:17-18) For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

(Phil 3:8) Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Every saint of God who has been used by the Lord had this mindset. Again, Moses chose wisely. The word of God says: he chose thus because, he was able to look heaven-ward and see the reward that is waiting for him if he chose the narrow way here on this earth.

4. He left Egypt behind - Heb 11:27

By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Only a person who leaves Egypt behind can lead a band of 3 million souls across the wilderness and towards the promised land. Only a person who sees how vile Egypt and the pharaoh are in God's eyes can decide and choose to leave Egypt behind. The lesson for the believer is that we have to forsake the world and the good of the world to follow Jesus. It's one or the other. While leaving Egypt behind, he was more aware of the invisible God and desirous of pleasing Him than, the visible wrath of Pharaoh and his displeasure.

Being born again opens our eyes and magnifies the emotions of our Lord God in comparison to the opinions of mere mortals.

5. He obeyed the word of God - Heb 11:28

By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

Moses was faced with the command of the Lord to observe the Passover to save the souls of the Israelites. A new commandment. The realm of the unfamiliar. Yet, what a blessed type of the precious sacrifice of the Lamb of God who took the sin of the world! By observing this commandment, Moses opened the way for the salvation of the Israelites from the realm of Egypt and their subsequent journey to the promised land.

It's only by that Faith in God that you can obey the commandments of God. If we love God, we will obey his commandments. It's only in loving him and obeying Him, that we can please Him.

When you are faced with the situations like Moses, my prayer is that all of us will choose wisely to obey Him as we have seen in the above situations. What a reward to this man of God to immortalize his faith in the Hall of Fame. May we choose wisely when we are at the crossroads!

God bless you!