BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS BORN, WAS HIDDEN FOR THREE MONTHS BY HIS PARENTS, BECAUSE THEY SAW HE WAS A BEAUTIFUL CHILD; AND THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE KING'S EDICT: (Exodus 2:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; Acts 7:20) (He 13:6; Psalms 56:4; 118:6; Isaiah 8:12,13; 41:10,14; 51:7,12; Daniel 3:16, 17, 18; Daniel 6:10; Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4,5) (Exodus 1:16,22)

This passage actually has to do with the faith of Moses parents rather then his own faith because he was still an infant. Read Ex 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10 for the story of heroism of his parents Amram & Jochebed (Ex 6:20), both of the tribe of Levi (Ex 2:1). Moses had 2 other siblings with whom we are familiar, Aaron, the oldest and Miriam, Moses’ older sister. This chapter describes a dark, dangerous time for Israel for Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to murder all the males immediately upon birth.

Some lessons from this story include (1) Don’t Fear the Pharaoh’s in your life and (2) entrust your children into God’s care!

BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE HAD GROWN UP, REFUSED TO BE CALLED THE SON OF PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER: Pistei Mouses megas genomenos (AMPMSN) ernesato (3SAMI) legesthai huios thugatros Pharao: (Exodus 2:10; Acts 7:21, 22, 23, 24)

The godly British pastor Charles Simeon (1759-1836) (himself an most incredible example of suffering for Christ - see John Piper's bio of Simeon - Brothers, We Must Not Mind a Little Suffering) introduces his sermon on Hebrews 11:24, 25, 26 ("Moses' Choice") with these words...

IT is a great advantage to us to be conversant with the Holy Scriptures, not only because from them we learn the principles of religion, which can be derived from no other source, but because we see in them examples which have upon them the stamp and impress of God’s approbation, and which therefore we cannot presume to disapprove. Had any individual of the present day acted as Moses did in the instance before us, we should, I doubt not, have all agreed in condemning him as inconsiderate, enthusiastic, and unwise. Not knowing his motives, or not giving him credit for them, we could not have formed a correct judgment of his actions: but we are sure that the choice which Moses made, however absurd it might appear to those more immediately connected with him, was truly commendable. (Simeon, C. Horae Homileticae Vol. 19: page 407. London)

Faith (4102)(pistis) is synonymous with trust or belief and is the conviction of the truth of anything, but in Scripture usually speaks of belief  respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it.

Without “confidence” in God - in his fidelity, his truth, his wisdom, his promises. The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works (Jn 1:12; Ja 2:14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26-see notes).

Refused (720)(arneomai from "a" = negation + rheo = say) literally means "to say no", to say one does not know about or is in any way related to some person or some thing. Webster says that to deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede or to acknowledge the existence or claims of.

Arneomai is used 33 uses in the NT - note especially the first use of arneomai. (Matt. 10:33; 26:70, 72; Mk. 14:68, 70; Lk. 8:45; 9:23; 12:9; 22:57; Jn. 1:20; 13:38; 18:25, 27; Acts 3:13, 14; 4:16; 7:35; 1Ti 5:8; 2Ti 2:12f; 3:5; Titus 1:16; 2:12; Heb. 11:24; 2Pe 2:1; 1Jn. 2:22f; Jude 1:4; Rev. 2:13; 3:8) and is translated: denied(9), denies(4), deny(13), denying(3), disowned(3), refused(1). It is used once in the Septuagint (LXX) (Ge 18:15)

Moses the servant of God (1Chr 6:49, 2Chr 24:9, Da 9:11)   was a man of faith who used his eyes of faith (2Cor 5:7) to “see the invisible, to choose the imperishable (cp 1Pe 1:4-note), and do the impossible (cp Php 4:13-note Lk 1:37).” What was true for Moses centuries ago can be true for all of  God’s children (cp He 11:6-note) today, but men and women of faith like Moses seem to be in short supply. Whatever our churches may be known for today, they’re not especially known for glorifying God by great exploits of faith. Someone is recorded as jesting that “The church used to be known for its good deeds, but today it’s better known for its bad mortgages.” (bad joke)

Moses worked out his salvation (Php 2:12-note which is only possible because of Php 2:13-note) by rejecting his right to inherit earthly fame and fortune. Why? Because he knew the temporal "treasure" would rot and was of no comparison to what the world would call foolishness...the reproach of Christ.

Moses denied the old self (his fallen flesh - remove the "h" and spell it backwards!) (cp Mk 8:34, 35, 36, 37, 38)  Why? Because he was looking to the reward.

Vine...

Moses decided to leave the court and visit his downtrodden brethren; he knew that his recognition of them meant the renunciation of his position and the prospects involved in his adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter. The step he took that day, as recorded in Exodus 2:11, was the refusal mentioned, as is shown by the statement in both passages, “when he was grown up.” That decision was an act of faith, with the assurance that God would fulfill His promises.

Cyril Barber writes...

In He 11:24, 25, 26 the writer gives us a very clear picture of temptation. Temptation can only come to a believer through three channels. These channels are (1) the lust of the flesh—what I want to do, (2) the lust of the eyes—what I want to have, and (3) the pride of life—what I want to be.15

When Moses chose to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, he faced and overcame the “lusts of the flesh”—what he wanted to do. He did this with the clear realization that he was choosing the eternal rather than the temporal and committing himself to the path of duty rather than to all the pleasures which may have been his in the palace of the king.

Secondly, when Moses reckoned the reproach of the Messiah a greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, he overcame “the lust of the eyes”—what he wanted to have. Archaeologists have given us some idea of the wealth and treasure of Egypt. Moses was perfectly conscious of what he was doing. He was turning his back on the “Fort Knox” of his day, and spurning all the influence and power which money could have obtained for him.

Lastly, his faith and foresight helped him to set his mind upon future rewards and rise above any personal desires which he may have had for his own temporal advancement. In so doing he overcame the pride of life”—what he wanted to be.

What reason is given for these actions? The inspired writer attributes it solely to faith. By faith, Moses could see that the temporal things were going to pass away and that only that which was eternal would last. He overcame the temptation of selfish ambition, worldly pleasure and carnal possession because he did everything in life with a view to receiving God’s approval. (Moses A Study of Hebrews 1123–29a -- By Cyril J. Barber)

Perhaps you are convicted by the faith in action of this great servant of God (I am so don't feel alone!). If your faith is on low ebb, consider Paul's words in Romans 10:17 (note) and compare (Luke 17:5). Dr John Piper in one of his "Taste and See" articles (Recommended - periodic messages via email  Sign Up Here) comments (Aug 21, 2001) on Luke 17:5 explaining how Jesus helped His Disciples Increase Their Faith (see Lk 17:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10):

In Lk 17:5 the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. How does Jesus help them? In two ways, both of which are by telling them truth. So even in the way he responds he shows us that faith comes by hearing. Knowing certain things should increase our faith.

1. First, He strengthens our faith by telling us in Lk 17:6 that the crucial issue in accomplishing great things to advance the kingdom of God is not the quantity of our faith, but the power of God.

He says, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you." By referring to the tiny mustard seed after being asked about increased faith, He deflects attention away from the quantity of faith to the object of faith. God moves mulberry trees. And it does not depend decisively on the quantity of our faith, but on His power and wisdom and love. In knowing this we are helped not to worry about our faith and are inspired to trust God's free initiative and power.

2. Second, he helps their faith grow by telling them in Lk 17:7, 8, 9, 10 that when they have done all they are commanded to do, they are still radically dependent on grace.

Jesus gives an illustration. You might want to read it again in Lk 17:7, 8, 9, 10. The gist of it is that the owner of a slave does not become a debtor to the slave no matter how much work the slave does. The meaning is that God is never our debtor. V10 sums it up: "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" We are always his debtor. And we will never be able to pay this debt, nor are we ever meant to. We will always be dependent on grace. We will never work our way up out of debt to a place where God is in our debt. "Who has ever given a gift to him that he should be repaid?" (Ro 11:35-note). When it says in Lk 17:9 that the owner does not "thank" the slave, the idiom for "thank" is provocative. I think the idea is that "thanks" is a response to grace. The reason the owner does not thank the slave is that the servant is not giving the owner more than what the owner deserves. He is not treating the owner with grace. Grace is being treated better than you deserve. So it is with us in relation to God. We never treat God with grace. We never give him more than he deserves. Which means that he never owes us thanks. God never says "Thank you" to us. Instead he is always giving us more than what we deserve and we are always owing him thanks. So the lesson for us is that when we have done all we should do - when we have solved all our pastoral care problems and fixed the attitudes of all our people and mobilized the most missions and loved the poor and saved marriages and reared godly children and boldly proclaimed Christ - God owes us no thanks. Instead we will at that moment relate to him as debtors to grace just as we do now. This is a great encouragement to faith. Why? Because it means that God is just as free to bless us before we get our act together as he is after. Since we are "unworthy" slaves before we have done what we should, and "unworthy" slaves afterwards as well, it is only grace that would prompt God to help us. Therefore he is free to help us before and after. This is a great incentive to trust him for help when we feel like our act is not together.

So two things increase our faith:

1) that God Himself and not the quantity of our faith is the decisive factor in flinging mulberry trees out of the way; and

2) free grace is decisive in how God treats us before and after we have done all we ought to do. We never move beyond the need for grace. Therefore let us trust God for great things in our little faith, and let us not be paralyzed by what is left to be done in our lives and in our church. (How Jesus Helped His Disciples Increase Their Faith)

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What Are The Odds? - The problem of compulsive gambling may seem foreign to most of us. Yet experts believe that millions of Americans are psychologically addicted to gambling. It gives them the excitement of hope and risk, but it usually ends in defeat. It is indeed a temporary pleasure. For those who engage in it, losing is the name of the game; winning means not losing everything.

Some Christians have a similar problem--spiritual gambling. It's a way of living that involves taking chances by seeing how far we can stretch God's patience. Although we know there is no such thing as "luck," too often we gamble away our time or dabble in sinful pleasures. We live as if it were possible to ignore the will of God and still come out ahead. We seem to be addicted to the excitement of risk.

There's not one chance in five that God won't keep His word. There's not even one chance in a thousand. We can be absolutely sure that what He's promised will come true. That's why it makes so much sense to be like Moses and believe God. He was willing to trust in the reliable word of the Lord rather than take his chances with the temporary excitement of sin (Heb. 11:24, 25, 26). He believed that God was 100-percent trustworthy. Do you? — Mart De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Just one little sin, what harm can it do:
But give it free rein and soon there are two,
And then sinful deeds and habits ensue;
So guard well your acts, or they'll enslave you. --DJD

God always performs what He promises.

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The Cost - The letters stop me cold every time. Each month we receive another poignant prayer letter from missionary friends who serve in an African country where disease, especially AIDS, is killing people by the thousands. When these friends tell us about the ongoing tragedy, they are talking about people they know and love.

Our friends don't complain about the danger they are in or their struggle to raise a family amid hardship. Instead, they remind us of the souls of these people, some of whom literally die in their arms.

Their letters make me consider Christ's suffering and our need to be willing to sacrifice for Him. How often we worry about the wrong things! How extravagantly many of us live! How difficult it is for us to deny ourselves for the sake of others!

The writer of Hebrews pointed to Moses as an example of self-denial. Moses chose to identify with God and His chosen people, though he could have enjoyed the "passing pleasures of sin" and "the treasures in Egypt" (He 11:25, 26).

Our lives should be taken up with serving the Lord—no matter what the cost. We may have to make a costly sacrifice if people are to meet Jesus. What are we willing to give up for those who need to know Him? — Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

CHOOSING RATHER TO ENDURE ILL-TREATMENT WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD: mallon elomenos (AMPMSN: haireomai) sugkakoucheisthai (PMN)  to lao tou theou: (He 10:32; Job 36:21; Psalms 84:10; Matthew 5:10, 11, 12; 13:21; Acts 7:24,25; 20:23,24; Romans 5:3; 8:17,18,35, 36, 37, 38, 39; 2Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:24; 2Thessalonians 1:3, 4, 5, 6; 2Timothy 1:8; 2Timothy 2:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; 3:11,12; James 1:20; 1Peter 1:6,7; 4:12, 13, 14, 15, 16) (He 4:9; Psalms 47:9; 1Peter 2:10)

Choosing (138) (haireomai from haireo = to take a particular position for oneself) means to make a choice of one or more possible alternatives and so to choose, select or prefer. The middle voice could be read more literally "having chosen for himself".  English = ''heresy'' (an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards). Moses' "heresy" was a good choice! Note also that the use of the aorist tense here marks it as a single and definite act.

Haireo in the active voice means to take (Secular use "and whose fruit you pick [haireo]), in the middle voice (which is the only way it is used in the NT) to choose (Josephus uses in describing Elisha the prophets who sent one of his disciples to anoint Jehu and tell him "that God had chosen him to be their king")

Vine says that haireomai's "special significance is to select rather by the act of taking, than by showing preference or favor...(Moses)viewed both prospects, the voluptuous life of an Egyptian prince, and what his public recognition of his Hebrew descent involved, and he made his immediate choice."

Haireomai is used 3 times in the NT...

Philippians 1:22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

2 Thessalonians 2:13  But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin

Haireomai is used 8 times in the Deut. 26:17f; Jos. 24:15; 1 Sam. 19:1; 2 Sam. 15:15; Job 34:4; Isa. 38:17; Jer. 8:3. For example...

Deuteronomy 26:18 "And the LORD has today declared (Lxx = haireomai = chosen) you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments;

Joshua 24:15 "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose (Hebrew = bachar = to choose; Lxx = haireomai - a command in both Hebrew and Greek) for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Endure ill treatment with (4778) (sugkakoucheo from sun/syn = with, speaks of an intimate association + kakoucheo = to maltreat, torment, cause to suffer, this root verb used in He 11:37, He 13:3 > NB: being faithful to God does not exempt believers from suffering!) means suffer with another or to be mistreated with someone else. Share hardship with another. Note the present tense which indicates this was not a passing fad with Moses but was the way he lived, his continual practice. Once again we see how genuine faith affects one's attitudes and actions.

The people of God - In context refers specifically to the chosen people (Israel), not just any group. Compare Peter's encouraging words in the face of suffering and persecution for the faith...

But resist (command to stand against the devil - note that before we "stand", we must bow! Bow to Jesus so you can stand against forces of evil) him (the devil 1Pe 5:8), firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world (So like Heb 11:25 when we suffer for Christ, we do not suffer alone. cp Acts 9:1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6 - esp Acts 9:5 - Who was Paul literally persecuting? When believers are persecuted for Christ, He identifies with us, for He is in an immutable new covenant bond of oneness with every believer). And after you have suffered for a little while (if you are suffering for your faith, read that phrase again - that is God's word), the God of all grace (What a great name for God! Why do we worry so often that our grace account will go bankrupt! Perhaps because we aren't leaning on His everlasting arms but our own machinations!), who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1Pe 5:9, 10)

THAN TO ENJOY THE PASSING PLEASURES: proskairon echein (PAF) hamartias apolausin: (Job 20:5; 21:11, 12, 13; Psalms 73:18, 19, 20; Isaiah 21:4; 47:8,9; Luke 12:19,20; Luke 16:25; James 5:5; Revelation 18:7)

What a person really believes is shown by what he or she does or how he or she acts. Here we see evidence of Moses belief in and appreciation for the promises of God, specifically the future and eternal reward of Jehovah to all faithful men and women. This motivated and energized him to choose for God rather than the temporary material wealth offered to him. And don't read over this too quickly, because it was not as if Moses turned down some a few grocery coupons, but quite likely an unspeakable amount of earthly wealth. Assuming that to be the case, it is obvious that not only did Moses hold a strong belief (faith) but even more significant that strong belief held him. Moses had "2Co 4:18 Vision"!

Warren Wiersbe observes...

As with Abraham and Moses of old, the decisions we make today will determine the rewards tomorrow. More than this, our decisions should be motivated by the expectation of receiving rewards (Ed: which is clearly what motivated Moses' decision to defer)...The emphasis in the Epistle to the Hebrews is: ‘Don’t live for what the world will promise you today! Live for what God has promised you in the future!”

Jesus present two powerful examples of any who would seek to enjoy the passing pleasures of what this world has to offer...

Luke 12:19 (Parable of a certain rich man who says) 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'

Disciple's Study Bible comments that "The present is not permanent. People make plans for the future based on present achievements. Such plans should not be totally self-centered. We need to remember God controls the future. Our plans must include Him, His will, and His work on earth. Our largest building project is His kingdom. Ryrie succinctly puts it "Man proposes; God disposes."

Luke 16:25 (Context Lk 16:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) "But Abraham said (to the rich man), 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. (Context: Lk 16:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)

James speaks strongly to the rich who have made it their pastime (pun intended for it will indeed one day be "past"!) to seek the passing pleasures of this world...

Jas 5:5 (Read the context Jas 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 6) You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

Enjoy...pleasures (619) (apolausis from the verb apolauo = to take of or to enjoy) (only here and in 1Ti 6:17) means to have enjoyment of something, to have the benefit of something and so enjoying it.

Zodhiates says apolausis "denotes the cleaving or adherence of the mind or affection to an object." (Zodhiates - The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament)

In 1Ti 6:17 Paul uses apolausis to describe the act of enjoying and here in Hebrews the meaning is more the source of enjoyment.

In secular Greek we find the phrase "eis apolausis" meaning "for enjoyment".

In the Didache we read "You, almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake, and gave food and drink to men to enjoy."

Papias uses apolausis to describe "the enjoyment of foods in the (endtime) resurrection."

Josephus uses apolausis in this sentence "but that she might have the enjoyment of her husband's company without any danger" (Ant 2.52)

Clement (2Clement) uses apolausis in this sentence "This is the reason why a man is unable to find peace: they instill human apprehensions, preferring the pleasure of the present to the promise of the future."

Paul writes Timothy, commanding him to...

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (1 Ti 6:17)

Passing (4340) (proskairos from pros = for, toward + kairos = an opportune time) means literally for a season and just like a season comes and goes, so proskairos conveys that sense (passing). The idea is that something lasts for only for a short or limited time (= temporary, transient). Proskairos is essentially the diametric opposite of eternal or everlasting.

In a secular religious writing we read "behold, all the property of my father P. is transitory and evanescent (tending to vanish like vapor - proskairos), but the bounties of your inheritance, Lord, are incorruptible and eternal’" In the letter of Diogenes proskairos is used to described the fire of persecution as proskairos or only for a short time. In another secular use proskairos was used to describe a person as one who "lasts only a little while (proskairos)". This latter meaning is especially poignant to those who have been redeemed and now have a divine purpose for their life (cp Eph 2:10-note), the brevity of our life serving to spur us on to make every effort to redeem every moment (cp Ep 5:16-note).

In another non-Biblical use we read "the present world (kosmos - created things) is transitory  (proskairos) but the coming is everlasting

Proskairos is used 4 times in the NT (no uses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint)...
 

Matthew 13:21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

Mark 4:17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Sin (266) (hamartia) in simple terms is missing the mark, specifically missing God's will for us, a will which is good and acceptable and perfect (Ro 12:2b-note). Sin is what you do when you obey your fallen flesh, instead of obeying the Holy Spirit (cp Gal 5:16-note, Gal 5:17-note). The apostle John has a good "working" definition of sin writing that sin is lawlessness (anomia > a = without + nomos = law - behaving as if one had no supreme, divine law ruling their flesh, cp Jdg 21:25-note) (1John 3:4). In Romans 5 and 6 Paul explains that Sin refers to the inherent propensity to commit specific sins a propensity that entered the human heart of Adam and as a result constituted or made him a sinner by nature. Adam then passed the inherent sinful nature (the "sin virus") he possessed to all of his offspring (which is every person ever born) (Ro 5:12-note, Ge 5:3 = "in his own likeness", not God's as in Ge 1:26!). This same "Adamic" nature which always seeks to satisfy self will (cp "lovers of self" -2Ti 3:2-note) rather than God's will is present in every person at the moment of conception when the "sin virus" is passed to the fertilized ovum (Ps 51:5-note, Ps 58:3-note, Job 25:4).

Sin appears to be fair ("you deserve this little treat"!), but is in fact filthy. It appears pleasant ("it will make you feel so good"), but belies its pernicious character and finally it promises much pleasure ("you'll be better for having done this", cp "passing pleasures" He 11:25), but performs nothing good, in the end bringing only death (to our fellowship with God if we are believers, eternal death/separation if unbelievers).

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Pleasure Versus Joy - The world offers "passing pleasures" (Hebrews 11:25), but the Lord Jesus offers to give us full and lasting joy (John 15:11). Pleasure is dependent on circumstances, but joy is inward and is not disturbed by one's environment.

Pleasure is always changing, but joy is constant! Worldly delights are often followed by depression. True joy is grounded in Jesus Christ, who is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

To keep experiencing pleasure, we must run from one stimulus to another, for it refuses to be permanently grasped. Joy is just the opposite. It is a gift we receive from God.

Pleasure is built on self-seeking, but joy is based on self-sacrifice. The more we pursue self-gratification, the more empty we feel. If a pint of pleasure gives momentary happiness today, a gallon of excitement and thrills is necessary for the same effect tomorrow. Joy, however, is based on the sacrificial giving of ourselves. As we learn what it means to focus on the needs of others, we find greater fulfillment in God Himself, who meets our every need.

Only when you seek the things of Christ can you find abiding joy. — Henry G. Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

There is joy beyond all measure
In abiding in the Lord;
It is promised most abundant
And enduring in His Word. —McQuat

For joy that will last, always put Christ first.

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An ark of safety in the flood of vanities? (Henry Law, "The Burning Bush")

"It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him." Hebrews 11:24-26

Worldly pomp is very dazzling!
Worldly luxury is very entrancing!
Worldly pleasures are very ensnaring!

But there is an ark of safety in the flood of vanities, as in the flood of waters.

Moses is neither dazzled, nor entranced, nor ensnared. He looks above, and sees a splendor far more bright. He deliberately chooses scorn and affliction and loss and poverty, with the people of God. And he finds . . .

such scorn to be the truest honor;

such affliction to be the purest joy;

such loss to be the richest gain;

such poverty to be the most enduring wealth.

Reader! it is an important principle, that none can tread the world beneath their feet until they see a fairer world above their heads!

When the Lord is set before you, your eyes are dim to lower objects. The beauty of the all beauteous One, makes other loveliness unlovely!

Moses proves the mighty energy of soul elevating, soul purifying faith. This stirring principle turns his whole course from ease and affluence and self, into one stream of daring activities for God.

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Octavius Winslow - Daily Walking with God

CONSIDERING THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER RICHES THAN THE TREASURES OF EGYPT: hegesamenos (AMPMSN) ...  ton oneidismon tou Christou meizona plouton hegesamenos (AMPMSN) tôn Aiguptou thêsaurôn: (He 10:33; 13:13; Psalms 69:7,20; 89:50,51; Isaiah 51:7; Acts 5:41; 2Corinthians 12:10; 2Corinthians 12:10; 1Peter 1:11; 4:14) (Psalms 37:16; Jeremiah 9:23,24; 2Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 1:18; 3:8; Revelation 2:9; 3:18)

Considering (2233) (hegeomai from ago = to lead, carry, bring) has two basic meanings in the NT. One is to lead as one would do in a supervisory capacity as when describing men in any leading position - ruler, leader, governor (Ac 7:10) and stands opposite of a diakonos or servant in (Lk 22:26). In the apocryphal writings hegeomai was used of military commanders. It was also used to describe leaders of religious bodies, both pagan and Christian (latter in Heb 13:7, 17, 24, "leading men" in Acts 15:22, "chief speaker" in Acts 14:12). In secular Greek hegeomai was used to describe the pagan god Hermes as "the leader of the word"

The second meaning means to engage in an intellectual process (2Co 9:5, Php 2:25, Php 3:8, 2Pe 1:13. In this latter sense, hegeomai conveys the picture of leading out (note the root verb of origin = ago = to lead) before the mind, and thus to regard, esteem, count, reckon. This latter meaning is found in the present verse. In this sense, hegeomai pictures one giving careful thought to something and not making a quick decision. In the present verse it pictures Moses carefully thinking through his decision, weighing out the pros and cons. He weighed what Egypt had to offer in time against what God offered in both time and eternity. In secular Greek hegeomai was a mathematical term which meant "Think about it and come to a conclusion."

Hegeomai is in the aorist tense, which speaks of a single and resolute act as the result of a decisive esteeming or reckoning (by Moses).

Thayer says that hegeomai denotes
 

a belief resting not on one's inner feeling or sentiment, but on the due consideration of external grounds, the weighing and comparing of facts . . . deliberate and careful judgment.

Wuest writes that hegeomai...
 

speaks of a belief or appraisal that does not rest upon one’s emotions, but upon the due consideration of external grounds, upon the weighing and comparing of facts. It refers to a deliberate and careful judgment. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos)

The NAS renders hegeomai as chief(1), consider(3), considered(2), considering(1), count(4), counted(1), esteem(1),governor(1), leader(1), leaders(3), leading(1), led(1), regard(5), regarded(1), Ruler(1), thought(2).

Hegeomai is used 28 times in the NT...
 

Matthew 2:6 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler, Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Luke 22:26 "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.

Acts 7:10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

Acts 14:12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

Acts 15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-- Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

Acts 26:2 "In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

2Corinthians 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, that the same might be ready as a bountiful gift, and not affected by covetousness.

Philippians 2:3-note Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;

Philippians 2:6-note who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:25-note But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

Philippians 3:7-note But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Philippians 3:8-note More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,

1Thessalonians 5:13-note and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

2 Thessalonians 3:15 And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service;

1 Timothy 6:1 Let all who are under the yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine may not be spoken against.

Hebrews 10:29-note How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 11:11-note By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised;

Hebrews 11:26-note considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Hebrews 13:7-note Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:17-note Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Hebrews 13:24-note Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.

James 1:2-note Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

2 Peter 1:13-note And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,

2 Peter 2:13-note suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you,

2 Peter 3:9-note The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:15-note and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

Hegeomai is used 101 times in the Septuagint (LXX) - Ge 49:10, 26; Exod. 13:21; 23:23, 27; Deut. 1:13, 15; 5:23; Jos. 13:21; 1 Sam. 15:17; 22:2; 25:30; 2 Sam. 2:5; 3:38; 4:2; 5:2; 6:21; 7:8; 1 Ki. 1:35; 4:21; 9:5; 12:24; 14:27; 15:13; 16:2, 16; 2 Ki. 1:9, 13; 20:5; 1 Chr. 5:2; 7:40; 9:11, 20; 11:2; 12:21, 27; 13:1; 16:5; 17:7; 26:24; 27:8, 16; 2 Chr. 5:2; 6:5; 7:18; 9:26; 11:11, 22; 17:2, 7, 15; 18:16; 19:11; 20:27; 28:7; 31:13; Est. 1:16; 5:11; Job 13:24; 19:11; 30:1, 19; 33:10; 35:2; 41:27f, 31; 42:6; Ps. 104:17; Prov. 5:19; 16:18; 29:26; 30:31; Jer. 4:22; 20:1; 51:28; Ezek. 17:13; 19:11; 20:46; 23:6, 12; 43:7, 9; 44:3; 45:7; Dan. 2:48; 3:2f, 30; 4:8; 6:2; 9:25f; 11:22; Mic. 2:9, 13; 3:9, 11; 7:5; Nah. 3:4; Hab. 1:14; Mal. 1:8;

Moses' act of faith teaches us not to sacrifice the future rewards in glory on the altar of present passions and pleasures.

Reproach (3680) (oneidismos from oneidizo = to defame, find fault in a way that demeans another [Mt 5:11] <> from oneidos = disgrace, insult, Lk 1:25) is a noun which means reproach, which is an expression of rebuke or disapproval. It means to insult, abuse, disgrace. The idea in some context  (Ro 15:3, He 10:33, 11:26, 13:13) is that the insult or reviling represents unjustifiable verbal abuse inflicted on someone. In other contexts it describes justifiable disgrace or reproach (1Ti 3:7)

BDAG says oneidismos is an "act of disparagement that results in disgrace, reproach, reviling, disgrace, insult".

Oneidismos - 5x in NT -
 

Romans 15:3-note For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached Thee fell upon Me."

1Timothy 3:7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Hebrews 10:33-note partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.

Hebrews 11:26-note considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Hebrews 13:13-note Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

Vine commenting on the reproach of Christ writes...
 

The “reproach of Christ” (not “reproach for Christ”) means Christ’s reproach. That scoffing and mockery which Christ endured, and which His faithful followers still endure, was anticipated by the godly long before Christ became manifested, though they may have dimly foreseen Him. Cp. 1Cor 10:4, “the Rock was Christ.” The Lord said of Moses, “He wrote of Me.” Such reproach was wealth to Moses, far greater than anything Egypt and its royalty could supply. What a lesson for believers today! (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

FOR HE WAS LOOKING TO THE REWARD: apeblepen gar eis tên misthapodosian: RAI:  (Regarding rewards study the following passages interrogating with the 5W'S & H - He 11:6-note, Boaz speaking to Ruth the Moabitess = Ruth 2:12-note, Pr 11:18,  Mt 5:11, 12-note Mt 5:46-note Mt 6:1-note Mt 10:41, 42 Mk 9:41, Lk 6:22, 23, 35, Luke 14:13, 14,  2Jn 1:8,1Cor 3:11, 12, 13, 14, 15,  2Cor 5:9, 10, 1Co 4:5, Mt 25:35,40; Heb 6:10-note )

Looking for (578) (apoblepo from apo = an intensive or as a marker indicating any separation of one thing from another + blepo = see, look) means to look off or to look away from everything else and so to fix one's eyes earnestly or attentively upon something else (very similar to aphorao), in this case the eternal divine prize! This verb presents us with an excellent (motivating) picture of one who has his eyes fixed on eternity and not this passing world. This godly example is one that every saint should seek diligently to imitate and emulate  (Heb 6:11, 12-note). In the secular world, apoblepo was used to describe one keeping their attention fixed upon something, as an artist fixes his attention on the object or model that he is reproducing in painting or sculpture. The writer uses the perfect tense which pictures Moses as having "looked away and kept on looking away." It speaks of a permanence of Moses' spiritual vision.

Wiersbe says that...
 

To be “spiritually minded” simply means to look at earth from heaven’s point of view. “Give your heart to the heavenly things, not to the passing things of earth” (Col. 3:2, Phillips). “Practice occupying your minds with the things above, not with the things on earth” (Col. 3:2, Williams). D. L. Moody used to scold Christians for being “so heavenly minded they were no earthly good,” and that exhortation still needs to be heeded. Christians have a dual citizenship—on earth and in heaven—and our citizenship in heaven ought to make us better people here on earth. The spiritually minded believer is not attracted by the “things” of this world. He makes his decisions on the basis of eternal values and not the passing fads of society. Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan because his values were worldly, and ultimately he lost everything. Moses refused the pleasures and treasures of Egypt because he had something infinitely more wonderful to live for (Heb. 11:24–26). “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) “For our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20, nasb). The Greek word translated “conversation” or “citizenship” is the word from which we get the English word “politics.” It has to do with one’s behavior as a citizen of a nation. Paul is encouraging us to have the spiritual mind, and he does this by pointing out the characteristics of the Christian whose citizenship is in heaven. Just as Philippi was a colony of Rome on foreign soil, so the church is a “colony of heaven” on earth.

The reward (3405) (misthapodosia  from  misthos [word study] = wages, reward + apodidomi = to give out, to fulfill an obligation, divine or human retribution, recompense or repayment) (also in He 2:2-note, He 10:35-note) literally refers to the paying of wages and thus conveys the sense of a recompense, whether in the form of a reward (Heb10:35;11:26) or a punishment (Heb 2:2-note)

Here are the 3 uses in Scripture...

Hebrews 2:2-note For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,

Hebrews 10:35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

Hebrews 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Moses was looking toward something, fixing his eyes earnestly, attentively on the unseen, the eternal.  The question for all of us dear reader, is what are we looking at today? what are we looking for? what are we expecting? what are we focused upon? are we looking at temporal things with eternal vision? are we remembering that only two things we see now are eternal - people (their souls) and God's Word? We all need to "hit the reset button" on our heart from time to time so that we do the things we did when we first fell in love with Christ (Who even gave us the desire and power to love Him passionately and purely, 1Jn 4:19). (cp Re 2:4, 5). Be careful that you don't begin to slowly, subtly drift away from your first love.

John MacArthur tells story

'There once was an old church in England. A sign on the front of the building read ''We preach Christ crucified.'' After a time, ivy grew up and obscured the last word...''We preach Christ.'' The ivy grew some more, and motto read, "We preach.'' Finally, ivy covered the entire sign, and the church died. Such is the fate of any church that fails to carry out its mission in the world.'' The church continued and was later the scene of a major church council, but after the 5th century both the church and the city declined. The immediate area has been uninhabited since the 14th century.

Hebrews 11:23-26 Faith's Choice

We all have to make choices in life, and often those choices result in significant consequences. In 1920, the management of the Boston Red Sox made the bad choice to sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. After joining the Yankees, in 10 out of the next 12 seasons Ruth hit more home runs than the entire Red Sox team! Boston had not won a World Series since 1918, when Ruth was on the team, until this week!

In 1938, Joe Schuster and Jerry Siegel sold all their rights for a comic book character that they had invented for $130. The character’s name? Superman! In 1955, Sam Phillips sold to RCA Victor Records his exclusive contract with a young singer named Elvis Presley, thus forfeiting royalties on more than a billion records (Reader's Digest [7/85], p. 173). Bad choices!

Our text tells us about two good choices that greatly affected world history. The first choice was relatively routine at the time. Two slaves in ancient Egypt chose to defy the king’s edict to kill all male Hebrew babies by hiding their son. That son turned out to be Moses, the great deliverer of his people. The second choice was that of Moses himself, and it was more difficult. He chose to give up his position of influence and wealth in the Egyptian court in order to side with the enslaved people of God. Both choices were motivated by faith and their lessons have eternal consequences for us. Both choices teach that…

The choice to obey God by faith will result in short-term suffering,
but also in eternal blessings.

1. The choice of Moses’ parents to obey God by faith resulted in short-term suffering, but also in eternal blessing (Heb 11:23).

Moses’ parents are not named in Hebrews or in the original story in Exodus 2. Exodus 6:20 names Amram as the father and Jochebed as the mother of Moses and Aaron, his older brother by three years. But since the Jews often called ancestors from many generations back, “father” or “mother,” we can’t be certain that these were the immediate parents (Walter Kaiser, Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. by Frank Gaebelein [Zondervan], 2:308). The oldest child in the family was a sister, Miriam.

The Jews had gone from the privileged position they enjoyed in Egypt under Joseph to the despised position as hard labor slaves. Because of his fear that the Jews were multiplying too rapidly, Pharaoh had issued the command to throw all newborn Jewish boys into the Nile River.

In such dire circumstances, this Jewish couple had a “beautiful” son (Heb. 11:23 is based on Ex 2:2, Septuagint - LXX). Since most parents would think that every child they have is “beautiful,” there must have been something exceptional about Moses. Stephen (Acts 7:20) calls him “beautiful to God” (literal translation). John Calvin points out that since Scripture forbids us from making judgments based on external appearance, Moses’ parents must have seen something in this baby boy to make them hope that he would be the promised deliverer of his people (Calvin's Commentaries [Baker], on Heb. 11:23, p. 292). Because they thought that God had destined him for such a great role, they defied the king’s edict and hid him for three months. That choice, based on faith, entailed short-term suffering, but eternal blessings.

A. The choice of Moses’ parents to obey God by faith resulted in short-term suffering.

Heb 11:23 says, “they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” So why did they hide their son if they were not afraid? Why not just take him out in public view, if they were trusting in God? Faith is not opposed to using prudence. Trusting God does not mean taking reckless chances. While they did not fear the king’s edict in the sense that they defied it, they no doubt did fear not only for the life of their baby boy, but for all their lives. If Pharaoh’s guards had caught them, they would have executed the entire family for insubordination to the king. So their “by faith” choice to hide their son exposed the entire family to the risk of death.

Imagine how carefully they had to live! If the baby cried at any time of the day or night, they had to muffle him while they tried to calm him down. They couldn’t risk having their children play with other children in the neighborhood, for fear that they would let something slip about their baby brother. If Pharaoh’s police roamed the neighborhood looking for newborn baby boys, the family sat in silent terror.

The choice to obey God by faith always involves a certain amount of up-front risk. Remember, this couple did not know the end of the story when they made their decision! They all could have been slaughtered because of what they did. Although it would have been agonizing to throw their baby boy into the river, they could have rationalized it by saying, “What else could we have done? We probably would have been caught and our whole family would have died. He would have lived a miserable life as a slave, like the rest of us. We just have to submit to the government authorities!”

But instead, they chose to obey God and risk the consequences. They feared the unseen God, who is the author of life, more than they feared the king’s edict of death. If someday our government mandates, as the Chinese government does, that we must abort all babies beyond one per family, as God’s people, we would have to risk obeying God by defying the government. It could result in imprisonment, loss of income, or other hardships, as many Chinese Christians can testify. The choice to obey God by faith often results in short-term suffering.

B. The choice of Moses’ parents to obey God by faith resulted in eternal blessings.

Their son grew up to be the greatest leader in Jewish history. He delivered the Jews from slavery. Under divine inspiration, he wrote the first five books of the Bible. The seemingly small choice to save this one little life had huge consequences for world history! We may never know what eternal blessings will flow from our choice to obey God by faith. But His blessings flow through such choices.

C. The choice of Moses’ parents was to obey God by faith.

The author states that faith was at the heart of this important decision. God often works through the faith of unknown parents or grandparents to raise up an unusually gifted leader to accomplish great things for God. Except for their well-known son, this couple would have lived in obscurity as lowly slaves. But God used their courageous faith in a mighty way. Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were childless, elderly, but faithful people. God used them to bear John the Baptist and to rear him to be bold in faith. Mary was an obscure Jewish girl who was willing to believe God’s word, even though it meant ridicule for her to conceive a son without a husband. God used her to bring forth the Savior.

Years ago, I was reading the autobiography of the great British preacher, Charles Spurgeon. As I was jogging in the woods one day, I prayed a “go-for-broke” prayer: I asked God to bless my ministry as He had blessed Spurgeon’s ministry. Spurgeon was the most phenomenal of the 19th century. Thousands packed his church each week. They measured attendance by how many were turned away! Thousands came to faith in Christ under his preaching. Hundreds of pastors were trained at his pastor’s college. Orphans were cared for at his orphanages. He has more books in print by volume than any other author in history, and God still uses them greatly. So my prayer was no small prayer!

But right after I prayed, the question popped into my mind, “What about John Spurgeon?” He was Charles’ father. He was a faithful in a small English town. If he had not been the father of a famous son, John Spurgeon would be unknown in history. There have been thousands of godly, faithful pastors like him, but only a few like his son. The Lord was saying, “Be as faithful as John Spurgeon in shepherding My flock and in leading your family. I’ll determine whether to use you as I used Charles Spurgeon.”

As parents, we should live by faith and ask God to make our children “beautiful for Him.” At first, like Moses’ parents, we have to protect them from this evil world. We teach them His ways and pray for their salvation. Eventually, we have to launch them, trusting God to take care of them. Even after Pharaoh’s daughter rescued Moses from the river, his parents must have prayed for many years, “Lord, keep him from the many spiritual dangers in Pharaoh’s court and teach him to follow You!” Obey God by faith and entrust your children to His care. He may use them mightily for His kingdom!

2. Moses’ choice to obey God by faith resulted in short-term suffering, but also in eternal blessing (Heb 11:24, 25, 26).

There’s a lot of history packed into these three verses! I can only touch on some of the lessons.

A. Moses’ choice to obey God by faith resulted in short-term suffering.

When Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to be identified with God’s people, he chose to suffer in at least four ways.

(1) Moses chose to suffer the pain of alienation and misunderstanding from his adoptive family.

Pharaoh’s daughter had rescued Moses from death, adopted him as her own son, and raised him in the splendor of the palace. If he had even survived in his natural family, he would have been doomed to a difficult life as a slave. Instead, he grew up enjoying the most luxurious living conditions imaginable. Acts 7:22 says that he “was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.”

Imagine the hurt feelings and misunderstanding that must have swept over Pharaoh’s daughter when Moses chose to walk away from everything that she had provided and identify himself with these slave laborers! Pharaoh must have been outraged when he heard about it: “The ungrateful wretch! After all that we’ve done for him!” When you choose to follow Jesus Christ, which may involve walking away from the education and comfortable lifestyle that your family has provided for you, you will suffer the pain of alienation and being misunderstood.

(2) Moses chose to suffer the loss of the world’s honors, pleasures, and wealth.

As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses enjoyed a position of honor higher than almost anyone else in Egypt. When he identified himself with the Jewish slaves, he became the object of con-tempt and scorn. As a family member in Pharaoh’s court, Moses enjoyed whatever pleasures anyone could seek. He lived in luxury (picture the splendor of King Tut’s tomb!). He ate the best food available. He wore the nicest, newest clothes. If he had wanted, he could have enjoyed the pleasures of the most beautiful women in Egypt. He had wealth to buy anything he wanted or to live without working for the rest of his life. But when Moses chose to obey God by faith, he instantly lost it all!

It’s not necessarily sin to enjoy a position of honor and the comfortable life that wealth provides. Joseph enjoyed both while following God. But when God called Moses to give it up and lead Israel out of bondage, at that point it would have been sin for him to continue living as he was. Also, the Bible does not deny that sin brings passing pleasure. If it didn’t, we would not be tempted by it! But finally, it brings eternal misery. Don’t be deceived!

(3) Moses chose to suffer being identified with a despised bunch of slaves.

As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses ran in the top circles of Egyptian society. He knew everybody who was anybody. He frequently ate at the king’s table. People sought out Moses as an influential man. But he chose to give up all that status and live among these wretched slave-laborers!

(4) Moses chose to suffer the world’s reproach.

Imagine the gossip in Egyptian high society! “He did what? Unbelievable! What an idiot!” Ridicule is a powerful thing. People go to great lengths to cover up embarrassing mistakes that would cause them shame (e.g. Watergate, or Bill Clinton’s lies about his private life). But Moses chose a course that he knew would bring him the world’s reproach!

Why would a man knowingly choose such suffering? Was he a masochist? Was he insane? No, actually he was quite shrewd. Like the man who sold everything he had to buy the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46), Moses gained something better:

B. Moses’ choice to obey God by faith resulted in eternal blessing.

Note briefly three blessings that Moses’ choice gained:

(1) Moses’ choice gained the blessing of the company of God’s people.

He chose “to endure ill-treatment with the people of God.” They weren’t much to look at-a sweaty bunch of raggedly dressed slaves. They would later give him a lot of trouble, grumbling about

the conditions that he led them into. Some would challenge his leadership. Eventually their grumbling frustrated Moses so much that he sinned by striking the rock in anger, so that the Lord kept him from entering the promised land. But in spite of all the problems he experienced with them, they were the people of God. It was a far greater blessing to endure ill-treatment with them than to live in the worldly, superficial society of Pharaoh’s court. Even though the church has some difficult people in it, it’s far better to journey to-ward heaven with God’s people than to live among the self-seeking people of the world!

(2) Moses’ choice gained the blessing of the greater riches of Christ.

He considered “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” The reproach of Christ is a startling phrase! It probably means, “reproach similar to what Christ endured when He was despised and rejected by the world.” How much Moses knew about the promised Anointed One, we cannot know for sure. But Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus’ day (John 8:56). Moses knew that God promised to raise up a prophet like him, who would speak His word (Deut. 18:15). He knew of God’s promise to Eve, that one from her seed would bruise the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). He also no doubt knew that the sacrificial system pointed ahead to a Redeemer. And so Moses considered that any reproach that he endured for identifying himself with God’s Messiah was far more valuable than the worldly treasures he could amass in Egypt.

The major way to combat the temptations of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16) is to see the infinite value of possessing Jesus Christ. When you see what a treasure Christ is, everything else fades away.

(3) Moses’ choice gained the blessing of the eternal re-ward in heaven.

Moses “was looking to the reward” (Heb 11:26). If this refers to some earthly reward, Moses was badly mistaken. His earthly “re-ward” after he gave up the treasures of Egypt was to wander in the barren wilderness for 40 years with a bunch of complaining people. The reward that he looked for was, “the better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb 11:16). When Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Elijah and Jesus, it was his first time to set foot in the promised land. But I have a hunch that he was thinking, “Okay, nice place. Now, can we get back to heaven?” The rewards of being with Jesus in heaven are far greater than any earthly re-wards. What enabled Moses to let go of all the glitter of Egypt and to endure ill-treatment with the people of God was that he was looking to the reward of heaven. Are you?

How did Moses do what he did? What is the essential thing?

C. Moses’ choice was to obey God by faith.

Faith was the only thing that enabled Moses to choose God and heaven above the treasures of Egypt. He believed God and His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But, we would be mistaken if we thought that he just closed his eyes, shut off his brain, and took a giant leap of faith.

(1) Moses’ choice of faith was carefully considered.

He made this choice after “he had grown up” (Heb 11:24; Ex 2:11). Stephen tells us that he was 40 (Acts 7:23). Perhaps he had lived in Pharaoh’s court long enough to become thoroughly nauseated with the superficiality that he saw every day. The word considering (Heb 11:26) refers to “belief resting on external proof,” especially, “careful judgment” (G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament [Charles Scribners’ Sons], p. 119). Moses carefully weighed in the balance what the world had to offer on one side and what God had to offer on the other side. The world’s side was momentarily attractive, but lightweight. God’s side was momentarily difficult, but satisfying in the long haul. Moses chose to believe God and reject the world. So must everyone who wants to go to heaven (1John 2:15).

(2) Moses’ choice of faith was a critical choice with far-reaching consequences.

The crisis that pushed Moses over the line to renounce Egypt and choose ill-treatment with God’s people was when he saw the Egyptian beating one of the Hebrew slaves (Ex 2:11). Moses’ response was not an impulsive reaction that he later regretted. He had been considering, weighing, the greater riches of Christ against the lightweight treasures of Egypt. So when the moment came, he acted decisively by killing the Egyptian and taking his stand with God and His people. That critical choice affected not only Moses, but many generations of Jews after him.

In Common Sense Christian Living ([Thomas Nelson], p. 161), Edith Schaeffer tells how her husband, Fran, came from an unbelieving home. His parents did not want him to go to college or to become a pastor. But at age 19, he tearfully chose what he believed God was leading him to do, in opposition to his parents. Years later, his parents became Christians. Fran felt that they never would have believed if his choice had been the opposite one. And, his choice led to his children becoming Christians, not to mention the thousands of people that have benefited from his many books. Your choice to trust Jesus Christ affects your eternal destiny, but it also has far-reaching consequences for your children and their children, as well as for many with whom you will have contact.

(3) Moses’ choice of faith required weighing the short-term against the long-term.

“He was looking to the reward.” Faith banks on eternity. In the short-term, Moses had to endure ill-treatment with a bunch of refugee slaves in the wilderness. But in light of eternity, as Paul put it (Ro 8:18-note), “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” He also wrote (2Co 4:17), “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” If you want to believe the gospel, you must weigh the passing, momentary pleasures of sin against eternal punishment in hell. Weigh momentary affliction against eternal joy in heaven. Then choose!

Conclusion

In an excellent sermon on this text (“Faith’s Choice,” in Home Truths [Triangle Press], 2:169-192), 19th century Anglican J. C. Ryle lamented that there were so many worldly and ungodly per-sons in the church. They go through the rituals and they say that they believe, but in practice, they daily prefer the world to God. He asks why they live as they do. His answer (p. 189, his italics) is, ´They do not believe«. They have no faith. µ He explains further (ibid.),

In short they do not put implicit confidence in the words that God has written and spoken, and so do not act upon them. They do not thoroughly believe in hell, and so do not flee from it; nor heaven, and so do not seek it; nor the guilt of sin, and so do not turn from it; nor the holiness of God, and so do not fear Him; nor their need of Christ, and so do not trust in Him, nor love Him. They do not feel confidence in God, and so venture nothing for Him.

What about you? Have you made faith’s choice? Do you believe what God has said about sin and about the Savior? Have you weighed in the balance the treasures of Egypt against the greater riches of Christ, and chosen to renounce the world and trust Christ?

Discussion Questions

How would you answer someone who said, “I want to enjoy the things of this world for a while; then I’ll trust in Christ”?

How can we keep the greater riches of Christ in view when the world’s treasures parade by us daily?

When is it right to defy governmental or parental authority?

Could Moses have had more influence by remaining in Pharaoh’s court?

When is it time to separate from worldly friends?