Heb 11:28 | KingComments | STEP | . By faith the parents of Moses overcame the fear for the world. Moses grew up in a totally different environment and situation than his parents. Nevertheless you see in his life that the same faith is active that you’ve seen in his parents. Because his circumstances were that different, his faith appeared differently. His great enemy was the favor of the world and his faith overcame that enemy. You see that the first years of his education by his God fearing parents has had profound effect on him. Consequently, “when he had grown up” – grown up indicates both his maturity and his high position in Pharaoh’s court – he refused “to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter”. This refusal is not a sign of ‘ungratefulness’ for everything he had enjoyed at the court. He was stolen and was turning back to his roots, because that was the place where God wanted to use him and not at the court. Natural feelings or rational considerations did not keep him at the court. He did not reason that God had regulated everything so wonderfully that he ended up in such an influential position. That couldn’t have been for nothing. He could have used his influence in the court in favor of his people, couldn’t he? But Moses did not want to be a favorite of Pharaoh while his people were oppressed and killed. He wanted to be with his people, to be one of them. It has been said: ‘The providence of God brought him at the court of Pharaoh and his faith brought him out of it.’ With the expression ‘the providence of God’ is meant that God guides events and circumstances. This is how Moses ended up at the court of Pharaoh. But the departure of Moses is not a result of the providence of God. Moses left the court of Pharaoh on the basis of a choice that is based on his faith. . Moses refused something, but he also chose for something. In faith he chose the path of God’s people. He was convinced that the future belonged to that people and not to Egypt. Visibly he chose for the worst he could choose: for the most despised people of the country, for unwanted strangers who were oppressed and had to do heavy slave labor. The people themselves were at their wits’ end. Moses saw the sorrow, the shame and the suffering of Israel in the light of God’s choice. Faith chooses always what God has chosen. It always stands on the side of God, even though the choice seems to bring only losses. Faith chooses for God, because it knows God’s purposes of goodness for His people and it knows that He saves them for the day of might and glory. Moses could have enjoyed sin, for sin is something you can enjoy. But he was conscious that sin is only temporary, passing and never gives real satisfying joy. The sins that are meant here are not what we call ‘gross sins’, but sins that are coherent to a successful life in the world. Think of enjoying respect, of having might, influence, fame and wealth. . You will only abandon those sins if you replace them for something different and something greater. That is what Moses did. He exchanged the treasures of Egypt for “the reproach of Christ”. To him the reproach of Christ was “greater riches than the treasures of Egypt”. What an insult for Pharaoh and what a victory for Christ! But what would you prefer? That your name is engraved on an Egyptian tombstone or that you’re noted in the book of God? It is evident what Moses has chosen. As a result, instead of a mummy, he became a famous Godman. Moses made that choice because he fixed his eyes on nothing else than “on the reward” alone. He looked ahead to the heavenly land of promise. In that light he learnt to discern between the material treasures of Egypt and the spiritual treasures in Christ. To be with Christ on earth indeed means reproach, but in Him God made all the promises yes and amen ( ). Therefore when you choose for the suffering of reproach of and with Christ you’re on the right side and on the right path to the right aim. Reproach goes hand in hand with the path to the fulfillment of the promises. . Faith is the inner power that enables to overcome both hindrances – the wrath of the king, the Red Sea, Jericho – and the desires –the pleasures of sin, the riches of Egypt. Faith realizes the mediation of God without seeing Him and in that way it delivers from all fears for the power of man. That faith caused Moses to leave Egypt, after he killed the Egyptian man. In the book of Exodus his departure is described as a flight. He fled out of fear for Pharaoh because he killed the Egyptian man. At the same time the killing of the Egyptian man was the public confession of Moses that he belonged to God’s people. Seen from that point of view he left the court in faith, “not fearing the wrath of the king”. The slaying of a man made him flee, the faith in God and his solidarity with the people made him leave. He openly acted as an Israelite and was therefore exposed to the same wrath of the king as the people were. However, he did not fear the wrath of the king because he was seeing “Him who is unseen”, Who is endlessly much greater than the king of Egypt. He “endured” as seeing Him Who is Invisible all those years that he was in Midian. All this time he carried on trusting God to fulfill His promises. For you here also is the power to persevere on the path of faith, together with the other members of God’s people who also had to endure the reproach and wrath of the world. . As a final feat of Moses’ faith the writer mentions the celebration of the Passover. It is remarkable that the celebration of the Passover is not ascribed here to the faith of Israel but to that of Moses. Could it be that the writer wants to make clear that Israel celebrated the Passover on the basis of Moses’ faith? The celebration of the Passover by Moses in Egypt was a unique deed. All other times that it was celebrated later on, happened outside the country, by a redeemed people and as a remembrance. That one first time happened because of the actual threat of the judgment of God. God had given this means to escape from it. It seemed despicable and useless, but in reality this was the only way that true protection could be realized against the judgment. Only he who believed God did use it. Attached to the celebration of the Passover was “the sprinkling of the blood”. Sprinkling did not happen in Egypt; there the blood was ‘put’. The putting of the blood happened only once and later on, in the sacrificial service, it was changed to sprinkling. The meaning in both cases is to put under the value of the blood to be protected against judgment in this way. In Egypt the firstborn were protected against the judgment. As firstborn also the Hebrews and all believers, “the church of the firstborn” ( ), have escaped judgment on the basis of the blood. . Next are two facts of faith concerning God’s people. The first fact happened at the beginning of the journey through the wilderness and the second happened at the end of it. The journey in the wilderness itself is not mentioned. In fact, that was not the result of faith, but on the contrary, of unbelief. Faith brought them out of slavery and in the land of promise. The people did not only need the Passover lamb to be absolutely free from judgment, but they also needed to pass through the Red Sea to be definitely and absolutely liberated from Egypt. When Israel was passing through the Red Sea, it was because of faith. When the Egyptians did that, it was the arrogance of the flesh. The enemy is swallowed by the judgment exactly at the same place where the people find their redemption. The place where the judgment occurs is also the place of redemption. You see this on the cross where Christ died. . When redemption is accomplished and liberation is achieved it does not mean that the difficulties are conquered. But for God the difficulties have disappeared. What is a difficulty to man, to God it isn’t. Israel has experienced it when they entered the promised land. Jericho was the obstacle for Israel to occupy the land. Thus on the path of faith for the Hebrews, and for you, there are obstacles that must be overcome on the journey to the promised land. Those victories are also achieved only by faith in what God says. When the walls of Jericho fell down, it was not just because they encircled the city for seven days. The walls fell down because they encircled the city on the basis of faith in God’s Word . After seven days the walls were still as thick and impregnable as on the first day. They only fell down after seven days because by their faith in God. Now read Hebrews 11:24-30 again. Reflection: What characteristics of faith do you see in this section and what can you learn from it?

‏ Hebrews 11:28

Living by Faith (V)

Heb 11:24. By faith the parents of Moses overcame the fear for the world. Moses grew up in a totally different environment and situation than his parents. Nevertheless you see in his life that the same faith is active that you’ve seen in his parents. Because his circumstances were that different, his faith appeared differently. His great enemy was the favor of the world and his faith overcame that enemy.

You see that the first years of his education by his God fearing parents has had profound effect on him. Consequently, “when he had grown up” – grown up indicates both his maturity and his high position in Pharaoh’s court – he refused “to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter”. This refusal is not a sign of ‘ungratefulness’ for everything he had enjoyed at the court. He was stolen and was turning back to his roots, because that was the place where God wanted to use him and not at the court.

Natural feelings or rational considerations did not keep him at the court. He did not reason that God had regulated everything so wonderfully that he ended up in such an influential position. That couldn’t have been for nothing. He could have used his influence in the court in favor of his people, couldn’t he? But Moses did not want to be a favorite of Pharaoh while his people were oppressed and killed. He wanted to be with his people, to be one of them.

It has been said: ‘The providence of God brought him at the court of Pharaoh and his faith brought him out of it.’ With the expression ‘the providence of God’ is meant that God guides events and circumstances. This is how Moses ended up at the court of Pharaoh. But the departure of Moses is not a result of the providence of God. Moses left the court of Pharaoh on the basis of a choice that is based on his faith.

Heb 11:25. Moses refused something, but he also chose for something. In faith he chose the path of God’s people. He was convinced that the future belonged to that people and not to Egypt. Visibly he chose for the worst he could choose: for the most despised people of the country, for unwanted strangers who were oppressed and had to do heavy slave labor. The people themselves were at their wits’ end.

Moses saw the sorrow, the shame and the suffering of Israel in the light of God’s choice. Faith chooses always what God has chosen. It always stands on the side of God, even though the choice seems to bring only losses. Faith chooses for God, because it knows God’s purposes of goodness for His people and it knows that He saves them for the day of might and glory.

Moses could have enjoyed sin, for sin is something you can enjoy. But he was conscious that sin is only temporary, passing and never gives real satisfying joy. The sins that are meant here are not what we call ‘gross sins’, but sins that are coherent to a successful life in the world. Think of enjoying respect, of having might, influence, fame and wealth.

Heb 11:26. You will only abandon those sins if you replace them for something different and something greater. That is what Moses did. He exchanged the treasures of Egypt for “the reproach of Christ”. To him the reproach of Christ was “greater riches than the treasures of Egypt”. What an insult for Pharaoh and what a victory for Christ! But what would you prefer? That your name is engraved on an Egyptian tombstone or that you’re noted in the book of God? It is evident what Moses has chosen. As a result, instead of a mummy, he became a famous Godman.

Moses made that choice because he fixed his eyes on nothing else than “on the reward” alone. He looked ahead to the heavenly land of promise. In that light he learnt to discern between the material treasures of Egypt and the spiritual treasures in Christ. To be with Christ on earth indeed means reproach, but in Him God made all the promises yes and amen (2Cor 1:20). Therefore when you choose for the suffering of reproach of and with Christ you’re on the right side and on the right path to the right aim. Reproach goes hand in hand with the path to the fulfillment of the promises.

Heb 11:27. Faith is the inner power that enables to overcome both hindrances – the wrath of the king, the Red Sea, Jericho – and the desires –the pleasures of sin, the riches of Egypt. Faith realizes the mediation of God without seeing Him and in that way it delivers from all fears for the power of man. That faith caused Moses to leave Egypt, after he killed the Egyptian man.

In the book of Exodus his departure is described as a flight. He fled out of fear for Pharaoh because he killed the Egyptian man. At the same time the killing of the Egyptian man was the public confession of Moses that he belonged to God’s people. Seen from that point of view he left the court in faith, “not fearing the wrath of the king”. The slaying of a man made him flee, the faith in God and his solidarity with the people made him leave. He openly acted as an Israelite and was therefore exposed to the same wrath of the king as the people were.

However, he did not fear the wrath of the king because he was seeing “Him who is unseen”, Who is endlessly much greater than the king of Egypt. He “endured” as seeing Him Who is Invisible all those years that he was in Midian. All this time he carried on trusting God to fulfill His promises. For you here also is the power to persevere on the path of faith, together with the other members of God’s people who also had to endure the reproach and wrath of the world.

Heb 11:28. As a final feat of Moses’ faith the writer mentions the celebration of the Passover. It is remarkable that the celebration of the Passover is not ascribed here to the faith of Israel but to that of Moses. Could it be that the writer wants to make clear that Israel celebrated the Passover on the basis of Moses’ faith?

The celebration of the Passover by Moses in Egypt was a unique deed. All other times that it was celebrated later on, happened outside the country, by a redeemed people and as a remembrance. That one first time happened because of the actual threat of the judgment of God. God had given this means to escape from it. It seemed despicable and useless, but in reality this was the only way that true protection could be realized against the judgment. Only he who believed God did use it.

Attached to the celebration of the Passover was “the sprinkling of the blood”. Sprinkling did not happen in Egypt; there the blood was ‘put’. The putting of the blood happened only once and later on, in the sacrificial service, it was changed to sprinkling. The meaning in both cases is to put under the value of the blood to be protected against judgment in this way. In Egypt the firstborn were protected against the judgment. As firstborn also the Hebrews and all believers, “the church of the firstborn” (Heb 12:23), have escaped judgment on the basis of the blood.

Heb 11:29. Next are two facts of faith concerning God’s people. The first fact happened at the beginning of the journey through the wilderness and the second happened at the end of it. The journey in the wilderness itself is not mentioned. In fact, that was not the result of faith, but on the contrary, of unbelief.

Faith brought them out of slavery and in the land of promise. The people did not only need the Passover lamb to be absolutely free from judgment, but they also needed to pass through the Red Sea to be definitely and absolutely liberated from Egypt. When Israel was passing through the Red Sea, it was because of faith. When the Egyptians did that, it was the arrogance of the flesh. The enemy is swallowed by the judgment exactly at the same place where the people find their redemption. The place where the judgment occurs is also the place of redemption. You see this on the cross where Christ died.

Heb 11:30. When redemption is accomplished and liberation is achieved it does not mean that the difficulties are conquered. But for God the difficulties have disappeared. What is a difficulty to man, to God it isn’t. Israel has experienced it when they entered the promised land. Jericho was the obstacle for Israel to occupy the land. Thus on the path of faith for the Hebrews, and for you, there are obstacles that must be overcome on the journey to the promised land. Those victories are also achieved only by faith in what God says.

When the walls of Jericho fell down, it was not just because they encircled the city for seven days. The walls fell down because they encircled the city on the basis of faith in God’s Word. After seven days the walls were still as thick and impregnable as on the first day. They only fell down after seven days because by their faith in God.

Now read Hebrews 11:24-30 again.

Reflection: What characteristics of faith do you see in this section and what can you learn from it?