Thursday, May 25, 2017

Hebrews 11:23–29

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Commentary
Vs. 23 "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command."

Verses 23-29 begin to recall the faith of Moses, beginning with his parents who upon his birth and seeing that he was a beautiful child instead of fearing Pharaoh's command to kill all of the firstborn males in Israel, hid him three months before he was found by Pharaohs daughter who being enamored with the child then adopted him as her own son, Moses then would grow up as a privileged child in the house of Pharaoh trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (see Exodus 2:1-10; Acts 7:22). 

Vs. 24-26 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Now Moses when he became of age refused to be called Pharaoh's daughter, that is he turned his back on whatever power and privileges and treasures that were prepared for him in Egypt. And so instead of renouncing his Hebrew origins when he became of age, Moses renounced Pharaoh and Egypt, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin (vs. 24-25), "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward." vs. 26 
Moses then like those before him had his eyes fixed on the eternal which is how God always tests his people, and especially His chosen leaders, will you love Me and follow Me even if it costs you everything you have known, desired, or loved? Now when Moses chose to do so he entered into the great pedigree of faith of all those who down through ages likewise chose to love God and His people more than their own persons, ambitions, or even lives. Therefore when God called Moses from the burning bush and told him to go to Pharaoh and speak to him all that He would tell him to speak to him, Moses knew if he did so he would be removing any chances of ever being reconciled to Pharaoh and Egypt. Nonetheless Moses wanting to be with God's people, even from the time he had to flee from Egypt, until the time God told him to return 40 years later, knew that his returning to Egypt would now mean having to share in the reproaches of Christ, that is in following God he would now have too share in the many reproaches, threats, troubles, and hardships of God's people for doing so. 

Vs. 27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

By faith then when God had fulfilled His Word and hardened Pharaohs heart after He had executed His judgments on Egypt by His plagues, Moses one last time appeared before Pharaoh who then threatened Moses with death if he ever came to see him again, and with that Moses emboldened by his faith in God told Pharaoh that he would never see his face again, meaning Moses would now lead the people of God out of Egypt regardless of Pharaoh's desire to keep them there in bondage. And with that God gave Moses the Passover ordinance which would bring with it His finial judgment on the land of Egypt, before God would lead them out of it forever (see Exodus 10:27-29, 11:1-10).

Vs. 28 "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

By faith then Moses believing God kept the Passover feast and the sprinkling of blood (which would preserve the Israelite's) while the Lord executed all the first born of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:29-30). Blood then is the only covering for our sins, from Abel to Moses, to the fulfillment found in the Lord Jesus Christ, the blood of the Lamb of God is the only protection that anyone has from the finial judgment of God when He visits for punishment.

Vs. 29 "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned."

When God brought the Israelite's out of Egypt; while the Egyptians were still burying their firstborn; He brought them by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea, placing before them a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Now Pharaoh after the burial of their firstborn mustered all his people and went in hot pursuit of the Israelite's and was fast closing in on them. And so it was in that moment facing the Red Sea in front of them, and the enraged Egyptians behind them, that Moses being commanded by God raised his staff to heaven and the Red Sea parted, making a wide path for them to pass through it on dry land, a sight that had never been seen before, which could have paralyzed Moses and the 500,000 or so people he was leading with fear and awe. But Moses instead of hesitating moved forward in faith and hurriedly led the people all night through it too the other side. Now the Egyptians when they saw that the Israelite's pass safely through it also tried to do so, and when they had all entered it God commanded Moses to raise his rod again to heaven and He brought the massive walls of water down on them, drowning them all in the midst of it (see Exodus 14:1-31).
Moses then by believing God not only brought the people out of Egypt by the power and judgment of God but he also begin the journey which the Israelite's would take before entering the promised land which Joshua would do when Moses had fulfilled God's purposes for him. And so this legacy of faith is something that we are all invited to likewise enter into, which we do the moment we repent and believe in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we not only then become children of God (John 1:12) but we also begin our own journeys of faith by which God works in us and through us and will take us as far as we let Him take us. The only question then is have you repented and believed and thus received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and begun your own journey with Him? For remission of sins and everlasting life only comes to those who do so, therefore don't delay be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations 
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.





No comments:

Post a Comment