Hebrews 11:23-28

23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

In cases where earthly authority clearly conflicts with God’s authority, God’s people must obey God rather than man. This takes faith because the consequences of disobeying earthly authority can be significant (as I have personally experienced). Faith in God is what overcomes the fear of man.

24. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 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 pleasures of sin for a season;

26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses is a mighty example of a man of faith. Egypt was a super power at this point in history and its wealth was almost incredible. As the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses might have been in line to become its next king. He rejected all of this for a nomadic life of affliction and reproach while leading a multitude of faithless and rebellious people. This is not what most people would consider to be a good career decision! Why did he do this? We are given four reasons:

1. He understood, as the Apostle Peter did, that the glory of this life doesn’t last:

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

I Peter 1:24

2. He considered, as Jesus’ apostles did, that to suffer for Christ’s sake was of greater worth than anything in this world:

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5:41

3. He believed, as the Apostle Paul did, that the rewards of this world were nothing in comparison to the rewards for following Christ:

4. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

4. Like King Solomon, instead of fearing man, he put his trust in God.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25

It is instructive to note that when Moses rejected Egypt, he also rejected its religion.

“The Egyptian Book of the Dead describes the deceased led into a hall of

judgment by Anubis. There his heart is weighed against the feather of Maat,

signifying the weighing of his good works against the bad. If he passes the j

udgment he is received into the presence of the gods.”

AN UNSHAKEABLE FAITH - A Christian Apologetics Course, 2011

Author: David Cloud

Pages 120-121

This is basically the same way that most religious people today believe that

they will be received into God’s presence after death (by doing more “good

works” than bad). But the Bible teaches that only through faith in the sacrifice of

Jesus Christ is anyone accepted by God.

28. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

The passover lamb represents “the Lamb of God”, Jesus Christ:

For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

I Corinthians 5:7b

The blood of the lamb represents Christ’s shed blood on the cross. The sprinkling of the blood represents the personal acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice in our hearts. On that first passover night God passed over every house that had been sprinkled with the blood of the passover lamb. But in every house where the blood had not been applied, the firstborn died. It took faith in God’s word to apply the blood to a household. It likewise takes faith for us to accept that God himself shed his blood and died for our sins. As was the case on that first passover night, this is a matter of life or death today.