Hebrews 11:23-28 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
The hiding of Moses at birth was a sign of his parents’ faith. They had confidence that God had a special plan for this child. It was the faith of these parents that set the course of history through the life of Moses. We can never know the outcome of our faith and how it affects other people and even world history. Our lives are interconnected with others. What we do influences those around us, especially our family and close friends with whom we spend a lot of time. Moses’ parents had to overcome any fear or uncertainty. This is a key part of developing faith. The god-like Pharaoh of Egypt had issued a decree that all male Israelite babies should be killed. This would be a great cause of concern. Their faith evidenced also their love and hopes for this child. Love and hope are closely linked to faith (see 1 Corinthians 13:13).
The faith of Moses’ parents passed on to him when he grew up. He chose to identify with his birth parents and their faith rather than the Egyptians and their gods. This meant that he chose the way of suffering rather than comfort. He chose the way of slavery for God’s sake rather than the comforts afforded by the world. The author even connects this faith in God with faith in Christ. Even though Moses did not know of Christ, he believed that God is our savior and that someday, a Savior would come to save Israel. Moses feared God more than he feared Pharaoh. Fear and reverence are close companions to faith. We should have a sense of awe and even dread to realize that God is the judge of all. To lose this deep reverence and dread of the Almighty God will lessen our faith. We do not like to think of our relationship with God this way, but the message in the Bible is consistent in this regard. Moses’ faith was also seen in his obedience to God’s commands by keeping the terms of the passover. The directions may have seemed odd but he taught the people and they also followed through. It was through the passover lamb that the people experienced salvation. Likewise, it is through Jesus, our Passover Lamb that we find salvation. We must follow through with the message we have heard and follow the way of God’s promises.
For older posts, click here.