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PALACE OR PROMISE? Hebrews 11:23-29. 3/10/2024. #38
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.
1. The cradle of faith
a. The faith of Moses begins with his parents
a1. Ex. 2 Pharaoh had sent out a decree that all Israelite boy babies born would be cast into the Nile River
a2. Amram and Jochebed saw that Moses was a beautiful (special or unique) child, so they hid him for 3 months
b. A repeated theme: they did not fear the king
a1. Their bravery was due to their faith, not some natural courage
a2. They feared God over the king
c. Faith allows us to stand against a hostile world to testify of our trust in Christ
a1. Not a faith of protection, but of assurance that God is with us and is pleased with us
a2. Moses’s heritage of faith is from parents
2. The choice of faith
a. Moses was raised in the palace and could have lived a comfortable life of privilege
a1, He refused to be called the princess’s son
a2. He rejected the idolatry of Egypt
b, Moses held onto his faith despite indoctrination
c. Moses preferred to suffer with his people than to enjoy the pleasures of royalty for a season
a1. Moses consciously rejected paganism
a2. Moses accepted the training his parents gave him as a child and held to it in testing
d. Moses was enticed by pleasure and threatened with suffering and death (Acts 7:17-40)
a1. Moses refused to be lured by the luxuries of Egypt
a2. Moses sensed the call of God to lead his people out of Egypt
3. The crown of faith
a. Moses is mentioned 11 times in Hebrews
a1. People have forgotten the name of Pharaoh
a2. Moses left Egypt and lived in Midian
b. Moses fled Egypt in faith
a1. Debate as to whether vs. 27 refers to Moses running from Pharaoh or leading Israel out
a2. “Forsook” (left) seems to refer to him fleeing
c. Moses literally forsook the land of Egypt
a1. Moses forsook the faith of Egypt
a2. Moses forsook the wealth of Egypt
d. Moses sought to follow the invisible God for a greater reward to come (Acts 7:17-25)
a1. By faith Moses rejected the lure of this world to pursue eternal gain
a2. His rejection of all the wealth and power offered him allowed him to be used of God
e. Moses’s deeds superseded all that he left behind
a1. By faith he led the people in the Passover so that the Hebrew children would be safe
a2. By faith Moses led Israel in the desert for 40 years after the Red Sea crossing
f. Moses never entered the Promised Land due to speaking rashly at the rock (Psalm 106:32-33).
a1. Yet, he trusted God for a greater reward
a2. A life of faith is a struggle, but the future rewards are far greater than the brief trials
g. The choice of faith is a rejection of the world’s values
Key passage: Acts 7:17-25
17 “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph. 19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. 20 At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. 23 “Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.