Hebrews 11:23-27 – Let’s learn faith from Moses

In verses 23-26, we see the first person whose faith in God helped him to endure hostility and persecution. The author started with Moses before going to some others because all their experiences were relevant to his readers. The readers would certainly be interested because they themselves were facing opposition from their own Jewish brethren.

Besides Abraham, Moses was the next to hold a prominent place in the hall of faith among the Hebrews. Since Moses held a central position in their lives, the author used him to illustrate faith in the midst of great opposition. Faith does not flinch from hostility. In fact it enables one to confront the circumstances fearlessly. Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed had faith in God. This enabled them to trust God and His will, over that of Pharaoh. Moses was not an ordinary child. And even though the Pharaoh had commanded all male Jewish children to be killed, Amram and Jochebed chose to trust God than to obey the king’s edict. They regarded God's will about the sanctity of life and held it of more importance, than to obey the state when national law contradicted God's will. Hence, God honored their faith.

Verses 24-26 show how much Moses trusted God. When it came to the crunch time for him to make a decision, Moses chose to be identified with God’s people rather than to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. This act shows us how he held on to the promises of God by faith. He chose to endure the suffering, hostility and ill treatment with God’s people. He refused to participate in the temporary pleasure offered him. Moses was looking at the future reward. Sin would give temporary pleasure but result in forfeiture of a better future.

In what way did Moses consider the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt? In choosing to be identified with God’s people, Moses had actually participated in the reward that would come with Israel's promised Messiah. He had refused the temporary material wealth offered him, had he stayed in Egypt. Using him as an illustration, the author was calling for the Hebrew believers to emulate Moses. For Christ’s sake, they ought also to endure the suffering, the temporary disgrace, reproach, and loss. Why? So that they too could appropriate the reward that Christ, the promised Messiah, would give to His faithful believers. This underscores the point that believers should not live for what the world has promised but what God has promised.

In verse 27, Moses persisted in his faith in God and left Egypt without any fear of the wrath of the king. Exodus 2:15 tells us that Pharaoh actually tried to kill him. Moses went to Midian and lived there. In saying that “he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen” is not referring to the burning bush experience. The author seemed to be referring to the fact that Moses kept God in view continually. Verse 28 is an allusion to the account recorded in Exodus 12 concerning the Passover. In that incident, Moses and the Israelites kept the instruction of God and applied the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. They acted in obedience to God. The provision of the blood of the lamb saved them from the destruction brought by the angel of death. They had avoided God's judgment by keeping faith with God. Similarly, believers must keep faith with God to avoid the judgment.