Today we continue our series on the heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11. The next hero is the great emancipator and patriarch, Moses.

The Backstory

The story of Moses spans at least 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:7) and is broken into three sections: 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in Midian, and 40 years in the desert. This article focuses on information found in Exodus chapters 1 through 11.

Moses didn’t fit. He was Egyptian, having been raised in a royal Egyptian family and given the education and privilege that came with such standing. But he wasn’t Egyptian. Moses was Hebrew. His ethnicity was obvious to everyone—and especially to him. He was well aware of his story and his name was a constant reminder that he had been drawn out of the water. He was a man caught between two very different worlds. One was the world of power and privilege; the other was a world of slavery and suffering.

A Fateful Decision

The Exodus narrative doesn’t tell us his age when he killed the Egyptian, all we know is that he had grown up and that he felt drawn to be where his own people were. Blood is thick, and regardless of Moses being drawn out of the water by an Egyptian princess, he knew that it was Hebrew blood coursing through his veins. He wanted to be near them. He likely knew his family, including his siblings Meriam and Aaron. Watching them suffer under Egyptian slavery and abuse must have angered him terribly. In defense of a Hebrew, he strikes out and kills an Egyptian. That fateful decision becomes the tipping point in his life.

Alone

The rejection of the two arguing Hebrews must have greatly confused Moses. He took significant risk to stand up for them, and yet they didn’t seem to understand his intent. Their reaction made it clear that his privileged life had resulted in his not belonging with them—affirming his worst fears. And Pharaoh’s determination to kill him affirmed rejection from the Egyptian side. Moses was utterly alone. He was afraid—and he had every right to be – so he went into exile in Midian. Loneliness is deep darkness.

A Family in Midian

God didn’t leave Moses alone for long. God soon filled the aching void in his heart with a wife and children and extended family. By faith we must never forget that God knows us and our needs. He is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. Do you ever feel that God has forgotten you? Let me assure you, He hasn’t. You are not alone in the challenge you are facing. Let your faith cause you to take courage!

Redeeming the Mess

Our faith is informed by the knowledge that God redeems everything. And as is often the case, God redeemed the very thing that nearly destroyed Moses. His knowledge of Egypt, his royal education, and his Hebrew blood, made him well-suited to be the emancipator. Do you have faith to believe that the great I AM WHO I AM can redeem your mess? God redeems it all – even our worst mistakes. Listen, even the thing that you thought would destroy you can become the very thing that God uses to give purpose and meaning to your life. Do you believe it? By faith, God can do it!

Three Takeaways

The writer of the Hebrews chooses three faith examples from the life of Moses that are directly applicable to the life of a New Testament believer:

1. He refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ to be of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. He left Egypt, not fearing the King’s anger. Standing on the other side of the cross, the Hebrew writer allows Moses’ fateful decision to illustrate the kind of choices New Testament believers must be prepared to make—and again confirms that the faithful look very much like the fearless. Jesus calls on us to die daily to this world and to ourselves and to our fears. Why? Because we are looking ahead to something better. Dying to self takes a lot of faith. Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus daily?

2. He persevered because he saw Him Who is invisible—the “I AM WHO I AM”. (Exodus 3:14 and 33:23) And so do we! People who are willing to believe see God’s Spirit and presence everywhere. Those who believe have all the proof they need. Those who choose to not believe will never have proof enough. That being understood, the foundational question is simply this: Are you willing to believe? If you are, then by faith you will see God’s Spirit and handiwork everywhere!

3. He kept the Passover and the application of blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. And so do we! The Passover was clearly a foretelling of the shed blood of Christ and its ability to protect us from the destroyer, your enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ? Have you been set free from fear? If so, then the destroyer cannot touch you because the blood of Christ covers you. And that my friends, is faith. Don’t ever stop believing!