Considering the reproaches (disapproval) of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he (Moses) was looking to the reward.
This passage talks about Moses. An interesting point to consider - where is Christ in the passage of Moses in exodus, how did Moses choose the reproaches of Christ? When Christ is only mentioned much later, when and where did Moses choose the disapprovals the disdain that belong to Christ?
The simple answer was that he chose to be identified with the struggle of the people of God, rather than to be identified with his princely position status in Egypt. It was in that moment which he said ‘enough is enough’ and he killed that Egyptian man. That was his moment in which he choose his identity as a Hebrew, and he identified with Christ , because Christ is identified with His people. And the sufferings that God’s people were enduring in Egypt, those sufferings are the rejections and sufferings of Christ as well because Jesus is so closely identified with His own. ‘if you bless one of the least of these you bless me’ – referring to the poor of this world.
“For he was looking to the reward.” That was His motivation to give everything up. He perceived that God would reward him one day for all the troubles which he voluntarily took upon himself by identifying with God’s people. I’m not sure that I would give up all the riches of this world if I had it. It takes a strong man to choose the sufferings of slavery and that position of shame and ignominy and disdain, rather than the riches of this world which were is in his hand. Real and tangible, to exchange those for something invisible, something perceived in the spirit realm. That perception had to be strong for Moses, it had to be real to him for Moses to give everything up. Moses had a real glimpse of eternity, where God would reward at his throne everything given up for the cause of Christ. All the trouble we voluntarily take up for allegiance to Jesus for our loyalty to him will be rewarded by God.
Matthew 5 : 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God’s way of saying yes you are chosen to be close to my throne and live in my presence is ironic – is to give his prophets rejections of many kinds. It is His way of saying yes I have chosen you to bear this for Christ to bear rejection, to be tested and to be close to me, as the prophets of Israel dwelt close to God’s heart and bore the brunt of rejection from man. What Moses was thinking might have been something like –‘all the riches of this world are empty but to know God to truly experience Him is life and true fulfillment.’
But how does one bear up under constant rejections – which Moses also went through later in the wilderness journey at the hands of the Children of Israel.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
This verse is interesting. Comparing to the historial record in Exodus 2:14 and 15
…“Who made you a [r]prince or a judge over us? Are you [s] intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and [t] settled in the land of Midian…
What history records – a fearful Moses fleeing for his life, God records differently – “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King”. True enough the record in Exodus does not clearly state that he was afraid of the king. He was afraid that the Jews would know of his murder. But in Hebrews God sees the incident and sees the man’s faith in the forefront. In the midst of the chaos the turmoil, the fleeing in a moment for his life, God saw his faith in God that God would keep him from the king and sustain him in the wilderness, that his life was ultimately in the hands of God and not the King. Likewise, God sees our fears and failures much differently from how we see them, he sees the faith we exhibit towards him. The actions the reveal what little faith there is, in the midst of fear and confusion.
In one line, the author of Hebrews talks about Moses’ season in the wilderness, that’s 40 years in a single sentence in verse 27, because the next sentence in Hebrews talks about the Passover – that’s 40 years later.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
Long before Moses saw the burning bush, Moses was a man of faith who kept close to God for 40 years, as a shepherd in the wilderness. Moses kept the eyes of His faith fixed on God while he waited upon Him those 40 years. The only way that he could have endured so long as a shepherd was that He kept his faith. He kept his heart fixed on being with God.
For us to be bold and unafraid in fearful circumstances, one thing is needed. To see God. To pray that He gives the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, to give fresh vision, fresh perspective of who He is, for God to be in our hearts in our minds in our lives. The blessing of open eyes and an open heart to see God gives strength will nourish us through dry and weary seasons till we mature and come into what the lord wants us to do.
…“Who made you a [r]prince or a judge over us? Are you [s] intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and [t] settled in the land of Midian…
What history records – a fearful Moses fleeing for his life, God records differently – “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King”. True enough the record in Exodus does not clearly state that he was afraid of the king. He was afraid that the Jews would know of his murder. But in Hebrews God sees the incident and sees the man’s faith in the forefront. In the midst of the chaos the turmoil, the fleeing in a moment for his life, God saw his faith in God that God would keep him from the king and sustain him in the wilderness, that his life was ultimately in the hands of God and not the King. Likewise, God sees our fears and failures much differently from how we see them, he sees the faith we exhibit towards him. The actions the reveal what little faith there is, in the midst of fear and confusion.
In one line, the author of Hebrews talks about Moses’ season in the wilderness, that’s 40 years in a single sentence in verse 27, because the next sentence in Hebrews talks about the Passover – that’s 40 years later.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
Long before Moses saw the burning bush, Moses was a man of faith who kept close to God for 40 years, as a shepherd in the wilderness. Moses kept the eyes of His faith fixed on God while he waited upon Him those 40 years. The only way that he could have endured so long as a shepherd was that He kept his faith. He kept his heart fixed on being with God.
For us to be bold and unafraid in fearful circumstances, one thing is needed. To see God. To pray that He gives the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, to give fresh vision, fresh perspective of who He is, for God to be in our hearts in our minds in our lives. The blessing of open eyes and an open heart to see God gives strength will nourish us through dry and weary seasons till we mature and come into what the lord wants us to do.
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