“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible,” Hebrews 11:27.
THE FINAL BREAK
What happened in the experience of Moses in these early days of his walk with God is illustrative of what the outworkings of faith in the life a true Christian will be.
It says here ‘he forsook Egypt’!
I. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD FOR HIS PEOPLE.
I want you to understand this boys and girls. Listen to what Moses said later of Israel. “For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth,” Exodus 33:16.
What was said of Israel is true also of all Christians. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 6:17. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,” 1 Peter 2:9.
All of these terms used by Peter indicate the ‘uniqueness’ of the Christian and the role that God would have them carry out in this world.
II. MOSES WAS DELIVERED FROM THE FEAR OF MAN BY HIS FAITH
Learn this girls and boys. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe,” Proverbs 29:25. The devil is an ‘intimidator’! “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” 1 Peter 5:8.
He can ‘roar’ but he cannot bite and destroy because of his defeat at Calvary! John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress: ‘Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for discovery of those that have none: keep in the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come unto thee.’
Peter sinking: “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31. Faith in God and His promises will enable us to meet in the most dangerous enemies in safety, as did Moses.
III. NOTE WHAT MADE MOSES ‘ENDURE’ BEFORE PHARAOH’S WRATH
“He endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
Is that not a most wonderfully ‘incongruous’ statement!! By that I mean, there appears to be a contradiction in these words! He saw Him Who is invisible!
1. The Lord is ‘invisible to the unconverted. “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,” 2 Corinthians 4:4. Without faith we cannot see God!
2. The Christian can see the Lord by faith. The Christian believes the Bible and its revelation of the Lord and thus ‘sees’ him. “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved,” Acts 2:25.
3. As David found strength in seeing the Lord by faith, so it was with Moses. He ‘endured’. He remained ‘stedfast’ in his obedience to God’s command and led the people out of Egypt.