Title: Moses' decision (Exodus 2:11-15)
Contents
(Introduction)
At the age of 40, Moses gave up his princely status and decided to suffer with God's people. This is a determination to be willing to dedicate yourself to the kingdom of God. This was the decision of Moses' faith that put more importance on the glory of God than on his own wealth and glory.
So, what can we learn from Moses' determination of faith? We learn that we must be able to give up everything for Christ's sake, no matter how good it may be for us. (Phil 3:7-14)
So I want to think about "Moses's decision."
(一) Moses' decision was to abandon the wealth and glory of the Egyptian royal palace.
At the time Moses was born, the Hebrew people were living in Egypt. However, as the nation of Israel became more and more prosperous, and a dynasty that did not know Joseph came to power, they persecuted the Hebrew people.
So he made the brick-baking yard to make bricks without straw, and ordered the midwives Shipbra and Buah to spare the girls born to the Hebrew women and kill all the boys. (Ex 1:16)
Since Moses was also born to a Levite father, Amram, and his mother, Jochebed (Ex 6:20), he was in a situation where he had no choice but to die.
Moses' parents, who wanted to save their children, disobeyed Pharaoh's king's command and hid the baby for three months (3 months). However, when he found himself in a situation where he could no longer hide, he put the baby in a reed basket and placed it among the reeds on the banks of the Nile River.
At the same time, Hatshepsut, who was encouraged by King Thutmose I of Egypt, came down to bathe in the Nile River, which is said to bring blessings of abundance and fertility because he could not have children, and found this box. I've done it. (Acts 7:22)
Everyone wants safety over adventure. When Moses became the future king of Egypt, he was guaranteed the power and wealth and glory for the rest of his life. But he gave up on all this and made a bold decision.
Stephen spoke of Moses' decision like this: “When he saw that one man was grieved, he protected them, and took revenge for the oppressed, and struck down the Egyptians to death.” (Acts 7:24)
The Hebrew writer said, "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's princess" (Hebrews 11:24). This is a religious view of Moses' actions taken by the Hebrew writer when he saw the persecution of his own people.
Moses was raised as a child by his mother and nanny Jochebed. (Verse 9) Therefore, Moses had a strong sense of the Hebrew people, and he had great interest in his fellow countrymen. It was wrong for Moses to kill an Egyptian ruler who was abusing the Hebrews, but it was an accidental event that stemmed from his love for his people.
However, the writer of Hebrews credits the source of the work to the inherent faith in Jehovah, which he inherited from Jochebed.
Ultimately, it can be said that the reason behind this event is that Moses made a decision of faith by obeying God's providence to set him up as the leader of Israel.
However, instead of knowing Moses' heart, his people revealed, "Who made you our ruler and judge?" (verse 14), leaving only a wound and a sense of betrayal to Moses.
(二) Moses' decision was to go on the path of suffering with God's people.
God decided to save the people of Israel who had been abused for 400 years by exodus from Egypt and appointed Moses as their leader.
God said to Moses, who fled because of Pharaoh's fear, "I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and they have heard their cry because of their craftsman, and have known their weeping" (3:7). that's what you called him.
However, Mosses did not readily obey God's call (call) because he had already experienced rejection and betrayal by his own people (verse 14).
Nevertheless, God appointed Moses as the leader of Israel. Finally Moses decided to go to Egypt according to God's will. After abandoning his comfortable life in Egypt, he decided to risk his life to get the Israelites out of Egypt.
Regarding Moses' firm determination of faith, the Hebrew writer said, "On the contrary, he preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a while." (Heb 11:25)
The Hela word for 'like' here is "helamenos". This word means "to choose". This means that in order to save the people of Israel from oppression in Egypt, they chose the path of suffering with God instead of all the wealth and glory that could be enjoyed in the royal family.
This "choice" is the meaning of Moses' decision by faith to save the people of Israel from Egypt.
The saints living in this age must imitate Moses' decision like this. We, too, must have the determination to carry out the mission God has given us with the full devotion of our lives.
(3) Moses' decision is ultimately a life of shame for Christ.
Moses said, "The insults received for Christ's sake were considered greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt." (Heb 11:26)
This is a willingness to choose the path of suffering for Christ's sake. If the book of Hebrews compares Moses and the chosen people of Israel to saints, then Egypt is a secular nation. (snob)
The fact that Moses gave up all the glory of the world and chose suffering to save Israel reminds us of the Christ who gave up all his authority and was humiliated in order to save God's people.
And “disgrace for the sake of Christ” is the typical suffering suffered by the saints belonging to the Messiah (1 Peter 4:12-16), which later enables them to share in the glory of Christ.
Therefore, Moses' suffering is a suffering for Christ's sake, and God's providence of redemption through the Exodus is contained here.
Moses was already equipped with wealth and glory. However, he could not settle for his aristocratic status while ignoring his people. Moses regarded such things as “the pleasures of iniquity” (Hebrews 11:25), and did not place them more important than the value of the kingdom of God.
The act of Moses, who chose to suffer on his own, shows the suffering work (work of redemption) of Jesus Christ, who came to this earth in the form of a servant or in the form of a servant of God. (Phil 2:6-8)
Because Moses' decision was the path of suffering, Israel was able to leave Egypt, and because of the path of Christ's suffering, we can receive God's grace of salvation.
In order to live as true Christians, we too must give up the glory of the world. Just like Moses, who lived by making a decision by faith, we too must come before God by making a decision from time to time.
A decision like Moses is never in vain for our saints. Because God rewards us according to our works. (Heb 11:26)
Because Moses set his hope in the eternal kingdom of God, he chose the path of suffering with the people like Christ.
(conclusion)
Numerous decisions are required to follow the path of faith. With one wrong decision, your life can be put on the edge of a cliff, and with one right decision, you can live a blessed life with God's guidance.
Many people make decisions that are good for them. But Moses chose the path of suffering to follow God rather than his own gain. Like Moses, we, believers, must also make the decision of faith to follow God.
Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, I believe that he will give you a crown of undying glory. (1 Peter 5: