Hebrews 11 is faith’s Hall of Fame—the great cloud of witnesses to the life of faith. This chapter describes, defines, and demonstrates faith. Verse 1 is the description, while verse 13 gives the definition.
Faith can be defined by three verbs found in verse 13: “assured,” “embraced,” and “confessed.” Being assured of faith has to do with mental agreement. It means to agree with what God says about our sin and about us. To embrace faith is to take it to heart. This is the emotional side of faith. To confess faith touches the will. What a person chooses, as a pilgrim and a stranger in this world, makes faith a reality in life.
John Phillips, in his commentary, Exploring Hebrews, defines faith: “Faith reaches out into the spiritual dimension and gives form and substance to heavenly and spiritual realities in such a way that the soul can appreciate them, grasp them, and live in the enjoyment of them.”
Faith is demonstrated in the lives of people “of whom the world was not worthy” (v. 38). Notable in Hebrews 11 is Moses, who chose to live his life according to the pattern that pleases God. His choice highlights the cost and the character of the walk of faith.
His Circumstances
Moses had a position of prestige. To be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and to have all the fame and acclaim that came with that title would have great appeal to most people. There is tremendous allure in fame and prominence.
There was also pleasure available to Moses, and, likely, no restraint in the exercise of it. Many people would think that Moses was foolish for not taking advantage of the opportunity. This scripture is clear that there are pleasures in sin. If it were not so, then it would not be appealing; but these pleasures are passing, “for a season.” There is no eternal value in sin.
Moses had potential for prosperity because he lived in a unique environment and had at his disposal wealth and power that few in history have ever experienced. Moses could have had it all. People have killed for this type of wealth, while others are consumed by the pursuit of it.
There would also have been pressure to conform and live “the good life.” If Moses did not measure up, he had to face the wrath of the king. He had to deal with the fear of knowing the consequences of his actions. So many people give in to pressure—either peer pressure or the fear of standing out and being different.
In addition to these things, Moses received a good education. It was the best available in the world of that time. He held a responsible position in governing the country and, potentially, could have had great influence in the future. But these things were not enough to hold Moses back, because, by faith, he saw things that were greater.
His Choices
Moses said “no” to all of the above temptations: to the treasures and pleasures of Egypt, and to worldly greatness and glory. He said “yes” to the things that God values. These were choices that made no earthly sense but were of eternal value. His conscious choices, made rationally, were based on faith. Note the words that indicate choices—“he refused,” “choosing rather,” “esteeming,” and “he forsook.”
Moses placed value on being identified with the people of God. He would rather “suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (v. 25). To willingly suffer affliction, to experience persecution, would not be the choice of all believers. Though they may not be attracted to the pleasures of sin, the good life of comfort is probably more appealing than the thought of suffering with God’s people. Many believers in the affluent Western world hardly take time to gather with, or identify with, God’s people. There is a shocking lack of commitment that goes beyond Sunday morning, as evidenced by poor attendance at other meetings, especially the prayer meeting. By faith, Moses chose God’s people with all their problems over anything the world had to offer.
Moses said “yes” to being identified with the person of Christ. Sandwiched between the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt is the phrase “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater” (vv. 25-26). The reproach of Christ refers to the suffering experienced due to identification with Christ. The margin renders reproach as “reviling because of,” which means “to be ridiculed for identifying with the person of Christ.”
Moses was an Old Testament saint, so the reproach of Christ for him had to do with the promise of the coming of Christ. For us in this age, reproach is because of Christ and His claims. The Lord Jesus said the world hates us “because you are not of the world” (Jn. 15:19).
Moses said “yes” to reproach, but he also said “yes” to the reward, the recompense that is out of this world. To him, all the pleasure and treasure of Egypt could not compare with what he found in Christ. The reward of being with Christ and being like Christ, of hearing that “Well done,” and of having treasure in heaven had greater appeal to him than anything Egypt could offer. Theoretically and theologically, that may be true of all of us, but, practically, it does not seem to be so. The appeal of this world and its wealth may easily overshadow investing in the bank of heaven. Often the thought of instant gratification dominates our thinking, rather than the view of faith that there is something better ahead.
Another motivation and incentive for Moses was that by faith he could see “Him who is invisible” (v. 27). He saw the reality of the person and presence of God and understood the purpose and provision of God. Sight often obscures the view of faith because the focus is on what is passing rather than what is eternal. Because of this view, Moses was not afraid of what man might do to him. “Not fearing the wrath of the king, he endured.”
His Consequences
In the short term, Moses gave up a life of luxury, fame, fortune, power, and prestige. He was banished from Egypt, despised by the world, became an outcast, a stranger, and a pilgrim; having no property, no wealth, and limited or no possibilities. He became a servant. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he did manual labor when he helped water the flocks. In an act of charity by his future father-in-law, he became a shepherd, an occupation that was despised by the Egyptians.
He suffered affliction with the people of God as he travelled in the wilderness with them for forty years. He was opposed by God’s people as they turned on him a number of times. It was a life of hardship; he was often misunderstood and little appreciated. There was the reproach of being with a people who were different from all other nations and who were God’s people.
From an eternal perspective, the consequences were far-reaching. How many people remember the name of the Pharaoh of Moses’ time? He may have accomplished great things in his day, but they are buried in the records of antiquity and covered by the sands of time. Pharaoh lived a notable life for a season, but he lived with limited consequences in the world after his day.
Moses’ life on the other hand stands as a monument of faith for all time. Three times in this passage, it is said of him, “by faith.” His life reaches beyond his day and is recorded for our edification and as an example to us. It is a life that proves the following:
“Only one life, ’twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”