Moses: Hebrews 11:23-29
Recapping the Journey
As we journey through Hebrews 11, we're moving through a lineage of faith stretching from the beginning of the Scriptures. Our first few lessons highlighted the foundation of faith: that it involves a forward-looking trust in God's unseen promises. We started with Abel, whose sacrificial faith still speaks. Then Enoch walked with God, showing that faith is a relationship, not a mere act. Noah then followed, building an ark based on God's warning of things not yet seen, and he showed that faith obeys God's words. Abraham and Sarah taught us about faith, which looks to promises beyond our lifetime and holds onto God's covenant in the face of impossibility.
Now, we reach Moses, a towering figure in the Old and New Testaments, known for his faith and for leading an entire nation through a series of miraculous yet trying events. This week's lesson will focus on Hebrews 11:23-29, where the writer of Hebrews highlights key moments from Moses' life. We will explore what it meant for Moses to live out his faith in God's promises and how his choices continue to impact the story of faith today.
The Acts of Moses' Faith
Hebrews 11:23–29 (NASB95)
"By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned."
This passage shows us Moses' faith at several critical junctures, each of which ties back into the broader story of God's plan for His people.
Moses Refuses the Palace
The first act of Moses' faith is seen in his refusal to remain in Pharaoh's palace. The text says that Moses "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh'sdaughter" (v. 24), a decision loaded with implications. Moses, raised in the wealth and security of Pharaoh's court, chose instead to align himself with the people of God, a move that involved choosing hardship over privilege.
The Greek word translated as "choosing" in (v. 25) is “αἱρέομαι” (haireomai), and means "to choose or prefer." Moses didn't just reluctantly leave the palace; he
actively chose the suffering of his people over the luxuries of Egypt. The writer of Hebrews interprets this as a decisive act of faith. Moses knew that real identity and lasting significance were found in God's promises, not in Egypt's wealth or status. This moment echoes Abraham's journey to leave his homeland for a promise yet unseen, a reminder that faith often requires a step away from earthly security.
Moses Chooses to Bear Reproach
Moses' rejection of Egypt's wealth and comfort parallels what the author calls "the reproach of Christ" (v. 26). Moses "considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." The term "reproach," or “ὀνειδισμός-οῦ, ὁ” (oneidismos), in Greek, often refers to insult or disgrace. Moses embraced the insults and hardships associated with aligning himself with God's people, valuing this identity more than the rewards he would receive as part of Pharaoh's household.
Here, the term "reproach of Christ" draws our attention to the messianic expectation that runs through the Old Testament. In choosing God over Egypt, Moses aligned himself with a kingdom that was still to come—a promise of deliverance and salvation that would later be fulfilled in Jesus. This wasn't just a future hope for Moses; it was a reality he counted as already worth enduring.
Moses Leaves Egypt
Moses left Egypt "not fearing the wrath of the king" (v. 27). The text here emphasizes that Moses' departure from Egypt wasn't solely out of personal safety concerns. Instead, he left Egypt "as seeing Him who is unseen." This phrase, "as seeing Him who is unseen," tells us that Moses' actions were guided by an awareness of God's invisible presence and power, not by his circumstances.
The Hebrew concept of God as "the unseen" or "hidden" has roots in the Old Testament, especially in Exodus. God appears to Moses in the burning bush but remains ultimately mysterious. His name, אֶהְיֶה (ʾehye), means “I Am" or “I Will Be" (Exodus 3:14). God is present, yet He is often hidden from human sight, requiring trust from those who follow Him. Moses' endurance in the face of the king's wrath speaks to a deep faith that trusts God's plan even when it isn't immediately visible.
The Passover and the Red Sea
Crossing the Red Sea is one of the most dramatic acts of faith recorded in the Old Testament, and it carries a profound theological theme rooted in the ancient Hebrew understanding of water. In the Bible, large bodies of water often symbolize chaos and disorder, a place where human control and stability vanish. This concept is present from the very beginning in Genesis 1, where "darkness was over the surface of the deep." God brings order from chaos by separating the waters (Genesis 1:2). To ancient cultures, the sea represented physical danger and a realm of untamed forces, disorder, and threats to life.
So when Moses and the Israelites found themselves trapped between Pharaoh's army and the chaotic waters of the Red Sea, the stakes went beyond mere physical escape. By leading them through these "waters of chaos," God demonstrated His supreme power over all disorder and evil, effectively re-creating order and a path of salvation for His people. The parting of the sea isn't just about a miraculous event; it's about God's continued authority over chaos itself. This crossing prefigures other deliverances in Scripture, where God brings life and freedom from death and darkness, culminating in the victory of Christ over sin and death.
For the Israelites and us, this is a reminder that God alone holds power over the forces that seem beyond control. Walking through the Red Sea on dry ground becomes a powerful symbol of faith that trusts God to bring order where there is chaos, life where there is none, and salvation from destruction.
Tying It All Together
Moses' life of faith is more than a collection of individual decisions; it's a piece of the larger covenant story that began with Abraham and continued with each of the patriarchs. His acts of faith—refusing Egypt, bearing reproach, leaving the land, observing the Passover, and leading through the Red Sea—each fit into God's unfolding narrative of redemption.
Moses' life points toward a greater deliverer who would come—Christ, the mediator of the New Covenant. Like Moses, Jesus chose suffering over earthly power. Just as Moses led his people through the Red Sea, Jesus leads His people from death to life through His resurrection. Moses' story is an invitation to see our lives as part of God's larger story and join in His unfolding plan.
Crossing The Context
The story of Moses calls us to act on faith that moves beyond ourselves, a faith that shapes our identity, values, and choices with an eternal perspective. So, what does this mean for us today?
Live today with the certainty that God's unseen promises are as real as anything visible.
Faith in God's promises may look like choosing values that seem counterintuitive to the world. It may mean prioritizing service over status, sacrifice over comfort, or integrity over acceptance. Like Moses, we're called to align our choices with a kingdom yet to be fully realized, living with confidence in what we cannot yet see. Moses' faith was not just intellectual assent but active and courageous.
Citations:
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).
Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).
Support:
SimplyRevised seeks to encourage, equip, grow, and strengthen our faith in the Lord by creating biblical content relevant to our lives today. You can help us in this effort. To learn more about supporting this project, click the button below.