#DailyDevotion Does Your Faith Make You Live Differently?

Heb. 11 ²³By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him three months because they saw he was a fine baby and they were not afraid of the king’s order. ²⁴By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter ²⁵and preferred being mistreated with God’s people to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin. ²⁶He considered the abuse suffered for Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to the reward. ²⁷By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger. He persisted as one who was constantly seeing Him Who can’t be seen. ²⁸By faith he celebrated the Passover and put the blood on the doorposts to keep him who destroyed the firstborn from touching his people. ²⁹By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. The Egyptians tried it, too, but were drowned.

You might remember that the Pharaoh when Moses was born ordered the midwives of the Hebrews to kill all the boys when they were born. Those midwives also had faith and refused to do it, lying to Pharaoh that the Hebrew women were too vigorous and the boys were born before they got there. Moses was one of those born in this situation. His mother hid him for a while then in faith put him in a basket hoping one of the Egyptians might have mercy on him and adopt him. His mother sent his sister to follow and when he was found by the princess she offered her mother as a nurse to the child since she was still nursing.

It is likely Jewish tradition that supplies verses 24-27. The Scriptural witness is that he did know he was a Hebrew. He probably knew his mother. He saw an Egyptian mistreating some fellow Hebrews and he killed the Egyptian. Perhaps it was during this time he was doing verses 24-27. Going to the Hebrews during this time and defending his fellow Israelites is where we see Moses rejecting his royal upbringing. He rejected the ways of sin in the royal court, seeing them as fleeting pleasures. No doubt leaving the court to be with the Hebrews because he shared their hope in God and the coming Messiah, he was mocked by his former friends in the royal court, probably by other Egyptians as well who knew his upbringing. Why associate with a subjected people? He was willing to suffer because he was looking forward to the reward of the people of God.

His flight from Egypt, not fearing the anger of Pharaoh likely refers to the Exodus from Egypt. By this time he had had much converse with the LORD. He had performed many signs with the power of the LORD. He saw the LORD with the eyes of faith and believed His promises. With this faith, he performed the Passover by putting the blood of the lamb on the doorpost to protect the first-born of every house, trusting in the LORD’s promise. With this faith he and the Israelites passed through the Red Sea as on dry ground, but the Egyptian army was drowned by it.

You too have been given great and wonderful promises from the LORD. He has promised you forgiveness of sins, the resurrection from the dead, eternal life, Himself as a reward, the New Heavens and New Earth, and His glory. With these promises which no doubt will come to pass for all who trust in them, how will you live your life of faith today? How will you spurn sin’s temporal pleasure for the promise of the world to come? Will you suffer Christ’s mockery for putting your faith in Him? Keep His promises on the forefront of your mind and on your lips and you will live a life of faith like Moses.

Faithful and merciful Father, grant us faith like Moses that endures the shame and mockery of the cross of Christ seeking the reward and inheritance you have promised to all who put their faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.