Moses' Choice
Text: Hebrews 11:24-27
Moses renounced his association with Pharaoh and the Egyptian government. I wonder if any of us fully realize how much that decision cost him? He gave up more than most political and social hopefuls among Evangelicals have ever dreamed of. Yet, according to the logic of many professing Christians in our times, he should have stayed. After all, didn’t they need believers in politics and government?
Moses renounced his association with Pharaoh and the Egyptian government. I wonder if any of us fully realize how much that decision cost him? He gave up more than most political and social hopefuls among Evangelicals have ever dreamed of. Yet, according to the logic of many professing Christians in our times, he should have stayed. After all, didn’t they need believers in politics and government?
· He could have used his position to fight for a better life for the
Lord’s people.
· He could have been a friend in high places.
· He could have impeded corruption and godlessness in the
· He could have been a friend in high places.
· He could have impeded corruption and godlessness in the
Egyptian government.
· He could have gotten a movement started, rallying people to
clean up government.
But Moses, having thought it over, chose to suffer with the people of
God. It was, according to Scripture, the right choice, and Hebrews 11
includes it as an example of living by faith. Moses knew that if he
renounced Egypt, the Lord’s people would suffer more, and he with them.
But he left, even though that was the price he paid. I say again, it was
a choice. He could have stayed right where he was if he so desired. No
one forced him out. That is the beauty of it. His faith gave him insight
and strength to make a difficult and unpopular choice. He chose to
suffer with God’s people rather than remain rich, comfortable and
“influential”. He chose to get involved fully with the people of God, to
identify completely with them. I wonder how many of us have the faith
and conviction to make the same kind of sacrificial choice?
Of course, there was a price to pay, and it is still so. There was no middle ground of compromise. We might as well face it, you can’t have everything. In making his choice, Moses forfeited Egypt’s treasures. Having been in the palace, he knew much better than the rest of the Hebrews slaves exactly how much he was leaving. Some would say that by being involved in government in we can make sure that the money is put to good use. Does the Lord’s work really need Egypt’s financial backing and approval? Think about it.
In renouncing his political career, he not only lost a great deal, but he also gained something he didn’t exactly desire: the wrath of Pharaoh. Egypt (the world) hates nothing as much as those who look down on it’s wisdom, wealth, religion and politics as the foolishness of man, and prefer to be poor and suffer with the people of God. We know from Scripture that the world despises those who follow the Lord and openly identify with Him (Jn. 15:18-20; 16:33). But there is a new twist on this today; there are professing Christians who covet positions of influence in the world, whose lives are dedicated to the system, and whose only display of “faith” is attendance at Sunday meetings and putting something in the offering. Moses could have attended an occasional meeting and given money, but God called him to make a much more definitive choice than that.
Of course, there was a price to pay, and it is still so. There was no middle ground of compromise. We might as well face it, you can’t have everything. In making his choice, Moses forfeited Egypt’s treasures. Having been in the palace, he knew much better than the rest of the Hebrews slaves exactly how much he was leaving. Some would say that by being involved in government in we can make sure that the money is put to good use. Does the Lord’s work really need Egypt’s financial backing and approval? Think about it.
In renouncing his political career, he not only lost a great deal, but he also gained something he didn’t exactly desire: the wrath of Pharaoh. Egypt (the world) hates nothing as much as those who look down on it’s wisdom, wealth, religion and politics as the foolishness of man, and prefer to be poor and suffer with the people of God. We know from Scripture that the world despises those who follow the Lord and openly identify with Him (Jn. 15:18-20; 16:33). But there is a new twist on this today; there are professing Christians who covet positions of influence in the world, whose lives are dedicated to the system, and whose only display of “faith” is attendance at Sunday meetings and putting something in the offering. Moses could have attended an occasional meeting and given money, but God called him to make a much more definitive choice than that.
There are today many evangelicals who apparently disagree with Moses,
and insist that politics is practically the way, the truth and the life.
They fail to appreciate that the Lord offers a crown to those who love
His appearing (He is the solution!), and a crown to faithful elders in
the local assembly, but none for politicians, social reformers
or even “career professionals ”. Such things are the way of man’s
wisdom, not God’s; they are man’s answer, not God’s. No matter how many
people think this way, they will never force the Lord to rewrite Hebrews
11 to their liking. There it stands, in solitary splendor, the great
chapter on faith, not on social/political involvement! Moses’ choice
continues to condemn theirs. It challenges us, young and old alike, to
examine our own convictions, priorities and choices. On what is our un-renewable time and life
energy being spent? And Moses’ choice eloquently teaches this simple
truth: "Without faith it is still impossible to please God." We can please ourselves and a lot of other people without faith, but never God! May we be
“followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”
(Heb. 6:12).
Carl Knott
