Moses’ Choices

by Chris Simmons

Faith is not something that happens to us but is a matter of choices we make regarding God’s revealed will. Hebrews chapter 11 chronicles great examples of faith and the choices they made to act and persevere. One of those we read of in Hebrews 11 who made faithful choices is Moses. What sets Moses apart is not his talent, intelligence, or abilities but his commitment to make faithful choices and persevere in them. Consider these five faithful choices made in the life of Moses.

The first choice is attributable to Moses’ parents and, in particular, his mother. We read in Hebrews 11:23, “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.” This decision by his parents to fear God and protect human life in spite of the “king’s edict” should cause us to reflect on what Peter said in Acts 5:29, “we must obey God rather than men.” Moses’ parents believed in God and acted by faith to preserve the life of a beautiful child. Could they have possibly known all that Moses would accomplish for God? I know, however, they acted by faith and believed that their son could grow up to be a useful servant of the Lord they believed in and were willing to risk their lives to ensure he had a life to live. As Israelites who lived by faith, they would have believed the land, nation, and seed promises given to their patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Genesis 12:1-3), and perhaps had faith that their son could play a role in bringing them to pass.

The second choice was Moses’ choice to stand with the people of God rather than the people of the world. Because of his parents’ decision to protect his life, Moses grew up with every privilege a person could enjoy at that time as a member of Pharaoh’s family. We read in Acts 7:22 that “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.” Much like the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:7-11), Moses had a lot of privileges in this life that he was willing to give up to become a servant of God. Moses knew who he was and who he belonged to and we read in Acts 7:23-24, “But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.” Not relying on his parents’ faith, Moses chose to identify with his Israelite brethren rather than one of Pharaoh’s family as we read in Hebrews 11:24-26, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” By faith, Moses chose allegiance to God and believed God promised something greater than all the treasures in Egypt. Moses understood what it meant to have “the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) and the hope of a “reward” not yet obtained as he fled from the treasures of what he could see and presently had. Moses’ choice was “ill-treatment with the people of God” rather than the “passing pleasures of sin” with Pharaoh’s powerful family.

Moses’ third choice was to flee his present circumstances and his initial efforts to defend and deliver his brethren and to endure in his efforts to serve God and seek His reward. Man might look at Moses’ departure from Egypt as a cowardly attempt to seek his personal safety. God’s word says he left Egypt “by faith,” believing “Him who is unseen.” We remember that Romans 10:17 states that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” and must conclude that when Moses fled Egypt “by faith,” that he did so after hearing from God. After fleeing Egypt, it would be another 40 years before God would visit Moses in His time and direct him to return to his brethren and lead them out of captivity. Moses’ faith led him to fear not man, but God, and respect His will. Just as David said in Psalms 39:7, “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You,” Moses waited and hoped by faith.

Moses’ fourth choice was to believe what God told him regarding the salvation of his, and every, household of the Israelites. We read in Hebrews 11:28, “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.” Just as God directed him, Moses commanded the Israelites in Exodus 12:21-23 to observe the Passover and provide for their salvation. Though he may not have understood how God would deliver the Israelites while destroying the firstborn of the Egyptians, Moses chose to believe and kept his charge by faith, understanding the consequences if any failed to heed. Moses kept the Passover and taught others to do the same by faith. It is the same faith displayed by those who sought remission of sins after they had been convicted in Acts 2:38-41 of crucifying the Christ.

Moses’ fifth choice was to lead the Israelites across and through the Red Sea. We read in Hebrews 11:29, “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.” Moses had faith that he and all the nation of Israel would be able to “stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today” and that “the Lord will fight for you while you keep silent” (Exodus 14:13-14). Moses believed that they needed to hush and listen to God and then act. By faith, “Moses stretched out his hand over the sea” (Exodus 14:16, 21) and the Lord “swept back the sea” (verse 21) so that the “sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land” (verse 22). Once again, by faith, Moses acted as God commanded in verse 26 to “stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians” thus securing their deliverance from captivity. Once again, Moses believed that they would “see the salvation of the Lord” and acted in faith accordingly.

If we have the faith of Moses, we will make choices to believe God’s promises, act upon His instructions, and endure. We will look beyond what we can see and what is in the moment and act upon the unseen and what is yet to come. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, said in II Corinthians 4:17-18, “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” We will “walk by faith and not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7). We will stand with His people, and against the world, as we “come out from their midst and be separate” (II Corinthians 6:17) and even if we suffer for our choices, we will endure. We will follow Him and look unto Him (Hebrews 12:2) as we trust His guidance and direction.