Three memorable steps mark the manhood of Moses. We read that “when he was come to years he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Heb. 11:24-2624By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. (Hebrews 11:24‑26)).
The three steps were: first, the severance of his relationship with Pharaoh; second, his identification with the people of God; and third, his appreciation of the reproach of Christ above the treasures of Egypt.
These remarkable steps were taken ”by faith.” They were so thoroughly contrary to nature that no man acting on the instincts of nature would ever have dreamed of taking them. Now Moses had, as men would say, the ball at his feet. A splendid vista of earthly greatness was spread out before him. He was dignified by royal relations; he held in his hand a cup that contained the pleasures of sin; and he could command, by virtue of his position, the very treasures of Egypt. His opportunities for self-gratification were most unparalleled, and yet, just at the time when, by nature, he would have stepped unhesitatingly into the enjoyment of it all, he stepped by faith outside of it. What a strange career! And what a complete reversing of all the aspirations of nature did his faith produce!
The Recompense
But notice, “He had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” His faith went beyond the confines of Egyptian treasures and led him to renounce the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season. At that moment he grasped the bright reward at Christ’s judgment seat, and under the influence of that, he counted all else but dross or dung.
Wise and happy choice made by faith at his manhood! Bright example! He bid farewell to his foster mother, by whom he had been kindly reared and at whose expense he had been highly educated. By faith he deliberately abandoned the court of Egypt and surrendered his claim to its pleasure. It was thus far a negative step on his part, but it paved the way for more — more that was charmingly positive. His full object was not merely the relinquishment of Pharaoh’s palace, but it was identification with the people of God.
These were the people of God —indiscernible to all but faith, but with a high origin and having a glorious destiny. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with such than to drink the cup of delusive pleasure, whose fleeting season glided swiftly into an undone eternity.
Reproach
Paul in a later day exhorted his son Timothy to “be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8), for each in his day was animated by a similar faith and acted in a similar way. Hence it is we find that Moses “esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt,” when as yet Christ had not been named. But though Christ had not been revealed, yet His reproach — the reproach always attaching to faith and to its confessors — was ever true of His people. It is their distinguishing badge as they travel the road from earth to heaven. Now Moses esteemed that reproach to be of more positive value than the treasures of Egypt. To be linked with God’s interests here was his chief ambition. He saw no middle ground between Pharaoh’s family and the people of God, between their afflictions and the pleasures of sin, between the reproach of Christ and the treasures of Egypt.
One or the Other
It must be one or the other, and by faith on his part and grace on God’s, this remarkable man, when in the full intelligence of maturity, calmly but decidedly broke the ties that bound him to the glory and the pleasures of Egypt, and threw himself wholeheartedly into the sympathies of God.
His course afterward was checkered indeed. It had trials beyond measure and honors beyond degree. He respected the recompense of the reward, and he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. We may live in a different day and be surrounded by different circumstances, but faith in its nature is always the same, and we too, who through grace believe on the Lord Jesus, may illustrate our faith by taking the same steps that Moses took. We too may refuse the world, suffer with God’s people, and esteem Christ’s reproach beyond all earthly treasure, having respect of the recompense.
J. W. S. (adapted)