Letter to the Hebrews Volume 140

 The Faith of Moses Part 3

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible. KJV

Moses's faith or trust that God would be with him as he made the decision to leave the home and the country where his beloved Mother resided was him walking into the preferred, prepared, and preordained will of God for his life and for the future of the entire Hebrew people. The writer of Hebrews declares the decision of Moses (as he approached this fork in the road of his life at the age of 40) with these words, "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27) (KJV). At first, of course Moses feared what would happen to him at the hands of the king for what he had just done to another Egyptian, as it is written, "And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well." (Exodus 2:12-15) (KJV), but Moses also feared what would happen to his Egyptian Mother (Pharaoh's daughter). However, at some point, we must turn our fear into faith or else the devil will rule and reign over us which we cannot allow, nor could Moses, so he believed/trusted God and left the king's palace and country, therefore, let us remember these words of our Lord Jesus Christ/the Lord God/YAWEH, when He said, "And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." (Deuteronomy 20:2-4) (KJV).

Moses had yet to speak with God personally (at the burning bush Exodus Chapter 3), however, he had already by faith seen the invisible God of his forefather's Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The little English phrase 'he endured' in Hebrews 11:27 is what seeing the invisible God by faith did for Moses and it is translated by the Greek word kartereō (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) meaning to be strong, that is, (figuratively) steadfast (patient): - endure. The Apostle Paul wrote these words that paint a Word Picture of what Moses was experiencing in his inner man during this time in his life before the Exodus of the entire Hebrew people even took place, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 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." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) (KJV).  Then this happened (Moses spoke with God), "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God." (Exodus 3:1-6) (KJV). As it is also written, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (2 Corinthians 5:7) (KJV), however, God/Jesus always gives us SIGHT when we are truly walking by faith. Amen!

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 11:27, "We have another instance of the faith of Moses, namely, in forsaking Egypt: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, Hebrews 11:27. Observe here, (1.) The product of his faith: He forsook Egypt, and all its power and pleasures, and undertook the conduct of Israel out of it. Twice Moses forsook Egypt: [1.] As a supposed criminal, when the king's wrath was incensed against him for killing the Egyptian (Exodus 2:14-15), where it is said he feared, not with a fear of despondency, but of discretion, to save his life. [2.] As a commander and ruler in Jeshurun, after God had employed him to humble Pharaoh and make him willing to let Israel go. (2.) The prevalency of his faith. It raised him above the fear of the king's wrath. Though he knew that it was great, and levelled at him in particular, and that it marched at the head of a numerous host to pursue him, yet he was not dismayed, and he said to Israel, Fear not, Exodus 14:13. Those who forsook Egypt must expect the wrath of men; but they need not fear it, for they are under the conduct of that God who is able to make the wrath of man to praise him, and restrain the remainder of it. (3.) The principle upon which his faith acted in these his motions: He endured, as seeing him that was invisible. He bore up with invincible courage under all danger, and endured all the fatigue of his employment, which was very great; and this by seeing the invisible God. Observe, [1.] The God with whom we have to do is an invisible God: he is so to our senses, to the eye of the body; and this shows the folly of those who pretend to make images of God, whom no man hath seen, nor can see. [2.] By faith we may see this invisible God. We may be fully assured of his existence, of his providence, and of his gracious and powerful presence with us. [3.] Such a sight of God will enable believers to endure to the end whatever they may meet with in the way."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…