Moses Looked to the Reward
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March 25, 2018 |
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 Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"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" (Hebrews 11:24-26).
In the 11th chapter of Hebrews appear the forefathers of faith who pleased God with their faith. Moses also pleased Him by overcoming all hardships with faith that looked to the reward that God would give to him. Let's delve into the faith of Moses.
1. The faith that hopes for the reward of God
Some believers say that it is not right to expect the reward of God. They claim if one loves God he/she should work and volunteer without expecting anything in return, and they hold that it is not good to do something in order to be rewarded.
However, Hebrews 11:6 reads, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." It indicates that only when we have faith in God who is our Rewarder can we overcome any hardship and trial. We can achieve a victory in any kind of difficult situations.
If we have faith in the reward of God, we can receive blessings and glorify God by leading many souls to salvation with those blessings. Neither is it selfish nor wrong!
2. The faith of Moses who looked to the heavenly reward
Moses was born around 1500 B.C., when the Israelites were under the miserable slavery of Egypt. As the Israelites multiplied, the Pharaoh commanded his men to kill all the new-born Israelite boys. Moses was born at this time, but his father and mother hid him at home for three months (Hebrews 11:23), and they put the child into a wicker basket and set it along the Nile. At that time, a daughter of Pharaoh found the basket and took the baby. Moses' sister Miriam who stood at a distance came to the daughter of Pharaoh and introduced to her Moses' mother as a nurse for the baby. After that Moses was adopted as a son of the Pharaoh's daughter and brought up by his natural mother in the palace.
These things did not just happen by coincidence. Everything was accomplished in accordance with God's providence. As a result, Moses learned about God the LORD of Israel from birth and was told that his people had been chosen by God. And he heard how the Israelites came to reside in Egypt and that God had promised to lead them out of there and into the land of blessing and make them a great nation.
Now, let's look into how that Moses came to have faith that looked to the rewards of God. We will examine three aspects of his faith.
1) He forsook earthly wealth and glory that he could have enjoyed as a prince of Egypt.
Moses grew up as a son of a princess in the palace of the Pharaoh, but he always desired to set his people free from the oppression of Egypt.
He once saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He was outraged and killed the Egyptian. When it was revealed, he had to escape from the palace and flee into wilderness. It was his choice only for God to leave behind the comfortable and wealthy life in the palace. He would have to live as a fugitive who might lose life anytime at the hands of the Egyptian army.
Concerning this, Hebrews 11:24-26 says, "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."
If we have such faith as looking to the reward of God, we can give up things no matter how precious they are and take delight in hardship on account of Christ.
2) He endured any hardship and fulfilled his God-given duty.
God refined him in the wilderness for 40 years. After that God appointed him as the leader of the Israelites. God commissioned him to liberate the people and lead them into the land of Canaan.
Moses had to face many situations that may have required his life, but he only looked to God and marched forward. Because he had the faith in God, he could boldly tell the stubborn Pharaoh to set the people free. And when the Egyptian army chased the people, Moses was able to part the Red Sea by faith. The people of Israel then crossed the sea like it was dry land.
Despite all these miracles, it was not long before they began to complain and grumble against Moses. That was because they ran out of water and food. They grumbled against Moses saying that they could have lived happily in Egypt but he had led them out of Egypt to put them to death. They fully forgot how earnestly they had prayed to God that He would save them from slavery.
Moses, however, never felt frustrated or gave up the tasks commissioned by God. He looked to God who knows everything. He only looked to the rewards that God would give to him later for what he was doing. This Moses, when the Israelites complained and stood against him, repented on behalf of them and prayed to God with love saying, "But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!" (Exodus 32:32)
For this reason, God loved Moses so much, praised him for being faithful in all the households of God and talked with him face to face like between close friends (Numbers 12). The reason God assigned Moses the duty was to refine his heart, help him accomplish the heart of Christ and to pile up heavenly rewards on earth so as to enjoy the great glory in heaven.
3) He acknowledged and relied on God in everything.
Moses prayed to God whenever he was faced with whatever kind of difficulties. That was because he believed in God. He believed that God had led His people out of Egypt with His great power, He knew all his situations, and there was nothing impossible for Him.
When wicked men blamed and rebelled against Moses, he never quarreled or disputed against them but only committed everything into the hands of the just God. When Korah rebelled against Moses together with two hundred fifty leaders of the congregation, Moses prayed to God and the earth opened and swallowed them up alive (Numbers 16:1-33).
Just as God worked with Moses, God works for us according to our faith when we acknowledge and rely on God in every matter.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to possess the faith looking to the reward of God as Moses did and set your hope on heaven and work faithfully in all aspects. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will enjoy eternal glory in heaven.
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