Sermon #     68                                                  Hebrews Notes

 

     Title:            SEEING HIM

     Text:            Hebrews 11:24-27

     Readings:     Larry Criss & Larry Brown

     Subject:       Moses’ Faithg

     Date:            Tuesday Evening – November 27, 2001

     Tape #         W-71b

     Introduction:

 

Moses was pre-eminently a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, he seems to have known that he was specifically raised up by God as a type of his coming Savior. This is not commonly the case. In fact, I do not know of another example. Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joshua, Boaz, David, Solomon, Hosea, and Jeremiah were all typical of the Lord Jesus; but there is no indication that they knew it. Moses, on the other hand, seems to have known his typical significance (Deut. 18:15-18).

 

(Deuteronomy 18:15-18)  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

 

Moses as a Type of Christ

 

Not only was he typical of Christ as our great Prophet, by whom God makes himself known to, teaches, and directs his people in this world, -- Moses was typical of our great Savior in many ways.

 

·        He was the meekest man in the earth.

·        Yet, never was there a man more courageous and bold.

·        For the sake of his people and the glory of his God, Moses hazarded everything.

·        He delivered Israel from Pharaoh and from Egypt at the time appointed by God.

·        Moses was a mediator between God and his people.

·        He was the only man by whom God spoke to men.

·        He led the chosen nation through the wilderness to Canaan.

·        Yet, he could not bring Israel into Canaan, the land of their promised rest and inheritance (typical of heaven), because he also represented the law.

 

Moses as a Type of the Law

 

As a type of the law and justice of God, there are many things to be seen in Moses’ actions and in his death.

 

·        He smote the rock out of which flowed the water of life in the wilderness of death; “and that Rock was Christ.

·        He smote the rock a second time and died because of it. – The law, having once smitten Christ, is dead!

·        He could not enter into the land of Canaan with Israel, because salvation cannot come by law (Rom. 8:4).

 

Moses as a Man of Great Faith

 

Still, this man Moses was a man of great faith. As such he is held before us as an example to follow in Hebrews 11:24-27. In verse 23, we read of the faith of Moses’ parents in hiding him. In the four verses before us tonight the Holy Spirit describes Moses’ own faith in Christ.

 

(Hebrews 11:24-27)  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

 

The title of my message tonight is found in verse 27. – “Seeing Him!” Oh, may God give us grace to see him!

 

Proposition: It was seeing the invisible God that gave Moses’ faith and sustained him in faith; and it is only as see see him by divine revelation that we can have faith and walk in faith.

 

Here are seven specific things the Holy Spirit tells us about Moses and his faith, by which he instructs us in this matter of faith.

 

I.                   First, because he believed God Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (v. 24).

 

(Hebrews 11:24)  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

 

     When he openly and publicly took the part of the Israelite against the Egyptian, Moses publicly identified himself with the people of God. The Holy Spirit tells us here that when Moses’ did this thing, when he slew the Egyptian, he did so as an act of faith. – This is what we do in believer’s baptism. We publicly identify ourselves with Christ, his gospel, and his people.

 

·        He preferred Israel to Egypt.

·        He preferred being an Israelite to being the most prestigious, powerful man in the world.

·        He preferred the care of God’s church and people to his own honor and well-being.

 

II.                Second, believing God Moses’ chose the afflictions of God’s people (v. 25).

 

(Hebrews 11:25)  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

 

A. It is true, he was chosen of God to be one of his own; but Moses’ chose to be numbered among God’s people.

 

At first glance, this might not seem to be a very difficult choice for anyone to make. After all…

·        These were the chosen, redeemed, peculiar people of God.

·        These were the people to whom alone God gave his Word and ordinances of divine worship.

·        God himself was with them.

·        Canaan was promised to them.

 

B. But Moses’ counted the cost and chose rather to suffer the afflictions of God’s elect than to enjoy the pleasures that were his in Egypt.

 

He knew that the afflictions they endured were hard afflictions indeed; but he also knew that they were afflictions endured as the people of God.

·        Divinely Appointed

·        Fatherly Chastisements

·        For the Glory of God

·        Temporary

·        Spiritually and Eternally Beneficial

 

(1 Peter 1:3-9)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

 

III.             Third, because he believed God Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ to be far greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (v. 26).

 

(Hebrews 11:26)  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

 

     He considered it his greatest wealth and honor to be allowed to bear the reproach of Christ…

·        Christ’s Personal Reproach

·        The Reproach of His Word

·        The Reproach of His Worship

·        The Reproach Endured by His People

 

(1 Peter 2:19-24)  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

 

IV.            Fourth, believing God, Moses had respect unto the promises of God (v. 26).

 

(Hebrews 11:26)  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

 

     That is to say, he believed it, looked for it, and anticipated it (2 Tim. 1:7-12).

 

(2 Timothy 1:7-12)  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore 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; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 

·        The Deliverance of Israel out of Their Bondage

·        The Blessings of Canaan

·        Eternal Glory

 

V.               Fifth, verse 27 tells us that – “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king.”

 

Though it may have reference to Moses leading Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, I do not think that is the primary thing referred to here. Rather, this sentence speaks of Moses’ flying away to Midian. The deliverance of Israel as a nation is described in verse 29.

 

     After he had slain the Egyptian and taken up the cause of Israel, Moses made no effort to appease Pharaoh’s wrath. His fleeing was not an act of cowardice, but of obedience to the will of God. There he must wait for God to send him for the work to which he was ordained. He must be trained in the prophecy school of hardship, isolation, and trouble in the Midian desert.

 

     Pharaoh, was a roaring lion, but Moses did not fear him. Those who are called by the grace of God, out of a state of darkness and bondage, and out of a strange land, forsake this world, and everything that is near and dear, when it is in competition with Christ; not fearing the wrath of any temporal king or prince; nor of Satan, the prince of this world.

 

VI.            Sixth, verse 27 tells us that, because Moses believed God, he endured!

 

Faith perseveres. Faith never quits. Faith endures; and endures to the end.

·        The Trials of Providence

·        The Afflictions of the Gospel

·        The Rod of Chastisement

·        The Warfare in Our Souls

 

VII.         Seventh, the cause of Moses’ great faith, the thing that sustained him to the end, was just this: Moses had seen and lived seeing him who is invisible (v. 27).

 

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

 

This was not a one time sight, but an ever-increasing sight, a sight which guided, sustained and refreshed this man Moses unto the end. He saw the Lord God in Christ.

 

·        In the Word He was Taught

·        In The Bush

·        In the Paschal Lamb and Sprinkled Blood

·        In Salvation Experienced – The Red Sea!

·        In the Tree at Marah

·        In The Manna

·        In the Rock

·        In the Cleft of the Rock!

 

A.   It was a spiritual sight – “By Faith.

B.    It was a glorious, but humbling sight.

C.   It was a transforming sight.

D.   It was a separating sight.

E.    It was an inspiring sight.

F.    It was a sustaining sight.

G.   It was a costly, but satisfying sight!

 

(Exodus 33:13-19)  Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. 18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.