Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2030
Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, June 24, 1888
“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 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.” Hebrews 11:24-26
WE generally picture Moses with beams of glory rising from his brow and the two tables of the Law in his hand. A stern man holding forth a sterner Law. But we must correct our idea. Moses is as much an example of faith as he is a representative of Law. What he did was as much due to his faith as were the acts of Paul or John. In describing Moses, the summary must begin, “By faith,” as much as if we were describing Abraham. Continue to regard Moses as a representative of the Law but also view him as a man of wonderful and powerful faith.
I need scarcely remind you that the faith of Moses was peculiarly active and operative. I might apply the words of James to him and say, “Likewise, was not Moses justified by works when he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to endure affliction with the people of God?” The faith of Moses was what ours must be, a faith which worked by love—even love to God and love to His people. It was no mere belief of a fact. But that fact had an overpowering influence upon his life. Moses believed, believed firmly and intensely, believed for himself, so that he took fast hold of that which is invisible. Moses showed the reality of his faith in his life—by what he refused to do—and by what he chose to do.
Both the negative and the positive poles were made right by his faith. Everything about Moses proved the truth and the vigor of his faith in God. He was second to none among those “who believed God and it was accounted unto them for righteousness.” He was king in Jeshurun and he was the greatest of Law-givers. But yet he happily takes his place among Believers who find their all in God. On the Arc de Triomphe which is raised in this eleventh chapter of Hebrews the name of Moses is written among the very greatest of those who lived by faith in God. I pray that while I am speaking this morning faith may be worked in some here present who have it not as yet.
And I pray also that others who have true faith but have not yet avowed it may find themselves drawn to take a decided step and take their place on the side of God and His people. The question, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” is the one I would press upon you this morning in the hope that, like Moses, many of you may be willing to suffer the reproach of Christ, which has not ceased.
Our first remark shall be Moses had faith. The second shall be Moses exhibited clear decision as the result of his faith. And then, thirdly, we will say Moses should be imitated by us.
I. First, then, MOSES HAD FAITH. I am not going through the whole life of Moses—that is much too large a theme for one discourse. But I shall very much keep to my text.
It is very clear that Moses believed in God. He was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians. He had been brought up in the very best academies of the period. But he had not been seduced from faith in his God. There were many gods in Egypt. But Moses worshipped the one God, the God of his fathers. And though he may have known comparatively little of Him, he knew enough to have no other God but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I suppose that his mother and father could tell him but little of the family faith. But as they were God-fearing, believing people, they taught him what they knew.
He believed in the living God, Creator of Heaven and earth. He worshipped one God, the Ruler of Providence—one God who is to be obeyed and adored. And to this God he adhered. I would that all of you believed in the living, personal, working, ever present God! In these days many do not believe in a personal God but in some sort of force or mystic en-ergy—they know not what. This is virtually to have no God at all. To Moses the existence and ruling power of God were the greatest facts of life. He believed in the one living and true God, bowed before Him, desired to be found serving Him and to have Him as his friend, even though this should put him in opposition with all the world. Although the pomp and power and glory and wisdom of the ruling nation were all on the side of idols, Moses worshipped the one God. For in His power and Godhead he solemnly believed.
In the next place, Moses believed that the Israelites were the chosen people of God. This, of course, he had learned from his parents and he heartily believed it, though it certainly did not look to be true. If the seed of Jacob were the people of God, why were they left under oppression? Why were they enslaved by Pharaoh? Why were their children doomed to die? Could the elect of God be left in so evil a plight? If God was the God of this people, why were they made to endure affliction? Perhaps they told him that God had revealed unto their fathers that they were to go down into Egypt and to be strangers in a strange land.