Context No. 2963 of 4322 · Hebrews

Hebrews 11:20-28: in context

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, 26considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

The roll call of faith continues. By faith Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph blessed their descendants and spoke of things still to come; by faith Moses' parents hid him, unafraid of the king's decree; and by faith Moses, grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin, counting the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt.

The through-line is that faith treats the unseen future as more real than the visible present. Moses gave up the wealth and status of Egypt, a certain, present thing, for the reproach of God's people, a hard and costly thing, because he looked ahead to the reward and endured as seeing him who is invisible. Faith weighs the unseen promises of God as heavier than the seen comforts of the moment, and it chooses accordingly. Moses could turn his back on Egypt because he saw something better than Egypt could offer.

Do I, like Moses, weigh the unseen reward as more real than present comfort, and choose accordingly even when it costs me?

Sources

Hebrews 11:26: "Considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward."
Hebrews 11:27: "He endured, as seeing him who is invisible."
2 Corinthians 4:18: "We don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."