Moses Leading Israel Out of Egypt, by Faith

Bob Hoekstra

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  (Heb_11:28)
Moses left Egypt on two occasions, involving two distinctly different sets of circumstances. On the first occasion, he left Israel behind in Egypt, going out in fear. On the second occasion, he is seen leading Israel out of Egypt, by faith.
Moses' first departure saw him fleeing for his life, fearing what the Pharoah might do to him. Moses' heart had been drawn to the people of God. He went out to consider their situation. "When Moses was grown . . . he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren" (Exo_2:11). Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. When his brethren became aware of this reckless deed, Moses was frightened. "So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian" (Exo_2:14-15). So, Israel was left in Egypt in bondage, and Moses' desire to see God's people delivered was thwarted.
Moses' second departure found him leaving courageously, with no fear of what Pharoah might do. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." Much had transpired between these two departures. For forty years, Moses had humbly tended sheep on the back side of the desert. "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God" (Exo_3:1). There, the Lord revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush, sending him back into Egypt to demand the release of God's people. "I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob . . . Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exo_3:6, Exo_3:10). So, Moses boldly confronted one of the most powerful leaders in the world. "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go' " (Exo_5:1). Then, the Lord performed awesome wonders until He caused the will of mighty Pharoah to be broken. "The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt . . . So Pharaoh rose in the night . . . Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD as you have said' " (Exo_12:29-31). The ultimate difference in this second departure was that Moses had seen the Lord and had learned to trust in Him. "For he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."
O Lord God, awesome deliverer, I know what it is to run away from situations in fear. I also know what it is to lead out in faith. The difference, Lord, is seeing who You are and what You alone can do. Please reveal Yourself to me that my faith might grow!