Faith's Sacrifices

April 28th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Between v. 23 and v. 24 there is a time lapse of about 40 years in the life of Moses who grew up in all the riches of Egypt and with all the education a prince should have. Stephen said of him: “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22). Moses would thus have spoken a handful of languages, including Hebrew since it was his actual mother who weaned him. He may have even had the ability to decipher hieroglyphics. As “the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” Moses was similar to a Duke in the UK. Growing up in Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty (1550-1292 BC), one of the most celebrated periods of Egypt’s history, any and all pleasures were at Moses’ beck and call.

Moses, however, did not live under the delusion that riches and privilege were the end-all of life, likely because of the influence of his godly parents. He therefore openly refused his title, something that would have been taken as an insult by the Pharaoh. His faith, seen in his negative choice in refusing to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (v. 24), took great courage, as true faith always does. Moses may have loved the Egyptian culture, but he was no prisoner to it. With all of the benefits of being raised as an Egyptian, Moses willingly sought to live as a slave among his people Israel. By faith he gave up temporary pleasures for eternal gain.

Perhaps Moses was similar to Abraham who was so sick of the riches and paganism of Ur (Gen. 12:1) that when God called him he obeyed immediately. Moses may have also grown sicker and sicker at the gross indulgences of Egypt—the “passing pleasures of sin,” and was perfectly willing to be lumped in with his people Israel—the people of God’s promises.

What was Moses thinking? Verse 26 says that Moses “considered the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt.” So, by identifying with his people Israel, Moses aligned himself with the people with whom His future Messiah was identified—Jesus of Nazareth. Isaiah said of the future Messiah, “In all their distress He too was distressed” (Isa. 63:9). Moses thus identified with the disgrace of the Messianic people, becoming a slave, “for the sake of Christ.”

This means that Moses, living 1500 years before Jesus Christ, actually suffered for Christ. Any suffering done for one’s faith in God’s promises prior to Christ’s incarnation is still suffering for Christ because it’s an identification with Christ’s people. David suffered as much for Christ as did Paul the Apostle. One thousand years before Christ, David wrote: “The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me” (Ps. 69:9). Paul also said, “I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus” (Gal. 6:19). Jesus the Messiah has always been identified with His people (cp. Matt. 2:15; Hosea 11:1), and His people identify with Him through faith.

The great truth for the Church of Jesus Christ is that Moses could do what he did “because he was looking to the reward.” Here the author of Hebrews again draws the reader’s attention to the foundational truth of v. 1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for.” That perfectly describes Moses, for he was certain of the reward God had promised Israel. Like the Apostle Paul who said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18; cf. vv. 28-30; 2 Cor. 4:16-18), Moses felt the same way.

Food For Thought
What pet sin or indulgence are you a slave to? Money, pleasure, power? True faith is willing to renounce anything and everything in the here and now to enjoy eternal bliss with Christ.