See the Bible Through Jewish Eyes �� BIBLE STUDY WITH DR. RICH FREEMAN
EXAMPLES OF FAITH
Moses and the Exodus: Hebrews 11:23–31
In this study, we will continue examining examples
of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, beginning with the
portion that discusses the faith of Moses’ parents.
Hebrews 11:23 says, “By faith Moses, when he was
born, was hidden for three months by his parents,
because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they
were not afraid of the king’s edict.” The only other
time the Greek word translated as “beautiful” is
used is in Acts 7:20 where
Stephen says the baby Moses
“was lovely or beautiful in the
sight of God.” The parents of
Moses, Amram and Yochebed,
believed that this newborn son
was special to God and,
perhaps, even the promised
deliverer of the Israelites. So, in
spite of the threat of death
from Pharaoh’s decree that
demanded the killing of all
newborn Israelite boys, these
godly Hebrew slaves hid the
little baby until he was too big
to hide. They ended up putting
him in a little ark on the Nile
River where Pharaoh’s
daughter found him.
Moses’ life was actually divided
into three distinct parts of forty
years each. The first forty years
he lived as a prince of Egypt.
In Acts 7:22, Stephen testified:
“Moses was educated in all the
learning of the Egyptians, and
he was a man of power in words and deeds.”
Everything changed at the age of forty when Moses
set out to deliver the Israelites from the bondage of
slavery in Egypt. The writer of Hebrews, in 11:24
says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused
to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” He had all
the characteristics of a perfect deliverer: He had
been trained as a prince and a military man—this
was too good to be true! This misjudgment is
reminiscent of the time God instructed Samuel to
choose a new king of Israel from among the sons of
Jesse, the Bethlehemite. When Samuel saw the firstborn
son Eliab, he deemed the strapping young
man as the perfect king. He thought, “Surely the
6 The Chosen People | FEBRUARY 2019
Lord’s anointed is before him” (1 Samuel 16:6). But
God rebuked him by saying, “…man looks at the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”
(1 Samuel 16:7). Instead, God chose the youngest
son, David, who would be called “a man after God’s
own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Similarly, Moses’
attempt at delivering the people in his strength as a
prince of Egypt was a failure, and after killing an
Egyptian for mistreating a
Hebrew, he was forced to flee
Egypt.
For the next forty years, Moses
lived as a shepherd in Midian,
preparing to shepherd the
children of Israel in their
departure from Egypt. The
writer of Hebrews says in
11:27, “By faith he left Egypt,
not fearing the wrath of the
king; for he endured, as seeing
Him who is unseen.” The
exodus from Egypt was
accomplished through the
blood of the lamb at the first
Passover, when the first-born
of Egypt was slain. It was the
blood of the lamb that would
save the Israelites from the
death of the first-born, the
tenth and final plague. When
the Angel of Death saw the
blood of the lamb on the
doorpost of the Israelites’
homes, He would pass over
them and the people would be saved. Once the
people left Egypt, they would face one final
obstacle prior to their full freedom from the
enslavement in Egypt. The writer of Hebrews
records the event in 11:29: “By faith they passed
through the Red Sea as though they were passing
through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they
attempted it, were drowned.”
The last example of faith was that of a prostitute
named Rahab, who by faith, believed that the
Israelites would conquer Jericho, a seemingly
impenetrable city, and eventually get to the
Promised Land. For that faith, Rahab would be
rewarded by becoming an ancestor of the Messiah.
Dr. Rich Freeman, D. Min. serves
as the Vice President for Church
Ministries and Conferences with
Chosen People Ministries and
lives in South Florida with his
wife, Julia.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born,
was hidden for three months by his
parents, because they saw he was a
beautiful child; and they were not
afraid of the king’s edict. 24 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. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not
fearing the wrath of the king; for he
endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the
sprinkling of the blood, so that he who
destroyed the firstborn would not
touch them. 29By faith they passed
through the Red Sea as though they
were passing through dry land; and the
Egyptians, when they attempted it,
were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of
Jericho fell down after they had been
encircled for seven days. 31 By faith
Rahab the harlot did not perish along
with those who were disobedient, after
she had welcomed the spies in peace.