6-27-19 Today in the Word

MOSES CHOSE THE RIGHT TREASURE
Thursday, June 27, 2019 | Hebrews 11:24–28

Moses, Man of the Mountain is a 1939 novel by the famous African American writer, Zora Neale Hurston. In the story, she reimagined the events and themes of Moses' life and the Exodus in ways that reflected the black experience in American history. She drew on African American folklore and songs, used colloquial English, and wrote with passion and insight.
Moses was a biblical giant of faith because he, like David, chose the right treasure. His decision was costly. He gave up being known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, that is, royal family status (v. 24). He gave up access to all kinds of pleasure as well as the “treasures of Egypt” (vv. 25–26). He gave up what was presumably the king’s favor and risked his anger instead (v. 27). In short, he sacrificed an enormous amount of power and wealth and what was likely a future filled with more of the same.
What did he receive in exchange? It may seem like a bad bargain. Moses chose “to be mistreated along with the people of God” (v. 25). He preferred (in the larger biblical picture) “disgrace for the sake of Christ” (v. 26). Why? Moses, like all those listed in Hebrews 11, made his choices “by faith,” based on “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (v. 1). Specifically, “he persevered because he saw him who is invisible,” that is, God Himself (v. 27), beginning with his encounter at the burning bush (Exodus 3).
Moses knew that God had called him to lead the Israelites out of slavery. He chose to be faithful to that calling and everything it involved because he trusted God. He knew that an eternal reward lay ahead (Heb. 11:26, see also v. 6).
APPLY THE WORD
The life of Moses has been depicted in many works of art—novels, paintings, musical compositions, and well-known movies such as The Ten Commandments and Prince of Egypt. He is a great example of choosing the right treasure. Research at least one such work of art to learn more about the artist’s perspective on Moses’ life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more