Next, the writer of Hebrews explains that Moses’ forty-year separation from Egypt in the land of Midian was also a result of faith: “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible” [v. 27]. The paradoxical phrase “he saw Him who is invisible” does not mean he saw God with the naked eye. Faith’s eye saw what the physical eye is incapable of seeing. But there did come a time when God was so pleased with Moses’ spiritual vision that He graced him with physical vision of a part of God’s glory [Exodus 33:18-23] and spoke to him face to face [Exodus 33:9-11; Numbers 12:7, 8].
Christianity is supernatural, and is to be lived supernaturally. Elisha’s prayer is just as relevant today for the church as it was when he prayed it over his anxious servant: “And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so to he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” [2 Kings 6:17].
The last of the ten plaques that secured Israel’s exodus from Egypt was the destruction of all the male firstborn of both man and beast [Exodus 12:12]. But God provided a way of salvation for His people. They were directed through Moses to slaughter a lamb, and take some hyssop and dip it in the lamb’s blood, and dab the blood on the top and sides of the doorways of their homes. Homes so anointed would be under God’s protection, and the destroyer would not be permitted to enter [Exodus 12:21-23]. So our text reads, “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel” [11:28]. The point is that Moses and Israel so believed God that they obeyed to the letter. The instructions were strange, the demands costly [a lamb without blemish] and the ritual unprecedented, but they did precisely as they were told. In simple faith they “kept the Passover.” They relied on the God who had spoken to them through His servant: “Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did” [Exodus 12:1-3, 28]. But what is even more remarkable is that the phrase “by faith he kept the Passover” actually means that he instituted the Passover. Moses actually instituted the Passover as a “lasting ordinance” to be done year after year [Exodus 12:14] – which means that Moses never doubted in the least that the people would be delivered from Egypt. He had nothing to go on but God’s word, but he believed it implicitly. Moses’ immense faith saved Israel!
The final “by faith” in our passage is charitable to a fault if it is read without reference to Moses: “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned” [v. 29]. The reason this is overly charitable is that Israel did not show faith but held back in craven fear as the hard-charging Egyptian armies, borne on chariots, drew near in pursuit, decrying Moses: “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” [Exodus 14:11, 12] Their faithlessness is corroborated by the fact that all of them later died in the desert precisely because of their lack of faith, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb.
Actually, it was Moses’ faith that rallied them and secured their deliverance: “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still’” [Exodus 14: 13, 14]. This culminated in Moses’ preeminent display of faith when he stretched out his hand over the Red Sea, and the Lord drove back the waters with a strong east wind, and Israel passed through as on dry land [Exodus 14: 21, 22].
What a sublime example we have here! One man’s faith can be so authentic and effectual that it can elevate a whole nation and secure their deliverance! In lesser ways we have seen this in the lives of such people as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards. This truth holds great promise for us as well. Vibrant, authentic faith can elevate our families, churches, cities and perhaps even our country. Never underestimate the power of real faith, for Moses’ peerless life shouts faith from beginning to end.
What does this mean for us? Our culture is becoming increasingly hostile to the gospel – so much so that I am convinced within the next twenty to fifty years, simple Biblical faith will become so abhorrent to popular culture that faithful Christians will be persecuted. Yes, even here in America. But I am also convinced that some, by God’s grace, will draw upon Moses’ example and will thereby gain strength to live for God. Moses prevailed because first, he believed in God’s promise of reward; and second, because he lived a ‘normal Christian life’ – he saw the unseen! He or she who has ears to hear, let them hear!
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