community to become a dweller in tents. Moses turned his back upon the treasures of Egypt to become associated

with God's people in their affliction. Both Abraham and Moses had the faith that `sees the invisible', a quality

shared by Noah, and all who were moved with like precious faith, as the opening words of this chapter indicate.

The witness of Moses to that faith which is both the substance of things hoped for, and the proof and reproof

associated with things not seen, is given in a series of statements that cover his life from the day of his birth until the

great day of Israel's deliverance by the passover. His history, as given, is bounded on either side by protection from

one who would destroy in the first place all the male children, and in the second the firstborn. At the beginning faith

provided an ark of bulrushes, and at the end the blood of the passover lamb. Lying between these two extremes are

four related acts that carry the story on to its blessed conclusion.

`By faith Moses ... REFUSED to be called the son ... CHOOSING rather to suffer affliction with the people of God ...

ESTEEMING the reproach of Christ greater riches ... By faith he FORSOOK Egypt' (24-27).

The first item in this exhibition of faith is connected with his birth and, while included in the faith of Moses, is

yet, strictly speaking, the faith of his parents. The last item, however, balances this, for while it reads `by faith he

kept the passover', this faith was shared by all Israel, so that we perceive that faith can sometimes be collective,

while at others, as in the case of Moses refusing, choosing, esteeming and forsaking, it may be very personal and

When Moses was born, two parts of God's promise drew near together. Amram his father knew full well that

Moses was the fourth generation from the entry into Egypt. He also knew that there was another prophecy which

must be fulfilled namely, that 400 years were to elapse (see Gen. 15:13 and 16). It might have been difficult to have

understood clearly, before the event, how 400 years and a fourth generation could coincide, but by the time Moses

was born the possibility of this coincidence became manifest.

We learn that the parents of Moses hid the child for three months `because they saw that he was a proper child'.

Stephen speaking of this same event, says Moses was `exceeding fair', margin, `fair to God', a Hebraism indicating

something exceptional. The word asteios, `fair', `proper', is an unusual word, occurring only in Acts 7:20 and

Hebrews 11:23. Etymologically it means `belonging to the city', like `polite' (from polis, a city), `urbane' (from

verbs, a city). One edition of the LXX introduces the name of God into the description of David in 1 Samuel 16:12,

where it reads: `Now he was ruddy ... and fair in aspect through the Lord'. It may be therefore that Moses at his

birth had something about him that first of all caused his parents to stop and think, and then to perceive that here was

the promised deliverer of the Lord's people.

`And they were not afraid of the king's commandment' (Heb. 11:23)

The hiding of Moses was by faith, not fear, for faith is not presumption. It would not have been an act of faith to

have exposed Moses, and it is salutary to remember the Saviour's repudiation of the devil's suggestion to `tempt the

Lord'. When we read the record in Exodus 2 the mother alone is mentioned: `When she saw, she hid, she took him',

etc. Hebrews 11, however, assures us of the fact that both parents were associated in this venture of faith, even as

Exodus 2 goes on to reveal the part played by the elder sister Miriam.

It will also be observed that faith set aside the commandment of the king. Normally, the child of God is called

upon to be law-abiding. Taxes were paid both by the Lord (Matt. 17:27), by the command of the Lord (Matt.

22:21), and by the command of his servant Paul (Rom. 13:7). Human government was to be viewed as under the

ordering of God (Rom. 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:17). The order of human society is not invaded because believers

are `all one in Christ'. Though it be true that `in Christ' there are no longer `male and female', yet these distinctions

are observed in the order of the home life (Eph. 5:22-33), and in the church (1 Tim. 2:8-15). Though there be no

longer `bond and free', nevertheless the relationship of master and servant remains untouched (Eph. 6:5-9).

While this is the general attitude, it will be seen that there are times when faith takes the position of Peter and

`Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye' (Acts 4:19).