11.03

Moses Leading Israel out of Egypt, by Faith "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the
wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:28)"

Moses left Egypt on two occasions, under two different sets of circumstances. On the first
occasion, he left Israel behind in Egypt, going out in fear. On the second occasion, he is
seen leading Israel out of Egypt, by faith.

Moses' first departure saw him fleeing for his life, fearing what the Pharaoh might do to
him. Moses' heart had been drawn to the people of God. He went out to consider their
situation. "When Moses was grown he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens.
And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren" (Exodus 2:11). Moses killed
the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. When his brethren became aware of this reckless
deed, Moses was frightened. "So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' When
Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of
Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian" (Exodus 2:14-15). So, Israel was left in Egypt in
bondage, and Moses' desire to see God's people delivered was thwarted.

Moses' second departure found him leaving courageously, with no fear of what Pharaoh might
do. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." Much had transpired
between these two departures. For forty years, Moses had humbly tended sheep on the back
side of the desert. "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of
Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of
God" (Exodus 3:1). There, the Lord revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush, sending
him back into Egypt to demand the release of God's people. "I am the God of your father
—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Come now, therefore, and I
will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of
Egypt" (Exodus 3:6, 10). So, Moses boldly confronted one of the most powerful leaders in
the world. "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go'" (Exodus 5:1). Then, the
Lord performed awesome wonders until He caused the will of mighty Pharaoh to be broken.
"The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. So Pharaoh rose in the night.
Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD as you have
said'" (Exodus 12:29-31). The ultimate difference in this second departure was that Moses
had seen the Lord and had learned to trust in Him. "For he endured as seeing Him who is
invisible."

"O Lord God, awesome deliverer, I know what it is to run away from situations in fear. I
also know what it is to lead out in faith. The difference, Lord, is seeing who You are and
what You alone can do. Please reveal Yourself to me that my faith might grow!"