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THE CHOICE OF MOSES

By George W. Sinquefield

Heb. 11:24 through Heb. 11:26 (KJV)
²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; ²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; ²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

        Life is the one big choice everyone has. We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the color of our skin. We have little to say about our up bringing. Nor do most of us choose the time and circumstances of or death.

        But we do choose how we shall live -- courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or adrift. We decide what is important and what is trivial. We decide what we do and what we refuse to do. We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed.

        Two kinds of people, depending upon the choice they made. One God calls cursed and one He calls blessed. For one life is meaningless, empty without hope or promise. For the other, life is purposeful, rich, filled with promise, hope and good cheer. It all depends upon the choices they made. The same thing is taught in Psalm 1. God's blessing upon the righteous and His curse upon the wicked.

Psa. 1:1 through Psa. 1:6 (KJV)
¹ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. ⁴ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. ⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. ⁶ For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

        Dr. J. H. Jowett -- "When I came to chapter 11 of this great epistle I feel as though I were entering into a great cathedral and in which I find monuments which have been erected to commemorate saintly men and women who were distinguished by their faith. A monument to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, and Rahab. I stand now before a monument which commemorates an old patriarch statesman and I ask why this man is commemorated. What did Moses do to entitle him to such honor? The answer to this question is the whole life of Moses -- a life which was determined by the choice he made when he reached manhood.

        Two men bumped into each other in a railway station. One was as alcoholic, begging for enough money to buy one more bottle of wine. The other man asked him how he got into that condition. The beggar answered, "From the beginning the cards were stacked against him. His mother died when he was very young. His father had beaten him, his brothers and sisters mercilessly. The war came and the family was separated. You see," he said, "I never had a chance. If you had grown up as I did you'd be this way too." The other man said, "This is very strange. My background is very similar to yours. I too lost my mother when I was very young. My father was a brutal man, often beating me and my brothers and sisters. I too was separated from my family. However, I felt I had no choice but to try to overcome these circumstances rather than being overcome by them." The two continued to talk and finally they discovered that they were blood brothers. Two human beings. One ended with a life of excellence and the other with a life of despair. Why? It all depends upon the choice each man made.

I.   What Moses Refused

        "It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the grandson of the king, but chose to share ill treatment with God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought that it was better to suffer for the promised Christ than to own all the treasure of Egypt, for he was looking forward to the great reward that God would give him." (The Living Bible)

        Let us glance rapidly at the circumstances of the case, as indicated in the language just quoted, "the pleasures of sin," and "the treasures in Egypt." Egypt, at the time here referred to, was the most powerful kingdom on earth, and probably the most corrupt. Its court was the center of luxury and vice. Thither resorted the inquisitive and pleasure seeking of all nations or by the facilities there afforded for indulging in every species of animal enjoyment, from the most refined to the most debasing. The character of the Egyptian court, at the period here spoken of, is well described by the phrase, "the pleasure of sin." Whatever a depraved or fastidious taste could covet, the abundant resources of Egypt readily supplied. The riches of the empire were unbounded. Egypt was the granary of the world. Into its treasury was poured the wealth of all other inhabited portions of the globe and such was the political structure of the government that the king and the king's household possessed almost unlimited control of the resources of the nation. To speak of "the treasures in Egypt," is but another form of expression for affluence and most abundant and lavish. In one word, the Egyptian court, was the most attractive spot on earth to one who was in pursuit of mere worldly pleasure.

        Moses had been rescued from the Nile by the daughter -- and, as is generally supposed, the only child -- of the then reigning monarch. By her he had been adopted, and brought up as her own son. The design of the princess, says Josephus, was to make Moses "her father's successor, if it should please God she should have no legitimate child of her own." But be this as it may, there can be no doubt that the intention of the royal princess was to make Moses her own heir, and the possessor, ultimately, of the vast treasure which she would inherit as the only child of the most powerful monarch on earth. This fact is distinctly referred to in the text, in which it is said, that Moses esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt," that is, the treasures of which he was the prospective heir.

        Away from the kings palace on the plain was a down trodden, poor oppressed and ill used race which was kin to Moses. He belonged to them and they belonged to him. So he refused to let self and selfish ambitions come between him and his people. He refused the great treasures of Egypt and chose to suffer poverty with his people. He refused to lounge on beds of ease when he could help his suffering kin folk.

        The story is told of a man in China who craved gold. He went into a shop that sold gold, grabbed some and ran. He was arrested and asked, "How could you rob somebody else's gold in broad daylight and in front of all those people too?" He answered, "When I reached for the gold I didn't see any people." Moses saw both the gold and the people and he chose to forsake the gold in order to be of service to his people.

        Rowland Hill, the great English preacher was once trying to win a rich man to Christ. As he urged him to accept Christ, the rich man kept saying, "I cannot see it. I do not understand it." Finally the preacher took out a piece of paper and wrote "Christ" on it, held it up and asked him, "Do you see that word Christ?" "Yes," said the rich man. Then the preacher took a coin and held it over the word Christ and asked him, "Do you see the word Christ now?" "No," he answered. "Why," asked the preacher. "Because," the rich man answered, "The gold is in the way." Then the preacher said, "That is the trouble with your soul. You cannot see Christ because of your love of riches."

        This was the problem with the rich young ruler who came to Jesus seemingly seeking salvation.

Luke 18:18 through Luke 18:23 (KJV)
¹⁸ And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ¹⁹ And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. ²⁰ Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. ²¹ And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. ²² Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. ²³ And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

        Hear what Jesus said in verses 24-25.

Luke 18:24 through Luke 18:25 (KJV)
²⁴ And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

        Now Jesus did not mean that a rich person could not be saved for many wealthy ones have accepted Him as Savior and have been saved, have entered the kingdom of God. Jesus meant that one could not be saved by trusting in his money. Riches have kept and are keeping many from living saved. As one has said, "Your riches won't help you on judgment day, only righteousness counts then. Only those who have repented of sin and trusted Jesus are clothed in His righteousness and will enter His kingdom. The Bible urges us to trust not in "uncertain riches," but in the living God.

        John B. Johnson in his book, "The Sin of Being 50" says, "Most of us are killing ourselves making money we do not need, to buy things we do not want, to impress people we do not like. I have been preaching a long time, and I have never had anyone ask me to pray for them because they were making too much money. Yet, there is not a deadlier sin among us. I asked a rich member who was constantly grasping money, "How much is enough?" He replied, "A little more." Its a pernicious circle. Before we dedicate our lives to getting these material things, it would be the course of wisdom to look at those who have them, and see if they are happy with them."

        A newspaper offered a prize for the best definition of money. This definition won. "Money is a universal provider of everything but happiness and a passport to everywhere but Heaven."

        Money not only keeps many from being saved but I am concerned that money and things money will buy is keeping many Christian people from being the servant God wants them to be.

John 12:24 through John 12:26 (KJV)
²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ²⁵ He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. ²⁶ If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Matt. 16:24 through Matt. 16:25 (KJV)
²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

        The cross has always stood for one thing and one thing only and that is death. To follow Jesus one must die to self and selfish desires. To follow Him means to put the welfare of people above everything else. The world needs far more people who like Moses are willing to do just that.

II.   What Did Moses Choose?

        What was it that Moses chose rather than, "the pleasures of sin" and "the treasures of Egypt?" He chose rather "to suffer affliction with the people of God."

        Who were the people of God, whose lot this man preferred, and whose destiny he was willing to share? They were the most abused, and outwardly, the most degraded of all slaves. They were the very scorn and contempt of the proud Egyptian nobility. Their task masters were the most cruel, their work the most servile, their privileges the most scanty, and their sufferings, all things considered almost unendurable. Verily, they were an afflicted people. Oppression had ground them to the dust. Wearisome days and nights were appointed them. How few, even of the lowly and despairing, would have chosen this people as their companions and brethern? But who, with the flattering prospects of Moses before him, would have turned away from the treasures of Egypt, and the pleasures of that seductive court, for the companionship and the destiny of a nation of slaves?

        A pastor tells of crossing the North Sea with a man who was a missionary to China. This man was more familiar with things Chinese than any other man alive. Because of this a great oil company sought to obtain his services. They offered him a salary far above what he was then making. He refused. They offered him more money but he still refused. Then they asked him to set his own salary and again he refused. He said, "The salary you offered is large enough. I'm now making less than that. It is not that the salary is too small but the job is. I have a bigger job than you can possibly offer." That was Moses. Helping his suffering people was a far bigger job than being the grandson of the king of Egypt.

        The wife of a famous Frenchman was meeting him at the railway station. She took her servant who had never seen her husband. "How shall I know him?," the servant asked. She said, "Just look for a tall gentleman helping somebody." Yes, Moses chose not just to exist, but to live gloriously, to live and labor for others.

III.   By Faith Moses Chose

        By faith Moses chose that which is lasting, that which is permanent. He looked beyond the things before his eyes. He was led step by step away from the things seen into a fellowship and communion with the unseen God.

        By faith he contemplated a joy which would be full and abiding long after the pleasures of sin had vanished, and left nothing behind them but the inevitable sting; by faith he grasped the riches which would endure, and be satisfying long after the treasures in Egypt had turned into dust and been forgotten; by faith he looked beyond the present affliction of the people among whom he had cast his lot -- beyond their servitude, their privations, and their disgrace. "He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible"; and so strong was he in the strength of this divine principle, that he boldly "forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King."

        It was a small matter to him what he should suffer from men, or what of personal convenience and pleasure he would forego, for these things were only for a season; "the recompense of the reward," which was laid up for him in heaven, would be imperishable and fadeless forever.

        It says in I Timothy 6:17, 18:

1 Tim. 6:17 through 1 Tim. 6:18 (KJV)
¹⁷ Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ¹⁸ That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

        There are many people who do not know the difference between certain riches and uncertain riches. So Paul is writing to Timothy and he is saying, "Charging people now that they trust not in uncertain riches." Now money is one of them. You can say what you want to, but there is nothing certain about money. You can't take it with you. There is no pockets in a shroud. The Bible says it is certain that we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we take nothing out of it.

        It is just like they said of the rich man when someone said, "How much did he leave." Someone answered, "He left it all!" That is exactly what you and I are going to leave. We are going to leave everything. Every material thing that you claim to own. Real estate is not certain riches, because the only part of it that you are going to be able to occupy until the coming of the Lord, is the hole about nine feet long and six feet deep.

        Paul is talking about uncertain riches. That is what you can feel with your hands, see with your eyes. It is the thing men fight for, but God says it is uncertain. How often Jesus endeavored to get us to see that things do not last, and that we ought not to build our hearts, lives, hopes, dreams, and aspirations upon material things that change and pass away. He urged that we shun things that moth and rust corrupt and thieves can steal. "What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" He argued, not only can we not take it with us, but He tried to get us to see that in most cases we cannot even keep it while we are here on this earth.

Matt. 6:19 through Matt. 6:21 (KJV)
¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

        William Kelly, an outstanding student of the Bible and a scholar, was offered a position at Trinity College in Dublin, a position that would have brought him prestige and privilege. He was not interested. They asked him, "Mr. Kelly, aren't you interested in making a name for yourself in the world?" He answered, "Yes, gentlemen, but which world?"

        The choice Moses made very clearly reveals the love he had in his heart for his people. It also reveals his unselfishness. People are selfish. To prove this,we need only to review our own thoughts, ambitions, and actions. Very few of us are like Abram (later named Abraham), whose life reveals Christlike unselfishness. When it became necessary for Abram and Lot to go their separate ways, Abram graciously let his nephew choose whatever land he preferred. Abram said, "If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left" (Gen. 13:9).

        A young artist submitted one of his works to be hung in a prestigious art exhibit, but the selection committee rejected it. One of its members, however, the renowned landscape painter Joseph Turner, insisted that they include the young man's work. The others denied his plea, saying that there was simply no room for it. Turner said no more but quietly removed one of his own pictures, replacing it with that of the budding young artist.

Phil. 2:4 (KJV)
⁴ Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

        Someone has said that the word "other" is found 522 times in the Bible. A child of God is to be very much concerned about the welfare of others. In the truest sense a Christian is to live for others and in doing so he is following the example of our Lord.

        We'll be judged as to the way our lives have affected others.

Matt. 25:34 through Matt. 25:36 (KJV)
³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵ For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

        We are to preach the gospel to all people so that they may have the salvation Jesus purchased by His blood.

        A man operated a large farm and had a large number of people working for him. In the process he developed an ulcer. he ate practically nothing. One morning he went to the house of one of his servants to get him to do a job. The servant was eating sweet potatoes with syrup poured on them. As he watched him eat, he said, "I'd give anything if I could have you appetite." The servant said, "Boss, you done took everything I made, and now you is trying to get my appetite."