What Now?
An Eternal Perspective
This verse points out that we all have a vested interest in the topic of prophecy, since the personal future of every person is part of it.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says,
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.
Though we live in a world of time and space, Ecclesiastes tells us that we all have intimations of eternity within our hearts. We instinctively think of forever. We seem to intrinsically realize that beyond this life lies the possibility of a shoreless ocean of time. It is wondrous to even think about it. We are heaven-bent; our hearts have an inner tilt upward.
From the first book in the Bible to the last, we read of great men and women of God who gave evidence that eternity permeated their hearts. We read of people like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and David… each yearning to live with God in eternity (see Hebrews 11).
The psalmist puts it this way: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). David exulted, “I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).
Moses is another great example:
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24-27).
It is interesting that the writer of Hebrews said Moses “considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,” since Moses lived at least 1,500 years before the first advent of Christ. We do not know how much Moses knew about Christ, but we do know that Moses had a personal faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of which he forsook Egypt. He had clearly been revealed things not visible to the natural eye. Moses had an awareness of another King, another kingdom, and a far greater reward.
Moses “considered” these things. The Hebrew word translated “considered” indicates careful thought and not a quick decision. Moses thought through his decision, weighing the pros and cons. He weighed what Egypt had to offer against the promises of God for the prophetic future. He concluded that what God offered in eternity was far superior to anything Egypt could offer on temporal earth. Moses lived with eternity in view. He made his decisions based on how they would impact his existence in the afterlife.
What Moses Rejected
Moses rejected the world’s position,“by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”We are told in Acts 7:22,
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions.
He stood in line to inherit Pharaoh’s throne. He could have been the king of Egypt; however, Moses refused the privileges of royalty and turned his back on Egypt.
He also rejected the world’s pleasures, “choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Moses lived in Pharaoh’s court for forty years. He lived in luxury and enjoyed incredible privilege. He was part of the royal family. Yet he turned his back on the luxuries and chose to be “mistreated with the people of God.”
Finally, he rejected the world’s possessions, “he considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt…” What else could Moses possibly desire. He had position, prestige, power, and possessions. The world is replete with people who would give or do anything to have what Moses had and to be in his position. But Moses, by faith, turned his back on it. Moses knew that the affliction of God’s people and the pleasures of sin were temporal.
What Moses Chose
Moses chose the right relationship. He chose to associate and be mistreated with slaves, with nobodies who had nothing and were going nowhere; a people doomed to a life of misery and affliction. Rather than rubbing elbows with Egypt’s elite, he chose to identify with God’s people.
He also chose the right riches. “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt…” Moses considered the insults received over the cause of Christ to be worth more than all that the king of Egypt had to offer. Charles Swindoll states that Moses.
“Having been raised in the opulence of Egyptian royalty, Moses would have known nothing of life among the Israelites in the ghetto of Goshen (Exod. 8:22). This attitude of faith manifested itself in an act of the will. He chose to endure ill-treatment by his identification with God’s people (11:25). He considered God’s heavenly reward to be greater even than the vast wealth of Egypt (11:26). These were no mere youthful whims whipped up in a wave of emotion. These were acts of faithfulness inspired by a deep trust in the character and promises of God.”1
In Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus said,
Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.
Moses confessed his God before men.
Why Moses Chose What He Chose
Finally, he chose the right reward. “For he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (KJV). The word respect comes from the Greek “apoblepo” and means to “to look towards, to fix the eyes earnestly or attentively.” Moses eyes were focused upon the reward of serving God, rather than upon the temporal wealth and luxury of Egypt.
Moses teaches us that it is wiser to look to life after death. Counting the reproach of Christ, with its present satisfaction and eventual reward, is greater riches by far than the treasures of Egypt. We too should live now in light of then.
Moses would agree with what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
That is an eternal perspective.
Do you have an eternal perspective?
1 Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary – Hebrews (© 2017 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Database © 2018 Wordsearch), p. 185.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Dr. Miguel J. Gonzalez is the Founder and President of Reasons for Faith International Ministries. He served as a pastor for ten years in Charlotte, NC and has taught in churches and conferences throughout the United States. He currently hosts the Time in the Word and Truth To Live By podcasts and writes at KnowingChristianity.blogspot.com.
Copyright © 2006–2022 by Miguel J. Gonzalez Th.D. and published by Reasons for Faith International Ministries, Inc. by permission. No part may be altered or edited in any way. Permission is granted to use in digital or printed form so long as it is circulated without charge, and in its entirety. This document may not be repackaged in any form for sale or resale. All reproductions must contain the copyright notice (i.e., Copyright © 2006-2021 Miguel J. Gonzalez Th.D.) and this Copyright/Limitations notice.
