Hebrews 11:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

NIV: He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

NASB: choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin,

CSB: and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.

NLT: He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

KJV: Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

NKJV: choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

Moses is described in this passage as a man who exhibited true, godly faith. Earlier, this kind of faith was defined as reasoned, obedient, forward-looking trust in God (Hebrews 11:1–3). Examples were given of Old Testament figures who lived out a reliance on God, even when they could not see the entire picture of how God was working. In many cases, these faithful ones were faced with drastic, immediate dilemmas, such as Abraham's obedience regarding Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19), and Moses' parents disobedience to Pharaoh's evil commands (Hebrews 11:23). Moses, himself, is described as rejecting his adoptive status in Pharaoh's own house (Hebrews 11:24), instead favoring his Israeli bloodline.

This rejection, according to this verse, was a deliberate decision by Moses to count himself among the people of God, even as they were abused and persecuted (Exodus 1:8–14), rather than taking the easier road and living in the Egyptian palace. Contrary to pop culture and movies, Moses was always fully aware of his Jewish heritage (Exodus 2:1–10). His willingness to choose Israel, over Egypt, suggests that he was also aware of Israel's history and the promises God had made to that nation. Unfortunately, the first action the book of Exodus records by Moses in that regard is the killing of an abusive Egyptian slaver (Exodus 2:11–12), an event which forced him to flee the country (Exodus 2:13–14).

Hebrews 11:17–31 makes a subtle shift from the prior verses. Earlier, the writer had given examples of faithful obedience leading to God's blessings. Those cases were mostly general, where a willingness to trust God was weighed against an uncertain future. In this passage, however, we are shown men and women who chose to trust God despite immediate, personal hardships. This, as well, is a crucial aspect of faith, which the writer has already defined as a confident trust in God.

True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith. Ultimately, that means trusting God's intent to make good on His promises from an eternal perspective. The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith.

Up to this point, the book of Hebrews has given extensive evidence proving that Jesus Christ, and the new covenant He brought about, is God's ultimate plan for mankind's salvation. Chapter 10 provided an additional warning about the danger of falling away from this truth. Chapter 11 begins by clarifying the meaning of the word ''faith,'' primarily by listing examples of Old Testament figures who exemplify it. The ultimate application of this knowledge should be a motivation to ''hold fast'' to the gospel, despite hardships. That encouragement is a major theme of chapter 12.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.