Day 293

Day 293

Pray (ACts)

Read - Exodus 2:11-12

Message - Alan Burke 

Imagine the media furore there would be if Prince William had saw someone being attacked and ran to their aid but in what followed he had killed the attacker. Some would be calling him a hero, demanding he was made king today for what he did while others would want to see him languishing in prison. I doubt any court in the land would convict him unless the video of what happened by the forty onlookers who stood their and did nothing to help. Even if it did end up in court I imagine that the best defence lawyers in the land would be representing Prince William and a technicality would mean the case was dropped. 

Today we have read about Moses taking the life of an Egyptian. How did it come to this? Remember those years that he had been brought up by his family before being adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh, well they had taught Moses who he was, he was a Hebrew. When Moses left the palace and saw what was happening to one of his own people he was filled with compassion at what he saw. He could have simply clicked his fingers and he would have had salves and servants coming to his aid and stop what he saw but he was incensed and his rage resulted in him taking action and the blood of this Egyptian was shed and he buried the corpse in a shallow grave (12). 

As a prince of Egypt he held the power of of the sword, it’s doubtful whether he would have faced any consequence if he had just left the dead slavedriver where he lay, and to the Hebrews he would have likely become a patriot. It doesn’t change the fact that this compassionate prince had taken the life of another. In Acts we are told that when Moses killed the Egyptian, he was acting in obedience to a divine vocation as he understood it (Acts 7:25) yet it was not God’s way.

The book of hebrews helps us to understand somewhat what goes on here where we are told, for:  “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Heb 11:24–26).

It was the moment that Moses left the palace to see the people of God that changed, he had made a choice to leave what he knew behind him even though he had nothing to gain from an earthly point of view and it changed everything for him. He in one foul swoop had brunt his bridges with Egypt.

Think a moment to what Moses has done, he has gone from a place of influence to nothing, there are many who may think that Moses would have been better to stay in Pharaohs court, he could have with his influence made a difference to his people, he could have done good there, compromise after compromise to make a difference. Likewise there are many today in positions that they feel that staying where they are even though it involves compromise after compromise is the right thing. But Moses knew that following God meant that he had to turn his back on where he was even if he did it in the wrong way. What about us, where we are, is compromise for the greater good the way of it or is it taking up our cross and following the way of Christ, for we are called to suffer of the sake of Christ (Heb 11:26).

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q63 Which is the fifth commandment?
The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. (Exod. 20:12)
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