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Patriarchs and Prophets
prospects of wealth and greatness and fame, “choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season.”
Moses had been instructed in regard to the final reward to be given
to the humble and obedient servants of God, and worldly gain sank
to its proper insignificance in comparison. The magnificent palace of
Pharaoh and the monarch’s throne were held out as an inducement to
Moses; but he knew that the sinful pleasures that make men forget
God were in its lordly courts. He looked beyond the gorgeous palace,
beyond a monarch’s crown, to the high honors that will be bestowed
on the saints of the Most High in a kingdom untainted by sin. He saw
by faith an imperishable crown that the King of heaven would place
on the brow of the overcomer. This faith led him to turn away from
the lordly ones of earth and join the humble, poor, despised nation that
had chosen to obey God rather than to serve sin.
Moses remained at court until he was forty years of age. His
thoughts often turned upon the abject condition of his people, and he
visited his brethren in their servitude, and encouraged them with the
assurance that God would work for their deliverance. Often, stung
to resentment by the sight of injustice and oppression, he burned to
avenge their wrongs. One day, while thus abroad, seeing an Egyptian
smiting an Israelite, he sprang forward and slew the Egyptian. Ex-
cept the Israelite, there had been no witness to the deed, and Moses
immediately buried the body in the sand. He had now shown himself
ready to maintain the cause of his people, and he hoped to see them
rise to recover their liberty. “He supposed his brethren would have
understood how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they
understood not.”
Acts 7:25
. They were not yet prepared for freedom.
On the following day Moses saw two Hebrews striving together, one
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of them evidently at fault. Moses reproved the offender, who at once
retaliated upon the reprover, denying his right to interfere, and basely
accusing him of crime: “Who made thee a prince and a judge over
us?” he said. “Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?”
The whole matter was quickly made known to the Egyptians,
and, greatly exaggerated, soon reached the ears of Pharaoh. It was
represented to the king that this act meant much; that Moses designed
to lead his people against the Egyptians, to overthrow the government,
and to seat himself upon the throne; and that there could be no security