Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Take notice particularly that it is said, "He endured," not because he saw, but "as seeing Him who is invisible." No one sees God, no one ever has seen Him, in this life. God, to everybody, is but an idea — an idea which, with our ignorant minds, we fashion and project into some external form. The mode of forming this idea is that which makes the difference between savage and semi-civilised or civilised men. The stage of one's development is shown by the form of the idea which he works out. Some do it by one method, and some by another. Some do it with base materials, representing the passions of men, and some with higher materials, representing men's higher faculties — representing the true Christian notion of God and His magisterial and paternal character. Paternity is the highest conception that the human mind is capable of forming. Under the elements of Divine paternity, justice and power and wisdom rank themselves subordinate, love being the highest quality, and of that quality paternal love being the highest form. This idea is composite and constructive. In connection with it we have a sense of personality. If we are to have a God who is of use to us, He must be a person; for though there may be some imaginative men who can conceive of a pantheistic God, yet personality is indispensable to any practical use of that conception. The usefulness to us of the Divine attributes will depend upon what we have been accustomed to ascribe to the highest good. First, we form a notion of a person. Then we gather around that person certain attributes. We then give to these a function, or a scope of government. Then we add to all a disposition. And though these are based upon wise instruction, yet in the process of using them each man will colour and shape by his own nature and experience what that Being is who is made up of attributes, who has functions, and who bears a disposition. It was in the presence of such thoughts of God as these — thoughts of His vastness, of His power, of His endurance from age to age, of the smallness of the world, of its people, and of their forces in His sight, and of His tenderness, His love, and His sacrifice for them; it was in the presence of such thoughts as these that Moses dwelt; and the effect was, that by his daily companionship with such a Being, and by the legitimate influence of a constant contemplation of His character he was clothed with a power such as has been seldom vouchsafed to man, and never probably in administrative realms; and the effect upon his mind, doubtless, would be to create a wholesome fear of God as the supereminent Magistrate, so that he would maintain in himself caution as to the use of the power which was put into his hands. So, too, a strong trust was begotten in him. The sense of God present in His own world; the faith that things are not in the hands of chance, but are under an intelligent Providence that controls them, are essential elements of support in the affairs of kingdoms and of nations; and Moses, who had a people that would have vexed his nature to death if he had not had some such support, looked up to the Providence in which inheres the Divine nature; and day by day he felt that God was his counsel, his strength, his companion, his trust. Then there was a companionship of love, and of worship as well; but that which I wish more especially developed of the influences that made Moses what he was, is the measurement which was furnished to him by the nature, the government, the existence of God. Men look around and say, "If I were such a one it would not be difficult for me to be a saint; if I were relieved from the million grinding necessities of poverty, it would not be difficult for me to live in a spirit of benevolence; if I could put down my rivals, and triumph over my enemies, I would not be envious"; but a multitude of fortuitous elements come in and determine what men are, and what right they have to happiness; and there ought to be for every man such a standard that the world shall not have power over him, and that he can say, "Years, and days, and hours; the seasons — winter, spring, summer, and autumn — they are my servants. I extract that of good which they bring to me, and I reject the imperiousness by which they attempt to govern me." This is what every man should say in himself — "I am a son of God; I live as seeing Him who is invisible; and I take God as the standard by which to measure myself, my success, and my surroundings. Whatever life has for me of joy or sorrow, that I measure by this standard, and say, "I am adequate to every emergency. I am never surprised. I am not taken captive. I am cast down, but not destroyed." We live here for what there is in the other life. We are perpetually meeting the events in this life as though they were the only events that are to befall us, whereas they are merely auxiliary to the real purpose for which every man lives. We do not live here to rear families; we do not live here to enjoy riches simply, though we take these on the way to the realm beyond. We come to our home in heaven through the passage of death, every one of us; and we live for that which is invisible. In the other sphere, our manhood is being taken. We sit here, but the colours which make the portrait dispose themselves beyond — in the other land. There the true likeness and lineaments of every man's soul are projected. Who are the great men? They have as often sat on dungeon floors as upon the throne of dominion. Who are the persons of prosperity? They have as often been found in the homes of poverty as in the mansions of the rich. Who are the happy men? Not they who succeed in the things which men seek, but those who by unsuccesses succeed — those who by disappointment in outward things are forced upon that God, that manhood, and that sense of immortality in which all true manly success lies. Who are they that are blest? They that mourn. Who are they that have power? They who are empty, that the excellency of their power may be of God and not of men. Who are they that are instructed of God? Those that are weak — weak of the flesh; weak in the mere secular elements of power, but strong in the invisible elements of hope, and of faith, and of God-likeness. (H. W. Beecher.) Parallel Verses KJV: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. |
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