Christ's First Advent Prefigured

[Thompson, Darryl]

Christ's First Advent Prefigured 

     By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Heb.
11:24, 25.  

     While he {Moses} was sitting under the very shadow of the throne,
the Spirit of the Lord stirred his heart to lift the crushing weight
that was pressing his brethren into the lowest degradation and slavery.
His heart ached with sorrow, as if he himself were in slavery, laboring
in the brick kiln, and sharing their degradation. They were slaves,
suffering under the cruel lash. They were a reproach and a hissing to
all the Egyptians, from Pharaoh down to the lowest serf. 

     But the Lord had singled out Moses as the one to deliver the
oppressed race, and by forty years of exile, under the discipline of
God, he was prepared for the work. Understanding the evil disposition of
his own countrymen, knowing how many would be perverse and unreasonable,
understanding that they might betray him, he was yet considering ways
and means to accomplish their deliverance, though supposing that he
himself had forfeited all right to be the instrument. But God, in the
bush which though burning was yet unconsumed by the fire, presented
Himself, and selected Moses as His agent. . . .  

     Moses was accepted as a co-worker with God. He knew that scorn,
hatred, persecution, and maybe death would be his portion if he should
act any part in espousing the cause of the Hebrew captives. . . . He had
stood in great popularity as the general of Pharaoh's armies, and he
knew that now his name would be bandied round and falsified, but he
esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt" (Heb. 11:26). He laid down the prospect of a kingly crown, and
took up the burdens of his oppressed and afflicted people.  

     Moses was chosen of God to break the yoke of bondage upon the
children of Israel, and . . . in his work he prefigured Christ's first
advent to break Satan's power over the human family and deliver those
who were made captives by his power.  

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