Looking Ahead
“He [Moses] chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting
pleasures of sin. 26 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 11:25–26 NIV)
Eschatology is a branch within Christian studies on the last things. Does eschatology matter on
a daily, life decision making basis, or is it purely a topic for scholars to debate in some esoteric
and impractical sense? Biblically, the answer is that eschatology does matter in making life
choices, and Hebrews 11 citation of Moses is a paramount example of just how practical and
informative eschatology is to daily life.
Moses and something greater
Throughout Moses’ life he had multiple opportunities to take different paths. As a young man he
could have chosen to be identified as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Heb 11:24), doubtless that
would have led to a life of more ease, than a life identified as a Hebrew slave. Yet, Moses
rejected Egypt in favor of a life that would be subject to the harshness of earthly taskmasters.
Hebrews speaks of the fleeting pleasures of sin as being one option Moses had. Some dream of
having opportunities for fame, power, and fortune. For Moses, that trifecta of temptation was not
a potentiality or dream or wish, it was a reality he was adopted into. That trifecta of fleeting
pleasure was not comparable with the ambition of Moses. Earthly acclaim, domination, and
riches did not hold his attention. Moses was looking to something of far greater value than those
treasures offered in Egypt.
We can say Moses certainly did have an eschatology as Hebrews 11 speaks of “looking ahead”.
As we consider the study of the last things and grow in our appreciation of how much
eschatology matters, we can see that our ancient forebears in the faith also appreciated
eschatology. The reward that lay ahead was for Moses the very motivating foundation of his life.
With no hope or faith in an unseen future, Moses surely would have lived a very different life. It
was the hope and faith of Moses in the unseen future inheritance of God that informed his daily
living.
The hope and faith of Moses points to a life in which eschatology mattered in a practical, daily
way. His future hope of the last things led him to endure suffering, and forsake the fleshly
attachments of Egypt. May we grow in our own hope and faith, making decisions on a daily
basis that reveal a life posture of looking ahead.