Make a Football of Pharaoh's Crown!
Moses' decision to refuse the pleasures of sin and follow God is a powerful example of faith and perseverance.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the faith of Moses, who, upon growing up, rejected the identity and privileges of being Pharaoh's grandson in favor of suffering with God's people. He highlights Moses' perspective on eternal rewards over temporary pleasures, illustrating how Moses viewed the treasures of Egypt as insignificant compared to the glory of God. Brooks uses the imagery of Moses treating Pharaoh's crown as a football to symbolize his disdain for worldly honors and his commitment to a higher calling. This act of faith demonstrates the power of seeing the invisible God and prioritizing spiritual wealth over earthly gain.
Text
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and chose to suffer
with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived
pleasure of sin. For he considered reproach for the sake of
the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,
since his attention was on the reward. By faith he left Egypt
behind, not being afraid of the king's anger, for he persevered,
as one who sees Him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:24-27
When Moses had seen Him who was invisible, when he had
taken a full prospect of the eternal world, and when he had
beheld God as his portion--oh, how does he slight, scorn, and
trample upon all the honors, preferments, profits, pleasures,
delights, and contentments of Egypt--as things below him,
and as things that in no respects were worthy of him!
It is a Rabbinical fable, that as a child, Moses had Pharaoh's
crown given him to play with--and he made a football of it,
and cast it down to the ground, and kicked it about, as if it
were a sign of his future vilifying and despising of temporal
things. I shall not much trouble my head about what Moses
did when he was a child. But of this I am sure, having the
word of God for it, "By faith Moses, when he had grown up,
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;" that is,
he did little less than make a football of Pharaoh's crown!
Witness his refusing with a holy scorn and disdain, to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and so to succeed Pharaoh in
the throne.
Sermon Outline
- Moses' Faithful Decision
- The Reward of Faith
- Moses' Vision of the Invisible God
- Making a Football of Pharaoh's Crown
- Despising temporal things
- Refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter
Key Quotes
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin.” — Thomas Brooks
“When Moses had seen Him who was invisible, when he had taken a full prospect of the eternal world, and when he had beheld God as his portion--oh, how does he slight, scorn, and trample upon all the honors, preferments, profits, pleasures, delights, and contentments of Egypt--as things below him, and as things that in no respects were worthy of him!” — Thomas Brooks
“By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king's anger, for he persevered, as one who sees Him who is invisible.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- You can choose to reject the honors and pleasures of the world and follow God, just like Moses did.
- Persevering through difficult circumstances requires trusting in God's invisible presence and keeping your eyes on Him.
- The reward of faith is considering reproach for Christ greater wealth than the treasures of the world.