Hebrews 11:27

Last night, at Camp Hope, I led a brief devotional from Hebrews 11:27, which I indicated referred to the first time Moses left Egypt (after killing the Egyptian) rather than the second time (after the 10th and final plague). A church member later asked me why I thought this was the case. So, let me try to explain my thinking:

1. First, let me say that there is nothing in Hebrews 11 or in Exodus 2 that explicitly tells us whether the first or second exodus is referred to in Hebrews 11:27. It could be either. So, I don't believe that we should be dogmatic either way. But the text in Hebrews does seem to suggest that it's the first rather than the second.

2. Hebrews 11:27 says that Moses left Egypt "not fearing the king's anger" (NIV). There clearly was reason for Moses to fear the king's anger the first time he left Egypt. Exodus 2:14 even tells us that Moses was afraid when he learned that what he had done (in killing the Egyptian) was discovered and that the king tried to kill him for it. But would there have been any such reason for Moses to fear the king's anger in the second exodus? Pharaoh commanded Moses and the Israelites to leave Egypt after the final plague and only later reconsidered and chased them down.

3. Hebrews 11:23ff seems to follow a progression in Moses' life, from his parents to the crossing of the Red Sea. This would suggest that v. 27 should probably preceed v. 28 chronologically (the leaving of Egypt would be before the Passover event and the final plague).

4. Hebrews 11:24ff implies that the events of v. 27 is part of Moses' refusal to be "known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter" and his choosing, instead, to be "mistreated along with the people of God" (NIV).

4. There is no necessary contradiction between Exodus 2:14 and Hebrews 11:27 (referring to a first exodus). Just because Moses was afraid when he learned that people knew what he had done doesn't mean that he acted out of fear (specifically fear toward the king) in leaving Egypt for Midian.

Well, there it is, take it for what it's worth! Comments?