Faithful Exiles: Finding Hope in a Hostile WorldSample

For Christians, exile is usually imposed, not chosen. But rich and influential figures like Moses have a choice. Moses could have lounged for a lifetime in palaces, rubbing shoulders with princes. He didn’t have to surrender riches or reputation or endure the scorn that comes with pursuing holiness. But he did.

Christians today face a similar choice. This foreign land is filled with strange gods and enticing treasures. Many of these treasures are good in an earthly sense, as are some things our neighbors wrongly worship (like sex and money). There’s nothing wrong with Christians having and enjoying such things or with wielding the influence and authority that Moses had. Yet a time will come when everyone who follows Christ will have to choose between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. When the two conflict, the result will be a painful, costly separation—either from earth or from heaven.

On seeing the rich young ruler choose separation from God rather than separation from his money, Jesus observed there are few things more difficult than for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 19:23). He spoke from experience. The true and better Deliverer was the richest of all voluntary exiles. He was in the form not of a “prince of Egypt,” but of the God of the universe. This greater Moses “emptied himself,” took on “the form of a servant,” and became “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:6–8).

Why did he do this? Because he loved us, of course, just as Moses loved his people (John 3:16).

But he also did it because, like Moses, he was after a heavenly reward—a great joy that brought him through the agony and shame of the cross and into the triumph of Easter morning (Heb.12:2). In rising from the dead and ascending to the right hand of God, this true Deliverer led (and is leading) a spiritual exodus greater than any in history (Luke 4:18) into a promised land filled with incorruptible treasure (Matt 6:19–21).

If Christians with earthly wealth, influence, or reputation follow in the footsteps of Moses, we should expect to pay a high price. But like Israel’s deliverer, who regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater than the treasures of Egypt, we should also expect God to richly repay our choice. For all of time, he’s brought about mighty, history-changing events through those who chase holiness till it hurts. And beyond time and history, he promises all who volunteer for exile a reward that would make Pharaoh jealous (Matt. 19:29; Rom. 8:18).