Have you ever seen the movie “12 Angry Men”? The movie depicts a jury that is all but certain of the murder case’s defendant’s guilt, based on witness testimony that is questionable at best, and on the jurors' readiness to get out of the jury room and back to their everyday lives.
One member of the jury is unconvinced of the defendant’s guilt and raises the question as to the validity of the evidence against the man. The juror then proceeds to draw the ire of the gentlemen in his company as he argues the possibility of the other side; he bears the reproach of the defendant until a decision is reached and the jury is adjourned.
Just like in the movie, the Biblical story of Moses depicts him taking on the pain and suffering of the Israelite people rather than enjoying the riches and fullness of Egypt. Hebrews 11:26 states that “He (Moses) considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”
Moses considered the relationship with his people and the reward of heaven to be his future. He endured hardship, suffering, and no earthly home in which to dwell to love his people. He was forsaken in one world to be present in another world altogether.
If you have a relationship with God, we know another individual that bore the reproach of His people. 2 Corinthians 8:9 reminds us about the grace of our Lord that though he was rich, for our sakes, he became poor so that by his poverty we might become rich. He, through sacrificing His perfect life, gave us the opportunity to obtain eternal life in Him.
Moses bore the reproach of the Israelites because he was looking to the reward to come, but what about Christ? What could our Lord possibly be looking forward to as His reward as he already has eternal life and relationship with the Father? The answer is relationship with us through Himself.
Our Lord bore our reproach on the cross so that we might have access to the Father through him. He considered the wealth of the relationship that He and His Father would gain with us to be greater than Him staying in Heaven in perfect relationship with the Father for all eternity.
That is love. Real love! What, therefore, is our response to Christ’s love? Hebrews 13:13 states, “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” He sacrificed himself outside of the world and the only possible and reasonable response is to do the same in worship and praise to Him. Our reward is not here. It is not in what we can gain, in positive differences we can make in this world, or fame and notoriety, but it is in Jesus Christ!
Eternal life is not about unlimited time, but it is perfect union with Christ! As Moses did so long ago, let us consider the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt so we may obtain our reward: union with the Father.