Here we see faith opposed by fear, and the victory of faith over the dread of wrath. Consider Moses' work and his danger, his faith and his safety.
Moses was engaged in a great work: he was to go to Pharaoh, and say from the Lord, "Israel is my son, even my first born, let him go that he may serve me." Exod. 4:22, 23. Now might not the king very naturally look upon Moses as a dangerous, pestilent enthusiast, who, under the pretence of religion, wished to raise a rebellion in his kingdom? Had Moses no fear that the king might put him to death in his wrath? "for the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion," Prov. 9:12 –most terribly fierce.
But consider his faith; this set him above fear. He bids defiance to wrath. Forsake Egypt he must; to flee from the king he was determined; for he had the command of his God for it. Faith is the parent of all holy obedience. Was his faith nothing more than a strong impulse of his mind, something within him which suggested to him that he must forsake Egypt? This he might have had, and obeyed it too to his own destruction; but he had the Lord's word for the ground of his faith: mind this: "Thus saith the Lord, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring my people out of Egypt :" there is the word of his faith.
Consider his safety. Pharaoh could not hurt the hair of his head: why not? Because the Lord added, "certainly I will be with thee." Exod. 3:12. There is the warrant for his safety: thus he believed God, and feared not the wrath of the king.
See here the nature and actings of a true and lively faith. It has the word of the Lord for its object. There may be strong impressions of mind, warm suggestions of fancy, where there is not, Thus saith the Lord. Soul, these will not carry thee out of the Egypt of nature to the promised land; they will forsake thee: then thou wilt not only fear the wrath of a king, but the shaking of a leaf. Faith in the Lord's word delivers the soul from fear of the Lord's enemies; according to the strength of our faith we are set above fears of wrath; we cannot have stronger cause for faith than the Lord's word, nor a better object for our faith than the Son of God. O then, when fear of wrath prevails, look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, with the prayer, "Lord, increase my faith." Luke 17:5