John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 11:27

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." — Hebrews 11:27 (ASV)

By faith he forsook Egypt, etc. This can be said of his first as well as his second departure, that is, when he brought the people out with him. He indeed left Egypt then, when he fled from Pharaoh's house. Additionally, his departure is recorded by the Apostle before he mentions the celebration of the Passover.

He seems, then, to speak of Moses' flight; nor is what he adds—that he feared not the wrath of the king,—any objection to this, even though Moses himself relates that he was compelled to do so by fear. For if we look at the beginning of his course, he did not fear; that is, when he declared himself to be the avenger of his people.

However, when I consider all the circumstances, I am inclined to view this as his second departure; for it was then that he bravely disregarded the king's fierce wrath, being armed with such power by God’s Spirit that he often, of his own accord, defied the fury of that wild beast. It was undoubtedly an instance of the wonderful strength of faith that he brought out a multitude untrained for war and burdened with many encumbrances, and yet hoped that God's hand would open a way for him through innumerable difficulties. He saw a most powerful king in a furious rage, and he knew that the king would not stop until he had tried his utmost. But since he knew that God had commanded him to depart, he committed the outcome to Him, nor did he doubt that He would, in due time, restrain all the Egyptians' assaults.

As seeing him who is invisible. No, but he had seen God in the midst of the burning bush: this, then, seems to have been said improperly and not very suitably to the present subject. I indeed allow that Moses was strengthened in his faith by that vision before he undertook the glorious work of delivering the people; but I do not admit that it was such a view of God as divested him of his bodily senses and transferred him beyond the trials of this world.

At that time, God only showed him a certain symbol of His presence; but he was far from seeing God as He is. Now, the Apostle means that Moses so endured as though he were taken up to heaven and had God only before his eyes; and as though he had nothing to do with men, was not exposed to the perils of this world, and had no contests with Pharaoh.

And yet, it is certain that he was surrounded by so many difficulties that he could not help but think sometimes that God was far away from him, or at least, that the king's obstinacy, furnished as it was with so many means of resistance, would eventually overcome him.

In short, God appeared to Moses in such a way as still to leave room for faith; and Moses, when beset by terrors on every side, turned all his thoughts to God. He was indeed assisted in this by the vision we have mentioned; yet he saw more in God than what that symbol intimated, for he understood His power, and that power absorbed all his fears and dangers. Relying on God’s promise, he felt assured that the people, though then oppressed by the tyranny of the Egyptians, were already, in a sense, the lords of the promised land.

From this we learn:

1. That the true character of faith is to set God always before our eyes.
2. That faith beholds higher and more hidden things in God than what our senses can perceive.
3. That a view of God alone is sufficient to strengthen our weakness, so that we may become firmer than rocks to withstand all the assaults of Satan.

It follows from this that the weaker and less resolute anyone is, the less faith he has.