9. Explain why it may have been difficult for Moses to carry out his assignment.

⁹ Moses “considered the reproach of the Christ to be riches greater than the treasures of Egypt.” (Heb. 11:26) Moses was commissioned as “the Christ,” or “Anointed One,” in that he was selected by Jehovah to lead Israel out of Egypt. Moses knew that carrying out this commission would be difficult, even a “reproach.” One of the Israelites had earlier sneered: “Who appointed you as a prince and a judge over us?” (Ex. 2:13, 14) Later, Moses himself asked Jehovah: “How will Pharaoh ever listen to me?” (Ex. 6:12) To prepare for and deal with reproach, Moses shared his fears and concerns with Jehovah. How did Jehovah help Moses to fulfill his difficult assignment?

10. How did Jehovah equip Moses for his assignment?

¹⁰ First, Jehovah assured Moses: “I will prove to be with you.” (Ex. 3:12) Second, Jehovah inspired confidence by explaining one aspect of the meaning of his name: “I Will Become What I Choose to Become.”a (Ex. 3:14) Third, he endowed Moses with miraculous power that proved that Moses was indeed sent by God. (Ex. 4:2-5) Fourth, Jehovah gave Moses a partner and spokesman, Aaron, to help him carry out his assignment. (Ex. 4:14-16) By the end of his life, Moses was so convinced that God equips His servants to fulfill any assignment He gives them that he could confidently tell his successor, Joshua: “Jehovah is the one marching before you, and he will continue with you. He will neither desert you nor abandon you. Do not be afraid or be terrified.”​—Deut. 31:8.

11. Why did Moses highly esteem his assignment?

¹¹ With Jehovah’s backing, Moses highly esteemed his daunting assignment, viewing it as “greater than the treasures of Egypt.” After all, what was serving Pharaoh compared with serving Almighty God? Of what value was being a prince in Egypt compared with being “the Christ,” or anointed of Jehovah? Moses was rewarded for his appreciative attitude. He enjoyed special intimacy with Jehovah, who enabled him to display “awesome power” as he led the Israelites to the Promised Land.​—Deut. 34:10-12.

“HE LOOKED INTENTLY TOWARD THE PAYMENT OF THE REWARD”

14. Why was Moses certain that he would be rewarded?

¹⁴ Moses “looked intently toward the payment of the reward.” (Heb. 11:26) Yes, Moses allowed his knowledge of the future, though such knowledge was then limited, to shape his outlook. Like his forefather Abraham, Moses was confident that Jehovah can resurrect the dead. (Luke 20:37, 38; Heb. 11:17-19) The prospect of future blessings helped Moses not to view his 40 years as a fugitive and his 40 years in the wilderness as a wasted life. Although he did not have all the details regarding the outworking of God’s promises, his eyes of faith could see the unseen reward.

15, 16. (a) Why do we need to focus on our reward? (b) What blessings under Kingdom rule are you eager to enjoy?

¹⁵ Do you look “intently toward the payment of” your reward? Like Moses, we still do not have all the details regarding God’s promises. For example, we “do not know when the appointed time is” for the great tribulation. (Mark 13:32, 33) Yet, we know far more about the future Paradise than Moses knew. Even without all the details, we have enough divine promises about life under God’s Kingdom to look “intently” toward it. A clear mental image of the new world will move us to seek that Kingdom first. How so? Consider: Would you purchase a house if you knew very little about it? Of course not! Similarly, we would not invest our lives in pursuit of a vague hope. By faith, we must see a clear, focused picture of life under Kingdom rule.

¹⁶ To sharpen your mental image of God’s Kingdom, look “intently” toward your life in Paradise. Use your imagination. For example, when you study the lives of pre-Christian Bible characters, consider what you might ask them when they are resurrected. Imagine what they might ask you about your life during the last days. Envision how excited you will be to meet your ancestors from centuries ago and to teach them about all that God has done for them. Picture your delight as you learn about many wild animals by observing them in peaceful surroundings. Reflect on how much closer you will feel to Jehovah as you progress to perfection.

17. How can a clear picture of our unseen reward help us today?

¹⁷ A clear picture of our unseen reward helps us to keep going, to have joy, and to make decisions based on a secure eternal future. Paul wrote to anointed Christians: “If we hope for what we do not see, we keep eagerly waiting for it with endurance.” (Rom. 8:25) That applies in principle to all Christians with the hope of everlasting life. Although we have not yet received our reward, our faith is so strong that we keep on waiting patiently for “the payment of the reward.” Like Moses, we do not view any years in Jehovah’s service as wasted time. Rather, we are convinced that “the things seen are temporary, but the things unseen are everlasting.”​—Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.