Even the short summary of the impact people of great faith have had on mankind makes Hebrews 11 one of the most encouraging chapters in the entire Bible.  Would that each of us could manifest that kind of faith in our lives. What great things could we accomplish for the Kingdom?

Fortunately, God doesn’t ask very many of us to do great things.  He only asks us to do little things, like accepting His Son’s death as payment in full for our sins, and resisting the temptation to mess it up by trying to add to it with some form of religious work.

Hebrews 12
God Disciplines His Sons

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebr. 12:1-3)

Their faith in God’s promises caused these men and women to devote their lives to God’s work, often believing the impossible in doing so.  They’re true examples of the admonition of Romans 12:1-2 to present our whole beings as living sacrifices, not conforming to the pattern of his world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds.  And remember, their work wasn’t motivated by the acquisition of reward, but by faith in God’s promises.  For the most part they died before receiving any reward at all.

Even the Lord Himself was cut off (executed) before receiving any of the Messianic promises, just as Daniel had foretold (Daniel 9:26).  The promise Gabriel had made to Mary that her son would restore the Davidic Kingdom  and rule over Israel forever still awaits fulfillment. It was His faith in His Father’s promise that helped Him endure the cross.  And the joy set before Him was that He would receive you as His bride when all was said and done. (Psalm 45:11) Think about that!

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” [Prov. 3:11-12] (Hebr. 12:4-6)

Let’s clarify a couple of things here. First, the root of discipline is disciple.  A disciple is a student under training.  Is there any case in the Gospels where the Lord artificially brought sickness or torment or hardship upon His disciples to strengthen their faith?  And yet He was training them to take on the most challenging job ever given to man.  And isn’t punishment a function of disobedience? A good father would never punish his child undeservedly, but only following an act of disobedience and then only for the purpose of training.

Those who use verses like this to claim that their misfortune is some kind of test that God is putting them through to build their faith are wrong and are missing out on whatever lesson they might have otherwise learned.  Remember, whenever we justify ourselves we’re condemning God.  By claiming that we’re being tested just to build our faith, we’re inferring that we haven’t done anything to deserve what we’re getting. That means we believe that God is punishing us unfairly. And that means we believe He’s unjust.

There are only three possible causes for our misfortune.  The first and by far most prevalent one is that they’re the predictable consequences of our own behavior.  If you get caught robbing a 7-11 and wind up in jail you have no right to claim that God is testing you, or that He sent you there to get somebody saved, even though that might happen.  He is a master at making our lemons into His lemonade, after all.  Same if you smoke and get cancer, drink to excess and get cirrhosis of the liver, or eat too much fat all your life and plug up your arteries, etc, etc. Warnings against persisting in this kind of behavior are all around, but I’ve found that these are the folks who most often cry, “Why did God do this to me?” when their health fails.

The second cause is the fallen, sinful world we live in with it’s infestation of sickness, disease, mean people, etc.  These things can afflict anyone at anytime. Blame them on the devil, not God.

And the third is that we’re out of fellowship with God and therefore outside of His protection.  This  is the one we can refer to as discipline, and it can only result from misbehaving.  Unconfessed sin, even if it’s just our unwillingness to forgive someone else, is misbehavior and leaves us open to attack.  The attack comes from the devil, but God can’t act to prevent it  because our sin causes a disconnect in the relationship. The cure for this one is 1 John 1:9.  Confess and be re-connected.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebr. 12:7-11)

I know it shouldn’t, but it always shocks me to learn how many Christians are willing to believe that God loved them enough to give His life to save them while they still hated Him, but that after they came to Him, humble and contrite, He began arbitrarily subjecting them to all kinds of hardship and disease to build their faith. I think it’s a classic case of attributing our motives to His behavior. I’ll say it again. When we justify self, we condemn God.  We all need training because we all sin and its purpose is to bring us closer to God, who works everything together for the good of those who love Him.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (Hebr. 12:12-13)

Here’s the only one out of 28 appearances in the New Testament where the Greek word for healing is used figuratively, meaning that by our good example, the lost can become saved.  In every other case it’s used literally, meaning “to cure, or heal, or make whole”.   But believe it or not some are willing to disregard  all the others and cite Hebrews 12:13 to prove that the New Testament doesn’t promise a physical healing to anyone.

Warning Against Refusing God

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. (Hebr. 12:14-17)

 

In reading the account of this in Genesis 27:30-40, you’ll see that Esau expressed no repentance, only regret.  He didn’t believe that what he had done was wrong, but he was angry because it caused him to miss out on some benefits. Without repentance there can be no forgiveness, because to repent means to change our mind and realize that something we did was a sin.  If we don’t believe it was a sin,  we won’t ask to be forgiven.  How many times have you said, “I forgive you” to someone, only to have them give you a blank look, wondering what you’re talking about, or try to justify their behavior to you? They don’t think they’ve done anything wrong.  This is why David asked the Lord to forgive the sins he wasn’t even aware of committing.  (Psalm 19:12) He knew that we don’t realize how much we sin.

 

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” [Exodus 19:12-13]The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” [Deut. 9:19]

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12: 18-24)

The contrast between these two views could not be more stark, unmistakably confirming the overriding importance of the cross.  I believe the sprinkled blood is a reference to the Blood of Jesus that He sprinkled on the altar in Heaven, while the  blood of Abel refers to the animals he brought to the altar in Eden. The first has made us perfect forever while the second only set their sins aside temporarily.

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” [Haggai 2:6] The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” [Deut. 4:24] (Hebr: 12:25-29)

 

Those who don’t believe don’t do what’s been commanded and fall away when things get difficult. In the Old Covenant it was obey the commandments, in the New it’s believe in the one He has sent.  Once again the writer issues a warning against unbelief and then reassures his readers that he wasn’t talking about us. To us he says, “Since you’re receiving something that can’t be taken away, worship God accordingly”.

 

Hebrews 13

 

Concluding Exhortations

Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebr. 13:1-3)

The writer began his letter saying that angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. (Hebr. 1:14)  Now he says that when they come, they’ll look just like us.  We have no idea how many times the ordinary looking person who appeared out of the blue to give us a hand had been standing at the throne of God just a few seconds earlier.  Nor do we know how many other times it happened without us even noticing it. We should be more aware, and thank all those who offer help as if they were ministering spirits.  And instead of shunning those who are in trouble as if they have a communicable disease we should treat them as we would want to be treated. These are specific examples of a general principle, the Golden Rule.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” [Deut. 31:6]

 

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”[Psalm 118:6-7] (Hebr. 13:4-6)

 

The two most common marriage killers are sex and money.  Both are exacerbated by a society that tells us that to be successful, lots of both are necessary.  But the Lord knows what we need and has promised that we’ll never want for anything.  If we seek first his Kingdom, everything else will follow. (Matt. 6:33)

 

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebr. 13:7-8)

Look at the great men of faith for inspiration, but also at those among your contemporaries who’ve had the greatest spiritual impact on you.  Emulate them. The Lord’s promises don’t change.  What He did for them, He’ll do for you.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. (Hebr. 13:9-10)

The letter was written primarily to Jews and the writer reminded them that the dietary restrictions did them no spiritual good. As an example, with all their ritual cleanliness, the priests could not partake of communion.

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebr. 13:11-16)

He was sacrificed outside the city alongside the basest of criminals, of no more value to the religious leaders than the carcasses of their discarded sacrifices. The idea is that if they were looking for Jesus they’d have to go outside of Judaism to find Him. God is no longer pleased with the ritual sacrifices. What He most desires is our acknowledgment that the perfect sacrifice to which they all pointed has come, and that we’re kind to others as an expression of our gratitude for that.  This is our sacrifice of praise.

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebr.13:17)

Paul admonished us to obey the heads of our governments.  They were set in place by God Himself. (Romans 13:1) Now we’re being told to obey our ecclesiastical leaders as well.  As we are the flock they’re the shepherds and have to account for each of us.  Being an undue burden upon them doesn’t do anyone any good.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.

I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

Greet all your leaders and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.

Grace be with you all.(Hebr. 13:18-25)

In this chapter we’re given 7 elements of brotherly love.

1.      be kind to strangers

2.      remember those in prison

3.      remember the mistreated

4.      keep the marriage bed pure

5.      avoid the love of money

6.      obey our church leaders

7.      maintain the purity of the Gospel

We’re also given several clues that Paul was the writer.  His mention of Timothy, his request for their prayers that he’d be able to visit them, his mention of those in Italy, and his use of the word grace.  It was his distinguishing mark, appearing in the closing of every one of his letters.  No other writer made such use of the word.

I hope that from this study, you’re beginning to agree with me that the letter most often quoted in denial of eternal security is in fact its most ardent supporter.  Saved by grace and justified by faith, we have been made perfect forever by the blood of Jesus.

The over arching principle of the Epistle to the Hebrews is that our position before God is based on our belief that the once-for-all-time sacrifice of our Great High Priest was sufficient for our salvation. Some have said that this letter can be seen as a commentary on Habakkuk 2:4  “The just shall live by faith.” Martin Luther saw this verse written in fire in the sky as he wrestled with his doubts about Catholicism, and was energized to start the movement that would become the Protestant Reformation.  But 1500 years earlier the writer to the Hebrews could have had the same verse in mind as he pleaded with his readers not to fall back into the Levitical System.
Hebrews 11
By Faith
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. (Hebr. 11:1-2)

Now he’ll draw upon His extensive Old Testament background to recall to their minds that long before the Law governed the behavior of God’s people,  their most distinguished ancestors had lived their lives according to faith.  In doing so, he’ll fill some of the gaps in our knowledge with some very interesting details.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebr. 11:3-4)

No representative of the human race was present at the Creation.  Adam didn’t arrive until the Earth was ready for habitation and teeming with plant and animal life.  God was the only witness, but he had the pertinent details preserved for our learning, asking us to take His word for how He had done it.  It was and still is the first test of a believer’s faith.  It’s almost as if He’s saying, “How can you believe that I’ve saved you like I said if you won’t believe that I created you like I said?”

After the Fall, a provision had to be made for man’s sin to permit continued life in God’s creation.  When Adam and Eve made clothes for themselves, they were performing the first act of religious work, covering their shame before a Holy God with the works of their hands.  God said, “No”, and made them clothes out of the skins of animals.  He was showing them that they would only be covered by the shedding of innocent blood. Then He built them an altar where the Cherubim were stationed and taught them a form of what would later become the Levitical system. Offering the life of an innocent animal was a sign of their faith in His promise that “the Seed of the Woman” would one day reverse the damage they’d done and redeem them from their bondage of sin.

Later Cain rebelled and continued to offer the work of his hands. God rejected his offering and Cain was angry,  God said, “Why are you angry.  If you do what is right will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:6-7) Right from the beginning, man’s only acceptable response to God  has involved the shedding of innocent blood combined with faith, as Abel’s offering continues to demonstrate.

 

 

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebr. 11:5-6)

According to Jude 1:14-15 the first prophecy of the 2nd Coming was given by Enoch, who saw through the eye of faith how God would ultimately respond to those who rebel against Him.  Tradition holds that Enoch was born on the 6th of Sivan, later known as Pentecost, and was “raptured” on his 365th birthday, as a reward for his faith.  If so it makes him an interesting model of the Church, also born on Pentecost, and also promised to be raptured as a reward for our faith. Since Enoch was taken well before the first world-wide judgment of mankind, the Great Flood, it follows that the church will be taken well before the second one, the Great Tribulation.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (Hebr. 11:7)

When God created the Earth, He positioned a water vapor canopy around it to ward off harmful ultra-violet rays. (Gen. 1:6) This prevented the corruption of the cellular regeneration process, giving man long life spans.  It also meant that the Earth experienced no storms or even bad weather, only an endless succession of picture perfect days.  To irrigate the plant life, He made water spray up out of the ground at night, a world wide automatic sprinkler system. (Genesis 2:6) The water formed into streams and rivers, and the plant life flourished.

It’s quite likely that the “things not seen” mentioned here included rain. It’s one of the things Noah warned the people about that made them ridicule him. “Water falling out of the sky?  Get real.”  By the time they realized he wasn’t crazy they were standing  in it, soaked to the skin, as the ark floated away. (Genesis 7:11-12)  Of all the people on Earth, only Noah had the faith to take God at His word.  Sounds a lot like today doesn’t it?  Talk to people about the coming Great Tribulation and from most, you’ll get the same response.  “God raining judgment down from Heaven?  Get real!”

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebr. 11:8-10)

Abraham had never seen the place God was going to show him, and would undertake a journey far greater than the average man of his time would attempt to get there. It wasn’t a case of blind faith but a faith born of complete confidence in God’s trustworthiness.  Now we learn that Abraham looked beyond the incredible gift of the Promised Land, and also saw the Kingdom Age, when all of God’s promises to His people would come true forever.

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. (Hebrews 11:11-12)

When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90.  Notice how the writer completely ignored the issue of Hagar and Ishmael, just as he had earlier ignored Abraham’s delay in leaving Haran until his father died, sidestepping God’s command to leave his father’s household. (Genesis 12:1)  Peter did the same thing in commending Sarah’s submissiveness (1Peter 3:5-6) even though by asserting her own will, she created a problem that plagues Abraham’s people to this day.   When our lives are characterized by faith, God “forgets” our lapses and credits our faith as righteousness.

Some see the reference to stars in the sky as being to Israel, Abraham’s biological descendants, and the sand on the seashore as being the Church, Abraham’s spiritual descendants. (Galatians 3:29)

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebr. 11:13-16)

None of the patriarchs aspired to wealth or power.  None is named among the kings of the Earth, although several were certainly in a position to become so. Abraham was probably one of the richest men on Earth in his time yet he never built a home, much less a city.  And all of them died with out seeing any of God’s promises come true.  Yet they’re commended for their faith.  Today we who are preoccupied with the life to come are described by other Christians as being “so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good.”   Doubtless there were those who thought of Enoch, Noah, and Abraham the same way and laughed at their lack of attention to the things of this world.  Guess who’s laughing now?

Let’s take a moment here to clarify the difference in destines between Israel and the Church.  Whenever the Bible talks about the destiny of the Jews, it’s always in the context of Earth.  On the other hand the Church’s destiny is clearly Heaven, or more accurately, the New Jerusalem.  Although it takes some effort to see it, this difference is actually confirmed in Isaiah 65:17 and Rev. 21:1where both a new Heaven and a new Earth are mentioned.  (For the purposes of this discussion we’ll ignore the controversies over when this will happen,Millennium or Eternity, and how it will happen, whether the old Heaven and Earth will be made new or whether both will be created new from scratch after the old are destroyed.)

If the writer to the Hebrews was telling us that since the beginning God’s people have looked forward to dwelling in Heaven, why are both required? Where’s the need for a new Earth?

Well, if you take all the passages from the Old Testament that speak of Israel’s eternal dwelling place you have to conclude that it’s on Earth.  There are several of these in the Book of Isaiah (chapters 35 and 65 are a couple of good ones) but perhaps the clearest one is in Ezekiel 43:7 where after the 2nd Coming, upon entering the Temple in Israel on Earth for the first time in over 2600 years, God will say, “This is where I will live among the Israelites forever.”

My point is this.  Just because Abraham was looking forward to a city whose architect and builder is God, and just because the patriarchs were all looking for a better country, a heavenly one, doesn’t mean it can’t be on Earth.  In fact it has to be in order to fulfill God’s promises to them.

On the other hand, the Church is clearly promised that one day Jesus will return to Earth to take us to be with Him in the place He was about to go to when He made the promise, Heaven. (John 14:2-3) He didn’t promise to return and stay with us here where we are, as His Father did with Israel.  He promised to take us to be with Him there, where He was going to prepare a place for us.  When He left Earth He went to Heaven and that’s where He’s been preparing our place. When He returns for us, He’ll take us there.  See the difference?

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. (Hebr. 11:17-19)

A careful reading of Genesis 22 shows that both Abraham and Isaac knew what God was doing and had agreed to it.  And according to the Hebrew words used, Isaac wasn’t a little boy as many of us were taught, but a young man old enough to serve in the military.  The part that took the faith was actually putting Isaac to death to help God send His message.  But they both trusted God and Isaac let his father tie him to the altar and raise his knife to kill him.

Abraham knew that God had promised him that a great nation would come through Isaac, He also knew that God could not break His promise.  Therefore he reasoned that if he killed Isaac, God would have to bring him back from the dead.  Since he also knew that he would obey God, Abraham regarded Isaac as though dead from the time that God asked him sacrifice him.  When God stopped him, Abraham in effect received Isaac back from the dead. The elapsed time was three days.

The point of the episode was not to test Abraham’s faith.  It was to demonstrate that God would one day offer His only Son on that very spot as a sacrifice for sin, and by obeying God Abraham was acting out a prophecy, sending the world a message. To prove this, Abraham named the place Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, saying “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14)

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.(Hebr. 11:20-22)

The prophecy Rebekkah received at the time of her sons’ birth told her that the elder would serve the younger. (Genesis 25:23)  Here we’re told that she and Jacob didn’t need to manipulate the outcome of Isaac’s patriarchal blessing, he was acting in faith when he gave the blessing of the first born to Jacob instead of his older brother Esau. So was Jacob, when he repeated the episode by blessing Joseph’s younger son Ephraim over Manasseh.  I believe that this was a prophecy.  In the human sense, Adam was the first son of God (Luke 3:38), but Jesus inherited the position of first born over all creation. (Colossians 1:15) By the testimony of these two witnesses this was established.

Joseph knew of the Lord’s promise to His people and believed that they would be returned from Egypt to the Land God had given to Abraham. He knew of the 400 years that would precede it while the Lord gave the Amorites the opportunity to repent, an opportunity God knew they would squander, (Genesis 15:13-21) and n faith made them promise to carry his bones back to be buried in the Promised Land.

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. (Hebr. 11:23-28)

There’s a hint here and in Acts 7:20 that Moses’ parents knew that he was to be Israel’s deliverer.  Tradition says that Jochabed, his mother, had a dream about it.  If so, it was her faith that prompted her to hide her son and then make sure that Pharaoh’s daughter would find him.  Perhaps knowing this this is what made Moses kill the Egyptian soldier who was mistreating an Israelite, resulting in his flight to Midian. (Exodus 2:11-12) His return 40 years later, after any influence he might have had in the Egyptian court was gone, is a dramatic exercise in faith.  As an 80 year old shepherd from Midian he brought the greatest empire of his day to ruin, armed with nothing more than the faith that God would be with him and had chosen to work through him.

 

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.  By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.  By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (Hebr. 11:29-31)

Who would walk between two walls of water several stories high with no visible barrier to prevent them from drowning at any given moment?  And who would march around a city every day for a week just because they’d been told that the walls would fall down if they did? And why would a woman hide two enemy spies from her own people at the risk of her life?  None of them had any experience to confirm the validity of their actions.  As the writer defined it,  faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions (Daniel), quenched the fury of the flames (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), and escaped the edge of the sword (Elisha); whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (David). Women received back their dead, raised to life again(the widows of Zarepath and Nain, the Shunammite woman, the wife of Jairus). Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.  (martyrs of the Maccabean Revolt ) Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison (Jeremiah, Paul and Silas). They were stoned (Zechariah and Stephen); they were sawed in two(Isaiah); they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated (John the Baptist)— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.(Elijah) (Hebrews 11:32-38)

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)

Paul wrote that the entire creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19).  None of God’s eternal promises will be fulfilled until we who have believed by faith are raptured and seated in the presence of our Lord. As much as we admire and even venerate these heroes of old, when the dust of rebellion has settled and the Kingdom is once again secure in the hands of its Creator, it’s the Church that will be held pre-imminent in all Creation, so that in the coming ages God might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephes. 2:7).