We have been methodically working our way through the book of Hebrews. Today we are considering the testimony of faith of many in the Old Testament. May the object of your faith ever be directed at Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Faith Of Our Fathers
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Faith motivates right actions. Abraham exalted the word of God to such a degree it brought him to obey God even at the time of his testing. Abraham concluded that God was going to fulfill His word no matter what the circumstances brought. When the object of your faith is in God and His word you will see the purpose of God fulfilled.
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Abraham clung to the word of God and exalted it as a certainty.
Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Isaac and Jacob’s faith in God caused the patriarchs to make proclamations of blessings to their children. God calls us to make faith declarations of our children. It is our faith in God that empowers us to confess the blessings.
Isaiah 59:21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
Too many traditions have caused us to speak blessing and cursing based on performance. However when the object of your faith is in God it changes the object of your expectation and expressions from the person to the God that you serve.
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel , and gave instructions concerning his bones.
Joseph was speaking by faith when he spoke of his bones being moved! The object of his faith was God and His spoken word. Joseph knew the promise of the promise land!
Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
Moses parents were moved by faith hiding Moses at his birth.
Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
Moses' parents faith was a precursor to Moses' actions of faith. Moses had the heart and purpose of God in mind when he made his decision not to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. God wants our decision making to be based upon our faith in God with His eternal purpose and destiny in mind.
Lamentations 1:9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!"
Many years after Moses, the nation Israel was ruined because she did not consider her God given destiny in her decision making. Moses looked to the reward and promise of God when he made his choice. We must live by faith in God’s word for our lives if we will fulfill the destiny He has for us.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt , not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
Moses over and over kept making his decisions based on the object of his faith being in God and the words God spoke. This faith in God brought him through lonely years of isolation. This same faith brought Moses into leading Israel out of slavery and seeing their enemy destroyed, and God raised up Moses to be the leader of the nation God loved.
Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
Joshua put faith in God and His word and watch Jericho be given into his hands.
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Rahab had such faith in the spoken word of God she received the Israelite spies and helped them. Her faith in God’s spoken word was so great it saved her and all her loved ones. Her faith in fact brought her to be part of the linage of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
Hebrews 11 has often been called the “Faith Hall of Fame”, and with good reason. It points the believer to ever have the object of His faith in God alone!
Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, :40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
The hall of fame started with Abel and ended with those unknown and unnamed who died believing in their God. All of the hall of fame of faith should not be made perfect apart from us. God having provided something better for us! The hall of fame testimony was pointing to better provision found exclusively in Jesus Christ.
Luke 7:24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 "But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 26 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 "This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' 28 "For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
John the Baptist was declared by Jesus to be the greatest prophet and there was not a greater prophet. But Jesus had a greater truth to reveal! But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
We who participate in this covenant of grace and truth are privileged we have a greater covenant with a greater mediator, with better promises! This is why we can be called greater than John the Baptist, the provision has made us children of the Most High God.
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