The
American
Wisdom Series
Presents pamphlet #2611
Hebrews chapter 11
"What is faith?" Believe it or
not, most Christians do not know for most have not read the Word of God.
In chapter 10 Paul made a strong appeal to us by explaining
that we need to "Hold fast the profession [conviction] of
our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised)".
In order to do that, i.e. to hold fast, we are going to
have to believe and trust in God by knowing with
"full assurance" that He is faithful to every promise
He has ever made... to those who diligently seek Him.
Of course that precludes that one
must first know what the "promises" are He has made to those who love and
serve Him.
Believe it or not, most Christians
do not know, for most have not read the Word
of God and fewer yet have ever diligently (sincerely) studied it to
show themselves "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15)"!
So "What is faith?"
And if a person has it, doesn't common sense tell us there
must be some reason, some foundation we can point to, that causes them
to possess it?
Well, as we begin this 11th chapter of Hebrews, Paul is
first going to explain to us what faith is and then bring forth the testimonies
of those who possessed it and acted upon it during their many trials and
tribulations demonstrating to us that God indeed IS FAITHFUL!
(By the way, none of the people Paul will discuss in this
11th chapter exercised their faith in believing and trusting in God
because
they were afraid of burning in hell, but
rather for their love of God and the hope
of the fulfillment of His glorious promises.)
Here then is the definition of "faith":
Hebrews
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen.
Since it is so important to understand what Paul
is teaching us here concerning faith, let's dig a little to gain a deeper
understanding, beginning with taking a closer look at the word "substance"
which is translated from the Greek word hupostasis. "Hupo"
is a preposition which means "under" or "underneath" (like "sub" in sub-stance)
and "stasis" (from histemi) means "to stand" (like "stance"
in sub-stance) or "support".
"Hupostasis" therefore means the foundation (under you)
upon which you stand to support your convictions (faith), i.e. your belief
in the faithfulness of God to keep His promises (the things hoped for).
That
foundational support had better be the
Rock, the Word of God, or as it is written
you will be swept away in the great flood of lies and deception in these
last days.
The question therefore is:
"Do you follow Christ, the Word of God, or
do you follow men's church traditions like most Christians?"
=
The
reason for the question is that if you do not know and do the things He
commands, why would you expect Him to reward you at His coming?
Consider what Jesus Christ has to say on the matter:
Luke
6:46-49 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Christ tells us in the following
verse what He wants us to do.
[47]
Whosoever
cometh to me, and
heareth my sayings,
and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Here is what to do: Open
your Bible and prayerfully go to Him, to Jesus Christ, the Word
of God, and hear His Voice, and then do as
He commands...
not the commands of preachers and ministers who tell you that following
their church traditions are pleasing to God.
Why?
Because
if all you ever do is go to church and follow after the traditions of men,
though you "think" you stand (1 Cor. 10:11-13), you will have no "substance",
no foundation under you upon which to "hold fast without wavering",
(Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that
promised)."
The point is, if you work in the
field, if you plow and dig deep into the Word of God and lay that foundation
under you, then you are indeed a "wise" and unshakable servant of God who
shall be able to hold fast without wavering.
[48]
He is like a man which built an house, and
digged deep, and
laid
the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream
beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded
upon a rock.
[49] But he that
heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an
house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and
immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
So ask yourself another question: "How
much substance supports my faith?"
Dr. Bullinger in his "Greek Lexicon
and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament", Kregel Publications,
pg. 746, defines substance (hupostasis) as: "what is set or stands under;
underlayer, prop, foundation;
that which lies at the foundation of a
matter; confidence;". He also points out in the Companion Bible, pg.
1839, that the word "substance" was "used of title-deeds in the Papyri"
(Companion Bible, pg. 1839).
If you have a "deed" to something, it is the proof, the
evidence, that you own it!
You see, the Word of God (the
Bible) is that title-deed that is the proof
of your inheritance, for if you are a child of God you are an heir
to the promises God has made to those who love Him, even the promise
of eternal life as a joint-heir with Jesus Christ.
Romans
8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if
so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."
Think about it for a moment.
If you possess the legal deed to an estate, for example,
even though you may have not even visited the mansion, you still have the
evidence in the title-deed you hold that it belongs to you, right?
Paul is going to make the point that our forefathers who
had unwavering faith because they "believed" God and what He said was true,
all died never having received all the promises.
For example, Abraham "who looked
for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God", though
he never possessed it had the faith, i.e. he knew with certitude, that
someday he would!
Hebrews
11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
The phrase "obtained a good report" is derived from
the Greek word "martureo" which means to "be a witness".
You
"see", our elders not only pleased God as His faithful servants but we
have their testimony, their "good report", their witness
to the immutable
fact that God keeps His promises... every single
one of them.
However,
we must believe and endure, having patience knowing that all things work
according to His will!
That takes the exercising of "faith"!
Advertisers know well how that many people are convinced
by
testimonials, even those of complete strangers like in
an Infomercial,
that a product or service is good and worthwhile having
or pursuing.
But we have the testimonials of
our
own family, our elders and forefathers who have all TESTIFIED to
the
faithfulness of the Word of God.
Seeing then the witness
of their trust and faith (belief in God), serves to increase our faith
by underlying the foundation upon which we stand.
Again, that is why Paul exhorts us so in 1 Cor. 10:11-13
to "take heed" to the things which are written because they show us that
God
IS faithful to all His promises.
Here is what he writes after speaking about Moses and
our forefathers:
1 Cor.
10:11-13 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they
are written for our admonition,
upon
whom the ends of the world are come.
[12] Wherefore
let him that thinketh he standethtake
heed lest
he fall.
If you are going to make it to the end, through the
darkest hour of this final generation (Mk. 13:13), you are going to have
to have trust and faith in God... not in believing
some non-Biblical fairy tale that He is going to rapture you away and take
you out of tribulation...
but in having the faith to "holdfast without wavering"
which is the subject Paul has been speaking about since the 23rd verse
of the last chapter (Heb. 10:23).
Therefore, if you take the time
to read and understand all the testimonials in the Word of God you will
find supporting evidence through the witness (testimonials) of all
those who have gone before us that the following verse is true,the point
being that GOD IS FAITHFUL!
His
promises to you, to be with you unto the end and reward you for
your faithfulness, are as sure as the sun coming up in the morning!
However, you must believe and step
forward and claim the title-deed to those promises.
[13]
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
In other words, you are not
going to be tempted (tried)
with anything not covered in the Word of God!
Furthermore, as the evidence of the witnesses show
He always does, your Father will provide a way for you escape
from falling whereby you may stand and holdfast without wavering,
and be able to endure unto the end!
(Matthew 24:13 "But he that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Is not the thing made evidence
of a maker?
Pay close attention to the witness and testimonials Paul
is going to outline for us in this 11th chapter
of Hebrews, commonly called the faith chapter.
Then too, a truly "wise" person would not consider the
outline itself sufficient ground upon which to stand, but would at some
point go back and dig out all the precious details of the things which
are written, thereby strengthening his or her foundation.
Hebrews
11:3 Through faith we understand that the
worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made
of things which do appear.
This
is an example of where learning how to read what is written and just digging
a little into the Word can increase one's understanding and also avoid
error.
You "see", Paul is not talking about
the material creation, the "earth" itself, but rather the worlds (plural),
the "aions" past, present, and
future, which are the three
world ages Peter speaks of in 2 Pet. 3.
Read verse one again and you will find that "faith" is
the evidence of things which are NOT SEEN,
not
evidence of the things which are seen.
Hebrews
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not
seen.
In other words, it does not take faith
to believe in creation itself for if you can "see it" with your flesh eyes,
then common sense alone tells you that someone made it.
Go ahead, try it!
Look all around you and see what there is you can see
that was not made.
For example, if you look at a car you do not need faith
to tell you someone made it, do you?
Is not the thing made evidence
of a maker?
Of course it is!
Well, the same common sense that
tells you someone made the car applies when
see a much more intrinsically complex vehicle,
like a horse!
It doesn't take anymore faith to
tell you that someone made the horse than it does to tell you someone made
the car.
It's what we call a no-brainer!
In other words, it just takes good old common "horse sense"
which is far superior to intellectual "non-sense"!
(Note: I am not insulting the intelligence
of horses when I use the phrase "no-brainer" for God knows they have more
sense than someone with a PhD who believes in evolution.)
So it is not creation itself
that requires faith, but rather the purpose,
the plan,
the who and why of creation
that requires faith and understanding.
These things cannot be "seen" under a microscope for they
are invisible things.
However, Paul tells us in the Book
of Romans that spiritual things which are invisible things can actually
be understood by the creation, by nature itself.
Romans
1:20 For the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse:
You see, what we know by faith
is not that the creation was made, for we can see it, but rather that it
was the Word of God who did all the creating of the things which do appear.
John 1:1-3 "In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the
Word was God. [2] The same was in the
beginning with God. [3] All things were
made by him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made."
It is through faith, through the
foundation we have laid by digging deeper into His Word and seeing "so
great a cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1) testifying that all He says
is true, that God is Faithful to His promises, whereby we know that the
"worlds", the three earth ages (aions) past,
present, and future, have been "framed", i.e. fitly joined together in
the Plan of God.
It is through that same faith then
that we know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are
going!
To do God's will;
that's what "good works" is!
Let us now take heed to the teachings of Paul as he recaps
the testimony of the elders, the men and women who down through the ages
have demonstrated their "belief" in God by the exercising of their faith,
keeping in mind that the bottom line is God is Faithful to His every Word
and He is the rewarder of all those "good things
to come" to those who love Him! If you therefore
believe in Him, you hold the title-deed to all the blessings and promises
He has made. Imagine that! Just think about
it!
Hebrews
11:4
By faith
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and
by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Abel's excellent sacrifice, to which
God Himself gave witness, serves not only as testimony that he was righteous,
but it also serves as witness (testimony) against the unrighteousness of
Cain. You see, when judgment comes, all of
the testimony (witness) will be laid out in the open and everyone will
get exactly what he or she has got coming to them. For some, His
children who love Him, that judgment will be the reward of His promises.
For others, the children of disobedience, that judgment will be His vengeance,
a "reward of recompense" He also has promised. You see, our Father doesn't
forget and as it is written, all the witnessing and testimony is laid up
in store for judgment and the day vengeance! Remember we saw in our last
study where Paul quoted that very fact from the Song of Moses? (Hebrews
10:30 "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.")
You see, God is completely fair (just and true are His
ways, Deut. 32:4) and He will judge no one without sufficient witness and
testimony according to their own doing... and you
know what... everyone's life is on record
in the courthouse of the Supreme Judge of the universe. Thank
God for repentance and the forgiveness of sins whereby He blots them out!
Think about it!
And remember what Paul just said, that the testimony of Abel still speaks
to us today, for his blood still cries out until that great day of judgment.
To that end, this first witness brings to mind the
promise of the "true sacrifice" which Paul so eloquently spoke
of in chapter 10. Hebrews 10:12-14 "But this man,
after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right
hand of God; [13] From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. [14] For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified."
The
test of one's belief and true love for God lies in his or her actions,
not just words.
Hebrews
11:5
By faith Enoch was translated that
he should not
see death; and was not found, because God had translated
him: for
before his translation
he had this
testimony, that he pleased God.
God "translated" Enoch, i.e. lifted him up from the
earth that he should not see death, because he earned that just reward
in demonstrating his tremendous faith as a servant of God.
And although we are not given all the details of His walk
with God, his testimony is written ("he had this testimony") and what he
did,
which became his testimony, PLEASED our Father greatly.
Yes, the test of one's belief and
true
love for God lies in his or her actions, not just words.
For example, you can tell your spouse that you love her
or him, but if you never do anything that pleases the one you claim to
love,
then your words become vain, which means they are empty
and void of meaning.
The witness of Enoch's reward is so relative to these
last days in that it reminds us of the promise spoken through Paul in 1
Cor. 15:51-53, that we who endure unto the end
shall not all "sleep", but shall be changed in the moment
and in twinkling of an eye into our spiritual bodies and be given a crown
of life (immortality).
Paul then says in conclusion to
that great chapter: 1 Cor. 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be
ye stedfast,
unmovable,
always abounding in the work
of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain
in the Lord."
Indeed, your faith is not in vain for "He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him".
[6]
But
without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he
that cometh to God
must believe that He is, and that He is
a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him.
Many claim they believe in God, that He exists, but
they do not believe Him, as in believe His Word because
they do not know it.
In
fact, many Christians rarely even open the cover to His Word much
less do any plowing or digging.
It is for that very reason that
it can be truly said (Isa. 29:13-17) they do not know Him, as in who He
really is, for though they say Lord, Lord, they do not "diligently seek
Him" as Paul states above.
You "see", for one who has been
a Christian for some length of time to claim that he or she knows Jesus
Christ, the "living" Word of God, but does not know the "written" Word
of God, is itself "testimony" that he or she has forsaken Him.
That's right!
It doesn't matter how many times
you go to church or how much money you give
to this charity or that one, if you
ignore the Word of God, you ignore Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder that He will say
the following to those many Christians who try to cash in their goodly
deeds, having diligently followed the traditional things their preachers
and pastors told them to do instead of diligently seeking the Word of God:
Matthew
7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Again, why will they not receive the rewards of His
promises?
They
have no faith because they do not diligently (sincerely)
seek after
Him to hear His voice and do His will.
Remember we quoted Luke 6:47 earlier?
"Whosoever
cometh to me,
and heareth my sayings, and doeth
them, I will
shew you to whom he is like."
Here is what Christ said just prior
to "depart from me, ye that work iniquity":
Matthew
7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity.
God
speaks to us through His Word in these last days
Paul now reminds us of another witness relative to
our day!
(Hint: They all are!)
Matthew 24:37 "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also
the coming of the Son of man be.
Hebrews
11:7 By faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with
fear,
prepared an ark to the saving
of his house;
by the which he condemned the world, and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
God warned Noah and Noah faithfully
took action (worked) as he moved with reverence (as a watchman)
because he believed God, not that He existed, but that He
would bring a flood upon the earth because He said He would.
Thus Noah believed God
by
faith because neither he nor anyone else had ever seen rain, much
less witnessed a torrential downpour and flooding!
And because Noah prepared an ark of salvation
for his house (exactly as per God's directions, i.e. God's
way) while at the same time blowing the trumpet of
warning to those who were "eating and drinking, and marrying and giving
in marriage", his testimony and witness condemned (brought judgment against)
the world.
Again,
it is written that "as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be..."!
God has appointed His watchmen in
these last days and has "warned us of things not seen as yet"
which is the flood of lies and deception that will sweep the whole world
by storm during the great tribulation (40 denotes "tribulation" in Biblical
numerics) when Satan and his death angels (nephilium), come to this earth
at the sound of 6th Trump as per Rev. 12:7-9.
How has He warned us in these last days, you say?
Do you not remember how Paul opened this great Book of
Hebrews?
He let us know first off that "God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets,
[2] Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son, whom He hath appointed heir of
all things,
by whom also he made the worlds".
In other words, God speaks to us through His Word in these
last days and as "He says", i.e. as it is written in Mark
13:23, "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold
you all things."
The questions are, "Do you know
about the worldwide "flood" that our Father has warned us will soon
sweep the whole world?
If so, what are doing about it?
Are you making "preparations" for your house according
to the blue print our Father has laid out in His
Word?"
You see, God said He would bring a flood during the days
of Noah, and HE DID!
God has also said He will bring
a flood (a storm of lies and deception)
upon this final generation, and HE SHALL!
Next we shall add some "concrete" evidence to the "footers"
of our foundation with the witness of the faith of Abraham and Sarah!
Don't miss it!
It'll be a keeper!
It should also be pointed out
that in order to confess (fully acknowledge)
that
one is a "stranger and pilgrim" (resident
foreigner) requires the foundational
knowledge of the three world ages which
by faith we know are "fitly joined together" (Heb. 11:3) in the plan of
God.
Are you "fully persuaded" that God
is faithful to His Word and that He will fulfill all the promises He has
made to you?
The reason to consider the question
is that there is a vast difference in just saying you believe, which is
a "blind" or "unsubstantiated" faith indeed, and being "fully persuaded"
from "seeing" and internalizing the preponderance of
evidence to the point there is no "staggering", no doubt whatsoever
in your mind, that God is faithful and able to fulfill His promises.
It is that type of "full assurance"
which is the "substance", the substantiation, the confirmation, upon which
true faith and trust in God stands!
Hebrews
11:1 Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the
evidence
of things not seen.
You see, there is nobody
who has as fully documented a "track record" of credibility as our Father,
even much of which is second witnessed to by secular history itself.
To that end in this great 11th chapter
of Hebrews, Paul is giving us but a short synopsis of the witnesses to
God's faithfulness
in keeping His EVERY PROMISE to
those who love and serve Him!
He has already summarized for us the faith and witness
of Abel, Enoch, and Noah who became "heirs of the righteousness" which
is by faith (Heb. 11:7).
We also learned and saw that God
is a rewarder of those who diligently (earnestly) love and obey Him and
that without believing that He is true to His Word and exercising your
faith, it is impossible to please Him.
Hebrews
11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for
he that cometh to God
must believe that He is, and that He
is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him.
Next we are going to witness the faith and trust
Abraham and Sarah had in believing God's promises, especially in the face
of seemingly impossible situations and circumstances.
The question is: "Why is it that
Paul goes to such great lengths to remind us of all this?"
That's simple!
It is to increase the foundation
upon which we stand, thereby strengthening our faith.
Consider Paul's words in the great Book of Romans concerning
Abraham's faith:
Romans
4:19-25 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb:
God promised Abraham that he
would have a son, even Isaac, though at his ripe old age of 100 and his
wife Sarah's age of 90, whose womb was not only barren but now well past
the age of menopause, it would certainly be obvious that it would now take
divine intervention to bring to pass the promise of a "seed".
"So what?", a man or woman of faith
would say.
You "see", Abraham had the faith
to know that "with God nothing shall be impossible"and so he wavered not
one bit in his belief that God was able to fulfill His promise.
That is true faith, dear ones!
[20]
He
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was
strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Abraham was strong in faith and "staggered
not", which means he did not doubt nor waver to and fro in his mind.
And how is it he was so steadfast
in his trust and belief in God?
Do not miss the REASON which is
contained in the next verse!
[21]
And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He
was able also to perform.
He was entirely convinced, fully persuaded, completely
assured, that what God had promised He surely WOULD and WAS ABLE to perform.
That trust and strong faith in giving glory to God, pleased
His Father and was therefore imputed to him for righteousness!
How "persuaded" are you?
[22]
And therefore it was imputed to him
for righteousness.
These next two verses are the reason we came here:
[23]
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to
him;
[24] But
for
us also, to whom it shall be
imputed, if
we believe on Him that raised up Jesus
our Lord from the dead;
[25] Who was
delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
That's right!
The same thing applies to all of
God's servants in that the "full assurance" of your faith
in trusting and believing and giving glory to God, is
also imputed to you for righteousness!
That is why we have the written
testimony of our elders, the prophets, i.e. to give us confidence and build
up the foundation upon which our faith firmly stands.
Let us now return to Hebrews and read what Paul has to
say concerning the faithfulness of Abraham, whose name means the "father
of many nations".
Hebrews
11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into
a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
It is that "full assurance", knowing that you have
the "title-deed" to the promises of His covenant, that gives you the faith
and trust in your Father to obey whatsoever He commands you to do.
In Abraham's case he was willing
to give up all that he possessed in the land to go out and sojourn in a
foreign land!
You
"see", he had enough faith to trust that God would provide a better place,
a better inheritance, than the one he left behind!
Also, the very fact that Abraham
was willing to trust and follow God's commands even though at the time
he did not know "whither he went" is very relative to God's elect today.
How so?
Well, just as Abraham did not fully know his "destination",
i.e. what God had in store for him to fulfill according to His will,
many of God's elect also do not fully know their destiny but are
willing to trust and obey God's commands knowing with "full assurance"
that He will, in His time, bring them to fulfill their destiny
according to His purpose!
[9]
By
faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in
a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and
Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
The "same promise" of eternal
inheritance which was made to Abraham was also made to Abraham's son, Isaac,
and to his grandson, Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel.
And would you believe that "same
promise" to be His heirs is also made to us,
the sons and daughters in this final generation of the fig tree?
Yes,
that would be to you, if you love and serve Him!
[10]
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder
and maker is God.
To "look for" is to "look forward
to", as in to eagerly anticipate, and God's elect today also "look for"
that same great city our father Abraham was focused on, even New Jerusalem
which we read about in Revelation 21, whose builder and maker is God.
[Speaking of foundations, "Did you
know you can be made a 'pillar' in the temple of God (Rev. 3:12)?"]
[11]
Through
faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because
she judged Him faithful who had promised.
This verse emphasizes the very
basis of what Paul has been teaching us concerning one's faith.
You see, it is when a person "judges" in his or her own
mind, knowing with "full assurance" that Almighty God is faithful to His
promises, that he or she receives "strength" (dunamis, power). In
other words, if you truly believe in God and His Christ, that He is true
to His Word regardless if what He says "appears" to the flesh eyes to be
impossible or beyond reach, then you have the faith to receive strength
as did Sarah and Abraham who were 90 and 100 years old respectively when
Isaac was conceived.
Think about it!
This was a really old couple as
far as both conceiving and bearing children is concerned.
Yet, it was to them that the promise
of the "seed" was made and so it came to pass that the promise was fulfilled
exactly as God said!
[12]
Therefore
sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead,
so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is
by the sea shore innumerable.
And so as it always has
and always will, God's promise came to pass exactly
as He said and that "seed" came forth even from one whose body was as good
as dead.
Here is the promise to which Paul was referring in verse
12:
Genesis
22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply
thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the
sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Of course Abraham was not only promised a son, and
that his children would become innumerable as the sand of the sea,
he also knew that Messiah would come through his loins,
through Isaac and Jacob.
Keep that in mind as we complete this study.
Hebrews
11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,
and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth.
Though they received many blessings even while in
the flesh because they trusted and obeyed God, the
one promise they did not receive before they died was the promised "seed"
who would come and pay the price on the cross.
However, when Messiah did come,
immediately following His death he went to those still bound by the penalty
of sin and all who would believe in Him, even back to the antediluvian
period (the days of Noah), were set free by the blood of the Lamb (1 Pet.
3:19-22).
It should also be pointed out that
in order to confess (fully acknowledge) that one is a "stranger and pilgrim"
(resident foreigner) requires the foundational knowledge
of the three world ages which by faith we know are "fitly joined together"
(Heb. 11:3) in the plan of God.
In other words, we know that this temporal flesh age is
Satan's earth age and so we look forward to the heavenly kingdom.
Those who have faith, who know with certitude the promises
of a "better inheritance", embrace those promises and hold on to them endearingly,
knowing and confessing that they are not of this world, but rather sojourners
on the earth.
This is confirmed by the very words of Jesus Christ Himself
in that beautiful prayer to the Father in John 17.
Concerning His disciples He said:
John
17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Just like Abraham, we look forward to the city, the
eternal city described in Rev. 21.
And we know that there is NOTHING in this earth age that
can compare to that which is coming.
Even the trials and tribulations
and sufferings in the flesh, in these tabernacles in which we dwell for
such a short time, are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall
be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 "For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us."
Hebrews
11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that
they seek a country.
When we say "we are not of this world", we "make
no bones about it"!
We seek an heavenly country wherein our heavenly Father
dwells.
By the way, the Greek word for country
is "patris" which means father-land, figuratively a "heavenly home".
country = patris
pat-rece'Strong's
#G3968
From G3962; a father land,
that is, nativetown; (figuratively) heavenly home:—(own)
country.
[15]
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence
they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Abraham could have returned
to his former land and earthly possessions but his "eyes" were no longer
focused on earthly things, on the things of this world!
Again, he knew that
he was but a sojourner in the "land", i.e. on this earth, walking under
the sun for a short time.
The
point is, once your "eyes" are opened to the vision of the Father land,
the heavenly country, that heavenly city that awaits those who believe
in God, there is nothing worthwhile to look back upon!
So don't look back!
To wit, remember what happened to
Lot's wife who looked back, meaning she longed to return to the former
life she had (Luke 17:33).
Such a lack of faith, which is unbelief, is not pleasing
to God.
[16]
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God
is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them
a city.
Your faith and trust in your Father, in His Word,
makes Him very happy and He is so delighted to call you His child.
And remember Hebrews 11:6 which declares that He is a
"rewarder" of those who love and serve Him?
And so it is that He has prepared
a beautiful new home for His faithful children, even that
glorious New Jerusalem we read about in Rev. 21.
You "see", that great city is not "wishful thinking"!
We have the concrete evidence that
the Word of God is true and accurate in every detail.
It always has been and so it always shall be!
How solid is your faith?
Is it founded upon the Rock, the Word of God?
Well, you will soon find out as
we enter into the final hour of the last days, the period known as the
great testing period... or if your prefer, the great tribulation!
Oh, you didn't know that your
faith shall be put to the test?
Abraham's faith was surely tested, wasn't it?
Hebrews
11:17 By faith Abraham,
when he was tried, offered up Isaac:
and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
This has got to be the ultimate
test of one's faith!
However, remember we said earlier to keep in mind that
Abraham knew that the promised "seed", not Isaac but Messiah Himself, would
come through his loins, through his son Isaac?
Therefore, because Abraham "staggered
not" in His belief that God is faithful to His promises and is able to
perform them, he just logically figured that God would "raise up Isaac
from the dead"!
In fact, verse 19 below documents that is precisely what
was on his mind when he lifted up that knife!
[18]
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Again, Abraham knew this promise
of God and believed it to be true.
In other words, he judged God to
be faithful to His Word!
That "full assurance" in his mind
did not allow for doubt to conceive but to logically conclude that since
God certainly is able to raise the dead, that must be what He is going
to do to Isaac, raise him up.
[19]
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from
whence also he received him in a figure.
Some people wonder why God would ask Abraham to do
such a thing, but as we discussed in an earlier study, Abraham (whose name
means "father of many nations") was a type of
the Father who would sacrifice His only begotten to pay the penalty for
the sins of the world.
Thought
for today - We will all be tested -God
hasn't tested me, as yet, you say! You
think not! (Better read Psalms
17:3) - Then think about those
strange situations you sometimes find yourself in, in your dreams? Do
you remember what you had just done or said a moment before you woke up?
God
knows what you did or said!!! So, do
you still think you aren't being tested????????
In conclusion, remember to stay
in your Father's Word every day and become "fully assured" by the "witness"
and "testimony" of all those who have gone before us, that our Father is
faithful to all of His promises and He is a rewarder of those who sincerely
love and serve Him.
Furthermore, know that it pleases Him so
much that when we are "tried", though it be with fire, we "stagger not"
and exercise our faith by trusting and believing in Him!
How precious it is indeed!
1 Peter
1:7-9 That the trial of your faith, being much more
precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory
at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
[8] Whom having
not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not,
yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory:
The joy of serving Him is beyond
words.
[9]
Receiving
the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls.
Next Paul will continue to
present the testimonials of our forefathers who through faith
gave witness and testified to the fact that God is Faithful
to His every word.
Are you "fully convinced"?
The evidence upon which you can stand
is truly overwhelming!
To
"know whose child you are" is quite a revelation to many of God's children!
One of the greatest "eye openers" to the sons and daughters
in this final generation occurs when they come to "see" the fulfillment
of the promises, the unbreakable covenant, that God made to Abraham (Gen.
17:4-7), established in Isaac (Gen. 26:1-5), and confirmed in Jacob (Gen.
35:10-12) whose name was changed to Israel. Therefore, let us begin by
reading the confirmation that God Almighty gave to Jacob:
Genesis
35:10-11
And God said
unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob,
but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
[11] And
God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful
and multiply; a nation and
a company of nations
shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
Yes, for the "fatherless" and "orphans"
of the "Lost 10 Tribes" of true Israel to discover the way back home
to their "fathers" literally fills their hearts with joy and gladness and
increases their faith tremendously.
I mean, to "know whose child you are" is quite a revelation to many of
God's children! To that end, one
of the promises of God was that He would send "Elijah the
prophet (teacher)" to "turn back" the heart of the (lost) children to their
fathers in these last days before the "great and dreadful Day of the LORD"!
And as you know if you have faith, God ALWAYS keeps His promises.
Malachi
4:5-6
Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful
day of the LORD:
[6]
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the
heart of the children to their fathers, lest [before]
I come and smite the earth with a curse.
We read of the faith that both Abraham and Sarah had regarding
the promised seed and how that Abraham, in knowing with certitude that
God's promise of both Messiah and an "innumerable multitude" would come
through Isaac, had the faith to obey God when He asked him to sacrifice
his only begotten son. Yes, Abraham believed that God could and would resurrect
his son! Now, Paul is going to acknowledge for our benefit the faith of
the Abraham's son and grandsons, the patri-archs (patri = fathers)
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, through whom the blessings of national greatness
would come as promised.
Note: If you would like to know more about the migrations
of the children of Israel and document from both scripture and the pages
of secular history where those so-called "lost tribes" dwell today, then
get and read a copy of "The Abrahamic Covenant", by E. Raymond Capt, (ARTISAN
PUBLISHERS - P.O. Box 1529, Muskogee, Oklahoma 74402 - Phone (918) 682-8341
- www.artisanpublishers.com) and begin today to see how the promises
of God come to pass exactly as they are written. This little booklet, which
you can read in one sitting, is sure to open your eyes if you have been
wandering as a lost child in the wilderness. You can also get some of the
same information, although not as complete as the above booklet, by logging
unto pamphlets #1064 and #1020
on this web site.
Hebrews 11:20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob
and Esau concerning things to come.
What is it we are to understand by this one short verse
concerning the faith of Isaac? Well for one thing, that the blessings concerned
a
future time, a time to come, even the last days when both
Jacob and Esau would become great nations,
as in "superpowers".
Genesis
25:23
And the LORD
said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall
be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than
the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
You "see", we cannot know very much unless we go back and
establish a firm foundation by learning all that transpired with Isaac
and Rebecca and Jacob and Esau and know who these two nations are today
that were in Rebecca's womb (Hint: They are America
and Russia). Then we can know why it is Isaac
blessed the younger over the elder as he blessed the future generations
of these two! It is written (Rom. 9:13) that God loved Jacob but
hated (loved less by comparison) Esau, even while they were still in their
mother's womb. That is because even in "the world that then was" (2 Pet.
3:6) Esau did not regard (as in despised) his heritage, which he would
once again prove in the flesh by "selling out" for a mere bowl of
red
pottage. Esau simply did not have the faith to truly trust God!
Also, a careful examination of the
scriptures, knowing that Isaac knew what transpired at his sons' births
concerning the "heel grabbing" and what God said in Gen. 25:23, will reveal
that Isaac was aware of and had faith in the plan of God, i.e. that the
greater blessings would go to Jacob.
Below is the blessing Isaac bestowed on Jacob after drawing
him near to "kiss" and "smell the smell of his raiment", determining the
smell to be that of a field.
Genesis
27:27-29
And he came
near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed
him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which
the LORD hath blessed:
[28] Therefore
God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness
of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
The deeper student will refer to the Song of Moses, Deut.
32, in understanding the "dew of heaven", etc.
[29]
Let
people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy
brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be
every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
Again, Esau received the lesser of
the blessings because
he did not have faith, for when he
was an hungered he literally
sold his birthright. There
is nothing new under the sun and Esau will still "sell out" his people
today for the same reason.
However, unlike his brother Esau,
Jacob did have faith as testified to next!
Hebrews
11:21
By faith
Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped,
leaning
upon the top of his staff.
The word "staff" used in this verse
means a "sceptre" or "baton of royalty". In other words, this was a divine
blessing Jacob bestowed upon Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, whom
he literally adopted and split the birthright (national blessings) between
the two. In so doing, Manasseh (whose name means "forgetful") actually
became the 13th tribe, which is quite interesting
because a little homework will reveal that the number "13" is stamped all
over the Great Seal of the United States of America. In
fact, there are 13 sets of "13" between the reverse and the obverse of
our seal. Yes, Manasseh has become a "great
people" indeed!
[22]
By
faith Joseph, when he died [was dying],
made mention of the departing of the children of Israel;
and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Joseph believed all the promises of
God without "wavering" and therefore knew, having no doubts whatsoever,
that the children of Israel would exodus the land and dwell in the land
flowing with milk and honey. He showed his faith along with his desire
to be with them when he "gave commandment concerning his bones". Here is
the account in Genesis where Joseph "makes mention" of the exodus:
Genesis
50:24-25
And Joseph said
unto his brethren, I die: and God will
surely visit you, and bring
you out of this land unto the land
which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
And sure enough God did visit them to deliver them out of
the land. Exodus 3:8 "And I am come down to deliver them out
of the hand of the Egyptians, and
to bring
them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto
a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and
the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and
the Jebusites."
Here also is the commandment of Joseph concerning his
bones:
[25]
And
Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely
visit you, and
ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
You will find that because of Joseph's faith God saw
to it to bless the fulfillment of his desires: Joshua
24:32 "And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up
out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob
bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces
of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph."
We
in this final generation of the fig tree, must also make a "choosing"
as to whether they will patiently "endure to the end" or take the easier
softer way and "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season"!
You "see", it is written that most
of our brothers and sisters "will sell out" (apostatize)
to the peace and prosperity brought about by the deception of the false-christ.
Hebrews
11:23
By faith
Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because
they saw he was a
proper child; and they were
not afraid of the king's commandment.
Moses' parents, Amram and Jochebed (Num. 26:59), "saw" that
"Divine Spirit" shining in the face of this child from the moment he was
born. You can document that by using your Strong's Concordance to look
up "exceeding fair" (theos asteios) in Acts 7:20.
Acts
7:20
In which time
Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up
in his father's house three months:
Moses' parents therefore knew that
the hand of God was upon Moses and their faith was strengthened whereby
they nourished him three months without fear of the king's
command in Ex. 1:22 to destroy all the male Hebrew newborns.
You "see", they trusted in the Lord to take care of His own for true servants
of God who have faith in Him know full well the answer to the question
Paul poses in Rom. 8:31, "... If God be for us, who can be against us?"
The answer is "No One!" Did not Jesus also
tell us in Mat. 10:28 to "fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul"? He went on to say "rather love your Father" who
has all power over life and death, both physical and spiritual!
Kings of the earth... beware!
Hebrews
11:24
By faith
Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Moses was at the point where the very throne of Egypt
was within his grasp when he discovered the truth of his heritage, that
he was truly of the House of Israel!
Many of God's elect today,
along with the kings and queens of the ethnos, can attest to the same revelation
and increase in faith when their "eyes are opened" to know the rich heritage
of God's people!
[25]
Choosing
rather
to suffer affliction
with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season;
Take heed to what we are learning in
this great "faith" chapter and become well acquainted with all the men
and women of faith whose testimonials and witness are recorded for our
benefit (1 Cor. 10:11-13). The relevancy to what Paul just told
us concerning Moses "choosing" rather to suffer affliction, is that the
sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters in
this final generation of the fig tree, must also make a "choosing"
as to whether they will patiently "endure to the end" or take the easier
softer way and "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season"!
A word to the wise is sufficient.
You "see", it is written that most of our brothers and
sisters "will sell out" (apostatize) to
the peace and prosperity brought about by the deception of the false messiah
who will come claiming he is God. But the true servants
of God, those who have faith firmly rooted in the Word of God, who have
the evidence sealed in their minds whereby they know with certitude that
they hold the "title-deed" to the glorious riches of the kingdom of God,
shall take a stand and suffer spiritual affliction (trials and tribulation),
knowing as did Moses (next verse) that the "recompense of the reward"
far exceeds the tribulation we must endure for such a short time!
[26]
Esteeming
the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for
he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Have you ever read the great Book of
Ecclesiastes where wise old Solomon documents from his personal experience
as the wealthiest, wisest, and most powerful man on earth, that there is
simply not enough power, not enough money, not enough wine, not enough
women, etc., to satisfy the flesh for even a short season, much less for
all eternity?
Once a person's spiritual "eyes
and ears" are opened to the REALITY of the heavenly kingdom, then all there
is "under the sun" becomes vanity (emptiness, nothingness) by comparison.
[27]
By
faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:
for he endured,
as seeing Him who is invisible.
Moses endured because he had faith! Will
you endure unto the end and be saved and receive a crown
of life?
Matthew 24:13 "But he that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
[28]Through
faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he
that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Do
you have faith to know that when you "sprinkle that blood of
the
Lamb" on the doors posts of your mind, the death angel (Satan) must pass
over you and cannot harm you?
Paul taught us well in this Book of
Hebrews about "shadows", didn't he? We therefore know how Jesus
Christ became the fulfillment of the types (shadows) and became
the one and only true sacrificial Lamb (our Passover, 1 Cor. 5:7) who shed
His blood once and for all time and has now entered into the heavenly Holy
of Holies and sits at the right hand of the throne of His Majesty on High
as our advocate and compassionate High Priest.
Do you have the faith to "keep
the Passover"? Do you have the faith to know
that as a child of the God when you "sprinkle that blood of the Lamb" on
the doors posts and lintels of your house and your mind, the death angel
(Satan) who shall soon come to destroy the "firstborn", i.e. the firstfruits,
must pass over you and cannot harm you?
Hebrews
11:29
By faith they passed through
the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
This is actually a good example showing
that mere boldness and bravery are not the same as the strength which
comes by faith. Faith is belief and trust in God which the
Egyptians did not have! Therefore, without faith, they were not pleasing
to Him and brave though they may have been in trying to "cross over", they
all drowned in their unbelief!
[30]
By
faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed
about seven days.
One can only imagine what the inhabitants of Jericho thought
about these priests of God marching around the city blowing the trumpets.
The
point is, as the servants of God sound the alarm that the walls of this
flesh age and of Babylon the great shall come "crashing down" at the sound
of the 7th Trump, so shall they also be mocked*
and jeered. No matter... for the servants
of God shall "endure unto the end" keeping focused on the "recompense of
the reward" that awaits them.
*2 Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing
this first, that there shall come
in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts, [4] And saying, Where is the promise of
his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation."
What
makes you think your shortcomings are worse than others of your brethren?
Have you never read what David did?
The promise of all promises was that Messiah
would come and pay the price on the cross, so that all those who believe
in Him would not "perish" but receive eternal life. You
see, these all had faith even before that promised one, Jesus
Christ, came in that they knew and believed God's promise that Messiah
would come. In fact, the prophets testified of His coming.
And as we discussed earlier, it is written in 1 Peter 3:19-20 that they
saw Him immediately after the crucifixion and accepted Him and were set
free from the penalty of sin, which is death.
Thus they obtained a "good report"
and that "good report" has earned them the "recompense of reward" at His
second coming when we as a family, the family of God, all join together
with Him!
Hebrews
11:40 God having provided some better thing
for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Yes, we are so privileged
to give witness and testimony for the Word of God, Jesus Christ, in this
final generation of the fig tree. Just think
of the reward for going through and enduring the "great tribulation" of
these last days and "taking a stand" with the full panoply of "gospel armor"
on and in place against the adversary, Satan, himself! That
will be some "testimony", won't it? Think about it!
As for all those who have gone before us and hold their "good report",
their testimony (which we also have written for us), they must rest (wait)
until this final season has ended and we have finished the work and given
our witness and testimony for Christ to this generation:
Rev.
6:9-11
And when he
had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of God, and
for the testimony which
they held:
[10] And
they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy
and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on
the earth?
[11] And
white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them,
that
they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants
also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should
be fulfilled.
Do you have faith and trust in God as one of His servants?
Oh
you're so weak in the flesh, you say! Poor
baby! The question wasn't are you a "goody,
goody two shoes"? To be sure, your not! None
of us is without sin for we all fall short in the flesh.
And besides, what makes you think your shortcomings are worse than others
of your brethren?
Have you never read what David did?
You "see", that is why Paul so thoroughly
covered the 'sprinkling of the blood of Lamb' by our eternal High Priest
after the order of Melchisedec before he taught us about
real faith! The reality is,
if you are going to spend a lot of your time worrying and concentrating
on your sins, you aren't going to have much time to build a solid foundation
of faith because you don't believe in the power of His sacrifice to begin
with. Have you forgotten so quickly what
the PROMISE of the New Covenant is? When
you diligently seek Him and repent and ask for forgiveness, Hebrews 10:17-18
kicks
right in there! [17]
"And
their sins and iniquities will
I remember no more".
And THAT'S IT!
Gone forever!
So... are you now going to worry and doubt and ask for forgiveness again...
showing your unbelief
in Him, i.e. showing
that you don't believe He is faithful
to His Promise?
[18] "Now where
remission of these is, there is no more
offering for sin." Get with the program!
If you have faith, believing in
Him and obeying His commands, then you have absolutely NOTHING to fear
in this final generation. You "see", the One who has ALL POWER has promised
to be with you, even to the end of this flesh age! It is written!
Matthew
28:18-20
And Jesus came
and spake unto them, saying, All power
is
given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all
pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
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