Hebrews 11:23-40 Faith of Israel
Notes
Transcript
Intro John 2:10
Intro John 2:10
Hebrews 11:23-40
Hebrews 11:23-40
As we go through this list, we have to ask ourselves why each of these men and women are on the list.
As we go through this list, we have to ask ourselves why each of these men and women are on the list.
Everyone on the list either sinned or suffered spectacularly (except Enoch, but I have a theory).
Abel was killed for giving an approved sacrifice. (suffer)
Enoch was the last righteous person in the line of Cain. (possible suffer or sin)
Noah was a drunk and suffered the loss of the world. (suffer and sin)
Abraham was a liar and a rapist (sin).
Sarah laughed at God. She was complicit in Abraham’s sins. (sin)
Isaac repeated the lying of his father, took Hittite wives, lost land promised to his father, and sowed family division. (sin)
Jacob lied, tricked his family, and sowed division like his father. His slaves bore him children. (sin)
Joseph was sold into slavery and suffered in prison. (suffer)
Moses was a murderer. (sin)
Rahab was a prostitute. (sin)
Gideon was a hot mess of sins. Barak was shamed by a woman. Samson was a murdering, lying bro. Jephthah killed his own daughter. David was a murderer and womanizer. Samuel suffered Israel’s unbelief but also was a bad father.
Do you ever act in faith but don’t consciously know you are choosing faith?
Does acting in faith require that you do something that doesn’t make sense?
What happens when you don’t act appropriate to the circumstances?
Why are all these people on this list? Verse 2 tells us.
Why are all these people on this list? Verse 2 tells us.
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by this our ancestors were approved.
Moses
Moses’ parents
They didn’t fear the king
Moses
Refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter
chose to suffer with people of God rather than enjoy sin
Considered Christ better than riches of Egypt - looking ahead to his reward
Left Egypt not fearing king’s anger because he saw the invisible
Instituted Passover and sprinkling of blood (saved Israel)
Israel
Crossed Red sea (Egyptians were drowned)
Walls of Jericho fell
Rahab - hid spies
Rulers
Gideon
Barak
Samson
Jephthah
David
Samuel
prophets
faithful rulers
conquered kingdoms
administered justice
obtained promises (e.g. kingdom for David)
Deliverance from peril
shut mouths of lions (Dan. 6)
quenched raging fire (companions of Daniel in fiery furnace)
escaped the edge of the sword (could be many OT people)
Power in weakness
strength in weakness - Samson, Judith - both deliver from foreign power - even Deborah/Barak
became strong in battle
routed foreign armies - from Judges to Hasmonean dynasty and the Maccabean revolt
God’s power over death
women received back their dead - Elijah raising the widow of Zarepath’s son and Elisha raising the Shunammite woman’s son
By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.
By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.
And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
Application
Application