Hebrews Chapter Eleven
1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Now faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, the inner conviction of things that are not seen (literal).1
This is frequently referred to as being the faith chapter, and the writer begins by providing a definition of faith. Before we look at what is here, let’s take a moment to review the Biblical understanding of believe (a verb) and faith (a noun).
Believe is defined as: “to consider to be true or honest,” or “to accept something as true, genuine, or real.”2 These are fine, as far as they go, but they are somewhat lacking when we look into the Biblical use of this word. Believe comes from the Greek word pisteuo, which means to be persuaded of the truth of a matter after careful evaluation.3 Faith, on the other hand, is the conviction that results from being convinced of the truth of a matter after examining it carefully. Therefore, believing, from a Biblical view, cannot be formed in an instant, and certainly not while in an emotional state of mind; emotions tend to cloud objective evaluation – impulse buying is a classic example, where regret often settles in after the emotions have settled down. Hence the difficulty with the “converts” who came forward at Billy Graham’s crusades, or those who are talked into praying a prayer for salvation by door-to-door “evangelists” – they have responded to the emotional pressure of the moment, but there has been no evaluation of God’s Truth, nor are they presented with the complete Message. We must not only take the time to ponder the truths concerning Jesus, but it is important that we understand the cost of following Him: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). The cost of following the Lord is one thing that is missing from today’s preaching, which leaves most who hear the Gospel without a complete understanding in order to do a proper evaluation.
Consider the rocky and weedy soils from Jesus’ parable: the Word (the Seed) brought forth life in both cases. The rocky-soil life was like an emotional response, it was immediate, but, the moment that a test came, it died (Luke 8:13); the weedy-soil began well and flourished until the pressures and stresses of the world choked it out, and it, too, died (Luke 8:14). Neither one had counted the cost of living for the Lord, and both perished; the Seed that entered the good soil, flourished and produced a harvest, not because it faced no testing, rather, it brought forth fruit with patience (hupomone, endurance; Luke 8:15).4 Peter explains the situation of the rocky and weedy soils: “For it had been better for them not to have [thoroughly] known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:21). The writer of Hebrews has made it abundantly clear that for those who become apostate, who have fallen away from the living God, there is no more sacrifice for sins available to them – their eternal destiny of condemnation is secured (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26).
We must know the complete Message that God has for us today in order for our believing to be established upon a firm foundation. If we are convinced of the truth of the Gospel, after having conducted a careful evaluation of it, then we have a good basis for a life that is honoring to Him. Such believing yields a strong conviction of the Truth of the Gospel, particularly when we have considered the cost of following the Lord; it is that strong conviction that is our faith. As you can see, if our believing is not well founded, then our faith will be equally shaky. The faith of too many today is resting upon a theology, or the teachings of a favorite preacher, rather than upon the unchanging Word of God. It is because their focus is on the writings and teachings of men and women, rather than on the Scriptures, that they do not even recognize that their faith is ill-founded, nor are they able to follow John’s admonition to test all things according to the Standard that God has given to us (1 John 4:1).
It is because our faith is resting securely in the Lord Jesus Christ that we have the assurance of the eternal glory that awaits all of those who are in Him! Moreover, with the presence of the Spirit of God within, “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). As Jesus taught His disciples, He said that if they are loving Him, then they must also be obedient to His commands (John 14:15); it was then that He assured them that He would send them the Spirit of God (the Comforter) Who would come with the intention of abiding with us forever (John 14:16), and, finally, Jesus said this: “I will not leave you orphaned, I am coming for you” (John 14:18, literal).5 In Christ, we are the adopted children of God (Ephesians 1:5); it is very certain that we have not been abandoned as long as we remain in Him. Our faith, which is securely centered in Christ, provides us with confidence that we will one day be with Him in glory. Our assurance does not rest in ourselves, but in the One Who paid the price for our sins, so that we are able to appear without condemnation before God because we are in Him (Romans 8:1).
Because our faith rests upon our persuasion of the truth of the Gospel that came through our careful evaluation of its Message, it is a firm conviction that is based upon God’s Word, not a notion generated by human wisdom, or even a theology that is a product of man’s reasoning. Jesus is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13) and the eternal Word (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7); in Him is the security of our hope. To Thomas, Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one is coming to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, literal).6 Everything that we have comes from being in Christ: He is our Hope, not only for this life, but also for the one to come, when we will be with Him in the presence of the Father, forever. As John saw the New Heaven and Earth, he heard a voice declaring to him: “Behold, the dwelling of God [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them – their God” (Revelation 21:3, literal).7 In Christ, this is our hope for what is not yet visible!
2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
For in this, the men of old were approved (literal).8
This is a reference to the secure faith that we just considered, and it was in this that the OT saints were found to be approved by God. Today, our faith rests securely in the finished work of Christ upon the cross, and the NC that He implemented through His shed blood (Luke 22:20). The faith of the OT saints rested securely in the promise of God that He would, with finality, deal with sin and Satan. God’s promise came right after sin entered the Garden: “And I will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).9
The faith of the OT saints was in Jehovah, and it looked forward to the One Who was promised; our faith is in the Lord, and looks back to the promise fulfilled! The OT saints had a cleansing faith that saw them approved before the Lord. The approved OT saints, when they died, went to a place of rest that is called the bosom of Abraham, or Paradise (Luke 16:22; 23:43). This was a place of peace and rest, but it was not heaven. The sins of the OT saints had not been removed, because Christ had not yet made the eternal payment for sin; the animal sacrifices could never remove their sins, but only provided a temporary cleansing (Hebrews 10:1, 4). However, when Christ paid the price for sins through His shed blood, death and resurrection, then the sins of the OT saints were paid in full! And so we read that after Christ rose from the dead, the OT saints were also raised; Matthew tells us that they came out of their graves after His resurrection – they followed their Redeemer, being resurrected as He was (Matthew 27:53). When Christ ascended to heaven, He led captivity captive – He took the OT saints, who were recently raised from the dead in glorified bodies, to heaven with Him as the firstfruit of His harvest: Christ, the Firstfruit (1 Corinthians 15:20); the OT saints as the firstfruit of Christ, presented as a wave offering before His Father (Revelation 14:4). The wave offering was the first of the harvest presented to the priests to receive God’s favor for the harvest that was coming (Leviticus 23:10).
The writer reminds us that the OT saints were approved by God through their living faith in Him; the object of faith has changed (from the promise, to the Promised One), but the faith remains the same today.
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.
By faith we understand that the worlds were created by a word from God, for not from that which appears, the things that are seen have been created (literal).10
Interestingly, as the writer begins to unfold the reality and expression of faith, he starts with Genesis 1 – God creating the universe, the earth, and all of life. First of all, he states unequivocally that it is by faith that we know that the worlds were created by the spoken word of God; this includes life for all vegetation and creatures (along with their means of reproduction), time (with a way to mark time and seasons), and humanity after His own image, to oversee all of creation. The marvelous complexity of this world is a testament to the greatness of our Creator: “for the invisible attributes of Him [God], because of the creation of the world [and] by the things made, this is understood [and] clearly perceived: not only His eternal power, but also [His] divine nature so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, literal).11 Paul declares that the wonder of creation expresses the power and supremacy of God so that humanity is really without excuse for not recognizing God’s hand at work; nevertheless, they became wise in their own eyes and wove the tapestry of evolution, which, although it removes the uncomfortable concept of a personal God, still requires a great deal of faith to believe. The Psalmist expressed it this way: “The heavens declare [proclaim] his righteousness [not a moral righteousness, but His rightness and straightness in the physical creation – the universe is perfectly in order and functions within His determination12], and all the people see [have seen] his glory” (Psalm 97:6);13 the heavens proclaim God’s precision, down to the minutest detail!
By faith we understand that God created the universe from nothing – He spoke and all things came into being. Genesis 1:1 tells us that He created the heavens and the earth; the Hebrew word bara’ is only used when God is the Creator (never man), and can refer to either creating from nothing, or making something from what already exists (context provides clarification).14 Based upon God’s preserved account of creation, all of the created universe was spoken into existence by God, so that the writer of Hebrews is correct in saying that what we see around us did not come into being from other things that are also visible. In essence, he is discrediting man’s theories of evolution. Greek philosophers discussed concepts of evolution as early as the 6th century BC, similar ideas were a part of the Chinese culture in the 300s BC, and, indeed, many cultures around the world include some form of evolution;15 granted, these were not as elaborately conceived as that attributed to Charles Darwin, but, nonetheless, it has been a long-held belief by pagans that the life that we see today came from different forms through the passing of time – what we see came from what already existed. The difficulty that they all face is: how did it all begin?
The writer opens his presentation on the reality of faith, with God as the Creator of all things and that He brought all of this into existence out of nothing! He spoke, and it came to pass. If we don’t get this right, then the rest of his presentation on faith will be of little value because it is ALL dependent upon the true God being the Object of our faith.
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.
By faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain, by which he [Abel] was approved, being righteous, God is bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, he, having died, [is] still speaking (literal).16
It was faith that led Abel to offer an acceptable sacrifice to God – the key ingredient was a humble submission to God that was mingled with faith in His promise. The foundation of Abel’s faith was God as the Creator of all things, and His supreme authority over man, who bears His image. Jehovah sacrificed innocent and perfect animals in order to provide Adam and Eve with an acceptable covering for their sin (Genesis 3:21). Although the skins of the animals provided them with a physical covering, it was the blood that was shed that imparted a temporary cleansing from sin: “…and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22b). What we are not told, but what must have taken place, is that Adam and Eve spoke their sons about the example that God had set for dealing with sin. It is evident from the narrative that Cain was well aware of what God required; otherwise, he would not have been angry over the Lord accepting Abel’s sacrifice, but, rather, he would have been confused as to why his was rejected (Genesis 4:4-5). Cain provides an illustration of someone who is convinced that they have a better way of acknowledging the Lord that doesn’t require obedience; he was sure that he could receive the Lord’s “well done” by offering the fruits of his own labor. God had prescribed the way that we are to come before Him (by shed blood); He had very clearly demonstrated to Adam and Eve that the works of their hands (the fig-leaf aprons) were totally unacceptable. Abel, the first to die for his faith in the Lord, is an example of what it means to remain true to the Lord and receive His approval, which is far more important than life itself. Even to this day, Abel speaks of the importance of obedience to the Lord in order to obtain His favor – nothing has changed!
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.
By faith Enoch was taken [so as] to not experience death, and was not found, because God had taken him, for before his removal he had a good reputation, having been pleasing to God (literal).17
The faith of Enoch was based upon God as the Creator of all things, and his faith flowed through a life that offered sacrifices to the Lord in obedience to Him. What is beginning to become evident, even in these early days, is that faith and obedience are the two ingredients necessary to be pleasing to the Lord. Abel expressed faith and obedience, and the Lord saw him as being righteous; Enoch lived according to the same principles, and the Lord took him out of this world, without experiencing death – the normal way to leave this life.
The reputation of Enoch was that he pleased God; everyone around him understood that faith in the Lord and obedience to His requirements were the essence of his life. What is also evident is that those who knew him, made a search for him and he was not to be found on this earth. God took him from this life, and ushered him into Paradise, that place of comfort where the righteous were kept until their sins were paid for by the Promised One. We know that righteous Abel was killed by his brother, and we can be assured that Enoch’s life, which received the approval of God, also brought the persecution of men. Having a reputation of being pleasing to God would have undoubtedly raised the ire of those who were more inclined to follow the example of Cain.
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.
And without faith it is impossible to please [God]; it is necessary for the one who is coming to God to have faith that He exists, and is the Rewarder to those who are carefully seeking Him (literal).18
The writer now provides some further explanation as to the role of faith for us. He has already stated that it is by faith that we believe that God is the Creator of all things; now he clarifies that it is even more basic than that – we must have faith that God exists. We are creatures of the physical world who are bound by time, yet we must, in faith, look beyond that which is physical to the One Who is our Creator. The wonders of an amazing creation lead us to a firm conviction that only an all-powerful God could create such a complex, interconnected world, and sustain it. “All things were made by him [the Word, or Jesus]; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3), “And he [the Word, or Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist [continue, endure]” (Colossians 1:17).19 The extensive, interconnected complexities of this world are a compelling testament to the power and ability of God, our Creator. However, humanity is unique within His amazing creation, for He made us in His image (Genesis 1:26). It is logical that our physical being does not bear His image, for He is a spirit (John 4:24), and we are told that He “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [plural]; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).20 However, God breathed into man two lives, which is different from all of the rest of creation: 1) Jehovah breathed into the formed man physical life (ruah, or ruach – breath or spirit), such as is common to all creatures, and 2) He breathed into him a soul (neshamah), an eternal element that bears His image.21 The soul (neshamah) is that part of man that includes the ability to think, reason, and to make decisions (choices); these abilities belong to humanity alone, and are the image of God in man. Although this image has been marred by sin, it remains a part of fallen, sinful mankind: “with it [a reference to the tongue] we bless the God and Father, and with it we curse men who are created in the likeness of God” (James 3:9, literal).22 As James made his case for the often destructive power of the tongue, he spoke of the fact that man, despite his sinful nature, still bears the image, or likeness, of God.
It is because we are created in the image of God that we are able to carefully evaluate the truth about Him that is expressed in nature and in His Word, so that we can arrive at a conviction of His Truth. One of the failures of Calvinism is that they dismiss the fact that all of humanity still bears the image of God. A staunch purveyor of Calvinism, John MacArthur has stated: “Total depravity means sinners have no ability to do spiritual good or work for their own salvation from sin. [Agreed!] They are so completely disinclined to love righteousness, so thoroughly dead in sin, that they are not able to save themselves or even to fit themselves for God’s salvation. [Again, this is acceptable.] Unbelieving humanity has no capacity to desire, understand, believe, or apply spiritual truth ….”23 It is this final observation that runs contrary to sinful humanity still bearing the image of God: their ability to think, evaluate, and, after a positive assessment, to choose God’s truth. Within this theology, by total depravity they actually mean total inability, and this forms the foundation for their teaching: God has chosen from eternity past who will be saved (and they will be saved whether they like it or not), and who will be condemned (even if they desire to be saved). This runs contrary to the Biblical teaching on what it means to believe, but aligns itself well with the Calvinists’ banner principle of the absolute divine sovereignty of God,24 which also makes God the Creator of sin (something that they try their best to side-step).25 Consider Paul’s teaching: “For everyone who should call [middle voice] upon the name of the Lord, will be saved [passive voice]. How then will they call [middle voice] on [Him] Whom they do not believe [active voice]? And how will they believe [active voice] on [Him] Whom they have not heard [active voice]? And how will they hear [active voice] without someone preaching [active voice]?” (Romans 10:13-14, literal).26 If we pay careful attention to the verbs in this passage (call, saved, believe, hear and preaching), we notice that there is only one that is in the passive voice: saved; the passive voice tells us that this action (being rescued from sin) is not something that everyone can do – God is the One Who will save from sin (it is also future tense). Calvinism requires all of these verbs to be passive (rather than active), because, within their theology, humanity is unable to do any of them – God does them all! The middle voice tells us that the subject (everyone) carries out the action (call), and the subject is also the beneficiary of the action; the one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (future tense). However, believe is notably in the active voice – it is the subject everyone who believes; the one who is created in the image of God is capable of hearing about the Lord, believing in Him, and calling on Him! After issuing a general command that humanity must enter through the Narrow Gate (Jesus), Jesus also warned that the Restricted Way that leads to life would only be found by a few (Matthew 7:13-14); enter is in the active voice – everyone is commanded to enter. This is not a hypothetical situation; when Jesus issued the command to enter, that means that everyone has the ability to do so, but everyone will only do so if he is believing, which Biblically requires an evaluation of God’s truth that leads to the conviction that it is correct. To Thomas, Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one is coming [middle voice] to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, literal).27 Coming to the Father through Christ is the action of the one who is coming, not the Father!
The writer concludes with the assurance that, to those who are earnestly seeking the Lord, He is their Rewarder. Seeking is in the active voice, which tells us that it is created men who are doing the seeking. Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7); ask, seek, and knock are all commands given in the active voice and present tense.28 Jesus directs that we are to be continually asking, seeking and knocking; it is as we are obedient to Him in this regard, that He will reward us: if we ask, then He will give (passive voice, He does the giving); if we seek, then He will ensure that we will find (active voice, we will find); if we knock, then He will open to us (passive voice). In each case (given, find, opened), the indicative mood is used, which identifies each one as being a statement of fact; this fits completely with the text that we are considering: the Lord is the Rewarder of those who are diligently seeking Him – here, too, the indicative mood is used to ensure that we understand that this is a statement of fact. As we earnestly seek after the Lord, which presupposes that our faith is firmly placed in Him, He will reward us by making Himself known to us, and that will come primarily through His Word.
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.
By faith Noah, having been warned by God about things not yet seen, did fear [and] prepared an ark to the salvation of his family, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the faith of righteousness (literal).29
The warning that Noah received was that God was going to destroy life from the face of the earth by a flood of waters (Genesis 6:13, 17); he was told to build an ark in order to provide a sanctuary from the destroying waters for his family and some of all creatures (Genesis 6:18-19). We’re all familiar with: “But Noah found grace [or favor] in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8); however, we are probably less familiar with this: “Noah was a just [righteous] man and perfect [blameless, having integrity] in his generations, and Noah walked [fellowshipped] with God” (Genesis 6:9).30 Noah lived in such a way that he received God’s approval; the world, in general, was so wicked that God determined to destroy all of the living creatures, yet, in the midst of this, Noah stood as someone whose life honored the Lord. As Noah lived in righteousness before the Lord, his life made the wickedness of the people around him appear to be even more evil; he demonstrated that it was possible to live in fellowship with the Lord, and thereby his life condemned the people of his day – even in such a wicked time, there was still someone who followed the Lord faithfully. That can be an encouragement to us to remain faithful to the Lord in this day of great evil.
The writer concludes that Noah became the heir of the faith of righteousness. As the Lord spoke with Noah regarding the coming deluge and the construction of the ark, He noted this: “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee” (Genesis 6:18). The promise (covenant) that Jehovah had made in the Garden of Eden was that the Seed of the woman would come to put an end to Satan; although it was addressed to Satan, the promise was that God would make an end of sin, something that was now attached to humanity. This is the first that we read of God’s promise being carried through a limited family line; through subsequent generations, this became further restricted to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), and then Isaac (Genesis 26:4), Jacob (Genesis 28:14) and Judah (Genesis 49:10). Luke 3:36 confirms that the genealogy of Jesus came through the family line of Noah.
The righteousness of Noah is not all that different from what we are called to live today – its essence is faithful obedience to the Lord. Yes, its expression in the days of Noah would have been different from today, but faithfulness and obedience has always been what is pleasing to the Lord. Noah, like Abel before him, undoubtedly brought animal sacrifices as required – fellowship with the Lord was not possible without the shedding of blood to provide a temporary covering for sin. Noah is described as being righteous, a man of integrity, and someone who had fellowship with the Lord – none of this was possible without a strong faith in the Lord and His promise of coming redemption. Noah’s life was guided by his faith in Jehovah!
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.
By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to depart unto a place which he was destined to receive for an inheritance, and he went, not knowing where he was going (literal).31
God’s call of Abraham (then Abram) was another defining moment in the fulfillment of the Promised One from Genesis 3:15 – His selection of a family line through whom the Savior would come. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee … and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). Said, in this case, is identified as a waw consecutive verb in Hebrew,32 which means that it follows certain other noted events, namely: Terah, Abraham’s father, had taken Abraham, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and Lot (his grandson) out of Ur (located along the Euphrates River) and led them on a journey to Canaan; however, on the way they stopped at Haran (still along the Euphrates River), where Terah passed away (Genesis 11:31-32). It is while they were still at Haran that the Lord called Abraham to leave his land (country), his native country (kindred), and his family (father’s house; Genesis 12:1), and go to a land that He would show him.33 Abraham continued the journey that his father had begun, along with Lot, and came into the land of Canaan; as he came to Shechem, the Lord told him, “Unto thy seed will I give this land” (Genesis 12:7) – a simple assurance to Abraham that he was in the right place. As Abraham and Lot prospered, their flocks, herds and hired workers also increased, so that a day came when Abraham suggested that they separate in order to keep peace between their workers (Genesis 13:8-9). Abraham gave Lot his choice of the land, and so Lot went east to the lush plains of the Jordan, and Abraham remained in the more barren area of Canaan. As soon as Lot was departed from Abraham, the Lord told Abraham to look to the north, south, east and west, because all of this land was given to his descendants, who would become as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:14-16). With Lot’s departure, the final condition of the Lord’s promise to Abraham was met: leave your family; now Abraham and Sarah were alone with the Lord, and He began to lead them toward an heir – a beginning of their promised numerous descendants.
Paul used Abraham to teach the Romans the principles of faith in the Lord; he began with: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Let’s consider the context for this statement. Abraham left the place of his birth (Ur of the Chaldees) and followed his father, Terah, as far as Haran, where Terah died. It was in Haran that the Lord called Abraham to leave his land (although he had moved from Ur to Haran, Abraham was still in the same land – alongside of the Euphrates River), his native land (his place of birth), which had already been done, and his family (Genesis 12:1). It seems that Abraham had assumed responsibility for his nephew Lot (after his father died), and it would be some time before he would separate himself from Lot. With the call from the Lord, Abraham left Haran and, in essence, completed the journey that his father had begun – he went into the land of Canaan; he was now away from his familiar land along the Euphrates River. After Abraham and Lot separated, the Lord told Abraham that He was giving the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham, who would be as numerous as the dust of the earth – Abraham being yet childless.
When four kings came through the plains of Jordan and captured many of the people, including Lot and his family, Abraham, along with some of his men, defeated the kings and rescued them. We are told that he smote them (Genesis 14:15), but that does not of necessity include killing the kings. On his way back, Abraham met Melchizedek, a priest of the most high God, who blessed Abraham and to whom Abraham paid a tithe. Interestingly, these kings were from the area of Abraham’s birthplace. Right after Abraham defeated the kings and rescued Lot, the Lord told him this: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1b). Frequently, defeated kings would regroup, attract other supporters, and then return to wreak vengeance upon the people who defeated them – the Lord assured Abraham that He was not only his protection, but also his exceeding great reward. The Hebrew word for reward (sakar), primarily means wages or compensation – the fulfillment of an obligation.34 Undoubtedly, Abraham’s mind went to the promises of the Lord to make of him a great people, for his response to the Lord was: “what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless …” (Genesis 15:2). In response, the Lord took Abraham out and had him consider the stars of heaven; the Lord told him that his descendants would be as the stars in number (Genesis 15:5). “And he [Abraham] believed [his trust remained firm] in the LORD; and he [the Lord] counted [reckoned] it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).35
Abraham believed and did what the Lord asked of him; his faith in the Lord was well-established, even though he still had no child. It is such a faith, accompanied by obedience, which the Lord imputed to him as being righteousness.
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: 10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
9. By faith he did live as a stranger in the Promised Land as a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise. 10. For he looked forward to a city having foundations whose designer and maker [is] God (literal).36
After Abraham arrived in Canaan, the Lord told him that this was the land that He was going to give to his descendants who would be greatly multiplied (Genesis 12:7). It was not until the death of Sarah when Abraham bought a field for a burying place for her (Genesis 23:20) that he came to own any portion of Canaan; by the time of his death, this was the only land that Abraham owned. As Abraham negotiated for a burying place, he described himself as a stranger and a sojourner among the people of the land (Genesis 23:4) – a foreigner and a dweller without citizen rights.37 Indeed, for the most part, Abraham remained in Canaan, yet he never joined himself to any of the permanent residents of the land (in contrast to his nephew, Lot); he was very wealthy, yet kept himself separate from the native tribes of the land.
When the kings of the east plundered the cities of the plains and took the people captive (including Lot and his family), Abraham pursued them, defeated the kings, returned the captives and their goods, and then refused a reward from the king of Sodom for doing so (Genesis 14:22-23). The people of the land came to hold him in high regard – perhaps recognizing that he was blessed beyond what was to be expected. When Abraham asked to buy a place to bury his wife, the people called him a mighty prince among them (Genesis 23:6): the Hebrew shows this as: nasiy’ (naw-see’) ‘elohiym – a prince of God.38 This is evident recognition, on their part, of Abraham enjoying the favor of God.
It is interesting to note that Abraham remained a stranger in this land that the Lord had promised to him. Despite his wealth, he never bought land on which to built a city, or even a permanent residence; he lived in tents, temporary dwellings that could be moved as required – and so with his descendants, Isaac and Jacob. The writer tells us that Abraham looked forward to a city whose architect and builder is God – clearly, not an earthly city; he was content to live in temporary housing in the land that the Lord had promised to him and his descendants. As John viewed the New Jerusalem, he noted that “the wall of the city had twelve foundations” (Revelation 21:14), and that it came out of heaven from God – this is undoubtedly the city that Abraham anticipated.
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.
And by faith, Sarah, herself, received strength to conceive a child, and gave birth after the normal age, because she considered the One Who had promised to be faithful (literal).39
When the Lord assured Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child of their own, they both laughed at the thought (Genesis 17:17; 18:12) – Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah ninety. Yet the Lord stated that Sarah would bear a child, and Abraham was to call his name Isaac – meaning, he laughs (Genesis 17:19).40 The writer tells us that Sarah’s wonder at the thought of bearing a child in her old age, turned into faith in the Lord Who had promised. We are not told how her doubt changed to faith, but it was right after she was told that the angels of the Lord removed Lot, his wife and two daughters from Sodom, and the Lord destroyed the cities of the plain because of their great wickedness. Abraham was fully aware of the mission of the angels concerning the cities, and the supernatural destruction of the cities of the plain undoubtedly provided an indelible demonstration of the power of the God Who had promised them an heir. Whatever caused the change of heart for Sarah, it is clear that her incredulous laughter turned into lasting joy in the Lord.
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.
Wherefore also from one was born, and these [Abraham and Sarah] as good as dead, even as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand at the seashore – innumerable (literal).41
We’ve just read of the faith of Abraham and Sarah, but the writer includes the proof that their faith was well-placed: the descendants of this elderly couple are an innumerable multitude! One, in this case, is from a Greek masculine singular word, which points to Abraham as being the one; in typical fashion of this time, the offspring were counted from the father. On the other hand, these (or, him in the KJV) is from a neuter plural word in Greek that concludes that both Abraham and Sarah were as good as dead. In truth, the Lord was faithful and fulfilled His promise just as He said, despite their ages.
When Moses addressed the children of Israel, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, he made this observation: “The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude” (Deuteronomy 1:10). In essence, Moses was affirming that the Lord had fulfilled His promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5). However, it is also interesting to note that Moses included a warning to Israel that if they failed to live in obedience to the Lord that they, then, would become few in number, even though they were at that time as the stars of heaven (Deuteronomy 28:62). For Israel to remain a great nation was conditional upon their obedience; the promise of a great multitude of descendants that the Lord had made to Abraham (Genesis 15:5), to Isaac (Genesis 26:4), and to Jacob (Genesis 28:14) had been fulfilled at the time that Israel was ready to enter the Promised Land. There was yet one promise from the Lord that would find fulfillment through the children of Israel (regardless of their numbers), and that was that, through them, all families of the earth would be blessed: to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), to Isaac (all nations, or peoples, Genesis 26:4), and to Jacob (Genesis 28:14).42
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.
These [a reference to the patriarchs] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but they did see them from afar and were persuaded; not only did they welcome [the promises], but they also admitted to being foreigners and strangers on the earth (literal).43
In the midst of blessing his sons from his death-bed, Jacob made this statement: “I have waited for [eagerly awaited] thy salvation, O LORD” (Genesis 49:18).44 We have seen that the Lord promised a Redeemer right after man had sinned (Genesis 3:15), and what is very evident is that this promise had not been lost through the intervening years. The family line of that promise was confirmed to come through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; as Jacob came to the end of his life, he declared that, throughout his life, he had eagerly looked forward to the coming of the Redeemer of the Lord.
The patriarchs had a better understanding of the promises of God than we might imagine. Too frequently, silence in the Scripture narrative is taken to mean that nothing was happening, when, in reality, God’s Message to man was being faithfully passed along from one generation to the next. From Adam to Jacob we find little regarding the Lord’s promise of the Seed Who was to come to break the power of Satan, yet Jacob declares that he has been eagerly awaiting the salvation that would come from Jehovah – he was anticipating the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15! He may not have understood how the Lord would accomplish His promise, but he was thoroughly convinced that the promised Redeemer was coming.
It was as they lived in anticipation of the Lord’s coming Redeemer that they looked forward to an eternal dwelling with God. It was their firm conviction of the faithfulness of the Lord that made them feel like this earth was not their home – their vision was heavenward. Despite their great wealth, the patriarchs never established a permanent dwelling in this world – they were simply passing through to something that was better.
14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
For they who are saying such things, reveal that they are looking for a homeland (literal).45
Those who say that they are strangers and foreigners in this world, very clearly have set their sights on a place that is beyond this realm. It is interesting that the patriarchs, although blessed with abundant wealth, never used it to gain control over the land of Canaan; they believed the Lord when He said that He would give the land to them and to their descendants (Genesis 13:16-17). As long as they remained few in number, they had no need of all of the land that the Lord had promised to them, nor would they be able to defend it; therefore, they waited for the Lord to increase their numbers and then give them the land that they would need. In the meantime, they awaited the coming of the Promised One and a heavenly dwelling place with the Lord.
15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
And, indeed, if they recalled where they had come from, they might have had opportunity to have returned (literal).46
The writer makes a very interesting observation here. There is no record of Abraham ever considering a return to his homeland; even when Canaan experienced a severe famine, he went into Egypt for relief, not back to where he came from. However, when it came time for Abraham to find a wife for Isaac, things were different; to his servant he stated: “And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not [within the Hebrew, this is an emphatic negative] take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell” (Genesis 24:3).47 Instead, he sent his servant to the relatives of his father to find a wife for Isaac, specifically to the family of his brother, Nahor (Genesis 24:10).48 Years later, Isaac did the same thing for Jacob – instructing him not49 to take a wife of the Canaanites, but to go to Padanaram, to the relatives of his mother to find a wife (Genesis 28:5). This serves to emphasize the separation that both Abraham and Isaac had from the people living in Canaan, and it was something that they both applied to their sons who were to carry the promise of God forward (i.e., Isaac and Jacob). Ishmael married an Egyptian (Genesis 21:21), and no mention is made of the marriages of the other children of Abraham; at the age of forty, Esau married two Hittite women (Genesis 26:34), and, later, when he learned that Isaac did not approve of Canaanite women (at least for Jacob), he married a woman of Ishmael (Genesis 28:9). Once again we are faced with the reality that the Lord had communicated far more to these OT men than what we read about in Scripture.
It seems evident that it was their faith in the promise of the Lord that kept the patriarchs in the land of Canaan, even though they remained as strangers in it. Although they never returned to the land of their ancestors, it is also evident that they did not feel at home among the Canaanites. They looked for something better that would be given to them by the Lord.
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.
And so they desire a better [homeland], that is, a heavenly; wherefore, God is not ashamed of them, He is called theirs: for He prepared a city for them (literal).50
In truth, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not regard the land that God promised to them as being theirs, nor did they feel at home among the people of the land. In His communication with these three men, it seems clear that God provided them with a glimpse of what lay ahead for them if they remained faithful to Him – a vision that went well beyond the land of Canaan to a heavenly dwelling place.
When Jehovah identified Himself to Moses, He said: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). He was not only not ashamed to be called their God, but He used the names of the patriarch to declare Who He was to Moses and the children of Israel. Further to that, as Jesus pointed out the error of the Sadducees (who didn’t believe in the resurrection), He declared: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). To the children of Israel, God was identified as being the God of their forefathers – their uniqueness as a people was inseparably tied to God!
The writer tells us that God prepared a city for them, and the context tells us that this is a heavenly city, which most identify as being the New Jerusalem. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all lived in tents; although they were probably quite elaborate, they were still tents – an indication of being a temporary dwelling. They not only had faith that the Lord would provide Canaan for their multiplied descendants, but they also held the hope of a heavenly city that was made by God. In truth, their heavenly hope was the same as the hope that we have in Christ for an eternal dwelling place with Him!
17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
17. By faith Abraham, being tested, did offer Isaac, his only son, who had received the promises, 18. With whom it was said that a seed will be called to you in Isaac; 19. even considering God able to raise [Isaac] from the dead, whence also he [Abraham] did receive [Isaac] in figure (literal).51
This was the supreme expression of Abraham’s faith in the Lord: in his very old age, Abraham had finally received a son through whom the promises from God would be carried forward, and then the Lord asked him to offer this son as a burnt sacrifice. To compound the testing, he travelled for three days to the place where God had specified that the sacrifice was to take place; three days of being with his son, and sufficient time to rationalize away what he thought that the Lord had asked of him. There is no indication that Abraham harbored any such thoughts – he went with resolve to follow the Lord’s instructions, believing, as he told Isaac, that “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26); Abraham was absolutely qualified as a disciple of the Lord! Although we will not be tested in the same way as Abraham, nevertheless, the Lord requires that our commitment to Him be greater than it is to anyone, or anything, else.
Even though Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son, he was willing to do what the Lord had asked of him, believing that if Isaac was sacrificed, then the Lord would raise him from the dead, since the promises were to be carried forward through this son. Although Isaac did not become a burnt sacrifice, undoubtedly Abraham felt in some way that he had been returned to him from the dead. Abraham believed the Lord, obeyed Him, and the Lord reiterated His promise that through his greatly multiplied family line would come a Blessing for all of the peoples of the earth (Genesis 22:18). As with Abraham of old, our commitment to the Lord will be expressed through our obedience to Him.
20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith, concerning the future, Isaac did bless Jacob and Esau (literal).52
We might not give this a whole lot of thought, unless we recall that the promised blessing of the Lord was to come through Jacob while Esau was the eldest and Isaac’s favored son. Before Rebekah gave birth to the twins, the Lord told her that the elder would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23) – a reversal of roles, the birthright of the first born would fall to the younger brother. We are told that Esau was a cunning hunter and a man of the field, while Jacob preferred to stay at home (Genesis 25:27); Isaac favored Esau because he brought a change of diet from the meat of the herds (Genesis 25:28). On a day when Esau came home from the fields particularly famished, Jacob had a pot of chilli simmering, and Esau willingly traded his birthright for a bowl of Jacob’s food (Genesis 25:30-33). We are not told, but it seems evident that Rebekah spoke to Jacob about the Lord’s words that the elder would serve the younger, and Jacob took the opportunity when it presented itself. The obvious question is: did Rebekah also tell Isaac?
Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20), sixty years old when the twins were born (Genesis 25:26), and a hundred years old when Esau married two women of the local Hittite tribes, which proved to be a source of bitterness to both Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35). If Isaac was aware of the words of the Lord to Rebekah, then it seems that he chose to ignore them; when he grew feeble with age, he told Esau to hunt game and make him his favorite stew, and then he would bless him (Genesis 27:7). Rebekah heard him and interceded with a plot to have the blessing given to Jacob. Consider the blessing that Isaac thought that he was bestowing upon Esau: the Lord will provide abundant food, people will serve him, nations will bow before him, he will be lord over his brethren so that they (his mother’s sons) bow before him, and, finally, cursed be those who curse him and blessed, who bless him (Genesis 27:28-29). Isaac sought to provide his favored son with the blessing of the first-born. For Esau, who came in later, Isaac said that he would also be well provided for, he would live with violence, and he would serve his brother until a time when, after wandering restlessly (dominion53), he would break free of Jacob’s yoke (Genesis 27:39-40).
Although Isaac favored Esau, he was grieved because he had taken wives of the Hittites; when Rebekah told Isaac that if Jacob did the same that it would be devastating for her, he called for Jacob and told him that he was not to take a wife from the tribes around them, but was to go to Laban, Rebekah’s brother, and find a wife among his daughters. For Isaac, this would have brought memories back of what Abraham had done for him; and for Rebekah, it was a means of getting Jacob out of Esau’s sight before he killed him. Through it all, we see Rebekah being far more crafty than Jacob, yet Jacob always went along with her schemes; would the Lord have found a way to orchestrate matters without her scheming – we’ll never know, but it would seem so, because He told Rebekah that Jacob was, in fact, the chosen one – the one through whom the promise would be carried. Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning their futures – not in the way that he had intended, but in the way that the Lord purposed.
21. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith, Jacob, who was dying, did bless each of the sons of Joseph, and did bow upon the top of his staff (literal).54
The word bow (worshipped) is from the Greek proskuneo, which means to bow down to kiss the feet of someone, or to prostrate oneself in a demonstration of reverence or respect.55 At this time, Jacob was too old to bow upon the ground in worship of the Lord, and so he bowed while leaning upon his staff.
The fact that Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph is not, in itself, noteworthy, but there is tremendous significance in all that took place at this time. When Jacob began to decline, Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh (the first born) and Ephraim, to his father so that he would bless them. As they were brought to Jacob, he declared to Joseph: “And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine” (Genesis 48:5). As Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, he gave the primary blessing to Ephraim, to Joseph’s displeasure, yet he assured Joseph that the younger would excel beyond the older – is there something familiar here?
Let’s consider this carefully. Why would Jacob declare Ephraim and Manasseh to be replacements for Reuben and Simeon? Reuben, as Jacob’s firstborn, should have received a double portion of inheritance (his lot, being the firstborn); however, much earlier, after Rachel’s death, Reuben had slept with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine from Rachel, thereby bringing disgrace upon himself and the family (Genesis 35:22). As Jacob blessed each of his sons, Reuben he declared to be “unstable as water, thou shalt not excel” (Genesis 49:4) – not an expected “blessing” for a firstborn, but a direct consequence of his earlier actions. Simeon and Levi (the third son), on the other hand, inflicted a deceptive and cruel massacre of Canaanites who sought to be joined with them in marriage; their “blessing” was to be scattered among their brethren (Genesis 49:7). Undoubtedly, Simeon was the leader in the massacre for, although the descendants of Levi received no inheritance in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 10:9), the sons of Aaron became the priests of the Lord (Exodus 37:21), and the other families of Levi attended to the physical structure of the tabernacle (Numbers 18:23). By contrast, the descendants of Simeon went into a decline: when the fighting men of Israel were numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, Simeon boasted 59,300 (Numbers 1:23); when they were numbered again on the east side of the Jordan by Jericho, they were only 22,200 (Numbers 26:14), and their inheritance in the Land was within the allotment for the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:1).
Now faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, the inner conviction of things that are not seen (literal).1
This is frequently referred to as being the faith chapter, and the writer begins by providing a definition of faith. Before we look at what is here, let’s take a moment to review the Biblical understanding of believe (a verb) and faith (a noun).
Believe is defined as: “to consider to be true or honest,” or “to accept something as true, genuine, or real.”2 These are fine, as far as they go, but they are somewhat lacking when we look into the Biblical use of this word. Believe comes from the Greek word pisteuo, which means to be persuaded of the truth of a matter after careful evaluation.3 Faith, on the other hand, is the conviction that results from being convinced of the truth of a matter after examining it carefully. Therefore, believing, from a Biblical view, cannot be formed in an instant, and certainly not while in an emotional state of mind; emotions tend to cloud objective evaluation – impulse buying is a classic example, where regret often settles in after the emotions have settled down. Hence the difficulty with the “converts” who came forward at Billy Graham’s crusades, or those who are talked into praying a prayer for salvation by door-to-door “evangelists” – they have responded to the emotional pressure of the moment, but there has been no evaluation of God’s Truth, nor are they presented with the complete Message. We must not only take the time to ponder the truths concerning Jesus, but it is important that we understand the cost of following Him: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). The cost of following the Lord is one thing that is missing from today’s preaching, which leaves most who hear the Gospel without a complete understanding in order to do a proper evaluation.
Consider the rocky and weedy soils from Jesus’ parable: the Word (the Seed) brought forth life in both cases. The rocky-soil life was like an emotional response, it was immediate, but, the moment that a test came, it died (Luke 8:13); the weedy-soil began well and flourished until the pressures and stresses of the world choked it out, and it, too, died (Luke 8:14). Neither one had counted the cost of living for the Lord, and both perished; the Seed that entered the good soil, flourished and produced a harvest, not because it faced no testing, rather, it brought forth fruit with patience (hupomone, endurance; Luke 8:15).4 Peter explains the situation of the rocky and weedy soils: “For it had been better for them not to have [thoroughly] known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:21). The writer of Hebrews has made it abundantly clear that for those who become apostate, who have fallen away from the living God, there is no more sacrifice for sins available to them – their eternal destiny of condemnation is secured (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26).
We must know the complete Message that God has for us today in order for our believing to be established upon a firm foundation. If we are convinced of the truth of the Gospel, after having conducted a careful evaluation of it, then we have a good basis for a life that is honoring to Him. Such believing yields a strong conviction of the Truth of the Gospel, particularly when we have considered the cost of following the Lord; it is that strong conviction that is our faith. As you can see, if our believing is not well founded, then our faith will be equally shaky. The faith of too many today is resting upon a theology, or the teachings of a favorite preacher, rather than upon the unchanging Word of God. It is because their focus is on the writings and teachings of men and women, rather than on the Scriptures, that they do not even recognize that their faith is ill-founded, nor are they able to follow John’s admonition to test all things according to the Standard that God has given to us (1 John 4:1).
It is because our faith is resting securely in the Lord Jesus Christ that we have the assurance of the eternal glory that awaits all of those who are in Him! Moreover, with the presence of the Spirit of God within, “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). As Jesus taught His disciples, He said that if they are loving Him, then they must also be obedient to His commands (John 14:15); it was then that He assured them that He would send them the Spirit of God (the Comforter) Who would come with the intention of abiding with us forever (John 14:16), and, finally, Jesus said this: “I will not leave you orphaned, I am coming for you” (John 14:18, literal).5 In Christ, we are the adopted children of God (Ephesians 1:5); it is very certain that we have not been abandoned as long as we remain in Him. Our faith, which is securely centered in Christ, provides us with confidence that we will one day be with Him in glory. Our assurance does not rest in ourselves, but in the One Who paid the price for our sins, so that we are able to appear without condemnation before God because we are in Him (Romans 8:1).
Because our faith rests upon our persuasion of the truth of the Gospel that came through our careful evaluation of its Message, it is a firm conviction that is based upon God’s Word, not a notion generated by human wisdom, or even a theology that is a product of man’s reasoning. Jesus is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13) and the eternal Word (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7); in Him is the security of our hope. To Thomas, Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one is coming to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, literal).6 Everything that we have comes from being in Christ: He is our Hope, not only for this life, but also for the one to come, when we will be with Him in the presence of the Father, forever. As John saw the New Heaven and Earth, he heard a voice declaring to him: “Behold, the dwelling of God [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them – their God” (Revelation 21:3, literal).7 In Christ, this is our hope for what is not yet visible!
2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
For in this, the men of old were approved (literal).8
This is a reference to the secure faith that we just considered, and it was in this that the OT saints were found to be approved by God. Today, our faith rests securely in the finished work of Christ upon the cross, and the NC that He implemented through His shed blood (Luke 22:20). The faith of the OT saints rested securely in the promise of God that He would, with finality, deal with sin and Satan. God’s promise came right after sin entered the Garden: “And I will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).9
The faith of the OT saints was in Jehovah, and it looked forward to the One Who was promised; our faith is in the Lord, and looks back to the promise fulfilled! The OT saints had a cleansing faith that saw them approved before the Lord. The approved OT saints, when they died, went to a place of rest that is called the bosom of Abraham, or Paradise (Luke 16:22; 23:43). This was a place of peace and rest, but it was not heaven. The sins of the OT saints had not been removed, because Christ had not yet made the eternal payment for sin; the animal sacrifices could never remove their sins, but only provided a temporary cleansing (Hebrews 10:1, 4). However, when Christ paid the price for sins through His shed blood, death and resurrection, then the sins of the OT saints were paid in full! And so we read that after Christ rose from the dead, the OT saints were also raised; Matthew tells us that they came out of their graves after His resurrection – they followed their Redeemer, being resurrected as He was (Matthew 27:53). When Christ ascended to heaven, He led captivity captive – He took the OT saints, who were recently raised from the dead in glorified bodies, to heaven with Him as the firstfruit of His harvest: Christ, the Firstfruit (1 Corinthians 15:20); the OT saints as the firstfruit of Christ, presented as a wave offering before His Father (Revelation 14:4). The wave offering was the first of the harvest presented to the priests to receive God’s favor for the harvest that was coming (Leviticus 23:10).
The writer reminds us that the OT saints were approved by God through their living faith in Him; the object of faith has changed (from the promise, to the Promised One), but the faith remains the same today.
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.
By faith we understand that the worlds were created by a word from God, for not from that which appears, the things that are seen have been created (literal).10
Interestingly, as the writer begins to unfold the reality and expression of faith, he starts with Genesis 1 – God creating the universe, the earth, and all of life. First of all, he states unequivocally that it is by faith that we know that the worlds were created by the spoken word of God; this includes life for all vegetation and creatures (along with their means of reproduction), time (with a way to mark time and seasons), and humanity after His own image, to oversee all of creation. The marvelous complexity of this world is a testament to the greatness of our Creator: “for the invisible attributes of Him [God], because of the creation of the world [and] by the things made, this is understood [and] clearly perceived: not only His eternal power, but also [His] divine nature so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, literal).11 Paul declares that the wonder of creation expresses the power and supremacy of God so that humanity is really without excuse for not recognizing God’s hand at work; nevertheless, they became wise in their own eyes and wove the tapestry of evolution, which, although it removes the uncomfortable concept of a personal God, still requires a great deal of faith to believe. The Psalmist expressed it this way: “The heavens declare [proclaim] his righteousness [not a moral righteousness, but His rightness and straightness in the physical creation – the universe is perfectly in order and functions within His determination12], and all the people see [have seen] his glory” (Psalm 97:6);13 the heavens proclaim God’s precision, down to the minutest detail!
By faith we understand that God created the universe from nothing – He spoke and all things came into being. Genesis 1:1 tells us that He created the heavens and the earth; the Hebrew word bara’ is only used when God is the Creator (never man), and can refer to either creating from nothing, or making something from what already exists (context provides clarification).14 Based upon God’s preserved account of creation, all of the created universe was spoken into existence by God, so that the writer of Hebrews is correct in saying that what we see around us did not come into being from other things that are also visible. In essence, he is discrediting man’s theories of evolution. Greek philosophers discussed concepts of evolution as early as the 6th century BC, similar ideas were a part of the Chinese culture in the 300s BC, and, indeed, many cultures around the world include some form of evolution;15 granted, these were not as elaborately conceived as that attributed to Charles Darwin, but, nonetheless, it has been a long-held belief by pagans that the life that we see today came from different forms through the passing of time – what we see came from what already existed. The difficulty that they all face is: how did it all begin?
The writer opens his presentation on the reality of faith, with God as the Creator of all things and that He brought all of this into existence out of nothing! He spoke, and it came to pass. If we don’t get this right, then the rest of his presentation on faith will be of little value because it is ALL dependent upon the true God being the Object of our faith.
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.
By faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain, by which he [Abel] was approved, being righteous, God is bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, he, having died, [is] still speaking (literal).16
It was faith that led Abel to offer an acceptable sacrifice to God – the key ingredient was a humble submission to God that was mingled with faith in His promise. The foundation of Abel’s faith was God as the Creator of all things, and His supreme authority over man, who bears His image. Jehovah sacrificed innocent and perfect animals in order to provide Adam and Eve with an acceptable covering for their sin (Genesis 3:21). Although the skins of the animals provided them with a physical covering, it was the blood that was shed that imparted a temporary cleansing from sin: “…and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22b). What we are not told, but what must have taken place, is that Adam and Eve spoke their sons about the example that God had set for dealing with sin. It is evident from the narrative that Cain was well aware of what God required; otherwise, he would not have been angry over the Lord accepting Abel’s sacrifice, but, rather, he would have been confused as to why his was rejected (Genesis 4:4-5). Cain provides an illustration of someone who is convinced that they have a better way of acknowledging the Lord that doesn’t require obedience; he was sure that he could receive the Lord’s “well done” by offering the fruits of his own labor. God had prescribed the way that we are to come before Him (by shed blood); He had very clearly demonstrated to Adam and Eve that the works of their hands (the fig-leaf aprons) were totally unacceptable. Abel, the first to die for his faith in the Lord, is an example of what it means to remain true to the Lord and receive His approval, which is far more important than life itself. Even to this day, Abel speaks of the importance of obedience to the Lord in order to obtain His favor – nothing has changed!
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.
By faith Enoch was taken [so as] to not experience death, and was not found, because God had taken him, for before his removal he had a good reputation, having been pleasing to God (literal).17
The faith of Enoch was based upon God as the Creator of all things, and his faith flowed through a life that offered sacrifices to the Lord in obedience to Him. What is beginning to become evident, even in these early days, is that faith and obedience are the two ingredients necessary to be pleasing to the Lord. Abel expressed faith and obedience, and the Lord saw him as being righteous; Enoch lived according to the same principles, and the Lord took him out of this world, without experiencing death – the normal way to leave this life.
The reputation of Enoch was that he pleased God; everyone around him understood that faith in the Lord and obedience to His requirements were the essence of his life. What is also evident is that those who knew him, made a search for him and he was not to be found on this earth. God took him from this life, and ushered him into Paradise, that place of comfort where the righteous were kept until their sins were paid for by the Promised One. We know that righteous Abel was killed by his brother, and we can be assured that Enoch’s life, which received the approval of God, also brought the persecution of men. Having a reputation of being pleasing to God would have undoubtedly raised the ire of those who were more inclined to follow the example of Cain.
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.
And without faith it is impossible to please [God]; it is necessary for the one who is coming to God to have faith that He exists, and is the Rewarder to those who are carefully seeking Him (literal).18
The writer now provides some further explanation as to the role of faith for us. He has already stated that it is by faith that we believe that God is the Creator of all things; now he clarifies that it is even more basic than that – we must have faith that God exists. We are creatures of the physical world who are bound by time, yet we must, in faith, look beyond that which is physical to the One Who is our Creator. The wonders of an amazing creation lead us to a firm conviction that only an all-powerful God could create such a complex, interconnected world, and sustain it. “All things were made by him [the Word, or Jesus]; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3), “And he [the Word, or Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist [continue, endure]” (Colossians 1:17).19 The extensive, interconnected complexities of this world are a compelling testament to the power and ability of God, our Creator. However, humanity is unique within His amazing creation, for He made us in His image (Genesis 1:26). It is logical that our physical being does not bear His image, for He is a spirit (John 4:24), and we are told that He “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [plural]; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).20 However, God breathed into man two lives, which is different from all of the rest of creation: 1) Jehovah breathed into the formed man physical life (ruah, or ruach – breath or spirit), such as is common to all creatures, and 2) He breathed into him a soul (neshamah), an eternal element that bears His image.21 The soul (neshamah) is that part of man that includes the ability to think, reason, and to make decisions (choices); these abilities belong to humanity alone, and are the image of God in man. Although this image has been marred by sin, it remains a part of fallen, sinful mankind: “with it [a reference to the tongue] we bless the God and Father, and with it we curse men who are created in the likeness of God” (James 3:9, literal).22 As James made his case for the often destructive power of the tongue, he spoke of the fact that man, despite his sinful nature, still bears the image, or likeness, of God.
It is because we are created in the image of God that we are able to carefully evaluate the truth about Him that is expressed in nature and in His Word, so that we can arrive at a conviction of His Truth. One of the failures of Calvinism is that they dismiss the fact that all of humanity still bears the image of God. A staunch purveyor of Calvinism, John MacArthur has stated: “Total depravity means sinners have no ability to do spiritual good or work for their own salvation from sin. [Agreed!] They are so completely disinclined to love righteousness, so thoroughly dead in sin, that they are not able to save themselves or even to fit themselves for God’s salvation. [Again, this is acceptable.] Unbelieving humanity has no capacity to desire, understand, believe, or apply spiritual truth ….”23 It is this final observation that runs contrary to sinful humanity still bearing the image of God: their ability to think, evaluate, and, after a positive assessment, to choose God’s truth. Within this theology, by total depravity they actually mean total inability, and this forms the foundation for their teaching: God has chosen from eternity past who will be saved (and they will be saved whether they like it or not), and who will be condemned (even if they desire to be saved). This runs contrary to the Biblical teaching on what it means to believe, but aligns itself well with the Calvinists’ banner principle of the absolute divine sovereignty of God,24 which also makes God the Creator of sin (something that they try their best to side-step).25 Consider Paul’s teaching: “For everyone who should call [middle voice] upon the name of the Lord, will be saved [passive voice]. How then will they call [middle voice] on [Him] Whom they do not believe [active voice]? And how will they believe [active voice] on [Him] Whom they have not heard [active voice]? And how will they hear [active voice] without someone preaching [active voice]?” (Romans 10:13-14, literal).26 If we pay careful attention to the verbs in this passage (call, saved, believe, hear and preaching), we notice that there is only one that is in the passive voice: saved; the passive voice tells us that this action (being rescued from sin) is not something that everyone can do – God is the One Who will save from sin (it is also future tense). Calvinism requires all of these verbs to be passive (rather than active), because, within their theology, humanity is unable to do any of them – God does them all! The middle voice tells us that the subject (everyone) carries out the action (call), and the subject is also the beneficiary of the action; the one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (future tense). However, believe is notably in the active voice – it is the subject everyone who believes; the one who is created in the image of God is capable of hearing about the Lord, believing in Him, and calling on Him! After issuing a general command that humanity must enter through the Narrow Gate (Jesus), Jesus also warned that the Restricted Way that leads to life would only be found by a few (Matthew 7:13-14); enter is in the active voice – everyone is commanded to enter. This is not a hypothetical situation; when Jesus issued the command to enter, that means that everyone has the ability to do so, but everyone will only do so if he is believing, which Biblically requires an evaluation of God’s truth that leads to the conviction that it is correct. To Thomas, Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one is coming [middle voice] to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, literal).27 Coming to the Father through Christ is the action of the one who is coming, not the Father!
The writer concludes with the assurance that, to those who are earnestly seeking the Lord, He is their Rewarder. Seeking is in the active voice, which tells us that it is created men who are doing the seeking. Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7); ask, seek, and knock are all commands given in the active voice and present tense.28 Jesus directs that we are to be continually asking, seeking and knocking; it is as we are obedient to Him in this regard, that He will reward us: if we ask, then He will give (passive voice, He does the giving); if we seek, then He will ensure that we will find (active voice, we will find); if we knock, then He will open to us (passive voice). In each case (given, find, opened), the indicative mood is used, which identifies each one as being a statement of fact; this fits completely with the text that we are considering: the Lord is the Rewarder of those who are diligently seeking Him – here, too, the indicative mood is used to ensure that we understand that this is a statement of fact. As we earnestly seek after the Lord, which presupposes that our faith is firmly placed in Him, He will reward us by making Himself known to us, and that will come primarily through His Word.
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.
By faith Noah, having been warned by God about things not yet seen, did fear [and] prepared an ark to the salvation of his family, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the faith of righteousness (literal).29
The warning that Noah received was that God was going to destroy life from the face of the earth by a flood of waters (Genesis 6:13, 17); he was told to build an ark in order to provide a sanctuary from the destroying waters for his family and some of all creatures (Genesis 6:18-19). We’re all familiar with: “But Noah found grace [or favor] in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8); however, we are probably less familiar with this: “Noah was a just [righteous] man and perfect [blameless, having integrity] in his generations, and Noah walked [fellowshipped] with God” (Genesis 6:9).30 Noah lived in such a way that he received God’s approval; the world, in general, was so wicked that God determined to destroy all of the living creatures, yet, in the midst of this, Noah stood as someone whose life honored the Lord. As Noah lived in righteousness before the Lord, his life made the wickedness of the people around him appear to be even more evil; he demonstrated that it was possible to live in fellowship with the Lord, and thereby his life condemned the people of his day – even in such a wicked time, there was still someone who followed the Lord faithfully. That can be an encouragement to us to remain faithful to the Lord in this day of great evil.
The writer concludes that Noah became the heir of the faith of righteousness. As the Lord spoke with Noah regarding the coming deluge and the construction of the ark, He noted this: “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee” (Genesis 6:18). The promise (covenant) that Jehovah had made in the Garden of Eden was that the Seed of the woman would come to put an end to Satan; although it was addressed to Satan, the promise was that God would make an end of sin, something that was now attached to humanity. This is the first that we read of God’s promise being carried through a limited family line; through subsequent generations, this became further restricted to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), and then Isaac (Genesis 26:4), Jacob (Genesis 28:14) and Judah (Genesis 49:10). Luke 3:36 confirms that the genealogy of Jesus came through the family line of Noah.
The righteousness of Noah is not all that different from what we are called to live today – its essence is faithful obedience to the Lord. Yes, its expression in the days of Noah would have been different from today, but faithfulness and obedience has always been what is pleasing to the Lord. Noah, like Abel before him, undoubtedly brought animal sacrifices as required – fellowship with the Lord was not possible without the shedding of blood to provide a temporary covering for sin. Noah is described as being righteous, a man of integrity, and someone who had fellowship with the Lord – none of this was possible without a strong faith in the Lord and His promise of coming redemption. Noah’s life was guided by his faith in Jehovah!
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.
By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to depart unto a place which he was destined to receive for an inheritance, and he went, not knowing where he was going (literal).31
God’s call of Abraham (then Abram) was another defining moment in the fulfillment of the Promised One from Genesis 3:15 – His selection of a family line through whom the Savior would come. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee … and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). Said, in this case, is identified as a waw consecutive verb in Hebrew,32 which means that it follows certain other noted events, namely: Terah, Abraham’s father, had taken Abraham, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and Lot (his grandson) out of Ur (located along the Euphrates River) and led them on a journey to Canaan; however, on the way they stopped at Haran (still along the Euphrates River), where Terah passed away (Genesis 11:31-32). It is while they were still at Haran that the Lord called Abraham to leave his land (country), his native country (kindred), and his family (father’s house; Genesis 12:1), and go to a land that He would show him.33 Abraham continued the journey that his father had begun, along with Lot, and came into the land of Canaan; as he came to Shechem, the Lord told him, “Unto thy seed will I give this land” (Genesis 12:7) – a simple assurance to Abraham that he was in the right place. As Abraham and Lot prospered, their flocks, herds and hired workers also increased, so that a day came when Abraham suggested that they separate in order to keep peace between their workers (Genesis 13:8-9). Abraham gave Lot his choice of the land, and so Lot went east to the lush plains of the Jordan, and Abraham remained in the more barren area of Canaan. As soon as Lot was departed from Abraham, the Lord told Abraham to look to the north, south, east and west, because all of this land was given to his descendants, who would become as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:14-16). With Lot’s departure, the final condition of the Lord’s promise to Abraham was met: leave your family; now Abraham and Sarah were alone with the Lord, and He began to lead them toward an heir – a beginning of their promised numerous descendants.
Paul used Abraham to teach the Romans the principles of faith in the Lord; he began with: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Let’s consider the context for this statement. Abraham left the place of his birth (Ur of the Chaldees) and followed his father, Terah, as far as Haran, where Terah died. It was in Haran that the Lord called Abraham to leave his land (although he had moved from Ur to Haran, Abraham was still in the same land – alongside of the Euphrates River), his native land (his place of birth), which had already been done, and his family (Genesis 12:1). It seems that Abraham had assumed responsibility for his nephew Lot (after his father died), and it would be some time before he would separate himself from Lot. With the call from the Lord, Abraham left Haran and, in essence, completed the journey that his father had begun – he went into the land of Canaan; he was now away from his familiar land along the Euphrates River. After Abraham and Lot separated, the Lord told Abraham that He was giving the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham, who would be as numerous as the dust of the earth – Abraham being yet childless.
When four kings came through the plains of Jordan and captured many of the people, including Lot and his family, Abraham, along with some of his men, defeated the kings and rescued them. We are told that he smote them (Genesis 14:15), but that does not of necessity include killing the kings. On his way back, Abraham met Melchizedek, a priest of the most high God, who blessed Abraham and to whom Abraham paid a tithe. Interestingly, these kings were from the area of Abraham’s birthplace. Right after Abraham defeated the kings and rescued Lot, the Lord told him this: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1b). Frequently, defeated kings would regroup, attract other supporters, and then return to wreak vengeance upon the people who defeated them – the Lord assured Abraham that He was not only his protection, but also his exceeding great reward. The Hebrew word for reward (sakar), primarily means wages or compensation – the fulfillment of an obligation.34 Undoubtedly, Abraham’s mind went to the promises of the Lord to make of him a great people, for his response to the Lord was: “what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless …” (Genesis 15:2). In response, the Lord took Abraham out and had him consider the stars of heaven; the Lord told him that his descendants would be as the stars in number (Genesis 15:5). “And he [Abraham] believed [his trust remained firm] in the LORD; and he [the Lord] counted [reckoned] it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).35
Abraham believed and did what the Lord asked of him; his faith in the Lord was well-established, even though he still had no child. It is such a faith, accompanied by obedience, which the Lord imputed to him as being righteousness.
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: 10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
9. By faith he did live as a stranger in the Promised Land as a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise. 10. For he looked forward to a city having foundations whose designer and maker [is] God (literal).36
After Abraham arrived in Canaan, the Lord told him that this was the land that He was going to give to his descendants who would be greatly multiplied (Genesis 12:7). It was not until the death of Sarah when Abraham bought a field for a burying place for her (Genesis 23:20) that he came to own any portion of Canaan; by the time of his death, this was the only land that Abraham owned. As Abraham negotiated for a burying place, he described himself as a stranger and a sojourner among the people of the land (Genesis 23:4) – a foreigner and a dweller without citizen rights.37 Indeed, for the most part, Abraham remained in Canaan, yet he never joined himself to any of the permanent residents of the land (in contrast to his nephew, Lot); he was very wealthy, yet kept himself separate from the native tribes of the land.
When the kings of the east plundered the cities of the plains and took the people captive (including Lot and his family), Abraham pursued them, defeated the kings, returned the captives and their goods, and then refused a reward from the king of Sodom for doing so (Genesis 14:22-23). The people of the land came to hold him in high regard – perhaps recognizing that he was blessed beyond what was to be expected. When Abraham asked to buy a place to bury his wife, the people called him a mighty prince among them (Genesis 23:6): the Hebrew shows this as: nasiy’ (naw-see’) ‘elohiym – a prince of God.38 This is evident recognition, on their part, of Abraham enjoying the favor of God.
It is interesting to note that Abraham remained a stranger in this land that the Lord had promised to him. Despite his wealth, he never bought land on which to built a city, or even a permanent residence; he lived in tents, temporary dwellings that could be moved as required – and so with his descendants, Isaac and Jacob. The writer tells us that Abraham looked forward to a city whose architect and builder is God – clearly, not an earthly city; he was content to live in temporary housing in the land that the Lord had promised to him and his descendants. As John viewed the New Jerusalem, he noted that “the wall of the city had twelve foundations” (Revelation 21:14), and that it came out of heaven from God – this is undoubtedly the city that Abraham anticipated.
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.
And by faith, Sarah, herself, received strength to conceive a child, and gave birth after the normal age, because she considered the One Who had promised to be faithful (literal).39
When the Lord assured Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child of their own, they both laughed at the thought (Genesis 17:17; 18:12) – Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah ninety. Yet the Lord stated that Sarah would bear a child, and Abraham was to call his name Isaac – meaning, he laughs (Genesis 17:19).40 The writer tells us that Sarah’s wonder at the thought of bearing a child in her old age, turned into faith in the Lord Who had promised. We are not told how her doubt changed to faith, but it was right after she was told that the angels of the Lord removed Lot, his wife and two daughters from Sodom, and the Lord destroyed the cities of the plain because of their great wickedness. Abraham was fully aware of the mission of the angels concerning the cities, and the supernatural destruction of the cities of the plain undoubtedly provided an indelible demonstration of the power of the God Who had promised them an heir. Whatever caused the change of heart for Sarah, it is clear that her incredulous laughter turned into lasting joy in the Lord.
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.
Wherefore also from one was born, and these [Abraham and Sarah] as good as dead, even as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand at the seashore – innumerable (literal).41
We’ve just read of the faith of Abraham and Sarah, but the writer includes the proof that their faith was well-placed: the descendants of this elderly couple are an innumerable multitude! One, in this case, is from a Greek masculine singular word, which points to Abraham as being the one; in typical fashion of this time, the offspring were counted from the father. On the other hand, these (or, him in the KJV) is from a neuter plural word in Greek that concludes that both Abraham and Sarah were as good as dead. In truth, the Lord was faithful and fulfilled His promise just as He said, despite their ages.
When Moses addressed the children of Israel, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, he made this observation: “The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude” (Deuteronomy 1:10). In essence, Moses was affirming that the Lord had fulfilled His promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5). However, it is also interesting to note that Moses included a warning to Israel that if they failed to live in obedience to the Lord that they, then, would become few in number, even though they were at that time as the stars of heaven (Deuteronomy 28:62). For Israel to remain a great nation was conditional upon their obedience; the promise of a great multitude of descendants that the Lord had made to Abraham (Genesis 15:5), to Isaac (Genesis 26:4), and to Jacob (Genesis 28:14) had been fulfilled at the time that Israel was ready to enter the Promised Land. There was yet one promise from the Lord that would find fulfillment through the children of Israel (regardless of their numbers), and that was that, through them, all families of the earth would be blessed: to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), to Isaac (all nations, or peoples, Genesis 26:4), and to Jacob (Genesis 28:14).42
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.
These [a reference to the patriarchs] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but they did see them from afar and were persuaded; not only did they welcome [the promises], but they also admitted to being foreigners and strangers on the earth (literal).43
In the midst of blessing his sons from his death-bed, Jacob made this statement: “I have waited for [eagerly awaited] thy salvation, O LORD” (Genesis 49:18).44 We have seen that the Lord promised a Redeemer right after man had sinned (Genesis 3:15), and what is very evident is that this promise had not been lost through the intervening years. The family line of that promise was confirmed to come through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; as Jacob came to the end of his life, he declared that, throughout his life, he had eagerly looked forward to the coming of the Redeemer of the Lord.
The patriarchs had a better understanding of the promises of God than we might imagine. Too frequently, silence in the Scripture narrative is taken to mean that nothing was happening, when, in reality, God’s Message to man was being faithfully passed along from one generation to the next. From Adam to Jacob we find little regarding the Lord’s promise of the Seed Who was to come to break the power of Satan, yet Jacob declares that he has been eagerly awaiting the salvation that would come from Jehovah – he was anticipating the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15! He may not have understood how the Lord would accomplish His promise, but he was thoroughly convinced that the promised Redeemer was coming.
It was as they lived in anticipation of the Lord’s coming Redeemer that they looked forward to an eternal dwelling with God. It was their firm conviction of the faithfulness of the Lord that made them feel like this earth was not their home – their vision was heavenward. Despite their great wealth, the patriarchs never established a permanent dwelling in this world – they were simply passing through to something that was better.
14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
For they who are saying such things, reveal that they are looking for a homeland (literal).45
Those who say that they are strangers and foreigners in this world, very clearly have set their sights on a place that is beyond this realm. It is interesting that the patriarchs, although blessed with abundant wealth, never used it to gain control over the land of Canaan; they believed the Lord when He said that He would give the land to them and to their descendants (Genesis 13:16-17). As long as they remained few in number, they had no need of all of the land that the Lord had promised to them, nor would they be able to defend it; therefore, they waited for the Lord to increase their numbers and then give them the land that they would need. In the meantime, they awaited the coming of the Promised One and a heavenly dwelling place with the Lord.
15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
And, indeed, if they recalled where they had come from, they might have had opportunity to have returned (literal).46
The writer makes a very interesting observation here. There is no record of Abraham ever considering a return to his homeland; even when Canaan experienced a severe famine, he went into Egypt for relief, not back to where he came from. However, when it came time for Abraham to find a wife for Isaac, things were different; to his servant he stated: “And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not [within the Hebrew, this is an emphatic negative] take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell” (Genesis 24:3).47 Instead, he sent his servant to the relatives of his father to find a wife for Isaac, specifically to the family of his brother, Nahor (Genesis 24:10).48 Years later, Isaac did the same thing for Jacob – instructing him not49 to take a wife of the Canaanites, but to go to Padanaram, to the relatives of his mother to find a wife (Genesis 28:5). This serves to emphasize the separation that both Abraham and Isaac had from the people living in Canaan, and it was something that they both applied to their sons who were to carry the promise of God forward (i.e., Isaac and Jacob). Ishmael married an Egyptian (Genesis 21:21), and no mention is made of the marriages of the other children of Abraham; at the age of forty, Esau married two Hittite women (Genesis 26:34), and, later, when he learned that Isaac did not approve of Canaanite women (at least for Jacob), he married a woman of Ishmael (Genesis 28:9). Once again we are faced with the reality that the Lord had communicated far more to these OT men than what we read about in Scripture.
It seems evident that it was their faith in the promise of the Lord that kept the patriarchs in the land of Canaan, even though they remained as strangers in it. Although they never returned to the land of their ancestors, it is also evident that they did not feel at home among the Canaanites. They looked for something better that would be given to them by the Lord.
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.
And so they desire a better [homeland], that is, a heavenly; wherefore, God is not ashamed of them, He is called theirs: for He prepared a city for them (literal).50
In truth, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not regard the land that God promised to them as being theirs, nor did they feel at home among the people of the land. In His communication with these three men, it seems clear that God provided them with a glimpse of what lay ahead for them if they remained faithful to Him – a vision that went well beyond the land of Canaan to a heavenly dwelling place.
When Jehovah identified Himself to Moses, He said: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). He was not only not ashamed to be called their God, but He used the names of the patriarch to declare Who He was to Moses and the children of Israel. Further to that, as Jesus pointed out the error of the Sadducees (who didn’t believe in the resurrection), He declared: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). To the children of Israel, God was identified as being the God of their forefathers – their uniqueness as a people was inseparably tied to God!
The writer tells us that God prepared a city for them, and the context tells us that this is a heavenly city, which most identify as being the New Jerusalem. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all lived in tents; although they were probably quite elaborate, they were still tents – an indication of being a temporary dwelling. They not only had faith that the Lord would provide Canaan for their multiplied descendants, but they also held the hope of a heavenly city that was made by God. In truth, their heavenly hope was the same as the hope that we have in Christ for an eternal dwelling place with Him!
17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
17. By faith Abraham, being tested, did offer Isaac, his only son, who had received the promises, 18. With whom it was said that a seed will be called to you in Isaac; 19. even considering God able to raise [Isaac] from the dead, whence also he [Abraham] did receive [Isaac] in figure (literal).51
This was the supreme expression of Abraham’s faith in the Lord: in his very old age, Abraham had finally received a son through whom the promises from God would be carried forward, and then the Lord asked him to offer this son as a burnt sacrifice. To compound the testing, he travelled for three days to the place where God had specified that the sacrifice was to take place; three days of being with his son, and sufficient time to rationalize away what he thought that the Lord had asked of him. There is no indication that Abraham harbored any such thoughts – he went with resolve to follow the Lord’s instructions, believing, as he told Isaac, that “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26); Abraham was absolutely qualified as a disciple of the Lord! Although we will not be tested in the same way as Abraham, nevertheless, the Lord requires that our commitment to Him be greater than it is to anyone, or anything, else.
Even though Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son, he was willing to do what the Lord had asked of him, believing that if Isaac was sacrificed, then the Lord would raise him from the dead, since the promises were to be carried forward through this son. Although Isaac did not become a burnt sacrifice, undoubtedly Abraham felt in some way that he had been returned to him from the dead. Abraham believed the Lord, obeyed Him, and the Lord reiterated His promise that through his greatly multiplied family line would come a Blessing for all of the peoples of the earth (Genesis 22:18). As with Abraham of old, our commitment to the Lord will be expressed through our obedience to Him.
20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith, concerning the future, Isaac did bless Jacob and Esau (literal).52
We might not give this a whole lot of thought, unless we recall that the promised blessing of the Lord was to come through Jacob while Esau was the eldest and Isaac’s favored son. Before Rebekah gave birth to the twins, the Lord told her that the elder would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23) – a reversal of roles, the birthright of the first born would fall to the younger brother. We are told that Esau was a cunning hunter and a man of the field, while Jacob preferred to stay at home (Genesis 25:27); Isaac favored Esau because he brought a change of diet from the meat of the herds (Genesis 25:28). On a day when Esau came home from the fields particularly famished, Jacob had a pot of chilli simmering, and Esau willingly traded his birthright for a bowl of Jacob’s food (Genesis 25:30-33). We are not told, but it seems evident that Rebekah spoke to Jacob about the Lord’s words that the elder would serve the younger, and Jacob took the opportunity when it presented itself. The obvious question is: did Rebekah also tell Isaac?
Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20), sixty years old when the twins were born (Genesis 25:26), and a hundred years old when Esau married two women of the local Hittite tribes, which proved to be a source of bitterness to both Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35). If Isaac was aware of the words of the Lord to Rebekah, then it seems that he chose to ignore them; when he grew feeble with age, he told Esau to hunt game and make him his favorite stew, and then he would bless him (Genesis 27:7). Rebekah heard him and interceded with a plot to have the blessing given to Jacob. Consider the blessing that Isaac thought that he was bestowing upon Esau: the Lord will provide abundant food, people will serve him, nations will bow before him, he will be lord over his brethren so that they (his mother’s sons) bow before him, and, finally, cursed be those who curse him and blessed, who bless him (Genesis 27:28-29). Isaac sought to provide his favored son with the blessing of the first-born. For Esau, who came in later, Isaac said that he would also be well provided for, he would live with violence, and he would serve his brother until a time when, after wandering restlessly (dominion53), he would break free of Jacob’s yoke (Genesis 27:39-40).
Although Isaac favored Esau, he was grieved because he had taken wives of the Hittites; when Rebekah told Isaac that if Jacob did the same that it would be devastating for her, he called for Jacob and told him that he was not to take a wife from the tribes around them, but was to go to Laban, Rebekah’s brother, and find a wife among his daughters. For Isaac, this would have brought memories back of what Abraham had done for him; and for Rebekah, it was a means of getting Jacob out of Esau’s sight before he killed him. Through it all, we see Rebekah being far more crafty than Jacob, yet Jacob always went along with her schemes; would the Lord have found a way to orchestrate matters without her scheming – we’ll never know, but it would seem so, because He told Rebekah that Jacob was, in fact, the chosen one – the one through whom the promise would be carried. Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning their futures – not in the way that he had intended, but in the way that the Lord purposed.
21. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith, Jacob, who was dying, did bless each of the sons of Joseph, and did bow upon the top of his staff (literal).54
The word bow (worshipped) is from the Greek proskuneo, which means to bow down to kiss the feet of someone, or to prostrate oneself in a demonstration of reverence or respect.55 At this time, Jacob was too old to bow upon the ground in worship of the Lord, and so he bowed while leaning upon his staff.
The fact that Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph is not, in itself, noteworthy, but there is tremendous significance in all that took place at this time. When Jacob began to decline, Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh (the first born) and Ephraim, to his father so that he would bless them. As they were brought to Jacob, he declared to Joseph: “And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine” (Genesis 48:5). As Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, he gave the primary blessing to Ephraim, to Joseph’s displeasure, yet he assured Joseph that the younger would excel beyond the older – is there something familiar here?
Let’s consider this carefully. Why would Jacob declare Ephraim and Manasseh to be replacements for Reuben and Simeon? Reuben, as Jacob’s firstborn, should have received a double portion of inheritance (his lot, being the firstborn); however, much earlier, after Rachel’s death, Reuben had slept with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine from Rachel, thereby bringing disgrace upon himself and the family (Genesis 35:22). As Jacob blessed each of his sons, Reuben he declared to be “unstable as water, thou shalt not excel” (Genesis 49:4) – not an expected “blessing” for a firstborn, but a direct consequence of his earlier actions. Simeon and Levi (the third son), on the other hand, inflicted a deceptive and cruel massacre of Canaanites who sought to be joined with them in marriage; their “blessing” was to be scattered among their brethren (Genesis 49:7). Undoubtedly, Simeon was the leader in the massacre for, although the descendants of Levi received no inheritance in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 10:9), the sons of Aaron became the priests of the Lord (Exodus 37:21), and the other families of Levi attended to the physical structure of the tabernacle (Numbers 18:23). By contrast, the descendants of Simeon went into a decline: when the fighting men of Israel were numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, Simeon boasted 59,300 (Numbers 1:23); when they were numbered again on the east side of the Jordan by Jericho, they were only 22,200 (Numbers 26:14), and their inheritance in the Land was within the allotment for the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:1).
In the blessings that Jacob bestowed upon his sons, it is clear that Joseph received the double portion of the firstborn: his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were adopted by Jacob, and held the favored position of the firstborn; of the two, Jacob favored Ephraim (the younger) over Manasseh (Genesis 48:20). Two notable leaders of Israel came from Ephraim: Joshua (Numbers 13:8), who led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, and Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1), the prophet-priest who saw Israel transition from a spiritual leader to a king. At Mt. Sinai, the census of fighting men for Ephraim was 40,500 and 32,200 for Manasseh (Numbers 1:33, 35); by the time they came to Jericho, these numbers were 32,500 and 52,700 respectively (Numbers 26:34, 37) – Ephraim was in decline while Manasseh was greatly increased. Perhaps Jacob’s blessing for Ephraim came more from his memory of the Lord’s promise that he would excel over his brother, Esau, than from any intuition of what the Lord had in store. It is very evident that Manasseh definitely surpassed Ephraim, which was reflected in their allotment in the Promised Land.
The sons of Joseph became an integral part of the children of Israel within their own tribal designations; replacing Joseph in most cases. With Levi not receiving an inheritance in the Promised Land, the Land was still divided into twelve allotments. It is interesting to see how the firstborn’s double portion came to Joseph through his two sons: Jacob was able to grant Joseph firstborn status, his preferred son of his favorite wife, Rachel. There is not a whisper of protest from any of the other brothers – the sale of Joseph into slavery was still somewhat fresh in their minds.
22. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith, Joseph, who was dying, spoke about the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones (literal).56
Of all of the sons of Jacob, Joseph is the only one whose death is mentioned, and the only one who made request that his bones were to be taken back to Canaan for a final burial (Genesis 50:24-25; Joshua 24:32). Joseph understood that the children of Israel would, one day, return to the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and he wanted his remains to be there, as well. It seems that all of the other sons of Jacob were buried in Egypt, together with several generations of the children of Israel.
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.
By faith Moses was born and hidden for three month by his parents, because they saw a well-formed infant and did not fear the command of the king (literal).57
In this case, the faith was not that of Moses, but of his parents. “1. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:1-2). The OT narrative tells us that it was Jochebed (Moses’ mother) who sought to protect her child, and, undoubtedly, that’s truly where it began; however, the writer tells us that both Amram (Moses’ father) and Jochebed were involved in seeking to protect Moses from the king’s command. It was their faith in the Lord that protected Moses’ life; since the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians, and Amram would not have been an exception, it would have primarily fallen to Jochebed to be creative in keeping Moses hidden and quiet.
I’m quite sure that Amram and Jochebed were afraid of the king, but their desire to be pleasing to the Lord was greater; the Lord would not want them to destroy the new life that He had given to them. We, too, must always hold the decrees of government up to the light of God’s Word in order to gain His perspective, so that we, too, are able to live in obedience to Him. It’s a matter of making the Lord our top priority (Luke 14:33).
However, the greatest demonstration of their faith came when Jochebed was asked by Pharaoh’s daughter to attend to Moses until he was weaned. It was during these early years of his life that Moses undoubtedly heard all about the Lord and His people Israel, so that, by the time he went to be with Pharaoh’s daughter, he was well aware of who his people were.
24. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 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 pleasures of sin for a season;
24. By faith Moses, who being grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25. He chose, rather, to be mistreated along with the people of God than to have a passing enjoyment of sin (literal).58
Here now, is the faith of Moses: when he came of age, he chose to identify himself with the Hebrew slaves, rather than with the elite of Egypt. Moses’ mother was hired by Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse him, which probably brought him to about three years of age.59 Undoubtedly, Pharaoh’s daughter would have had frequent contacts with the growing child, and Moses may have been permitted to have some contact with his parents after being formally immersed into the Egyptian customs and education. What we do know is that Moses understood his Hebrew heritage, which means that Pharaoh’s daughter did not remove his family from his life; she may have surmised that the life of plenty that she provided for Moses would gain his favor when compared to the slavery of the Hebrews.
However, as Moses became more aware of the abuse that the Hebrews, his heritage, endured at the hands of the Egyptians, he began to see the need for someone to free them from their oppressors. When he saw an Egyptian strike a Hebrew, he killed the Egyptian and buried him; he thought that the Hebrews would look upon him as their defender and liberator (Acts 7:25). The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting, he sought to intervene, but was instead asked if he was going to kill the aggressor as he had the Egyptian (Exodus 2:14). When Pharaoh heard of what Moses had done to the Egyptian, he sought to kill him (applied justice) before the Hebrews got any ideas of freedom (Exodus 2:15).
Moses, now forty years old (Acts 7:30, cp. Exodus 7:7), chose to identify with his brethren, the Hebrews, rather than with the people of Pharaoh’s daughter. In some respect, Moses felt a need to free his people from their bondage; undoubtedly, he had learned of Joseph who had spoken of the day when they, as a people, would return to the land that the Lord had promised to give them (Genesis 50:24). Moses, in his own strength, endeavored to free one Hebrew from oppression, and was forced to run for his life. After forty years of tending sheep in the desert, the Lord appeared to Moses at Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai)60 and said, “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). During these forty years, Moses had changed from a privileged Egyptian to a shepherd who knew how to survive and protect his sheep in the desert; now the Lord was ready to use him to lead His people out of slavery.
The wording of Scripture regarding Moses at this time, seems to indicate that he was at least aware of the promise of the Lord to his people. We’ve seen how the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were all mindful of the heavenly dimension to the promises that the Lord had given to this particular family. Perhaps it was this that caught Moses’ interest so that he chose to align himself with the downtrodden Hebrews – seeing that they held a hope that was very unlike that of the Egyptians. Even though Moses chose to leave his life of privilege for the Hebrews, their God, and His promises, he did not personally know Jehovah of the patriarchs. After forty years, Moses saw the need to liberate the Hebrews, which he tried on a small scale and was forced to flee. After forty years of dealing with sheep in the desert, Moses had lost his self-confidence, and now the Lord was ready to call him to the task. Somehow Moses had gained the eternal hope of the Hebrews that dimmed the royal advantage that he had had as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Now the Lord revealed Himself to Moses, and set the liberation of His people into motion; could it be that the promise of the Lord to Abraham, that his descendants would serve in a foreign land for four hundred years and then be delivered, had come to Moses (Genesis 15:13-14)? He may well have understood that the time for deliverance was due, but needed to learn that the Lord’s timing was necessary, not to mention His enablement.
26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
He did consider the insult of Christ [to be of] greater wealth than Egypt’s treasures; for his attention was on the reward (literal).61
Although Moses did not know Christ as the Son of God Who would come to pay in full the debt of sin, the writer makes it very clear that he looked beyond this life to what God was preparing for those who love Him and live in obedience to Him. The treasures of Egypt are of this world; by casting His lot with the people of God, Moses chose to raise his eyes to the glories of heaven: he willingly turned his back on the fading glories of Egypt for that which is of God – eternal in the heavens. The vision of the patriarchs was his as well!
Even though Moses did not carry the family line of the Messiah (being from the tribe of Levi, not Judah), without a doubt he understood that the promise of God was for a Savior to come. It was Moses who proclaimed: “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet [a spokesman for Jehovah] from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15).62 Indeed, Moses was the greatest spokesman for Jehovah until the Promised One came: that Prophet, the Son of God, through Whom all of the families of the earth were blessed. Jehovah also confirmed to Moses that a Prophet was coming: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). During His ministry on earth, Jesus said, “48. He who is rejecting Me, and not accepting My words, has One Who is judging him; the word that I have spoken, that will judge him in the last day, 49. because I, from Myself, did not speak, but the Father Who sent Me, He gave Me a command: what I should declare [the substance of what was spoken], and what I should speak [the words used]” (John 12:48-49, literal).63 Jesus, as the Son of God, was in complete accord with the Father throughout His time on earth; the only exception was when the Father turned away from Him as He bore the sins of the world (Matthew 27:46), and even that was in keeping with the plan of salvation devised before the creation of the world (2 Timothy 1:9).
Moses’ attention was on the heavenly, not on this world; the writer makes it very clear that these early men of God knew with great certainty that the Lord was preparing something better for them – this world was not their home!
27. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he left Egypt; he did not fear the anger of the king, because, as seeing the Invisible One, he did persevere (literal).64
“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled [ran away] from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt [yashab] in the land of Midian: and he sat down [yashab] by a well” (Exodus 2:15).65 Because Moses killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew, we are told that Pharaoh set out to kill Moses, without any indication of justice – more like vengeance. Perhaps Moses’ affinity for the Hebrew people had become well known, and this became an opportunity to remove the annoyance. The Hebrew word yashab means to sit (which readily applies to sitting by the well), and then, to dwell, finding its application in the greater region of Midian and it tells us that Moses dwelt close by the well (the Hebrew includes the definite article; this was not just a well, but the main well for the area).66 It seems that Moses knew that being at the well would very quickly give him a glimpse of the residents of the area – and so it did.
The writer tells us that Moses did not fear the anger of the king, yet he fled when he heard that the king wanted to kill him. Once again, the writer says that there was no fear, yet the evidence points to the contrary (we saw this in v. 23). Perhaps because of his parents’ influence, it seems that Moses perceived himself to be a liberator of the Hebrew people; yet when he tried it with one, it proved to be a disaster. He left Egypt to preserve his own life, and to give the angered Pharaoh time to die before he returned (to try again?); the writer indicates that Moses was not only aware of Jehovah, but that he persevered because of Him. After arriving in Midian, Moses tended to the flock of the priest of Midian (Exodus 3:1), willingly settled there, and married the priest’s daughter (Exodus 2:21). Moses’ father-in-law is first introduced as Reuel, meaning, friend of God (Exodus 2:18); he came from the heritage of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), and, in all likelihood, was a priest of Jehovah. For the next forty years, Moses was content to be away from Egypt and free of any reminders of the slavery of his people – his thoughts of liberating his people seem to have been replaced by the routine of tending his father-in-law’s sheep. Moses left Egypt under the hope that the Lord would use him to free his people; forty years later, that hope was gone.
When the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commissioned him to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses objected: 1) who am I? – the self-confident Moses, who killed an Egyptian to protect a Hebrew, was gone (Exodus 3:10-11); 2) Moses desired to know the Lord’s name, more than just the “God of your fathers” (Exodus 3:13); 3) the people won’t believe that the Lord appeared to him – he needs something more convincing than mere words (Exodus 4:1); 4) I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); 5) send someone else (Exodus 4:13). For each of his “reasons,” the Lord provided an answer that overcame the objection, and concluded with: Aaron, Moses’ brother, was coming to meet him, and he would be his voice (Exodus 4:14-16).
Moses left Egypt as a self-confident man, and well-educated as a member of the royal household; after forty years, he was now humble and inadequate, and ready for the Lord to use him to liberate His people Israel. Moses was learning that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 3:19), and that it is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of true wisdom (Psalm 110:10). We, too, must learn that the Lord does not need the education of this world to make someone useful to Him – humble submission to Him is all that is required.
28. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith he [Moses] ordained the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that He [the Lord], destroying the firstborn, did not touch them (literal).67
It is interesting to note that the writer seems to point to the faith of Moses in keeping the Passover, including sprinkling the door posts and lintel with the blood of the sacrificed lamb, yet this was something that was done by all of the households of Israel (Exodus 12:13). It was the faith of Moses in the Lord that led to instituting the celebration of the Passover within Israel;[8] through the plagues, the Lord had demonstrated His power to both the Egyptians and Hebrews, and also His ability to distinguish between the Egyptians and the Hebrews (Exodus 10:22-23). Therefore, when it came to the Passover and the death of all the firstborn not protected by the blood, the Hebrews knew to follow the Lord’s instructions, and, of the Egyptians, only Pharaoh and his court knew what was coming – and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (Exodus 11:9).
It was Moses’ complete confidence that the Lord would do what He declared that led to that first Passover celebration on the eve of the Hebrews leaving Egypt. Beyond that, the people were instructed to borrow whatever they could from the Egyptians, so that, when they left the land, the Egyptians were thoroughly plundered (Exodus 12:35-36).
29. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith they [the children of Israel] did cross the Red Sea as through dry [land], which, having made an attempt at, the Egyptians were drowned (literal).69
The faith of the children of Israel always seemed to be a bit wobbly. They quickly came to the Red Sea, and the Pharaoh changed his mind and went after his departing slaves: so the sea was in front of them, the armies of Egypt behind them; they cried out to the Lord, and to Moses their words were: “11. Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:11-12). They hadn’t even left the territory of Egypt when their complaints against Moses began – grumbling that was really against Jehovah.
It was Moses’ faith in Jehovah that opened the way through the Red Sea so that the people crossed over on dry ground; yet it was the people’s faith that saw them step forward onto a pathway through the Sea with walls of water on both sides. Clearly, they saw this as the Lord’s provision for them, and they placed their faith in Him that He would see them through to the other side. Little did they realize that what was the way of salvation for them, would be used by the Lord destroy the armies of Egypt.
Let’s consider this a little more closely before we move on. As Israel stood between the water and an advancing army, Moses’ words to them were: “13. Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:13-14). Moses spoke words of great faith in the Lord, and then cried out to Him; the Lord told Moses to hold his rod over the Sea, and it would be divided so that the children of Israel could pass over upon dry ground. The people saw Moses lift his rod over the Sea and it was separated; the Lord always worked through Moses as His spokesman to guide the children of Israel out of Egypt. Yet it is evident that Moses, with one exception (Numbers 20:8-12), made it abundantly clear that the glory belonged to the Lord; the people recognized Moses as being a mediator between Jehovah and them. Was the faith of the children of Israel in Jehovah, or in the one who had been chosen by Jehovah to lead them?
30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the walls of Jericho did fall, having been encircled for seven days (literal).70
The children of Israel were now beginning the challenge of possessing the Promised Land – something that the Lord promised to do for them if they lived in obedience to Him. Moses, because of his one indiscretion at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-12), was not permitted to lead the people over the Jordan River, and Joshua was commissioned to take his place (Deuteronomy 34:9). We are told that the children of Israel “feared him [Joshua], as they feared Moses, all the days of his life” (Joshua 4:14); what became very evident, after they had taken possession of the Land, is that, generally speaking, the people followed a man, and not the Lord. “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel” (Judges 2:7); however, when these men were gone, “… the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim” (Judges 2:11). The pattern that unfolded over the next several generations was this: the children of Israel were oppressed by the people still in the Land, they would cry to the Lord, He would provide a godly judge, the oppressors were defeated, peace was established throughout the lifetime of the judge, and then the people would return to idolatry. Even though the children of Israel seemed to recognize that Jehovah was their means of delivery from oppression, as a whole, they only followed the Lord when there was a godly leader. However, what must not be missed is that among the general immersion of the children of Israel into idolatry, there were still some who held to Jehovah, and it was from this small minority that the Lord would call the judges.
Therefore, when the writer says that the walls of Jericho fell by faith, we understand that the faith in Jehovah was exercised by the leader (in this case, Joshua) and a small, faithful portion of the people. The greater portion of Israel willingly followed a faithful leader (Joshua), and enjoyed the benefits of living in obedience to the Lord, yet never came to fully accept Jehovah’s words as the only truth. Moses declared these words of the Lord to Israel: “6. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Clearly, Jehovah’s truths were not diligently taught to their children, otherwise there would not have been such a dramatic shift from Jehovah to the devil from one generation to the next.
The writer is correct, the walls of Jericho did fall by faith, but the reality and foundation of that faith was not passed along to the next generation. Nothing has changed! Today, the vast majority of professing Christians neither know nor follow the Lord – they wander after a favored preacher, teacher, or theology. Unfortunately, most preachers, teachers, and theologies are not Biblical, and so they serve the Baalim of today – anything other than the God of the Bible.
31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
By faith Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with those who did not believe, having received the spies with peace (literal).71
Rahab is a difficult character to reconcile with being a part of the physical genealogy of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 1:5): she was a Canaanite, and a harlot. However, beyond that we also see her as being industrious: she operated a place of lodging (Joshua 2:1), and her flat roof was covered with flax that was being dried to process further into linen (Joshua 2:6). Let’s take a closer look at Rahab.
Based upon her own testimony, as the Israelites came to the Jordan, it is evident that Rahab, and all of the inhabitants of the region, were in great fear. They had heard how the Lord had opened the way through the Red Sea as the Israelites left Egypt, and they were very aware of the destruction of the kings of the Amorites, upon whose land the children of Israel now stood, ready to cross the Jordan and take Canaan. Rahab testified to the two spies: “I know that the LORD hath given you the land” (Joshua 2:9); know is in the perfect tense (identifying a completed action72), which means that she was convinced of this before the spies ever arrived at her place of lodging. As someone who operated an inn, she would have undoubtedly heard all of the accounts of Israel’s feats from merchants and travellers, and it was very evident that they could not have accomplished everything without divine help. She acknowledged that the people were beside themselves for fear of what lay ahead, yet her fear was different. When she provided lodging for the two spies from Israel, the king of Jericho heard of it, and sought for them in order to kill them – the tone of the account points to nothing else (Joshua 2:3, 22). Although the people feared the children of Israel, it is clear that they were not going to go down without a fight – they were going to defend what had been theirs for many years.
As Rahab talked with the spies about the dread that filled the hearts of the people of Canaan, and specifically Jericho, she made this confession: “for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). It is certain that Rahab’s fear of Jehovah was far greater than her fear of the king of Jericho, for she had no qualms about tossing the king’s messengers a red herring concerning the two spies. With the king’s messengers out of the way, she immediately sought to save her family from certain death; the basis for her appeal was that she had shown kindness to the spies (Joshua 2:12-13); not only had she hidden them, but she let them escape the city through her window, since her house was on the wall of Jericho (Joshua 2:15). She was granted her appeal for the protection of all who would be in her house when the day came, on the condition that she not expose them (Joshua 2:14), and that she tie a scarlet cord in the window through which she let them down (Joshua 2:18).
When the day of conquest came, the Lord caused the walls of Jericho to fall flat (Joshua 6:20), and Israel took the city. The spies entered into Rahab’s house and led out all who were gathered there (Joshua 6:22-23); all of the walls of Jericho collapsed except for Rahab’s house. Rahab believed in Jehovah with sufficient conviction that she saw her only hope in this situation was to side with Israel and appeal to the mercy of Jehovah. Indeed, she (and those with her) did not perish with the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho, but lived on as a part of the children of Israel because of her faith and trust in Jehovah.
32. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
And what can I say further? For time will fail me to relate fully about Gideon, Barak, and also Samson and Jephthah, David and also Samuel and the prophets (literal).73
The writer declares that there isn’t sufficient time to go on about the lives of the judges, David, and the prophets – even though their lives all demonstrated faith in the Lord.
Gideon was called to deliver Israel from the control of the Midianites, who dominated Israel because they had turned away from Jehovah. It was by Gideon and three hundred men that the Lord routed the vast multitude of the Midianites and those who were joined with them (Judges 7:12, 21-22). It was Gideon’s faith in the Lord that permitted him to be used to free Israel from oppression and draw them back to Jehovah (Judges 8:23). However, despite being used so mightily to free Israel, Gideon also failed them; from the gold of their enemies’ earrings, he made an ephod (Judges 8:24-27). An ephod was typically a garment worn by the high priest; however, at this time, it was common to make an image of wood and then cover it with gold sheeting (an ephod). Although the faith of Gideon was mighty to deliver Israel from the Midianite oppression, he also drew them right back into idolatry.
Barak also led Israel from under the domination of their enemies. When he was told that the Lord would deliver their enemy into his hand, he refused to lead the army of Israel unless the prophetess, Deborah, went with him; consequently, the deliverance from the leader of the enemy forces came through the actions of a woman (Judges 4:15-16, 22-24). Barak was used by the Lord to subdue the Canaanites, yet his faith in the Lord was very dependent upon the Lord’s messenger being close at hand.
Samson is an interesting character to have been included by the writer. He was a Nazarite from birth; a Nazarite was totally dedicated to the Lord, was not to eat or drink anything from the vine, must not cut his hair, and was not to touch anything dead.74 Numbers 6 tells of the guidelines for someone who took the vow of a Nazarite, but for Samson it was not just a vow, for his whole life he was to follow the Nazarite restrictions. The angel of the Lord told Samson’s mother that he would begin to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines (Judges 13:3-5). Throughout his lifetime, Samson made a few small advances against the Philistines, but nothing of any real consequence; each of these came through his association with Philistine women. It was Delilah who wore him down so that he revealed the key to his unusual strength; this resulted in her greatly increased wealth (Judges 16:5) and to Samson being reduced to a blind man working the millstone for the Philistines (Judges 16:21). However, his hair grew and his thoughts turned to Jehovah; on the day of a large Philistine celebration to their god, Dagon, for delivering him into their hands, Samson was guided to the two pillars that supported the house where all of the lords of the Philistines were gathered. In one final burst of power as a Nazarite to the Lord, Samson brought the house down upon the leaders of Philistia (Judges 16:30). It was not until the end of his life that Samson demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a meaningful way, and damaged the forces of Philistine.
Jephthah was of the tribe of Manasseh, but born of a harlot; because of this, his half-brothers expelled him from their city, Gilead. However, when the Ammonites (descendants of Lot) posed a threat to the residents of Gilead, the elders of this city sent to have Jephthah lead them into battle, and, if he was victorious, they promised to then make him their head (Judges 11:9-10). Jephthah sought the Lord for the victory, and it was given to him; we read of Jephthah’s dependence upon the Lord to grant him victory over the Ammonites, but we read nothing of his godly influence. He was a judge of Israel for six years (Judges 12:7), maintaining peace for the nation.
When Saul failed to follow the Lord, Samuel declared that “the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), and it was not long before David was anointed king. Through his faith in the Lord, David eluded Saul’s many death plans for him, and, as king, he drew Israel together as a nation, made Jerusalem its capital, brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:3), and brought peace to the land by defeating their enemies (2 Samuel 7:1). Under the leadership of King David, the nation of Israel reached its pinnacle for all of history75; the Lord promised to establish his house, kingdom and throne forever (2 Samuel 7:16), and, indeed, through his descendant, Jesus, has come the fulfillment of this promise. There is much from the life of David that reflects his faith in the Lord, particularly during his early years as he worked to stay alive while under Saul’s rule, and as he brought Israel together as a nation and overcame the Philistines (Israel’s primary enemy at this time).
Samuel was the last to be both judge and priest to Israel; he is also the one who anointed the first two kings of Israel: Saul, who began well and ended badly, and David, who is to this day upheld as the king of renown within Israel. Samuel carefully guided Israel from following a priest/judge to having a king like all of the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:5), providing the king with the needed divine instruction along the way. However, like his mentor, Eli, Samuel failed to raise his children to follow the Lord, and the people of Israel looked for a more consistent leadership in a king.
The writer of Hebrews declares that there isn’t sufficient time to expound on the faith of all of these, and the prophets as well. As we ponder the lives of those who have been mentioned, we recognize that they were not perfect, and their failures before God are recorded in Scripture. However, each one exercised faith in the Lord to guide and strengthen them for specific tasks that He assigned. Some accomplished great feats through their faith in the Lord, only to become less faithful in their later years. It is for a purpose that their lives are recorded in Scripture: “and all of these things [as] figures happened to them, and they have been written for our instruction, to whom the ends of the ages did come (1 Corinthians 10:11, literal).76 All of these OT saints lived under the promise of God that a Savior was coming, and they demonstrated the need to have faith in the Lord and live in obedience to His Word. The time of the promise is now past: Christ came, and drew the Mosaic Covenant to a close and opened a whole New Covenant of life (Hebrews 9:26), yet the OT saints’ record of faith and failure in the Lord continues to challenge us to remain obedient to Him in all things.
33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
33.Who, through faith, defeated kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34. Extinguished the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, became strong out of weakness, were made mighty in war, turned to flight the battle lines of the enemies (literal).77
As we look at this listing of accomplishments, we can recall the exploits of Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, and Daniel and his friends – all things that took place because of their faith in God. Indeed, the OT saints accomplished many great things for the Lord, and they have been recorded for us as a demonstration of the faithfulness and strength of the God Whom we serve. Beyond that, we read of some of their failures, so that we do not become casual in our approach to the Lord – after all, He is God Almighty! The mysterious and ancient character, Job, made this observation, to which we would do well to heed: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). This must be our guide as we consider the lives of the OT saints: faithful obedience to the Lord in all things, which will enable us to avoid the evils of life.
35. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Women received their dead [again] by resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting release so that they will experience a better resurrection (literal).78
The writer now goes on to enumerate some of what the OT saints faced, but first he refers to two particular accomplishments of restored life.
The Scriptures give us two OT accounts of the dead being raised: one under the ministry of Elijah (1 Kings 17:22), and the second by Elisha (2 Kings 4:32, 36). Both cases involved children: the only son of a widow from the region of Phoenicia (1 Kings 17:10, 17), and a son born upon the word of Elisha to a woman of Shunem, within the area given to Issachar (2 Kings 4:16-17). Jesus spoke of Elijah being sent to the widow of Zarephath (or Sarepta) to find food during the time of drought that was brought about at his word (1 Kings 17:1, 9), when there were many widows in Israel who were also impacted by the famine (Luke 4:25-26). These are two miracles of the Lord wrought by the hands of His prophets.
Tortured is translated from the Greek tumpanizo, which literally is to beat a drum;79 in this application, it referred to someone being stretched out over a wheel or drum form, and then beaten – often to their death.80 The writer clarifies that those who were subjected to this, did not seek release; the context tells us that this torture was being inflicted because of their faith in the Lord, and they would not renounce their faith in order to be released from the torture. In other words, they remained faithful to the Lord despite what they were forced to endure, and they did so in order to experience a better resurrection. Earlier, the writer declared that we will have a part in Christ, “if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14). Jesus declared that it is the one who remains faithful to Him unto the end who will be saved (Matthew 24:13) – a future salvation based upon our faithfulness to Him. In other words, unless we remain faithful (i.e., obedient) to the Lord unto the end, we will not have a part with Him. Therefore, when these who were tortured refused to recant, they chose to remain faithful to the Lord rather than to seek relief from their physical pain (release). The better resurrection that they sought was the resurrection of life that comes through the Lord Jesus, rather than being raised to condemnation before God; it is not a question of being resurrected, but whether that will lead to eternal life or everlasting punishment. These who were tortured to death, understood the necessity of remaining faithful to the Lord.
36. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
And others did receive an experience of mockings and floggings, and, further, of fetters and prison (literal).81
Trial, as used in the KJV, does not refer to being brought before a court in order to determine innocence or guilt on a matter, but, rather, to be tested, and so, to experience.82 The experience of the OT saints not only included the physical pain of beatings and confinement (much of this being done publicly), but also attacks against one’s character (mockings). As we see the world around us belittling what is right and vaunting the evil, we can take comfort in knowing that this is nothing new – the OT saints faced the very same challenges!
37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
They were stoned, sawn in two, put to the test, they died by murder of the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins – being in need, afflicted, mistreated; (literal).83
Death by stoning was common practice in ancient times; it was attempted against the Lord Jesus (John 8:59), and carried out against Stephen (Acts 7:59). This was one method of death that was to be applied against anyone or any animal that went beyond the bounds near Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:13); under the Mosaic Law, this was used for cattle that brought death or were aggressive (Exodus 21:28-29, 32), and to those who offered their children to Molech (Leviticus 20:2), or were involved in witchcraft, sorcery, or magic (Leviticus 20:27).
Sawn in two is a particularly gruesome and barbaric form of torture and death, although it was generally not a common practice, it continued to be used on occasion in some countries until the 19th century.84 Jewish tradition has it that Isaiah was sawn in two under the direction of the evil Manasseh, king of Judah.85 However, beyond that, there are two passages of Scripture that, over the years, have led to much difference of opinion on this form of punishment. “And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln [to enter the brick kiln; i.e., to make bricks]: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 12:31)86; “And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem” (1 Chronicles 20:3). Some contend that David participated in such cruelty against the Ammonites, whose king, Hanun, had shamed the messengers of David who were sent to provide comfort on the death of his father (1 Chronicles 19:3-4). However, when we consider that David kept Shimei alive after he showered stones and curses upon David and his men as they left Jerusalem because of Absalom (2 Samuel 16:13; 19:23), it seems very unlikely that David would have heaped such cruelty upon the Ammonites for simply shaming his messengers. Within the context of David’s life, the more acceptable understanding is that the Ammonites were placed under hard labor; it was very common for the defeated to become productive slaves for the victor.
Their faith in the Lord was tested. Coming within this chapter, as it does, this testing is that which comes from the enemy: an attempt to entice someone to sin. “8. Be sober, keep watch, because your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion is going about seeking someone to devour, 9. whom ye must resist, steadfast in the faith; ye have known [that] the same sufferings are being laid upon your brethren in this world” (1 Peter 5:8-9, literal).87 Satan does not rest in his search to dislodge someone who is in the faith; in like manner, we are commanded to be sober and alert lest we fall prey to his roaring. The promise that we have is this: “27. My sheep are hearing My voice, and I know them and they are following Me; 28. also, I am giving to them everlasting life, and they will never perish forever, and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28, literal).88 Although this provides us with great assurance that we are secure in the Lord’s hand from all outside attacks (including Satan’s), it does leave the possibility of our turning away from Him (Hebrews 3:12). Hence, we have the command to oppose the devil, but within the framework of remaining firm in the faith; the Shepherd’s protection comes to those who are hearing His voice and are following Him. Once again, we see faith and obedience as the necessary ingredients for His protection and approval – tested and accepted.
It is because they remained faithful to the Lord that they were frequently killed, and were often destitute of the comforts of this life. Paul’s testimony to Timothy was that we must be content as long as we have food and clothing; he identifies a desire for riches to be a snare that the devil will use as a means to destroy us (1 Timothy 6:8-10). We must be willing to deny our desires in favor of being pleasing to the Lord; unless we do so, we cannot claim to be His disciples (Luke 14:33).
38. (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Of whom the world is not worthy: they wander about in deserts, mountains, caves, and clefts of the earth (literal).89
Despite many of the OT saints having nowhere to call home, the world, with all of its treasures and luxuries, does not have anything when compared to the saints. Worthy (axios) literally means to bring up the other beam of a scale:90 when weighed against the faithful saints of the Lord, the world proves to be without weight – it is unworthy. This is the Lord’s perspective, which stands in stark contrast to the view of the wealthy of this world. As James chides his readers for showing favor toward the rich, he concludes with this: “Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?” (James 2:6b). It is the rich who make life difficult for the Lord’s faithful, and this still holds true for today. It is the wealthy of today who are working to prepare for the one-world government of the Antichrist, who will come, make war against the Lord’s saints, and conquer them (Revelation 13:7); in the Lord’s eyes, it will be the defeated who will outweigh the victor!
The writer adds that these faithful ones were often on the run from those who would seek to harm them – evil authorities who refused to submit to Jehovah. This could very easily become the case again, because suffering and persecution are promised to those who follow the Lord (2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:15-16). The Apostles learned very quickly that there would be a conflict between the authority of man and what the Lord requires, and their profession must become our guide in life: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Jesus stated that He must be our first authority, else we are not worthy to be called His disciples (Luke 14:33) – and that, of course, means that He is above all civil and religious authorities!
39. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
And all [of] these, having been approved by means of the faith, did not receive the promise (literal).91
All of the OT saints, both the named and unnamed, were approved by the Lord because of their faith in Him. However, despite being accepted by God, they did not receive the promise that began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). Their faith was in God and His promise to right the wrong that came through Satan’s influence; sin entered humanity through Satan’s deception, but His promise was to defeat Satan and make a restored relationship with Him possible once again. Although many details regarding God’s promise were added throughout the time of the OT, none of the OT saints saw it fulfilled. Simeon saw the infant Jesus and declared: “30. … mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32). Simeon saw the One through Whom the promise would find fulfillment, but he, too, did not receive the promise.
40. God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
God did provide something better for us, in order that they, apart from us, will not be made complete (literal).92
From the very beginning, God had a plan. The OT saints received the promise that was in place until Christ came and fulfilled it; their faith was in God Who promised to deal with sin and Satan. Jesus came and dealt with sin once and for all, and sealed the destiny of Satan (Hebrews 2:14); this opened the way for the OT saints to receive the benefit of the promise fulfilled: cleansing from sin. As we have already noted, the OT saints were raised to glorified life when Christ arose from the dead – their sins were now paid in full (something that could not take place under the order of animal sacrifices), and they were resurrected to be with the Lord (Matthew 27:52-53).
However, the writer makes it very clear that the body of OT saints is NOT complete without us – i.e., the NC saints. Jesus made this statement: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold [Israel], these also I must lead, and of My voice they will hear and will come to be one flock [with] one Shepherd” (John 10:16, literal).93 Although it runs contrary to some theologies, Jesus stated, and the writer has confirmed, that there will be only ONE flock of all of those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus – whether as the Promised One, or as the One Who came, it matters not. The flock of the Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be comprised of the OC saints and the NC saints – one flock and one Shepherd!
The sons of Joseph became an integral part of the children of Israel within their own tribal designations; replacing Joseph in most cases. With Levi not receiving an inheritance in the Promised Land, the Land was still divided into twelve allotments. It is interesting to see how the firstborn’s double portion came to Joseph through his two sons: Jacob was able to grant Joseph firstborn status, his preferred son of his favorite wife, Rachel. There is not a whisper of protest from any of the other brothers – the sale of Joseph into slavery was still somewhat fresh in their minds.
22. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith, Joseph, who was dying, spoke about the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones (literal).56
Of all of the sons of Jacob, Joseph is the only one whose death is mentioned, and the only one who made request that his bones were to be taken back to Canaan for a final burial (Genesis 50:24-25; Joshua 24:32). Joseph understood that the children of Israel would, one day, return to the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and he wanted his remains to be there, as well. It seems that all of the other sons of Jacob were buried in Egypt, together with several generations of the children of Israel.
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.
By faith Moses was born and hidden for three month by his parents, because they saw a well-formed infant and did not fear the command of the king (literal).57
In this case, the faith was not that of Moses, but of his parents. “1. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:1-2). The OT narrative tells us that it was Jochebed (Moses’ mother) who sought to protect her child, and, undoubtedly, that’s truly where it began; however, the writer tells us that both Amram (Moses’ father) and Jochebed were involved in seeking to protect Moses from the king’s command. It was their faith in the Lord that protected Moses’ life; since the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians, and Amram would not have been an exception, it would have primarily fallen to Jochebed to be creative in keeping Moses hidden and quiet.
I’m quite sure that Amram and Jochebed were afraid of the king, but their desire to be pleasing to the Lord was greater; the Lord would not want them to destroy the new life that He had given to them. We, too, must always hold the decrees of government up to the light of God’s Word in order to gain His perspective, so that we, too, are able to live in obedience to Him. It’s a matter of making the Lord our top priority (Luke 14:33).
However, the greatest demonstration of their faith came when Jochebed was asked by Pharaoh’s daughter to attend to Moses until he was weaned. It was during these early years of his life that Moses undoubtedly heard all about the Lord and His people Israel, so that, by the time he went to be with Pharaoh’s daughter, he was well aware of who his people were.
24. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 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 pleasures of sin for a season;
24. By faith Moses, who being grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25. He chose, rather, to be mistreated along with the people of God than to have a passing enjoyment of sin (literal).58
Here now, is the faith of Moses: when he came of age, he chose to identify himself with the Hebrew slaves, rather than with the elite of Egypt. Moses’ mother was hired by Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse him, which probably brought him to about three years of age.59 Undoubtedly, Pharaoh’s daughter would have had frequent contacts with the growing child, and Moses may have been permitted to have some contact with his parents after being formally immersed into the Egyptian customs and education. What we do know is that Moses understood his Hebrew heritage, which means that Pharaoh’s daughter did not remove his family from his life; she may have surmised that the life of plenty that she provided for Moses would gain his favor when compared to the slavery of the Hebrews.
However, as Moses became more aware of the abuse that the Hebrews, his heritage, endured at the hands of the Egyptians, he began to see the need for someone to free them from their oppressors. When he saw an Egyptian strike a Hebrew, he killed the Egyptian and buried him; he thought that the Hebrews would look upon him as their defender and liberator (Acts 7:25). The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting, he sought to intervene, but was instead asked if he was going to kill the aggressor as he had the Egyptian (Exodus 2:14). When Pharaoh heard of what Moses had done to the Egyptian, he sought to kill him (applied justice) before the Hebrews got any ideas of freedom (Exodus 2:15).
Moses, now forty years old (Acts 7:30, cp. Exodus 7:7), chose to identify with his brethren, the Hebrews, rather than with the people of Pharaoh’s daughter. In some respect, Moses felt a need to free his people from their bondage; undoubtedly, he had learned of Joseph who had spoken of the day when they, as a people, would return to the land that the Lord had promised to give them (Genesis 50:24). Moses, in his own strength, endeavored to free one Hebrew from oppression, and was forced to run for his life. After forty years of tending sheep in the desert, the Lord appeared to Moses at Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai)60 and said, “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). During these forty years, Moses had changed from a privileged Egyptian to a shepherd who knew how to survive and protect his sheep in the desert; now the Lord was ready to use him to lead His people out of slavery.
The wording of Scripture regarding Moses at this time, seems to indicate that he was at least aware of the promise of the Lord to his people. We’ve seen how the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were all mindful of the heavenly dimension to the promises that the Lord had given to this particular family. Perhaps it was this that caught Moses’ interest so that he chose to align himself with the downtrodden Hebrews – seeing that they held a hope that was very unlike that of the Egyptians. Even though Moses chose to leave his life of privilege for the Hebrews, their God, and His promises, he did not personally know Jehovah of the patriarchs. After forty years, Moses saw the need to liberate the Hebrews, which he tried on a small scale and was forced to flee. After forty years of dealing with sheep in the desert, Moses had lost his self-confidence, and now the Lord was ready to call him to the task. Somehow Moses had gained the eternal hope of the Hebrews that dimmed the royal advantage that he had had as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Now the Lord revealed Himself to Moses, and set the liberation of His people into motion; could it be that the promise of the Lord to Abraham, that his descendants would serve in a foreign land for four hundred years and then be delivered, had come to Moses (Genesis 15:13-14)? He may well have understood that the time for deliverance was due, but needed to learn that the Lord’s timing was necessary, not to mention His enablement.
26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
He did consider the insult of Christ [to be of] greater wealth than Egypt’s treasures; for his attention was on the reward (literal).61
Although Moses did not know Christ as the Son of God Who would come to pay in full the debt of sin, the writer makes it very clear that he looked beyond this life to what God was preparing for those who love Him and live in obedience to Him. The treasures of Egypt are of this world; by casting His lot with the people of God, Moses chose to raise his eyes to the glories of heaven: he willingly turned his back on the fading glories of Egypt for that which is of God – eternal in the heavens. The vision of the patriarchs was his as well!
Even though Moses did not carry the family line of the Messiah (being from the tribe of Levi, not Judah), without a doubt he understood that the promise of God was for a Savior to come. It was Moses who proclaimed: “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet [a spokesman for Jehovah] from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15).62 Indeed, Moses was the greatest spokesman for Jehovah until the Promised One came: that Prophet, the Son of God, through Whom all of the families of the earth were blessed. Jehovah also confirmed to Moses that a Prophet was coming: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). During His ministry on earth, Jesus said, “48. He who is rejecting Me, and not accepting My words, has One Who is judging him; the word that I have spoken, that will judge him in the last day, 49. because I, from Myself, did not speak, but the Father Who sent Me, He gave Me a command: what I should declare [the substance of what was spoken], and what I should speak [the words used]” (John 12:48-49, literal).63 Jesus, as the Son of God, was in complete accord with the Father throughout His time on earth; the only exception was when the Father turned away from Him as He bore the sins of the world (Matthew 27:46), and even that was in keeping with the plan of salvation devised before the creation of the world (2 Timothy 1:9).
Moses’ attention was on the heavenly, not on this world; the writer makes it very clear that these early men of God knew with great certainty that the Lord was preparing something better for them – this world was not their home!
27. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he left Egypt; he did not fear the anger of the king, because, as seeing the Invisible One, he did persevere (literal).64
“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled [ran away] from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt [yashab] in the land of Midian: and he sat down [yashab] by a well” (Exodus 2:15).65 Because Moses killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew, we are told that Pharaoh set out to kill Moses, without any indication of justice – more like vengeance. Perhaps Moses’ affinity for the Hebrew people had become well known, and this became an opportunity to remove the annoyance. The Hebrew word yashab means to sit (which readily applies to sitting by the well), and then, to dwell, finding its application in the greater region of Midian and it tells us that Moses dwelt close by the well (the Hebrew includes the definite article; this was not just a well, but the main well for the area).66 It seems that Moses knew that being at the well would very quickly give him a glimpse of the residents of the area – and so it did.
The writer tells us that Moses did not fear the anger of the king, yet he fled when he heard that the king wanted to kill him. Once again, the writer says that there was no fear, yet the evidence points to the contrary (we saw this in v. 23). Perhaps because of his parents’ influence, it seems that Moses perceived himself to be a liberator of the Hebrew people; yet when he tried it with one, it proved to be a disaster. He left Egypt to preserve his own life, and to give the angered Pharaoh time to die before he returned (to try again?); the writer indicates that Moses was not only aware of Jehovah, but that he persevered because of Him. After arriving in Midian, Moses tended to the flock of the priest of Midian (Exodus 3:1), willingly settled there, and married the priest’s daughter (Exodus 2:21). Moses’ father-in-law is first introduced as Reuel, meaning, friend of God (Exodus 2:18); he came from the heritage of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), and, in all likelihood, was a priest of Jehovah. For the next forty years, Moses was content to be away from Egypt and free of any reminders of the slavery of his people – his thoughts of liberating his people seem to have been replaced by the routine of tending his father-in-law’s sheep. Moses left Egypt under the hope that the Lord would use him to free his people; forty years later, that hope was gone.
When the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commissioned him to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses objected: 1) who am I? – the self-confident Moses, who killed an Egyptian to protect a Hebrew, was gone (Exodus 3:10-11); 2) Moses desired to know the Lord’s name, more than just the “God of your fathers” (Exodus 3:13); 3) the people won’t believe that the Lord appeared to him – he needs something more convincing than mere words (Exodus 4:1); 4) I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); 5) send someone else (Exodus 4:13). For each of his “reasons,” the Lord provided an answer that overcame the objection, and concluded with: Aaron, Moses’ brother, was coming to meet him, and he would be his voice (Exodus 4:14-16).
Moses left Egypt as a self-confident man, and well-educated as a member of the royal household; after forty years, he was now humble and inadequate, and ready for the Lord to use him to liberate His people Israel. Moses was learning that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 3:19), and that it is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of true wisdom (Psalm 110:10). We, too, must learn that the Lord does not need the education of this world to make someone useful to Him – humble submission to Him is all that is required.
28. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith he [Moses] ordained the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that He [the Lord], destroying the firstborn, did not touch them (literal).67
It is interesting to note that the writer seems to point to the faith of Moses in keeping the Passover, including sprinkling the door posts and lintel with the blood of the sacrificed lamb, yet this was something that was done by all of the households of Israel (Exodus 12:13). It was the faith of Moses in the Lord that led to instituting the celebration of the Passover within Israel;[8] through the plagues, the Lord had demonstrated His power to both the Egyptians and Hebrews, and also His ability to distinguish between the Egyptians and the Hebrews (Exodus 10:22-23). Therefore, when it came to the Passover and the death of all the firstborn not protected by the blood, the Hebrews knew to follow the Lord’s instructions, and, of the Egyptians, only Pharaoh and his court knew what was coming – and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (Exodus 11:9).
It was Moses’ complete confidence that the Lord would do what He declared that led to that first Passover celebration on the eve of the Hebrews leaving Egypt. Beyond that, the people were instructed to borrow whatever they could from the Egyptians, so that, when they left the land, the Egyptians were thoroughly plundered (Exodus 12:35-36).
29. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith they [the children of Israel] did cross the Red Sea as through dry [land], which, having made an attempt at, the Egyptians were drowned (literal).69
The faith of the children of Israel always seemed to be a bit wobbly. They quickly came to the Red Sea, and the Pharaoh changed his mind and went after his departing slaves: so the sea was in front of them, the armies of Egypt behind them; they cried out to the Lord, and to Moses their words were: “11. Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:11-12). They hadn’t even left the territory of Egypt when their complaints against Moses began – grumbling that was really against Jehovah.
It was Moses’ faith in Jehovah that opened the way through the Red Sea so that the people crossed over on dry ground; yet it was the people’s faith that saw them step forward onto a pathway through the Sea with walls of water on both sides. Clearly, they saw this as the Lord’s provision for them, and they placed their faith in Him that He would see them through to the other side. Little did they realize that what was the way of salvation for them, would be used by the Lord destroy the armies of Egypt.
Let’s consider this a little more closely before we move on. As Israel stood between the water and an advancing army, Moses’ words to them were: “13. Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:13-14). Moses spoke words of great faith in the Lord, and then cried out to Him; the Lord told Moses to hold his rod over the Sea, and it would be divided so that the children of Israel could pass over upon dry ground. The people saw Moses lift his rod over the Sea and it was separated; the Lord always worked through Moses as His spokesman to guide the children of Israel out of Egypt. Yet it is evident that Moses, with one exception (Numbers 20:8-12), made it abundantly clear that the glory belonged to the Lord; the people recognized Moses as being a mediator between Jehovah and them. Was the faith of the children of Israel in Jehovah, or in the one who had been chosen by Jehovah to lead them?
30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the walls of Jericho did fall, having been encircled for seven days (literal).70
The children of Israel were now beginning the challenge of possessing the Promised Land – something that the Lord promised to do for them if they lived in obedience to Him. Moses, because of his one indiscretion at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-12), was not permitted to lead the people over the Jordan River, and Joshua was commissioned to take his place (Deuteronomy 34:9). We are told that the children of Israel “feared him [Joshua], as they feared Moses, all the days of his life” (Joshua 4:14); what became very evident, after they had taken possession of the Land, is that, generally speaking, the people followed a man, and not the Lord. “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel” (Judges 2:7); however, when these men were gone, “… the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim” (Judges 2:11). The pattern that unfolded over the next several generations was this: the children of Israel were oppressed by the people still in the Land, they would cry to the Lord, He would provide a godly judge, the oppressors were defeated, peace was established throughout the lifetime of the judge, and then the people would return to idolatry. Even though the children of Israel seemed to recognize that Jehovah was their means of delivery from oppression, as a whole, they only followed the Lord when there was a godly leader. However, what must not be missed is that among the general immersion of the children of Israel into idolatry, there were still some who held to Jehovah, and it was from this small minority that the Lord would call the judges.
Therefore, when the writer says that the walls of Jericho fell by faith, we understand that the faith in Jehovah was exercised by the leader (in this case, Joshua) and a small, faithful portion of the people. The greater portion of Israel willingly followed a faithful leader (Joshua), and enjoyed the benefits of living in obedience to the Lord, yet never came to fully accept Jehovah’s words as the only truth. Moses declared these words of the Lord to Israel: “6. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Clearly, Jehovah’s truths were not diligently taught to their children, otherwise there would not have been such a dramatic shift from Jehovah to the devil from one generation to the next.
The writer is correct, the walls of Jericho did fall by faith, but the reality and foundation of that faith was not passed along to the next generation. Nothing has changed! Today, the vast majority of professing Christians neither know nor follow the Lord – they wander after a favored preacher, teacher, or theology. Unfortunately, most preachers, teachers, and theologies are not Biblical, and so they serve the Baalim of today – anything other than the God of the Bible.
31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
By faith Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with those who did not believe, having received the spies with peace (literal).71
Rahab is a difficult character to reconcile with being a part of the physical genealogy of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 1:5): she was a Canaanite, and a harlot. However, beyond that we also see her as being industrious: she operated a place of lodging (Joshua 2:1), and her flat roof was covered with flax that was being dried to process further into linen (Joshua 2:6). Let’s take a closer look at Rahab.
Based upon her own testimony, as the Israelites came to the Jordan, it is evident that Rahab, and all of the inhabitants of the region, were in great fear. They had heard how the Lord had opened the way through the Red Sea as the Israelites left Egypt, and they were very aware of the destruction of the kings of the Amorites, upon whose land the children of Israel now stood, ready to cross the Jordan and take Canaan. Rahab testified to the two spies: “I know that the LORD hath given you the land” (Joshua 2:9); know is in the perfect tense (identifying a completed action72), which means that she was convinced of this before the spies ever arrived at her place of lodging. As someone who operated an inn, she would have undoubtedly heard all of the accounts of Israel’s feats from merchants and travellers, and it was very evident that they could not have accomplished everything without divine help. She acknowledged that the people were beside themselves for fear of what lay ahead, yet her fear was different. When she provided lodging for the two spies from Israel, the king of Jericho heard of it, and sought for them in order to kill them – the tone of the account points to nothing else (Joshua 2:3, 22). Although the people feared the children of Israel, it is clear that they were not going to go down without a fight – they were going to defend what had been theirs for many years.
As Rahab talked with the spies about the dread that filled the hearts of the people of Canaan, and specifically Jericho, she made this confession: “for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). It is certain that Rahab’s fear of Jehovah was far greater than her fear of the king of Jericho, for she had no qualms about tossing the king’s messengers a red herring concerning the two spies. With the king’s messengers out of the way, she immediately sought to save her family from certain death; the basis for her appeal was that she had shown kindness to the spies (Joshua 2:12-13); not only had she hidden them, but she let them escape the city through her window, since her house was on the wall of Jericho (Joshua 2:15). She was granted her appeal for the protection of all who would be in her house when the day came, on the condition that she not expose them (Joshua 2:14), and that she tie a scarlet cord in the window through which she let them down (Joshua 2:18).
When the day of conquest came, the Lord caused the walls of Jericho to fall flat (Joshua 6:20), and Israel took the city. The spies entered into Rahab’s house and led out all who were gathered there (Joshua 6:22-23); all of the walls of Jericho collapsed except for Rahab’s house. Rahab believed in Jehovah with sufficient conviction that she saw her only hope in this situation was to side with Israel and appeal to the mercy of Jehovah. Indeed, she (and those with her) did not perish with the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho, but lived on as a part of the children of Israel because of her faith and trust in Jehovah.
32. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
And what can I say further? For time will fail me to relate fully about Gideon, Barak, and also Samson and Jephthah, David and also Samuel and the prophets (literal).73
The writer declares that there isn’t sufficient time to go on about the lives of the judges, David, and the prophets – even though their lives all demonstrated faith in the Lord.
Gideon was called to deliver Israel from the control of the Midianites, who dominated Israel because they had turned away from Jehovah. It was by Gideon and three hundred men that the Lord routed the vast multitude of the Midianites and those who were joined with them (Judges 7:12, 21-22). It was Gideon’s faith in the Lord that permitted him to be used to free Israel from oppression and draw them back to Jehovah (Judges 8:23). However, despite being used so mightily to free Israel, Gideon also failed them; from the gold of their enemies’ earrings, he made an ephod (Judges 8:24-27). An ephod was typically a garment worn by the high priest; however, at this time, it was common to make an image of wood and then cover it with gold sheeting (an ephod). Although the faith of Gideon was mighty to deliver Israel from the Midianite oppression, he also drew them right back into idolatry.
Barak also led Israel from under the domination of their enemies. When he was told that the Lord would deliver their enemy into his hand, he refused to lead the army of Israel unless the prophetess, Deborah, went with him; consequently, the deliverance from the leader of the enemy forces came through the actions of a woman (Judges 4:15-16, 22-24). Barak was used by the Lord to subdue the Canaanites, yet his faith in the Lord was very dependent upon the Lord’s messenger being close at hand.
Samson is an interesting character to have been included by the writer. He was a Nazarite from birth; a Nazarite was totally dedicated to the Lord, was not to eat or drink anything from the vine, must not cut his hair, and was not to touch anything dead.74 Numbers 6 tells of the guidelines for someone who took the vow of a Nazarite, but for Samson it was not just a vow, for his whole life he was to follow the Nazarite restrictions. The angel of the Lord told Samson’s mother that he would begin to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines (Judges 13:3-5). Throughout his lifetime, Samson made a few small advances against the Philistines, but nothing of any real consequence; each of these came through his association with Philistine women. It was Delilah who wore him down so that he revealed the key to his unusual strength; this resulted in her greatly increased wealth (Judges 16:5) and to Samson being reduced to a blind man working the millstone for the Philistines (Judges 16:21). However, his hair grew and his thoughts turned to Jehovah; on the day of a large Philistine celebration to their god, Dagon, for delivering him into their hands, Samson was guided to the two pillars that supported the house where all of the lords of the Philistines were gathered. In one final burst of power as a Nazarite to the Lord, Samson brought the house down upon the leaders of Philistia (Judges 16:30). It was not until the end of his life that Samson demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a meaningful way, and damaged the forces of Philistine.
Jephthah was of the tribe of Manasseh, but born of a harlot; because of this, his half-brothers expelled him from their city, Gilead. However, when the Ammonites (descendants of Lot) posed a threat to the residents of Gilead, the elders of this city sent to have Jephthah lead them into battle, and, if he was victorious, they promised to then make him their head (Judges 11:9-10). Jephthah sought the Lord for the victory, and it was given to him; we read of Jephthah’s dependence upon the Lord to grant him victory over the Ammonites, but we read nothing of his godly influence. He was a judge of Israel for six years (Judges 12:7), maintaining peace for the nation.
When Saul failed to follow the Lord, Samuel declared that “the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), and it was not long before David was anointed king. Through his faith in the Lord, David eluded Saul’s many death plans for him, and, as king, he drew Israel together as a nation, made Jerusalem its capital, brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:3), and brought peace to the land by defeating their enemies (2 Samuel 7:1). Under the leadership of King David, the nation of Israel reached its pinnacle for all of history75; the Lord promised to establish his house, kingdom and throne forever (2 Samuel 7:16), and, indeed, through his descendant, Jesus, has come the fulfillment of this promise. There is much from the life of David that reflects his faith in the Lord, particularly during his early years as he worked to stay alive while under Saul’s rule, and as he brought Israel together as a nation and overcame the Philistines (Israel’s primary enemy at this time).
Samuel was the last to be both judge and priest to Israel; he is also the one who anointed the first two kings of Israel: Saul, who began well and ended badly, and David, who is to this day upheld as the king of renown within Israel. Samuel carefully guided Israel from following a priest/judge to having a king like all of the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:5), providing the king with the needed divine instruction along the way. However, like his mentor, Eli, Samuel failed to raise his children to follow the Lord, and the people of Israel looked for a more consistent leadership in a king.
The writer of Hebrews declares that there isn’t sufficient time to expound on the faith of all of these, and the prophets as well. As we ponder the lives of those who have been mentioned, we recognize that they were not perfect, and their failures before God are recorded in Scripture. However, each one exercised faith in the Lord to guide and strengthen them for specific tasks that He assigned. Some accomplished great feats through their faith in the Lord, only to become less faithful in their later years. It is for a purpose that their lives are recorded in Scripture: “and all of these things [as] figures happened to them, and they have been written for our instruction, to whom the ends of the ages did come (1 Corinthians 10:11, literal).76 All of these OT saints lived under the promise of God that a Savior was coming, and they demonstrated the need to have faith in the Lord and live in obedience to His Word. The time of the promise is now past: Christ came, and drew the Mosaic Covenant to a close and opened a whole New Covenant of life (Hebrews 9:26), yet the OT saints’ record of faith and failure in the Lord continues to challenge us to remain obedient to Him in all things.
33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
33.Who, through faith, defeated kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34. Extinguished the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, became strong out of weakness, were made mighty in war, turned to flight the battle lines of the enemies (literal).77
As we look at this listing of accomplishments, we can recall the exploits of Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, and Daniel and his friends – all things that took place because of their faith in God. Indeed, the OT saints accomplished many great things for the Lord, and they have been recorded for us as a demonstration of the faithfulness and strength of the God Whom we serve. Beyond that, we read of some of their failures, so that we do not become casual in our approach to the Lord – after all, He is God Almighty! The mysterious and ancient character, Job, made this observation, to which we would do well to heed: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). This must be our guide as we consider the lives of the OT saints: faithful obedience to the Lord in all things, which will enable us to avoid the evils of life.
35. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Women received their dead [again] by resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting release so that they will experience a better resurrection (literal).78
The writer now goes on to enumerate some of what the OT saints faced, but first he refers to two particular accomplishments of restored life.
The Scriptures give us two OT accounts of the dead being raised: one under the ministry of Elijah (1 Kings 17:22), and the second by Elisha (2 Kings 4:32, 36). Both cases involved children: the only son of a widow from the region of Phoenicia (1 Kings 17:10, 17), and a son born upon the word of Elisha to a woman of Shunem, within the area given to Issachar (2 Kings 4:16-17). Jesus spoke of Elijah being sent to the widow of Zarephath (or Sarepta) to find food during the time of drought that was brought about at his word (1 Kings 17:1, 9), when there were many widows in Israel who were also impacted by the famine (Luke 4:25-26). These are two miracles of the Lord wrought by the hands of His prophets.
Tortured is translated from the Greek tumpanizo, which literally is to beat a drum;79 in this application, it referred to someone being stretched out over a wheel or drum form, and then beaten – often to their death.80 The writer clarifies that those who were subjected to this, did not seek release; the context tells us that this torture was being inflicted because of their faith in the Lord, and they would not renounce their faith in order to be released from the torture. In other words, they remained faithful to the Lord despite what they were forced to endure, and they did so in order to experience a better resurrection. Earlier, the writer declared that we will have a part in Christ, “if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14). Jesus declared that it is the one who remains faithful to Him unto the end who will be saved (Matthew 24:13) – a future salvation based upon our faithfulness to Him. In other words, unless we remain faithful (i.e., obedient) to the Lord unto the end, we will not have a part with Him. Therefore, when these who were tortured refused to recant, they chose to remain faithful to the Lord rather than to seek relief from their physical pain (release). The better resurrection that they sought was the resurrection of life that comes through the Lord Jesus, rather than being raised to condemnation before God; it is not a question of being resurrected, but whether that will lead to eternal life or everlasting punishment. These who were tortured to death, understood the necessity of remaining faithful to the Lord.
36. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
And others did receive an experience of mockings and floggings, and, further, of fetters and prison (literal).81
Trial, as used in the KJV, does not refer to being brought before a court in order to determine innocence or guilt on a matter, but, rather, to be tested, and so, to experience.82 The experience of the OT saints not only included the physical pain of beatings and confinement (much of this being done publicly), but also attacks against one’s character (mockings). As we see the world around us belittling what is right and vaunting the evil, we can take comfort in knowing that this is nothing new – the OT saints faced the very same challenges!
37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
They were stoned, sawn in two, put to the test, they died by murder of the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins – being in need, afflicted, mistreated; (literal).83
Death by stoning was common practice in ancient times; it was attempted against the Lord Jesus (John 8:59), and carried out against Stephen (Acts 7:59). This was one method of death that was to be applied against anyone or any animal that went beyond the bounds near Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:13); under the Mosaic Law, this was used for cattle that brought death or were aggressive (Exodus 21:28-29, 32), and to those who offered their children to Molech (Leviticus 20:2), or were involved in witchcraft, sorcery, or magic (Leviticus 20:27).
Sawn in two is a particularly gruesome and barbaric form of torture and death, although it was generally not a common practice, it continued to be used on occasion in some countries until the 19th century.84 Jewish tradition has it that Isaiah was sawn in two under the direction of the evil Manasseh, king of Judah.85 However, beyond that, there are two passages of Scripture that, over the years, have led to much difference of opinion on this form of punishment. “And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln [to enter the brick kiln; i.e., to make bricks]: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 12:31)86; “And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem” (1 Chronicles 20:3). Some contend that David participated in such cruelty against the Ammonites, whose king, Hanun, had shamed the messengers of David who were sent to provide comfort on the death of his father (1 Chronicles 19:3-4). However, when we consider that David kept Shimei alive after he showered stones and curses upon David and his men as they left Jerusalem because of Absalom (2 Samuel 16:13; 19:23), it seems very unlikely that David would have heaped such cruelty upon the Ammonites for simply shaming his messengers. Within the context of David’s life, the more acceptable understanding is that the Ammonites were placed under hard labor; it was very common for the defeated to become productive slaves for the victor.
Their faith in the Lord was tested. Coming within this chapter, as it does, this testing is that which comes from the enemy: an attempt to entice someone to sin. “8. Be sober, keep watch, because your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion is going about seeking someone to devour, 9. whom ye must resist, steadfast in the faith; ye have known [that] the same sufferings are being laid upon your brethren in this world” (1 Peter 5:8-9, literal).87 Satan does not rest in his search to dislodge someone who is in the faith; in like manner, we are commanded to be sober and alert lest we fall prey to his roaring. The promise that we have is this: “27. My sheep are hearing My voice, and I know them and they are following Me; 28. also, I am giving to them everlasting life, and they will never perish forever, and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28, literal).88 Although this provides us with great assurance that we are secure in the Lord’s hand from all outside attacks (including Satan’s), it does leave the possibility of our turning away from Him (Hebrews 3:12). Hence, we have the command to oppose the devil, but within the framework of remaining firm in the faith; the Shepherd’s protection comes to those who are hearing His voice and are following Him. Once again, we see faith and obedience as the necessary ingredients for His protection and approval – tested and accepted.
It is because they remained faithful to the Lord that they were frequently killed, and were often destitute of the comforts of this life. Paul’s testimony to Timothy was that we must be content as long as we have food and clothing; he identifies a desire for riches to be a snare that the devil will use as a means to destroy us (1 Timothy 6:8-10). We must be willing to deny our desires in favor of being pleasing to the Lord; unless we do so, we cannot claim to be His disciples (Luke 14:33).
38. (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Of whom the world is not worthy: they wander about in deserts, mountains, caves, and clefts of the earth (literal).89
Despite many of the OT saints having nowhere to call home, the world, with all of its treasures and luxuries, does not have anything when compared to the saints. Worthy (axios) literally means to bring up the other beam of a scale:90 when weighed against the faithful saints of the Lord, the world proves to be without weight – it is unworthy. This is the Lord’s perspective, which stands in stark contrast to the view of the wealthy of this world. As James chides his readers for showing favor toward the rich, he concludes with this: “Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?” (James 2:6b). It is the rich who make life difficult for the Lord’s faithful, and this still holds true for today. It is the wealthy of today who are working to prepare for the one-world government of the Antichrist, who will come, make war against the Lord’s saints, and conquer them (Revelation 13:7); in the Lord’s eyes, it will be the defeated who will outweigh the victor!
The writer adds that these faithful ones were often on the run from those who would seek to harm them – evil authorities who refused to submit to Jehovah. This could very easily become the case again, because suffering and persecution are promised to those who follow the Lord (2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:15-16). The Apostles learned very quickly that there would be a conflict between the authority of man and what the Lord requires, and their profession must become our guide in life: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Jesus stated that He must be our first authority, else we are not worthy to be called His disciples (Luke 14:33) – and that, of course, means that He is above all civil and religious authorities!
39. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
And all [of] these, having been approved by means of the faith, did not receive the promise (literal).91
All of the OT saints, both the named and unnamed, were approved by the Lord because of their faith in Him. However, despite being accepted by God, they did not receive the promise that began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). Their faith was in God and His promise to right the wrong that came through Satan’s influence; sin entered humanity through Satan’s deception, but His promise was to defeat Satan and make a restored relationship with Him possible once again. Although many details regarding God’s promise were added throughout the time of the OT, none of the OT saints saw it fulfilled. Simeon saw the infant Jesus and declared: “30. … mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32). Simeon saw the One through Whom the promise would find fulfillment, but he, too, did not receive the promise.
40. God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
God did provide something better for us, in order that they, apart from us, will not be made complete (literal).92
From the very beginning, God had a plan. The OT saints received the promise that was in place until Christ came and fulfilled it; their faith was in God Who promised to deal with sin and Satan. Jesus came and dealt with sin once and for all, and sealed the destiny of Satan (Hebrews 2:14); this opened the way for the OT saints to receive the benefit of the promise fulfilled: cleansing from sin. As we have already noted, the OT saints were raised to glorified life when Christ arose from the dead – their sins were now paid in full (something that could not take place under the order of animal sacrifices), and they were resurrected to be with the Lord (Matthew 27:52-53).
However, the writer makes it very clear that the body of OT saints is NOT complete without us – i.e., the NC saints. Jesus made this statement: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold [Israel], these also I must lead, and of My voice they will hear and will come to be one flock [with] one Shepherd” (John 10:16, literal).93 Although it runs contrary to some theologies, Jesus stated, and the writer has confirmed, that there will be only ONE flock of all of those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus – whether as the Promised One, or as the One Who came, it matters not. The flock of the Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be comprised of the OC saints and the NC saints – one flock and one Shepherd!
ENDNOTES:
1Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/believe.
3 Friberg Lexicon.
4 Strong’s Online.
5 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
6 Ibid.
7 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
8 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
9 It is incorrect; the Hebrew has a masculine pronoun that refers to the coming Christ; BDB.
10 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
11 Ibid.
12 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 884.
13 BDB.
14 https://answersingenesis.org/genesis/did-god-create-bara-or-make-asah-in-genesis-1/.
15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_evolutionary_thought.
16 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
17 Ibid.
18 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
19 Gingrich Lexicon.
20 BDB.
21 Strong’s Online; https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12340-preexistence-of-the-soul.
22 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
23 John MacArthur, Jr., The Vanishing Conscience, p. 88, 90.
24 https://prts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Canons-of-Dort-with-Intro.pdf.
25 For a full examination of this theology, see https://www.thenarrowtruth.com/the-tulip-of-calvinism.html.
26 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
28 Strong’s Online.
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
30 Strong’s Online; BDB.
31 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
32 Leningrad Hebrew OT.
33 BDB; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 545.
34 Strong’s Online.
35 Ibid.
36 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
37 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, pp. 201, 1125.
38 Strong’s Online; Keil & Delitzsch Commentary.
39 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
40 BDB.
41 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
42 BDB.
43 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
44 BDB.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
46 Ibid.
47 The use of the Hebrew particle לא along with a second-person imperfect verb (as we have it here) gives the prohibition greater emphasis; https://uhg.readthedocs.io/en/latest/particle_negative.html.
48 City of Nahor is to be understood as the city where Nahor (Abraham’s brother) was located, and not a city named Nahor: the Hebrew construct chain is used to make this distinction clear, (https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-10.pdf); although we don’t read of Nahor travelling north to Haran, it seems that he did, perhaps when Terah died.
49 This, too, is an emphatic Hebrew expression; see FN #47 for the details.
50 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
51 Ibid.
52 Ibid.
53 The Hebrew word ruwd is generally applied to animals that wander about after having broken free; it seems that Esau would wander until he would break his brother’s yoke: perhaps Esau’s wandering would take him away from where Jacob settled; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 966.
54 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
55 Gingrich Lexicon; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
57 Ibid.
58 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
59 https://www.biblequestions.org/bqar827.html.
60 They are the same mountain: Exodus 3:1 and Acts 7:30 affirm this.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
62 BDB.
63 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Vine’s “say.”
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
65 Strong’s Online.
66 Strong’s Online; BDB; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon.
67 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
68 Mounce Greek-English Dictionary.
69 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
70 Ibid.
71 Ibid.
72 https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-13.pdf.
73 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
74 https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11395-nazarite.
75 https://www.jewishhistory.org/david/.
76 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
77 Ibid.
78 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
79 Friberg Lexicon.
80 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5178/kjv/tr/0-1/.
81 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
82 Gingrich Lexicon.
83 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
84 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_sawing.
85 https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1886-ascension-of-isaiah.
86 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 746.
87 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
88 Ibid.
89 Ibid.
90 Friberg Lexicon.
92 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
92 Ibid.
93 Ibid.
1Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/believe.
3 Friberg Lexicon.
4 Strong’s Online.
5 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
6 Ibid.
7 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon.
8 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
9 It is incorrect; the Hebrew has a masculine pronoun that refers to the coming Christ; BDB.
10 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
11 Ibid.
12 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 884.
13 BDB.
14 https://answersingenesis.org/genesis/did-god-create-bara-or-make-asah-in-genesis-1/.
15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_evolutionary_thought.
16 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
17 Ibid.
18 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
19 Gingrich Lexicon.
20 BDB.
21 Strong’s Online; https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12340-preexistence-of-the-soul.
22 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
23 John MacArthur, Jr., The Vanishing Conscience, p. 88, 90.
24 https://prts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Canons-of-Dort-with-Intro.pdf.
25 For a full examination of this theology, see https://www.thenarrowtruth.com/the-tulip-of-calvinism.html.
26 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
27 Stephanus 1550 NT; Gingrich Lexicon.
28 Strong’s Online.
29 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
30 Strong’s Online; BDB.
31 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
32 Leningrad Hebrew OT.
33 BDB; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 545.
34 Strong’s Online.
35 Ibid.
36 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
37 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, pp. 201, 1125.
38 Strong’s Online; Keil & Delitzsch Commentary.
39 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
40 BDB.
41 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
42 BDB.
43 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
44 BDB.
45 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
46 Ibid.
47 The use of the Hebrew particle לא along with a second-person imperfect verb (as we have it here) gives the prohibition greater emphasis; https://uhg.readthedocs.io/en/latest/particle_negative.html.
48 City of Nahor is to be understood as the city where Nahor (Abraham’s brother) was located, and not a city named Nahor: the Hebrew construct chain is used to make this distinction clear, (https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-10.pdf); although we don’t read of Nahor travelling north to Haran, it seems that he did, perhaps when Terah died.
49 This, too, is an emphatic Hebrew expression; see FN #47 for the details.
50 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
51 Ibid.
52 Ibid.
53 The Hebrew word ruwd is generally applied to animals that wander about after having broken free; it seems that Esau would wander until he would break his brother’s yoke: perhaps Esau’s wandering would take him away from where Jacob settled; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 966.
54 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
55 Gingrich Lexicon; Friberg Lexicon.
56 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
57 Ibid.
58 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
59 https://www.biblequestions.org/bqar827.html.
60 They are the same mountain: Exodus 3:1 and Acts 7:30 affirm this.
61 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
62 BDB.
63 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Vine’s “say.”
64 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
65 Strong’s Online.
66 Strong’s Online; BDB; Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon.
67 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
68 Mounce Greek-English Dictionary.
69 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
70 Ibid.
71 Ibid.
72 https://hebrew.billmounce.com/BasicsBiblicalHebrew-13.pdf.
73 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
74 https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11395-nazarite.
75 https://www.jewishhistory.org/david/.
76 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
77 Ibid.
78 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon; Bauer Greek-English Lexicon.
79 Friberg Lexicon.
80 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5178/kjv/tr/0-1/.
81 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
82 Gingrich Lexicon.
83 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
84 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_sawing.
85 https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1886-ascension-of-isaiah.
86 Gesenius’ Hebrew-English Lexicon, p. 746.
87 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
88 Ibid.
89 Ibid.
90 Friberg Lexicon.
92 Stephanus 1550 NT; Friberg Lexicon; Gingrich Lexicon.
92 Ibid.
93 Ibid.