Faith
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This chapter in Hebrews is often referred to as the faith chapter. Faith brings reality forward. Faith is the substance and the evidence of things hoped for and not yet seen. The spirititual or the unseen is made evident by faith. Faith does not contradict physical evidence, but faith may go beyond what is seen by the senses. Faith is required to see and believe the spiritual things. The Bible is God's word, a spiritual book understood in the spirit by faith.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith the elders of the Jewish faith overcame many obstacles and believed the promises of God. Their life was a good testimony, a life of faith.
Deu 31:30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.
Deu 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Deu 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Deu 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he...
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Were you there when God created the worlds? Jesus the living Word was, we believe the Bible's account of the creation, by faith.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
I have no problem believing the Bible, it is a book understood by faith. It is true as God is true.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Abel
Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Gen 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Abel offered the blood of the lamb, pointing to the sacrifice of Jesus. Cain was told that vegetables were not a suitable offering. Instead of obeying God he became angry at God and even killed his brother for envy. Because of this Abel's righteous blood called out to God. Abel was saved through faith and obedience. Cain was disobedient and he was under a curse. Faith obeys the known will of God. Abel was faithful, offering what God required.
Enoch
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Enoch, an old testament type of the rapture of the church. He never died, but was taken to paradise. Those who walk with God of the church shall meet Jesus in the air and not see death, at his coming.
1 Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
He was translated and Jesus has translated us from the power of darkness to the kingdom of light.
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Gen 5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
Gen 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
Gen 5:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Another classic verse on faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
We cannot come to God unless we believe that he is God, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
2 Pet 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2 Pet 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Noah
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Gen 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Gen 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Gen 6:19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
Gen 7:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
Gen 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
Gen 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
The ark is symbolic for our life in Jesus. We are saved from God's wrath when we trust God and are in Christ Jesus.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Again faith required obedience to God's will. Had Noah not paid attention to God's voice, he too would have perished. Faith requires complete surrender to the will of God. He is Lord, we are submissive to his will. If we try to live life our own way and use God to give us things, or run errands for us, we are disobedient. We obey God with all of our heart and mind, then the blessings come. He knows us and he knows our future. Lord as Noah trusted in you and followed your will, so shall we. We come to your saving grace that is in Christ Jesus. He is our savior, our ark, our salvation.
Abraham
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
The promise was not by the works of the law, but of faith.
Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Faith does require the work of obedience.
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Heb 11:9 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:
God confirmed the covenant promises with Abraham through Isaac, Abraham's son and Jacob, his grandson.
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
That is the City of God, New Jerusalem, that is yet to come.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Sarah
Heb 11:11 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.
Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Sarah believed, but at first she laughed at the prospect.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
She would name her son Isaac, which means "laughter."
Heb 11:12 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.
Although Abraham and Sarah were almost one hundred years old, they were given a son, a miracle son, Isaac. Innumerable offspring would come through Isaac. The stars of the sky, symbolically stands for Spiritual Israel. The sand by the seashore represents earthly Israel. There were other births that were miraculous: Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus came by special power and favor of God.
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Love not this world
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
They desired a heavenly dwelling, they had faith in the promise of God. This world was not their home. God is in heaven, we come from earth, but desire eternal life with the Father. We desire to be with our Lord.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 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.
Lot's wife loved her sinful city.
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Jesus gave his disciples instructions.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I want the eternal dwelling place prepared for me by Jesus. Lord may our days on this earth be lived with you in mind. May you be glorified in our lives.
Isaac
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.
The ultimate test for faithful Abraham, he was told to offer his son. The miracle son of his old age by whom a multitude was to come.
Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Gen 21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
Another son was offered for our sins. The only begotten son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. It was on the third day that he would rise as promised unto everlasting life. Abraham and Isaac were an old testament type of this.
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Gen 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Abraham in obedient faith, was willing to give up all as the LORD commanded. Having been tested, the Lord had mercy. Many of us are going through hard things in our faith. If we remain faithful, God will have mercy and we shall dwell with him in his love forever.
Jacob
Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Esau and Jacob were twins, Esau was born first, he was hairy and a rugged hunter, the favorite of Isaac. Jacob and his mother were schemers and Rebekah loved Jacob most. They devised a plan to take Esau's birthright as firstborn from him. Esau was a lustful man and when he wanted something he wanted it now, with no regard for the future.
Gen 25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.(Red)
Gen 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
Gen 25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Isaac was old and his eyes were dim, so Jacob tricked him into thinking he was Esau and received his blessing. Esau also received a blessing but was to be a servant of Jacob until a time when he would break off his yoke.
Satan had come between these two men. Jacob was a liar as satan and a thief and Esau was given permission to destroy Jacob's yoke upon him. Esau desired to kill Jacob. Upon hearing this, Jacob fled. Later on Jacob would wrestle with an angel of God until he was blessed by him. He then was given the name Israel, meaning "as a prince he had power with God and prevailed." Restoration came with his brother Esau, no longer was the fruit of satan in evidence. Jacob was a liar and a thief and Esau sought to murder Jacob. This was replaced by God's blessings and restoration, with love coming to the two brothers who were divided.
God gave to Jacob an oath that he gave through Isaac and Abraham of blessings and a seed that would bless all nations.
Isa 65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
Isa 65:10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
Rom 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Gen 48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
Gen 48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
Gen 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed.
Gen 48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
Gen 48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
Gen 48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
Gen 48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
Gen 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Gen 48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
Gen 48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
Gen 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
Gen 48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
Joseph
Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
A small mention of Joseph, who was as a type of Christ. Of the sons of Jacob, only Joseph is mentioned. He suffered much but endured and God always gave him grace in the eyes of man. Sold as a slave by his jealous brothers yet God kept him safe. He eventually became second in command under the King of Egypt. In this position he was able to deliver his family, Jacob and his son's into Egypt and the land of plenty.
Joseph confronted his brothers as a powerful man of Egypt.
Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Gen 45:10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
In time a new king would arise who was threatened by the Hebrews. He made slaves of them. After Joseph brought his family to safety in the land of Goshen, the fertile land of Egypt, they would serve in Egypt four hundred years. (Gen.15:13)
Gen 50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Gen 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Gen 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Exo 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
Josh 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
By faith, even though in the grave, his bones were brought to the promised land.
Moses
Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Faith began for Moses with his parents, who disobeyed the king's command that newborn Hebrew children were to be killed. His mother made a small basket to float downstream with her baby, and God had the princess of Egypt to find him and to care for him as her own son.
Exo 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. Moses: taken out; drawn forth
Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Moses killed an Egyptian who was striking a Hebrew.
Exo 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Exo 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Moses fled to Midian and spent forty years shepherding for Jethro, the father of his Midian wife. After forty years, the number of testing, Moses was called by God to lead his people out of Egypt. He felt unworthy, but God made him worthy. When God calls us he equips us to serve him and to accomplish his will.
Exo 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Exo 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
Exo 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
The blood of the Passover lamb was applied around the doors of the Hebrews in Egypt, and the death angel passed over them.
Heb 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith, God opened up the Red sea so that three million Hebrews could cross it on dry land. When the Egyptian chariots came after them, God let the waters come back again upon them and they were drowned in the sea.
When Miriam his sister and Aaron his brother and the high priest came against the authority of Moses, they came against God who gave him that authority.
Num 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
Num 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Num 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
A lesson here: it is God who works through us. When we are attacked as servants of God, it is God who will deal with the attacker. He is our strength. God and you are a great majority.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Moses was the most humble of men and God used him greatly. If we are to be used of God, we must humble ourselves before him. He will supply us with all we need, fill us with his Spirit and pour out great love in our hearts. The way of faith is through Jesus, God then makes us useful.
Jericho and Rahab
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
God works miracles through faith and obedience. They did exactly what the LORD told them to do and he caused the walls to fall giving them the victory.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
Not only was she saved by trusting in the God of Israel, but she would be the grandmother of Boaz who married Ruth. She was included in the geneology of Joseph, and the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Other Men of Faith
Heb 11:32 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:
Gideon was visited by an angel and obeyed his words from the LORD. With a few men he was able to deliver his people from the Midianites and destroy the altar to Baal.(Judges 6-7)
Barak won a great battle but insisted that Deborah go with him. She had the presence of God with her, a prophetess and judge.
Judg 4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
Judg 4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
Judg 4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
Samson had mighty power given him by the Lord. He used it to defeat the Philistines, but his weakness for women, especially the wicked Delilah, brought him down. (Judges 13-16)
Jephthah was used of God to defeat the Ammonites. He made a foolish oath to God.
Judg 11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
Judg 11:31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
Actually the word used for a burnt offering also means to consecrate unto God, a suitable sacrifice. The first to come out of his house to greet him was his beloved daughter, singing and dancing. She agreed to give herself to the Lord and never married, serving the Lord all of her life.
David was after God's own heart. He was filled with God's spirit and spent many years running from a mad king Saul before becoming the king of Israel. Through all the difficulties he wrote many of the Psalms.
Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by his mother, Anna. He was a beloved prophet and judge of Israel.
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 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.
These men did follow God's will through faith, even though they had faults and made mistakes. Faith continues in spite of our failings. We continue to obey God and he brings the victories.
Perilous Times
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
1 Ki 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
1 Ki 17:22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1 Ki 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
1 Ki 17:24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Lam 5:1 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.
Lam 5:2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
Lam 5:3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
Lam 5:4 We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
Lam 5:5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.
Lam 5:6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
Lam 5:7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
Lam 5:8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
Heb 11:37 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;
Foxes book of martyrs goes into detail about the persecution of the Saints. Isaiah was reportedly in a hollow log and sawn asunder. To be received of the LORD does not mean that there will be no troubles.
Martyrs
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
This is a high honor given to these suffering Saints. They were of more worth then all the world. The world hated them, but God highly honored them.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
They believed and their faith was counted for righteousness. We believe knowing the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a better understanding of the redemptive plan of God.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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