HEBREWS Chapter 11 "Examples of FAITH." This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." To start out with, we need to know exactly what "the substance" is that "faith" is made of. The word "substance" in the Strong's Greek numbered dictionary is # 5287; "Hupostasis, Hoop-os'-oas-is, made up from # 5259, and 2476, a setting under (support), i.e. Concrete. the essence, or in the abstract assurances. (object or subject):-confidence, confident." So it is the ground or confidence for "substance". The word "ground" is used because in the original test of the Papyri it is "of title-deed", which could also be used as "Heirs". The substance is that "title deed" that allows you to know for a fact that you are a child of God, and that you have a deed to all the promises. Though you may not be able to see it, however you know His promises are facts. It is a deed just as if it is signed by the highest seal in the land, and that deed can never be removed. That Deed, or promise from God is your title to your inheritance, or ground (and that is why ground is used). And when we go back into the Greek language to find the word used here for faith, we find the word "pistis". In the Strong's numbered Greek dictionary it is # 4102. "Pistis, pis'-tis; persuasion. i.e. credence; conviction of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God; reliance upon Christ for salvation; consistent; fidelity.- faith." So we see that your "faith" is your "title deed" to your inheritance of those things "hoped for". To use the word "Hope" after you use the word "deed" just doesn't cut it, for when you have a deed, the condition becomes absolute. It is an actual transaction, based on a contract that can not be busted when the conditions of the deed are met. It becomes a reality to the one receiving the inheritance. What is given in the inheritance is determined by what was written in the will by the one giving the inheritance, and God, our heavenly Father wrote the will, and made the promises. Those who meet the required condition of the will are the ones to receive the inheritance. The will that God gave us is His Word, and all the promises therein are yours to claim, when you meet the conditions. The "evidence" is your "title deed" which is the proof presented of the things not yet seen. Friend, when you become a student of God's Word, then though those promises are unseen to the world, you will be able to see it, just as plain as you can see your right hand. You can feel it in your spiritual mind, because you know that Christianity is not a religion, but a reality. You live it, speak it, and it controls your every thought and that is why you are successful. That is if you have the knowledge of the truth, and you are a doer of the will of God. Your inheritance from the Living God is based on the fact that your faith is in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11:2 "For by it the elders obtained a good report." You can obtain the same good report today as the elders did in Paul's day. God is the same yesterday, as He is today, and will be forever. By believing in God's Word and study His will, and being a doer of His Word, you also will have a good report where it counts, in the sight of God. Hebrews 11:3 "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." "Through faith" is through that "title deed", or the "will of God". We understand that the world ages, all of them were prepared or created by the Word of God. God spoke it, and it came to pass. We are talking about all the dispensations of time, including the first earth age where souls did not live in flesh bodies but in a dimension as the angels exist in now. The age of the flesh will be over shortly following the coming rule of the Antichrist, then in an instant all souls will be changed into the new incorruptible bodies for the one thousand year Millennium age when Jesus Christ is here on earth. Every age that has, is, or will come to pass has been addressed in detail in God's holy Word. II Peter 3 makes it very clear that there are three earth ages, and we are now in the second age, the age of the flesh. All ages are framed by the will and truth of God's Word, and as we can see all around us today, there is evidence of the past dispensation when Satan fell and took one third of the angels with him. That fall cause the destruction of this earth and the creation of the earth age of the flesh that we live in today. Though many say that this earth is only 6,000 years old, they are in error, and the Word of God does not back up their statements. There are more perfect things that are taught from the manuscripts to those that have eyes to see and ears to hear. The purpose of this second earth age of the flesh is for God to defeat Satan. From ones obedience to Him in this age of the flesh, God will judge and give reward to those that follow His will. Many that fell in the first earth age will accept God's offer in this age of the flesh, and be overcomers. Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." Abel is dead and you won't find him in Adam's genealogy of Genesis 5, because he died in his youth, and there is no seed [children] of Abel. We read in Genesis 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." Abel is still spoken of and remembered from the beginning of this earth age, because His gift to God was righteous, and Cain's was not. " Genesis 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:" Abel's righteous acts still teach and speak to us today as the way to do God's will, for God's Word testified to Abel's obedience. God is telling us of these righteous acts in this great chapter of faith; Cain who was of the devil, did the devil's offering. God has no use nor respect for that offering, he considered nothing of Cain acceptable nor righteous, and that includes his seed or offspring called the "Kenites". Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." If you do God's will, then you please Him. Enoch took that "title deed" of God's promise, and did the acts and deeds that were part of God's will, and God took him. Enoch's flesh body was not to be found on earth. Enoch was extremely faithful in his doing. Genesis 5:22-24 "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:" [22] "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years." [23] "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." [24] God's Word records three that were translated, and never died; Enoch, Elijah, and Christ Himself. This was not a gift to Enoch, because Enoch earned it. Before Enoch was translated, he pleased God, he was a doer for God in that wicked world that existed then, and God took Enoch. Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Without that title deed [faith] it is impossible to please God. If you do not believe what God has written in His Word, why would God bless you? You would be calling God a liar. To receive the rewards that God has promised in His Word, you have to diligently, or sincerely seek after God. You have to have fixed in your mind that every part and every verse of God's Word is true, even though you don't understand part of it. However what you do understand, you follow in detail. God is telling you that without "faith" in Jesus Christ there is no way to please God. None whatsoever. Even though you are unable to see Him, you have to be able to believe that God exists, and that His Word is true. God created everything, yet today the so called scholarly world treats God as though He just doesn't exist. Put this thought in your mind, say when you went home to your family that you provided for, and your family treated you as if you didn't exist. They wouldn't talk to you, answer you, and used your name as a curse. Would you try to bless them for their treatment of you? of course not. Well God doesn't like it either. Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." By faith [by that title deed] Noah believed God when God told him that it was going to rain, and cause a flood to cover the entire earth. Why would God flood the entire earth? It is plain and simple once you see that the blood line of all mankind except Noah and his family had intermixed with the fallen angels and their offspring. Genesis 6:1 "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them," Genesis 6:2 "That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." These "sons of God" were the fallen angels, the same fallen angles that we will read of in the book of Jude, which will be given at the close of Hebrews. When these fallen angels return in the final generation with Satan, they are referred to as the "locust army" of Joel, and Revelation 9:1-11, that will come to earth and sting the people of the earth as the sting of a scorpion. These same fallen angels were marrying these daughters of men, and from them the intent was to pollute the lineage that the promised Christ child would come through. Genesis 6:3 "And the Lord said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:4 "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." These were not children as we consider children, for in the original text, "children" does not exist there. These offspring were the giant "Geber" that came from the mixing of those supernatural beings with the daughters of men. Genesis 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." The "sons of God" were the fallen angels, and those evil angels refuse to follow God's plan to come to earth through the womb of woman, and be born from an embryo as a child. They came to earth and intermarried into families, to the daughters of flesh man, and from it came the freaks, the giants, called the "Nephil" [tyrants or bully] and Geber. God set up His plan to have His son born through the womb of woman, yet Satan sent his angels to destroy the bloodline of man, where by God's plan would be destroyed. God hated the great wickedness that mankind had sunk to, and He said, I'm going to kill them all. However here sits Noah with his wife and sons and daughters-in-law that are free from the filth of these fallen angels in their blood. Genesis 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Genesis 6:9 "THESE are THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH; Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." The perfection that is spoken of here, in the Massorah text reads "tamim", which is without blemish as to breed or pedigree. It is looking to the parentage of Noah, and there was absolutely no blood from any of the fallen angels that contaminated the blood line of Noah or any member of his family. That is the reason for Noah's righteousness, his obedience to God by not mixing with the corrupted flesh of mankind that had intermixed with the fallen angels or their offspring. Genesis 6:12 "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." Genesis 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." Genesis 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." So we see that violence on the earth was the intermarriage with fallen angels, to the point that the entire plan of God would be subverted without a clean lineage that the Christ child could be born through. The coming Christ child is the only way that salvation could be offered to flesh man, and Satan had come to the point of almost destroying it again. Jesus spoke of how it would be in the last generation, in our days, in Matthew 24:37 "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:38 "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark," Matthew 24:29 "And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." God did not have to tell Noah twice that He was going to destroy all the mankind in world, and exactly as it was in Noah's day is what our generation is going to be. We like to turn our heads when there is talk about UFO, and strange happenings, and people that talk about them are considered not playing with a full deck in their minds. However, when Jesus called our attention to how it was in Noah's day, as one of the warnings for our day, those in tune with God's Word will consider it. The final generation started some fifty years ago, and many of the things of Noah's day are considered common practice today. Sodomy, intermarriage, and all sorts of violence that they bring on is being considered as just another lifestyle. Go back and read Genesis 6:5 again, then stop and consider what is going on today. Noah's obedience to God, is what showed the faith that Noah had in God, when he spent well over one hundred years building the ark, and getting ready for the flood God told him would come. Think of all the people that called him a nut, when they passed by and saw that big ship, when it had never rained on the earth prior to this. Friend, Noah had faith in God when God said I'm going to kill them by the flood. Noah also knew what was going on around him, or Noah also would not have been perfect in his generation, which is to say, "his pedigree". Satan and His angels are going to be kicked out on this earth surface very soon, and you know that, because you have the deed of His will written to you that it shall happen. The truth of His Word has set you free from that doubt, so that when it does come to pass, it will be no surprise to you. You will not be deceived at that time by Satan or his fallen angels. This is recorded in Revelation 12:7-9. We are told in Genesis 7:24 "And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days." The rain on Noah's ark that caused the flood was for a five month period. Now looking to another time when there will be a flood upon the earth, Satan's rain of lies will flood the earth and we read of this in Revelation 9:5 "And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was a the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man." Jesus tells us the type of flood that we will face in Revelation 12:12 "And the serpent [Satan] cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood." That flood is a flood of lies. The woman here are those that have the seal of God in their mind, and that knowledge is our ark that will protect us from the massive flood of lies from Satan, and His fallen angels. Don't loose sight of the fact that the subject of this entire chapter is FAITH, the faith that men and women of the Old Testament had in pleasing God. Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." God told Abraham to pack up his family and head out over the hills to the south, and there I'm going to give you a place that is beautiful, yet Abraham had never seen it. Could you pack up and leave if God gave you the same promise? God told him to go, even though Abraham didn't know what the land was like. But by faith, that title deed in him believe God, that what He spoke was true; Abraham went. Genesis 12:1 "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:" Genesis 12:2 "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:" Genesis 12:3 "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." That blessing that "all families of the earth be blessed", was in Jesus Christ, of the seed of Abraham. Genesis 12:4 "So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." This goes far beyond just the obedience of Abraham in following God's promise of a better land. While Abraham was in that promised land, God gave him promises of a seed or his children, that would number as the stars in heaven and sands of the sea, and that through His Seed God would bless the entire world. That Seed would be Jesus Christ who was of the lineage of Abraham as we see in Luke 3:23-38. Though Abraham entered into that promise land; through that Seed of Abraham, who is Jesus Christ we will also enter into the true promise land, which is the Millennium age. Then all of the seed of Abraham that have the seal of God in their forehead will enter into that land, and receive their inheritance which is eternal life. It's time to prepare ourselves, with faith that there is a better day coming. Hebrews 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:" It was by faith that Abraham sojourned, and because of it we become the heirs that were with Abraham as he entered into that promise land. Besides his sons Isaac and Jacob, all the generation of uncountable children and nations that would come from Abraham's loin's will enter into the promise land of the Millennium age of the future also. There will also be many of the other races that will become grafted into that family of God, and enter into the Millennium age as God's children. Hebrews 11:10 "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." The great city mentioned here is yet to come, and by our faith we will enter into that new great city of New Jerusalem, spoken of in Revelation 21:1, 2 Revelation 21:1 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Revelation 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." God was the builder of this great city that we look forward to by our faith in Jesus Christ. Though Jesus is the Good Shepherd, He is also the master Builder, for He said in Matthew 24, destroy the temple, and in three days I will rebuild it. That Temple that He rebuilt in three days was The Temple, the many membered body of Christ. That body was made up of millions of members, and each member though not of the same capabilities, each has something to contribute to the body to make it complete. Hebrews 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 promise." Sarah was ninety years old when God told here she would conceive and bare a child. She had never had a child because she was barren, but by that promise, that title deed she did have a child. Sarah had her child Isaac because she judged God faithful. God came to Sarah specifically and promised her that she would have a child. Genesis 18:10 "And He said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him." Genesis 18:11 "Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women." Hebrews 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." The idea that Isaac would be born was as good as dead, because of the age of Abraham, and Sarah. The idea of two children, springing to two nations coming from her womb, and multiplying into so many children that they would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens, and the sand of the seas shore seemed impossible. However through faith Isaac was born, and to Isaac came Jacob and Esau, who were the fathers of much of the population of the earth's surface today. If you wonder where those people are today, we know that the small number of Jews, the mixture of the house of Judah and the Kenites could not possibly fill this prophecy, so where are they? After the Syrian captivity of the House of Israel, the ten tribes went north through the Caucasus Mountains, and fanned out over all of Europe, and to the Americas to become know as the "Caucasians" even to this day. The name "Caucasian" is in reference to the event of migration that took place, and identified the Ancient House of Israel. Hosea in his book told us how we would identify them in the final days. Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, 'Ye are not My People,' there it shall be said unto them, 'Ye are the sons of the living God' ." Where ever the children of the house of Israel are in the world today they will identify themselves as the sons of the living God. Jesus Christ is the "living God" who came out of that tomb and does live today. Those people today are named after Christ and call themselves "Christians". We know who the House of Judah [Jews] are and where they live. The Jews have their tiny nation of Israel today, and many of them are still scattered around the World, however the largest number by far are from the House of Israel, made up from the ten tribes. The House of Israel excludes the tribe of Benjamin and Judah, while the tribe of Levi was scattered amongst all the tribes as their priests. The Houses of Israel and Judah are only part of the seed that came from Jacob, for in Esau are all the people of Russian heritage. However the blessing promise was passed from Abraham to Isaac, and on to Jacob, through the sale of that blessing by his twin brother Esau. Esau valued God's birthright to Abraham little more than a bowl of red soup. Jacob passed the birthright to Joseph's two sons while they were in Egypt, as recorded in Genesis 48:18-20. Genesis 48:18 "And Joseph said unto his father, "Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put they right hand upon his head." Genesis 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." Genesis 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." Many have known that there was more to the Word of God then what they had been taught, and that through the years their past had been hidden from them. We see that the title deed to the will of God has been passed on from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, Then to Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Each of these men had the faith to act on their receiving of that will of God, and pass it on with respect. Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Each of those named above died having that title deed in their hand. They knew the promises that would come, yet they knew that they would not taste of those promises while in the flesh. They heard God, and they believed what He has told them, and then acted on their belief. Paul is also making reference to Jesus' Words to His Father from John 17:9-12; "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine." Jesus is not praying for all those that are in this world age, but for those that the Father, through the Spirit of God, has given to Christ. John 17:10 "And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them." This glory comes through the Christians, those that believe on His name and have repented to the Father in Jesus name. They are the ones that are of the Father, and it is through each of them that the name of Jesus Christ is glorified, and made known to others in this earth age. John 17:11 "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are." Jesus is about to go to the cross here, and He will be not be part of this world flesh age. Jesus will ascend into heaven, as we read in Acts 1:9 to sit on the right hand of the Father. John 17:12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." Those that the Father has given to His Son, Jesus Christ are not of this world, cosmos-world age, but they are in this world to do the work of the Father. It is through the work of these Christians that many others would hear the truth, know and understand it. We are pilgrims to this earth age, just passing through with a mission to accomplish before we leave. We are looking forward to that greater time of the Millennium age; which is on the same old earth, but just a different age. What a wonderful place it will be, with Christ ruling over His kingdom, and no more tears and hurt. The promises of all promises, was that the Messiah would come and bring salvation. Thou we are all sinners, upon repentance we would be forgiven and be given the opportunity to enter into that promised land. Hebrews 11:14 "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." Those that have repented declare that the are seeking a country to reside with God. God is not some force floating around in space that happens by chance. God is a person that looks as we do, for we are made in His image, and He even has the same emotions that we have. Though we are flesh, and He is supernatural, God is still our Father. Hebrews 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." Though the house of Israel had been scattered and living in tents, they could have returned to the land of Palestine if they had wanted to, but they chose to migrate. When Abraham left the land of Ur, he left for a more promising land. When the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they also had their minds set on the promises by God of a better land. When the House of Israel was scattered, their mind set was fixed on a better land with much more promise, and even today our minds are fixed on another land, in another age, the age of the Millennium. The point here is that you have the faith to never look back to the way things use to be, but keep your mind fixed on the promises that we have in God's Word. After you have enjoyed the promises given by the Living God there is no returning. Lot's wife looked back to view what she left and she turned into a pillar of salt. Hebrews 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." God is not ashamed to call you His own, when you have repented and declare yourself one of His. God has prepared for you a family, a small few made up of His elect that shall become a great nation. In the Millennium age, as God's elect does the teaching of discipline, the family of God will grow into an entire nation. At the end of the Millennium age there will only be one nation, and Jesus Christ will be it's king. You will then either be part of the nation or you will be ashes in the lake of fire. It will be your choice. Hebrews 11:17 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son," When God tested Abraham to see his faith, to see if he had that "title deed", God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham knew all of the promises of God, and he knew that if God would take Isaac, He would either give him another son, or bring Isaac back. Just like God tested Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God will also test you. Isaac was the "only begotten son" of the promise that God gave to both Abraham and Sarah. God will not tempt you but He will test you, and there is a fine line between the two. When that testing comes, he gives you the power to overcome it. It is by your faith that you will be an overcomer, and if that faith is weak, you may fail. It is your choice. The result of that test that God puts you through will be some form of doing God's Work. Hebrews 11:18 "Of whom it was said That "In Isaac shall thy seed be called:" It was in and through Isaac that the promise Seed [Messiah] would come. Though Abraham took that knife and was going to offer up Isaac to God, God spared that test and provided him with a ram. This test that Abraham went through was a one time event, and shall never happen again. It was a type of obedience that God expects from you and I. Not in the offering of our children, but in the giving completely of ourselves to the directions under His Word. There would only be one that would become a sacrifice, and that was Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. The times of offerings are over, and Christ accomplished all the offerings and sacrifices necessary for the forgiveness of all sin. Hebrews 11:19 "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." Even though Abraham and Sarah were far to old for childbirth, if God said it, God would provide for it. "Isaac" in the Hebrew tongue means "laughter". He was named laughter because when the messenger of God told Sarah that she would have a child, she laughed. Hebrews 11:20 "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come." In Genesis 27 it stipulates that both Jacob and Esau would become great nations, superpowers of the end times. I have no doubt in my mind that Jacob is symbolized by America, and Russia that of Esau. Jacob's blessings were that he would be blessed and have the better land, but Esau's blessing was that he would live away from the fat of the land, as expressed in the Hebrew text. Even today, Russia's extreme southern borders are north of America's borders in the latitude lines of the earth. Hebrews 11:21 "By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff." "Leaning upon the top of his staff", means that he was the head of the house. As the head of the house, Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh as we read above from Genesis 48:18-20. These two sons of Joseph grew to be the two largest tribes of the twelve tribes of Israel. I believe today they are represented as the United States, and Great Britain. Hebrews 11:22 "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones." Joseph knew of the promise that God gave to Abraham, that after four hundred years the children of Israel would return out of Egypt and return to the promise land. Joseph knew he would be dead, but he wanted his bones to be returned to the promise land. Genesis 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." Genesis 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." Genesis 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." We read of the honoring of this oath in Exodus 13:19 by Moses; "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you." Joseph had faith that they were going to the promise land, or he never would have made the children of Israel swear the oath. That in itself shows faith, that Joseph would wish his bones to be carried to that land. Hebrews 11:23 "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." Moses' parents knew from birth that Moses was a blessed child, and they moved to save his life even though they knew that the Pharaoh was going to kill all children under two years old. Pharaoh was told that there was a deliverer born amongst the children of Israel, that was going to deliver the Israel slaves from the hands of Pharaoh. The parents of Moses knew that this baby of theirs was the deliverer. Hebrews 11:24 "By faith Moses when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;" Moses had the wealth of Egypt in his hand, and he let it all go for the sake of being identified with his people. He was even the favorite son of Pharaoh's household. Hebrews 11:25 "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" "For a season" is the clue. This earth age of the flesh is very short lived in comparison to the time of the first and third earth ages. At the most, man will not enjoy over one hundred years of their flesh life, and to the majority of us, it will be far shorter. Why gamble an eternity away for the pleasures of sin for this short season. Moses had the faith to know that there was a better place then the Pharaoh's house in Egypt. Hebrews 11:26 "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." Moses respected, looked forward to and had the faith to know that the rewards from Christ, through our Father would be far richer then the treasures of Egypt. Friend, you can claim those treasures of God just as Moses did, and you claim them by your faith in Jesus Christ. Your soul is what is valuable and everlasting, for your flesh body is as perishable as over-ripe fruit falling off the vine. Hebrews 11:27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible." Moses turned his back to Egypt and denounced the royalty that he was born into, and had no fear of the king. Moses walked with God and he knew Him, and God talked with Moses. Hebrews 11:28 "Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them." God told Moses to have the people slay the lamb and put that lambs blood on their doorpost, and the children of Israel believed Moses, and had faith in God's Word and obeyed. When the death angel passed throughout all Egypt, all firstborn in Egypt were slain, except those with faith in the words that God gave Moses. They kept the Passover, and even today we take of that Passover, which is the wine and the bread that represents the blood and the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. By taking of that Passover, we are protecting ourselves from that other death angel that shall pass over the entire earth, and deceive all those that are not sealed in their minds. The death angel of our day is Satan, and shortly the Archangel Michael will boot Satan and all his angels out of heaven, and he shall head to earth to set up his reign over all men, except those with the seal of God in their foreheads. Revelation 9:4 "And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." Is that death angel Satan going to Passover you, or are you going to be one that is deceived by the first supernatural person that presents himself. If you are looking for a rapture, that is exactly what is going to happen for you will see Satan and think he is Jesus. The rapture doctrine taught you to chase after the first one that comes looking like Jesus. In ignorance, that will make you a devil worshipper. We can enjoy the promises from that Word, and with His promises comes peace of mind as well as all the other blessing that God will give us, even while we are in a flesh bodies. Hebrews 11:29 "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." When Moses and all of the Israelites reached the red sea, the Lord told Moses to lift his arms and the sea shall part. Exodus 14:15 "And the Lord said unto Moses, "Wherefore criest thou unto Me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:" Exodus 14:16 "But lift thou up they rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it : and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. " By faith Moses did as God had instructed him to. Exodus 14:21 "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided." Exodus 14:22 "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." Moses lifted his rod and his hand over the sea by faith, and God gave them the protection. It also took faith for the people of Israel to place their bodies between those two large bodies of water, and have the faith to follow Moses on to their promise land. Faith is much more then lip service, it is placing your entire self behind the promise. When the Egyptians rushed in behind them to take them back to Egypt, God closed the two walls of water and they drown in the sea. Pharaoh's many gods did not save his army, but we serve a living God. Hebrews 11:30 "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days." There is a lot of symbolism in these end times with respect to the taking of Jericho. Seven in biblical numerics means spiritual completeness. Seven days, seven blasts of the trumpet, seven seals to be open, seven thousand standing for God, and here after seven days, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. It was not by the might of the children of Israel that those walls fell, but by Almighty God's strength. Hebrews 11:31 "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." This verse deserves an explanation. Rahab spoken of here was not a prostitute [harlot], as we think of today. This is what they called Rahab, and they named her that for recognition, but when you stop and consider all that is said of Rahab, doesn't it bother you somewhat? When you read the genealogy of Christ, as was given from Matthew 1:5 and see that she was in the lineage of Christ. Matthew 1:5 "And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab [Greek form of Hebrew Rahab]; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;" Rahab was the great grandmother of David, that author of the book of Psalms, and in the lineage of Christ. It should cause you to wonder a bit. Rahab hid the spies under flax on her roof, as she was a dealer in flax. Rahab was a maker of fine material, a business woman that was drying her flax to make material to sell. If you think that Rahab received a bad name for good business sense, stop and look around you today, and see how men like to brand a woman that is more successful then they in business. Even today, if a woman is very successful in her competition against men, you can hear some men say, "I bet you know how she got to the top." Men are just jealous of any women that is smarter then they are. It always has been that way. Hebrews 11:32 "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samuel, and of the prophets:" Paul is saying that I could go on and on about the faith that all these men and women of the scriptures had, that trusted in God, and God used all of them for His service. Gedeon was the one that laid out the fleece to test God, and with the test proven, he reduced thousands of men to a mere hand full and went to battle against Israel's enemies. Barak, was the scribe of Jeremiah that trusted in God and believed what God had told Jeremiah. Together with Jeremiah they survived the fall of Babylon, and transplanted the daughters of Zedekiah into Ireland. When all of Judah talked against Jeremiah, Barak stood by Jeremiah, and in the end, God saved his life. We could go on and on, naming Sampson, David, Solomon, Jeremiah, Daniel and many more. Hebrews 11:33 "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions," This is telling you what your faith will do for you. In this case it subdued kingdoms and brought righteousness. But very important, faith obtained promises which include all the promises to those that do it God's way. Daniel was in the lions den, and God shut the mouths of those lions. If you think that the lions weren't hungry, the lions gobbled up the seven families the next morning when Nebuchadnezzar threw those that plotted against Daniel into the same pit that Daniel was in. The Spirit of God shut the mouths of those lions. Hebrews 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." Daniel 3:16 and 17 tells of the faith of these three men that refuse to bow a knee to Nebuchadnezzar. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter." Daniel 3:17 "If it be so, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king." Daniel 3:18 "But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Nebuchadnezzar became full of fury, and ordered these three young men be thrown into a fiery furnace heated seven times over. After the men had been thrown into the fire, the king went down and looked into the furnace. Daniel 3:24 "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." Daniel 3:25 "He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the son of God." Daniel 3:26 "Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither." Then Shadrach, Mechach, and Abed-nego came forth from the midst of the fire. Daniel 3:27 "And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them." No wonder Paul called their faith to our attention. What this is saying to us today , is that you can be cast into the fire just as they were, and by your faith in God, and with your gospel armor on and in place, your hair wouldn't even be burnt. God is not angry at His children, He is angry at His enemies. Don't be afraid for there are no giants in this world, and you can face anything if you are a child of the living God. Friend, out of our weakness, we are made strong by Christ. Hebrews 11:35 "Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:" The dead came alive because of their faith. This is from I Kings 17, and the raising from the dead was a temporary thing. The young lad that was brought back to life lived to adulthood and then died a natural life, to be raised to a better resurrection, to eternal life. We are to have the faith in our heavenly Father to save our souls. When we repent and in faith believe on Jesus Christ, God has the capability to give us eternal life; a happy and fulfilled life. You will be fulfilling the purpose that God created man for, for His good pleasure. The more sure this is fixed in your mind, the more pleasure you will have in serving Him. Faith is a real thing that we can collect on, when we are in the will of God. It is a reality. Revelation 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." Hebrews 11:36 "And other had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:" Many of the prophets and men of God down through the years have undergone many cruel punishments, even to the giving of their life for their faith in Christ. Hebrews 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;" This verse has reference to I Kings 21:13, dealing with Naboth. In II Chronicles 24:20, 21, the punishment of Zechariah, and many other torments, including Jeremiah's troubles, and the death of Isaiah during the Manassean persecutions of II Kings 21:16. All of these events took place before the appearance of Christ walking the earth, teaching and becoming the sacrifice for our sins. These men suffered great loss on the promises alone from the Word of God. Hebrews 11:38 "(Of whom the world was not worthy:) They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." There is not one man in the flesh body that is worthy on his own merit of the many promises that God has given to us. We all fall short of the glory of God, however our glory that we do have is in Christ and He alone. These wanderings are of them that were in God, and for their faith they lived a hard life. Though the world is not worthy of them, those of the world will tempt them, talk about them, and make life down right miserable at times. However, for the glory of God and ones faith in Him and the promises, God's children can put up with a lot. Hebrews 11:39 "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise," All of the men and women named in this chapter lived in the time of the Old Testament, before Jesus was born and walked the earth. They all had a good report of the actions in service for our heavenly Father and demonstrated their faith in Him. However not one of them "received not the promise", which means that they all lived prior to that time of Acts 1:4. Acts 1:4 "And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, "which, saith He, "ye have heard of Me." There would be a ten day delay from the time of Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven, and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day. Jesus told all of His followers to wait in Jerusalem until that day came. Acts 1:7 "And He said unto them, "It is not for you to know the ties or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power." Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." So today it is through your faith in Christ, and His Spirit that the Father has put in our lives that we will have the fulfillment of all the promises that were given to us. We do have eternal life, but we still have to finish out our time in this flesh age. However we don't have to wait to collect on many of those promises. All of those promises that pertain to the life in the flesh are your for the asking today, providing you meet the conditions that many of those promises have. It is through the Holy Spirit that we have power over all our enemies, including Satan, and all his realm. Hebrews 11:40 "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." God wanted some to wait for the better rewards: However the chief eternal rewards all come at the same time. They will come at the end of this earth age of the flesh. The moment that Christ returns to earth, this age of the flesh ends and we enter instantly into the Millennium age. That is the time for all rewards to be given to those that are of God. However there is still a full delay for the full promise, because there will be some of God's children that will be taught and do their work in the Millennium age, and they will be saved out of the Millennium age. So it will be on the last day of the Millennium age which is the first day of the third eternal age that the full promise will be complete. Many will be saved by their works out of the Millennium, yet many will still follow Satan when he is released for a short season during that last time of testing. This is what is discussed in II Peter 3. God is always fair to all of His children, and He has given his children the right to chose for themselves. Many people go through this age of the flesh, and they don't have a chance of a choice in their free will by what is taught in the world. That is the reason for the thousand year Millennium age, and that is also why our Heavenly Father is longsuffering. II Peter 3:8 "But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." The reason for the longsuffering, the waiting through the flesh age, then the thousand years of the Millennium age is that all will be given a fair hearing. All souls will have the right to chose for themselves who they will serve, God or Satan. When you come to the Father in repentance, it will be by your faith in Jesus Christ, and your repentance for those sins must be in Jesus' name, while you are living in your flesh body.
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