FAITH THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
What kind of faith leads “to the saving of the soul”
What kind of faith leads “to the saving of the soul”
It is “Faith That Pleases God” - Heb 11:1-7
That has confidence and conviction in things hoped for, in things unseen
That believes God is, and that He rewards those who seek Him
That worships like Abel, walks like Enoch, and works like Noah
It is “Faith That Embraces The Promises” - Heb 11:8-22
Obeying God when He calls, even it means sojourning as a pilgrim, or sacrificing that which is most precious to you (Abraham)
Receiving strength from God to do His will (Sarah)
Declaring the promises of God from generation to generation (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph)
Saving faith is also “Faith That Overcomes The World”, concerning which...
Saving faith is also “Faith That Overcomes The World”, concerning which...
The apostle John wrote in...
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Concerning this kind of faith we have many examples in Heb 11:23-40
Concerning this kind of faith we have many examples in Heb 11:23-40
In the last half of chapter eleven, then, we are reminded how in the Old Testament those with faith were able to “overcome the world.”
How such faith overcame the world may vary.
To see how, let’s begin by noticing...
DISCUSSION
FAITH IN THE GENERATION OF THE EXODUS (11:23-31)
FAITH IN THE GENERATION OF THE EXODUS (11:23-31)
The Faith of Moses’ Parents
The Faith of Moses’ Parents
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.
They hid Moses for three months - cf. Exo 2:1-3; Ac 7:20
They saw he was a “beautiful” (“good”, “proper”, “not ordinary”) child
They were not afraid of Pharaoh’s command - cf. Exo 1:22
It was their faith that gave them courage to withstand the king’s edict
With such a small beginning, by faith they “overcame the world” of Egypt
The Faith of Moses
The Faith of Moses
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; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter - Heb 11:24-26
He chose to suffer affliction with God’s people rather than enjoy sin’s temporary pleasures
He esteemed the reproaches of Christ more valuable than the treasures of Egypt
Through faith “he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (he had confidence in “things hoped for”, i.e., that heavenly reward)
He forsook Egypt - Heb 11:27
It was not the wrath of the king that he feared
It was the invisible God he feared...
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Through faith “he endured” (he had conviction in “things unseen”, i.e., God)
He kept the Passover and sprinkling of blood - Heb 11:28
He believed in God’s warning regarding the death of the firstborn- Exo 12:1-30
He had Israel sprinkle the blood of the lamb on the lintels and door posts
By faith, Moses “overcame the world” of Egyptian bondage!
The Faith of the Nation of Israel
The Faith of the Nation of Israel
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
They passed through the Red Sea - Heb 11:29
They walked through it on dry land - Exo 14:21-22
The Egyptians who followed them perished in the sea - Exo 14:23-28
They destroyed the city of Jericho - Heb 11:30
They walked around the city for seven days - Josh 6:1-20
Thirteen times they encircled the city, showing their faith in God rather than in their own
military might
By faith, Israel “overcame the world” of Egypt and Palestine!
The Faith of Rahab the Harlot
The Faith of Rahab the Harlot
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
She had received the two spies from Israel with peace - Josh 2:1-24
Therefore she did not perish with the unbelievers - cf. Josh 6:22-25
By faith, Rahab “overcame the world” of sin and unbelief!
Through faith, Israel receive the promised land as God had told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Josh 21:43-45).
Through faith, Israel receive the promised land as God had told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Josh 21:43-45).
In the process, by faith they overcame what obstacles the world placed before them.
Even a Gentile sinner like Rahab became a recipient of the promise by her faith.
But the need for faith did not stop there. As we continue, we see examples of...
FAITH IN THE LAND OF PROMISE (11:32-40)
FAITH IN THE LAND OF PROMISE (11:32-40)
A Sample List of Heroes of Faith
A Sample List of Heroes of Faith
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:
There is not enough time for the author to describe the faith of others in detail
Such as:
Judges like Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah
A king like David
A prophet like Samuel, and the rest of the prophets
But what the author does provide is that which follows...
A Summary List of What Faith Accomplished
A Summary List of What Faith Accomplished
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. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 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;
Through faith, people such as these...
“Subdued kingdoms”
Joshua, in conquering Palestine - Josh 12:7-24
David, in conquering neighboring nations - 2 Sam 5:4-25; 8:1-14
“Wrought righteousness” (administered justice)
Samuel, as judge - 1 Sam 12:4
David, as king - 2 Sam 8:15
Solomon, as king - 1 Kin 3:28
“Obtained promises” - The nation of Israel, receiving the promised land - Josh 21: 43-45; 23:14
“Stopped the mouths of lions”
Samson - Judg 14:6
David, protecting sheep - 1 Sam 17:34-37
Daniel, in the lions’ den - Dan 6:21-22
“Quenched the violence of fire” - Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, in the fiery furnace - Dan 3:23-25
“Escaped the edge of the sword”
David, fleeing King Saul - 1 Sam 23:19-29
Elijah, fleeing Jezebel - 1 Kin 19:8-10
Elisha, whom the King of Israel wanted murdered - 2 Kin 6:31-32
“Out of weakness were made strong”
Samson, after his hair was cut - Judg 16:29-30
Hezekiah, who was given fifteen years of life - Isa 38:1-8
“Waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of aliens”
David, in defeating Goliath - 1 Sam 17:50
Jehoshaphat, in defeating Edom - 2 Chr 20:1-30
Hezekiah, whose faith led to the slaughter of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers - 2 Kin 19:1-36
Also through faith...
“Women received their dead raised to life again”
The widow of Zarephath, via Elijah - 1 Kin 17:17-24
The Shunamite woman, via Elisha - 2 Kin 4:8-37
“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, to obtain a better resurrection”
Eleazar, in the Maccabean period (between the Testaments) - 2 Macc 6:30
Also, seven brothers and their mother tortured by Antiochus Epiphanes - 2 Macc 7:9-36
Such events would have been well known by the Hebrew readers
“Others had trials of cruel mockings, scourgings, bonds and imprisonment”
Micaiah, the prophet - 1 Kin 22:24-28
Jeremiah, the prophet - Jer 20:1-3; 37:11-21; 38:1-13
Some were:
“Stoned” - Zechariah, son of Jehoida the priest - 2 Chr 24:20-22
“Sawn asunder” - the prophet Isaiah, according to tradition
“Tempted” - Daniel, as a youth - Dan 1:8-21
“Slain with the sword” - Uriah the prophet - Jer 26:20-23
Some wandered about:
“In sheepskins and goatskins” - Elijah - 2 Kin 1:8
“Being destitute, afflicted, tormented” - Elijah - 2 Kin 17:2-6; 18:9-10
What These People Received by Their Faith
What These People Received by Their Faith
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Certainly not the praise of the world! - Heb 11:38
Many had to wander in deserts and mountains, live in dens and caves (Elijah)
But in truth, the world is not worthy of them!
They did obtain a good testimony... - Heb 11:39a
As stated regarding the elders in Heb 11:2
As stated regarding Enoch - Heb 11:5
Yet they did not obtain “the promise” during their lifetime - Heb 11:39b-40
They did receive some of the promises, such as the promised land - cf. Heb 11:33
But they did not receive “the” promise
But they did not receive “the” promise
They did not live to see the coming of the promised Deliverer (Christ)
Nor did they experience the “perfection” which Christ now offers
The Law could not make them “perfect” - cf. Heb 9:9-10;
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
But Christ can! - cf. Heb 9:11-14;
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
What they did not receive during their lifetime, they did with the coming of Christ!
What they did not receive during their lifetime, they did with the coming of Christ!
For Christ died to redeem them as well as us!
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
They are now made “perfect” just as we are - Heb 11:40; cf. 10:14; 12:22-24
Note the phrase “the spirits of just men made perfect” in Heb 12:23
Those who in the past “should not be made perfect” - but those who are in Christ are “made perfect”!
CONCLUSION
Through faith, they truly overcame the world...
Through faith, they truly overcame the world...
Sometimes their victory was miraculous; often it was not
Their ultimate victory was that they “died in faith” - Heb 11:13-16
And now, they enjoy the fruit of faith: bliss in the presence of the Lamb! - cf. Rev 7:9-17
Through faith, we can also overcome the world...
Through faith, we can also overcome the world...
Faith in Jesus as the Son of God will give us the victory! - 1 Jn 5:4-5
Victory over the world’s temptations
Victory over the world’s persecutions
The victories we win may not be as impressive as those listed in this chapter, but if we are “faithful until death”, the reward will be the same! - cf. Rev 2:10
May this great chapter with its heroes of faith, serve to motivate us to grow in the faith which…
May this great chapter with its heroes of faith, serve to motivate us to grow in the faith which…
Pleases God!
Embraces The Promises!
Overcomes The World!
We may not win the praise the world, but we will receive the praise of God, for such is the faith which leads “to the saving of the soul”!
We may not win the praise the world, but we will receive the praise of God, for such is the faith which leads “to the saving of the soul”!