Facing Death By Faith

We struggle with faith on many occasions, experiencing discouragement, sometimes even leaning towards disbelief. Today, as we continue on our journey through the Hall of Faith, we will be looking at three more patriarchs. As we consider our own struggles, we find ourselves amazed at their faith. After all, we have God’s completed Word in the Bible. That is something they did not have. Considering that, I find myself embarrassed by my lack of faith.

We can also find ourselves encouraged by the fact that even though these men failed a number of times in their walk with the Lord, they were still noted by God as men of faith. Likewise, even though you and I fail many times, some of us more than others, we can still be known as people of faith as we seek to live our lives for the Lord in His power and strength. This can be readily seen by others in our devotion and commitment to God and living with a complete trust and acceptance of His Word, just as it stands.

However, it seems that these particular verses are focusing on the faith that was shown, not during their lives, but at the end of their lives. When confronted by death, these patriarchs showed their faith by how they understood that this was the transition to experiencing the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to be with Him for eternity. It has been rightly stated that:

God is glorified when His people leave this world with their flags flying at full mast. If anyone should die triumphantly it should be believers.

Imagine dying with complete faith in God’s promises, though you never had the privilege of experiencing the fulfillment of them while on this earth. We recognize this type of faith by the fact that they passed on the information about God’s promises to the next generation, as they showed that they were still believing God. Sometimes, having the promises is enough, even when we don’t see the fulfillment of them while here on earth.

For the Christian, a genuine faith will be fully realized when facing death.

Isaac - 11.20

Abraham is the first of the patriarchs. Here we get to see the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promises to him, in his son Isaac. He was going to pass on God’s blessings and share the promises with his sons.

Hebrews 11:20 (NASB95)

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.

Though God’s promises were not realized by any of the patriarchs, by faith, they passed the information about the promises to the next generation. Isaac has only two and a half chapters devoted to his story, back in Genesis 25-27. When we think of Isaac, most of us are hard pressed to think of anything about him, other than his many failures.

It was when Isaac had to move to Gerar due to a famine, where God passed on the same covenant promises to Isaac that He had shared with his father, Abraham. Thinking about the promises for a grand future through his lineage, remembering the fact that he had not been killed as a sacrifice by his own father, one would conclude that Isaac would have no fears for his own safety. God’s promises are always going to be fulfilled.

However, we see the exact opposite, when some of the Philistines asked about Rebekah. Instead of stating that she was his wife, he told a half-truth by saying that she was his sister. In case you’re wondering where he came up with that not-so-brilliant idea, just go back a few chapters and see that dear old dad had done the same thing on two different occasions.

Humanly speaking, Isaac probably had good reason to fear for his life; but where was his mind at in relation to God’s power and protection? Personally, what kind of person would be willing to put his wife in jeopardy to save his own skin? Someone who was not living out their faith.

What’s even more amazing is the fact that God had caused the Philistine, Abimelech, to show more morality than Isaac, who was part of the chosen people. In spite of this and many other failures, the Lord caused Isaac to become a very wealthy individual. Yet he seemed a bit too comfortable in his material world. As a result, the Philistines kept blocking up the water wells, so that Isaac moved back to the area where God had wanted him.

Though Isaac was part of the lineage of the Abrahamic covenant, though he was seen here in Hebrews as a man of faith, most of the time, he seemed to be focused on material things, the stuff that provided him with pleasure. Esau was not part of God’s choice to make a great nation, yet Isaac seemed to pick him as a favorite. After all, Esau was a great hunter and a good cook. My friends, the pleasures of this world should not take our eyes off of the priorities of heaven.

It had been known that Jacob was to receive the inheritance that God had provided. There is so much deception and trickery by Rebekah, the mother, as well a willingness to accomplish God’s purposes by human means, it’s almost like a show of missteps and mistaken choices. I realize that everything worked out in the end. However, it’s not because the family did what was right. It was because God is always faithful and will accomplish His purposes in spite of our foolishness.

Jacob - 11.21

We’ve noted from the last verse that Jacob and Esau were blessed. However, only Jacob was privileged to be part of the Abrahamic covenant of promise for the nation of Israel.

Hebrews 11:21 (NASB95)

By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Again, even though these men of faith are often looked to as special, most of us can readily identify with them in their spiritual journey. Their spiritual journey and many of ours, looks less like a level trip across the flat plains of Kansas, but more like the ups and downs of the hills of Maine. Like Jacob, when we rely on our personal wisdom and sight, we often go astray. It’s when we walk by faith where we find ourselves amazed by God’s leading and direction.

Jacob did have some great moments where we could see his faith shine, even amidst the times when he came up with ideas that made no sense at all. Jacob actually attempted to make a deal with God in Genesis 28. This was after he had experienced the ladder vision. There were also those times when Jacob really seemed to understand that the blessings which he experienced came from God.

Jacob then shared the blessing from God with Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Even though Joseph had been mistreated, God chose to have Jacob give him a double blessing in pouring it out upon his two sons. Jacob recognized this even as he told Joseph he was giving Joseph a double portion of the blessing.

Just a side note—this verse points out that Jacob was leaning on the top of his staff. This is a further reminder to the reader that even as Jacob is dying, he is still a pilgrim, stranger, and alien. It also shows his frailty, as he nears the end of his life. Plus, the author of Hebrews states that Jacob worshiped. To be able to face death by faith knowing that God will keep all of His promises, even though we may not be able to see them or experience them here on this earth, shows genuine faith.

Joseph - 11.22

Finally, we’re introduced to only one of the 12 sons of Jacob, namely, Joseph. As the fourth of the patriarchs, he played a unique role in being part of God’s promises to the future nation of Israel.

Hebrews 11:22 (NASB95)

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

When one considers that God had promised Abraham and his descendants a piece of real estate that had not yet been settled, then see that the fourth patriarch, Joseph, spent his entire adult life in Egypt, it might be understandable if one questions the fulfillment of the Promised Land actually happening. It’s already been about 200 years since the original covenant promise was made and still it hasn’t actually happened. However, the preservation of the nation was going to happen through Joseph.

We remember that because of a terrible famine in Canaan, that eventually all of the offspring of Abraham had moved to Egypt and had left no family members behind. Yet, Joseph recalled God’s promise, as had been passed down each generation. That’s why he insisted on having his bones taken back to Canaan, to the Promised Land, and then buried there. Well, this didn’t happen until after the Exodus of the nation of Israel, when they headed back to Canaan. That’s a long time, requiring faithfulness of those remaining to make sure this event took place. In essence, Joseph’s bones seemed to be a reminder that God would one day fulfill His promises to His chosen people.

It is astounding to me that Joseph still had faith in God’s promises as given in the Abrahamic covenant, when you consider all the unfair treatment he had experienced in his earlier years, plus being stuck in a very pagan country such as Egypt. In fact, Joseph’s faith was so strong as he faced death, there is a phrase that is repeated twice in Genesis 50. God will surely take care of you. Even without seeing, Joseph’s faith was such that He reminds the people of God’s certain promises.

Conclusion

It can be very easy to look upon death with fear. However, for the believer who knows they’ve been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we have an assurance that does not fear death. Paul spoke plainly when he stated, To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. He also said in Philippians 1.21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Jesus reminded his followers of the fact that evil men could harm the body, but they could not touch the soul.

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, when confronted with the end of their earthly lives, when confronted with the reality that their physical death was imminent, they faced it by faith. They completely believed God and all his promises. Even though they had been less than perfect on many occasions, even when their faith seemed nonexistent at various times during their lives, when death was near, they had absolute faith and confidence in God. It has been said that death is the acid test of faith.

In all of the gravesite services I do for the individual who died in Christ, I share various Scriptures of hope. One is 1 Corinthians 15.54 “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

For the Christian, a genuine faith will be fully realized when facing death.