Hebrews 11:20-31 Looking ahead
Memory Verse Hebrews 11:26(KJV)
“Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward”.
We have seen the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, now we are going
to see the faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites and Rahab.
These men were looking ahead to a greater promise and they readily sacrificed
the pleasure of this world to gain that which is imperishable.
Our first example here is Isaac, Isaac like his father Abraham also
walked with God, he had a relationship with him and when he was about to die
prophesied into his children future having faith that God will bring it to pass
(Genesis 27&28).
Jacob also walked with God just like his forefathers. We are told in
Genesis 32 that he wrestled with an angel and there he got a new name. Faith
inspired Jacob to bless the Children of Joseph (Genesis 48). Faith is
prophetic; parents should learn from the examples of Isaac and Jacob and
prophesy positive things into their children’s future.
Genesis 46 gives us the story of the Israelites journey into Egypt. God
approved of the Israelites going into Egypt but he also promised to bring them
out to the land he promised their forefather, Abraham.
Joseph through his father Isaac must have known that Egypt wasn’t the
Promised Land, hence the instruction he gave concerning him bones to be taken
to the Promised Land. It was faith that made him give that instruction because
at this time life in Egypt was pleasurable and it seem like the Israelites have
finally found a final resting place. Joseph looked ahead of the present
enjoyment, he knew there was a greater and better inheritance and he wanted to
be part of it (Genesis 50:24-25).
Moses faced death as soon as he was born just as our Lord Jesus; he was
born at a wrong time when the birth of the female child was more favourable
than the male (see Exodus 1:8-22) but the faith of his parents preserved his
life. It was faith on the part of Moses parents to hide him for 3 months in
such a very difficult situation (Exodus 2:1-3).They knew he was no ordinary
child.
Faith can make one choose rightly, Moses was brought up in the
palace, and he was known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter meaning he
must have been a possible successor to the throne but he choose to
suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the wealth of the palace.
Faith calls for self-denial. Moses was guided by faith when he chose to
ill-treated with the Israelites. Moses valued God more than the pleasures of
the world. Faith sees disgrace for Christ’s sake as a greater value than
pleasures of this world. There are pleasures in this world, no doubt but
nothing compares to the rewards of those who endure suffering for the sake of
Christ. We must like Moses should refuse to be associated with the pleasure of
this world. We know by faith that the earth is not our home and that we are
sojourners in this land.
Moses lost all the privileges when he choose the way of faith. 2 Timothy
3:12 says that anyone who wants to live a holy life for Christ will be
persecuted, but it is faith in Jesus that will keep us going even when we are
being persecuted. Moses valued the life of faith more than the pleasures of
this world. He decided to suffer because he was looking ahead to a greater
reward.
Through the faith of Moses, God was able to deliver the Israelites. It
was the faith of Moses that made the children of Israel pass through the red
sea. For 430 years, the children of Israel were treated unjustly as slaves.
They didn't have the faith; they had lost all their faith. They only
thing they were good at was murmuring and complaining but God used their
weaknesses and the faith of Moses to prove to the Egyptians and the world that
he is God.
Faith leads to action. It reveals itself in action. It would have seemed
stupid to some people when Joshua said to march around the city of Jericho for
7 days. Many people would have found it preposterous. But Joshua acted in
faith. When you have faith, act on it. Faith obeys God even though what he is
telling you to do seem ridiculous. It was the faith of Joshua and the
Israelites that brought down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6).
To conclude our heroes of faith in today’s passage, we will look
at the story of Rahab (Joshua 2). Rahab wasn't an Israelite and she
apparently didn’t know God as much as the Israelites yet she believed God was
able to give the Israelites the land for an inheritance.
We as Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ and forsake
the worldly pleasures. And we should endeavour to follow the examples of faith
that we have studied so far.
Christ is our source of faith; we should focus our thoughts on Christ
through his word.
When we look ahead to the greater promise, we are not overcome by the
pleasure of this world and I pray that God will raise up men and women of faith
who like the people of old will obey him no matter the situation or
consequences in Jesus name. Amen
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