Hebrews Interactive Online Bible Study

Hebrews Eleven

~ a walk through Hebrews ~

~ for the edification of the bride of Christ and centering on Him in these last days ~

*rules of engagement

Welcome:

Welcome to the online Hebrews Bible study. We welcome anyone who wishes to engage with us during these thirteen days and even go through and/or post after the study has ended. Want to learn more about this study, be sure to check out the Hebrews Bible Study Page here for more info.

Verses of Impact:

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26 ESV

Guest Commentary:

Guest commentary for today comes from brother Greg Gordon – Canada.

Connect with brother Greg

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 The Great Faith of men or Men having Faith in the Great Son of God

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what
we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.  –
Hebrews 11:1-2

It seems strange that in the middle of the book of Hebrews there is an
entire chapter dedicated to speaking of the great faith of the men of
old in the Scriptures. Why that is strange is that every chapter
before is dedicated to exalting and lifting up the Son of God as
unique and the only One who could deal with the problem of sin,
fulfilling all of God’s righteous requirements.  The chapter before
our Lord Jesus Christ is the “sacrifice once for all.”  What a
glorious Gospel that God’s shed His own life-blood through His Son for
all of us. What hope given and what life there is believing upon the
Son of God and His death on the cross.

So when we come to Hebrews 11 with this mindset perhaps we need to
re-focus our thoughts on Christ.  The ancients were commended for
their faith because their faith had a “hope” and “assurance” of
something.  There are movements of modern Christianity that focus on
faith as the precious commodity, whereas faith in itself is actually
worthless! Faith must have its end upon something, namely in this case
on the great hope and assurance given to us through the death of
Christ.    All of the ancients here had faith in God’s plan of
redemption, His eternal purpose which namely finds its fulfillment in
the Christ of God. Seeking a “better resurrection” was not in the
strength of the martyrs faith but their hope and trust in the work of
God through the coming Messiah.

A wonderful verse at the end of the chapter states: “Since God had
planned something better for us so that only together with us would
they be made perfect.”  The amazing thing is that we now have seen the
fulfillment of the purpose of God in Christ in greater fullness that
those ancients “longed” to see. They saw “shadows” we are seeing the
“substance” of what the shadow of Old Covenant spoke of: The person of
Jesus Christ Himself.

Though we live by faith for “all that is not of faith is sin.” Yet we
must see that every action we live by faith in its end is looking
towards Jesus Christ Himself and the full eternal purpose of God’s
plan. Every step we take in this life, every word and action that we
do for our Lord, in faith, is part of Him fulfilling the purpose of
the death of Christ through us, for Christ is in us if we believe.
Therefore may we heed the admonition of Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes
on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”   All our acts of faith
need to have it’s fulfillment in looking to and glorifying the very Son
of God, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.

After Thoughts:

“I read through Hebrews 11. These staggering men and women through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtain the promises, stopped the lions; women received their dead raised to life again. All the devilish things (they endured) and not one ever had a Bible! Well, in God’s Name, (what) are you and I going to do when we stand before Him?! When I get there, I’ll have to face up to having the whole revelation of God.”

~ Leonard Ravenhill