Study in Hebrews

1. Study in Hebrews Presentation 15

2. Examples Of Faith And Perseverance 2 Chap 11v11-22 Presentation 15

3. Introduction Previously we commented upon the writer’s choice of characters for his hall of fame. They were chosen to illustrate a particular need of the recipients - persevering faith in God’s faithfulness despite all that might undermine that faith and regardless of the pressures of human rationality. It is not that the Christian faith is unreasonable but rather that it goes beyond the boundary of human reason. It is believing in the dark because we are resting in what we know of God’s character. And it is the exercise of this faith that brings delight to the heart of God and provides access into the security and blessing which he provides. Presentation 15

4. Abraham’s Faith We have already seen that in responding to God in the pilgrim life, Abraham turned his back upon the Babel’s of this world, which trust to man’s ‘superior’ technological and scientific achievement for the source of his salvation. The next great test of faith for Abraham was to believe that God would indeed fulfil his promises of future blessing through the provision of a son. A promise made and restated even though both he and Sarah were past the age of having children Presentation 15

5. Abraham’s Faith It wasn’t simply a case of their biological clocks having stopped ticking but, from a human perspective, they were beyond repair. Today, it has become a bit more difficult for many to grasp the magnitude of the predicament facing Abraham. We live in the age infertility clinics and IVF. We read of women in their late 50’s being clinically enabled to bear children and of men having their sperm frozen so that if they remarry for the tenth time in their 80’s so they can have a child by a new young wife! Presentation 15

6. Abraham’s Faith But Abraham faced a truly impossible situation; humanly speaking it was one that was set to wreck all his dreams and aspirations. He was childless with no way forward. Cf. Gen. 17v15-22, 18v10-15. Bear in mind that the dreams and aspirations of those addressed in this epistle also hinged upon God’s promise of a Messiah. Abraham and Sarah were under pressure to dismiss the possibility of God’s gift child. Reason suggested that the way forward was to trust in their own wit, accomplishment and performance. Like many today they were faced with the choice of standing upon God’s word or upon human reason. Presentation 15

7. Practical Lessons In v13-16 Abraham’s story is interrupted in order to extract some important practical lessons: 1. Before death Abraham did not receive the fullness of what God had promised v13... Faith is tempted to give up [as did these readers] the longer it has to wait for fulfilment. We she was very young we told our daughter weeks before the event that we planned to visit Arran. Thereafter we were continuously bombarded with queries, ‘When are we going, are we truly going?’ Similarly, many in the early church were asking, ‘When will Jesus return, why has he not yet established his kingdom, why does he allow his church to be persecuted, where is our gospel inheritance?’ Presentation 15

8. Practical Lessons 2. The O.T. men and women of faith developed a pilgrim mentality. v13b-16a. It is easy to lose sight of our heavenly goal. If you owned a hotel and a guest checked in for a week but the next day asked permission to put French doors into his bedroom and sold his car to help pay for the work what would you think? If he then put his name down to join the local golf club that had a three year waiting list what would you think? His plans were to settle down and not simply pass through. C. S. Lewis made this comment on the Christian journey. “Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but he will not encourage us to mistake them for home”. Presentation 15

9. Practical Lessons Many Christians find it hard to get excited about heaven because they’ve lost sight of their pilgrim status and become deeply rooted in this world. They cling to it and will not let go. A lack of faith makes us opt for earthly rather than heavenly treasure. If we truly believed in heavenly treasure we would not be so eager to invest in material things! For many, heaven has the status of a religious fantasy. David Watson writes: “If people believed in heaven, they would spend their time preparing for permanent residence there. But nobody does. We just like the assurance that something nice awaits us when the real life is over”. Presentation 15

10. Practical Lessons Of who is it said, ‘God is not ashamed to be called their God’ v16. Why? Those who have lived as a pilgrim people and set their sights upon heaven as their true home. In 2v10-11both Jesus and his people have the same human origin, a common descent from Adam and because of this shared humanity, Jesus unashamedly calls the redeemed his brethren. The Son by becoming man was not ashamed to clothe himself in our humanity in an act of total identification in order to secure our everlasting redemption. In 11v16the issue is no longer that of a shared humanity but of a heavenly goal. God identifies himself with those who travel through this world as his pilgrim people! Presentation 15

11. Abraham’s Faith The writer now returns to Abraham as the exemplar of faith and highlights the severest test of Abraham’s faith. ‘By faith Abraham when God tested him offered up Isaac’ cf. Gen. 22. All of Abraham’s hope for the fulfilment of God’s promises rested upon his son Isaac. This miracle child clothed the skeleton of promise making it a tangible reality but now God was asking for his sacrifice! The writer has some important observations to make about Abraham’s faith while having his readership and their situation in mind. Presentation 15

12. Abraham’s Faith 1. We read that Abraham’s faith was tested. Here is an important distinction, God tests but Satan tempts; there is a world of difference between the two. God’s action is constructive and designed to strengthen and encourage. Cf. Jas 2v3 1 Pet.1v6-7. Satan’s purpose is destructive its aim is weaken and discourage. Gen. 3v1, Matt. 4v1-11. 2. The nature of Abraham’s test is significant. God asks if he was prepared to give up that which was dearest to him and on which all his hopes and aspirations rested. And in response Abraham was convinced that God would deny him no good thing! Cf. v19cf. Gen 22v5. Presentation 15

13. Abraham’s Faith 3. Abraham’s faith was rewarded. Letting go of that which was precious to him was paradoxically the means of having it returned to him and so much more. [cf. Mk. 8v35]. Remember too, the oath that in God took in Gen. 22v15. Abraham discovered that ‘God would provide’ and thus establish his promise. This very example is held before the readers as a ‘strong encouragement to seize the hope that is set before us,’whatever the trial might be that assailed them. Presentation 15

14. Abraham’s Faith The writer may well have had an additional purpose in mind in drawing his readers attention to the Mount Moriah incident. Abraham was asked if he was prepared to sacrifice his only son. It this test it had always been God’s intention to exchange the sacrifice for another, the ram caught in the thicket. At the end of the day there was no real cost to Abraham. However, this incident with all of the emotions which it stirred would mirror a subsequent event another exchange, when God gave up his only Son to death. Indeed, the early church quickly recognised the significance of the relationship between these two sacrifices. Presentation 15

15. Abraham’s Faith According to Jewish teaching, Mt. Moriah and Mount Zion were one and the same place; the temple was constructed on the spot where Abraham had been prepared to offer up his son. The site of Golgotha is said to be on the other side of the city wall from the temple and there Jesus crucifixion took place. The true substitute for Isaac and men and women of faith, was not the ram in the thicket, but lamb of God on the cross. Crucified and risen Jesus was given back from the dead. And it is faith in the God, who had raised Jesus from the dead, that is being argued for in this letter. Presentation 15

16. Isaac’s Faith The writer has held up a number of heroes of faith. Lest we think that Abraham was in a class by his own and that his faith was somehow unique the list continues with others we may be able more easily to identify with. Isaac, perhaps the blandest of the patriarchs is listed as a hero of the faith. What difficulty did his faith require to overcome? His favouritism and prejudice, the belief that he could manipulate the blessing of God. cf. Gen. 27v33. What important lesson might this teach? Asubmissive acceptance of the will of God when that will goes against the grain of our plans and preferences. Presentation 15

17. Jacob’s Faith Of all the patriarchs, Jacob found faith the most difficult to learn. What is the particular, significance in the expression in v21 that he “bowed in worship over the head of his staff”? cf. Gen.32v22-32. The staff was a symbol of his dependence upon God, after wrestling with God at Jabbok. An encounter that left him lame; a reminder that he could not preserve himself in safety. Jacob had discovered the folly of trusting in human wit and scheming! He learned the value of committing the difficulties and forthcoming trials and dangers into God’s hands, trusting him to deal with them. Presentation 15

18. Joseph’s Faith Again we might think it strange that the writer should in v22 select this particular incident from the life of Joseph. Joseph had moved from imprisonment to power, from being a despised little brother to a gracious saviour of his family delivering them from the ravages of famine. He had seen them settled in the choicest part of Egypt. In earthly terms his family had it made and yet the act of faith singled out in this instance demonstrates that he saw beyond the impermanence of this world’s wealth. By asking to have his bones buried in the promised land he indicated what mattered most to him; not the rank he attained in Egypt but a greater goal ,God’s covenant promise! Going home symbolised a greater going home. Presentation 15