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August 17, 2014 |
| Strangers in a Strange Land | ||
In my opinion Hebrews 11 is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. In it the author covers multiple topics. The primary topic is the role of faith. The intended audience for this is the Jews of that time, a time when Judaism had collapsed spiritually and become a religion of works. The author's intent is to show by example that it was always faith that mattered.
But the author is also covering the topic that these great people he will list continued on in faith, having only promises from God. But they considered these promises to be of greater value than the things of the world and they went about in the world as though they were foreigners. That is the topic that we will look at in this lesson.
Despite our topic, which is strangers in a strange land, we will look at highlights on the topic of faith as we go along.
1 Now faith is the conviction concerning those things that are in hope, as if it were these things in action, and the revelation of those things that are unseen;
The author begins by defining faith. He describes faith as a conviction, a sense of certainty about the reality of the things that we hope for that is as strong as if those things were real. He also says faith is the revelation, the revealing of things that are unseen. Therefore faith is certain that the unseen is real and reveals the unseen to be real. So faith not only believes but faith makes things happen.
2 and by this there was a testimony concerning the ancients.
With faith being so important and powerful we have a testimony about the great people throughout history and about their faith. Using one example after another the author will show the character of these people through their faith. But first we start with God himself.
3 For by faith we understand that the worlds were fashioned by the word of God, and these things that are seen came into being out of those things which are unseen.
In the same way that verse one describes faith as revealing the unseen, the author says that is how God created the universe. God, believing that the universe was, brought it into being.
Many people are troubled by the size of the universe. They think that something large must require great power to create and the greater the size of something the greater the power required to create it. Therefore the creation of the universe must have required unimaginable power. This is the thinking of man based on the experience of man. But God says the only thing that is required is faith.
4 By faith, Abel offered to God a sacrifice much better than that of Cain, and because of it there is a testimony concerning him that he was righteous, and God testifies concerning his offering; and because of it, although he died, he also speaks.
5 By faith, Enoch was transported away and he did not taste death, neither was he found, because God transported him away; for before he was to transport him, there was this testimony concerning him: "He pleased God." 6 But without faith, no one can please God, for whoever is brought near to God must believe that he exists and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him.
The author makes a key point here. It isn't possible to come close to God without believing he exists. Therefore it isn't possible to please him without having the faith to believe he exists. And if we seek after him our search will be rewarded by finding him. Therefore to have a close relationship with God we must believe that he exists and we must believe that he will allow himself to be found that we might have a relationship with him. This relationship can only begin with faith.
7 By faith, Noah worshiped, when those things which had not been seen were spoken to him, and he made the Ark for the lives of his children in his household, by which he condemned the world, and he became the heir of the righteousness which is in faith.
8 By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out when he did not know where he was going.
9 By faith he became an inhabitant in that land which was promised to him, as in a foreign land, and he dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, his heirs of the promise. 10 For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Here we see the first verses in this chapter that deal directly with our topic. Although Abraham became an inhabitant of the land that God had promised to him, he was not looking only for the fulfillment of that promise. Instead he went about in that land as a foreigner because he was looking for something much better, a permanent city, the city of God.
Abraham was looking for the fulfillment of the promise of his seed, the Messiah, the coming savior. God had promised Abraham that his seed would be a blessing to the whole world. Abraham understood the blessing to be salvation and with that a new home, an everlasting home built by God.
11 By faith also Sarah, who was sterile, received power to conceive seed, and she who was not in the time of her years gave birth, for she was sure that he who promised her was faithful. 12 Because of this, from one who was failing in old age were born as many as the stars in the Heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, which has no measure.
13 These died in faith, all of them, and they did not receive their promise, but they saw it from a distance and rejoiced in it and confessed that they were foreigners and nomads in the Earth. 14 But those who say these things show that they seek their City. 15 And if they had been seeking that city which they had left, they had time to return again to it.
The author says here that they died without seeing that promise fulfilled. Yet they died holding on to that promise in faith as though the promise was seen and had been fulfilled.
They said that they were foreigners on the Earth which shows that they were still seeking for a city to call their own. We know that because, if they were seeking a city on the Earth they would have gone there, but they did not. Therefore they were seeking a city that was not on the Earth.
16 Now it is apparent that they longed for better than that, which is in Heaven; because of this, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a City for them.
Because they were seeking a city but did not go to it, we know it was not a city on earth that they wanted. Instead they were seeking for a better city, which is in Heaven. We remember what Jesus said in John 14:2 "There are many lodgings in my Father's house, and if not, I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you." This is the city that Abraham was seeking as well as all others who are heirs to the promise.
17 By faith, Abraham offered Isaac during his testing, and laid his only son on the altar, whom he had received by the Promise. 18 For it was said to him, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 19 And he accepted in his soul that God was able to raise him from the dead, and because of this, he was given to him in a simile.
20 By the faith of what was future, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith, when Jacob was dying, he blessed each one of the sons of Joseph and bowed on the top of the staff.
22 By faith, when Joseph was dying, he related the exodus of the children of Israel and gave orders about his bones.
23 By faith, the parents of Moses hid him for three months when he was born, when they saw that the boy was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the King's commandment.
24 By faith, Moses, when he became a man, renounced being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 And he chose to remain in affliction with the people of God and not to enjoy sin for a short time. 26 And he considered that the reproach of the Messiah was much greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was attentive to the payment of the reward.
Moses was adopted into the royal family of Egypt through Pharaoh's daughter. As such he was entitled to live a life of privilege and wealth. But he chose to live the life of his people, a slave people. Moses compared the life as a son of a Pharaoh and determined that the criticisms that the promised Messiah might have of him were worth much more than all the treasures of Egypt. He too was seeking that city.
I'll say that that again. Even the words of the Messiah telling Moses that he had done wrong were more valuable than all the world. We don't enjoy being told when we have done wrong. We especially don't enjoy it when God has to tell us we have done wrong. Yet this correction is more valuable to us than anything the world has to offer because it brings us closer to God and to his promises.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt and was not afraid of the rage of the King and he endured as if he had seen God, who is unseen.
28 By faith he observed Passover and sprinkled the blood, lest he who was destroying the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith, they passed through the Sea of Reeds as upon dry land, and the Egyptians were swallowed up by it when they dared to enter it.
30 By faith, the walls of Jericho fell, after it was walked around for seven days.
31 By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who disobeyed, for she received the spies in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For I have little time to recount about Gideon and about Baraq, about Samson, about Jephthah, about David, about Samuel and about the other Prophets: 33 Those who by faith conquered Kingdoms and wrought justice, received promises and shut the mouths of lions; 34 They quenched the power of fire, were delivered from the edge of the sword, were strengthened out of weakness, became strong in battle and overturned enemy camps. 35 And they gave women their children by resurrection of the dead, […]
35 […] and others died by torture and did not expect to be delivered, that they would have a better resurrection; 36 Others entered mockings and scourgings; others were handed over to chains and to prison cells; 37 Others were stoned; others were sawn in half; others died by the edge of the sword; others traveled wearing skins of sheep and of goats, and were needy, afflicted and beaten;
As strangers in a strange land they were sometimes mistreated, thrown in jail, or killed. Others lived lives of poverty and rejection. They too were looking for that city and they considered their treatment as nothing compared to it.
38 Persons of whom the world was not worthy; and they were as wanderers in desert places and in mountains and in caves and caverns of the Earth. 39 And all of these, concerning whom there is a testimony of their faith, did not receive the Promise.
Though the world saw these people as nothing they were people the world was not worthy to have among them. These people lived their lives as wanderers, not seeking after the things of the world, but living for a future promise. It was a promise they did not receive and still have not received.
40 Because God provided for our benefit that they would not be made perfect without us.
God has planned that we would all receive that promise together and be made perfect together when the Messiah comes.
Have we instead found ways to live in the world? An attempt to have both the things of this world and the things of God. Have we instead come to love the things of the world? Are we like Lot's wife, who wasn't prepared to give up the things of Sodom and Gomorrah because she had come to love them?
I fear that many Christians in North America have become comfortable in their wealth. Some of them live for the things of the world, the fashions, cars, homes, lifestyles, toys and all the other things.
Have we become no different from the world? Or maybe we are just a few steps behind the world as it becomes more corrupt - always seeing ourselves as living a less worldly life yet just a few steps behind in our own corruption? I think so. Christians of 100 years ago lived to a different standard than many Christians of today. Sunday was a day of rest and they didn't shop on Sundays. In fact most places were closed on Sundays anyway. They had different standards of dress and conduct. They spent more time reading their Bibles and less time watching TV or on computers.
Can the world tell the difference between them and us? Do they see us as strangers?
Are we willing to give it all up - take everything that we have and everything the world offers, put it in a pile and walk away from it? If faced with a choice, will we find a reason to hold on to it?
In Hebrews 11 the author says that the world hated them so much that it tortured and killed them. Are we ready to live like that - where everyone in society despises us for the name we carry? Are we ready to be ostracized from society and live on whatever scraps we can find, clothe ourselves with thrown out clothing - clothing that isn't even good enough for Good Will? Are we ready to live in tents and crude shelters, cook on fires, forego hygiene as we've come to know it?
Right now many Christians in the world live these lives. Their property has been taken from them and their society is trying to kill them for the name they have. Are we ready to make that choice: to live like that and give up the world?
Live your life as a stranger in a strange land. As the great men of old did, count the things of this world as having no value compared to the promises of God. All the tangible delights of this world are nothing compared to these promises.