HEBREWS 11: 17-31

Waterloo Hall 22nd April

2010

LANDSCAPE GALLERY
Hebrews 11:17–31

17
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had
received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God
had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham
reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac
back from death.
20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and
worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites
from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they
saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of
Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake
of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking
ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he
persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and
the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the
firstborn of Israel.
29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the
Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for
seven days.
31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed
with those who were disobedient.

In the second study we will move on to consider a wider view again when we
consider:

• Faith to the end 17-22

• Faith and the family 23
• Faith growing up 24-27
• Faith and great events 28-31

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As we said in our first study – we move today from the Portrait Gallery to
Landscapes – a wider view of the lives of those who believe – where the
background and circumstances are part of the picture.

o Abraham
o Isaac
o Jacob
o Joseph
o Moses’ parents
o Moses –
o the people
o the walls
o the prostitute Rahab

FAITH TO THE END vv 17-22

17
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had
received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God
had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham
reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac
back from death.
20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and
worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites
from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

The first characters mentioned by the author are approaching the

end of their lives. As life runs its course what is there left to look
forward to? What hope will sustain us “when we’re sixty-four” – or
seventy-four?

Hebrews is concerned with a FAITH THAT PERSISTS – faith that

conquers the grave and sees beyond : and lives in the light of “a
city” (v16)

they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is
not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Some mock at the notion that the Christian hope is a hope for the
next world – as if it had no effect upon “now” – but the Christian hope
is of a future hope:

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A country of their own
A better country, a heavenly one
A city prepared for them

His examples here are:

o Abraham
o Isaac
o Jacob
o Joseph

All of these were advanced in years and by faith were “sure of

what they hoped for, and certain of what they did not see” (v1)

ABRAHAM 17-19
17
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had
received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God
had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham
reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac
back from death.

The principle example – offered Isaac

Reasoning that God could raise the dead

1. He obeyed despite everything

2. he believed despite everything
3. he experienced the blessing of God

Can we who may be a fair way along life’s pathway respond to the
challenge of God in such a way?

Despite the cost

Despite the promise
Despite the reality of death?

ISAAC 20

Was able to see the fulfillment of God’s promise in Jacob and Esau

He had something to pass on to his own: even though in character

and in destiny they were so different.

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 20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

In regard to their future is the key phrase.

JACOB 21
21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and
worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Jacob combined the similar hope with WORSHIP and with WEAKNESS

Can our faith cope with that?

We have the same covenant keeping God!

JOSEPH 22
22
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from
Egypt and gave instructions about his bones

Joseph had even clearer vision and anticipated the Exodus – leaving
instructions for his embalming and burial.

You might say: “What a morbid thought!” Oh no! Faith in the future
must be able to stand upon the threshold of eternity as it does upon
the threshold of the this earthly life.

The young with life before them may have REASON to hope in the
future – those at its close HAVE FAITH ALONE – a faith to the end!

FAITH AND THE FAMILY

23
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they
saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

If you look down the list here in Hebrews you will see that FAITH is
seen operating in the realm of FAMILY LIFE:-

o Abraham
o Isaac

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 o Jacob
o Moses’ parents

In each case the family was involved.

That is an aspect of faith highlighted by this passage which may
seem at once natural and challenging.

Where our families are the area in which our Christian life has to be
most evident, and where it is frequently under attack by Satan –
there FAITH must operate.

ABRAHAM again, offers to the point of sacrifice the one who was
central to all his hopes: the realisation of God’s promise.

Will God fail him there?

Abraham knows He will not!

ISAAC and JACOB

All pass on the blessing that Abraham had been promised knowing
that:

He who promised is faithful v11

God is to be trusted. They all trusted and pronounced a blessing on

their children.

MOSES’ PARENTS (23)

Are singled out for special mention:-

In them FAITH grasped the reality of God and came to terms with the
danger they faced:

They saw he was no ordinary child

They were not afraid of the King’s edict. . .

They committed to the waters of the Nile the child whom they knew
God had called for a specific task.

Such faith should challenge us in our own families.

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FAITH GROWING UP 24-28
24
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter. 25 He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of
Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead
to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered
because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling
of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

In this five verse summary the author presents us with the other view
of FAITH in the individual – FAITH in the growing Moses:

Having been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses, like Abraham,

might have chosen to stay in the favourable, civilized environment –
but FAITH led him out.

Hebrews unashamedly places Moses in a Christian setting - v 26

. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of
Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not
fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

(a) A choice based on an unseen reward v25

(b) Perseverance (v27) in the years of wilderness as seeing Him who

is invisible

. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw
him who is invisible.

(c) A part in the plan of redemption v 28

28
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the
firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

It is not difficult to see faith operating against the background of that

first Passover. What he was being told to do must have seemed

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bizarre – but faith hears God’s word and acts on it without
questioning.

FAITH AND GREAT EVENTS vv 29-31

29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the
Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for
seven days.
31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed
with those who were disobedient.

In these last examples Hebrews expands our understanding of the

power of faith from the Passover of v28 to include

The exodus
The fall of Jericho
&
Rahab the prostitute

Once again faith draws a line between the people of God and their
enemies:

The Egyptians were drowned

The walls fell
The disobedient were killed

Hebrews has this unique world view that scans the history of God’s
people and finds FAITH operating in the great critical moments.

Is that still true?

We used to look back on the Second World War with gratitude to God
that His people had been saved from defeat. Are we entitled to draw
such a conclusion?

How about more modern conflicts?

In so far as the Israelites obeyed specific instructions at the Exodus

and the battle of Jericho it is easy to see faith operating. But
Hebrews offers us a view of faith which is indeed a landscape – a

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broad canvas in which faith is at work in whole nations as well as
unlikely individuals like Rahab.

However we answer that question – Hebrews sends us back to the OT

records where each of the examples he has given will be “fleshed
out” and we will see how the brief summaries of this chapter paint an
even more detailed picture of the characters of faith.

Hebrews 11 is not a final gallery – it invites us to go back to the

records themselves and examine the detail of how faith worked in
those people.

(For example the reference to Moses turning his back on Egypt.)

Then – having learned even more about faith we are invited to place
these great men and women of faith in another context.
39
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what
had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only
together with us would they be made perfect.

The full picture is seen not in Hebrews 11 – or in the OT records – but

in the final work of Christ which includes us – and all believers!

• Faith to the end 17-22

• Faith and the family 23
• Faith growing up 24-27
• Faith and great events 28-31

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