Contributor: Clem Roberts

INTRODUCTION
In our last study we were encouraged “That we should not be slothful, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises of God.” To lay aside the baggage of religion, nonchalance and sin. We were also admonished that we should keep on looking unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Today we shall be looking at understanding God’s Discipline, the reasons that underlays God’s discipline and the benefits.

Verses 5-6: "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

Yes The Righteous Do Suffer
• Job 5:7 - Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward...
• John 16:33 -… In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world...
• Psalm 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
• 2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution...

But Why Trials?
• For taking a stand for truth and righteousness (1 Pet 3:14).
• Because of our own behaviour that shows a lack of good sense or judgement.
• and our own sin (1 Pet 2:20).
• We suffer for sin in our lives (1 Cor 11:31).
• For our past sins (Gal 6:7).
• part of the sufferings that led up to His death (including his young years: Ps 69).
• Some lofty purpose of God (Job).
• For their faith (Heb. 11).
• For discipline (Heb. 12:6).

What’s The Purpose?
• To teach obedience and discipline (Acts 9:15-16; Phil 4:11-13).
• To glorify God (Dan 3:16-18, 24-25).
• Discipline for known sin (Heb. 12:5-11; James 4:17; Rom 14:23; 1 Jn 1:9).
• To prevent us from falling into sin (1 Pet 4:1-2).
•To build faith (1 Pet 1:6-7).
•To keep us from Pride. Paul kept from pride by his “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Cor12:7-10).
•To cause growth (Rom 5:3-5).
•To equip us to comfort others (2 Cor 1:3-4).
•To demonstrate the reality of Christ in us (2 Cor 4:7-11).
•So we can testify to the angels (Job 1:8; Eph 3:8-11; 1 Pet 1:12).
•Profit from these trials. James 1:2-4

Verse 7:  "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?"

Verse 8: "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
•Chastening is the moral training and education of children ;
•Chastening correct mistakes and curbing passions.
•Chastening is an evidence that we are sons.

Verse 9: "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?"
•Earthly fathers may make mistakes but God never make mistakes

Verse 10: "For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness."
The pinnacle of it all is:
•spiritual maturity and to be partakers of God’s Divine Grace and Holiness!

Verse 11: "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Verses 12 – 13: "Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."

•The stronger members should assist the weaker ones (Ex 17:10-12).
•The path should be made straight so they don’t keep going in circles

CONCLUSION – culled from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
By steadfastly looking to Jesus, our thoughts would strengthen holy affections, and keep under our carnal desires. Christians should not faint under their trials. Though our enemies and persecutors may be instruments to inflict sufferings, yet they are Divine chastisements; our heavenly Father has His hand in all, and His wise end to answer by all. We must not make light of afflictions, and be without feeling under them, for they are the hand and rod of God, and are His rebukes for sin.
We must not despond and sink under trials, nor fret and repine, but bear up with faith and patience. God may let others alone in their sins, but he will correct sin in his own children. In this He acts as like a father. Our earthly parents sometimes may chasten us, to gratify their passion, rather than to reform our manners. But the Father of our souls never willingly grieves nor afflicts His children. It is always for our profit.
Our whole life here is a state of childhood, therefore we must submit to the discipline of such a state. When we come to a perfect state, we shall be fully reconciled to all God's chastisement of us now. God's correction is not condemnation; the chastening may be borne with patience, and greatly promote holiness. Let us then learn to consider the afflictions brought on us by the malice of men, as corrections sent by our wise and gracious Father, for our spiritual good.
A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In the last chapter we looked at what faith was and concluded studying about the faith of the Patriarchs. We saw how they endured hardship by faith and achieved great things for the Lord. Apostle Paul relayed all of their encounters as an introduction to today’s study. He started off verse 1 of chapter 12 by saying . . . “Therefore . . .”

Verse 1: Application Of The Demonstrations Of Enduring Faith
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”

The MSG version says:
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins”

a. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
The Apostle Paul uses the example the previous champions of faith in chapter 11 as spectators from the heavens, cheering us as we press on to overcome present discouragement as in an athletic competition.We must picture those who have gone before us being witnesses to us of faith and endurance, in all they have lived and experienced. Their experiences should keep us encouraged.

b. Let us lay aside every weight
Sin can hold us back. But there are also things that may not be sin (every weight) but are merely hindrances that can keep us from running effectively the race God has for us.
Our choices are not always between right and wrong, but between something that may hinder us and something else that may not. Is there a weight in your life you must lay aside?

c. And the sin which so easily ensnares us
The words easily ensnares is translated from an ancient Greek word (euperistaton), which can be translated four ways: “easily avoided,” “admired,” “ensnaring,” or “dangerous.”
Let us lay them all aside:
• Some sins can be easily avoided, but are not
• Some sins are admired, yet must be laid aside
• Some sins are ensnaring and thus especially harmful
• Some sins are more dangerous than others are

d. Let us run with endurance
God has set before every one of us – a race. You must run it, and it will involve effort and commitment. The assumption is this race will not be easy, but the proper path to run has been set before us by God. The Aramaic can be translated “the race [personally] appointed to us.” God has a destiny for each of us that we are to give ourselves fully to reach.
Endurance is needed to run that race. Again, this “Endurance translates the ancient Greek word “which does not mean the patience which sits down and accepts things but the patience which masters them.” It is a determination, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.”
In Acts 20:24 Paul pictured himself as a runner who had a race to finish, and nothing would keep Paul from finishing the race with joy. In that passage, Paul spoke of my race – he had his race to run, we have our own – but God calls us to finish it with joy, and that only happens with endurance.

e. The race that is set before us
Race is the ancient Greek word agona, a word used for conflict or struggle of many kinds, and a favourite word of Paul (Philippians 1:30, Colossians 2:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:2, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7).

Verse 2: The Ultimate Example - Jesus Christ.
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The MSG version says:
“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.”

a. Looking unto Jesus
We can only run the race as we look to Jesus and have our eyes locked on to Him. He is our focus, our inspiration, and our example. This implies a definite looking away from other things and a present looking unto Jesus.

b. The author and finisher of our faith
Jesus is not only the author of our faith; He is the finisher of it also. The idea of He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6) was comforting indeed to these discouraged Christians.
He is not only there with us at the starting line and at the finish line, but with us all along the way of the race that He sets before us.

c. Who for the joy that was set before Him
Jesus did not regard the cross itself as a joy. But He could look past the horror of the cross to enjoy the joy beyond it. The same mentality would enable these Jewish Christians (and we ourselves) to endure.

d. Endured the cross
Jesus was able to endure the ordeal of the cross because He understood the good that would come of it – the good of a redeemed, rescued people honouring God for all eternity.
Knowing all the good that would flow from this most agonizing experience, Jesus was able to do it and to endure it with triumph. Through the ordeal of the cross:
• He kept His tongue.
• He kept His course.
• He kept His progress.
• He kept His joy.
• He kept His love.

e. Despising the shame
One of the most prominent elements of the torture of the cross was its extreme shame. Jesus did not welcome this shame – He despised it – yet He endured through it to victory.
Shame is a significant trial. Daniel 12:2 says that shame will be an aspect of the terrors of hell:
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Jesus bore this hellish shame to accomplish our redemption.
• He bore a shameful accusation: blasphemy.
• He bore shameful mocking.
• He bore a shameful beating.
• He wore a shameful crown.
• He wore a shameful robe.
• He bore a shameful death on the cross.
This is a stumbling block to many. They will do just about anything for Jesus except endure shame or embarrassment.

f. And has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
This speaks of Jesus’ glorification. The same promise of being glorified (though in a different sense) after our shame is true for the Christian.

Verses 3-4: Consider Jesus
“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”

The MSG version says:
“When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!"

a. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself
Even in their difficulty if they would consider Jesus they could be encouraged, not discouraged, knowing that they were following in the footsteps of Jesus. As Paul wrote, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Romans 8:17)

Think of all the hostility Jesus endured from sinners:
• At His own synagogue in Nazareth they wanted to kill Him.
• The religious leaders constantly tried to trap and embarrass Him.
• They lied about Jesus, saying He was a drunkard and a glutton.
• He was betrayed by one of His own disciples.
• He was mocked and beaten by many.
• His own people cried out against Him, “Crucify Him!”

b. Lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls
Knowing that Jesus doesn’t ask more of us than what He has Himself experienced, and that He knows exactly what we are going through will keep us from becoming weary and discouraged in your souls.

c. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin
Many Jewish Christians then, like many Christians today complain and get discouraged when they face difficulties. Here the Apostle was not going to sugar coat the situation and pamper them with statements like “everything is going to be alright.” Instead, he pointed it out to them that they should continue to strive against sin and be ready to continue even to the point of shedding blood because others have suffered far worse, not to mention what Jesus went through!
 

CONCLUSION
The race set before us; though difficult, is not an uncommon race. The patriarchs of faith ran in it, Jesus did the same. And the proper path to run in it has been set before us by God. The Apostle Paul’s admonishment for us is that when we find our faith dwindling, what we need to shoot adrenaline into our souls and get us going again, is by going over Jesus’ story again, item by item, all the hostility he went through and how He was able to endure it with triumph.

Parts of this study was culled from: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/hebrews-12/

Contributor: Dolapo Olaoye

INTRODUCTION
We have learned so far that faith is rooted in God’s Word (vs. 1–3), and therefore faith worships (v. 4), walks (vs. 5–6), works (v. 7) and waits (v. 8). We learnt that faith is deeply connected to waiting. We always get what God promised, but not according to our schedule as it’s always better managed by God.
Truth is God blesses those who have complete faith with remarkable results (11:32-35).

Some of the things Faith does are:
- Faith enables flawed people to accomplish great things for God.
- Faith enables us to accomplish things that are only explainable/doable by God’s power.
- Faith entitles us to God’s blessing of eternal rewards.

VERSE 32: FAITH REGARDLESS
“And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets”

There are some names, in this chapter, which we should hardly have expected to see there, the characters mentioned having been so disfigured by serious faults, and flaws, and failings; but the distinguishing feature of faith was there in every instance, and especially in the case of Samson.
The first five men listed here all had some serious shortcoming but regardless of their flaws, God still honored their faith. (i.e.: Gideon (Judges 6-8) was a coward and had to be sweet-talked in the start to doing what God called him to do or Samson (Judges 13-16) directed the Philistines on many occasions, yet he was tripped up by his lust for women). In spite of all these men’s flaws God used them because they trusted Him in difficult/challenging situations.

In each case, these people listed here were of faith and held on to the conviction that God’s Word was true. They were confident in God, they understood, the covenant promise of the gospel and the kingdom. So, they faced difficulties believing that God would deliver on His promises, some way, and somehow.
Keep in mind that regardless of where you are, faith marches on and therefore our faith can keep us in check. Your environments/surroundings do not alter the truth and neither do they alter God’s character. It is for this reason that you should march on confidently, clinging to God’s word, trusting him every step of the way.

Discussion: Where is the balance between tolerating our shortcomings and yet striving by faith to overcome them?

VERSES 33-35a: FAITH CONQUERS
“who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.”

God did these wonderful deeds, but He did so in accordance with the faith of those involved. Doesn’t minus the fact that God is sovereign, but it is equally true that He has freely determined that He will work through means. And faith is a prescribed means.
The point of application that we can draw from these accounts is that, when faced with tough difficulties, faith stands from generation to generation because the Lord does not change. The past faithfulness of God to reward responses of faith should encourage us that He can and will do the same today – unchanging God.

Discussion: Does faith replace planning, preparing and hard work? How can we know if the power is from God or from our planning and effort?

VERSE 35b: FAITH IS CONFIDENT
"Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection."

The word “tortured” can be literally translated, “beaten to death.”

So, how does one develop such confidence? By growing in our knowledge of God. Read, study and meditate on the Scripture. Love and get to know God, and as you know God you will love God and will desire to please God, regardless of the cost. Our confidence in Him will grow to the degree that our relationship with Him develops.

VERSES 36-38: SUFFERING FOR FAITH
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
Here, the writer informs us of those who, like those in v. 35, suffered for their faith apparently without pardon. He tells us that some “had trial of mocking and
scourging, yes, and of chains and of imprisonments.” Thinks of Jeremiah, who was imprisoned for proclaiming God’s Word.
These great individuals were mistreated as they were “afflicted” and “tormented.” Such suffering on the part of faithful saints can be confusing to us all. It can be alarming, but the fact remains that the scripture did not promise a rosery garden to Christian—not yet, anyway. One day, the roses will bloom continuously, and the scent will delight our senses. But in the meantime, we may have our share of affliction, loneliness and even torment.

Discussion: Any reasons why God may not deliver those who trust Him?

VERSES 39-40: FAITH IS COOPORATIVE

"And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us."

Here we are encouraged to keep on believing. We are reminded that God has provided something better for us. The writer has told us all along what this “better something” is: a better hope (7:19); a better covenant (7:22; 8:6); better promises (8:6); a better sacrifice (9:23); and a far better country (heavenly country) (11:16)

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, let’s look back at verse 32 which speaks of those who “through faith” accomplished great things. Yet when you consider men such as Barak (who seemed rather cowardly at one point), Jephthah (who was rough and rash), Samson (who was often characterised by the flesh), David (who broke the Ten Commandments), and Samuel (who failed horribly as a father), you might wonder how they made the list? But thank God they did! Because these believers resemble the likes of us: sinful believers.

Remember the issue is not the quality of our faith or the quantity of our faith but rather the object of our faith - The great news. Bear in mind also that at the end of the day, all the glory goes to the one who makes faith possible: God. Believe in GOD.

Contributor: Alex Kokobili

Introduction:
The previous discussion in the preceding verses in Hebrews 11 showed the inward power of faith displayed in the lives of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. The lives of the likes of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc. revealed faith as an unseen weapon that is seen in miraculous manifestations. Their lives changed and challenged all odds from the ordinary to the extraordinary through their unbending trust in God. They were not born as perfect people, but they believed God for who He is and tarried on until the manifestation of that which He promised them.
They were willing to lose their lives and served God with their best not taking for granted the supernatural experiences of God. The faith of Abraham earned him the title “friend of God”, and he was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, and also gave a tithe to Christ in the Bible in the representation of the King of Salem. Abraham’s testimony showed he was an intercessor, a soldier, a father of nations, a successful businessman, etc., which were all rooted in his journey of faith. We sing and lay claim to Abraham’s blessings which was a shadow of the Godly inheritance in the Old Testament now manifested in Christ Jesus, but are we willing to manifest the Abrahamic faith?
Today’s focus on Moses would help us understand his life and the journey of faith which distinguished him as a prophet haven survived childhood and progressed to be the leader of a nation. The miracles associated with his ministry are overwhelming of which I would call “strange faith” of supernatural exploits which we can best describe with the gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12: 9).

Verse 23:
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.”

The kind of faith portrayed by Moses’ parents confirmed that they believed that God had chosen their child for a special purpose. They were not the only parents who gave birth during that period, as we understand that other male children were killed but they risked their lives to save Moses (Exodus 2:1-10).

Verses 24 – 27:
“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible”

Moses did not spend too much time with his parents, but I believe that with the little time they spent with him, they were able to plant the seed of faith in him as we noticed his sibling also had a divine assignment. How do we know this? Aaron his brother was chosen as his mouthpiece (Exodus 14: 12-17) and he later became a priest (Num. 17: 1-7), likewise, Miriam became a prophetess (Exodus 15:20-21). Moses’ outside the palace proved to him and the people of Israel that indeed God is sovereign. Bible scholars believe
Moses had learned a lot of astrology as the prince of Egypt as Pharaoh’s son which focused on the spiritual climate of Egypt and that is why we hear about the mystical books of Moses or the seven Books of Moses which are not in the Bible because he abandoned all this for the true Jehovah El-Shaddai. This point is important because Moses had tasted the spiritual architecture of the gods of Egypt and that of the God Yahweh and was convinced beyond doubts about the power of God starting from the burning bush experience (Exodus 3:1-6).

Verse 28-30:
“By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days”

The people of Israel still had faith in God despite their inconsistency but Moses was unwavering because he had a relationship with God beyond the signs and wonders that God did through Him. We need a steady relationship with God for our faith to be consistent! Moses had faith to the point that he wanted to see God, but Israel would complain at the slight inconvenience. Their faith was limited in several ways and they paid dearly for their moment of unbelief. But one must acknowledge that they had faith in the word of God through Moses. For instance, they believed Moses when he asked them to sprinkle the blood of the animals on their door their firstborns would not be killed. They believed him also at the crossing the Red Sea, and the walls of Jericho, etc. But despite this, they were often difficult to handle (Exodus. 32: 9-10) “They are stiff-necked people”.

Verse 31:
“By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”

Faith comes with obedience and in this verse, we see Rehab believed the spies were God sent and Israel God’s chosen people to possess the land of Jericho, and she also obeyed the spies by putting the scarlet cloth attached to her window (Joshua 2: 17-21) believing they would come back for her.

Conclusion:
Unknown to many, Moses focused on a Godly relationship which eventually embolden him to function at the miraculous levels of faith as God’s prophet over Israel. He was privileged to write the law as directed by God and his counter with God revealed to him the creation of humankind and it was not a surprise to read about his appearance on the mount of transfiguration with Elijah and Christ in the New Testament.

Contributor: Wale Abiona

INTRODUCTION: In 1 Cor. 10, the apostle Paul reminded his readers of the things that had happened to the people of Israel during the Exodus. He highlighted their unfaithfulness to God, and the things they suffered as a result. And then he told his readers, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11).

God preserved the Old Testament stories for us so that they would serve as illustrations to us—in that case, illustrations of what to avoid.

As we come to Hebrews 11, we find some other great Old Testament examples given to us. But in this case, they are illustrations of what to embrace. The writer of Hebrews had stated his main proposition in verse 1—“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

And in order to illustrate that proposition, he took his Jewish readers back to those Old Testament stories, highlighted the acts of the Jewish patriarchs, and asked them to learn from their examples of faith in the promises of God. He wanted his readers to see how these Old Testament saints embraced the promises of God from a distance, and looked ahead to their fulfillment—even if the fulfillment of those promises would be past their own lifetimes. As he wrote in verse 13;

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13).
In the passage before us, the writer continued this theme. He taught his believing Jewish readers about the need to keep true to God’s promises in Jesus Christ. And he illustrated this lesson to them through the faith of the four most important patriarchs of the Jewish Scriptures—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

I. ABRAHAM, AND HIS OFFERING OF ISAAC AT GOD’S COMMAND (Verses 17-19).
One of the most powerful of all illustrations of faith in the promise of God is found in these verses.

A. The writer would have immediately captured the interest of his readers when he reminded them of one of the most important stories they had ever learned. A story that would have been taught to them from the earliest days of childhood:
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son . . .” (v. 17).

It was to Abraham that God made the promise “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” That was a promise that found its ultimate fulfillment in the birth of his biological descendant Jesus the Messiah—even though, at the time, Abraham was childless and far along in years. In due time, God kept His promise to Abraham, and his wife gave birth to a son from his own body. But after many years—when the boy was thirteen, and when there was no other son—God put Abraham to the test. He commanded him, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2).

B. This must have been a dreadfully difficult command for Abraham to obey. God had finally given him a son through whom the great promise He made to him would be kept. But was He now commanding that his only son be sacrificed by him on the altar and put to death?—the one, as the writer of Hebrews puts it, “of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called’” (see Genesis 21:12)? If Abraham obeyed, and sacrificed his only son—and he himself being well over 100 years old—what then would happen to God’s promise? Yet we find no evidence that Abraham resisted or delayed. We’re told, “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3).
He did this by faith in the God who made the promise. As James 2:21 puts it, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?”
That is to say, didn’t his faith in the promise of God prove itself by the fact that he obeyed God’s command? And wasn’t he then proven righteous by the fact of his active obedience?

C. The greatness of Abraham’s faith was hinted at in what he said to the young men who travelled with him. As they came to the place that God commanded the sacrifice to occur, Abraham told them, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:5).

Note carefully that he said, “we will come back”. How could this be? The writer of Hebrews explained that he said this, “concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead . . .” (Hebrews 11:19).

Abraham had so trusted in the promise of God that, if God commanded that he sacrifice of his only son through—whom the promise must be fulfilled—he believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead; “from which”, the writer explained, “he also received him in a figurative sense.” As Genesis 22:12-14 says, the Angel of the Lord spoke to Abraham just before he was about to sacrifice his son and said;
“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (verses 12-14).

D. Later in time, it would be near that very spot that the Lord Jesus Himself would be crucified.
In this respect, then, the ram caught in the thicket by its horns was a picture of Jesus Himself; and this would give special meaning to the writer’s words concerning his trust in God regarding Isaac, “from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (v. 18). Isaac became a picture of God’s sacrifice of His only begotten Son for us—whom also God literally raised from the dead. This may even explain Jesus’ remarkable words to the Jewish leaders;
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56).
That is, perhaps, the greatest example that can be pointed to of an Old Testament saint’s faith in God’s New Testament promises regarding Jesus. But there are others. The writer also points to the example of . . .

II. ISSAC, AND HIS BLESSING TO HIS SONS WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE (In Verse 20).
A. No doubt Isaac never forgot the event of his father’s faith on the mountain of sacrifice.
And as he grew, he surely would also have remembered the promise that God renewed to Abraham concerning him after the event was over:
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:18).

Isaac lived as the inheritor of this great promise from God; and he knew that he must also pass that promise on to his children.

B. But like Abraham, Isaac lived for a time without offspring. He pleaded with God that his wife Rebekah would bear children. In due time, God answered the prayer in the births of the twin sons Esau and Jacob. When they were in the womb, they struggled together; and God told Rebekah,
“Two nations are in your womb, And the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).

Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other,
And it was with respect to these two sons that the writer of Hebrews said, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come” (v. 20).

C. But the promise only applied to Jacob. He—not Esau—was the ascendant of the Lord Jesus. How then did Isaac’s blessing to both sons relate to the promise? It helps to remember that Isaac originally intended to give the blessing to his firstborn son Esau—in spite of the fact that God had told Rebekah that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). As it turned out, through the encouragement of Rebekah, Jacob deceived his father and pretended to be Esau; and Isaac, thinking he was blessing Esau, passed the blessing on to Jacob instead. He told him—in words that clearly reflected the promise God had given to Abraham; And nations bow down to you.

"Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you," (Genesis 27:29).

By deceit, then, Jacob usurped and received to himself the blessing that Isaac was placing on Esau. But even though it was through the misguided intent of Isaac and the deceit of Jacob, God nevertheless fulfilled His promise to Rebekah concerning Jacob. And Isaac—without realizing it—demonstrated a faith in God’s promise to the son that God had appointed with respect to things to come. For Isaac, the promise was sure; even if his application of it was mistaken.
The writer next points to the example of . . .

III. JACOB, AND THE BLESSING OF HIS GRANDSONS WHILE STILL IN EGYPT(In Verse. 21).
A. After the event, Jacob lived many years with the fact that he had deceived his brother. Nevertheless, he went on to have twelve sons who were the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. The last two of his sons—from the wife of his first choice, Rachael, were Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph, through the providence of God, became the Prime Minister of Egypt; and he made it possible for Jacob to live out his final years in comfort and prosperity. But he lived in a foreign land—far from the land that God had promised Abraham.

B. The time finally came for Jacob to die.
And perhaps it was the remembrance of his deception that led him to do what he did when it came time to bless his grandsons. Jacob called the sons of Joseph to himself, and placed his right hand on the younger son Ephraim—instead of on the older son Manasseh; and passed the blessing on to the younger. Thus the writer of Hebrews wrote;
“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff” (v. 21).
He made sure that they too were included in the promise of God to Abraham. And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth (See Genesis 48:15-16). 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16 The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

C. The significance of this might be seen in what the writer says at the end of verse 21 That Jacob passed on this blessing, “and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff”. Genesis 47:31 tells us that before he died, he asked Joseph to swear to him that he would not bury him in Egypt, “but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

Jacob wanted to be buried in the land of promise—not in the foreign land of Egypt (see also 49:29-33). Joseph swore to do as his father Jacob had asked; and indeed kept that promise (see 50:1-14). And at the time when that promise was made, we’re told that “Israel [that is, Jacob] bowed himself on the head of the bed” (Gen. 47:31). This same faith was also expressed by the next generation; as we see from . . .

IV. JOSEPH, AND THE INSTRUCTIONS HE GAVE CONCERNING HIS BURIAL
(Verse 22). A. The writer tells us that, “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones” (v. 22).

Joseph had lived for many years in the highest position possible in the land of Egypt. And yet, his heart was inclined to the land of promise. Just as his father wanted to be buried next to Abraham and Isaac in the land of promise, so also did Joseph. He told his brethren; “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here” (Genesis 50:24-25).

B. Joseph requested this because he had faith in the promise of God and knew that God would do as He said. As God had told Abraham;
“Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Genesis 15:13b-16).

And when that promise to Abraham finally came to pass, and the people of Israel departed from Egypt under Moses’ leadership, they made sure to take the bones of Joseph with them (Exodus 13:19).
Those bones were passed on to the stewardship of Joshua, and then to the leaders of Israel who—after they took possession of the land—buried his bones in Shechem; “in the plot of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph” (Joshua 24:32).

CONCLUSION
Each of these patriarchal fathers placed their faith in the promise of God from afar. They didn’t see the fulfillment of these things in their own lifetimes; but trusted that God would do as He said. And their faith proved justified; because God did indeed fulfill His promises—not only concerning the land, and not only concerning the offspring, but also concerning the Lord Jesus who is the blessing to all the earth.

Study, Courtesy of: https://bethanybible.org/new/bible-study/pm/2016-03-09/four-patriarchs-who-had-faith-%E2%80%93-hebrews-1117-22

Contributor: Martins Olubiyi

INTRODUCTION
Last week we studied about the “Faith of the Patriarchs”. We learnt that faith is indispensable; it gives substance to spiritual things and the things God is doing in our lives. Faith is an attitude of trust in which a believer receives God’s gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8; Acts.16:30, 31) and lives in that awareness thereafter (Gal 2:20). Faith sees the invisible and believes the impossible. In today’s study, we want to learn the motive behind the faith of the Patriarchs.

Verse 13: Motive That Transcends the Ephemeral.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

This verse might appear to express tragedy. For instance, Abraham and those with him spent their whole lives longing for things they were promised, longing to have a land of their own. They trusted God for this and believed the promises He gave them, yet they died without having received them. What a travesty of tragedy! What an appalling commendation for the faith they professed and represented! If this is what our faith is about, dying with only unfulfilled hopes, then we are, as Paul said “of all men most miserable” (1Cor. 15:19). One thing this tell us is that Christianity is not a religion focused on the mundane and this present life. Paul says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth” (Col. 3:2).

Dying in faith: Writing about “These”- “Saints” Spurgeon made this startling remark in his devotional from Morning and Evening- “In faith they lived-it was their comfort, their guide, their motive and their support; and in the same spiritual grace they died, ending their life-song. Dying in faith has distinct reference to the past - They believed the promise and assurance of their sins forgiven and blotted out through the mercy of God. Dying in faith has to do with the present - These saints were confident of their acceptance with God, they enjoyed His love and rested in His faithfulness. Dying in faith looks into the future - They fell asleep, affirming that the Messiah would surely and He would on the last day appear upon the earth, they would rise from their grave to behold Him. To them the pains of death were but the birth-pangs of a better state”.

Jesus taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:19-20). This run contrary to a view that that is prevalent in our time: a packaged version of Christianity that offers mainly temporal benefits. Such as, if you trust Jesus, you will get this; you will have that. Of course, Christianity does give us spiritual resources that transform this present life. Resources like righteousness, peace and joy. But we are quick to forget that to be a Christian means to be persecuted in this world. Our blessings are
spiritual rather than material (Eph. 1:3). To be a Christian means: living as an alien and a pilgrim; it means not being able to fit in with others who are slaves to sin; it means denying yourself and picking up your cross; it means a life of struggle and fellowship in the suffering of Christ. The Christian life means, peace with God, but war with the flesh, the world, and the devil. The primary blessings Christianity offers do not lie in this life at all, but in the life to come, in the resurrection from the dead. Indeed, even our present blessings, abundant and wonderful as they are, are located in heaven, and are accessed by the exercise of faith.

The Vision of Faith: The characteristic of those living by faith is that they have a “Visionary Faith” in other words; they see the promises from afar off. Through our vision with eyes of faith, we get a proper perspective on this short time on earth versus the time forever in the future. It is obvious that the Patriarchs have eternal perspective in their expectation of God’s promises. Their perspective informed what they see with the eyes of faith. Their perspective informed their persuasion. It informed their acceptance (embrace). It informed their confession. It also helped them to know who they are and where they were. We could learn and gain from Job’s encounters on God’s eternal perspective on death and judgement. Read Job. 1:21. Job kept eternal perspective in a temporal world. He speaks of three profound realities: (i). “Naked”- he knew material blessings are temporary. (ii). “My mother’s womb”- he knew life is brief. (iii). “I will depart”- he believed in heaven.

Verse 14 & 15: The Patriarchs Were Goal Getters:
"For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned."

When Abraham came to Haran, he could have turned around and journey back into Babylon. But with the eyes of faith, he obeyed unquestionably the commands of God, from whom he received repeated promises and a covenant that his seed would inherit the land. Recall, Col. 3: 2: “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Similarly, in Luke 9:62, Jesus said “No man who puts his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Verse 16: Desire That Births Expectation
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.
It takes grace and desire to obey God. As we step out by faith, then our expectation will be on God’s promises. Here the ultimate promise is heaven.

Things to Do:
We Must See God’s Promises - Before we can believe in God’s promises, we must see them. Before we can see them, God must open our spiritually blinded eyes (Mat 13:11-15; 2Cor 4:4, 6)

We Must Welcome God’s Promises - Having seen God’s promises, the Patriarchs welcome them. They greeted God’s promises with open arms.

We Can Only See and Welcome the Promises from a Distance - This means that the patriarchs did not receive the total fulfilment of God’s promises in this life. They only received a taste of them. The same is true of all believers. God Has promised us eternal life and yet, like the Patriarchs, we all die. The only exceptions are those who will be alive when the Lord returns.

Seeing And Welcoming God’s Promises Alienates Us from This World - The reason that Abraham left his homeland and migrated to Canaan was because he had seen and welcomed God’s promises. When he left his family and friends, he then lived as an alien in the land of promise, casting down shame and reproach because of eternal reward of a prepared city.

CONCLUSION
As Christians, we need to think of ourselves as travellers who are just passing through this sinful world. We are not permanent residents, but Pilgrims on a journey to a better land. Therefore, we need to “travel light”, not burdening ourselves with an undue attachment to the material things of life. The more we care for the luxuries and possessions of earth, the more difficult will be our journey to heaven. Christians must centre their affections on Christ, not on the temporal things of this earth. Material riches lose their value when compared to the riches of glory. (D.C. Egner).

Material culled from www.precetaustin.org/Hebrews_1113-16

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we started on the topic of faith where faith was unveiled and the first two patriarchs of faith; Abel and Enoch were mentioned as well as the testimonies of their faith. Today’s study is a continuation of the faith of the patriarchs, and we will continue with the next three patriarch’s. But first the Apostle Paul interrupts the flow with an amazing interjection in verse 6 . This interjection was deliberate! If the Jews believed that the patriarch’s pleased God, then they should know that it was by faith because “without faith it is impossible to please God”

VERSE 6: FAITH IS INDISPENSABLE
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” KJV 

If it is impossible to please God without faith. The opposite is also true; faith is what pleases God. Faith is a must, it is the entrance point to a relationship with God. He interacts with us based on His grace, we respond in faith. Faith is a key element for life. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus commented on people’s faith because it was important to Him, He looked for it and responded to it everywhere He went. (Matthew 8:26, “O ye of little faith”), (Matthew 8:10, “I have not seen such great faith,” (Mark 5:34 "your faith has healed you”), (Luke 18:8, “But, when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the Earth?”) 

So the underlying truth to draw from is that God responds to faith. It pleases Him, it moves Him to act and it is essential in the life of the believer because whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)

There are two parts to faith in this verse which show why it pleases God. First, the Apostle says that faith believes that God exists. Second, he says that faith believes that God is the rewarder of those who seek Him. In other words, we please God by being expectant.

VERSE 7: NOAH’S FAITH
"By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God." (MSG)

What Noah Did By Faith:
• He built a ship in the middle of dry land (Genesis 6:13–22)
We need to understand the optics to appreciate how the command to build an ark would have been received by Noah and everyone else – building a ship in the middle of dry land. How in the world are you going to move it to the sea?

No mention is made of rain on the earth until the Flood (Gen. 7:4,12). The original earth and the Garden of Eden were watered by streams, rivers, and mist instead of by rain (Genesis 2:5,6,10). So, the faith of Noah described in this verse was very strong. Noah was warned about things not seen, if it had rained before then the Bible would not have referred to the warning as of something not seen implying that rain was not part of humanity's early experience. That is why God made a covenant with the rainbow so humanity is not afraid whenever it threatens to rain. Genesis 9:8-17

If the earth did not experience rain before the Flood, then Noah's ark-building must have appeared especially foolish to his critics. Just imagine the ridicule!

How Did He Exercise His Faith?
• By acting on what he was told; even though it was something he hadn’t seen before

What Noah Gained By His Faith:
• His family was saved. (Genesis 7:7)
• His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world.
• He became intimate with God. (Genesis 9:8-17)

VERSE 8-10: ABRAHAM’S FAITH
"By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God." (MSG)

What Abraham Did By Faith:
• He said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. (Genesis 12:1-5)
• He lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. (Genesis 13:18)
• He passed the same belief to his children and grandchildren (Genesis 18:19)

How Did He Exercise His Faith?
• By keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.

What Abraham Gained By His Faith:
• He became father of many nations (Genesis 17:5)
• His offspring inherited the Promised Land (Numbers 34:1-12)

VERSE 11-12: SARAH’S FAITH
"By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That’s how it happened that from one man’s dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions." (MSG)

What Sarah Did By Faith:
• She was able to become pregnant in her old age against all odds.
Just imagine the pressure today people of child bearing age face when they are trying to conceive. It's not uncommon for such people to become depressed.

How Did She Exercise Her Faith?
• By believing the One who made a promise would do what He said.

What Sarah Gained By Her Faith:
• She helped Abraham become father of many nations and by that mother of many nations too! (Genesis 17:5)
• Her offspring inherited the Promised Land (Numbers 34:1-12)

CONCLUSION
Faith is indispensable; it gives substance to spiritual things and the things God is doing in our lives. For the Christian Jews, who were being accused and persecuted by family members and their rabbis that they were abandoning their heritage, it was important that they knew that a life of faith is a mark of their Hebrew heritage and not a departure from it. so the apostle wrote this chapter to link them to this heritage. In verse 2 of this chapter he said that it is by faith that the elders obtained a good report.
Having this faith we have discussed today means nothing without works. The faith these patriarchs exhibited was not by the words they said but by their actions. The ultimate practicality of faith is that the way we live is consistent with what we believe.
James 2:14 says: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
And in verse 26: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

• Noah believed and built the ark without seeing
• Abraham believed and moved from his home without knowing
• Sarah received strength to have a baby when it was humanly impossible

You and I can learn from this patriarchs and please God by our “active” faith. Believing He exists and being expectant that He will come through

Contributor: Okwdili Prince-Isaac

INTRODUCTION: At the close of the foregoing chapter the apostle recommended grace of faith and a life of faith as the best preservative against apostasy, and further expounded on the nature and fruits of this excellent grace and the honour it reflects upon all who lived by it and died and suffered extraordinary things by the strength of His grace (v. 1-3). (2Pet:1:4).

UNVEILING FAITH
A definition or description of the grace of faith is in two parts.
1.It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul a kind of possession and present fruition of those things, as well as a foretaste. The result is that believers are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1Pet.1:8). Christ dwells in the soul by faith, and the soul is filled with the fullness of God (Eph.3:17-19).
2.It is the evidence of things not seen. Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind thereality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body. Faith is thefirm assent of the soul to the divine revelation and every part of it, and sets to itsseal that God is true (Jn 3:33). It is a full consent of all that God has revealed asholy, just, and good and helps the soul to apply itself fully and suitably. Faith isdesigned to serve the believer instead of sight, and to be to the soul all that thesenses are to the physical body (2Cor.5:7).

FAITH (THE TESTIMONY)
An account of the honour bestowed upon all those who have lived in and exercised faith
By it the elders (ancient believers) obtained a good report: - Firstly, true faith is not a new invention, but rather a grace that has been planted in the soul of man ever since the covenant of grace was published in the world. Secondly, their faith was their honour; it reflected honour upon ancient believers and God has taken care that a record shall be kept and report made of the excellent things accomplished in the strength of this grace. (Mal.3:16-18).

OUR STAND Verses 1-3
In the first three verses, we have one of the first acts and articles of faith, which has a great influence on our entire belief system (i.e. all believers around the word irrespective of era); namely, the creation of the worlds by the word of God,- not out of pre-existent matter, but out of nothing, (v.3). The grace of faith has a retrospect as well as prospect; it looks not only forward to the future/end of the world, but back to the beginning of the world. By faith we gain a much healthier understanding of the world than ever could be understood by the naked eye of carnal reason. We understand that;
1.These worlds were not eternal, nor did they produce themselves, but they weremade by another. (Gen.1:1-2)
2.The maker of the worlds is God; he is the maker of all things.
3.He made the world with great exactness; it was a framed work that expressesthe perfections of the Creator. (Gen.1:1-31)
4.God made the world by His Word, i.e. by his indispensable wisdom and eternal Son, and by his active will, saying, Let it be done, and it was done, (Ps. 33:9).
5.The world was basically framed out of nothing, out of no pre-existent matter(Gen.1:2).
These things we understand by faith. The Bible gives us the truest and most exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest or run down the scripture-account of the creation, as some learned but conceited people remark in their infidelity.

EXAMPLES: Verses 4 & 5
Two names of illustrious examples of faith in the Old-Testament times are mentioned.

ABEL: Abel is the leading instance and example of faith here recorded, as well as the first martyr; one who lived by faith, and died for it. He was a healthy example for the Hebrews (and Christian audience) to imitate.

What Abel did by faith:
He offered up a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, a more weighty and acceptable sacrifice. Hence, we learn that;
(1.) After the fall, God opened a new way for the children of men to return to him in religious worship, and Abel was instant at seizing the opportunity. (Gen.4:26)
(2.) After the fall, God must be worshipped by sacrifices, in such a manner which carries in it a ‘confession and desertion’ of sin, and a profession of faith in a Redeemer, as a ransom for the souls of men.
(3.) That there has been a remarkable difference between worshippers approaching God. In this case, two brothers who are vastly different in that - Cain was the elder brother, but Abel the preferred. A preference not based on seniority of birth, but grace. Their personalities and works spoke of their faith or lack of it. Abel was an upright person, a righteous man, a true believer; Cain was a formalist, with little regard for grace. It is observable in their principles: Abel acted under the power of faith; Cain only from the power of carnal education, or natural conscience, at best. This was manifest in the difference in their offerings: Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement, acknowledging himself to be a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great sacrifice; This gesture takes faith to accomplish. On the other hand, Cain brought only a sacrifice of acknowledgment, a mere thank-offering, the fruit of the ground- no ‘confession’ (and certainly no desertion) of sin, no regard to the ransom; (Gen.4:7, Luke 11:18). Cain's offering was deficient in his self-sufficiency.

What Abel gained by his faith:
The original record is in Gen. 4:4, God had respect to Abel, and to his offering; first to his person as gracious, then to his offering as proceeding from grace, which is an
extension of grace through faith. Verse 4 of Hebrews 11 informs us that Abel obtained some special advantages by his faith; e.g.
(1.) A Witness that he was righteous, a justified, sanctified, and accepted person;
(2.) God gave witness to the righteousness of his person, by testifying his acceptance of Abel’s gifts. When the fire, an emblem of God's justice, consumed the offering, it was a sign that the mercy of God accepted the offerer. (Gen.4:4)
(3.) By it he, being dead, yet speaketh. And this speech testifies that;
(a) Fallen man must approach God in worship, and with hope of acceptance.
(b) If our persons and offerings be accepted, it must be through faith in the Messiah. (Lk 7:6-10)
(c) That acceptance with God is a peculiar and unique favour. (Judges 13:23)
(d)That recipients of this favour from God must expect the envy and malice of the world. (Jn 15:18-21)
(e) That God will not allow damages inflicted on the redeemed to remain unpunished, nor their sufferings unrewarded. (Gen 12:3)

ENOCH: Enoch is the second of those elders that through faith have a good report.

What Enoch did by faith:
What is here reported of him. In this place (and in Gen. 5:22, etc.) we read,
(1.) That he walked with God, that is, that he was really, eminently, actively, progressively, and perseveringly religious in his conformity to God, communion with God, and gratification in God.
What Enoch gained by his faith
(2.) That he was translated, that he should not see death, nor any part of him be found upon earth; for God took him, soul and body, into heaven, as he will do to the saints who shall be found alive at his second coming. (1Jn 2:28) (3.) That before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. He had the evidence of it in his own conscience, and the Spirit of God witnessed with his spirit. Those who by faith walk with God in a sinful world are pleasing to Him, and he will give them marks of his favour, and put honour upon them. (Gal 6:17)

CONCLUSION
The Christian walk is hard work, and only faith in the eventual fulfilment of God’s promises can keep us going. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb.11:1). We need faith that the promises God made are true, however unlikely that might seem in the present circumstances.
Our study gives us the practical examples of Abel and Enoch. Their faith was not wishful thinking. It is taking seriously God’s self-revelation in Scripture, combined with a “repen-tance from dead works”, perseverance in “love and good deeds”, and an ability to see the hand of God at work in the world, despite the evil and brokenness around us. Ultimately, faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit, for we could never hold on to such faith by our own force of will.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

Up to this point, from our previous studies, the Apostle has been establishing the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old Covenant and its priesthood. He posed several strong arguments:
• That Christ is a better High Priest (after the order of Melchizedek) than that of Aaron and the many who made up the Levitical priesthood. (Heb. 7:17)
• That through Christ, there is a better place of worship (in the heavens, at the right hand of the Father) than that which was possible in the tabernacle. (Heb. 10:12)
• That through Christ, we have a better covenant (the New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ’s sacrificial death) with better promises than the Old Covenant. (Heb. 8:6)
• And finally, that through Christ, we have an infinitely better sacrifice, the oncefor- all sacrifice of a man (God-man) who was without sin, rather than the continual offering of animal sacrifices. (Heb. 10:12)
• The result of this superior work of the Messiah is that our sins can be forgiven once for all. As a part of this cleansing from sin, the believer is also granted a cleansed conscience, so that he or she may boldly approach God without fear (the fear of judgment which comes from guilt) or hesitation. (Heb. 9:14) 

The warnings in Hebrews Chapter 6 and today’s verses of chapter 10 are for believers and not unbelievers; and can be interpreted as very harsh judgment. That is why the Apostle Paul exhorted us to purposefully draw near, hold fast, and consider how to encourage others in their Christian walk. (Heb. 10:25)
Today’s study is divided into two main parts. The first being sobering words of warning while the second, words of encouragement and exhortation.

I. SOBERING WORDS OF WARNING
Verses 26 and 27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

The warnings in verse 26 are closely related to the exhortations of the verses which precede them. If the work of Christ is full and final, so that “there is no longer any [other] offering for sin” (10:18), then to reject the supreme and ultimate sacrifice of Christ is to leave oneself with no other means of forgiveness.
The Apostle warns of a specific kind of sin, rather than of sin in some more general sense. This specific sin is described for us in verse 26 as that which is conscious, deliberate, and persistent. This sin is committed in spite of the fact that the sinner had received the knowledge of the truth. Not only is this sin wilful, it is also persistent and ongoing; deliberately rejecting Christ. Such a person has become an apostate and not a believer anymore! Such a person does not sin because of ignorance, nor is he or she carried away by momentary temptations he or she is too weak to resist. The wilful sinner sins because of an established way of thinking and acting which he or she has no desire to give up.
Having turned their backs on the truth, and with full knowledge choosing to wilfully and continually sin, the apostate is then beyond salvation because they have rejected the one true sacrifice for sins: the Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ’s sacrifice is rejected, then all hope of salvation is gone. To turn away wilfully from this sacrifice leaves no sacrifice; it leaves only sin, the penalty for which is eternal death.
This passage is not speaking of a believer who falls away, but rather someone who may claim to be a believer, but truly is not. Anyone who apostatizes is proving he never had genuine faith to begin with (1 John 2:19). “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”

Verses 28-29
“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

The violation of the Mosaic law was a desecration, it is a much greater defilement to despise the New Covenant. Both have their respective discipline. The argument of this verse refers to the practice in the Old Testament whereby people were put to death for idolatry and murder. (Numbers 15:27–31)
By analogy, the New Covenant believer who violates the doctrine of the sacrificial death of Christ subjects himself to severe discipline from God. Premature death of the believer may be an option (Acts 5:1–11; 1 Cor. 11:28–31; 1 John 5:16). It could also mean that the believer will lose his rewards in heaven. But for the apostate, he or she is subject to eternal death. This verse provides us three more characteristics of this particular sin also referred to in verse 26:
•It expresses contempt for the Son of God
•It profanes the blood of the covenant, the very blood that sanctified him or her
•It insults the Spirit of grace

Verses 30-31
“For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

“To fall” into God’s living hands is to come under His absolute authority. David would rather be judged by God than man (2 Sam 24:14). In David’s case, God sent pestilence that caused 70 thousand Israelites to die. Falling into the hands of God here is chastisement, not eternal damnation. This is a warning to believers, not unbelievers. God takes upon Himself the responsibility for dealing with believers who distort doctrine.

II. WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND EXHORTATION
In this section the Apostle Paul gives us five points for endurance.

1. Remember Your Past (Verses 32-34a)
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,

The first point of encouragement is to remember your past. Here, Paul reminds these Christians of all they had endured for the cause of Christ up to this point. They “endured a hard struggle with sufferings.” Sometimes they were exposed to public insults. Some experienced persecution. Some were put in prison and some endured the confiscation of their property. Some of these Christians showed love and courage by standing side by side with those who were treated this way. Why is the writer reminding them of what they went through in the past and how they handled it? The point is that you have endured in the past and you can continue to endure now. You showed love and compassion during those difficult times. They had a joyful response to what they experience. You did not give up when it was hard to be a Christian. You did not quit when the pressure was significant. Not only did you not give up, but you even rose to the challenge in how you handled the trials and how you helped others through the trial. We can endure when we remember how we have endured in the past.

2. You Have Something Better! Hold on and You will be Rewarded! (Verses 34b – 35)
“because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”
The second point of encouragement Paul shares is why they were so successful at that moment of trial they experienced in the past. It was because of the confidence they had; that they possessed something better; a lasting possession in heaven. He now admonishes them not to throw that this confidence away because in the end they will be richly rewarded.

3. You Need To Endure/Persevere (Verse 36)
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
The third point of encouragement is simply a call to endure. Endurance is the call of life. Nothing about walking with God is ever pictured as easy or simplistic; but the
reassurance is that at the end we will receive what God promised us. Suffering is not an excuse for not doing the will of God. We need to endure and continue to do the will of God so that we can receive our great reward.

4.Jesus Is Coming (Verse 37)
“For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”
The fourth point for endurance is knowing that Jesus is coming and He will not delay. God does not stop evil from ever happening, but He does judge it. The context of this quotation comes from Habakkuk 2. “If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

5.The Righteous Live By Faith (Verse 38)
“And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
The final point for endurance is to understand that the righteous live by faith. Endurance is persistence in this life of faith despite hardships and persecution. What other way do we show faith? What other way do we show our trust in God except when life is hard, continuing to be faithful in our righteous living to God? When you go through hardships and you remain faithful and continue to show the love of Christ in all you do, God takes pleasure in you. There is not a better thought to encourage our continued endurance.

CONCLUSION
Apostle Paul concludes his encouragement with verse 39.
“But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” 
The destruction mentioned here is not the eternal destruction of the soul. Although it can refer to either eternal destruction in hell, the meaning in this context is “ruin.” To draw back will ruin the believer who does this in his present life. The believer cannot draw back to eternal ruin. However, the Christian can ruin their testimony of walking by faith and keeping the clarity of their message if they minimize the finished work of Christ. An apostate on the other hand leaves himself/herself no other option than the penalty of eternal death.
Parts of this study was culled from:

https://bible.org/seriespage/24-should-there-be-second-class-saints-hebrews-1026-39 https://westpalmbeachchurchofchrist.com/new-testament/hebrews/hebrews_10_26- 39.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/Hebrews-10-26.html

Contributor: Ngozi Roberts

Introduction
Review of last week’s study:
During the last studies, we have established the fact that covenant under Moses was all about the sacrifices made repeatedly for sins. However, with the crucifixion of Jesus introduced the new covenant was only one sacrifice made for all our sins once and for all. With this unique sacrifice abundant mercy has been provided for us all having confirmed the writing of His laws in our hearts so that we walk with him in perfection.
Today’s study captioned “A Call to Persevere in Faith”

TEXT
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV

Verses 19-21
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, Here the writer is encouraging us to establish our faith.

In Verse 19 he emphasises on how we can come to Him:
• By the blood of Jesus - having been given birth together through the blood we are now brothers and sisters in Gods family and as a result it’s natural that as our Father, God will welcome us to himself. Therefore, we should be bold enough to come to Him in His Holy Sanctuary without hesitation or bashfulness.

• by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body - Here the writer confirms that the way to God is now open. There is no longer the bus stop from one holy place to another and to the holy of holies as it was during the Moses covenant. However, with the crucifixion of Christ we can say that we now have an express way to Him which is a devoted/dedicated life-giving way for us to approach God.

• and since we have a great priest over the house of God- This is because we now have Jesus Christ as a High Priest. Remember, in the earlier verses, we established how in the Moses’ covenant that the priests would offer sacrifices using animals for atonement of sins but in this new covenant our High Priest is Jesus Himself and the writer makes us to know that He is the only High Priest over all of us that can welcome us into the presence of God.

Verses 22 – 23
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful

• Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart – so we are encouraged to come to him with an open heart, be sure not to let anything keep us far from him. Just like James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

• with the full assurance that faith brings – be fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from Him

• having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience – another way would be by having faith and of certain that our hearts have been cleaned by the sprinkled blood of Jesus. This blood removes impurities and helps us to be free from any king of accusing conscience.

• having our bodies washed with pure water - In this unstained state, we can be sure to be presentable to God inside and outside.

• Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess – The writer goes on to encourage us that once we are in this state of purity, we should hold on to it tightly. Just as Joshua say in 23:8 “But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.” In other words, we should stay strong and steady. Obediently do everything that is written in God’s word missing no detail. Making sure we do not get mixed up with the ways of the world that are still around.

• for he who promised is faithful. - When we hold on tightly and steadfastly to this hope inside of us, God will surely keep His promises. - Psalm 145:13 says– “The Lord is faithful to ALL His promises and loving toward ALL He has made”

Verses 24-25
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

• spur one another on toward love and good deeds - The writer went on to explain further how we can hold on tightly the hope that we confess. One of the ways would be by way of encouraging one another. Motivating one another and helping each other by doing the works of compassion, doing godly works that helps us express the love of God.

• not giving up meeting together - He advised us to avoid pulling away from meeting together as brothers and sisters. We should not form the habit of despising our meeting together. We should desire always to be around other believers as it will encourage us in our walk-in faith. This brings to remembrance the practice of the saints of old in Acts 2:42 which told us “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”. Also, Colossians 3:16 encouraged us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

• but encouraging one another – So we ought to form the habit of meeting together and be eager to always encourage and urge one another. This was also emphasized in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 which say “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do “

• and even more as you see the Day approaching - This way we can through our encouragement help each other to anticipate the coming of our Lord and be ready for His coming.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the writer is encouraging us as those who have found confidence, trust, and faith in Jesus Christ to enter His presence freely as we have been purified and washed clean by the blood of Jesus. This is our confidence because God will surely accept us. We as believers have a great and secure hope for the future until we meet Him face to face in glory. But until then we are encouraged to keep on going in the right direction, encouraging one another in love with good deeds. In other words, our lifestyle should be very active and never a dull moment or idle time so that we do not give room to the enemy and as we do so God will continue to help us and strengthen us in Jesus’s name Amen.