Hebrews 11:23

Hebrews 11:23 says, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.  His parents were not afraid of the king's, or pharaoh's, commandment.  The life of Moses actually begins with the faith of his parents.  Moses was born under a death sentence.  This was not the death sentence that we could say we are all under due to sin, but an actual death sentence decreed by the Pharaoh.  Still, just as the parents of Moses were concerned with saving him from a physical death, we should be concerned with saving our children from a spiritual death.  We should make sure that they know about the sacrifice of Christ for their sins.  Moses was first hidden, and then he was placed in the household of the Pharaoh.  

Verse twenty-four adds, By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;  Moses could have continued in a position of privilege and authority, but by faith he chose to be identified with God and God's people.  All the honor and privilege in the world should never come between God and us, if we are truly followers of Christ.  We must act in faith, no matter what the consequences might be.  

Verse twenty-five continues, Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;  Like Moses could have, we could choose to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, but hopefully we will do as Moses did and choose to endure affliction, if necessary, in order to remain true to God.  

Verse twenty-six states, Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.  Since Christ had yet come into the world, this would mean that Moses had faith in the coming Messiah, the suffering Servant.  We today put our faith in the return of Christ, Who is the eternal King.  

Verse twenty-seven adds, By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.  Moses stood up to the Pharaoh, not because of his own strength, but because of his faith in the invisible God.  Moses could not see God physically, but he could see the evidence of God's work in the world, and so can we.  

Verse twenty-eight continues, Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.  Moses kept the Passover through faith, and not as some empty ritual.  Moses recognized the power of God when he worshipped Him.  When we worship God, we should always acknowledge that He is the power behind all creation, and we should never just go through the motions of worship.  Our relationship with God is real if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, so our worship should be real also.  

Verse twenty-nine declares, By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.  Some people today, to downplay the power of God, say that the Israelites passed through more of a swampy area than a divided sea, but the Bible says they passed through the Red Sea on dry land.  Either this is true, or the Egyptian army drowned in a marsh.  

Verse thirty adds, By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.  There are also people today who attempt to explain away this miracle by saying that the horns that were being played simply hit the right harmonic frequency to vibrate the walls apart.  I do not believe that we need to explain miracles, but we must simply accept them by faith in the sovereignty of God.

Hebrews 11:13

Hebrews 11:13 says, 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.  All these men of faith died, with the exception of Enoch, without seeing all of God's promises fulfilled.  They did see some of God's individual promises to them fulfilled, but not His promise of everlasting life in a city that He would prepare for them.  We may see God fulfill His individual promises to us, but we will never see the fulfillment of the promise of everlasting life until after we die or Christ returns.  We must simply abide in faith.  They confessed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims on earth, and so must we.  

Verse fourteen adds, For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  Just as these great men of faith in the Old Testament declared plainly that they sought a country, an everlasting place of peace and comfort, so should we.  Anything that we build in this world is temporary, so our emphasis should be on building the things of God.  

Verse fifteen continues, And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.  These followers of God could have been tempted to return to the place they came out of, but they weren't.  We may be tempted to return to the life we had before accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord, but we must never act on that temptation.  Even if we must sacrifice everything of this world, even our lives, in order to be faithful to God, then this is what we must do.  

Verse sixteen declares, But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.  Just as they desired a better country, a heavenly one, so should we.  We are to lay up our treasures in heaven and not in this world.  

Verse seventeen adds, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  After Isaac was born, the heir of the promise, Abraham's faith was tested once more.  This time, he followed God's instructions, up to the point of being willing to sacrifice Isaac.  We also need to be willing to lay everything on the altar of God.  

Verse eighteen continues, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  Isaac was the child through whom Abraham was to become a great nation, but Abraham was willing to sacrifice him to God when he knew that was what God was asking him to do.  Once more, we must never let anything come between us and our relationship with God.  

Verse nineteen states, Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.  Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac up even from death.  We should have that same assurance about our lives today.  Even if we die, God will raise us up again.  With this assurance, we should always put following God's will above everything, even life itself.  

Verse twenty adds, By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.  Isaac continued in the faith of Abraham, blessing both Jacob and Esau.  

Verse twenty-one continues, By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.  Even though Jacob may have received his blessing from Isaac, he came to a real relationship with God through faith.  It is not earthly blessings but a Devine encounter that makes us people of faith.  

Verse twenty-two concludes, By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.  Joseph wanted his bones buried in the Promised Land, symbolic of the fact that he had returned home to God's kingdom.  He had faith that the children of God would return.

Hebrews 11:8

Hebrews 11:8 says, By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  I am going to look at these four verses that speak of Abraham and Sarah as a separate unit.  I believe that there are several things we can learn from them.  Abraham was called by God.  He did not just go seeking for and find God.  When we come to God, it will always be because He reached out to us.  Abraham did leave his home at God's urging and head for a home he knew nothing about.  He did not leave all his kindred though, as God had instructed him to do.  This would cause several problems for him later on.  I believe that what we need to understand is that we cannot modify God's directions to us without creating problems.  Still, Abraham is known as one of the great men of faith.  

Verse nine adds, By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  Abraham lived in the promised land, not as an everlasting home, but as one who was a sojourner in the land.  We will always be simply passing through this world.  This world is not our home.  Abraham lived in tabernacles, or tents, always ready to move on.  He lived until Isaac was seventy-five and Jacob was fifteen.  They were the heirs of the promise of God that He would make from Abraham a great nation, but even in that promise Abraham was not content to wait on God.  This caused even more problems for Abraham and the world since.  

Verse ten continues, For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.  Abraham looked ahead to that city that has an everlasting foundation, whose builder and maker is God.  No matter how impressive we may make a house today, from an everlasting perspective, it is no better than a tent.  Yet, we sometimes put more emphasis and spend more time and money on these houses than we do on the things of God.  

Verse eleven states, Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.  Sarah had a child well after she was past the age to have a child, because she judged God faithful to fulfill His promise.  This was not until she had made her own plan to fulfill God's promise though.  We cannot fulfill God's promises by our own actions but must wait by faith for Him to fulfill them.  

Verse twelve adds, Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.  God abundantly fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and He will always fulfill all His promises to us, His followers.  We already have everlasting life through our faith in Christ, and the things of this world should cease to have priority in our lives.  We must always put God first and follow His plan for our lives.

Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  If we are to live by faith, then we must understand what faith is.  Faith is the basis of what we hope for, the everlasting life with God when Christ returns to claim His followers.  Faith is not something that we can prove by sight.  If we must always see a positive outcome before we act, then that is not faith.  We cannot demand to know the outcome before we step out in faith.  We are to simply act knowing without a doubt that God is in charge no matter what happens.  

Verse two adds, For by it the elders obtained a good report.  Living by faith was not a new concept, but it was through faith that the elders, those people of God who lived before Christ came, obtained a good report.  It was not their own goodness, nor their obedience to the law that gave them a good report, but it was their faith in God that did.  

Verse three continues, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.  We can never really prove that God, by His word alone, created the heavens and the earth.  This is the same with the creation of all life.  We may see a lot of evidence that points to a Creator, but we can only know the truth of a Creator through faith.  We do not have to prove God exists, but we simply have to accept Him by faith.  We cannot really prove that Christ died for our sins in earthly, scientific terms, but we can only accept the fact by faith.  

Verse four states, By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.  We might question why God accepted Abel's sacrifice and not Cain's, but it had to do with faith.  If we offer any sacrifice to God for any reason other than faith in Him, it will not be accepted.  We cannot buy God's grace but can only accept it in faith.  

Verse five adds, By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  Not many people can say they pleased God enough that they never died.  Just two that are mentioned in the Bible.  This does not mean that Enoch never sinned, but that he was totally dedicated to following God's will after he came to God through faith.  

Verse six continues, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Without faith in God, we cannot please God.  Works and sacrifices will never buy God's approval.  We can only please God by placing our faith in Christ.  

Verse seven concludes, By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.  Noah was another person who found grace in the eyes of God.  Noah was not found faithful only after building the Ark but built the Ark because he was found faithful.  The gift of salvation through the grace of God will always come before doing works for God.  Works are an expression of our faith and not a means of obtaining favor with God.  The whole world may have thought Noah crazy, but he was faithful to God and built an Ark on dry land.

Hebrews 10:32

Hebrews 10:32 says, But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;  If we start to drift away from God, we need to remember life before we were illuminated, or saw the light of salvation through Christ.  We may endure all things through Christ Who gives us strength.  Before we accepted Christ, we were without hope, but through our faith in Him we have forgiveness and everlasting fellowship with God.  Verse thirty-three adds, Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.  Those in the early church were treated terribly.  They were laughed at and mocked at the best and beaten and killed at the worst.  Many times, this was done by those calling themselves God's people.  Those who were true followers of Christ identified with those suffering for their faith and had compassion on them.  We should be the same way today.  We should really be burdened by those who suffer for their faith in Christ.  Verse thirty-four continues, For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.  Those who were fellow followers of Christ had compassion on the writer, whether it was Paul or not, who was in bonds and joyfully accepted the loss of earthly possessions that were lost due to their faith in Christ.  They knew as should we, that they had a more enduring reward in heaven.  This is about as far from a prosperity gospel as we can get, but it is what God's word consistently proclaims.  Verse thirty-five states, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  We should never lose our confidence in our salvation, no matter how bad things may get.  Verse thirty-six adds, For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  I believe that this is simply a call for us to be patient in our faith.  We will not receive the promise of God, of life without pain and struggling in this life, but we can be certain that it is coming if we have accepted the salvation of Christ.  Verse thirty-seven continues, For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  Even if it is another two thousand years before Christ returns, it is but a little while when compared to eternity.  The reason Christ has not returned yet is because people are still being saved.  Verse thirty-eight says, Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  The just are to live by faith, never wavering in that faith.  If we do, God has no pleasure in us.  If we doubt when things go wrong and then believe when things start to go well again, what kind of faith is that?  We are to live by faith in the good times and the bad, and if anything, even more so in the bad.  Verse thirty-nine adds, But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.  I believe that those who draw back are those who were never really saved to start with.  Those who are truly followers of Christ will never be sent away from God.  We have an everlasting salvation.

Hebrews 10:28

Hebrews 10:28 says, He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  This is still addressed to those who wilfully sin under the grace of God.  Matthew Henry seems to say that this refers to those who only seem to accept Christ as Savior, but I believe it also applies to those who accept Christ and then willfully sin.  

Verse twenty-nine adds, Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  Under the law of Moses, when two or three witnessed against a person they were found guilty.  We are asked how much greater it will be for those who trodden underfoot the Son of God and counted His blood, or death, as an unholy thing.  Again, this can apply to those who totally reject Christ, but since this was addressed to the church, I believe that it also applies to Christians who willfully sin.  Matthew Henry applies this to those who claim to accept Christ, but do not really do so.  I believe that if we willfully sin after salvation, then we do count the blood of Christ as an unholy thing.  We do trod Christ underfoot, because we put self-will first.  

Verse thirty continues, For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  Vengeance belongs to God, and He will judge His people.  Once more, if we have truly accepted Christ, we are saved by His sacrifice for us on the cross, but this says that God will judge His people.  We as followers of Christ have a great responsibility to put God first in our lives, and when we do not, we will be held accountable for our actions.  

Verse thirty-one concludes, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  I believe that this means for the unsaved.  If we have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives, then God is a loving Father to us.  Still, if we have willfully sinned after accepting Christ, we will face a Father Who will deal with our sins.  We cannot live in disobedience presuming on the forgiveness of Christ.  For those who have not accepted Christ as Savior, much less Lord, it will truly be a fearful thing.

Hebrews 10:19

Hebrews 10:19 says, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,  We are given the right, the boldness, to enter into the holiest places of God by the blood of Jesus.  We cannot earn nor do we deserve this right, but through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we are given the right.  We should live our lives in boldness through accepting this gift of salvation.  

Verse twenty adds, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  The covenant that we have through Christ is a new and living way, not separated from God by the veil of the temple.  We do not have to offer sacrifices in order to come into the presence of God.  As followers of Christ, through the Holy Spirit living in us, we are continually in the presence of God.  

Verse twenty-one continues, And having an high priest over the house of God;  We have an eternal high Priest Who reigns over the house of God.  This does not signify a particular place but refers to the life of each individual believer.  As followers of Christ, we are the house of God.  

Verse twenty-two states, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  We can approach God with a heart full of assurance because of our faith in Christ.  We have been made pure by the blood of Christ.  

Verse twenty-three adds, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)  Once we have accepted Christ as our Savoir, we need to hold fast to Him as Lord of our lives.  We should never waiver in our faith.  If we have truly accepted Christ as our Savior, we are forever saved.  

Verse twenty-four continues, And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  We usually consider provoking to be a bad thing, but we are called to provoke, or to prompt or urge, each other to love and good works.  Love is not some uncontrollable emotion, but a choice.  Sometimes it may be harder to provoke this love than at other times, but we are called to love all our neighbors.  

Verse twenty-five declares, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  We are to gather together to worship God and exhort one another.  We are to do so more as the time for the return of Christ grows nearer, as it does each day.  

Verse twenty-six adds, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  I don't believe that this means that we lose our salvation, but we will be held accountable for willful sins committed after we are saved.  

Verse twenty-seven continues, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  This is still speaking of willfully sinning after we are saved.  There will be a fiery indignation on God's part.  Salvation will never give us the freedom to sin without consequences just because our sins are already forgiven.