Hebrews 11:1-3 The Description of Faith

 

This chapter introduces the final section of the epistle (Heb. 11-13) which I like to call “The Superior Principle – Faith.” The fact that Christ is a superior Person and that He exercises a superior Priesthood ought to encourage us to put our trust in Him. The readers of this epistle were being tempted to go back into Judaism and put their faith in Moses. Their confidence was in the visible things of this world, not the invisible realities of God. Instead of going on to perfection (maturity), they were going “back to perdition [waste]” In Hebrews 11 all Christians are called to live by faith. In it, the writer discusses two important topics relating to faith.

This is not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works. True Bible faith is not blind optimism or a manufactured “hope-so” feeling. Neither is it an intellectual assent to a doctrine. It’s certainly not believing in spite of the evidence! That would be superstition. True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences. Read that sentence again and let it soak into your heart and mind.

This faith operates really quite simply. God speaks and we hear His Word. We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances may be. The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences frightening and unknown; but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best.

The unsaved world does not understand true Bible Faith, probably because it sees so little faith in action in the church today. The world fails to realize that faith is only as good as its object, and the object of our faith is God. Faith is not some “feeling” that we manufacture. It is our total response to what God has revealed in His Word. There are three words in verses 1-3 that summarize what true Bible faith is: substance, evidence, and witness.

The word translated “substance” means literally “to stand under, to support.” Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house: it gives confidence and assurance that he will stand. The word evidence simply means “conviction.” This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised He will perform. Witness is an important word in Hebrews 11. It occurs not only in verse 2, but twice in verse 4, once in verse 5, and once in verse 39. The summary in Hebrews 12:1 calls this list of men and women “so great a cloud of witnesses.” They are witnesses to us because God witnessed to them. In each example cited, God gave witness to that person’s faith. This witness was His divine approval on their lives and ministries.

The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that faith is a very practical thing (v. 3), in spite of what unbelievers say. Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do! The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful.

Hebrews 11:1-3 Reflection Questions:

How much confidence are you putting in the visible things of this world versus the invisible kingdom of God?

Are you obedient to God’s Word regardless of the consequences and circumstances?

Journal on what and when God‘s divine approval on your life and ministry has been to built your faith.

How could reading the Bible daily build your faith? Do you?

Isaiah 45:14-25 No Other Savior

 

We have now reached one of the grandest moments in the book. Cyrus fades into the background and the whole scene is dominated by the uniqueness and glory of the One who has chosen to use him. The Lord alone is God, and salvation is to be found in no-one else. Cyrus’s mission will demonstrate this fact, and one day people everywhere will acknowledge it. There are two speeches by the Lord in this passage, and two short responses by Isaiah.

The first speech, in verse 14, is addressed to Jerusalem, as indicated by the use of the singular pronoun “you”. But here Jerusalem stands for the people of God – the citizens of Jerusalem – scattered by their enemies, but destined to return. The astounding assertion of this speech is that they will rule the world! The rich agricultural products and other merchandise of the Nile valley will flow into Jerusalem, and the tall Sabeans, the inhabitants of its most remote upper regions, will come like prisoners in a victory parade, confessing that there is no God but the One who reigns in Jerusalem. Like the Magi who came to worship Jesus, they represent all that is remote and exotic in the world, while Egypt represents everything cultured, rich and oppressive. Although the imagery is commercial and military, what is ultimately in view is a conquest that is intensely spiritual in nature, the final triumph of the truth about God. This victory, the Lord declares, will be achieved through Jerusalem, His people whom He is soon to restore to their homeland.

Isaiah’s response (vv. 15-17) is like a grasp of amazement at the sheer audacity of God! No-one who saw the captives from Judah struggling to rebuild their shattered lives in Babylon would guess their significance. They were not a nation – scarcely even the remnant of one, since all their national institutions had been destroyed. God’s purposes, for the present, were hidden in them (v. 15), but would one day become visible. Then the tables would be completely turned; idolaters, presently so powerful, would be put to shame, while God’s people, presently weak and insignificant, would be saved with an everlasting salvation (vv, 16-17). Jesus later made the same point in His teaching about the kingdom of God. Paul put it, “the saints will judge the world”.

Great care is needed in talking about the hiddenness of God. It can suggest that He has deliberately made Himself and His purposes obscure, so that people are driven to seek Him by superstitious, occult means. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, as the Lord’s second speech makes absolutely clear (vv. 18-24). Religious superstition in all its forms, especially idolatry, is quite inexcusable (v. 20b), for God has spoken to His people (and through them to the world) truthfully and clearly, making possible an open and trusting relationship with Him (v. 19). He has also backed up His words through the prophets with actions, such as the raising up of Cyrus, that confirm His claim to be the only God and Savior (v. 21). So people everywhere have been put on notice; one day they will all have to bow the knee to the Lord and confess the truth about Him (vv. 23-24a). The question is whether they will do so now. The salvation He offers must be understood in the light of verses 16-17. It is a share in everlasting salvation, the final state of blessedness He has in store for His people Israel, and escape from everlasting shame and disgrace that will be the lot of idolaters. What an offer! Isaiah’s response (vv. 24b-25) is simply a quiet, respectful summary of it. The hidden God has revealed Himself, and the implications are awesome.

The ultimatum that has come from the throne of heaven is universal in its scope (all you ends of the earth) and yet intensely personal in its reference (every knee, every tongue). And it contains a great imperative within it: such news must be published! The fate of men and women everywhere depend on it. In the final analysis, the vision of Isaiah is a profoundly missionary vision.

Isaiah 45:14-25 Reflection Questions:

Where in the New Testament does Jesus talk about the meek inheriting the earth?

Where does Paul talk about “the saints will judge the world”?

How are you sharing the “good news” of “eternal salvation”?

Do you think God is hidden?

Hebrews 10:19-39 Christ’s Sacrifice Opens the Way to God

 

No Old Covenant worshiper would have been bold enough to try to enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle. Even the high priest entered the holy of holies only once a year. The thick veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was a barrier between people and God. Only the death of Christ could tear that veil and open the way into the heavenly sanctuary where God dwells.

A gracious invitation (vv. 19-25): “Let us draw near…Let us hold fast…Let us consider one another.” This threefold invitation hinges on our boldness to enter into the holiest. This boldness rests on the finished work of Christ; on the Day of Atonement, the high priest could not enter the holy of holies unless he had the blood sacrifice. But our entrance into God’s presence is not because of an animal’s blood but because of Christ’s shed blood. This open way into God’s presence is “new” and not part of the Old Covenant that “grows old and is ready to vanish away”. It is “living” because Christ “ever lives to make intercession” for us. Christ is the new and living way! On the basis of these assurances – that we have boldness to enter because we have a living High Priest – we have an “open invitation” to enter the presence of God. The Old Covenant high priest visited the holy of holies once a year, but we are invited to dwell in the presence of God every moment of each day. What a tremendous privilege!

A solemn exhortation (vv. 26-31): This is the fourth of the five exhortations found in Hebrews. It is written to believers and follows in sequence with the other exhortations. The believer who begins to drift from the Word will soon start to doubt the Word. Soon, he will become dull toward the Word and become “lazy” in his spiritual life. This will result in despising the Word, which is the theme of this exhortation. The evidence of this “despising” is willful sin. This exhortation is not dealing with one particular act of sin, but with an attitude that leads to repeated disobedience. How does an arrogant attitude affect a believer’s relationship with God? It is as though he trods Jesus Christ underfoot, cheapens the precious blood that saved him and insults the Holy Spirit.

What should a believer do who has drifted away into spiritual doubt and dullness and is deliberately despising God’s Word? He should turn to God for mercy and forgiveness. There is no other sacrifice for sin, but the sacrifice Christ made is sufficient for all sins. It is a fearful thing to fall into the Lord’s hands for chastening, but it is a wonderful thing to fall into His hands for cleansing and restoration. David said, “Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are His mercies” (1 Chron. 21:13).

An encouraging confirmation (vv. 32-39): In case any of his readers should misinterpret his exhortation, the writer followed it with words of encouragement and confirmation. His readers had given every evidence that they were true Christians. He did not expect them to despise God’s Word and experience the chastening of God. The readers had been willing to suffer reproach and persecution, even to the spoiling of their goods. At that time they had great confidence and hope; but now they were in danger of casting away that confidence and going back into their old religion.

The secret of victory was in their faith and patience (“courageous endurance”). The believer who lives by faith will “go into perfection”. But the believer who lives by sight will “draw back unto perdition”. What is perdition in this context? To put it simply; a believer who does not walk by faith goes back into the old ways and wastes his life. “The saving of the soul” is the opposite of “waste”; to walk by faith means to obey God’s Word and live for Jesus Christ. We lose our lives for His sake – but we save them (see Matt. 16:25-27)! We can be confident, as we walk by faith, that our Great High Priest will guide us and perfect us!

Hebrews 10:19-39 Reflection Questions:

What is the gospel verse that talks about the tearing of the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies at Christ’s death?

What does it mean to you to dwell in the presence of God every moment of each day? Do you do it?

The major theme of Hebrews is “God has spoken – how are you responding to His Word”?