The author’s aim in this passage is to remind his readers of just how privileged they are. They needed this because the difficulties of living the Christian life was taking its toll on them, and returning to their former life of Judaism was sounding appealing. ...
The author has pleaded with his audience not to “grow weary or fainthearted” at God’s discipline, but to endure it, knowing it proves they are his children and that he does it “for our good, that we may share his holiness.” (Hebrews 12: 3, 7, 10) The need for endurance and holiness converge again here in this brief encouragement and warning. ...
It’s easy to begin something. Finishing something, however, is hard. That’s because finishing what we begin requires us to endure the setbacks we face along the way. ...
Forty years before the walls of Jericho fell, God had brought the nation of Israel to the brink of the land of Canaan. Most of the spies who scouted out the land had returned in despair, saying the land’s inhabitants were too strong for them (Numbers 13:25-14:4). In response, the people refused to enter, and God in turn punished them by causing them to live in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 14:34). ...
The recipients of Hebrews would have thought highly of Moses. So the author devotes several verses to showing them that the difficult road of faith they were tempted to turn off was the same road their hero walked. ...
Faith is “the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Sometimes, what is “not seen” is how God is working in our present circumstances. Other times, what’s unseen is future realities. ...
Abraham’s faith was demonstrated in his obedience to leave everything behind and follow God to a land yet to be revealed: “he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1). ...
You can’t have a discussion on faith without mentioning Abraham, a man known specifically for his faith. Because of this reputation, the author devotes several more verses to him and his family than he did to Abel, Enoch, or Noah. ...
Noah is the third and final example of the author’s point that walking by faith is something God’s people have been doing before even Abraham, the man of faith. And again, Hebrews 10:38 (quoting Habakkuk 2:3-4) is prominent in the author’s mind: “my righteous one shall live by faith”. Anyone “righteous” or pleasing to God (v 6) are, by definition, people of faith. And this includes Noah. ...
The author now mentions a second pre-Abraham example of faith, Enoch, whose story is told in Genesis 5:21-24. We’re not told much, but after Enoch’s son Methusaleh was born, he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22). The last thing we’re told about him is that he “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24) That is, this man who walked with God never experienced death. ...
The author’s aim in this passage is to remind his readers of just how privileged they are. They needed this because the difficulties of living the Christian life was taking its toll on them, and returning to their former life of Judaism was sounding appealing. ...
Keep ReadingThe author has pleaded with his audience not to “grow weary or fainthearted” at God’s discipline, but to endure it, knowing it proves they are his children and that he does it “for our good, that we may share his holiness.” (Hebrews 12: 3, 7, 10) The need for endurance and holiness converge again here in this brief encouragement and warning. ...
Keep ReadingIt’s easy to begin something. Finishing something, however, is hard. That’s because finishing what we begin requires us to endure the setbacks we face along the way. ...
Keep ReadingForty years before the walls of Jericho fell, God had brought the nation of Israel to the brink of the land of Canaan. Most of the spies who scouted out the land had returned in despair, saying the land’s inhabitants were too strong for them (Numbers 13:25-14:4). In response, the people refused to enter, and God in turn punished them by causing them to live in the wilder...
Keep ReadingThe recipients of Hebrews would have thought highly of Moses. So the author devotes several verses to showing them that the difficult road of faith they were tempted to turn off was the same road their hero walked. ...
Keep ReadingFaith is “the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Sometimes, what is “not seen” is how God is working in our present circumstances. Other times, what’s unseen is future realities. ...
Keep ReadingAbraham’s faith was demonstrated in his obedience to leave everything behind and follow God to a land yet to be revealed: “he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1). ...
Keep ReadingYou can’t have a discussion on faith without mentioning Abraham, a man known specifically for his faith. Because of this reputation, the author devotes several more verses to him and his family than he did to Abel, Enoch, or Noah. ...
Keep ReadingNoah is the third and final example of the author’s point that walking by faith is something God’s people have been doing before even Abraham, the man of faith. And again, Hebrews 10:38 (quoting Habakkuk 2:3-4) is prominent in the author’s mind: “my righteous one shall live by faith”. Anyone “righteous” or pleasing to God (v 6) are, by definition, people of f...
Keep ReadingThe author now mentions a second pre-Abraham example of faith, Enoch, whose story is told in Genesis 5:21-24. We’re not told much, but after Enoch’s son Methusaleh was born, he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22). The last thing we’re told about him is that he “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24) That is, this man who walked with G...
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