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 Previous Return to Hebrews Next 

THE PAST ENCOURAGES THE PRESENT

Hebrews 11:21c-23

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The primary exhortation to the Hebrew Christians to whom the book was written is:  “Be faithful!”

 

B.      The writer has already used examples from the past to encourage his readers.

 

C.     In Hebrews 11, the writer turns to the examples of faithful individuals from the past.

 

D.    Outline of the chapter:

 

i.                    FAITH (Heb. 11:1-3)

ii.                  FATHERS (Heb. 11:4-22)

iii.                FOUNDER (Heb. 11:23-31)

iv.                FEARLESS (Heb. 11:32-38)

v.                  FASTENING (Heb. 11:39-40)

 

I.                   FAITH (Heb. 11:1-3)

 

II.                FATHERS (Heb. 11:4-22)

 

A.    It is interesting that the inspired writer does not go back to Adam and Eve as the first example of faith.

B.      Abel (Heb. 11:4)

C.     Enoch (Heb. 11:5-6)

D.    Noah (Heb. 11:7)

E.      Abraham (Heb. 11:8-19)

F.      Isaac (Heb. 11:20)

G.     Jacob (Heb. 11:21)

1.      Dying in faith (21a)

2.      Declaring blessings on Joseph’s sons (21b)

3.      Devotion to God (21c)

 

…and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

 

a.      Commentators try to tie this to the account found in Genesis 49:33. 

b.      It appears to have been an action not revealed in the Genesis account that took place immediately following the blessing given to Joseph’s sons.

c.       Again, Jacob manifests his faith in God by giving adoration to Him as he neared the close of his life.

 

H.    Joseph (Heb. 11:22)

1.      The end of life

 

By faith Joseph, when he died…

 

a.      Joseph grew old in Egypt and was nearing death

b.      As he approached the moment of departure, his brethren gathered around him (Gen. 50:24).

c.       As he neared his last breath, Joseph continued to manifest faith in God.

2.      The exit from Egypt

 

…made mention of the departing of the children of Israel…

 

a.      Genesis 50:24

 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die:  and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

 

b.      This was truly an act of faith. 

1)      It would be several years before this came to pass.

2)      Either God revealed it unto him, or, he trusted the promise of God regarding the land promise given to his fathers.

3.      The exhortation about his bones

 

…and gave commandment concerning his bones.

 

a.      Genesis 50:25

 

And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

 

b.      After the plagues had come upon Egypt and Pharaoh commanded Israel to depart, the Israelites took Joseph’s bones with them to the Promised Land (Exo. 13:19).

 

And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him:  for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

 

c.       They would not be buried in the Promised Land until the day of Joshua (Josh. 24:32).

 

And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob brought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver:  and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

 

1)      Joseph did not count Egypt as his home.

2)      By faith, he could see himself buried in the land of Canaan, the land of promise.  It came to pass just as his faith told him it would.

 

III.             FOUNDER (Heb. 11:23-31)

 

A.    Faith Rescued Moses (Heb. 11:23)

1.      The Concealment (Heb. 11:23a)

 

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents…

 

a.      The trait:  By faith

1)      Again, faith (confidence, trust, assurance) is being discussed by the writer.

2)      This was not Moses’ faith, but it was a faith that impacted Moses.

3)      LESSON:  Our faith can play a very important role in the lives of others.

b.      The time:  when he was born

1)      Moses was born in the land of Egypt.

2)      It was during a time of bitter bondage (Exo. 1:13).

3)      Pharaoh had issued a decree that all sons born to the Israelites were to be killed (Exo. 1:16, 22)

c.       The testimony:  was hid three months of his parents

1)      A small child is difficult to hide, especially if he is hungry, sleepy, or sick.

2)      There may have been:

a)      Regular visits by Pharaoh’s officers

b)      Spies placed among the Israelites

c)      Caregivers who were required to report any new births

d)     Jealous Israelites who had lost a son to the Egyptians

2.      The Cause (Heb. 11:23b)

 

…because they saw he was a proper child…

 

a.      Proper

1)      Strong (791):  handsome                         :- fair

2)      Thayer:  elegant (of body) comely fair

3)      Vine:  it is found under the term “beautiful” in Vine’s dictionary.  He translates it as goodly, fair

4)      Exodus 2:2; Acts 7:20

 

And the woman conceived, and bare a son:  and when she saw him that he was a goodly child she hid him three months…In the time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months.

 

Goodly:  Strong (2986):  good (looks, demeanor, behavior)

                BDB:  good, pleasant, becoming, happy, excellent (of its kind)

b.      There was something special about this child that impressed these parents. 

1)      There is no doubt that parental bonds were involved.

2)      However, there seems to be more than that.  There was something special the parents recognized.  That recognition caused them to hid Moses for three months.

3.      The Courage (Heb. 11:23c)

 

…and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

 

a.      We know the part of the commandment involving the death of the sons of the Israelites.

b.      Could there have been more to the commandment?  Could their own lives have been threatened because they hid their child from the officials?

c.       LESSON:  Here we find a time when there is a higher law that had to be obeyed rather than the laws of men.

 

B.      Faith Refused Egypt (Heb. 11:24-26)

C.     Faith Returned to Deliver (Heb. 11:27)

D.    Faith Received the Passover (Heb. 11:28)

E.      Faith Released the Israelites (Heb. 11:29)