Hebrews 11:23–29

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. ²⁴ 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. ²⁸ 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.

Commentary

Vs. 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."

Verses 23-29 begin to recall the faith of Moses, beginning with his parents who upon his birth and seeing that he was a beautiful child instead of fearing Pharaoh's command to kill all of the firstborn males in Israel, hid him three months before he was found by Pharaohs daughter who being enamored with the child then adopted him as her own son, Moses then would grow up as a privileged child in the house of Pharaoh trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (see Exodus 2:1-10; Acts 7:22). 

Vs. 24-26 ²⁴ 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.

Now Moses when he became of age refused to be called Pharaoh's daughter, that is he turned his back on whatever power and privileges and treasures that were prepared for him in Egypt. And so instead of renouncing his Hebrew origins when he became of age, Moses renounced Pharaoh and Egypt, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin (vs. 24-25), "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward." vs. 26 

Moses then like those before him had his eyes fixed on the eternal which is how God always tests his people, and especially His chosen leaders, will you love Me and follow Me even if it costs you everything you have known, desired, or loved? Now when Moses chose to do so he entered into the great pedigree of faith of all those who down through ages likewise chose to love God and His people more than their own persons, ambitions, or even lives. Therefore when God called Moses from the burning bush and told him to go to Pharaoh and speak to him all that He would tell him to speak to him, Moses knew if he did so he would be removing any chances of ever being reconciled to Pharaoh and Egypt. Nonetheless Moses wanting to be with God's people, even from the time he had to flee from Egypt, until the time God told him to return 40 years later, knew that his returning to Egypt would now mean having to share in the reproaches of Christ, that is in following God he would now have too share in the many reproaches, threats, troubles, and hardships of God's people for doing so. 

Vs. 27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

By faith then when God had fulfilled His Word and hardened Pharaohs heart after He had executed His judgments on Egypt by His plagues, Moses one last time appeared before Pharaoh who then threatened Moses with death if he ever came to see him again, and with that Moses emboldened by his faith in God told Pharaoh that he would never see his face again, meaning Moses would now lead the people of God out of Egypt regardless of Pharaoh's desire to keep them there in bondage. And with that God gave Moses the Passover ordinance which would bring with it His finial judgment on the land of Egypt, before God would lead them out of it forever (see Exodus 10:27-29, 11:1-10).

Vs. 28 "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

By faith then Moses believing God kept the Passover feast and the sprinkling of blood (which would preserve the Israelite's) while the Lord executed all the first born of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:29-30). Blood then is the only covering for our sins, from Abel to Moses, to the fulfillment found in the Lord Jesus Christ, the blood of the Lamb of God is the only protection that anyone has from the finial judgment of God when He visits for punishment.

Vs. 29 "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned."

When God brought the Israelite's out of Egypt; while the Egyptians were still burying their firstborn; He brought them by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea, placing before them a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Now Pharaoh after the burial of their firstborn mustered all his people and went in hot pursuit of the Israelite's and was fast closing in on them. And so it was in that moment facing the Red Sea in front of them, and the enraged Egyptians behind them, that Moses being commanded by God raised his staff to heaven and the Red Sea parted, making a wide path for them to pass through it on dry land, a sight that had never been seen before, which could have paralyzed Moses and the 500,000 or so people he was leading with fear and awe. But Moses instead of hesitating moved forward in faith and hurriedly led the people all night through it too the other side. Now the Egyptians when they saw that the Israelite's pass safely through it also tried to do so, and when they had all entered it God commanded Moses to raise his rod again to heaven and He brought the massive walls of water down on them, drowning them all in the midst of it (see Exodus 14:1-31).
Moses then by believing God not only brought the people out of Egypt by the power and judgment of God but he also begin the journey which the Israelite's would take before entering the promised land which Joshua would do when Moses had fulfilled God's purposes for him. And so this legacy of faith is something that we are all invited to likewise enter into, which we do the moment we repent and believe in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we not only then become children of God (John 1:12) but we also begin our own journeys of faith by which God works in us and through us and will take us as far as we let Him take us. The only question then is have you repented and believed and thus received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and begun your own journey with Him? For remission of sins and everlasting life only comes to those who do so, therefore don't delay be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations 
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 11:17-22

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. ²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. ²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²² By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Commentary

Vs. 17-19 ¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

The testing of Abraham's faith is one of the great triumphs in the Bible. Because God in choosing to test Abraham's faith in such a profoundly personal way not only revealed the depth of Abraham's faith; but also God revealed of Himself the height and depth and length and breadth of His own loving kindness and mercies because Abraham believed and obeyed His voice (see Gen. 22:1-19, vs. 12, 15-18). And so when Abraham heard God's command to sacrifice his beloved son, the son of God's promise, of whom God said to him "In Issac your seed shall be called" (vs 18.). Abraham obeyed God concluding that God was able to raise Isaac up, even from the dead, in order to keep His Word and promises spoken to him. Therefore Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his own son clearly foretells of God's willingness to sacrifice His own Son for us all, with the goal of raising Him from the dead, so that His blessing of eternal salvation could could to one and to all who believe in Him. 

Vs. 20 "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."

Issac takes his place in God's hall of fame because in putting Jacob before Esau he was putting the will of God before his own. That is though Esau was Jacobs firstborn and preferred son, and according to all social norms should succeed him, God had already chosen Jacob the second born, even from the womb, and had already told Issac that the elder child Esau would serve the younger Jacob, and thus through Jacob, God's promises spoken to Abraham and Isaac would come to fruition. And so even though Issac was initially deceived by Rebekah and Jacob when it came time for Isaac to bestow his blessing on his sons, Jacob let his best blessing rest and remain on Jacob trusting God's choice over his own. (gleaned from Believers Bible Commentary) 

Vs 21 "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

By faith then Jacob when he was dying accepted as his own the sons of Joseph, blessing them and placing Ephraim (the younger) before Manasseh (the elder), while saving his greatest blessing for Joseph the son through whom God had chosen to not only save Jacob and all his sons, but also to keep innumerable persons alive while He was preparing a place for them in the land of Egypt, to fulfill His Word and keep His promises alive and going forward to the generations yet to come. The finial act of Jacob then is very poignant for in seeing the future for all his sons, and seeing afar off the fulfillment of God's promises, Jacob's finial then act was to worship God while leaning on his staff.

Vs. 22 "By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones."

Joseph too then having seen the children of Israel become a great and mighty multitude in Egypt made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, for Joseph could see that the time for God's fulfillment of His Word to bring His people into the land of Canaan was soon at hand. And so Joseph gave instructions regarding his bones, because though Joseph was dying he did not want his finial resting place to be in Egypt, but with God's people in the Promised Land. How about you where's your finial home? Will it be with Christ in the Kingdom of heaven or will it end down here separated and aliened from the love and life of God, and thus end in eternal disaster and ruin? If your unsure then repent and believe in the Gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ while the Day of Salvation is near you, because God's Word fulfillment waits for no one, therefore be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations 
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 11:13-16

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. ¹⁴ For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Commentary

Vs. 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." 

The forerunners of our faith, the patriarchs, though not seeing the promises of God fulfilled in their own lifetimes all died in faith, that is they didn't just believe for a season and then fall away, rather having seen the promises of God afar off. Now for Abraham this would have been in the birth of Isaac through whom God would bring forth the promised nation and ultimately the Promised Savior (Gen 22:14), who would redeem not only Abraham, but also everyone who like Abraham believes God and puts their trust in Him. And so we see the same faith exemplified through Abel, Enoch, Noah, Sara and all who likewise believing the promises of God spoken to them afar off embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Psalm 39:12). 

Vs. 14 "For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland."

We the people of God have always been and will always be strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For the Promises of God are not about this life, about satisfying the earthly desires, ambitions, and greed of those whose hearts and eyes are fixed on the pleasures and "treasures" of this world (consider 1 John 2:15-17). Rather the Promises of God are always given with the King and His Kingdom, and thus God's eternal glory and His glorification of both Himself and His people through Him in it (Isaiah 44:23; 55:5; Matt 9:8, 15:21; John 11:4; 13:31-32; 14:13; 15:8; 17:4, 10; Acts 3:13; Rom 8:17, 30; 2 Thess. 1:10; 1 Peter 4:11, 14). Therefore though we all live down here in various places and in various states of being we don't have our homes down here, home for us is when we are finally at home with Christ (John 14:2-3).

Vs. 15 "And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return."

Now if they had wanted too, they could have returned to their countries of origin. But instead in choosing to follow God's Will for them they served all ties with their past lives. Now the same may also be required of us as we follow Jesus Christ, for in forsaking our lives down here, we just may have to leave behind all that we had previously known in order to do so. 

Vs. 16 "But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." 

Every true believer is on a pilgrimage, a journey homeward that begins down here, but does not find its completion until we are at home with Christ up there in heaven. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called our God, for He has prepared a city for us all who down through ages forsook this world and it's fleeting values and embraced His and His Will for us (consider Heb 12:22-24; Rev. 3:11-13; Rev 21). 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 11:8-12

⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹¹ By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Commentary
Vs. 8 "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

From Noah, through whom God preserved a posterity of original humanity, we move to Abraham, a man through whom God presented the foundation of salvation. And so by faith Abraham obeyed God when God called Abraham to leave his family and friends and all that he had known and go to the place which God would show him. And so Abraham believing God went out from his place not knowing where He was going, but believing God he obeyed Him and God brought him to the land of Canaan with all that he had (Gen. 12:1-6). Then later after Lot departed from him, God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would have the entire land as an inheritance from Him forever (Genesis 13:14-17).

Vs. 9-10 "By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

And so it was that Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, (but not as the heir of it, or even as a resident of it). Instead Abraham dwelt in tents as if he were living in a foreign country. For Abraham did not adopt the idolatrous cultural practices, nor degenerate moral norms of the land (see Lev. 18, vs. 24-30). And so all the time that Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan he dwelt as sojourner along with his sons Issac and Jacob who were also heirs of the same promises that God spoke to Abraham. For Abraham did not build himself a city to establish himself in the land as would've been the norm when he settled in Canaan, rather he was living in anticipation of the city which has everlasting foundations, whose builder and maker is God (vs. 10). Now for us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ this same principal is also at work in our hearts and lives. For though we live in whatever nations and places where we dwell, truly we do not have deep roots in them, for like Abraham, and all of God's people down through the ages, we truly are strangers and sojourners in this world and too this world (Psalm 39:12), as we await the city whose Builder and Maker is God (see Rev. 21:9-27).

Vs. 11 "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised."

Now if Abraham's faith is exemplary, so too is Sara's, and not because she initially believed when the angel of the Lord Spoke to Abraham saying that he would have child in his old age, (for initially she laughed), rather because when that time came and she became aware that she was now pregnant in her old age, she did not seek to abandon or abort her child. Rather she believing God received strength from God to bring forth the promised child, even when she was well past age of child bearing, for she counted God faithful to His Word and to His Promises. 

Vs. 12 "Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore."

And so from Abraham a man the Scripture says was as good as dead, God brought forth decedents as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore, just as He promised He would do through Abraham (Genesis 13:16; 15:5; 22:15-18). Therefore both Abraham and Sara his wife are listed as being people of faith, not extraordinary faith, but genuine faith that does not need to have all of the answers in order to believe God and take Him at His Word. The question then of where we stand with God begs us all to answer honestly. For unless one repents and believes the Gospel one will not see the Kingdom of heaven. Now what is repentance it is essentially a change of mind, it is to see oneself as one truly is apart from Christ, and that is dead in ones own sins and transgressions, and thus alienated from the life of God that only comes to us all through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore it is to see ones own need for the Gospel, and thus seeing ones own need for salvation from one's own sins and death, to turn to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for ones sins and transgressions, and then 3 days later risen from the dead for our justification to new and everlasting life (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Repentance then puts ones person and life into a eternal perspective in relation to God the Father and to Jesus Christ His Son. Now repentance does not save you, though when genuine it will cause you to rethink your persons current course of life, yet it does not save you, as if by ones own efforts salvation comes to them. No only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ saves us which is believing God, believing His Word spoken to us and thus receiving His salvation for ourselves, something which each of us individually must do, believe God's Word (John 3:16) and receive His Son into our own hearts and lives (John 1:12; Rev. 3:20). For when ones does God then sends His Spirit into us who then brings us to life and unites us with the Lord Jesus Christ who then transforms our persons and lives. First by the regeneration our hearts minds and souls which is essentially transforming our persons from the inside out by His Spirit which then effects every aspect of our person, bringing hope where hope was once dead, bring joy where once sadness reigned, bringing satisfaction where once emptiness and meaningless reigned, bringing Spirit life and empowerment to our mortal bodies where once lethargy and tiredness reigned, and thus bringing all of His life and love and all the fruits of His Spirit into us (Gal 5:22-23) by making His home in us which always plays itself out in our lives down here as we are being transformed from one glory to another, we are Christ's lights of not only the life and love and grace of God, but also of His dignity and beauty, which is only born in us and brought to life through us by the Spirit of God. 

Scriptural Quotations 
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 11:4-7

⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. ⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ⁷ By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Preamble 

Having laid the ground work for defining our faith, the Word of God now looks back into history and recalls some of those key individuals who by living by faith pleased God. 

Commentary

Vs. 4 "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks."

By faith then Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain when he offered the blood sacrifice of a sacrificial animal whose shed blood was accepted as an atonement for him. While Cain his brother only brought an offering of the fruits of the field (see Gen. 4:3-5). Thus Cain in bringing an offering of his own means defied God's everlasting principal that without the shedding of blood there is no remission (Heb 9:22). For no one can have reconciliation with God apart from sacrificial blood shed on their behalf, and specifically now the Lord Jesus Christ's sacrificial shed blood for us all by which one and all may have remission of their sins and everlasting life the moment they believe, and thus it is only through the precious blood of Christ that we can now freely approach God and know that we will be fully accepted by Him when we do so (Heb 4:14-16). And that is the lesson that Abel teaches us all by his offering. For no one approaches God by either their own merits or by their own means. For all who try to do so, as Cain tried to do, will only find their offerings and their persons being rejected by God when they try to do so. For we do not get to define for ourselves what we will do to approach God, or to have His approval. For the Sovereign God has already defined it for us all. And thus Abel living by faith choose to follow that which he knew would please God, while Cain choose to do as he pleased. Therefore through his offering "Abel obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks." Abel then in obeying the Will of God obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of this when He accepted Abel and his offering. And through his offering Abel still speaks to us all to seek approval with God by what God has defined for us all as justifying us, and thus making us accepted in His sight, and that is faith In the Lord Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen from the dead, and not seek His acceptance by devising and doing our own works and ways. For again all who try to do so will only find themselves being rejected by God when they do, just as Cain was. Now when Cain's offering was rejected by God, Cain went on to murder his brother Abel, a heinous crime which was born out of his own evil pride for being rejected by God when he tried to do so. And sadly that evil has played itself out down through the ages. For wherever people are accepted and justified by their faith, there are always those who wanting to be justified by their own works and ways becoming hostile towards us. Just as the Pharisees grew increasingly hostile towards the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples when they rejected their man-made decrees, so with everyone who likewise lives by their own righteousness (and or what they decree for themselves as making themselves righteous in the sight of God) they too often become hostile towards anyone who finds peace with God through faith in Christ alone. For law and grace cannot peaceful cohabit, for those living under law will always be hostile towards the justification of anyone by the grace of God given to us all by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone (consider Gal. 4:21-31, vs. 29). And so Abel still speaks to us all who want too please God to seek God by what God has done to justify us, and not by what we think should justify us. 

Vs. 5 "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." 

Enoch is the next example of an individual who lived by faith. Enoch was such a Godly man in a generation of ungodly men and women that Enoch did not see death, for before his death Enoch was taken up to heaven by God because he pleased God (Gen. 5:21-24; Jude 14-15). Only Elijah was likewise taken by God in his generation, a generation in which apostasy from the true God was rampant. And such will be the last generation before the rapture of the church when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for those who believe in Him and who remained faithful to Him (2 Thess 2:1-12). Faith then is an encompassing disposition that affects the way one lives and thinks. 

Vs. 6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." 

Two things then that God requires of us all. First is believing that God is, for when one believes in God one opens the door to not only to ones own salvation (Isaiah 45:22), but also to His working all of the endless possibilities that He works on behalf of those who believe in Him (consider Luke 1:26-38, and Gabriel the angels Word to Marry, specifically vs. 37, which has a universal application for us all). Second then is too diligently seek God, which is foundational to not only finding God (consider Deut 4:29; 2 Chron. 15:4), but also to being rewarded by Him. Jesus once told a parable that emphasized our need to diligently seek God and not become discouraged in waiting for Him (see Luke 18:1-8). For it is a Scriptural fact that God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, from David to Daniel to Nehemiah, to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, diligently seeking God is the only way to be rewarded by Him (consider Lev. 26:39-45; Daniel 9:1-27; Nehemiah 1; Mark 1:35 etc.). 

Vs. 7 "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

When Noah was warned by God of the upcoming flood, Noah being moved by Godly fear acted. And so he built an Ark according to commandment the Lord spoken to him by which he saved both himself and his whole household. Now if Noah did nothing then he would have been condemned with the godless and unbelieving world he was then living in. The same holds true for us all today who when we hear the Gospel preached to us, if we do nothing then we seal our own fates just as the unbelieving world did in the days of Noah (consider Luke 6:46-49). However if we like Noah act and move in faith, believing God's Word spoken to us through the Gospel, and we repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we will not only be saved from the wrath to come (2 Peter 2:5), but we will become vessels through whom God will seek to save many others as well. For faith is never stagnate, it always produces good and Godly fruit, just as Noah did in obeying God in his generation, and thus Noah by doing so condemned the world and became the heir of righteousness which is according to faith. 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.