Hebrews (written)

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. Hebrews 11:29

The author, speaking of the time of Moses, now goes from the singular, “he,” of verses 27 & 28 and includes the entire congregation of Israel by saying, “By faith they.” This corresponds to the word “them” at the end of verse 28. Moses has stood for the whole until that point, and now the whole is said to have possessed the same faith as he did. With the faith of the corporate body revealed, it then says that “they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land.”

The memorable account is recorded in Exodus 13. There was a sea in front of Israel, no way to travel to the right or to the left, and the Egyptians were behind them. The only avenue of escape was for the sea to be divided. The Lord did this. Israel passed through with a wall of water on each side of them, and they were delivered. The words of the New Testament are important in identifying which body of water is meant. The Greek specifically reads Erythran Thalassan, or “the Red Sea.”

The Hebrew words in the Exodus account are yam suph. Many translate this as “the Sea of Reeds,” because suph means “reed.” Because of this, the account of crossing through the Red Sea is often denied and instead it is said that Israel simply passed through a shallow marsh or one of the bitter lakes.

This is incorrect. First, the word suph as a verb means “end,” such as in the termination of something. Thus, the sea could be known as “the sea at the ending,” which is in relation to the land of Israel where the land ends at one of the fingers of the Red Sea. This is seen in 1 Kings which uses the same term, yam suph –

“King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.” 1 Kings 9:26

The locations Elath and Edom show without a doubt what this means. The Bible is simply using a term where Israel is situated as its reference point. This occurs elsewhere in the Exodus account as well. Further, one would not build a fleet of ships for sailing in the ocean and place them in a marshy sea of reeds. And finally, the New Testament definitively identifies the body in this verse (and elsewhere) as Erythran Thalassan, or Red Sea. This corresponds to the Greek translation of the Old Testament of these passages. Thus it was always understood to be the Red Sea, not a swampy marsh of reeds.

Understanding that this is the body of water, and not a shallow lake of reeds, the verse then says, “whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.” The Greek literally reads, “were swallowed up.” This then corresponds to the words of the Song of Moses in Exodus 15:12 –

“You stretched out Your right hand;
The earth swallowed them.”

They were drowned, but they were also swallowed up as if consumed in a meal. The difference in fate between Israel and the Egyptians came down to one word, faith. The people believed in the Lord, and they were delivered by Him. The Egyptians didn’t, and they were swallowed up.

Life application: As noted above, while at the final point before crossing, the Israelites were hemmed in on all sides. The name of the place where they were was Pi Hahiroth, “mouth of caverns.” This indicates they were wholly closed in. The people were certainly afraid and questioned Moses about the decisions which had brought them to the seemingly impossible position they were in, however –

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.’” Exodus 14:13, 14

Following that, it says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21).

The entire Egyptian army didn’t drown in knee deep water. If they did, that would be a greater miracle than the parting of the sea. Just as the Israelites had faith and passed through “the Red Sea as by dry land,” so you should have faith that:

1) The Bible’s record of events is true, and

2) God will safely bring you out of whatever bondage, difficulty, or trial you are facing.

Trust in Him with all your heart and soul, even when you’re hemmed in from all sides. Have faith that the Lord loves you and will deliver you.

Lord, from time to time I can feel the walls hemming me in – creditors, bitter family members, physical pains, troubles, trials, and afflictions! But You O God … I trust You to keep me from drowning under this Sea of Woes and to carry me safely and triumphantly to Your better home. Until that day, I rejoice in Your splendid hand. Amen.

Monday, 25 March 2019

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. Hebrews 11:28

Still speaking of the faith of Moses, the author again states, “By faith.” What will be described was obviously an act of faith. It was something which was stated would occur, and the consequences for not doing as instructed would be fatal for the firstborn sons in the land. It is “By faith that he kept the Passover.”

The Greek more precisely reads, “By faith he instituted the Passover.” Moses did not keep a Passover that was already observed from time past. Rather, he observed it for the first time, bringing it forth from that time forward. The Greek is in the perfect tense, signifying the completion of the act in the original Passover, and the continued significance of that observance, even down to the time of the author’s writing of the epistle. The author continues on with “and the sprinkling of the blood.”

This speaks of the application of the blood on the doorposts and lintel of each of the houses in Egypt. This was never done again after the first observance, showing the completed nature of the Passover, despite it having on-going observances in the future. The first Passover alone set the type for the coming of Christ, and all other annual observances looked forward to the fulfillment anticipated by that first Passover. This is also true with the final clause, “lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”

Again, the Greek reads differently than this. A closer translation would be, “lest the destroyer of the firstborn,” or “the one destroying the firstborn.” It is a present participle. It is as if the author is describing the first Passover as it was happening to Moses while he was writing down the events in the epistle.

These things that occurred to Moses required faith. The Lord said what would occur, and any who didn’t believe and failed to act would suffer the consequences. Those who did believe, and who followed through in their belief by applying the blood, would be passed over. Thus, in this, Moses instituted the Passover for all generations who followed. From that typology, the fulfillment is found in the work of Christ Jesus and the acceptance of His work by the people of the world.

Life application: To this day, Jewish families around the world observe the Passover. It symbolized the redemption of the people from Egypt and its bitter bondage. An innocent lamb was killed, and its blood was applied to the lintel and sides of the door as a sign that there were faithful believers inside the home. When the destroyer saw the blood, he passed over. As it says, “by faith” Moses instituted this ordinance and applied the blood. The blood is the material cause of salvation, while faith in its application is the instrumental cause. Under the New Covenant, Paul says in the Colossians 2:16, 17 –

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

The Passover, along with all of Israel’s other mandates which came under the law, was only a shadow which prefigured the work of Jesus. Jesus, as John states in his gospel account, is the true Lamb of God. It is His sacrifice that brings us out of real bondage – that of slavery to sin. It is faith in what He did that redeems us and gives us new life.

The question for every person then is, “Have you applied the blood of Christ, by faith, to your heart?” Christ’s blood is the material cause of salvation. Faith in his shed blood is the instrumental cause. Belief in the heart fulfills the typology of the application of blood (see Romans 10:9, 10). As the Passover only looked forward to Christ, then it is Christ alone who can truly save you from destruction. Again, as Paul says, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” As Moses acted by faith, so those who look for salvation, while living in this world, must also look to what God has done, in faith. Have faith in Him and in His work, and you too, like Moses, will be known as one of God’s faithful – chosen and loved.

Thank you, O God, for the precious Lamb, our Lord Jesus. Thank You for freeing us from the chains which bound us in slavery to sin and which could only result in death. Now, through Christ and His sacrifice, we are not only free from condemnation, but we have also been given new and eternal life! Hallelujah and Amen!

Sunday, 24 March 2019

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:27

The account continues with Moses, but it contains a thought which seems contradictory to the Exodus account. The author proclaims, “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king.” Is this to be tied in with the previous thought of verses 24-26, or is it to be taken with the next thought concerning the Passover.

1) If it is connected to his first departure from Egypt to Midian, then it contradicts the account as recorded. The words of Exodus 2 read, “So Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known!’ ¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well” (Exodus 2:14, 15). The record stands that “he feared.”

2) If it is connected to the Passover, then it is out of order because the Passover preceded the Exodus.

The answer is that during his time away from Egypt, Moses encountered the Lord, was established in his faith, and was encouraged by the promise of the presence and assistance of his brother Aaron. These things are recorded in Exodus 3 & 4 and in Exodus 4:29-31, where Moses came to the elders of the children of Israel and showed them the signs the Lord had given him to bring about their release. In Exodus 5:1, it then says, “‘“Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.”’”

Moses had grown in his courage and no longer feared the wrath of the king. In his return to Egypt, he as the acknowledged representative of Israel, forsook Egypt. He was spiritually prepared for the challenge ahead as the plagues of Egypt led to the time of Israel’s release from their bondage.

This is why the next two verses, which will still refer to Moses, speak first of the keeping of the Passover, but also say that “he kept the Passover” in the singular, even though all of Israel kept it, and then it says, “they passed through the Red Sea,” in the plural. Moses stood as representative of Israel, and Israel was led by Moses. Thus what he forsook, Israel also forsook. And both did so “not fearing the wrath of the king.” And this was because “he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”

These words confirm that the first clause is speaking not of his exile to Midian, but of his time of endurance while facing Pharaoh. Moses never saw God in the burning bush. The flames simply made His presence known. He heard the voice, and he continued to hear the voice direct him throughout his time prior to the people’s exodus; and he endured, understanding that the voice which instructed him was as sure as if seeing Him.

Life application: It was by faith that Moses endured as seeing Him who is invisible. What an incredible statement! It has been said, “What is more foolish, a man who believes in a God he cannot see, or a man who is angry about a God he doesn’t believe in.” Moses had never actually seen God. Instead, he had seen a burning bush which spoke to him, but the bush actually hid the glory of God. It was a visible manifestation provided for Moses’ sake. In the end, though, it was faith in a God he couldn’t see that gave him the strength and fortitude to not fear Pharaoh. Such is the case with each believer in Christ. We can’t “see” God anymore today than Moses did then. And Jesus has ascended to the Father so that we cannot now see Him either. But what did He say to His disciples –

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

All we have is the Bible to tell us of Jesus. When we accept Him, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, whom we also can’t see. Therefore, we are living by faith and not by sight. Our hope and trust is in the One who can make the invisible visible, the unknowable knowable, who unites the infinite with the finite. Because of Jesus, we can have fellowship where it once didn’t exist and we can have peace in place of anxiety. If you are facing troubles because of your Christian walk – whether in the workplace, with family members, or in any other way – then remember Moses’ example. By faith, he saw Him who was invisible and was found pleasing to God because of that faith. Be strong and unwavering in your convictions about the Person and work of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, give us wisdom to follow You and to trust Your word as the rule and guide of our lives. Give us faith to not fear those who persecute us because of our love and devotion to You. And Lord, we look forward with anticipation to that day when our faith will become sight – when we see the beauty of Your majesty in person. What a happy day that will be! Amen.

Saturday, 23 March 2019

…esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. Hebrews 11:26

The author now builds upon the previous words concerning Moses’ refusal to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Taking this verse with the previous verse, and with that thought in mind, it says –

“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.”

In this verse, the author notes Moses’ “esteeming the reproach of Christ.” There are several major views on what this means. The first is that Moses understood that the promise of restoration made in Genesis 3:15 was to come through the Hebrew people. With this knowledge, he chose to suffer affliction with them, esteeming the reproach of Christ.

Another view is that he simply suffered the types of sufferings that Christ suffered. In this, he would be a picture of Christ to come, but without any purposeful intent on his part.

A third option is that the author of Hebrews is using this wording in relation to the general sufferings that were expected in the course of exercising one’s faith. As Christ is the epitome of any such example, the term, “the reproach of Christ,” is simply an idiomatic expression which conveys the meaning for any and all who suffer because of their faith.

The only option which matches the intent of the passage is the first. Moses “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction.” The author has selected words which demonstrate that Moses made intentional choices with an end view in mind. It was because of who the Hebrew people were, and his understanding of their role, that he willingly made his choice. This is made clear in Exodus 2:11 where it says, “And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.”

In his response to this, he killed the Egyptian, rejecting his adopted status because he esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” As an adopted Egyptian, he could have joined in pounding on the Hebrew, laughing it off as an exercise in fun, and then gone home to his treasures. But, in having known about the promise, he looked forward to the promise instead.

This is all the more certain, because the Greek includes an article which is unfortunately disregarded by both the KJV and the NKJV. It does not say, “the reproach of Christ,” but rather, “the reproach of the Christ.” It is not a general statement concerning a shadowy representation of Moses and Jesus, but a definite anticipation of the Christ to come. Moses knew Christ was promised, he looked forward to that promise, and instead of being content with the earthly treasures he already possessed, “he looked to the reward.”

Moses understood that the anticipation of Messiah was man’s highest goal. Nothing else in this life compares to what is anticipated in the promise of Messiah. It must be so because the promise was made at the very fall of man. If a promise has been made for something, until the promise is fulfilled, it is the highest anticipation of anything which comes in that same category.

For example, if one enjoys soda and is given all of the types of soda on earth to drink, and he is given a promise of the best soda coming at some future point, then that is the highest anticipation. All the other sodas will be enjoyed only with a view to the best which is yet to come, because they cannot compare to the promised beverage of delight.

In the promise of Messiah, coming right at the fall of man, it is thus implicitly a promise which exceeds anything since the fall of man. In His coming is the promise of all things better than that which exists prior to His coming. And in His coming, the highest benefits of all will be realized. Moses “looked to the reward” of Messiah, and he forsook the temporary, earthly, and wholly deficient treasures which could never satisfy.

Life application: What are you willing to give up for Christ? What challenge is too great? What loss is unacceptable? Jesus said it as clearly as is possible –

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

Outside of Christ, there is no other ticket, no other avenue, no other payment for the soul. Moses, although not fully understanding the mystery of Christ, knew enough to accept disgrace for His sake. He knew there was a reward for his faith and his faithfulness. And so he stepped away from the riches of Egypt, which are no riches at all, and into the true wealth of his Creator.

If you have accepted Christ, what are you willing to give up that He may be glorified? People are dying in foreign lands without ever hearing of Jesus. A thousand languages on earth still don’t have a single verse of Scripture in their own language. People are walking by churches without ever being invited in to hear the good news. When you go out today, think on the “walking dead” you encounter and have compassion. Eternity is a long time. The soul without Christ is an unimaginable horror. In all you do, leave the comfort of your riches and look forward to the life which is truly life. As Paul so beautifully said it –

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” Philippines 3:7, 8

Jesus, You have given us the examples of faith which are pleasing to You. Included in these is that of Moses. He walked away from the greatest wealth the world had to offer. But that was no wealth at all compared to the surpassing wealth of sharing in You. May we be so moved to follow You wherever we are led! Amen.

Friday, 22 March 2019

…choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, Hebrews 11:25

The words continue from the previous verse, and are speaking of Moses who “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” The author notes that instead of this, he chose “rather to suffer affliction.” The word rendered as “choosing” by the NKJV is an aorist verb. It is better rendered as “having chosen,” or “chose.” He made the decision, and it was final, not ongoing. Moses determined that suffering affliction was preferable to living in luxury in Egypt. And why, because it was “with the people of God.”

If the people of God are the bearers of the promise, then what would be the point of a temporary life of luxury and ease? Moses looked past this life and made his decision. This fully explains the “By faith” which introduced this thought. Looking at the definition of faith as provided in verse 11:1, we can be reminded of this –

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Moses, understanding that the Hebrew people are the people of God, then concluded that their temporary plight (as great and burdensome as it was) was working out a much greater glory in the plan of redemption set out by God so long ago. This is exactly what faith is – an anticipation of something hoped for, but not yet realized. How easy it would be if we could see the glorious riches of heaven and work our way up to them, proving ourselves worthy along the way. But the message of the Bible is that none are worthy apart from Christ (see the next verse of Hebrews to understand this more fully), and therefore, we must live by faith in something described in only minimal – but marvelous – detail.

In suffering affliction with God’s people, Moses rejected the enjoyment of “the passing pleasures of sin.” How easy it is to enjoy the things of this world! And indeed, the more enjoyable they are, the more they tend to rank on the high side of the “sin scale.” This is because sin is an enticement for us to feel comfortable in this fallen world, apart from God. But God calls for holiness, and for a separation unto Him. This is because what is promised exceedingly outshines the greatest temptations of this life, but we can only accept this by faith.

Further, the things of this world, including all of its sinful enticements, are “passing.” They are temporary and will be gone someday. There will be nothing left of them, and the joyful hope we put in them will suddenly be ended. However, the things of God and the promises He gives are “eternal.” If we can, by faith, accept this, then we are truly in the sweet spot. We do not have sight. And this is what we, along with the ancients, will be rewarded for. The thought of this verse is somewhat mirrored by 2 Corinthians 4 –

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Life application: As we have seen, Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Had he wanted, he could have lived a life of leisure and prosperity, and yet he chose a seemingly less enjoyable path, being mistreated along with God’s people. Although the Bible doesn’t specifically tell us what prompted this, we can infer where he obtained these values. In Exodus 2, we learned that when Moses was placed in the river, his sister stood at some distance waiting to see what would happen. When he was found we read the following –

Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”

⁸ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. ⁹ Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. Exodus 2:7-9

Moses was still raised by his own mother for a certain period, but it was paid for at the expense of Egypt! In those early years, until he was old enough for adoption, he was most likely told about the one true God. This early training in monotheism certainly stayed with him all his life. The lesson each parent should take to heart is that even if the child strays at one time or another, if the foundation was properly laid, eventually the stability of that early instruction will outlast the temporary structures that were built on it. If you are struggling with a child who once accepted Christ and later strayed, join the club…it’s a big one. In the end, keep praying to God, and that restoration and a return to the foundation will hopefully come about.

Lord, you know the struggles and trials we as parents face. You know how it hurts us to see our children wander from the truth. But Your word gives us hope through those days of sadness, because in such days is our anticipation that they will return to the solid foundation of a close walk with You. This is a great hope and comfort to our weary souls. Amen.