Your Lamb Shall Be Without Blemish: Passover Series Part 2

Exodus 12:3-8

“3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: “On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb.

“5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall KILL IT AT TWILIGHT. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; ROASTED IN FIRE…….”

Little lambs are so cute, cuddly, and playful, aren’t they?  You can’t be around one for very long without completely falling in love with it.

Can you imagine taking that sweet, innocent little lamb into your family, getting attached to it, falling in love with it then, five days later, have to slaughter it or watch as it is killed? 😭 That is exactly what happened in every Jewish household every Passover since the first night they left Egypt.

The 10th Of Nissan.

God explicitly told the Jewish people they must take a young male in it’s first year of life into their homes on the tenth day of the Nissan, the first month of their religious calendar. They were to keep it until the fourteenth day. That’s five days, the number of grace, by the way.

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During that time they were to examine it thoroughly to be sure it had no blemishes or defects. Then the whole congregation was to kill it exactly at twilight. Twilight, in Hebrew time, is 3pm. 

Pre-Enactment.

Here is how the sacrificial lamb was prepared by the priests in the tabernacle up until Jesus came:

1. The day it was to be killed, the lamb was tied to a wooden stake at the bottom of the ramp of the bronze altar at 9am, the time of the morning sacrifice.  A Ram’s horn was sounded at that time.

2. Then the high priest walked UP THE RAMP of the bronze altar (bronze is a typology of judgment in the Bible), and slit the throat of the lamb at exactly 3pm. 

3. The priest then turned around, spread his arms, as in the posture of someone hanging on a cross, and cried out with a loud voice to all the congregation, “It is finished”

4. The ram’s horn was sounded once again at this exact time.   

5. Those who were to eat the lamb must only eat it after it had been “Roasted in fire.” 

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Does all of this sound oddly familiar?  It should! It’s kinda like a re-enactment.  Only it can’t be a re-enactment because the event hadn’t happened yet. It would not occur for some 1500 years. It’s actually a “Pre-enactment!” 😁

(Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.)

The Final Passover.

Fast forward now to the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He entered the city on the 10th day of the month of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish religious calendar. The five days later, He was crucified.

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Hmm…..the FIVE DAYS leading up to His death on the 14th, where was the Lamb of God? In the house, of course; His Father’s house that is, meaning the temple.  What He was doing there?  BEING THOROUGHLY EXAMINED by the Pharisees. Why?

Because at the end of that week, FIVE DAYS LATER on the 14th of the month, He would become the real Passover Lamb, the Perfect, ONCE-FOR-ALL sacrifice.  Jesus death, however, would not merely cover our sins for one year, but CLEANSE THEM ALL FOR ALL TIME WITH ONE APPLICATION OF THE BLOOD on the “doorposts” of people’s hearts.

(Jesus answering the Pharisees who could find no fault in Him.)

The Pharisees, of course, had NO IDEA they were fulfilling Bible prophecy by their questioning.  They did not know they were EXAMINING THE REAL LAMB, prior to the final SACRIFICE TO END ALL SACRIFICES.  Just like those cute, innocent little lambs who represented the final one for the last 1500 years, Jesus was also examined IN THE (Father’s) HOUSE for five days.  And the verdict?  THEY FOUND NO FAULT IN HIM.

Unlike the yearling lambs, however, Jesus was not only without “SPOT,” He was without “WRINKLE” as well.  What’s the difference? Simply this: We are not born with wrinkles; they come with age.  In other words, He was born without sin (without spot) and, as He walked this earth, He did not commit any sins either in thought, word, or deed (no wrinkles). 

If you are at all familiar with the five offerings of Leviticus, you understand what all that means. If not and you want to read more on the topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-five-offerings-of-leviticus-part-1.html

The Final Sacrifice.

The year that Jesus died was unlike any other. As the customary sacrificial lamb was tied to the bottom of the altar at the temple, THE PERFECT LAMB OF GOD WAS LIVING IT OUT IN REAL LIFE OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS.

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As the high priest ascended the bronze ramp of judgment which, by the way, is in the shape of a cross, (see picture above) Jesus, our Great High Priest, was ascending the final hill (ramp) of judgment to the final altar atop Mt. Calvary. At precisely 9am, the first nail was driven into His hand as He was nailed to that wooden cross, just as at precisely 9am, the shadow sacrifice of the lamb at the temple was tied to a wooden stake at the bottom of the bronze ramp.  A ram’s horn (shofar) was sounded as was customary.  

Why a ram’s horn? Because you can only get one through the death of a male lamb, a picture of Jesus.  

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No doubt the sound of that horn (Shofar) could be heard as far as the hill outside the city where the Perfect Lamb was about to give His life and die for the sins for the sins of the whole world.  In so doing, Jesus fulfilled both the morning and evening sacrifices on that day.

A Passover Like No Other.

Now, there are two times when it was lawful to consume the Passover meal:  The evening before or in the evening on the actual day. Jesus ate the Passover on the earlier night so that He could be the REAL PASSOVER LAMB the next day. But some events were about to happen that year that were VERY DIFFERENT.  It would be a Passover like no other.  At high noon, day became darker than the darkest night ALL OVER THE ENTIRE EARTH and remained so for three hours as its Creator hung on a cross, suffering, suspended between heaven and earth. 😭

Chinese Historians.

This 3-hour period of darkness is not just a myth or a made up story, Church.  It was an event that was actually recorded by Chinese historians!  😲 You see, more than any of the peoples in the entire world, Chinese are scrupulously accurate in their documentation of celestial and historical events. They may not have known or understood what caused it to be as dark as midnight in the middle of the day, but they certainly recorded it.

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Incredibly, this darkness occurred at a time of year when total eclipses or, for that matter, eclipses of any kind, NEVER happen. NEVER…..except for that year. 🤯

Roasted In Fire.

It was during those three hours of darkness that all the fiery wrath and judgment of a thrice Holy God rained down upon His Son until IT WAS COMPLETELY SPENT. Our Lamb was literally “Roasted” in those fires of judgment that day.  That’s why the shadow lamb had to be ROASTED IN FIRE. It was a picture of what would happen to our precious Jesus some 1500 years in the future.  It was because of that fire that Jesus cried out, “I thirst.”  He was literally parched.

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FINISHED!

At precisely 3pm, as the high priest killed the representative lamb at the top of the ramp and cried “Finished,” while out that hill outside the city, Jesus, the True Lamb, THE FINAL SACRIFICE, cried out with a loud voice from the cross that very same word:  “FINISHED!”  You see, in Hebrew it is only one word: “FINISHED: Kū-láh!.”

Unlike the sacrifices of old, however, that were completely burnt up by the fire, our Lamb lived through it to cry “FINISHED!” Then, He dismissed His spirit, as one would dismiss a servant, bowed His head and died.

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Why did He have to do that?  Normally, when humans die, we don’t have any choice in the matter.  We die because our spirit leaves us on its own.  But Jesus was in full control, and in the presence of the Spirit of God, NO ONE CAN DIE, including Jesus. His wounds, though grievous, did not cause His death. He had to send His away so that His physical body would die.

He was not slain or murdered by either Jews or the Gentiles, though they all conspired to condemn Him to death.  Our sins were laid on Him at the cross so that He could pay the full price for all of them. He chose the cross. He willingly LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.  No one took it from Him. 

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At this time, the final triumphant blast of the shofar was sounded again.  It is said that demons tremble when they hear it because it signifies the death of the male ram, meaning IT SIGNIFIES JESUS’ DEATH, THE ONE WHO SAVED HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS AND CRUSHED THE SERPENT’S HEAD.

HALLELUJAH!!!  Jesus’ work of redemption is COMPLETE!   In heaven today, you and I FOREVER have a Lamb without spot or wrinkle!

Passover Series Part 1: Jesus Opened The Door

Exodus 12:21-24 NKJV

"21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 
22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.  24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever."

What was done on our behalf on that cross 2,000 years ago is so beautifully detailed in the awesome feast of Passover. It is the basis on which we have a relationship with the most awesome person in the universe: JESUS.  As this season of the year draws near, let’s take time out to meditate on this most important feast of the Jewish people, a beautiful picture of what Our Lord did for us so long ago.

Not A Religion.

Christianity is not a “Religion.” It is not simply “A” way to God: It is, in fact, the ONLY WAY.  More to the point, it is the exact OPPOSITE of “Religion.”  Though lumped together with all other “belief systems,” so called, represented in the picture above, it actually isn’t like any of them at all.  Though it may called a “Faith Tradition” by some, IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. In studying the Feast of Passover, we’ll discover why this is so. 😍

The one CRITICAL assurance that none of these can give, however, is this:  AN IRON-CLAD GUARANTEE OF SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD.  Only Jesus can offer that.

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Passover. 

For centuries, the Jewish people obediently observed the feasts God instituted, Passover being one of them. They didn’t know that what they were doing was a shadow representation of what Jesus would do in the distant future. It was just a religious ritual to them prescribed by God Himself.

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This holiday remains a mystery to modern Jewish people, who believe their Messiah has not yet come. They don’t realize that they missed their visitation. When their Messiah, the real Lamb of God, came into this world and died on the cross, they simply didn’t recognize Him. They didn’t understand that the Passover lamb they sacrificed for 1500 years was a pre-enactment of what their Messiah did on that hill 2,000 years ago. 

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Other Religions vs Christianity.

Religion can be defined as “Man’s search for God.”  There are lots of different ones in the world, all comprised of people who are doing just that: Looking for God or trying to reach some form of perfection.  To the unbeliever, they all appear equally good.  They mistakenly believe that all of them can lead a person to God and, ultimately, to heaven. They don’t! ALL those other belief systems are deceptions devised by a devil who hates mankind and will stop at nothing to destroy as many of us humans as he can.  

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The big problem with all the other religions is that you must rely on yourself and your performance which, predictably, always falls far short.  Under such systems, you stand to lose everything if you don’t measure up.  Well that’s awful! 🤯 No human can do that.  What assurance do you have that you are doing enough or being good enough?  The answer is, “You have NONE.” 😟

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Christianity is the OPPOSITE of religion:  It can be defined as, “God’s search for man.”  That’s not just different: It’s 180 degrees opposite. Your salvation is based on the faithfulness of Another, Jesus, not imperfect you. HALLELUJAH! 🙌🏻💖

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Iron-clad Guarantee.

Wouldn’t you like to know for sure what will happen to you when you die? The one CRITICAL assurance that no religion offers is AN IRON-CLAD GUARANTEE OF SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD.  Well, I have good news!  Such a guarantee does exist, and JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE Who can offer it.  He opened the door!

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What do I mean by, “Safe passage?”  Perfect assurance that you’re going to heaven, not hell.  I know.  Nobody likes to talk about hell.  Neither do I.   But believe me: Hell is an all-too-real place.  You don’t want to go there!  It is eternal torment with no get-out-of-jail-free pass. How do we know that?

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Our wonderful Jesus, Who loves us so much, talked a whole lot about it.  He did so because doesn’t want us to go there.  You see, it wasn’t designed for man.  It was created to be a place of eternal punishment for Lucifer and his band of fallen angels.

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Assurance In The First Passover.

Can you really know for sure that you’ll go to heaven when you die?  YES you can!  You’ll find blessed assurance here in this story about the Children of Israel and the first Passover.

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The night before the Children of Israel were delivered from the Egyptians, they were instructed to put the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and the lintels of their homes.  The Angel of Death was going to pass through the land on that night.  If He saw blood on the doorposts of any home, He would “Pass over” that household and spare the lives of everyone inside.

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Moses had warned Pharaoh that this would happen.  Sadly, not one Egyptian household had blood on their doorposts and, as God promised, EVERY first born of both human and animals died. 😔

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Mixed Multitude.

Did you know that the Children of Israel weren’t the only ones who escaped death?  It’s true. 😲 You see, by the time the 10th plague hit, the one where all the first-born died, many Egyptians had wised up.  The scripture below bears this out:

“A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. (Exodus 12:38)

The word for mixed here in Hebrew is, “Ereb,” which means “Arabia.”  Yep!  Many Gentiles were saved and traveled with the Israelites when they left Egypt!

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These Egyptians realized that this God was the real deal and NOT One to be trifled with.  So, wisely, they sought refuge with their Jewish neighbors that fateful night.  Just like the Jewish people, they were spared the fate of their countrymen.  That tells you that the Israelites didn’t escape death simply because they were Jewish; they escaped death because they were covered by the blood of the Lamb:  JESUS!

Types And Shadows.

Throughout the Bible there are pictures of Jesus represented in what are called, “Types.” The Book Of Hebrews is full of revelations about these types as given to the writer of the book, presumably the Apostle Paul.  They show us many wonderful things about Jesus that are hidden in the Old Testament. The story of Passover is a prime example.  It is all about Jesus! 💖

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Egypt is a typology of the world. The blood on the doorposts is a foreshadowing, or “Type,” of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.  The message couldn’t be more clear:  No one….NO ONE…..is getting out of “Egypt” alive without the blood on the doorpost of their heart; and be assured: Once it is applied, it can NEVER be removed.  This is our IRON-CLAD GUARANTEE.

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Yep; you read that right: Once you are saved, YOU ARE ALWAYS SAVED. 💖

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Sin Debt.

Why do we need a perfect sacrifice to offer God?  Because there is a sin-debt that we all owed to God as a result of Adam’s sin. It was a debt we could not pay, so Jesus paid it for us! 💖 Actually, He OVERpaid it and gives it to us as a free gift.  As the scriptures say,  “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

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You see, ALL humans are tainted with sin. We are born with it.  Yes, you read that right, too.  We are born in sin into this world.  Being stained with sin disqualifies us from being our own sacrifice.  We can neither offer ourselves nor do enough good works, as if we were tipping some kind of heavenly scale in our favor. We are blemished, imperfect, and unqualified from birth.  No matter how hard we try, we can never measure up.  That’s the biggest downfall of all the world’s religions.  That’s why we need a Savior!

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The Bible says “ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is as filthy rags.”  If you try to offer yourself as your own sacrifice, God has to reject your offering because there can be no spot or wrinkle…and off to hell you go. 😔.     

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Accept Or Reject.

Just like any gift, you are free to either accept it or…..at  your own peril…..reject it.  This tells you that SALVATION is not universal or automatic.  If you reject the free gift He is offering, God is an awesome respecter of your free choice.  He will never force salvation on you. Please understand that there are consequences accompanying whatever your choice.  If you accept His free gift, you can NEVER die.  Your eternal life in heaven is assured.  But if you refuse it, you, who are already dead, WILL REMAIN SO FOREVER…..and suffer the eternal consequences. 😭

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Other Religious Founders.

What about these other religions?  Do any of their founders claim to have created the heavens and the earth?  NO. Only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob records that He, and He alone, created the universe and all that is therein.  Looks like He’s the real ALMIGHTY ONE!

Can any of the founders of any other “religious traditions” say that they died and rose again?  Nope.  ALL OF THEM ARE STILL DEAD.

Can any other founder provide an offering acceptable to the God of the Universe–You know, The One Who makes the rules–which can give you SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD?  Again, NO, NO, NO!  

THEREFORE:  No other religion in the world can offer you the ASSURANCE of heaven.

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Metanoia: Change Your Mind!

If you die, i.e. leave Egypt without blood on the doorposts of your heart, YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY at the gates to spend eternity in hell, from which there is NO REPRIEVE.  But fear not; Jesus’ priceless gift is offered freely to ALL without reservation.  Accepting it is so simple.  Just “metanóia: change your mind” about whatever it is you thought God required of you.

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Going to heaven was never about doing enough good to outweigh the bad so you can somehow end up with the scale tipped in your favor. It isn’t about attaining some higher state of consciousness. IT HAS ALWAYS AND ONLY BEEN ABOUT PRESENTING AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE.  Jesus is THE ONLY sacrifice that qualifies.

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Please, please, PLEASE:  Accept His free gift before the door to salvation is closed.  Just say “Thank you,” and your eternity is forever secure.  The blood of The Perfect Sacrifice is now on your doorposts and can NEVER be removed.  

Thank you, Jesus for opening up the door of heaven for us!

You may follow the link below to part 2 to continue this series:

https://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/your-lamb-shall-be-without-blemish.html

Hall Of The Faithful Of Hebrews 11.

 Hebrews 11:1-4

“ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

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Cain and Abel both brought something to offer to God. Cain’s offering was rejected but Abel’s was accepted. What gives?

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Righteous Abel

These were not just any offerings; they were to be offered as a covering for sin. It must have been known to them the admonition that “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.” I mean, right in the beginning, God Himself killed animals and made blood coverings for Adam and Eve when they fell.  Abel obviously understood this, which is why he offered a lamb to God. 

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So, if it were known and understood, why did Cain come up with his own idea and offered produce to God?  Because man always wants to do his own thing. He always wants do something to make up for his own sinfulness. It’s the age old problem of self righteousness. What Cain was saying, in effect, was that he didn’t need the blood of the lamb to cover his sins; and that is why his offering was rejected.

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We need to be like Abel and understand that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Fortunately for us, Jesus was the final sacrifice that does not cover our sins: IT CLEANSES THEM FOR ALL ETERNITY!

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Righteous Enoch.

Hebrew 11:5

“ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

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Why was Enoch so righteous and faithful before God that he was translated, or raptured, directly into heaven some time before the Great Flood of Noah’s day? Let’s take a look at the genealogy of Genesis 5 and look for some little clues the Holy Spirit has left for us to find.

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Below is a list of all the “Begets” in the chapter:

Adam begot Seth

Seth begot Enosh

Enosh bego Cainan

Cainan begot Mahalalel

Mehalalel begot Jared

Jared begot Enoch

Enoch begot Methuselah

Lamech had a son and he called his name Noah 

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All names in Hebrew have meaning. These not only have meanings; they tell a story. 

Let’s align each name with it’s meaning as translated from the Hebrew and see what the Holy Spirit has hidden for us.  It’s a message of encouragement to us!

Adam………….man
Seth……………appointed
Enosh………….mortal
Cainan…………sorrow
Mahalalel……..blessed God
Jared……………down
Enoch…………..mouth
Methuselah……HIS DEATH WILL BRING
Lamech………..powerful
Noah……………rest

“Man is appointed mortal sorrow. But the blessed God will come down teaching (with his mouth).  His death will bring powerful rest.”

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You’ll notice that Methuselah’s name means, “His death will bring.” It shows the reader that Enoch must have known some kind of terrible judgment was coming and named his son accordingly. What a reminder to follow and obey God, knowing that his son’s death would be the signal for the God’s great judgment to rain down on man, quite literally I might add. With every little ailment, cough, or sneeze, can you just imagine people wondering, “Is this it?” 

He was so motivated and so faithful that, one day, God just walked him right into heaven. That’s right: He raptured Enoch. He was spared from going through the judgment the rest of the world would face, except for Noah and his family.

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Righteous Noah.

Hebrews 11:7

“ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

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Noah sure had a lot of faith! It took him 100 years to build that ark, during which time he tried to preach to his generation and warn them what was coming. Of course, no one believed him since it had never rained on the earth before. They thought he was a kook. Obviously, no one is laughing any more.

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Noah and his family were not alone in the ark, however. You may follow the link below to discover who else was in the ark with him and his family. No wonder they were not afraid!

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/01/04/come-into-the-ark-flood-series-part-2-2/

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Righteous Abraham.

Hebrews 11:8-11

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

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Abram, later renamed, “Abraham,” gets a bigger write-up for his story because of his faithfulness to and trust in The Most High. Because he believed God, he became the father of the Jewish nation. 

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While it’s true that he had faith where it mattered, you can see in the Old Testament account that his faith wasn’t perfect. Twice he instructed his wife, Sarah, to lie about and say she was his sister and not his wife. He pulled the same stunt 20 years later. Why? Because both times he was afraid for himself. He thought  that he might be killed because others would want her for themselves as she was very beautiful. Pretty selfish!

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For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/07/27/the-difference-between-servants-and-sons/

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Yet…….you notice his indiscretions are not mentioned in the great faith chapter of the Bible. Why? God’s grace! He doesn’t count your faults and failings when you are of the household of faith. He only sees when you do it right! There’s a BIG difference between sons and servants.

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Abraham is not unique in this category. All believers are, too. If you’re interested in more on that topic, you may access the link below. It will totally blow your mind if you don’t believe me:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/07/03/gods-math-is-not-like-ours/

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Righteous Sarah.

Hebrews 11:11-12

“ Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.”

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The picture of Sarah above shows the one thing that was omitted in her story. You remember that when the angel told her husband that Sarah would bear him a son? She laughed because she was way past her expiration date, being close to 90. She also had been barren her whole life. The Holy Spirit omits that little detail in the Hebrews account, once again not counting her trespass against her.

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Sara is unique among the women of the Bible as being the only one whose youth was renewed, like the eagle. She was so transformed that a heathen king, who looks on the outside and is not spiritual at all, wanted her for his harem! I’m sure she didn’t look like a shriveled up old lady. She must have looked young and beautiful. Amazing!

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Amazing Faith.

Hebrews 11:13-16

“ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

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Even though all of these people may have had imperfect faith, God sees them as unwavering. He never mentions any of the off behaviors we read in the Old Testament accounts. Rather, He remembers that they believed Him and held on to the promises He gave to them. Most amazing of all was that the fulfillment of those promises would not materialize until the distant future, which makes their faith even more incredible!

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More About Abraham.

Hebrews 11:17-19

“ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

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The account goes on to talk about Abraham who, like the Father, was willing to give up his only son, Isaac, believing the God could and would raise him from the dead. No one else in Holy Writ was ever tested like Abraham who so believed God he was willing to sacrifice his own son.

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Of course, the Father is telling the story of how He would sacrifice His only son, His beloved One, Who would not be spared but given up for us all. That’s some faith right there!! No wonder he became the father of the Jewish nation!

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Isaac, Jacob And Joseph.

Hebrews 11:20-21  

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 

“By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. ”

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From Abraham onward, we have an entire family of people and a line of those who believed the promises of God and passed that belief down to their children and children’s children. Through this one amazing family ultimately came The One, our Lord Jesus, Who saved us all. ♥️ 

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Moses.

Hebrews 11:23-29

“ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

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Moses has the biggest write up of all, he who lead the children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. Once again, we don’t read about any of his failings or shortcomings, only what he did right. Amazing! But that’s our God! 

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That’s how He deals with each one of us, though you may not hear that from the pulpit, not that we’re in favor of bad behavior, of course. Isn’t that the best way to raise children? Catch them doing good things or doing it right and they’ll want to do more.

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The writer of Hebrews goes on to regale us about Moses:

Hebrews 11:23-28

“ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 

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By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.”

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Imagine how terrifying it must have been to many who were putting blood on the lintels and doorposts to deter the angel of death! After nine terrible, very tangible plagues, there was no doubt that the last one was certain to happen. By faith, they all put the blood on the doorposts of their houses and they were all spared! 

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By the time the last plague hit, many of their Egyptian neighbors were taking God seriously and had actually sought refuge with the Israelites. In fact, those very non Jews left Egypt with them. You can see it so clearly in the Hebrew. Read all about it in the article about if you like:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2021/03/24/jesus-opened-the-door-passover-series-part-1/

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Even more amazing, the entire company crossed safely the other side of the Red Sea between two walls of water being held back by God. The Egyptians, who were chasing them, followed behind them but did not fare so well. Once the last of the Children of Israel were on the other side, the walls of water crashed together, killing everyone, including the evil Pharoah. 

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Joshua And Rahab.

Hebrews 11:30-31

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”

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Then we have the fall of the walls of Jericho, spearheaded by Joshua. Only one woman and her family were spared because of her belief and faithfulness. You see, years ago, when Israel had approached the promised land, all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan had heard of the great deeds God had done. Everyone was terrified! 

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But this one woman, who had been a prostitute, had come to believe in this God. She became the great grandmother of King David and is mentioned in the lineage of our Lord Jesus! 

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Old Testament Heroes Of The Faith.

The rest of chapter 11 gives the reader a thumbnail sketch of a host of other Old Testament saints that were so numerous, the author could not to go into great detail. He leaves that for the reader to investigate. It’s quite the list of Who’s Who. Take a look:

Hebrews 11:32-40

“ And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 

Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

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Gideon was fearful and weak and needed a LOT of convincing to do the great things he did, yet that fact is omitted here. (See Judges 6)

You’ll notice that Barak was mentioned but not Deborah, a prophetess and judge who served together with him. He didn’t have the faith and courage to do what God asked him to do alone. Instead, he chickened out. But Deborah stepped in did what the Lord had asked of him. Again, notice that God doesn’t mention what he failed to do, only that he is one of the faithful. That’s our God. (See Judges 4.)

Samson is another character who did a lot of questionable things, yet he is mentioned in the hall of faith, (see Judges 13)

Jephthah was one of the judges of Israel about whom no negative was mentioned. Read his story in Judges 11.

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What more can be said of these men and women who ultimately overcame because of what God promised? They may not have begun in great faith but ended up succeeding because God was faithful to them. The most amazing thing about each one of them is that the One Who was promised to them would would arrive in the distant future. AMAZING!!!

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Though all these are great examples of courage and faith to bless and encourage us in our walk, our God is the greatest example. 

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When Jesus ascended back to His Father in Heaven, they and all the faithful of the Old Testament comprised the “Great cloud of witnesses” that accompanied Him, their promise fulfilled in the One for Whom they waited for so long: The Messiah! 

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Jesus is the preeminent One! He was their focus! He deserves all the praise and the glory! 

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You and I, Church, are now an integral part of that same group because we are in Christ, the One Who is ever Faithful to the Hall of the Faithful.