Today you should read: Hebrews 11:23-40
Today we pick back up the second half of the faith chapter in Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews talked about 4 people’s faith, mentions a few others and then talks about what that faith did for them.
- Moses’ Parents
They realized Moses was special and so, in spite of the laws on the land (Hebrew boys were to be killed on the spot), they hid Moses, floating him down the Nile in a basket where pharaoh’s daughter would find him and raise him.
- Moses
Moses is credited for faith in three instances. One, he denied the pleasures and rices of comfort in Egypt to be with and stand up for God’s people. We saw that come to a head when he killed the Egyptian slave driver for striking an Israelite. He also is credited for his leaving after that same incident. He left despite the pharaoh being angry and having the ability and authority to chase him and kill him. The last faith story of Moses mentioned is interesting. The writer of Hebrews mentions that Moses exhibited faith when he commanded the people to keep the Passover by sprinkling blood on the doorposts. To be honest, I’m not sure why this particular plague is more important than the others. We do see that it is the only one God gives instruction for His people in. Perhaps it is the obedience of Moses and the people that demonstrates their faith.
- The Israelites
The people of Israel walked across the Red Sea on dry land. That is some incredible faith! The people had to trust God to not drop the sea on their head. They had to trust that it was from God at all and not just some freak of nature causing the sea to split. Then they had to also trust God to shut the waters back when the Egyptians came through. After this, the people showed faith by following God’s plan to march around Jericho to cause the walls to miraculously fall. God did some amazing miracles among the people of Israel and the people showed some great faith at times but then quickly forgot and lost faith. I don’t know about you but that sounds a lot like me.
- Rahab
Rahab, despite the odds of Israel actually defeating the more superior armies of Jericho, decided that God was with the Israelites and decided to welcome the spies, even though it would put her in danger. She was rewarded with safety and even becoming a part of the lineage of Jesus. Like her, when we exhibit faith despite the consequences, God blesses us.
What we can take away from today’s passage is this…
Faith takes many forms and can be exhibited in many ways but it always ends in God’s blessings.
Those blessings may not always take the form we might think o want but we can rest assured that, with faith in God, we will be exactly where God wants us to be.
Posted by: Robbie Byrd
JumpstartCPC.com 