In verses 13-16 we see that faith lives by looking to the promises of God. Isn’t verse 16 wonderful. God was not ashamed to be their God! Wow. How do we make God say that about us, how can we make God proud of us? Well verse 13 tells us that these men saw promises that they did not receive. They understood that God had made promises that would be fulfilled thousands of years after they were born, but because they saw and believed this promise they became wanderers and exiles. Christianity has often been called a long walk in the same direction, and for these men and women, it was literally. These men and women were faithful to death. The author wants us to see that we might not get everything God promises us in this life, but we will eventually. Now Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob have received what God promised them.
How will you get up tomorrow morning if you don’t believe His promises? How will you face trouble and heartbreak if you don’t know His promises? You won’t.
Secondly we see that faith lives by trusting the plan of God, in verses 17-23. This is the second part of looking at the promises. When you trust the promises, you know the plan is good. What was God’s plan in the OT? To have His people, in His place living in His presence. That’s why there are so many genealogies in the first 5 books, because we’re supposed to be seeing God’s plan working as His people grow. That’s why there are lists of places in Joshua, because God’s plan is working. All the men mentioned in this paragraph trusted in God’s plan, even to death.
Abraham trusted God’s plan even when he was called to sacrifice Isaac. Because he trusted the plan, he passed the test of his faith. At the end of his life Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau and demonstrated his hope for the future. When Joseph died he promised that God would rescue His people from slavery in deliver them to the promised land, he even told the Hebrews what to do with his bones when they got here. Because Moses parents trusted the plan they kept Moses alive defying the kings order to kill him.
See what trusting God’s plan does? It makes you faithful, brave, and fills you with hope. God’s plan for you is good, and to do good to you. When you’ve had a bad day, or week, or semester, remember that, that God is working it all for good. When things happen in your life that you can’t understand, remember that God is working them together for your good, and trust in His plan.
In verses 24 an 25 we see that faith lives by rejecting the world. Moses was given up by his parents, they put him in a basket and floated him down the river, where he was rescued by the daughter of Pharaoh. Moses grew up not as the son of a slave, but as the son of the most powerful man in the world. But he rejected it all, because of his faith. Verse 24 tells us he rejected the prestige that the world had to offer, refusing to be called Pharaoh’s daughter. He had everything in the world he could have imagined, and more, but Jesus was more important to him. Verse 25 tells us he gave up the pleasures of the world. With more money comes more opportunity, and the young Moses, prince in the household, could have had anything he wanted. Any sinful pleasure that you could imagine was on offer, but he gave it up, preferring to be mistreated with, identified with, suffer with God, that to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Only by faith can we reject sin and live for God. Only by faith do the pleasures of Jesus look better than the pleasures of sin.
Finally we see that all these other points have been leading up to. Verses 26-29 tell us that faith lives by rejoicing in Christ. Does that sound odd to you, rejoicing in Christ, getting excited about Jesus? if it does, can I suggest you don’t know Jesus very well? We rejoice in Christ because He is better, and He rescues. Knowing Jesus is better that the best the world has to offer. See verse 26 tells us that Moses thought the reproach of Christ made him richer than all the treasures of Egypt. Isn’t that amazing? To know Jesus makes you rich beyond your wildest dreams, if you have faith. And faith lives by rejoicing in Jesus because Jesus rescues.
It was Jesus who rescued the Hebrews from slavery, covered in the blood of the Passover lamb, and walking over the Red sea like it was dry land. And it’s only Jesus that can save you from sin, from death and from Hell. Faith lives by rejoicing in this salvation, by realizing that whatever happens nothing can change the fact that your sins are paid for.
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