#~1~ Heb.11:1-3 ~INTRODUCTION~ (HALL OF FAITH CHAPTER) SS 4-12-14
Today we’ll begin a new study of “Hebrews Chapter 11:” often referred to as the “hall of faith” chapter. --- Chapter 11: is also called by some “the catalog of the faithful”.
~We believe that Paul is probably the writer of Hebrews, but we can not be sure, we believe that mainly because of what Peter said too the Hebrews about Paul in;
2 Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; --
As far as I know Paul had not written any epistles to the Hebrews, so we believe Peter is talking about the epistle of Hebrews, that Paul wrote this epistle to the Hebrews. --- Lets keep in mind that the epistles of “JAMES, PETER, AND HEBREWS” were written primarily too the Hebrew people. --- But all of us are to read them and glean all we can from them.
~~ Also the writer of Hebrews knew Timothy; apparently, Timothy was well known to both the author and the Hebrew readers.
>Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
~It seems that what Paul means here is, that Timothy is released from prison, if he gets here in time, I will bring him with me when I come to visit you.
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LISTEN; in the close of chapter 10, Paul begins to put the spot light on faith, he said;
Heb.10: 38-39 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; [destruction] but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
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The word “faith” is found 24 times in this chapter, it carries the meaning of (believing and trusting in God,) believing that what ever He said was true. -- Faith is confidence that things yet future and unseen will happen as God has said that they will.
~ Faith is a human response to God's faithfulness and His promise’s. -- We trust His trustworthiness, not our own. --- God’s character is the key too our faith.
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~ Here in chapter 11: Paul was urging the Hebrew believers not to fall back into Judaism, their old way of religion, and to continue in the Christian faith.
In this 11th chapter, from verse 2-40, Paul points out the unshakeable faith of their ancestors in their times of troubles and trials, he wanted to show that there is power in faith to keep the mind and heart in the midst of turmoil.
As we read of these faithful individuals in chapter 11, we’ll see their behavior in their troubles and trials; and we’ll notice that God was well pleased.
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> Heb.11:6 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.
We’re told 4 times in the Bible, “the just shall live by faith”.
>Habakkuk 2: 4 -- but the just shall live by his faith.
>Rom. 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
~ When we read “it is written” that means that some where in the O.T. it had been written. – A reference too Hab.2:4.
>Gal. 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
> Heb. 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: ---
~~ The phrase “the just shall live by faith” reveals the only way that any one can rightly relate to, and please God.
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Listen as I read part of verse 1.
Hebrews 11: 1Now faith is the sub-stance of things hoped for,
~When we look at the word “sub-stance” we notice “sub” – “sub” is below, it’s underneath; the sub floor supports all else on top of it. --- So FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of our belief in God, FAITH is what supports our trusting in God. --- So our “believing and trusting” in God is the SUBSTANCE of our faith. -- God wants our faith to rest upon His Word.
~ Justification is the result of the believer’s faith in the grace of God and in His provision for salvation.
>Rom. 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. – Without any kind of works.
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~ Verse 1 goes on to say, -- Now faith is the sub-stance of things hoped for, ---the evidence of things not seen.
-- Just as our physical eyesight is the sense that gives us evidence of the seen material world, faith is the “sense” that gives us evidence of the invisible spiritual world.
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2For by it ** the elders obtained a good report.
~These Jewish Christians that Paul was addressing was discouraged, and were thinking of giving up on Jesus and Christianity. --- They needed a good testimony, (a good report) and so they needed to be reminded of these examples of faith seen in their ancestors to break them out of discouragement.
The many different people mentioned in this chapter all had different circumstances and personalities, but they all had one thing in common - faith.
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Keep in mind Paul or the author, was writing this too the discouraged Jewish believers, and it will also be beneficial to us as well.
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3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed** [prepared] by the word of God, --
~When we see the word “WORLD” let’s remember that there are two different Greek words for “world” --- one is [KOSMOS] which means “the universe, which includes all the planets, a system displaying order and harmony.”
~ The other Greek word for “world” is [ai-on] meaning “an age, an era, the dispensations of time”.
~ So here in verse 3, we see “worlds” ** meaning more than one, I personally think it includes both the “cosmos” the universe, along with the “aions” ages, the dispensations. – Simply because “worlds” is plural. – That is my opinion.
~ God is the framer of time and space, it’s not a question of how God could have done it, but the fact that He did it.
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vs.3- Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed [prepared- to furnish completely] --- by the word of God.
~ Notice, Paul didn’t say that God created the universe out of nothing, let’s not read into this verse something that it does not say.
~ He said that the universe did not originate from other material or anything observable.
Gen.1:1-3 indicates that God created the universe, something visible, by His word, by something invisible. – invisible to us, not to Him.
---- Paul does not use the Greek word here that means to “make or create”
– The Greek word spoken by Paul for “were framed” is not the word for “make or create.” –
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Listen as I read all of verse 3 together;
3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed** [prepared] by the word of God, -- so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
~ I think the meaning here is, things that we can see, were made from things that cannot be seen. – notice it say’s “through faith”
~ Belief that the visible world and the universe and the ages are created by God is a conviction of faith not sight.
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LISTEN as I read Gen.1:1
>Gen.1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
“In the beginning”— this is a “beginning” which no one can put a date.
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There are many different theories which men hold in an attempt to explain the origin of the universe, but a theory is only a guess, its not scientific, it's not been and can not be proven. — Your theory is as good as any one else’s guess. --- We as believers have faith that God created all things, but no one has a logical answer as to how in our way of thinking and understanding.
>Isaiah 55: 8- 9For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
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~ God created His creation for His own glory, God had all eternity behind Him, and we’re sure that He didn’t sit around idol.
>Rev. 4:11Thou art worthy, O Lord, (the Lord Jesus, the CREATOR} to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
> Col. 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: --
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>Gen.1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
~ LISTEN; there are countless bible believers, good sincere Christians that believe that there was a GAP between verses 1 and 2 of Gen. 1: -- they believe that when the fall of Satan occurred that caused the chaos of verse 2. -- the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
They seem to believe it was after verse 1 but before verse 2.
Gen.1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
~And then according to the GAP theory, perhaps thousands or millions of years later God finished His creation, thus the GAP theory.
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~ You don’t have to agree with me, but I don’t believe there’s a gap at all, this would be saying that God could be stopped at what He started out to do.
The so called “gap” is only a literary one; in which v. 1 is the title of the account and vv. 2–31 is the content.
~Are we going to believe the bible or not? – Here is what the Bible says.
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:
~This verse removes all doubt of a GAP between the 1st two verses of Gen.1: --- Everything had to happen within the six days, this includes the creation of the whole universe and everything in it. ---Listen dear heart, if this verse is not true, then can we trust any of it? --- But as believers, we have faith that it happened just as it says.
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> Gen.1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
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The Gap Theory is the view that God created a fully functional earth with all animals, including the dinosaurs and other creatures we know only from the fossil record. --- Then, as the theory goes, something happened to destroy the earth completely—some speculate it was the fall of Satan to earth—so that the earth became without form and void. – their theory at this point is, God started all over again, recreating the earth in its paradise form as further described in Genesis.
~ I believe God would have told us if that had happened, God would not have left us to speculate in ignorance about such important events.
~Listen, if the fossil record is to be explained by the millions of years in the so called GAP, that means death, disease, and suffering happened many ages before Adam fell.
~But we read in Rom.5:12 that it was Adam’s sin that caused death, disease, and suffering to all life: -- 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; --
~ Those that believe the Gap Theory do so in order to reconcile the theories of modern scientists who hold to the old-earth theory, that is, the belief that the earth is billions of years old.
~In my way of thinking, the fossils that are discovered in various places that have no record of ever being a sea bed is simple, (the flood in Noah’s time) answers it very well.
~ Before Adam and Eve sinned, every thing was perfect, no storms, it had not even rained as yet, no earth quakes, no tsunamis, no volcanoes, ever part of Gods creation was without blemish. --- But because of the fall of man we read in,
>Romans 8:19-22 For the earnest expectation of the creature (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature ** itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.-- 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
-- God created the beautiful mountains within the six days of creation.
>Genesis 7: 19- 20 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
>Amos 4;13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.
>ps.65:6 Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
>Ps.95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
>Isa.40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
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And dear heart I could go on and on with scripture, we as Bible believers have faith that the entire creation was complete in six days, why do we believe this way? Because His Word says so, we don’t know how He did it, but by FAITH we believe it.
~Next time Lord willing we’ll get into the individuals named in the chapter.
Please be listening if you can, this will probably be a lengthy study here in Hebrews chapter 11: -- the hall of faith chapter.
