Isaiah 5-7

Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:1-7 Isaiah’s parable about Israel being the vineyard of the Lord was paralleled with several told by Jesus, with different themes. Since vineyards were very plentiful in Israel, it was a natural metaphor. Probably the closest to this one that was told by Jesus about a well-cared-for vineyard that bore no fruit for three years. The owner said to cut it down but the caretaker asked for one more year. The point of Jesus’ parable was that God is looking for fruit but His patience is not unending. (Luke 13:6-9) Isaiah’s parable is very similar. He is very explicit about the fruit God is expecting versus what He saw and heard in Israel.  Jesus went on at the last supper to explain that He is the true vine and His Father is the gardener. The key to bearing (good) fruit is to remain and abide in Him. The warning there is the same - those who do not remain and abide in Him will be thrown into the fire. (John 15:1-8) A very scary warning from the Prince of Peace.

The remainder of Isaiah 5 contains six woes. New Testament woes are depicted in two places. One is by Jesus, a passage following the beatitudes (Luke 6:24-26), the other being in John’s vision of the judgment of Babylon the great during the tribulation. (Revelation 18:10,16,19)

• Isaiah 5:8-10 Woe to those who through wealth acquire real property and so conjoin it that there is no space left for anyone else to live. Greed run rampant. (Matthew 6:19-24) This woe is also paralleled by Jesus, connected to the blessings of the beatitudes (Luke 6:24-26). 
• Isaiah 5:11-17 Woe to those who are fully devoted to partying and have no regard for the work of God, either what He is doing or for what He calls them to do. The fruit to be reaped will be exile and death. The rulers who didn’t will be humbled and the people will suffer. However, God will be justified and His sheep will graze and feed. (John 10:11-15)
• Isaiah 5:18-19 Woe to those who deceive others to draw them into sin. God has a plan. It will not turn out well for them. Unless those who are referred to are looking for the coming of the Messiah, but although He reached out to the Pharisees, their rejection of Him was their own undoing.
• Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who invert good and evil, right and wrong. Everyone has a conscience. Those who reject what their conscience tells them will reap what they sow.
• Isaiah 5:21 Woe to know-it-alls. Hubris results in moral and spiritual blindness. (Proverbs 16:18)
• Isaiah 5:22-25 Woe to heavy drinkers, who use legal trickery to exploit the weak and poor,  and to protect their fellow bribe-takers. The Lord’s anger will bring just destruction on them, according to His law and His word. Even those that are called His people will be punished if they reject Him and His ways.

Parallel passages in New Testament:

• Luke 6:24 Woe to the rich.
• Luke 6:25 Woe to the well-fed, and those who laugh.
• Luke 6:26 Woe to those that are spoken of well.
• Revelation 18:10,16,19 Threefold woe to Babylon because of her wealth and the dependence that all the earth had on her economic prowess, enriching the powerful across the earth. Her judgment does not stop with earthly destruction.

Isaiah 5:26-30 The judgment of God will be carried out by an army from a distant land. We know from history that Babylon came and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. Their army is described here. They are steadfast in marching, their weapons are honed and deadly, and their appearance is like a devastating storm with a roar like that of lions or the ocean, and darkness that completely obscures the sun. (2 Kings 25:1-21; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21) We ought to fear, in our day, that the conditions described as bringing judgment - wealth, self-assurance, mistreatment of the poor and weak, denial of basic standards of right and wrong - are all too common in our society today. Hopefully not in the church. (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 3:14-17)

Isaiah 6

Isaiah’s vision of the throne of God can be compared to Ezekiel’s (Ezekiel 1:5-11) and John’s. (Revelation 4:2-11) There are differences in what is recorded, and this probably deserves a much deeper study. What is common is that all three were overwhelmingly transcendent. The eternal presence of God exceeds our ability to comprehend, let alone articulate. We shall therefore focus on what we have that can provide the understanding of those aspects that are shared with us.

Isaiah 6:1 The death of King Uzziah, also called Azariah, approximately 740 BC (2 Kings 15:7, 2 Chronicles 26:23), likely triggered Isaiah’s openness to receiving this visitation. The king’s alternate names could mean “The Lord has helped” vs. “the Lord is my strength”. Sadly Uzziah crossed a line and was struck with leprosy. (2 Chronicles 26:16-20) When he died, Isaiah was likely concerned about the future and sought the Lord.

        The Lord is seated on a throne and the train of His robe filled the temple. The throne represents authority, as does the robe. Filling the temple with the train of His robe may perhaps imply or convey God’s omnipresence on earth. The temple was God’s designated meeting place with man. Actually, in the wilderness, the presence of God was in the holy of holies in a tent, the earthly temple wasn’t built until Solomon. This was not to exclude humans, but to show that His authority is present everywhere. 

Isaiah 6:2 The seraphim have six wings. These are not dragons, wings are for more than just flying. They used their wings to cover their faces, perhaps because the beauty, their holiness, the divine essence, is too powerful for Isaiah to see. (Exodus 33:20) In other visions, people fell on their faces in seeing this vision. The seraphim used wings to cover their feet. Since they were flying, they were not using their feet, but it is unclear why they needed to be covered. There is no allusion to swimming, but having both feet and wings implies mobility both on land and in the air. 

Isaiah 6:3-4 The triple proclamation of holiness emphasizes the utter completeness of how this attribute defines God’s essence. More than power, more than love, God is essentially not going to sin against His own character. It seems like a logical absurdity to ask the question, if God can do anything, can He sin? The answer would be that He always chooses to not sin. He was willing for a Jesus to die on the cross, but He would not deny His essence. The whole earth - all of the beauty we see, the wonders of nature, the positive accomplishments of mankind - reveal the weight of His glory. (Revelation 4:8) 

      The worship of God, the voices of the seraphim, cause earthly tremors and fill the air with smoke. In the earthly tabernacle, the burning of incense was a sweet scent which hinted at this eternal savoring of God’s presence.  When we worship on earth, wherever we are, if our worship recognizes and praises the holiness of God, the sweet sense of His presence is present; what a joy when we can recognize it. This is what presence at God’s throne is like continually.

Isaiah 6:5-7 At this scene, Isaiah recognizes his unworthiness, similar to Ezekiel and Daniel. (Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 10:7-9) While not continuous, do we ever have moments of revelation that cause us to recognize our own uncleanness before God? Isaiah recognized that he was ruined - all of his pretenses, his good deeds, his devout religion - amounted to nothing before God. His rescue here did not prefigure Christ and the plan of redemption, that comes later.(Isaiah 53) Instead a live coal from the altar was touched to his lips, to take away his guilt and atone for his sin. Fire is used to purify metal, but a much more subtle and difficult purification is needed for the human soul and spirit. Jesus’ blood atoned for our sins. Isaiah’s call included God’s empowerment, just as the apostles. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire to anoint the believers and Peter was given bold words to proclaim the gospel. (Acts 2:3-4,14-36)

Isaiah 6:8-10 Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, just as three of the disciples did on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matthew 17:6) We are called by God to listen to Jesus, and then share the word about atonement. The Jews were called to bring God’s light to the world. Instead, they chose to become an object lesson. The command to Isaiah here is puzzling, because it appears that God is telling Isaiah to make them deaf and insensitive, lest they hear and understand and then be healed. Perhaps He was fed up with centuries of their rejection of Him and His ways, of treating Him like a servant. 

Isaiah 6:11-13 Isaiah’s question is not why, but how long. The Lord’s answer perhaps reflects the need for His land to enjoy its sabbath rests. This was the seventy years decreed. (2 Chronicles 26:21; Jeremiah 25:11,29:10) Leaving stumps in the ground is possibly a reference to things that seem dead but can be the source of new life sprouting. The holy seed will ultimately bring the nativity of Jesus to Israel. Jesus’ earthly lineage included Jeconiah who was taken to Babylon, and his descendants who returned after the captivity. (Matthew 1:11-12) Even though Israel had rejected God’s ways, redemption would one day come.

Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7:1 Isaiah now switches to current history, events during the reign of King Ahaz, the grandson of Uzziah. The events involving Aram and Ephraim are recorded in the history. (2 Kings 13; 2 Chronicles 28) Ahaz was king approximately 735-715 BC. The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria approximately 722 BC. 

Isaiah 7:2-6 Aram was located where modern Syria exists. Ephraim formed an alliance with Aram, and they planned to conquer Judah jointly. Judah was terrified, so the Lord sent Isaiah to encourage Ahaz. He told Isaiah to take his son, whose name means ‘a remnant shall return’, and meet Ahaz at the launderer’s pool. One might infer this is where the launderer washed clothes, perhaps for the king. The two kings that Judah feared were dismissed as smoldering stubs of firewood, not hot enough to start a fire, much less consume others, despite their apparent strength. This was the perspective from the spiritual realm, where God knew the moral bankruptcy of these two nations, and their consequent weakness, compared to Judah (which was itself far from perfect).  

Isaiah 7:7-12 The Lord spoke (presumably through Isaiah) directly to Ahaz. The two threatening kingdoms will be destroyed. Judah needs to be firm in their faith, in order to stand. He then challenges Ahaz to ask for a sign. Ahaz, in fear or mock modesty, refuses. He says he will not put the Lord to the test. The Lord intends to use this opportunity to give a prophecy regarding the birth of Christ. 

Isaiah 7:13-17 God’s response to Ahaz’ fake modesty cuts to the chase. Is trying the patience of God on the same level as trying the patience of men? Is it ego or lack of faith? The prophecy of a virgin giving birth is quoted directly by the New Testament with respect to Jesus. (Matthew 1:23) The actual events of Mary giving birth as a virgin are recorded. (Luke 1:29-35) That this miraculous child is God with us (Immanuel) is empowered by a miracle solves a theological problem of how a descendent of Jeconiah could legitimately rule, because of the curse placed on him. (Jeremiah 22:28-30) This was not parthenogenesis, because that would have resulted in a female. The miracle was closer to that of creating Eve out of Adam’s rib, direct intervention by God to create cells that are human. Mary was not descended from Jeconiah, but Joseph was. The curse did not fall on Christ because His lineage in human terms was direct from God, not through Joseph.

     The sign to Ahaz was that the time between the prophecy and when Aram and Ephraim would be laid waste was how long it takes a young woman to conceive and give birth a child, and then for that child to grow up enough to know right and wrong. A small number of years. No indication that this would be a virgin birth, although nothing is impossible with God, but this passage appears to be a melding of two future events. The near term event is the timing of God’s intervention via Assyria, the long term event is the virgin birth of Christ over 700 years later. 

Isaiah 7:18-25 A description of the wasteland that Ephraim would become. There is a curious interjection in the middle of this passage. Amid the description of Egyptians and Assyrians settling in the land, of Ephraim being shaved, of valuable grapevines being replaced by thorns and briars, there is a brief mention of the abundance of milk coming from a young cow and two goats, and of eating curds and honey. This resonates with the earlier verse (7:15) about the promised child eating curds and honey. Comfort food, not necessarily a balanced or healthy diet. But perhaps a hint that although Ephraim is being judged by external invasions, God will not totally abandon His people.  

 

Isaiah 1-4

Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:1 Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings. Manasseh, who tradition says executed him, is not mentioned. At a minimum, Uzziah’s reign ended about 740 BC and Hezekiah reigned until 686 BC, a span of 54 years.

Isaiah 1:2-3 Is the Lord speaking through Isaiah only to the people of Judah? Judah and Israel? It may be safe to appeal to the opening verse and history, that this applies only to the people of Jerusalem and Judah in the eighth and seventh centuries before Christ. In speaking to the heavens and the earth, it appears to be a much broader audience. Who are God’s children? Do we know Jesus? Going beyond knowing about Him, do we have a personal relationship with Him? Animals know their owners and dwellings, on a physical level, but God calls us to a spiritual communion with Him, where our hearts become like His by becoming one with Him. Do we, as believers, know and understand Him? Not just theology, but the person?

Isaiah 1:4 This description is one of absolute decadence, not just superficial obedience. Rebellion against all that God has commanded, all that is right and good. The end result of backsliding is total disconnection. 

Isaiah 1:5-9 An appeal to common sense. Reaping what is sown, the result of cause and effect on a spiritual level, should open the eyes of our hearts to the consequences of rebelling against God. The comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah evokes images of divine judgment, not just earthly cause and effect. We shouldn’t need a nuclear war or a firebombing campaign like Operation Gomorrah on Hamburg during World War II to realize this, but that is the end result. Indeed, Jerusalem was besieged by Sennacherib’s army about 701 BC, but God intervened. 586 BC was a different story.

Isaiah 1:10-15 Leaving aside the question of whether the people of Sodom and Gomorrah offered sacrifices to gods, which is not mentioned in the account of their destruction (Genesis 19), God is fed up with superficial rituals. Yes, He commanded the offering of rams, bulls, goats, and lambs under specific circumstances, but the point of those offerings was supposed to be that people would have to pay a price for sin, see a graphic representation of its consequences, and then repent and turn their hearts toward God. He is weary of people  praying ritual words and then doing evil acts. In our day, it would be like going to a worship service, and/or receiving communion, in order to make ourselves feel like we are ok with God, and then proceeding to deny Him with how we live our lives. 

Isaiah 1:16-17 God’s call goes beyond not doing evil. He calls His people to seek what is called social justice. Consideration and care for the most vulnerable people in our midst should be taken up as a mandate at every level - individually by believers, by all branches and levels of government, by private organizations. Not to subsidize or encourage irresponsible lifestyles, but to help them build lives based on fundamental values and overcome awful circumstances.

Isaiah 1:18-20 Often quoted invitation and warning: obey and be blessed, or rebel and be destroyed by His word. Although God created the universe with joy, it cost Him the life of His Son to redeem us. 

Isaiah 1:21-23 Jerusalem, the city of faith, had become rebellious and evil, and the beauty of holy things now was the commonness of evil behaviors. Covetousness, rebellion, oppression of the poor were the new normal. 

Isaiah 1:24-31 One day, Jerusalem will be cleansed by His hand, purged of every evil and impurity, and called the city of faithfulness. They will endure shame and disgrace, some will be destroyed by fire, but the repentant will be delivered with justice and righteousness. This is a description of the life of the believer. When we are first saved, we have no idea what God has in mind for us. In a lifelong process that often includes painful chastisement, He not only cleanses us from sin, He gives us His Spirit, His heart, His essence, implanted in us, so that we can live out our lives in eternity in His image. Instead of dead oak trees to be used as firewood, we will be pillars of righteousness. This describes the new Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:2)

Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2:1-5 Based on the description of nations existing but behaving, this describes the millennial reign of Christ, not the new heavens and earth. It is the last days of the current creation. The people, all the gentile nations, will come to Mount Zion through the gospel to receive the word of the Lord. Weapons of war will not be needed for conquest or defense, nor even for deterrence. Will this be true even on the individual human level? Both the peoples and the nations are mentioned as choosing and receiving justice. There is a statue outside the United Nations headquarters in New York of a sword being beaten into a pruning hook or plowshare. Sadly, the UN is unable to bring this about, because this peace is from the Lord, not from man.

Isaiah 2:6-9 The land of Israel in Isaiah’s day had turned to idolatry and superstition despite, or perhaps because of, the wealth they enjoyed. They accused the Lord of having abandoned them, but who abandoned who? Jerusalem was idolizing wealth and military power, instead of recognizing them as God’s blessings, they worshipped them as gods.

Isaiah 2:10 When the Lord comes, they will hide from His presence, further elaborated in 2:19-21.

Isaiah 2:11-18 The Lord alone will be exalted on that day when He is present. Hubris will be humbled, and idolatry will cease. The amazing part will be more than just the destruction of molten images of fake gods, it will be the abandonment in human hearts of the worship of power and wealth. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Isaiah 2:19-22 Those who are not in right relationship with the Lord will, on the day of His presence, hide in caves, rocks, and holes in the ground. (Revelation 6:15-17) When the people see Him, they will abandon their worship of wealth. But they will still hide from His splendor and majesty when He returns. The challenge is to recognize this now, and not esteem mere humans and human power. When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain and His disciples saw His clothing as white as light, and heard His conversation with Moses and Elijah, and the voice of the Father, they were terrified and fell on the ground. (Matthew 17:1-8) And these were men who were in a good relationship with Him. This event will be far more terrifying to those not in right relationship with Him - the overwhelming revelation of the eternal realities. In that context, why trust mere humans, however powerful they may be in human terms?

Isaiah 3

Isaiah 3:1-7 In the day of judgment there will be a famine of both food and leadership. This applies to the judgment of any society throughout human history. There comes a point where social abandonment of God and His ways leads to His abandonment of that society to the law of sowing and reaping. Divine judgment results in leaders who don’t lead and food that isn’t there anymore. Little children being in charge is like kindergarten recess - bullies control everyone through fear and intimidation and there are no standard of right and wrong. 

Isaiah 3:8-11 Further elaboration on the moral breakdown of society. If anything goes, and there is no standard of right and wrong in society, then cause and effect will lead from the parading of moral debauchery to the disaster that it results in. 

Isaiah 3:12 In Isaiah’s day, leadership was assigned to adult men, presumably who were well acquainted with the law of Moses and would lead others to follow God’s principles. The reference to women and children as leading the people astray implies that they were not leading according to this standard. Even eighty-year-old kings can act like petulant children. In our day, leadership failure occurs with both men and women, of all ages, justifying and encouraging freedom to sin. Not that they don't know right and wrong, but that they reject the idea of moral standards.

Isaiah 3:13-15 The New Testament describes two different judgment days. For believers, there is the judgment seat of Christ, where we each will give account for things done in the flesh. (2 Corinthians 5:10) For the nations and unbelievers, it will be a terrible day of judgment in which punishment will be meted our justly but firmly. (Revelation 20:11-15) In this passage, Isaiah focuses on the leadership of his day, who have exploited the poor for their own purposes. Their judgment eventually came in 586 BC, but it was for discipline. (2 Kings 25:1-21; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21) God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, on that day. 

Isaiah 3:16-23 This passage focuses on the behavior of women who turn from God. Their unique sins result from taking everyday pleasantries out of context, to use them for sinful temptations. This includes flirtatious behaviors, ornamental jewelry, fine clothing, and perfume. In addition they take pride in their husbands status.

Isaiah 3:24-26 Things that are blessings in the context of God’s provision become sin outside that context, and become the loci of judgment. This includes beauty of appearance (since the creation and all God has made were initially beautiful), and strength to stand and fight for what is right. (Genesis 1:26,31, 2:23)

Isaiah 4

Isaiah 4:1 In response to the judgment described above (3:24-26), women will turn to the one Man who can save them, to be saved. (John 8:3-11) 

Isaiah 4:2-4 Everything after creation was very good, implicitly beautiful. (Genesis 1:31) Those who turn to Jesus, the righteous branch, will live in the new Jerusalem, with all of their sins washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and live empowered lives through the fire of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Revelation 7:14; Acts 2:3) This will be even more beautiful than creation was at first. (Revelation 21:2) 

Isaiah 4:5-6 When Israel was in the wilderness, God led them with a cloud of His presence by day, and a pillar of fire by night. (Exodus 13:21-22) In the transfiguration on the Mount, Jesus shined brighter than the sun, providing a glimpse of the eternal light of the world. (Matthew 17:2; John 1:9, 3:19, 8:12, 9:5, 11:9, 12:46) When the disciples encountered a storm at sea and feared they would perish, Jesus rebuked the storm and it was quiet. (Mark 4:35-39) This (the storms of life) is where we live at present.

Hebrews 10-13

Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:1-4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Yet that was the law! Clearly, the ritual of the law of Moses was a type, a pointer to the day when Christ would offer His blood, and a reminder of the seriousness of sin. The difference between the rituals of the church and those of the Old Testament law is this. Through worship, prayer, and sacraments we can actually experience the presence of God, speaking to us directly, and not be destroyed, because of the same event, except that it is now an event that occurred, not a hope for the future. Worshippers under the law were only changed by internal decisions and willpower to turn from sin. We now have the ever-abiding empowerment of the Holy Spirit to change us and deliver us from the power of sin.

Hebrews 10:5-10 In quoting David, the epistle is making the same point. (Psalm 40:6-8) These words follow David’s worship of God for his deliverance and of God’s mighty deeds in doing so. He lifted David up from the slimy pit and set him on a rock. He gave him a new song - blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2-4) None can compare to Him. Whether or not David understood that the words “I have come” were prophetic of the incarnation, he understood his need for salvation, and called on God to deliver him.

Hebrews 10:11-18 The point is repeated again with repeating the prophetic quote about the new covenant, in which God would write His law in our heart. (Jeremiah 31:33-34) Israel reaped the fruit they had sown by their sin. Under the new covenant sins are truly forgiven, repeated sacrifice for sins is not needed, because after His one sacrifice, Jesus is now seated on the throne at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. 

Hebrews 10:19-25 There are five specific behaviors that will result from this new covenant, anew way of life:

• Hebrews 10:22 We can draw near to God with confidence that He will receive us and cleanse us, body, soul, and spirit, from sin.
• Hebrews 10:23 We should hold onto our hope, because of the chapter of Jesus, who is ever-faithful.
• Hebrews 10:24 We will encourage others to love and good deeds.
• Hebrews 10:25 We must attend church regularly, even though the people we meet with may rub us the wrong way, or even offend us. This will force us to become a bit more like God, in loving people who we don’t like. 
• Hebrews 10:36 We persevere when circumstances test our faith.

Hebrews 10:26-31 The warning to take seriously being cleansed from sin again brings up the doctrine of eternal security. If we continue willfully sinning after being saved, forgiven, and cleansed from sin, are we really saved at all? Or does being saved eliminate free will? The warning of the consequences of not submitting our will to God’s is stark. The quote from Moses states the God will judge His people. (Deuteronomy 35-36) In that context, the judgment is that of discipline, not necessarily destruction. But even if it is discipline and not damnation, it is still terrifying to fall into His hands.

Hebrews 10:32-35 Readers are encouraged to remember God’s faithfulness in past trials. They should have confidence based on experience, and will receive their reward in due time.

Hebrews 10:36-39 The promise of Christ’s coming is the prophetic response to complaints that the wicked destroy the righteous. (Habakkuk 2:3-4) Christ has now come, but the life of persevering faith continues. However, since He has won the victory, we have open access to the Holy Place (10:19-20) and can have confidence in the final victory for us.

Hebrews 11

And now we come to the gallery of the heroes of faith, and what we can learn from them.

Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is the foundation of hope for better things in the future, The proof of unseen things in the spiritual dimension. Seeing it manifested in the lives of the heroes of faith should encourage us in these dimensions. Their faith and our faith are both elements of the Christian faith. Heroes of faith were in desperate circumstances, prayed genuinely, and did something (however small) to show trust in God. As recorded in the Lord’s brother’s letter, faith without works is dead. (James 2:14-26)

Hebrews 11:3 The first few verses of the bible announce God’s creation of the universe as we know it. (Genesis 1:1-3)We understand this by faith. There are various theories about the existence of the universe. They boil down to either eternal God or eternal universe. The universe as we know it appears to have started with a big bang. But where did that come from? The Bible’s answer is simple, maybe sounds simplistic. Except that there is no way to explain existence without reference to a first cause (as Aristotle called it). Existence must start with something outside of our level of existence that is not subject to the law of cause and effect as we know it. John pointed out that all things were made through the Word of God, clearly identifying Jesus as the creator. (John 1:3,14) God exists in a way we cannot comprehend.

Hebrews 11:4 Why was Abel’s sacrifice better than Cain’s? (Genesis 4:1-5) He offered a blood sacrifice, not just vegetables. This goes back to the precedent of God clothing Adam and Eve with animal skins. (Genesis 3:21) Clearly God spoke directly to Cain. (Genesis 4:6-7) So it was Abel’s obedience to God that showed his faith, and Cain’s disobedience, neglect of that command, trying to change it, that revealed his lack of faith.

Hebrews 11:5-6 Enoch showed a type of the rapture, by being taken directly to heaven without dying. (Genesis 5:22-24) This contrasts with both his ancestors and descendants, who died. Enoch didn’t just live, he walked faithfully with God. Faithful fellowship with God, walking with Him, was the outworking of his faith. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards those who seek Him earnestly. Faith is not opposed to sight, experience or evidence, it transcends them. 

Hebrews 11:7 Noah showed his faith by building an ark to save his family from the flood. (Genesis 6:13-22,7:5) In that day, it hadn’t ever rained and the size of the ark was completely out of the realm of ships used in that day. In fact, ships that size weren’t built by anyone else until at least the 15th century AD, maybe later. That took enormous faith on Noah’s part. And this was in a culture in which everything was turned against God. Noah’s obedience enabled him to save his family, and indeed, the human race. The condemnation of the world was simply that by his obedience, he showed them that really trusting God was possible. They did not. 

Hebrews 11:8-10 Abraham left home, comfort and security, to go to a place he had only heard of, when God said go. (Genesis 12:1-6) We could wax eloquent on all of the traits that made Abraham the forefather of the faithful. This passage cites the event of his leaving home and family and trusting that God would take care of him, including making up for the loss of family fellowship. Obviously, as later events demonstrated, he needed to get away to make a fresh start, because the subtle temptations of worldliness surrounded them. Abraham was looking for heaven on earth, that city whose architect and general contractor was God. The foundations of that city are faith, as cited earlier. (11:1) It does not yet exist on earth, but it is coming. (Revelation 21:10-14) 

Hebrews 11:11-12 The birth of Isaac was miraculous by all accounts. Abraham was 100, Sarah was 90, and they were both past child-bearing years. (Genesis 17:15-19, 18:10-12, 21:1-7) Abraham received the promise of being the forefather of a multitude of descendants. Besides God’s miraculous work, this also exhibited faith on Abraham’s and Sarah’s part for him to sire a child when his body was “as good as dead” and her trust that God would do what He had said. They both laughed, but trusted God enough to obey. 

Hebrews 11:13-16 The common theme in all of these heroes of faith is that they saw the fulfillment of the promises of God from a distance, and that they were looking for that city that is explicitly cited for Abraham. God responded to their faith by preparing that city, which all the people of faith will one day inhabit. The foundations of that city (faith) are decorated with precious gems, the streets are gold, and God Himself and the Lamb of God are its temple. (Revelation 21:15-23) Because of their faith in and desire for God, wanting to be with Him, they all persevered in obedience to Him. 

What is the difference between going to heaven or hell? Perhaps it is something like the scenarios portrayed in C. S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. People want to be with God because of His nature and character, or they don’t because they prefer doing their own thing. This passage doesn’t deal with the latter category, but articulates the former.

Hebrews 11:17-19 Abraham was tested even more deeply by God’s command to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. (Genesis 22:2-10) There are many dimensions of this story that bear further discussion. This would negate God’s promise that through Isaac he would have a multitude of descendants. It also runs completely counter to God’s abhorrence of child sacrifice as practiced by the pagan Canaanites. I frankly don’t know how Abraham discerned that this call was truly from God and not a deceit of the devil, but he knew God’s voice well enough to make that judgment. Here it says that Abraham trusted that God could raise Isaac from the dead. In a sense, this was a picture of God the Father offering His only Son for our sins, whom He did raise from the dead. And that is the essence of faith - giving up our hopes for everything in this life to God in obedience, and trusting Him for the outcome. It is neither laziness nor despair, it is hope based on the expectation of supernatural divine action to build His kingdom.

Hebrews 11:20 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau when he was old and weak, and perhaps thought he was on his deathbed. (27:27-30, 39-40) He actually lived much longer. (Genesis 35:28) The parental favoritism and filial deceit in this scene play out God’s recognition of the content of each person’s heart, long before they were played out in their lives. Isaac’s blessing had more to do with their future lives than with bestowing the earthly inheritance of wealth. Their lives were fully established long before Isaac’s actual death and the transfer of his estate to his heirs. But their true inheritance was faith in God and their willingness to receive that gift. We can bequeath money to our children, but their most important inheritance is faith. 

Hebrews 11:21 On his deathbed, Jacob blessed his sons, but what is mentioned here is that his blessing on Joseph was directly passed to Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Although Jacob’s spoken blessing among his sons was on Joseph (Genesis 49:23-26), he had already blessed these two grandsons with special promises, giving them an inheritance as his sons. (Genesis 48:5-20) His faith goes back to the days when he thought Joseph had been lost for good, only to discover later his elevated position in Egypt. (Genesis 37:31-35, 45:26-28) Jacob’s blessing of them being called by his name (Israel, when they were in the land), and the increase of their numbers can be seen in maps of ancient Israel. Sadly, their descendants abandoned God and fell into idolatry after the death of Solomon. 

Hebrews 11:22 Joseph prophesied the Exodus before he died. (Genesis 50:24) He specifically asked that his bones be carried back and interred in the promised land, as he was confident that God would do this. Perhaps he saw the bad influence that Egyptian culture was having on his extended family, and had faith that God would deliver them from it. God had to make them go, which came about through slavery. By faith, he did not want his bones to be permanently resting in a place that later became synonymous with sin.

Hebrews 11:23 Moses’ parents had faith that God would rescue him from Pharaoh’s hitmen, and feared God more than Pharaoh. (Exodus 2:2-9) This foreshadows the birth of Christ, when Herod sought to kill all of the babies near Bethlehem under the age of two, and Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-18) Moses’ parents saw that he was beautiful child, but probably had no idea that he would be the deliverer of Israel. They acted in faith to protect the life of their child. Sadly, in our day, the lives of unborn and newborn infants are not always thus valued.

Hebrews 11:24-28 Moses’ faith is well-known. Celebrated in Hollywood movies. He left the life of privilege and luxury of the palace to identify with God’s people, who were slaves. (Exodus 2:11-14) He preferred disgrace, looking forward to the coming of Christ, almost 2,000 years later, and the eternal reward of God the He would bring. He fled Egypt and persevered as a shepherd in the wilderness, looking to the invisible God. (Exodus 2:15) On God’s command, he inaugurated the Passover, the first one, in which the Israelite people were in mortal danger, including him. Although this was eighty years after Pharaoh had failed to kill him, both he and the infant Israelites were still in mortal danger from the Egyptian slave masters. (Exodus 12:11-23)

Observing the Lord’s Supper as the fulfillment of the Passover is also an act of faith. The gospels record Jesus inaugurating it on the annual Passover, the evening before His crucifixion as the true Passover Lamb. As we receive the sacrament in faith, the blood of the Lamb protects us from the death angel - not physical death, but spiritual death. It is through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross that our soul and spirit are cleansed. Beyond that, the one who does not examine himself and rightly discern the body of Christ eats and drinks judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30) 

Hebrews 11:29 It must have been a fearful thing to walk between two walls of water that, when they collapsed, would drown everyone therein. (Exodus 14:21-30) The faith to take the first few steps was possibly aided by the fear of Pharaoh’s army immediately behind them. The successful passage, and subsequent drowning of that army, no doubt increased the Israelites trust in the Lord. (Exodus 14:31) Sadly, their faith was intermittent, as later events in the desert revealed. (Exodus 15:22-24, 16:2-3, 17:1-3; Numbers 14:1-4)  Let us hope and pray that our faith after baptism does not similarly lapse. 

Hebrews 11:30 When they finally entered the promised land, the new generation of Israelites, having experienced God’s miraculous provision of manna daily for forty years, did as Joshua commanded. They marched around Jericho seven days, then blew the trumpets, and the walls collapsed. (Joshua 6:1-20) Obedience by faith to the Lord’s commands can result in providential earthquakes in our lives and circumstances. 

Hebrews 11:31 Rahab the harlot is the most unlikely person to be listed in the genealogy of Christ. (Matthew 1:5) Being a gentile, and having a dishonorable lifestyle, she nonetheless saw the hand of God on Israel and wanted to be part of what He was doing. She could not help where she was born and had minimal influence on the culture of her upbringing, but she could choose to honor the God of Israel. The story of the spies, and her actions to protect them, make her faith legendary. (Joshua 2) She saved not only herself but also her whole family, just as Noah did. (Joshua 6:22-23) She evidently married Nahshon and bore Salmon. (Matthew 1:4-5) The fruit of faith is often unexpectedly sweet.

Hebrews 11:32-38 No further comments are added about others mentioned here, both names and unnamed.

• Gideon - led Israel to defeat the Midianites and Amalekites. (Judges 6-8)
• Barak - Led Israel to defeat the Canaanites, led by Jabin and Sisera, although Jael is not mentioned. (Judges 4:6-24)
• Samson - Led the Israelites against the Philistines, then led Israel for twenty years, and ended his life killing 3,000 Philistines at one time (Judges 13-16)
• Jephthah - led the Gileadites successfully against the Ammonites, even though he was the son of a prostitute. Unfortunately, also ended up in a war with Ephraim. (Judges 11-12)
• David - psalmist, and king over Israel. As a teenager, he defeated Goliath in battle with a slingshot. (1 Samuel 17:49-51)
• Samuel - prophet and priest over Israel, anointed Saul as king, and later announced his replacement as God’s rejection of Saul followed Saul’s rejection of God. (1 Samuel 15:27-29, 16:1-13)

Unnamed victors

• Conquered kingdoms
• Administered justice
• Gained what was promised
• Shut the mouths of lions
• Quenched the fury of flames
• Escaped the edge of the sword
• Weakness was turned into strength
• Became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies
• Dead raised to life again

Accepted pain in this life

• Tortured refusing release
• Jeers and flogging
• Chains and imprisonment 
• Stoned to death
• Sawed in two
• Killed by the sword
• Went around in sheepskins and goatskins
• Destitute
• Persecuted
• Mistreated
• Wandered in deserts and mountains
• Lived in caves and holes in the ground

Hebrews 11:39-40 The summary of faith in Christ is this: The exploits of the Old Testament, God’s miraculous interventions in Israel’s history, are transcended by the incarnation, atonement, and resurrection of Yeshua HaMashiach. This salvation is the “something better” referred to here, now polished and glorified by comparison to previous works of God’s power in the world. The faith of imperfect people, together, defines His church.

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:1-3 Throwing off the sin that so easily entangles us - so much more true in the internet age than the first century. Whether the addiction is internet porn or narcotics, the essence is to fix our eyes on Jesus, not focusing on faith in Him, but having faith as an instrument to connect to Him. We see what He endured on our behalf - His suffering transcends our worldly temptations because He suffered in the eternal dimension. He did this in order to be seated with God the Father in the heavenlies and be able to intercede for us. We have to do our part - to receive His gift just as the heroes of faith did.

Hebrews 12:4-11 When we are first saved, we have no idea what God has planned for us. Perseverance is required. Quoting Solomon, we should receive hardship as discipline from the Lord and take it as evidence of true sonship. (Proverbs 3:11-12) The book of Proverbs provides great wisdom about life. The discipleship of the Lord is not punishment, but training  - helping us for a life of holiness - so that we will have a lifestyle that honors Him, not just individual acts of service. This produces a harvest that we enjoy, righteousness and peace. That is what He is giving us.

Hebrews 12:12-13 Therefore, two specific encouragements: strengthen your weak limbs, so that they do not fail you. Don’t go places or touch things that will compromise the character God is building in you. And make a level and straight path for your feet, so that as you walk out your life, the situations you encounter will encourage and strengthen your faith-walk. It is more than just not going to places that trouble lurks, it is choosing to regularly go places that are uplifting and noble. (Proverbs 4:26)

Hebrews 12:14-17 The general admonition to be holy and live at peace with everyone has three specific examples. If we want to be in the Lord’s presence without falling short of the grace He so generously gives us, here are some specific examples. 

• Do not let a root of bitterness grow up. I have seen churches split because a small disagreement or minor offense became a point of contention that people could not let go of. It grew until it defiled people with bitterness and hatred. Jesus said to love our enemies. He also told us that if our brother has something against us, we should go and make things right with him before coming to church. (Matthew 5:23-26) This advice would work well in secular situations as well, but unbelievers are unlikely to take Jesus’ advice. Indeed, the dysfunction of modern politics bears the fruit of ignoring this. It would be a shame to see a church’s internal squabbles brought before the Peoples’ Court, or to have to have Judge Judy preside over the petty squabbles of modern politics.
• See that no one is sexually immoral. Modern sexual conduct is nothing new, nor is the worldly lifestyle that says we should be free to do whatever we like. Those who do not recognize God’s principles or authority are not thereby freed from the law of sowing and reaping. Unfortunately, many who fear God are ensnared by the world’s temptations. Hence Paul’s advice. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5)
• Value and honor God’s inheritance that He bestows. We have such wonderful gifts in the grace of God, forgiveness of sins, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the written word of God, etc., that it would be a denial of faith to casually toss them away for worldly things, like a bowl of stew. Although Esau was casting away his earthly inheritance rights, it was really his rejection of Isaac’s faith that brought his downfall. (Genesis 25:34, 27:34) I have never cared much for lentil soup, but perhaps I wasn’t hungry enough at the time. In any event, do not deny God in this way. See to it!

Hebrews 12:18-24 Metaphorically we have two contrasting mountains, Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. The mountain on which the law of Moses was revealed was foreboding, and had great restrictions on access and immediate punishment for violating these rules. Even Moses was terrified. (Exodus 19:10-24) This Old Testament revelation is contrasted to the revelation of the new Jerusalem, where there is a joyful assembly of the saints and angels, a city governed by grace, not law. Jesus’ blood brings life, not death, as we receive the Lord’s Supper in holy communion. We should look for the joy in hard circumstances because it is God’s way of preparing us to reside in that city, in His presence eternally.

Hebrews 12:25-29 There are physical and metaphorical shakings. The Old Testament records the shaking of Mount Sinai, presumably physical, like earthquakes. (Exodus 19:18) The prophets foretold a coming shaking of both earth and the heavens. (Haggai 2:6) Whether this shaking will be physical, metaphorical, or both is unclear. The removing of things that can be shaken will reveal what is truly unshakeable. To prepare for that event, we are told not to say ‘no’ to God. There was no mercy on Mount Sinai. We are being given an unshakeable kingdom, for which the appropriate response is thankful worship, reverence, and awe. God will consume as fire those who oppose Him, and He does this on our behalf when we say ‘yes’ to Him. God is a jealous God and does not tolerate idolatry, whether it is worship of graven images or worship of worldly things in our lives. He destroys idols with fire. (Deuteronomy 4:24) 

Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:1-19 There are nine exhortations to spiritual exercises, practical outworkings of spiritual growth and maturity.

• Hebrews 13:1 Love and continue to love the brothers and sisters within the faith. Figurative family becomes spiritual reality when we receive Christ. Don’t become families that are dysfunctional, both natural and spiritual. Don’t let the devil divide you from God’s children. (12:15)
• Hebrews 13:2 Be generous and hospitable to strangers. There were homeless people even before the modern era. Remember the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. Receiving angelic visitors occurred in the Old Testament. (Genesis 18:1-19:22) We see panhandlers on street corners and transients living in tents. 
• Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison and persecuted or mistreated No qualification as to them being imprisoned because of their faith. Those imprisoned for serious crimes need The Lord in their lives. Brothers imprisoned for their faith will be duly rewarded in due time, but until then, they need succor.
• Hebrews 13:4 Be sexually pure. Honor marriage. Remain chaste otherwise. Don’t fall for the world’s lures or lies. (12:16)
• Hebrews 13:5-6 Do not be ensnared by greed. Jesus spoke of this in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 6:19-34) Hard work is valued by God, but avoid making wealth or financial success an idol. (Exodus 20:3-6,17) The quote here from both Moses and the Psalmist refer to defeating the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 31:6), and God’s love which endures forever. (Psalm 118:6-7) Trust in God and His promises overrules worldly worry. 
• Hebrews 13:7-8,17 Honor your spiritual leaders and mentors. Pastors, teachers, godly friends who encourage and show the way. Watch the outcome of their lives as Jesus’ transcendence outworks in their lives. They too are human, but their responsibility before God, when they accept it, is inspiring. Pray for them.
• Hebrews 13:9-14 Be wary of strange teachings. Many will claim to have a special insight from God, but we need discernment to determine which spirit they are from. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) Being carried away by strange teachings is different from hearing something new from the Lord that we had not previously heard. We have the core gospel message, which we must always cling to. Teachings about ceremonial eating, for example, that go beyond the Lord’s Supper, are not deep new spiritual truth. There may be diets and food choices that promote physical health, but don’t get carried away thinking they bring some special spiritual blessing. Remember that we are transients in the world but not of the world. Jesus died outside the city to cleanse us with His blood. Our true home is in the eternal Jerusalem. Don’t get comfortable in the world, since we are resident aliens here. (11:9-10)
• Hebrews 13:15 Worship God verbally, proclaim and profess Jesus’ name. (Exodus 20:7) The opposite of misusing His name is worship or speech that declares the true nature and character of Jesus, and thanks Him for what He has done and is doing in our lives and in the world. Jesus’ transcendent love ultimately meets every need, answers every problem.
• Hebrews 13:16 Do good and share with others. In addition to strangers (13:2) share with friends and acquaintances. (Luke 6:38)

Hebrews 13:18-19 Since this epistle is anonymous, this verse implies that the writer expected the readers to know who it was. There are a few characteristics that point to Paul, including the detailed and expansive references to the Old Testament law, history, writings, and prophets; the request that they pray for him to be restored to them soon; and reference to their brother Timothy. The important point is the desire to have an honorable life and a clear conscience before God. We should all aspire to this. 

Hebrews 13:20-21 The closing benediction. Main points that perhaps should be an outline of public prayer.

• Petition that peace with God, purchased through Jesus’ death and resurrection, continually be received by us.
• Pray to receive the grace of the Good Shepherd as He works in our life to form and equip us as pleases Him, in the trials and challenges of discipleship.
• Glory belongs to Jesus for all eternity. Praise Him. Worship Him.

Hebrews 13:22-25 Closing greetings. Bear with the length of this epistle which pulls together so much information. News from Italy, in the days before email and text messages.