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THE PAST ENCOURAGES THE PRESENT

Hebrews 11:4-6

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The primary exhortation to the Hebrew Christians to whom the book was written is:  “Be faithful!”

 

B.      The writer has already used examples from the past to encourage his readers.

1.      Israel who did not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief (Heb. 3:7-19).

2.      Hebrews 6:12

 

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 

C.     In Hebrews 11, the writer turns to the examples of faithful individuals from the past.

1.      This is another tactic used to encourage his readers to be faithful.  If they could be faithful, so can you.

2.      “If these Hebrews would learn of saving faith, then let them take a closer look at the record in their possession, and let their own Scriptures teach them what is involved in saving faith” (Wacaster, 434). 

3.      Therefore, we have entitled the chapter:  “The Past Encourages the Present.”

a.      Some refer to this chapter as “The Hall of Fame of the Faithful.”

b.      The words “by faith” occur 18 times in the chapter.

c.       We are given 25 examples of men and women who lived by faith. 

a.      (Wacaster, 428).

 

D.    Outline of the chapter:

 

i.                    FAITH (Heb. 11:1-3)

ii.                  FATHERS (Heb. 11:4-22)

iii.                FOUNDER (Heb. 11:23-31)

iv.                FEARLESS (Heb. 11:32-38)

v.                  FASTENING (Heb. 11:39-40)

 

I.                   FAITH (Heb. 11:1-3)

 

II.                FATHERS (Heb. 11:4-22)

 

A.    It is interesting that the inspired writer does not go back to Adam and Eve as the first example of faith.

 

B.      Abel (Heb. 11:4)

 

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.

 

1.      Faith affirmed:  “By faith…”

a.      Abel was a man of faith.

b.      LESSON:  We honor Abel, but we can be just like him.  We, too, can be people of faith.

2.      Faith acted:  “…offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.”

a.      When God commands, faith must act.  If faith does not act, man possesses a dead faith (See James 2:17, 26).

 

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone…For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

b.      Abel offered.  Why did he offer?  Because God had commanded an offering.  (Remember:  “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10:17).

c.       The text says that Abel’s offering was “more excellent” than the sacrifice of Cain.

1)      More excellent

a)      Strong (4119):  more in quality

b)      Thayer:  greater in quality, superior, more excellent

2)      Genesis 4:3-4a

 

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, and Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of the flock and of the fat thereof…

 

a)      What was it that made Abel’s offering “more excellent”? 

-          It was offered “by faith.”  Abel heard what God commanded and brought exactly that.  Cain did not. 

-          Milligan:  “All that is plainly and fairly implied in our text, is simply this:  that Abel did what he did in consequence of his firm and unwavering faith in God.  He knew God’s will, and like Noah, Abraham, and others named in this chapter, he resolved to do it” (p. 390).

-          LESSON:  Just bringing an offering is not enough.  It must be the offering that God authorized.  If not, it will be rejected, see Gen. 4:4b-5a.

 

…And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.

 

b)      Wacaster:  “This verse provides the key to an otherwise unexplainable mystery of the Old Testament.  Without it, no one can provide the answer as to why Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and Cain’s rejected.  There is no indication that Cain was insincere or that he was somehow irreligious.  Nor is there any indication that there was some greater intrinsic value in either of the sacrifices” (p. 438).

d.      Question:  We might ask:  “Why did Cain offer unto God what he did?”

1)      We will never know the reason for this.

2)      Perhaps he did what men do today.  They “reason” as to why God would like what they are offering.  Wacaster states that this is “the fatal mistake made by Cain and the myriads of men who have followed in his steps” (p. 442).

a)      Proverb 3:5

 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 

b)      Jeremiah 10:23

 

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:  it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

c)      Proverbs 16:25

 

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

3.      Faith affirmed:  “…by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts…”

a.      The good report about Abel is that he was righteous. 

1)      He did what was right.

2)      “Righteousness is not sinlessness.  It is that spiritual state of acceptability that comes with obeying the commands of God” (Wacaster, p. 441).

b.      Notice, God testifies to his gifts.  God says:  “Yes, these are the gifts that I commanded to be brought to me.”

c.       LESSONS: 

1)      There is a correct way to worship God (John 4:24; Col. 3:17).  Those who worship as God directs are righteous.

2)      Every time we worship God is a proper manner, God also testifies that we are righteous as well.

4.      Faith abides:  “…and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

a.      Abel’s faith continued to resonate long after his death.

b.      The Hebrew Christians were still being taught the importance of faith in their worship of God.

c.       Abel continues to teach us today.

 

C.     Enoch (Heb. 11:5-6)

 

1.      Enoch’s translation (Heb. 11:5a)

 

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him… 

 

a.      The Cause of His Translation:  “By faith”

1)      Enoch

a)      Enoch was the son of Jared (Gen. 5:19)

b)      Enoch was the father of Methuselah (Gen. 5:21).

c)      His name:  Enoch (2585):  initiated, dedicated

d)     Enoch was a prophet of God (Jude 14-15)

e)      Enoch lived 365 years on the earth

f)       His story is told in three short verses (Gen. 5:22-24)

 

And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:  and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  and Enoch walked with God:  and he was not; for God took him.

 

2)      Enoch was a man of faith. 

3)      His faith was active and alive. 

a)      It is expressed in the words, “Enoch walked with God.”

b)      The way to walk with God is to walk in harmony with the commands that God sets forth.

c)      There are many passages that exhort us to “walk” properly.

-          Walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham (Rom. 4:12)

-          Walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4)

-          Walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:2)

-          Walk honestly (Rom. 13:13)

-          Walk by faith (II Cor. 5:7)

-          Walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 26)

-          Walk according to this rule (Gal. 6:16)

-          Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called (Eph. 4:1)

-          Walk in love (Eph. 5:2)

-          Walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8)

-          Walk circumspectly (Eph. 5:16)

-          Walk by the same rule (Phil. 3:16).

-          Walk so as ye have us for an example (Phil. 3:18)

-          Walk worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10)

-          Walk ye in him (Col. 2:6)

-          Walk in wisdom (Col. 4:5)

-          Walk worthy of God (I Thess. 2:12)

-          Walk to please God (I Thess. 4:1)

-          Walk in the light (I John 1:7)

-          Walk even as he (Jesus) walked (I John 2:6)

-          Walk after his commandments (II John 6)

-          Walk in truth (III John 4)

b.      The Consequence of His Faith:  “Enoch was translated that he should not see death”

1)      Translated

a)      Strong (3346):  to transfer, transport, change sides

b)      Thayer:  to transfer, to go or pass over

2)      God rewarded Enoch’s faith by transferring him from earth to the eternal realm.

a)      NOTE:  There is no record of his death because he did not see death.

b)      He was taken from the earth.

c)      His body must have been changed into a spiritual body (See I Cor. 15:50).

3)      Once Enoch left the earth, he was not found because God took him.

a)      Can you imagine how his family and friends must have felt?

b)      It appears as if someone searched for him for a period of time, but did not find him.

c)      Comment:  Someone once said that one day Enoch and God were out for a walk.  That day God said:  “Enoch why don’t you just come home with me today.”

4)      There are many things Enoch’s translation tells us (Barnes, e-sword):

a)      There is a future state, another world, to which man will go.

b)      The body might exist in that future state, just in another form.

c)      An encouragement towards piety.  We can all walk with God.

d)     It prepared the world for the ascension of the Redeemer.