By Faith, Not by Fear

December 29, 2019 · Hebrews

Series · Hebrews · Week 46 of 69

Scripture referenced 7 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Hebrews 11:23-31 the main passage preached through, the hall of faith examples from Moses's parents through Rahab

23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
24 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;
26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.
30 By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith, Rahab the prostitute, didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

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Hebrews 11:6

quoted to explain that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that God rewards those who seek Him

6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

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Hebrews 3

referenced as where the wilderness generation's unbelief was previously discussed

1 Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;

2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house.

3 For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house.

4 For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God.

5 Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken,

6 but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

7 Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice,

8 don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,

9 where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years.

10 Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’

11 as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’”

12 Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;

13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:

15 while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”

16 For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses?

17 With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

18 To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

19 We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

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Joshua 2:1-22

read at length to tell the story of Rahab hiding the two spies

1 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.”

3 Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.”

4 The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from.

5 About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

7 The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof.

9 She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

10 For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

11 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.

12 Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign;

13 and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”

14 The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.

16 She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”

17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear.

18 Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.

19 It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

20 But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”

21 She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.

22 They went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them.

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Joshua 6:1-27

cited as the source for the walls of Jericho falling

1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in.

2 Yahweh said to Joshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor.

3 All of your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.

4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the city wall shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.”

6 Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh’s ark.”

7 They said to the people, “Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh’s ark.”

8 It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of Yahweh’s covenant followed them.

9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.

10 Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.”

11 So he caused Yahweh’s ark to go around the city, going about it once. Then they came into the camp, and stayed in the camp.

12 Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up Yahweh’s ark.

13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of Yahweh’s ark went on continually, and blew the trumpets. The armed men went in front of them. The rear guard came after Yahweh’s ark. The trumpets sounded as they went.

14 The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.

15 On the seventh day, they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times.

16 At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!

17 The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

19 But all the silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh’s treasury.”

20 So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.

21 They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”

23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.

24 They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh’s house.

25 But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.”

27 So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

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Joshua 6:22-25

read to show that Joshua spared Rahab and her household as promised

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”

24 They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh’s house.

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Psalm 31:19

quoted in the closing prayer about the good things stored up for those who fear God

19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

On the Sunday after Christmas, Pastor Josh walked the congregation through Hebrews 11:23-31, the continuing "hall of faith" passage, pressing on one question: are we living out of fear or out of faith? He worked through Moses's parents, Moses himself, the Hebrew people at the Red Sea, the encirclers of Jericho, and Rahab, showing how each one chose faith in God over fear of whatever earthly power stood in front of them.

What was said

The chapter keeps returning to the same refrain: "by faith." Pastor Josh pointed out that the first example in this section is not actually Moses but his parents. Jochebed saw something special in her son and hid him for three months against Pharaoh's direct order. That was civil disobedience, and the writer of Hebrews credits it to faith. The parents were not afraid of the king's edict, and that absence of fear came from somewhere: they feared God more than they feared Pharaoh.

When Moses himself enters the story as an adult, the same pattern holds. He had every earthly reason to stay put. Many scholars believe he was in line to become Pharaoh himself. He walked away from all of it, identifying instead with a slave people. Pastor Josh connected this to the original audience of Hebrews, first-century believers tempted to step back from Christ and return to the comfort of old covenant practice, and noted that our temptations today may look different but the pull is the same: comfort over faithfulness.

Moses left Egypt "not fearing the wrath of the king," the text says, "for he endured as seeing him who is unseen." Pastor Josh kept returning to that phrase. Faith sees what is not visible. Moses kept the Passover on God's word alone, and the act looked strange from the outside. But it was obedience, and it led the people forward.

The jump from the Red Sea crossing to the walls of Jericho skips forty years deliberately. Pastor Josh noted that Hebrews already dealt with that wilderness generation back in chapter three, the people who heard God's voice and hardened their hearts. The writer has no interest in lingering there. He moves straight to Joshua and the encirclers, whose battle plan, march around the walls once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day, then shout, made no military sense at all. They did it anyway, and the walls came down.

Rahab is the last specific example in the passage, and Pastor Josh read at length from Joshua 2 to let her story breathe. She was an outsider and a harlot inside a city that was about to be destroyed, and she had already concluded that the Lord had given Israel the land. She said so plainly to the spies: "The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." She hid the men, lied to the king's messengers, and asked only that her household be spared. She tied the scarlet cord in the window. She acted on what she believed, and she and her family survived. She was received into the people of God and, Pastor Josh noted, her name appears in the genealogy of Jesus.

Fear or faith, Pastor Josh said, is what the whole section comes down to. They are opposites. Pharaoh acted out of fear. Moses's parents acted out of faith. The people of Jericho had already melted with fear when the spies arrived. Rahab, inside the same city, responded with faith instead. He was careful to distinguish this from a health-and-wealth gospel: circumstances may be genuinely difficult, and the outcome is not always what we would choose. Moses led the people faithfully for forty years and never entered the promised land himself. The point is not that faith produces an easy life, but that God is, and that He rewards those who seek Him.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Pastor Nathan pointed out that Moses's parents committed civil disobedience by hiding Moses against the king's edict, and that it came down to fear or faith. When have you faced a situation where obeying God put you at odds with what a person in authority demanded of you, and how did you respond?
Pastor Nathan said that Moses chose to endure ill treatment with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, giving up enormous wealth and status to do it. What are the comfortable things in your own life that tempt you away from a harder, more faithful path?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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0:00 Good morning, everybody. How are you? It's so quiet in here. I understand, though. I get it.

0:07 I get it. After Christmas, I just... Blah. Right? But what do you say?

0:12 We stand up, we'll sing together. Still got some Christmas songs. I want to hang on to Christ's entrance into the world. So, let's sing. Let's sing together.

0:39 Give you heed to who we say Jesus Christ is born today. Ox and lamb before him bow and he is in avenger now. Christ is born today. Christ is born today. Good Christian friends rejoice with heart and soul and voice.

1:17 Now ye hear of endless bliss. Jesus Christ was born for this. He has opened hell and stone, and we are blessed forevermore. Christ was born for this. Christ was born for this.

1:46 Your Christian friends rejoice with heart and soul and voice. Now ye need not fear the grave. Jesus Christ was born to save. Calls you won and calls you all to gain his everlasting heart.

2:25 Alright. Good morning. How are y'all? Doing alright? Good morning.

2:29 Have a seat. There is... There are a few announcements. Monday nights at first b.

2:36 Yes. We are on tomorrow. Christy Little. Hey. She's just walking in here.

2:41 Just... Would you raise your hand up real quick? Christy Little's gonna share tomorrow at Monday night just about what God has called her to do right here in the valley and beyond, specifically kind of adventure ministry. So, she'll be speaking tomorrow. We'll be sharing a meal together too.

2:58 I don't know what that is yet but there will be a meal but 06:00, meal music message down the hall. No, you're invited.

3:04 Alright. That happens at the same time as Awana. There are Awana folks here? Not right now? No No Awana.

3:13 Okay. I swear I was going to ask. I don't think we're having Awana tomorrow night but we are having Monday night. Yep. If you normally come, bring the kids.

3:19 That'll be fine. Snowmobile retreat is happening January 24 through the twenty sixth. That's at Island Park, Idaho, Old Faithful Christian Ranch. That's always a fun time. It's not just for guys on snowmobiles but it's guys gathered together, men's retreat.

3:35 Snowmobile Retreat twenty fourth through the twenty sixth. Kyle Knudson knows more about it. If you're looking to figure out more about it. And there are plenty of other things that are written down in your bulletin. If you'd grabbed one on your way in, you could see that.

3:48 If you grab one on your way out, you can put it on your refrigerator and you'll know what's going on. I think that that's it. Abbreviated announcements. Yeah. Would y'all stand and greet one another?

3:58 Hi. I apologize introverts. Stand and greet one another.

5:22 In joy. Repeat heed. Repeat the sound in joy. Blessings full. Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found.

5:58 Far as the curse is found.

6:04 He

6:36 his love.

6:46 Noel, the announcement of good news that Christ was born. Let's sing of it.

7:00 I love first nowhere

10:05 Lord, we do, we look back. We look back to your first coming. We look forward to your second. I I I can't help but thank lord of your entrance into this world fully, fully man but fully God, but in a form of a baby that you humbled yourself. And thank you God for your example, truly.

10:29 Thank you for your example that you rule the world truth and and grace. That it wasn't an iron fist that you came but in humility and in love and in service. But God, would we look to you? Would we look to you for that example to to to to live that out as you give grace to us to live it out? Thank you for this gospel message that saves, that redeems.

10:53 In Jesus name, amen.

11:29 Tore through the shadows of my soul. The work has been. The end is written. Jesus Christ, my living Lord. Who could imagine so great a mercy?

11:53 What heart could father such boundless grace? The God of ages stepped down from glory to weary my sin and bear my shame. The cross is broken, I am forgiven. The king of kings calls me his own. Beautiful savior, I'm yours forever.

12:29 Jesus Christ, my living hope. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free. Sing that again.

12:59 Hallelujah. Praise the Lord who set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain.

13:14 There's salvation in your name, Jesus Christ, my living Lord. Then came the morning that sealed the promise. Your buried body began to breathe. Out of the signs, Praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah.

14:30 Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain.

15:07 You pray with me? God, we thank you for this morning. As we're transitioning into this New Year and thinking about that, lord, we are still in awe and wonder that you did humble yourself and come down. Lord, you relinquished your rights. You emptied yourself, lord.

15:27 For the good of all others. Lord, may we do that too? May we deny self in such a way lord that we let loose of our rights for the good of others. Would you lord, we have every right to hold on to whatever we can and I think our society tells us to do that. May we let go of it for the benefit of others.

15:57 Lord, would we follow after you? I pray lord that you would take take our lives and lead us lord in the way that you'd have us go. I pray that we would be reliant on you and placing our faith in your faithfulness and doing as you direct. God, give us the strength to walk whatever path you put in front of us whether it be easy or popular which is not likely. Or difficult and unpopular.

16:27 In Jesus name, lord, I pray that you'd give us the strength to do as you direct. For your glory and for our eventual good, lord. We ask that you'd bless this offering and multiply it to do your kingdom's work on this side. In Jesus name, amen.

17:25 Ashamed of this woman. And the Lord heard me and... From my end,

18:31 Oh, taste and see. Let's sing

18:33 this song together. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, bless is he. Who hides every day and night, never ending praises. May our insins rise.

20:00 And let us bless the Lord

20:59 Time for children's church downstairs. Did things slow down for y'all dramatically on the December 26? They did for me. That's probably an occupational thing but it ramps up like crazy up through the twenty fourth and that's my favorite service of the year. A lot of you, almost all of y'all were here the other night and I'm thankful for it.

21:35 We're going back away from that straight into Hebrews. Hebrews 11 right where we left off two weeks ago. But I'm very very thankful for y'all. And looking back on 2019, you know, you look back and see new stuff or every program on the radio or on television about what happened this year or since it's going into 2020, what happened in this decade and I want to look back a lot farther than that. A lot farther.

22:02 Back to about sixty seven AD. We're going to be back here. Hebrews eleven twenty three through '31. I think that the challenge that is before us is the same now as it was then. And so Hebrews eleven twenty three to 31 is walking by faith.

22:21 We're continuing with that hall of faith. We've got a few more specific examples and some general stuff. Hopefully, the way I think this might go, hopefully, it's gonna be something that has a pointed application at the end. I think all of this chapter has, but this one to me probably hit me harder than some of the others. So, by faith, it starts off again.

22:45 This is the refrain for this chapter. By faith, by faith, by faith, by faith and it's usually by faith and then we have the person. This is by faith Moses. Okay, it's Moses we're talking about but actually, you have to go further. It's not Moses's faith at this point because Moses was a itty bitty at this point.

23:04 Moses, by faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents. So, this one is his parents. By faith, Moses' parents, Simon and Jacobed, actually. His parents because they saw that he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's edict. Actually, in the Septuagint, it says, they, his parents, and they, in the Greek, version of the Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, it says, they, but in the Hebrew Bible, it says that his mama, Jacobed, saw that he was a goodly child.

23:41 Beautiful and it's not just an appearance but there was something special about this baby and there had been an edict by the pharaoh that if there was to be born a male Hebrew child that they should be killed, infanticide, just of the males. And that's tough. That's like, that's the king's edict. It's the law. Well, by faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw he was a goodly or beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24:21 His mama recognized something and couldn't. Anyway, by nature, I think. It's it's just that's not, we're not going to do that. The Hebrew midwives even were kind of sneaky about this king's edict but by faith, Moses's parents hid him. So, Moses's parents are a specific example number nine.

24:39 This chapter, I've been going through and just making a chart for you Excel spreadsheet nerds here. The name of the specific example now is Moses' parents. These are our first eight examples if you're keeping up. I think I misnumbered them the last time we got together, but Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were our others but Moses' parents, they committed civil disobedience. It was against the law for them to hide him away.

25:11 Yet, by faith, that's what they did. They hid Moses. They were not afraid. Actually, that's what I wanna point out today is by faith, they were not afraid. That by faith in God, they were not afraid of the king or the government or whatever would happen to them.

25:33 By faith, they hid Moses. They were not afraid. It comes down to fear or faith and a lot of life comes down to fear or faith. They are opposites. I might interject right here though.

25:50 Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and so, it's the same word even in Greek and it's a very similar word in Hebrew but fear or faith. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and if you place the subjective faith that you've been given, you've got your little amount of faith that you are given by God and if you place that in him, fearing him as it were, but trusting him, then, you believe that God is and he's a rewarder of those who actively seek him. That is faith. Fear of God is a beginning of wisdom. Fear of God.

26:32 It's not fearing God like, woah, woah, woah. I believe that he is and he's a rewarder of those who seek him no matter what my circumstances look like. It's either going to be fear or faith. The edict went out from the king that all of the Hebrew male children should be killed because the population was getting out of control. They're getting to be bigger and bigger.

26:50 They're outnumbering the Egyptians and in fear, the pharaoh made that law. He was fearful that the Hebrews might take over and riot. So, in fear, pharaoh did that. In faith, Moses's parents hid him. By faith, Moses, okay, this is him this time.

27:11 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Found out about his Hebrew background and he embraced it. He embraced slave culture. He embraced that over all the riches in Egypt. According to many, many, many scholars, Moses was in the line to become a pharaoh.

27:39 Right? I mean, he's he's son of pharaoh's daughter and he renounced that. To be associated with the Hebrews, a slave race, the people chosen people of God but by faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. So, Moses is in this specific example number 10, choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Comfort, riches, esteem, protecting a slave, he killed an Egyptian so he kinda burned a Bridge, honestly.

28:21 Now, he's a wanted Egyptians. He went to Mideon. He stayed there for a pretty good long while and when he came back was ready to be what we know as Moses, the leader of these people. He chose to endure ill treatment. I think about the context where this book was written.

28:46 This book was written to first century folks who were tempted to step away from the way, the truth, the life, Jesus Christ, and to go back to the rights of old covenant Judaism that they knew from growing up and not be persecuted, be more comfortable over here than they would be if they stood up for Christ. That's the context this book was written into. We're in a society and in a culture right now where our temptations may be slightly different than that, very different from that. We might be tempted to go into a different ditch, licentiousness. By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ.

29:38 Oh, that they bring the writers of Hebrews bring Christ into it even in the time of Moses considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he was looking to the reward. Egypt at that time was a very very powerful nation and had a a lot of riches and they had esteem. Considering the approach of Christ, greater riches than the treasure for he was looking to the reward. That looking forward to the reward brings me back to this. That and without faith, it's impossible to believe, to please God.

30:20 For he who comes to God must believe that God is and that God is a rewarder of those who seek him. Despite what the circumstances look like. Moses had to step away riches of Egypt But he did so because he saw, well, actually, let's go. By faith, he left Egypt. By faith, he left out of Egypt, not fearing, what?

30:46 We could say that again. By faith, he left not fearing. So, it is about fear or faith. It's either you're going to respond in faith. That is fear of God.

30:57 Jesus says himself, why do you fear man who can only harm the body? Should you not fear God? Fear or faith. That's what it comes down to. So, by faith, he left Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as seeing him who is unseen.

31:19 It is by faith and not by sight. Faith sees God who is unseen and that's what Moses saw. This could be some people take this as a reference to the burning bush. Take this reference. He understood that God is.

31:38 Okay. Even though you cannot see him. So, as seeing him who is unseen and by faith, by faith, he kept the Passover. Got the word. This is the way that your firstborn son in Egypt will be protected.

31:53 Anyone, think about that. All of the different plagues that had built up to this place and then the very last one, was a twist kinda because the pharaoh had made the law that all the Hebrew boys would be killed and then this comes around. God says, everyone who is not protected by the blood on the pillars and lamp, pillars and lentils. Everyone who's not protected by the blood, the firstborn son will be taken. By faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

32:38 It was by faith that Moses led the people and the people listened. Actually, we'll get to the people in a minute too as a specific example but by faith, he kept the Passover. That might seem like a ridiculous notion. Sometimes faith does. Moses left Egypt, he endured, and he kept the Passover.

32:58 Those are the acts that demonstrated faith. In this passage, we could read tons more about Moses and Exodus and Genesis. We could read tons more about him but he left Egypt. He endured and he kept the Passover and the outcome there was that he led God's people faithfully. Throughout the the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings all the way up to the edge of the promised land, he led God's people faithfully and there is there's not anybody that I can think of in the Old Testament that that God had higher word that he's the most humble man on earth and God resist the proud but he gives grace to the humble, right?

33:35 So, he led God's people faithfully and he died without entering a promised land. Oh, man. Faithful for forty years and still didn't get to go in. It's pointing towards something better. By faith, they, they, that's the people of the Hebrew slaves that were leaving Egypt and this is at the very beginning.

34:02 I think this is interesting too because the next example is at the very end of this time but by faith, they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through on dry land. Specific example number 11 is day. That's the Hebrew children. At the beginning of the journey, they walked through the parted Red Sea. Now, you can go back in Genesis and see how this happened.

34:26 It was an act of God that the that it was spread. Some people say it was the east wind that was spread but the writer of Hebrews is very specific. It says, it was by faith. It was because they placed their faith in the faithfulness of God and they trusted in Moses who was hearing directly from him and they walked through the parted Red Sea and it saved them from immediate harm that was come right there. Next verse.

34:56 Where were we in the text? Excuse me just a second. What is that? By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. So, we've got Moses's time and it was the leading the people across the Red Sea and how many times in the Old Testament and the New Testament is that moment brought up for us to see that God is faithful and he is good and when it seems like there are no way, he will make a way.

35:21 That is used over and over and over and then the very next thing that we see is by faith, the walls of Jericho fell. There's a forty year interval there. What God did amazing and glorious, wonderful things but we've already talked about that time period in Hebrews chapter three where we talked about that generation that didn't listen. Today, if you hear the voice of God, hearken unto it and don't be like they were during the rebellion. The writer of Hebrews conveniently skips forty years of the wilderness wander ings there and this goes with the walls of Jericho fell.

36:00 That's Joshua. Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, right? So, if you're wondering about that, it's in Joshua six one through 27. Actually, Joshua five has something to do with that too. I might play this.

36:14 I prepared to play this but I play the bass just not to have to think about the sermon until I get to the sermon. Y'all know that. Carl, there was a capo on here if I forget to put it back. I did plan this one.

36:39 Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down. Talk about the men of Gideon, you may talk about the men of Saul, but there's no one like good old Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Up to the walls of Jericho, he marched with sword in hand blow them ram horns Joshua said because the battle is in our hand battle is in our hand Josh took the battle of Jericho Jericho Jericho Josh and the walls came tumbling down. Then the ram torn they began to blow and the trumpets began to blast and Joshua commanded the children to shout and the walls came a tumbling down. Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho Jericho Joshua fit the battle of Jericho when the walls came a tumble

38:00 Mahalia Jackson's version is much, much, much, much better but that tells a story and I actually want to sing that because that's an old African American spiritual, right? And during a time of slavery, when they were forced to do what they did not want to do. By faith turned to God and it wasn't quick and it wasn't easy but it eventually came to be that they were no longer in slavery. That's not the promised land but it's not slavery. The encirclers of Jericho trusted Joshua.

38:44 Joshua's hearing directly from God at that point. It wasn't like it is now where we all have the Holy Spirit. They must have heard him and say, we're going to do what? Jericho is a walled city. It's a fortress.

39:04 Mighty were the walls of Jericho. Another verse of that song. Mighty were the walls of Jericho. They sent spies in. Actually, we'll get to that in a second but we're going to do what?

39:13 We're going to walk around this thing once a day for six days and then on the seventh day, we're going to walk around at seven times and then we're going to holler. And the walls are going to come tumbling down. Joshua said, God has given us this city. He's put it in our hands but we have to react in faith and not in fear. So, here we go.

39:39 Encirclers of Jericho, the walls came tumbling down. Actually, Joshua and those encirclers, they that pictures is not true. That's Gideon. You may talk about the man of Gideon. That's one of the verses in that song.

39:53 By faith, Rahab, the harlot did not perish along with those who are disobedient. This is actually same story in the story of Jericho. They sent in spies, scope out the land. Rahab took the men and had talked with them. She welcomed the spies in peace.

40:15 By faith, Rahab. She's our specific example number 13. Rahab, You remember the story? This is from Joshua two. I'm a read it.

40:29 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim saying, go view the land, especially Jericho. Check it out. Now, he had already been one of the two spies that came back. So, we can take these folks. We can go.

40:41 We can get em. Joshua knew that. Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim saying, go view the land, especially Jericho, so they went and they came into the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there and it was told the king of Jericho saying, behold, men of the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land. And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab saying, bring out the men you have come, who have come to you, who have entered into your house for they have come to search out all the land. They're spies.

41:11 We want em. Give em up. But the woman who had taken the two men and hidden them said, yeah, the man came to me but I didn't know where they were from and lied. It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark that the men went out and I I don't know where the men went. Pursue them quickly for you will overtake them.

41:30 But she had brought them up to the roof, hidden them in the stocks of flax which she laid up and ordered on the roof. So, the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan, to the Fords, and as soon as they were who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. Now, before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to them, I know that the Lord has given you the land. She already knew it. You call Rahab a prophet.

41:58 A lot of people call Rahab a prophet. She's she knew it. We already in Hebrews by faith Rahab. I know that the Lord has given you the land and that the terror of you has fallen upon us. Okay.

42:11 There's fear. There's fear among the people of Jericho because of the Hebrew children that are heading their way. Actually, it goes further. Terror of you has fallen on us, all of my people, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. So, the pharaoh was fearful that the Hebrews might take over so he makes a law to kill all of the male babies and these folks are saying, give us those spies.

42:39 We don't want them to take back a report. We don't want them to know anything about this land. Terror has fallen on us and we have melted away before them. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea. You got supernatural power.

42:55 We've heard about it. For you, when you came out of Egypt, Egypt's a strong nation military might. And what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihananag, whom you utterly destroyed, if you're not familiar with the story. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted. Neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you.

43:24 Now, it's looking like that battle plan's a little better, right? Encircle the city, walk around it, and holler. They're already scared to death. I don't know how the walls came and went down.

43:37 By faith, they did though.

43:38 I do know that. I don't I don't know if it was an earthquake. I don't know if the people were scared to death and leaning on him. I don't know what happened. And as soon as heard these things, our hearts melted neither did they remain any more courage in anyone because of you.

43:51 The Lord your God, he is God in heaven, above and on earth, beneath. That's a statement of faith right there from Rahab. Now, therefore, please swear to me. By the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you that you will also deal kindly with my father's household and give me a pledge of truth and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them deliver our lives from death and so the man said to her, our life for yours, if you do not tell this business of ours and it shall come about when the Lord gives us this land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you. Then she let them down by a rope through the window from her house was on the city wall so that she was so that so that she was living in the on the wall.

44:37 She said to them, go to the hill country so that the pursuers will not happen upon you and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward, you may go your way. The man said, free from this to you. This thing's cutting out. We should be free from this oath to you which you made us swear unless when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down and gather to yourself into this house, your father and your mother and your brothers, and all of your father's household.

45:10 Everybody that is with you and protected and this cord is what you're going to let us know. This is the house. It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head. He's got to be up under this. It's got he's gotta be up under this.

45:29 We're making an agreement right now and anybody that's not with you and protected, anybody that doesn't go by it, his blood is on his own head and we shall be free but anyone who's in your house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is even laid on him. So, if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from any oath which you have made us swear. Now, she had to have faith that that was true and not fear the king and she did. She said, according to your words, so be it. She sent them away.

45:56 They departed and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. They departed and came to the hill country, remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now, the pursuers had sought them all along the road but had not found them. Then, the two men returned, came down from the hill country, crossed over, and came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they related to him all that happened to them, and they said to Joshua, surely. This is exactly what she told him, okay?

46:20 This is exactly what she told him. By faith, they went in and by faith, they trusted in this enemy, woman, who had hidden them, then they said to Joshua, surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us. Rahab hid the spies and she did not perish with her city. If you read the rest of the story, she did not.

46:45 So here is that part. Joshua six twenty two to 25 says this, Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there as you have sworn to her. So, the young men who were with spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all that she had and they also brought out all of her relatives, placed them outside the camp of Israel, they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it, only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord but however, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared and she lived actually and she lived in the midst of Israel to this day. When this was written down, she was still among them. To this day, for she hid the messengers from whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

47:36 So, she reacted in faith and not in fear. You might say, well, it was fear. It was fear of God though. Fear of God is faith. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

47:45 She saw and had heard the stories of God and a lot of y'all have heard the stories of how God has protected and provided and advanced. She reacted in faith and she lived and was accepted into the people of God. Actually, she was accepted even into the lineage of Christ. We just got through her Christmas and read her name in the genealogies of Jesus. Does God like outsiders?

48:10 He loves em. Does he like underdogs? He loves em. Does he want? Does he want to do good things?

48:17 He does. Alright. So, that's the end of the scripture. So, fear of faith. That's what the this whole section right here is about.

48:27 Either it's going be fear or it's going be faith and it can't be both at the same time. It's either faith in God or fear of man. Fear of God is faith. So, fear of man or faith in God. So, I want you to ask yourself this question.

48:46 I've been asking mine all week this week. Am I living my life today out of fear? Oh, if this, then that. Oh, I can't believe what I have. It gets out of hand when you start dwelling on all of the circumstances and you live it out of fear.

49:05 Fear of what this person will do, that person will do, that person will think. Fear, am I living my life today out of fear or by faith? The whole chapter is by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith and it's looking past. In fact, we'll get to this week. It's looking past your current circumstances into a place.

49:26 I am not a prosperity gospel preacher. Can I get an amen? Amen. Yeah. I mean, that's not my way at all but there will eventually be really good goodness as opposed with really bad badness coming.

49:40 Your circumstances may look dire and they may be difficult but it is possible to react to those circumstances in faith and that's what I'm asking today that you would do. Now, difficult because we see, well, of course, Joshua heard directly from God. The Holy Spirit of God is urging all of you who are not believers in Jesus right now, urging you to put aside the fear of death and put aside the fear of everything and trust God for what he said. There is a way, there is the truth, and there is a life and it's in Jesus Christ. So, the Holy Spirit of God is constantly at work.

50:18 You have not trusted in Christ to trust in Christ but for those of you who have, there's a still small voice that is saying, leave behind all of your sin and lean into me. Pay attention to me and I will show you the way and I'll give you the strength to do it. So, see what it is that God wants you to do and then do it by faith. I think that's the last slide. Carl, would you come on back up?

50:47 The band, would you consider that? I don't even know what the last song is right now. Slaves. Oh, no longer slaves. That's perfect.

50:54 We're no longer slaves to fear. Would you stand up? And instead of complaining, lord, it was so much better in Egypt. When we were slaves, may we be of those faithful ones, not the ones that they had to circle the desert forty years waiting for them to die off. Today, if you hear God's voice, would you hearken unto it?

51:16 Would you listen to it? Would you pay attention to it and just walk in the way that he will show you. Leave the land you know and go to the place that he'll show you. Thank you.

53:22 My fears are drowned in perfect love. You rescued me so I could stand and sing. I am a child of God. And split the sea. You split the sea so I could walk right through it.

53:47 My fears are drowned in perfect You rescued me so I could stand and sing. I am a child of God.

54:34 Amen. Remembering that fear of God is faith, okay? How abundant are the good things that you have stored up God for those who fear you or put their faith in you? That you bestow in the sight of all on those who take their refuge in you. In Jesus name, lord, may we walk forward in faith not fearing man.

55:03 Not fearing the future but resting in our confident hope that has been secured by Christ, who's seated at your right hand and interceding for us. May we walk forward by the power of the Holy Spirit putting our faith in you. Amen.

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Civil Disobedience Fear Vs Faith Moses Parents Rahab Walking By Faith Walls Of Jericho

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