Confidence, Approval, Understanding, Influence

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Hebrews 11:1-4

I've finished my group studies for now (will probably pick something up in the fall), so I've gone back to my long-standing friend, "Search the Scriptures." I am taking up where I left off. I will get back to the Revelations study, but just wanted to share some things that hit my heart this morning.

verse 1

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for." You can "see" it, you can "taste" it. You know the surety of what you are holding onto because of the One who promised. It is not so vague as, "Oh, I hope . . . ." It is a firm belief and trust that even though you cannot see it right now, you have it! You know that God will not fail.

"The evidence of things not seen." Faith is walking through the darkness in confidence! It is letting go of those things we feel we must control or life will spin off into chaos. It is surrender of my will and my way to the will of the One who has promised and who loves me more than I love myself.

So, I ask myself: Have I surrendered control? Have I given up holding onto the things that seem to keep me grounded? Or have I let them go into the hands of the One who truly holds my life together? Do I have faith to walk through the darkness and confusion with confidence?


verse 2

"For by it the elders obtained a good testimony." Men of old, the elders, Old Testament saints, obtained a testimony by their faith. God included them in His narrative not because they were the most successful, the most famous, the strongest, the best looking, or the most talented. He included them because they believed Him and it changed their lives and changed the world. Thousands of years later, we know who Abel, Noah, Abraham, Esther, Rahab, Ruth, Sarah, Moses, Joshua, etc. were because of they were willing to step out in faith in a God whom they could not see. (And they did not have Holy Spirit dwelling within them, as we are so blessed to enjoy because of Christ.) God testifies to their faith in His Word! There may be failing and stumbling, yet God's testimony is of their faith. How much more awesome could it be than to have God himself testify about my life, that I walked by faith.

And, again, I ask myself, if God were to testify of my life, what would it sound like? What would He choose to mention? And where would He be silent? What do I focus on? Am I working for success, for notice, for acceptance? Or, am I seeking for a relationship with God that will give me the confidence to walk where I cannot see and follow when I cannot understand? Do I know Him well enough to trust Him with my life and all that matters to me?


verse 3

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." It is by faith that we believe the account of the creation, even as the world tries to explain God away. Faith believes because God told us. We don't demand that God give us with scientific proof to back it up. I know there are differences of opinion as to the reading of Genesis, and that is fine. But it all goes back to the basics. And if we cannot believe that God created the heavens and the earth by speaking it into being, then how can we believe that the death of one Man two thousand years ago affects our eternal condition? God has given us His description of the events. Science is wonderful. It is an opportunity to observe and to learn from the world around us. But when we allow what we "see" to rule, can we be walking by faith? Just my opinion. The Word says that God spoke the universe and time itself into existence.

A commentary I read after I finished my study brought to my attention the concept that faith brings understanding. It is as we step out in faith that we are able to understand. As long as our hearts are coming from the "prove it" or "show me" point of view, my understanding is limited and short sighted. Basing our belief only on what we can see, quantify, and examine, limits our understanding to the physical and ignores the eternal realities and supernatural involvement of God in His creation.

Do I believe by faith in God's account of the creation? How do I balance science and faith? How can I communicate this? Do I believe the Word of God, or do I pick and choose what is "believable"? Am I prone to explaining away the things of Scripture that are beyond my experience and my understanding? How does such faith, or lack of, affect my relationship with God and my relationship to the world around me? Do I allow for the supernatural and the eternal in my exploration of the world?


verse 4

(Now this is where it got good for me this morning!) "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks." Abel's faith was expressed in his offering. By faith, his offering was a "better sacrifice" than Cain's. Cain seemed to have missed the whole point of the offering, perhaps because of his lack of faith. He was going through the motions with no concept of what his offering represented.

Abel brought the "firstborn of his flock", the fat portion, and the Lord looked at it. The word is "shaah", which means a look, a moment, to gaze at or about. This seems more than a glance. Could Abel's offering have blessed God in such a way that He paused and looked intently at it. I think possibly that God was captivated by Abel's offering because it was one of the first representations of His Son. Nothing grabs God's attention more than something to do with His Son. And this sacrifice of the firstborn lambs must have touched God's heart!

There is something in Abel's offering that seems to indicate an understanding of what it is God truly wants, and I believe that can only come from a relationship and personal knowledge of God Himself. I have heard that it is believed that God must have told Adam and his family what type of offerings He required. There is no Scripture to indicate that He did, but it is very possible that He did so. However, I wonder if it isn't just as possible that Abel's relationship with God was such that he understood what type of offering would please Him. That Abel sought the Lord and sought to please Him, and that his desire led him to an offering that would cause God to catch His breath at the sight of it.

It doesn't say whether Cain brought the best of his crops or just his crops. There are first fruits offerings that are detailed in the Law of Moses. So, it wasn't a "wrong" offering. But perhaps his heart was not where it should be. He was offering God what he had, but did not seek to know what it was that God want, what would please Him. And then he was bent out of shape because God "looked at" Abel's offering and not his. It wasn't so much the offering that fell short, God did not indicate that there was anything wrong with it. But Cain recognized the difference in God's reaction to Abel's offering and to his own.

It goes on to say that the testimony Abel received of God was that he was righteous, and God testified of his offerings, his gifts. Because of his faith, even though he is dead (and he was actually the first one to die physically), he still speaks. What does he say? Is it that his life speaks to us of faith, or that by faith he is still living and speaking? Does he still speak as the first righteous one put to death by his brother, again, a picture of Christ. Both in his offering and in his death, Abel pointed to the Son of God who would die at the hands of His brothers due to jealousy.

And so I ask, what of my offerings? Do they reveal faith in God, both in their quality and in their substance? Or, are they given as a mere meeting of a requirement which I do not understand? Are they given based on what others say or what I think will suffice? Or, do I have such a knowledge and relationship with God that I know and understand what He wants? And what does God testify of my offerings?

My life and my death, do they point to my Savior? Do I reveal Christ by my life, my giving, my choices, my actions? Abel knew nothing of Christ, yet his actions pointed so clearly to the Lamb of God, the way I believe he did that was through a life of relationship and seeking God. I believe that relationship led him, God led him to a sacrifice that pointed to Christ. Do I have such a relationship that in the midst of the contradictory voices of what God wants I understand Him and His will. If so, my life must point to Christ. If not, it may be a good life--I may bring my first fruits--but it won't capture God's attention, and I won't obtain God's testimony of my life.

By faith we walk in confidence. God testifies to faith in our lives, not success, strength, or beauty. Faith gives us a foundation for understanding the world around us and the world beyond our senses. By faith we can know what will please God, which is anything and everything to do with Christ, and our lives can speak far beyond ourselves.

Love,
Ev