Abraham, Moses & the Law in Hebrews 11

Vol 2 - No 10, July 17, 2005

Abraham, Moses and the Law:

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews has been our guide in these studies of faith. As already mentioned there are two (2) groups of eight (8) individuals named therein. The first group lived during the time recorded in the book of Genesis where Abraham stands out from the others as the primary figure - Hebrews 11:8 - 108 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

& 13 - 19. As we have begun Volume 2 our studies have had to do with Moses who is the primary person in the second group of eight (8) - Hebrews 11: 23 - 29. Abraham and Moses had individual and distinct missions in life but they also shared similar experiences. By faith in God's Word Abraham left his home land and went to a land promised him. He lived there as a stranger, never having owned it. Similarly, it was by faith in God's Word that Moses left the luxury, safety and privilege of his home in Pharaoh's palace to suffer with the people of God and lead them to the Promised Land that he himself never entered. Both died with the faith they would someday posses that land.

By Abraham and Moses God prepared the way for His Word, the Man of faith Jesus Christ. The Word of God left the luxury, safety and privilege of heaven, John 1:11 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

, 14, and lived in the land promised to Abraham and his progeny. As Isaac, the son of promise was miraculously conceived by Abraham and his wife Sarah by faith in the Word of God, Hebrews 11:11 & 1211 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

, so the Word of God was conceived as the Man of promise: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." - Galatians 3:1616 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

. Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness obtained by faith and is the father of faith to all who thereafter believe in Jesus Christ - Romans 4:1111 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

, 12 & 16. Thus it was by Abraham that God taught it is only by faith in Jesus Christ that we can be right before God - Romans 4.

Abraham offered his promised son as a sacrifice to God by faith in God's Word that he would be raised up - Hebrews 11:17 - 1917 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

. Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, spoke of the manner of His own death and of the fact He would be raised from the dead after three (3) days - Matthew 20:17 - 1917 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

. By faith Moses and the people kept the Passover, sacrificing and eating the lamb without blemish, placing it's blood upon their door posts, which delivered them from the bondage of sin and death in Egypt - Hebrews 11:23 - 2923 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

. Jesus Christ was the Passover sacrificial lamb, John 19:1414 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

, I Corinthians 5:7, that has saved His people from the slavery of sin and death. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." - John 1:2929 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

. Subsequent to the Passover all first born males of Israel had to be redeemed by payment (first born animals were sacrificed), Exodus 13:1313 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

, 15, etc., which payment was a type of Christ"s blood that finally and completely redeemed His people: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." - I Peter 1:18 - 21.

Moses led the Children of Israel out and to the Promised Land and during their journey God provided them food and water to sustain life. Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, is the bread of life and by His body we have eternal life - John 6:4949 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

58. Jesus Christ lived in the Promised Land never having possessed anything except the clothes on His back and even those were taken by one of the soldiers that crucified Him. But He left that land with the faith He would some day return and rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords - Acts 1:9 - 119 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

; Revelation 19:11 - 1611 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

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The work that the Word of God did through Abraham and Moses helped set the stage for the final work of Jesus Christ. But mankind still had to learn in a real and personal way that redemption and salvation from sin and death cannot be accomplished by anything he can do for himself. And so God gave the Law to Moses to teach mankind the need for the saving faith of Jesus Christ. "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." - Galatians 3:2222 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

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As a schoolmaster the law taught mankind he was sinful through and through: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" - Romans 8:33 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

. The finished work of Christ gives righteousness to all who believe in Him: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.- Romans 10:4 - 94 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

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What started with the Word of God to Abraham and Moses was completed with the Word of God coming as the Man of faith: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." - Romans 10:1717 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

. "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." - Romans 3:2828 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." - Galations 2:16. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (the word "our" is not in the original) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:22 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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