(3). Hebrews 11:22-3122By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23By 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. 24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. 31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. (Hebrews 11:22‑31).
IT will be observed that our triplet in these verses consists of two men and a woman. There is nothing incongruous in this, as the woman forms a connecting link between what goes before and what follows after. Three things to be noted are: —
(1). THE SIMPLICITY OF FAITH.
(2). THE SUPREMACY OF FAITH.
(3). THE SELECTION OF FAITH.
In dealing with the simplicity of Joseph’s faith, we do not mean that faith is necessarily a simple thing. In one sense it is. An old-fashioned hymn used to read:―
“Faith is a very simple thing,
Though little understood.”
When we first trusted the Lord Jesus we found how very simple it was, and perhaps some of us wondered why we had not trusted Him sooner. Others, it may be, were long in getting the blessing because they stumbled over the very simplicity of faith.
Had we been in Joseph’s circumstances we should probably have said, as we may have done under much less trying conditions, “how difficult it is to trust.” Joseph was characterized by simple, unquestioning, unwavering faith. It did not seem to occur to him to doubt God; on the contrary to trust God was wrought into every fiber of his being. It seems remarkable that though his was such a wonderful life, the Holy Spirit in our chapter refers only to its close. What is said about that however embraces all that preceded.
What a history it was! When seventeen years old, sent by his father to his brethren, they refused him. Just as our blessed Lord was sent by the Father to His brethren and they “received Him not.” (John 1:1111He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:11)). Cast into a pit; sold to the Ishmeelites; a slave in the house of Potiphar; consigned to prison his “feet hurt, with fetters laid in iron.” Observe what follows just here:—“Until the time that His Word came: the Word of the Lord tried him.” (Psa. 105:18,1918Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. (Psalm 105:18‑19)). Then transferred from the prison to the palace, second only to Pharaoh, made administrator over the land of Egypt, and all commanded to bow the knee to him. What a lovely picture of Him who has been raised from the prison house of death to the right hand of God: the great Administrator of all God’s blessing, and the One to whom every knee shall bow.
The story of those thirteen years in Joseph’s life is thrilling. He never murmured; he refused to recognize second causes; he traced everything to God; and from start to finish his faith in God was unshaken. He reached the end of his journey, he was in the mind of God he knew that the children of Israel would not find their home in Egypt, but that God would carry out His purpose for them; and “by faith” he made mention of that, “and gave commandment concerning his bones.”
When at length Israel made their exodus from Egypt they carried his bones, over the Red Sea, across the desert, over Jordan into the promised land, and not till the “land had rest from war,” and Joshua himself was dead, did they bury the bones of Joseph (Josh. 24:3232And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. (Joshua 24:32)). His recorded history is one of ninety three years simple faith in God.
Moses occupies a large place in the Holy Scriptures. The first five books rightly bear his name. “By faith” his parents “hid him,” and “were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” Had it been otherwise God’s purpose would have been defeated, and that is impossible for our God knows no defeat.
See how it worked out. The child was placed in an ark; the ark was put by the river’s brink; Pharaoh’s daughter came down, saw the ark, discovered the child, unwittingly, so far as she was concerned, got the child’s mother to nurse him; and in due course the child was found in the palace of, the king who had pronounced his doom. How wonderfully God works, and causes even His enemies to do His service and carry out His purpose.
For forty years Moses was in the palace; then he had to make a great choice. He had “come to years.” — “had become great” (New translation) — he had to choose between suffering “affliction with the people of God” and “enjoying the pleasures of sin for season;” between “the reproach of Christ” and “the treasures in Egypt.” How many refuse to decide for Christ because they prefer the “pleasures” to the affliction; and would rather have “the treasures” of the world than “the reproach of Christ.” How many who profess to have accepted Christ cling to their “pleasures” and “treasures,” and are not prepared for the “affliction” and the “reproach.”
By faith Moses chose the latter and refused the former. He left the palace, he sought out his brethren and he proposed to undertake their cause. Acts 7:2525For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. (Acts 7:25)., casts an interesting sidelight on this: — “He supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them.” But Moses was before God’s time. He had to be trained, and forty years in the back side of the desert was his training time. It might have been said by some. “What a waste of forty of the best years of his life. A brilliant young man ‘learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and mighty in words and in deeds’ (Acts 7:2222And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. (Acts 7:22)), and there he is, looking after some sheep.” That was God’s way. What a lesson for us now!
At the fitting moment, in other words in God’s time, he came forth, and his life-service was one that showed the supremacy of faith over every obstacle. Assailed harassed, tormented, persecuted on every hand and practically every day, he went onward and forward, until on Pisgah’s height he viewed the land, and was put to sleep by God. He got the most wonderful funeral that any man ever had, for the Lord buried him: and centuries later he appeared with Elijah on “the holy mount” in the company of the Son of God.
The story of Rahab is deeply interesting. If in this connection we write of the selection of faith, we do not mean that faith selects but we do mean that God in His sovereignty selected Rahab and implanted in her true faith. She had heard what God had done; she knew what God was going to do; and she desired to be numbered among His people.
What claim had she? None, except faith in God. Who gave her that faith? God. But why did He choose her? To carry out His own plan. Says the inspired historian. “She dwelleth in Israel even unto this day” (Josh. 6:2525And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. (Joshua 6:25)). She was introduced into the royal line, was not far removed from David (Ruth 4:18-2218Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. (Ruth 4:18‑22)), and is one of four remarkable women whose names appear in the genealogy of Matthew 1 — names that we should not have chosen, but God did so. Why? Because He is sovereign, and here we see the excess of His grace.
Why did He choose us? Had we any claim upon Him? No. Did we deserve it? No. He chose us because He was pleased to do so, and because of the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)). We cannot understand it, and we never shall. We can only delight in it, and praise Him for it now, as we shall Forever and ever.
What a God is ours! What grace is His! Everlasting glory be to His holy Name.
W. Bramwell Dick.
Next month (God willing) Hebrews 11:32-4032And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:32‑40). Kindly read the whole chapter over and over again.