As
the writer of Hebrews continued to share about people who exercised
“faith”,
he included “Rahab the harlot”
who did not “perish” “with them
that believed not”
because “she
had received the spies with peace”
. In chapter eleven and verse thirty-two
of Hebrews the writer shares
about “Gideon, Barak, Samson,
Jephthah, David and Samuel” where we read:
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me
to tell of Gideon, and of
Barak, and of
Samson, and of
Jephthah; of
David also, and Samuel, and of
the prophets:
The
verse begins, “And what shall I more
say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of
Barak, and of
Samson, and of
Jephthah;...”. The
writer began with the words, “And
what shall I more say”
which means “what else can the writer speak, affirm, maintain,
advise, command or direct”? “for
the time”
or “because the space which denotes a particular period” “would
fail me”
which means “would not allow for the purpose of an end”
“to tell”
or “to lead or carry a narration through to the end, recount, set
forth, relate in full or describe” “of
Gideon”
whose name means “the cutter down” and was “a of the judge of
Israel who delivered them from the Midianites”,
“and of Barak”
whose name means “lightning” and was “a commander of the
Israelites”, “and of Samson”
whose name means “like the sun” and was “a famous judge of
Israel renowned for his physical strength”, “and
of Jephthah”
or “Jephthah” whose name means “whom God sets free” and was
“son of Gilead, and a judge in Israel”. The Hebrew writer felt
that he could not gain enough time to share about the “faith”
of “Gideon, Barak, Samson and
Jephthah”
who also exercised great belief in God.
The
verse goes on to say, “...of
David also, and Samuel, and of
the prophets:”. The
writer continued with the words, “of
David also” whose
name means “beloved” and was “second king of Israel, and
ancestor of Jesus Christ” “and
Samuel”
which means “his name is of God” and was “the son of Elkanah
and Hannah, who was the last of the judges, a distinguished prophet
and a founder of the prophetic order who gave the Jews there first
kings, Saul and David”, “and of the
prophets” or
“who were interpreters of oracles or of other hidden things of God
who were moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman
to solemnly declare to men what he has received by inspiration,
especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate
to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation ”. The
writer continued with his list of others who exhibited “faith
in God” as
he listed David, Samuel and the prophets as his examples.
When
we meditate upon these words in Hebrews, we notice the common
characteristic between all these people was “faith”.
They believed God, and regardless of what situations or circumstances
in which they found themselves, they trusted that God would follow
through for them. God desires that we trust Him in the same manner,
and when He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and to
promise us “everlasting life”,
He desired that we simply ask Him for forgiveness, turn from our sins
and look for Him to fulfill the promise He has made. Let us see these
people who trusted and obeyed that what God said He would do,and
realize that He will do the same for all who believe in His Son
Jesus.
Next
time the writer shares how his examples ”through
faith”
“subdued
kingdoms” and
more,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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