BY FAITH, THEY FOLLOWED GOD'S WILL ABOVE ALL

Passage: Hebrews 11:17-28

Key verse: 26

NIV

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.(A) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[a](B) 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,(C) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.(D)

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons,(E) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.(F)

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,(G) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.(H)

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.(I) 25 He chose to be mistreated(J) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace(K) for the sake of Christ(L) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.(M) 27 By faith he left Egypt,(N) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer(O) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.(P)

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 11:18 Gen. 21:12
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

17 By faith (A)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, (B)“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 (C)He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith (D)Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith (E)Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, (F)bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith (G)Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith (H)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of (I)the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, (J)refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 (K)choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy (L)the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 (M)He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to (N)the reward. 27 By faith he (O)left Egypt, (P)not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured (Q)as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith (R)he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

It did not make sense when God told Abraham to offer his promised son Isaac as a sacrifice. Such a command was against everything he had believed in God. However, he believed in the Almighty Creator God who was above and beyond his understanding. He passed the test by absolutely trusting and obeying God's words (19).

Isaac and Jacob blessed their children according to God's will, sometimes against their preference and human values (2

, 21). Joseph was promoted to an important position in Egypt. But he showed his true hope to enter the promised land with God's chosen people when he gave burial instructions when his end was near (22).

Moses chose to go through hardship with God's people rather than being recognized as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. It may have been a foolish decision in the eyes of the world. But he valued the reward in heaven above the treasures in Egypt and longed to be rewarded by God rather than pleasing the king (26). Then he led the Israelites to follow God's instructions when the destroyer took the lives of all firstborn of Egypt (28).

Prayer: Father, I learn that you are in control of the world in your good plan. Please help me to obey your will by faith and be able to see your great plan unfold. Help me to be useful in your work by faith.

One Word: Trust God above any other idea