All right, Hebrews chapter 11. We're going to be kind of in the last little segment, or this last paragraph, in this particular portion of the letter. Somebody made a comment to me about this, and they said, you know, it's interesting, because one of the things that you notice the whole entire 11th chapter. You know, I love this when people tell me, say, why do you spend time in the Old Testament? Why do you teach from the Old Testament? Why are we in the Old Testament? Why are we in the Old Testament? For Old Testament is irrelevant. Old Testament don't mean anything anymore. Well, I have a question for you. If it didn't, then why in the world is the writer of Hebrews, the whole entire 11th chapter is from the Old Testament? Huh? And you'll notice that it says, By faith, by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith. And they're Old Testament characters. So tonight we're going to come to those, we're going to come to the, to the, to the, to the portion that, um, good old Jericho, you know, Children of Israel, keeping in mind it's a new generation that goes into the land of Canaan, the old generation dies off, this new generation goes into the land of Canaan. They get into the land of Canaan, they get to Jericho, and after they've crossed the Jordan, okay? And one of the things that you'll notice in chapter 11 when you get down to verse 30, okay, we basically go from the wilderness, okay, we go straight to them being in Jericho. And of course, how did they get to Jericho? They had to cross the Jordan. So when they crossed the Jordan River, this new generation under the leadership of Joshua and Caleb, as they're there by the edge of the Jordan River, something very similar happens. The Jordan River is divided. They go across on dry ground. Now, it's interesting because sometimes when you think about this, because it's going to play into, because when you read verse 30, it just says, by faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they'd been in circle for seven days. That's all you see. understanding and realizing that they're in Jericho, okay, after watching God bring them there, across the Jordan on dry ground, matter of fact, had them build and erect an altar, okay, as a memorial to what had occurred. So they get to Jericho, no ramps, No bulkheads, no nothing. So they come upon the city of Jericho that is walled, okay? And they're gonna have a victory in Jericho. But it's not gonna be the way that most occurred. And so that's why you see verse 30. and you see for what it says, okay? But before we get there, okay, in your notes, number one and number two, the faith that pleases God acts in response to the word of God. Always remember that, okay? The faith that pleases God, okay, always acts from the word of God, in response to the word of God, always does. Matter of fact, we should walk by faith, okay? If you live in the spirit, then walk in the spirit, okay? We walk by faith, not by sight. Because I can tell you, when you got up to the edge of the Jordan River to cross over it, I've been, okay, I've been on the banks of the Jordan, okay? And it would be very treacherous to try to take all of this generation across that river, okay? And to get to the other side, but it's by faith. Number two, the writer concludes this portion with two simultaneous accounts of God's power and mercy when a new generation of Israelites finally entered the promised land. New generation. The whole entire book of Deuteronomy, when you go read the entire book of Deuteronomy, one of the things that you see in the book of Deuteronomy is this. Moses rehearsed over and over and over with this new generation, the law to remind them to go through it with them. And he always made reference when you go into the land to possess it, because he wasn't going. Moses was not able to go into the promised land. And so he wanted to make sure that they were prepared. And so when we come to verse 30 and verse 31, you see something interesting. You hear me say this a lot about the details in scripture. Don't miss the details. This is one of those. Because I want you to notice something in verse 30. While Jericho was overthrown, Rahab the hard and her family were spared by faith. But I want you to notice verse 30. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down There's a little word there. It's what? Say it again. They fell down after. Please don't miss that. They fell down after. Did they fall down when they first got there? No. They fell down after. After what? They had been in circle for seven days That's what happened Now I'm gonna tell you something. Okay, you want to talk about unorthodox? You mean to tell me we're going to capture the city of Jericho and the walls are gonna fall down just by us marching around the walls Yep That's correct and What they were told specifically to do once it came down to that last time, okay, was specifically what God told them to do. And they did exactly what God told them to do. Now, could you imagine being inside the walls of Jericho watching all these crazy people marching around on the outside? And they get to the end and shout, okay? And what happened? Then you come to verse 31. By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient. There's another word there. Anybody see what that word is? After. After. Do you notice in each, verse 30, it's after. Verse 31, it's after. After she did what? She had welcomed the spies in peace. And despite, and please listen, and despite Rahab's background in Canaan's pagan religions, this Gentile woman and her family placed their faith in the living God of Israel. I'll tell you what, let's go to Joshua chapter six. Joshua chapter six. Joshua 6 Joshua 6 Beginning in verse 22 now, I guarantee you that's she's probably not of the type. We would probably want to go after Let's be real honest here Okay, probably not Because she probably wouldn't meet our criteria Verse 22, Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there as you have sworn to her. So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother, her brothers and all she had. They also brought out all of her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. They burned the city with fire and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. Verse 25, however, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all that she had, Joshua spared. And she has lived, now please, please pay attention to this, and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. You see, they place their trust in the God of Israel. So in verse 30, it's after. Verse 31, it's after. So what does that say? Well, number one in your notes, what did I give you, number one in your notes? The faith that pleases God acts in response to what? The word of God. When the children of Israel got ready to cross over the Jordan, here's what Joshua told them. When you see the heel of the priest step into the water, then it will happen. The waters will be parted. But please keep this in mind. It wasn't gonna happen until after that priest took that first step. For many of us, We will not participate in what God has for us sometimes because we're unwilling to take that first step because we can't see the other side. That's why it's called faith. We walk by faith, not by sight. And sometimes what God calls us to do, it's just not there. for us, but we know he's calling us to do that. So let's go back to Hebrews chapter 11. So number five in your notes, the Old Testament portraits differ widely, they do. Yet their accounts show us that the faith that pleases God is both costly and courageous. I mean, they were. When you go back through and you look at the accounts of them, they were costly and courageous. So number six in your notes, there were far too many heroes of faith for the writer to deal with them all. I got to thinking about that. There's no way, there's not enough room here to deal with all of them. And so when you come to verse 32 through verse 35 in the first part, I want you to notice what he writes. And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, and Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. In the first part of verse 35, women receive back their dead by resurrection. I'm gonna tell you something, that's a bunch. Just right there. Did you pay attention to all that as we went through it in those verses, okay? And number seven in your notes, however, the writer does take the time to mention the accomplishments of some of them. So we're given the accomplishments. When you look at these throughout through here, okay? Shut the mouths of lion. Quench the power of fire. Escape the edge of the sword. And we can go back, most of them we know exactly who he's talking about. And so number eight, and you know it's at the climax of this list. Stand women who receive back their dead, raised to life again. A victory of faith which does not allow death to defeat it. You'll turn back to 1 Kings chapter 17. 1 Kings chapter 17. I'm sure y'all are familiar with Elijah the Tishbite. Good old Elijah. In chapter 17 of 1 Kings 17, look at 1 Kings 17, look beginning in verse 17. Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick. And his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. So she said to Elijah, What do I have to do with you, oh man of God? Now let me say something to you. Let me tell you, explain to you what verse 17 means, okay? Her son's dead. Her son has died. And so here's Elijah. Elijah the prophet. So what's gonna happen? And so the woman says to him, what do I have to do with you, oh man of God? This wasn't being sarcastic or mean or anything. In other words, why would the man of God come to see me? So what is it that I've done that would bring you here? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son, in other words, basically here's what she said, okay, you brought this. You're gonna bring my sin to, you're the prophet, okay. And he said to her, Verse 19, give me your son. Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living and laid him on his own bed. And he called to the Lord and said, oh Lord my God, have you also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying by causing her son to die? Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and called to the Lord and said, Oh Lord my God I pray you let this child's life return to him. The Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the life of the child returned to him and he revived. Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother and Elijah said see your son is alive. Then the woman said to Elijah now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth. Faith that pleases God acts in response to the word of God. Look at 2 Kings chapter four. 2 Kings chapter four and we have another one. Not Elijah but Elisha. Okay. Elisha was Elijah's right hand man. Okay. So when Elijah was taken, Elisha began then to assume what God had for him. So we come to chapter four. Okay. And as we come to chapter four, Beginning in verse 17, okay She's known as the Shunammite woman And so beginning in verse 17 of 2nd Kings 4 Notice the woman conceived and bore son at that season the next year as Elisha had said to her When the child was grown the day came that he went out to his father to the Reapers and he said to his father my head my head and he said to his servant carry him to his mother and And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon and then died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door behind him and went out. And then she called to her husband and said, please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys that I may run to the man of God and return. He said, why will you go to him today? It isn't either new moon or Sabbath. And she said, it will be well. Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, drive and go forward. Do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you. So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi, his servant, Behold, there is the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her and say to her, Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet and Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her. And the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. Then she said, did I ask for a son from my Lord? Did I not say, do not deceive me? And then he said to Gehazi, gird up your loins, take my staff in your hand and go your way. If you meet any man, do not salute him. And if anyone salutes you, do not answer him and lay my staff on the lad's face. The mother of the lad said, as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. And he arose and followed her. Then Gehazi passed on before them, laid the staff on the lad's face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, the lad has not awakened. And when Elisha came in into the house, behold, the lad was dead and laid on his bed. So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and he lay on the child. put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him and the flesh of the child became warm. Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth and went up and stretched himself on him. And the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, take up your son. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground. And she took up her son and went up. Two counts. we see recorded in Hebrews 11 of that very thing taking place. So what does it say? Number nine in your notes, the writer then moves from faith's obvious triumphs to what seemed to be its defeats. I mean, it's odd, but we go from all of this, and then as we come to the next verses, actually 35b, okay, down through verse 38, it almost appears, okay, that we move from victory and triumph to defeat. So is the writer of Hebrews going to lead us down a path after all of these victories and all of this that was accomplished and bring us to a place of defeat? Let me ask you a question. How many of you sometimes feel like in your life as a believer, sometimes it just seems like sometimes it's just there's defeat there. Just seems like there's defeat. Well, why is that? Why would we think that? I think sometimes that's what Satan wants us to believe, that we're defeated. Let me tell you why, because here's what Satan will do. He will get our eyes focused right here, not what's out here. And sometimes it may appear to be defeat. When in fact, it's not. Because as believers, I hate to tell you this, okay? But if you're a born again child of God, turn with me to Matthew chapter five, Sermon on the Mount. Jesus spoke about this. If you're a citizen of the kingdom, here's what you need to understand. As a born again believer, this is what you need to understand, okay? but they were not defeats at all. So what you see in the next part of chapter 11 of Hebrews, they're not defeats at all. Matthew chapter five, beginning in verse 10, I want you to notice what Jesus said. If you're a citizen of the kingdom, well, how are you a citizen of the kingdom? Well, the only way you can be a citizen of the kingdom is to be a born again child of God. So as a born again child of God, as a citizen of the kingdom, here's what you need to understand. Verse 10, blessed are those. That's an interesting word there because the Greek word means happier those. Happier those who what? Have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. You know, happy is or blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Persecution, persecuted for doing what's right. Please listen to me. That is not defeat at all. And oh, by the way, you will be rewarded for that. Then he goes to verse 11 and Jesus said, blessed are you or happier you when people insult you and persecute you. Really? I should be happy when people insult me? Well, it says, insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you. Please underline the next part, because of who? You, no, me. Not you, me. Not you, me. Jesus said, happy are those who, for those who insult you and persecute you and falsely accuse you. For who? Against you. Because of you? No. Because of me. And then he goes to verse 12, and here's what he says again. So rejoice and be glad. Please don't miss this. Even though it may appear is defeat here. Okay. It is not. Because you have to pay attention to verse 12. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great. For in the same way, they persecuted the prophets. Listen, they persecuted them. Who's gone before us, this whole entire list in Hebrews chapter number 11, they went through it. They experienced, they know what it's about. Okay. It's not gonna be any different for us. So let's go back to Hebrews chapter 11. Number 10 in your notes, those who were tortured, refused to be released, did so because they knew their sufferings would lead to a richer and better resurrection experience. This has always boggled my mind. Next part of verse 35, which we would call part B. And others were tortured, not accepting their release so that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others experienced mockings and scourgings. Yes, also change and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were put to death with a sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated. But please do not miss the first part of verse 38. Please pay attention to what it says. Men of whom the world was not worthy. Wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. So number 11, all manner of physical sufferings has been endured by people of faith, as well as being barred from their homes and countries, treatment that the readers might also have to... Let me tell you who he's writing to. He's writing to those Jewish believers That we're looking to move back toward Judaism. Okay. And as he shares with them, one of the things he wants them to understand. Okay. Because let me, let me say this to you. Those that he's writing to persecution was pretty substantial. So is persecution going to come? Yes. Has persecution preceded you? It has. Will persecution come after you? It will. It is not defeat. If you're going to be a citizen of the kingdom, you're going to be mocked and ridiculed and persecuted. Because of who? Because of Jesus Christ. That's why. But let me tell you what it says. If you notice this in Matthew chapter 5 that we saw just a minute ago, great is the reward. So number 12, but in a testimony to them, the writer commented that the world was not worthy of those whom it banished. We pick up in verse 39 in all of these. Having gained approval through their, gained approval through their what? Through their faith. Doesn't say through their works, it says through their faith. The faith that pleases God acts on the word of God. So was their faith. It was their faith. But let me paint it for you this way. Their faith was made evident by their what? By their works. That's what James spoke about. So verse 39, all of these having gained approval through their faith did not, please, all of these did not receive what was promised. See, they're all looking where? They're looking toward it. For us, we're looking back. The promise of a savior, we have. Verse 40, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us, they would not be made perfect or complete. So number 13, in a concluding summary, the writer pointed out that the great heroes of faith he had spoken of had not yet realized their future hopes. Number 14, this fact shows that God had planned something better for them and us. Hallelujah. Number 15, faith looks to the future. That is where the greatest rewards are found. Let me tell you something, if you're looking for, if you're looking for, Prestige if you're looking for recognition if you're looking for all of those things Then you've received your reward here But it's not about here it's about there It's not about here it's about there So number 16 the people named in this chapter and those unnamed are did not receive the promises what was promised. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 13. And all these died in faith without what? Receiving the promises. But having seen them, and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles where? On the earth. As believers, we're strangers and exiles here. That's what we are. This is not our home. Our citizenship is where? Our citizenship is in heaven. That's where it is. So what we do here, we should look at every day as to what we're doing here has eternal ramifications. And number 17, or the end of number 16 in your notes, but they had God's witness to their faith that one day they would be rewarded. And then number 17, God's purpose involves Old Testament saints as well as New Testament saints. One day, all of us will share that heavenly city that true saints look for. By what? By faith. For we walk by faith, and not by sight. What a chapter. What a chapter. I mean, we move from contrast in chapter 10 to whole. Let me give you, let me just give you some examples here. Because you're gonna move from chapter 12 as he picks up the new paragraph in verse one. Now, he says, now, he says, depending on the translation, therefore, Or now, we have a what? We have a great cloud of witnesses. Who have what? Who have already gone on before us. Who have walked by faith. And the thing about it is, they walked by faith not having the promise. So I have a question. So what's our excuse today? because we have it. Amen. Amen, one day we're gonna see him. We are going to see him. Any other thoughts? Let me tell you what it ought to do. That right there ought to encourage our hearts to realize and see it ain't about us. It is not about us. It's all about Him.