The Pentateuch: Jacob and His Wives, Genesis 29-32
Rebekah had just sent her younger son, Jacob, away to find a wife with her family in order to keep him away from Esau, who had vowed to kill Jacob. Rebekah instructed Jacob to deceive Isaac, the boys’ father, in order to receive the blessing Isaac intended to give to Esau, the older of the twin boys. Jacob then set out to find Rebekah’s family, and we pick up with him when he comes upon shepherds with their flocks of sheep.
Jacob discovers that these shepherds are from Haran, and they are Laban’s people. Laban was Rebekah’s brother, son of Bethuel. He had two daughters, Leah, the older, and Rachel, the younger. Leah is not described as a beautiful woman, but Rachel takes this praise. Jacob met Rachel on the road and immediately fell for her, and Laban took Jacob in with the agreement that Jacob would work for Laban for seven years in exchange for his daughter, Rachel, as Jacob’s bride.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were [a]delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
Jacob officially met his match with Laban. Jacob had been a deceiver, a heel grabbed, constantly seeking to make his way in the world by means of trickery. His mother, Rebekah, had been deceptive as well, and now her brother, Laban, was doing precisely the same. Jacob worked the seven years, the wedding happened, and the next morning Jacob realizes he had been duped into marrying Leah instead of Rachel as they had agreed. After Jacob impersonated his brother Esau, later Leah impersonates her sister Rachel, and Jacob gets a taste of his own medicine.
Laban claims that it is customary for the older daughter to be married first, but he promised that in exchange for another seven years of labor, Jacob could marry Rachel as well. Jacob wanted Rachel so badly that he agreed to take both sisters as his wives for additional years of work. Jacob was now tied to Laban for 14 years in exchange for his two wives.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our [a]country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went into Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
During the second seven years, Leah was neglected by Jacob who loved Rachel and seems to have begrudged Leah, whom he did not choose to marry. While Leah was neglected by Jacob, she was seen by the Lord. God saw her, had compassion, and blessed her with many children. At first, she began naming the children with the hope her husband would finally love her. She craved the love of her husband. She and her sister clearly didn’t get along well either, leaving Leah surely feeling very alone. She was surely lonely, hurting, and neglected. Yet, God showed her favor and blessed her. Eventually, Leah refocused her praises and attention toward the Lord rather than her husband, and there she found contentment.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive.
Leah was blessed with 6 sons, and we also see a daughter named from Leah. Leah was unloved by her husband, but she was not neglected by the Lord. He cared for her, and gave her many children. Two very important tribes came from her sons Judah and Levi. Judah’s tribe was a kingly line, while Levi’s descendants later became the priestly line. This showed love and favor to Leah, and teaches a vital point that God does not look at what people look at – He values all of His creation, and cares even for those who lack love from people. Leah is a great encouragement for all of us who have faced these kinds of heartaches and loneliness.
When Leah stopped having children for a while, she sent her maid, Zilpah, to bear more children on her behalf. It was customary in that culture and time that if a woman was not able to bear children she would have a slave woman have children with her husband, but the children would be legally the wife’s. Zilpah being Leah’s maidservant, her children legally belonged to Leah. Zilpah bore two sons.
Concubine, Zilpah, Leah’s maid (H2153) – a trickling
Rachel was the favored wife of Jacob – the wife he ended up working 14 years to be able to marry. Rachel was a physically beautiful woman, but as we read through her part in history she reveals herself to be just as deceptive as her husband, aunt, and father. As she was barren for so long, she grew bitter and took it out on Jacob. She begged her sister for mandrakes, which in their culture was believed to increase fertility, showing that Rachel was taking matters into her own hands versus trusting God with her barrenness.
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God? He has withheld offspring[a] from you!”
Eventually, God gave her a son, the last son born to Jacob for a very long time. Many years later, Rachel would have a second son, the final son of Jacob, making Jacob father to 12 sons who would become the 12 tribes of Israel.
Jacob had two wives, two concubines, and at that point 11 sons. He had been working for Laban, his uncle and father-in-law, for 14 years and wanted to begin planning for the long-term care of his growing family. He knew he would eventually inherit the land promised to Abraham and his father Isaac, and he would need to go back home to claim it. He also knew his brother, Esau, was still back at home but he did not know if Esau still wanted to kill him.
Jacob made a final agreement with Laban to work another seven years, but this time it would be for a portion of the flock. He would take the less desirable flock, leaving the spotless sheep for Laban. Jacob asked for the spotted, speckled, and miscolored animals while leaving the spotless, pure-colored ones for Laban, making it easy to distinguish from one another’s animals. Before sending the flock with Jacob, though, Laban continued to cheat Jacob and separated all the current flock that was the coloring allocated to Jacob, gave them to his own sons, and handed the remaining spotless flock over to Jacob – the coloring designated to belong to Laban.
31 So he said, “What shall I give you?”
And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: 32 Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. 33 So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.”
34 And Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!” 35 So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36 Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Jacob didn’t ask to be handed the flock, but to continue caring for all of them and over the seven years he would then take all the miscolored and Laban would have the spotless. The flock Jacob was breeding started as spotless, but they produced offspring that were the coloring that was agreed to be Jacob’s. In that time, Jacob showed his faith in God’s provisions, and both he and Laban couldn’t help but acknowledge the favor bestowed on Laban by the Lord while Jacob was with him.
Jacob’s allotted flock was flourishing far greater than Laban’s, Jacob was growing prosperous, his family was expanding nicely, and Laban’s sons were growing envious of the success and growing wealth of Jacob. Jacob realized that he was no longer favored by Laban, and receives instruction from the Lord that it was time to head back home.
Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
Unbeknownst to Jacob, Rachel took along her family’s idols. These idols were false gods that her family worshipped and were seen as an inheritance for the oldest son. It is unknown why Rachel took them, but this was an excuse for Laban to chase after Jacob, accusing him of theft, and we see Jacob begin to stand up for himself and the 20 years of deceit and manipulation he experienced from Laban. Rachel lies to conceal her theft, and we again see a glimpse of Rachel’s true colors. Jacob’s favored wife is beautiful on the outside, but deceptive on the inside.
The relationships especially between Laban, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel were all founded on lies and mistrust, and the fruits of that deception are evident all over this story. Leah was lonely and unloved by her family, Rachel was a bitter liar and a thief, Jacob was a heel grabber through and through, and Laban was a trickster and manipulative head of the family. Eventually, they all parted ways with a covenant between them and the Lord.
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the [a]Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Jacob continues on his journey home with his large family, flocks, and great wealth he has accrued over those 20 years serving Laban. He knows he will have to face Esau but he does not know what this will be like. He develops a plan to appease his brother, but along the way when Jacob was alone he found himself wrestling with a stranger. Jacob fought and fought, yet neither prevailed until the stranger touched the socket of Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint. Jacob still would not let go – until he received a blessing. In this moment, Jacob was subdued by the Lord and Jacob knew it. He was desperate for a blessing from the Lord, and clung to Him until he received one.
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[a] and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[c] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Through these 20 years of hiding from his brother, the Lord taught Jacob that he should have trusted God all this time rather than living in fear, scheming and plotting, manipulating and grasping, thinking he could do better on his own terms. He needed to submit to the Lord, let the Lord lead him and his plans, and recognize that it was God alone who would bless and provide for him, as well as correct and discipline him. Nothing Jacob could do would bring the best outcome God had in store for him. Trusting God was the only way – and likewise, trusting God is the only way for us as well.
Just as we receive a new identity as “Child of God” when we submit to the Lord in faith, Jacob was given a new name – Jacob would now be called Israel. Israel means “to face God” or to “struggle with God” but with the emphasis that God prevails. This name is given to God’s people – the Israelites – who would struggle with God, as well, for centuries. Jacob was the father of the Jewish nation and the people’s hearts so often resemble Jacob’s example.
The Pentateuch: Faith and Sacrifice, Genesis 22-24
Abraham finally had the son God had promised to him. He had been tested and there had been moments of great faith and moments he lacked faith. Abraham’s lack of faith in God’s plan and timing led to him having a son, Ishmael, by a woman other than his wife, Sarah, who was now sent away with Hagar, the boy’s mother. God had made it clear that Isaac, Abraham’s son by Sarah, was the son God had promised, and Ishmael was sent away with the promise of an inheritance outside the land of Canaan promised to Isaac.
With this, though, there came the curse that Ishmael and Isaac would forever be in conflict with one another. To this day, many Arabs claim to be descendants of Ishmael. Eventually, the Muslim religion was formed on the claim that Ishmael was the promised son rather than Isaac, and even today there is much conflict between those who claim to be descendants of Ishmael and the Jewish and Christian nations.
But now, in Genesis 22, Abraham has his son whom God had promised. Isaac, who Abraham waited so many years for, was a growing boy, and God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him. This is such a turn in the story. The son God told Abraham would become a great nation is now to be killed in the name of the Lord. This is unthinkable. Yet, here was Abraham. Abraham responded by gathering the needed supplies, men, and his son the very next morning and heading off to the place the Lord had told him to go.
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
One question that begs to be asked is – why did God “test” Abraham? As Abraham takes his son to the mountain, we start to see what is really happening here. Isaac asks his father where the sacrificial lamb was. A completely reasonable question. Why had his father not brought one with him? Abraham’s response is key here.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”
And he said, “Here I am, my son.”
Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the [a]lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
Abraham, full of faith, tells this son whom God has promised will become a great nation, that God will provide the lamb. Abraham trusted that God would either provide an alternative sacrifice or He would raise this boy from the dead. God would provide the lamb because God made a promise, and Abraham believed it even to the point of raising his dagger, ready to sacrifice his son as the Lord commanded. At the very last moment, the Lord stopped Abraham from the deadly plunge and provided a ram stuck in a thicket nearby to take his son’s place on the altar. God provided a scapegoat to be sacrificed in place of Isaac; a ram whose blood would be spilled in Isaac’s place. Abraham’s son was spared.
Because of Abraham’s faith, God reaffirmed the covenant with him yet again. God didn’t test Abraham to see what Abraham would do. God knew exactly what Abraham would do. God showed Abraham that his immense faith would bring him blessings. It was because of Abraham’s incredible faith that God would continue to bless him, and why God made the covenant with him.
15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Sometimes God needs to show us what our faith will result in. Sometimes we need to be reminded that faith in the Lord is always worth keeping. Abraham was willing to kill his son at the command of the Lord, knowing that God had His reason and would keep His promises even though this command seemed at the time to contradict the promise. By his faith, God spared his son and continued to bless him, and Isaac’s son would eventually become the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.
The Ram in the Thicket
Don’t miss the part of this ram in the thicket. This ram was provided to Abraham to take the place of his son on the altar. In these times, blood sacrifice was made to atone for sin. Blood payment was required in order for sins to be forgiven. Sacrifice is necessary for redemption. So when God provided this ram, the ram took the place of Isaac, spilling its blood instead of Isaac’s.
This is a foreshadowing of what Christ would later do for all mankind. Blood is still the penalty for our sins, yet God provided a scapegoat for us in sending Jesus to earth to live a sinless life and die a horrible death on the cross. Death is what we deserve for our sins, yet Christ took the penalty of all mankind upon Himself. He became our sacrificial lamb so that any who believe in Him and accept His blood as a sacrifice for their own sins would be forgiven and redeemed to God. Faith in the blood of Jesus is the only way to salvation. He is our ram in the thicket, taking our place so that our Father in Heaven need not send those who believe in the Lamb of God to the altar themselves because Christ has already spilled His own blood in their place for their sake.
9 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
After sparing him from death by sending a ram to die in his place, God reaffirms that Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the stars and the sand and that they will be given the land that has been promised. God also makes it clear that this blessing is because of Abraham’s faith. Blessings follow obedience to the Lord, and Abraham is a prime example of this. Because of Abraham’s great faith, God blesses Isaac. Abraham would not live to see all the fruits of this promise, but he knew God was faithful and remained obedient to Him. Sometimes we don’t see the fruits of our own faith, but we can have faith that even when we don’t see it, God is working, and God is always faithful.
Later, Sarah passed away and Abraham purchased land from the Hethites to become a burial property, adamantly refusing to take the land as a gift. He buried his wife, Sarah, who is the mother to his promised son, Isaac, and then Abraham turned his attention to finding a suitable wife for his son. He was very selective about the choice. She needed to be from their own people, so he sent a servant to his brother’s land.
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear[a] by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Abraham sent the servant with a blessing, full of faith and confidence that the Lord would go with him and lead the servant to the right woman to become his son’s wife. This future bride would be the mother of the promised descendants promised to Abraham by the Lord. God certainly had His choice picked out, and would make sure she was the one brought back to be Isaac’s wife and mother to his children.
The servant also had great faith that God was with him in his mission. Abraham was such a great leader to his people that he not only had great faith himself but instilled great faith in the Lord in those who served him. He led by example, and others followed his example and trusted the Lord. This servant prayed to the Lord very specifically. He asked for a particular sign so he would know who the right woman was without doubt.
12 Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah,[a] who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16 Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
These kinds of examples are precious to me. The servant prayed for something very distinct to happen so he would know it was God’s choice, and God answered by the exact means the servant had prayed for. Whenever we see an example of prayer in scripture, it is a beautiful opportunity to grow in our own faith and prayer life. God heard the servant’s prayer and gave him what he had asked for as a sign.
When he arrived in Nahor’s town of Aram-naharaim a girl showed up and offered him a drink from the well and also to give water to his camels. This was exactly what the servant had just prayed to happen as a sign, and that the woman who made this offer would be the one to marry his master’s son. The servant did not hesitate to jump on the answered prayer. Throughout the journey, the servant prayed, worshipped, and trusted the Lord and eventually brought Rebekah back home to marry Isaac.
26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Rebekah was essentially Abraham’s great-great niece, making her a distant cousin to Isaac. This kind of infer-family marriage was incredibly common.
Abraham, Nahor, and Haran were brothers
Milkah was the daughter of Haran
Nahor married Milkah
Nahor and Milkah bore Kemuel
Kemuel fathered Bethuel
Bethuel fathered Rebekah
When the servant returned with Rebekah, Isaac married her and he loved her. She took her place in the tent Sarah had so recently vacated with her passing and was a comfort to her husband.
67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
God is always faithful, even when we are not. Through Abraham’s life, we see this played out. There were times Abraham lacked faith, yet God still stayed true. Then we see when Abraham was faithful, God blessed him greatly. This is true for all of us. When we are faithful to the Lord, with our hearts and minds focused on Him, God blesses our faith. We don’t always see it, and sometimes (often) the blessing is extended to others. Here, Abraham’s son was the one to benefit greater from the blessing, and there was still the promise God had made of 400 years of slavery ahead before the promised land would truly belong to Abraham’s descendants. A lot would happen between the making of the promise and its fulfillment.
Regardless of how long it takes to see the fruit, or if we ever do see it, we can trust that the Lord is always faithful and that our obedience is always rewarded. God provides all that we have and can take it away just the same. These are tactics parents use to teach our kiddos the differences between right and wrong, good behavior and bad behavior, and so on – and we get it from God. God teaches us that obedience brings blessing, and disobedience brings consequences.
There is a price for sin and a reward for faith. We should not choose faith for the sake of the reward, otherwise, that is not faith – that is a transaction. We have faith because of who God is, and that is enough. Believing and trusting in who God is allows us to have such faith as Abraham had, and also because of the loving Heavenly Father God is, He loves to reward His children for their faith.
Faith is not faith because of the blessing, but because of the God whom we serve. Abraham knew this and is a reminder and important example for all of us that those who walk with the Lord can always trust in His faithfulness, yet those living outside the will of God will reap the consequences of their sin. Yet, all are welcome, and the Ram in the Thicket was sent to be a sacrifice for all who would believe and have faith in Him and the blood He spilled for them.
With great faith comes great responsibility, just as Abraham was given. He was now the father of nations, the receiver of such a great promise that came with a great burden to lead his people in the ways of the Lord and instill a deep faith in them as well. His faith impacted generations upon generations. Only God knows the entire depth and width of this impact made by such faithfulness.
Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the [c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off [e]were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 [f]of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
As we explore some of the many names of Jesus as the Son of Man, the name of the Great High Priest holds a special place in my heart. There is so much to understand in this name. When studying Jesus’ name as Great High Priest it is important to have background knowledge of Exodus and Leviticus where we read about the priesthood being established.
Taking a step back to Moses and Aaron’s time, God commanded Moses and Aaron to lead the people in establishing the priesthood, tabernacle, and sacrificial system. All of this is incredibly relevant to understanding what it means for Jesus to be our Great High Priest.
For even more context on Jesus as the Great High Priest, I encourage you to read through the intricate details in the books of Exodus and Leviticus and then bring that context over to Jesus as the Great High Priest. We find a detailed explanation of this name for Jesus throughout the book of Hebrews, which is where we will focus today.
In the Old Testament, the Priesthood was established. There was a High Priest who was specifically responsible for sacrifices and gifts to God on behalf of the people. The High Priest was the only one who could enter the Most Holy Place, or the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, which was separated by the outer sanctuary, or Holy Place, by an incredibly thick curtain that was approximately 4 inches thick. In the inner room was where the High Priest would come to be in the presence of God and offer a blood sacrifice once a year for himself and the people.
Qualifications for High Priest:
A man who is divinely appointed by God to intercede with God on the people’s behalf (Heb. 5:1)
Exhibits compassion, grace, and mercy to fellow sinners (Heb. 5:2)
Offers sin sacrifices for himself and the people (Heb. 5:3)
The High Priests were always descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi. It was required for them to be without any physical blemish. It was also required for them to be godly in character, compassionate, and divinely appointed by God to this high station. They were not only responsible for the sacrifices and gifts of the people to God, but they also acted as overseers for the other priests and the people. He was the primary leader of the whole congregation.
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What is the Importance of the High Priest?
The most important role of the High Priest was during the Day of Atonement, which is when he would make a blood sacrifice and offer it to the Lord in the Most Holy Place once a year. This blood offering acted as a sin offering to cover the sins of himself and his whole congregation for the year. He would sprinkle the blood on the people, and then take it into the inner room to sprinkle it on the Ark and specifically on the mercy seat where he would meet with God.
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can [a]have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
Moses was told that all of this – the entire tabernacle, sacrifices, offerings, rituals, and roles – were all a foreshadowing of an even greater covenant yet to come and that the greater covenant would come at the appointed time and change the old covenant. Every single detail of God’s commands for the designs and plans of the tabernacle and priesthood was important and give us the insight to help better understand the new covenant we have through Jesus.
11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has [b]officiated at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning [c]priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For [d]He testifies:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing [e]perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
22 by so much more Jesus has become a [g]surety of a better covenant.
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save [h]to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, [i]harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever
God revealed to the Israelites that a new covenant would eventually come and change everything. When Jesus came, He brought that change with Him through the works He accomplished through His earthly life and ministry, and then His death on the cross. Jesus is our Great High Priest, far better than any High Priest the world has or will ever know.
While the High Priests would make atonement for their own sins and the people’s, this could never cleanse the people of their sins or perfect anything. This was always a temporary covering. God, being a holy God, cannot be in the presence of sin, therefore in order to have access to God people need to be redeemed of sin. Jesus giving Himself as the ultimate sacrifice is the way for us to have access to God. It is only through the washing of His blood that we can be redeemed of our sin and enter into a relationship with God.
When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the tabernacle was torn in half. This was not something that was physically possible for any human hands to do – it had to be the divine power of God. It was done to symbolize that the veil is now torn that separates us from God. Those who choose to have faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for their own personal sins can enter into the Most Holy Place and be in the presence of God.
There is no longer any need for blood sacrifice because Jesus is the final blood sacrifice, worthy of washing away the sins of the entire world. There is also no longer a need for the physical tabernacle, which was also a foreshadowing of the new covenant – accepting Christ as your savior invites the Holy Spirit in to dwell inside us, building us up as a holy temple for the Lord, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
Just as all those intricate details in designing, planning, crafting, and putting up the entire tabernacle in all its beauty was specific in detail in order to be a worthy sanctuary for the Lord, we too must allow Jesus, our Great High Priest, with the help of His Holy Spirit, to build us up to be a holy people set apart for our holy God.
We are called to trust in our Great High Priest who is without any sin or blemish to intercede for us with God on our behalf, making us right with God and able to enter into His presence and receive His Spirit. Just like the Israelites were all given specific jobs to do, we too are called by God to work for Him and bring Him glory throughout our lives.
As we lean into His Spirit and trust our Great High Priest we will learn and grow in our dependence on God, our humility and recognition of our sin condition, and seek His forgiveness and provisions to become more like Him all the time.
The earthly priests could never obtain salvation for themselves or the people through their rituals, but through the High Priests and the Tabernacle, we can learn and grow in our understanding of Jesus as a far superior Great High Priest who is able to intercede forever on behalf of all mankind who trust Him as their Great High Priest, and to wash away their sins with His very own blood, so that they may receive the gift of salvation because of the grace and mercy of our holy God.
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be [j]purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are [k]copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
In John 10, Jesus is talking to the Pharisees after He has just healed a man on the Sabbath and the Pharisees excommunicate the healed man because He professed his belief that Jesus was of God. Jesus then explains to the Pharisees that He is the Good Shepherd of His sheep, giving a stark contrast between Himself and the religious leaders of the time.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.
in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow
As Shepherd, others entrust their care and control to Him and follow His teachings, thoughts, rules, and behaviors. As our Good Shepherd, He is excellent in nature and characteristics and competent in His designated office of Shepherd. He is qualified and able to take care of us and to be entrusted with control of our lives.
We are all sheep, but only the sheep who hear Jesus’ voice are sheep of His flock. There are sheep who do not hear His voice, who do not believe in Him. The Shepherd would feed, protect, guide, and provide for the sheep of His flock. He would fend off predators, guard them against getting lost, and carry them home when they were sick or wandered off. The Shepherd constantly cared for his sheep.
25 For you were like sheep going astray,[a] but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[b] of your souls.
The Shepherd knew all of his sheep and gave them each a special name, and each of his sheep knew their shepherd and listened to his voice. They would respond to him and obey him, but they would not listen to or follow the voice of a stranger. They knew the difference between the voice of their shepherd and the voice of a stranger. The Shepherd would also go before his sheep to make sure the path ahead was safe.
Describing Himself as the Good Shepherd, the people would have understood the metaphor. Additionally, Jesus talks about “other sheep” which was referencing the Gentiles, meaning that He would also call on the Gentiles to believe, and the Jews and Gentiles would be united by their faith in Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus emphasizes that He voluntarily lays His life down for His sheep, and in this declares His power and authority to do so, as well as to rise again from the dead, which only God can do. As our Good Shepherd, He gave up His physical life in order to give us eternal life through Him.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
In being our Good Shepherd He displays the greatest of love for His sheep and sets the example of love for us, calling us to live by His example. Those who call on the name of Jesus, professing faith in Him as our Good Shepherd, should love others selflessly as Christ loves us, and follow His example and teachings in all things. Through our faith in our Good Shepherd, we obtain the promise of salvation and eternity with our Heavenly Father.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Trusting Jesus as our Good Shepherd gives us peace that surpasses understanding as we trust in Him to guard, lead, and control our lives in the ways He knows are best for us. We are immeasurably blessed when we choose to enter into a personal relationship with Him and enter through the gate into the promise of salvation that can only be obtained through Jesus Christ.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Jesus has many names all over the Bible, and we have explored many of His names identifying Him as the Son of God, and several so far as the Son of Man. This week we will explore His identity as the Chief Cornerstone. This name teaches us important information about who Jesus should be to each of us, and also teaches what happens when He is not in His rightful place in our lives. Both the Old and New Testaments speak of this name for Christ, and we will take some time to explore the meaning of this name and what scripture says in context, as well as how this part of Jesus’ identity should impact our own lives.
Christ the Cornerstone
19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
In Ephesians 2, we read that believers are no longer “foreigners and strangers”, but that we are now united as members of God’s own family. This family is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Himself is the cornerstone. This whole united structure is being built up in faith as a holy temple for the indwelling of God’s Spirit. To understand this image better, let’s take a leap back to explore some cultures from biblical times.
In these times, buildings were constructed by fitting large stones together. The builders would place the first stone down, the cornerstone, and then every other stone would be lined up with this cornerstone, beginning with the foundation. The foundation would branch off to form a foundation that was ready to have walls built up from it. So, imagine for a moment the first stone laid down, then from there the builders select big rocks suitable for a firm foundation and fit them up against the cornerstone. Each stone had to fit perfectly together in order for the structure to be made strong and solid, and it had to line up with that very first stone, the cornerstone.
In this way, Christ is that first stone, the cornerstone, the apostles and prophets were made into a foundation aligned with Jesus, and then the rest of the believers are additional stones added to the building, being fitted together and built up, growing into a holy temple for the Lord. No stone can be added that does not line up with the cornerstone and fit within the structure. The cornerstone is the strongest stone that holds all the pieces together, and the foundational stones must be solid as well, fitting perfectly together with the cornerstone creating a united foundation.
For as the cornerstone holds together two walls, so Christ joins together as Christians, into one body dedicated to God, those who were formerly Jews and Gentiles
And as a cornerstone contributes to sustain the edifice, but nevertheless some fall in going around the corner carelessly; so some are built up by the aid of Christ, while others stumbling at Christ perish
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God[a] may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The building is fitted together and aligned with Christ, the chief cornerstone, and will be unshakable. Believers aligned with Christ as the chief cornerstone of their lives are filled with the Holy Spirit and learn from the examples and testimonies of the prophets and apostles found in scripture. Scripture instructs us to filter all things through the Word of God, and also to learn from the examples of godly people. The teachings and testimonies of the prophets and original apostles are given as a foundation for us to learn from and be encouraged by, as they lived and taught from the cornerstone of Jesus.
We are each a temple for God’s Spirit and are called to be united with the Body of Christ, leaning on the strength and understanding of Christ throughout all areas of life. If we are not trusting Jesus as the cornerstone of our life, we are not aligned with Him and are not building our life on His truth. We were made through, by, and for Jesus, and He calls on us to live aligned with Him in faith, allowing His Spirit to fill us, guide us, and align us to the Way of salvation through Christ.
16 Do you not know that you[a] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
As Jesus is the only way to salvation, no one can lay a firm foundation on anything but Christ. No other foundation will stand – it will be like building your house on the sand. Only a life and hope built on the foundation of Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone, will stand.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
When we build our lives and place our hope in Jesus, lining up to Him as our Chief Cornerstone, we are building our lives on the sturdy, unshakable foundation of stone. When the storms, trials, and struggles of life come, and they will, we may get a bit battered, but we will not fall because our hope and faith is in Jesus and all that He provides.
When we are not trusting in Jesus as our cornerstone, it is like building our lives on the sand. When struggles, trials, and storms come our foundation of sand washes away and everything goes with it. Life falls apart, and we are left wrecked, trying to keep our heads above water. If we don’t place our hope and build our life on the firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, we will be blown about by every storm and wind that blows through our lives and carried away by it.
2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,[a] so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tastedthat the Lord is good.[b] 4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by[c] God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood[d] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.
9 But you are a chosen race,[i][j] a royal priesthood,[k] a holy nation,[l] a people for his possession,[m] so that you may proclaim the praises[n][o] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Those who reject Christ, reject the only true cornerstone and hope we have and build their lives on a foundation that will perish and crumble. Those who have faith in Christ become united as members of the Body of Christ, connected by Christ as the Chief Cornerstone, and sharing in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, being built into a holy temple for the Lord.
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
The cornerstone is a stumbling block to unbelievers who choose to reject Christ as their foundation and fail to align themselves with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone because there is no foundation that will stand without Him. They do not accept Him as Lord and Savior, and instead trip over the only sure foundation there is and fall into the hardness of unbelief which leads to an eternity apart from God and all that is good.
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
If you have not trusted Jesus as the Cornerstone of your life, what’s stopping you from trusting Him today? He is ready, waiting for you to come to Him. He isn’t waiting for you to clean yourself up, He is not expecting you to be perfect, and He is not surprised at the baggage you bring with you. He knows every hurt, every struggle, every mistake, every sin.
He knows all the questions you have, and He is reaching out to you today asking you to trust Him in faith. He is the only One who can give you the strength and peace you need, and this can only come from a personal relationship with Him as your Lord and Savior when you accept His sacrifice for your sins so you can be made right with God and become a child of God, coheir of the Promise.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Jesus Christ has many names throughout scripture. Learning His many names helps us to learn more about His identity as the Son of God, and also helps us to better understand our relationship to and with Him. All of the following names of Jesus teach us about His role and identity as the Son of God.
They also teach us that all of creation was made through Him, by Him, and for Him. We were all made by His power, through His means, for His plans, purposes, and honor. Jesus is our ultimate example, as the One God is well pleased with, and He teaches us how to also please God.
By studying these many names of Jesus as the Son of God, you will grow in your faith and relationship with Him as your understanding of Him expands. You will learn more about your purpose, how to serve Him better, how we are called to live, and why God sent His Son in the first place.
If we love God, we will also love Jesus, God’s Beloved Son. If we have faith and believe in Jesus as the Son of God and sacrifice for our sins and repent we will be saved from the penalty of our sins. Through our faith in the Son of God, we enter into a personal relationship with the Father and become His children also, born of God. Everyone born of God can overcome the world by their faith in Jesus Christ because our faith is in Christ, who overcame the world.
As we learn and grow within our personal relationship with God through our true faith in Jesus Christ, we will be transformed, become more like Christ, grow in our understanding of the Lord and His Word, be equipped for the works which God has prepared for us to do, and be able to resist the temptations of this world through His power that now dwells in us.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!” 8 For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9 “What is your name?” he asked him.
“My name is Legion,” he answered him, “because we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.
11 A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. 12 The demons[a] begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.
We are called to have faith and believe in the Son of the Most High God. Believing the true identity of Jesus Christ is vital. When you believe that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of the Most High God who came to dwell on the earth, die as a sacrifice for our sins, and rise again to defeat death, and you accept Him as your Savior in faith, you are saved from the penalty of your sins and enter into the family of God. By faith, we are saved, and we are blessed children of the Most High God.
Jesus Christ is Lord of All, on earth (those who live on this earth, G1919), in Heaven (those who dwell in the heavenly realms, G2032), and even under the earth (departed souls in the underworld, G2709). Eventually, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. This means that all of creation, in the physical and spiritual realms, will bow in honor and worship (G2578), and every tongue will confess, or acknowledge openly and joyfully (G1843), that Jesus Christ is truly Lord of All.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
As children of God saved by His grace through faith in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God, we are called to follow Christ, live a life worthy of the gospel, repent and turn from sin, strive toward holy living, and bring God glory in the ways we live. This should be done in gratitude, love, and faith. It should come naturally as the Holy Spirit works to transform us to become more like Jesus and less like our old sinful selves. None of this is done by us or in our own wisdom or strength, but only by the grace and power of God. God saves us, redeems us, and transforms us for His good pleasure and glory, out of love for His creation, when we choose to accept Christ as our personal Savior in faith.
Christ is the only way of salvation. Salvation through faith in Jesus as the image of the invisible God is the only way to be made right with God and be made holy for and by Him. He is before and above all things. He is preeminent, which means He is first, He has priority. We are designed to put Him first in all things, all areas of our lives, every relationship, every desire, everything. We were created by, for, and through the image of the invisible God – we were made by Christ, to live according to His will and purposes, which brings God glory and honor. He knew we in our sinful state could not accomplish this so He became the sacrifice for our sake so that through faith in Him as the sacrifice for our sin debt, we could fulfill His desires and purposes, and draw others to Him for the same purpose.
God identified Himself to Moses as I AM and told Moses to tell the Israelites this name for Himself. In John 8:58 where Jesus claims the name “I AM”, Jesus is claiming this exact same name. This very clearly communicates to the Jewish people, who would know Moses’s story intimately and therefore the significance of this name, that Jesus was claiming to be God, and was claiming the Godhead – the same God that was with Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, and whom these people claimed to serve and worship.
Jesus Christ is the Alpha. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying that He is first, He is the beginning, was there at the beginning, and is the beginning of salvation as well. Through, by, and for Him, all things begin and exist. He is superior to all creation making Him first in rank, firstborn of all creation, and first in priority throughout all of creation. We are instructed as believers to put Him first in all we do and to place Him in the right place of priority in every area and relationship of our lives. Jesus Christ is before and above all of creation, always.
As Jesus is the Alpha, the first, the beginning, He is also the Omega, the last, the end. Omega happens to be the last letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying that He is not only the beginning, but He is the end and the last. All created things were made through, by, and for Him, and all ends will also be determined by Him and occur through Him for His glory.
Being in a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father through faith in Jesus, recognizing His divinity and authority as the Almighty, we should live in a state of worship and gratitude, seeking to learn more of Him, His ways, and the ways He wants us to live our lives. We should live in such a way that brings the Almighty glory and draws unbelievers to the truth, love, and glory of God.
15 God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
We are to pay careful attention, to be obedient to His will and Word, and in so doing we should be living examples of the truth of His gospel and share His truth. When we are faithful to His instruction we are participants of His great plan, doing the work He has prepared in advance for us to do in order to grow the Kingdom of God and help lead others to the only Sovereign, the only Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Not only did He create us, but He gave His life to save us if we will have faith in Him. He is the one who made us by His power, for His purposes, and who gave His life in payment of our sins so we could be reconciled to God. This gives Jesus the authority to judge the living and the dead according to His power and purposes.
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Through the works which Jesus accomplished through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ has all authority in Heaven and on Earth. He was the means as well as the purpose for which all of creation was made, and He has the superiority to lead, judge, and save creation.
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus,[a] the pioneer and perfecter[b] of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,[c] he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of perfect faith. Having taken the lead, He Himself brought faith to perfection, setting the highest example and standards for us – remaining faithful to God even unto death. He is the leader of our faith, having provided the reason and occasion for our faith – that through His death in our place, He became the way of redemption. He is our example and standard to seek, look to, focus on, and strive toward as the one who perfected faith and as the example for us to learn and grow according to.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Jesus has many names, as we have been learning so far through our Names of Jesus study series. This week our focus is on Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. This is an imperative name to grasp and embrace. It is paramount to the true faith of a believer. What does it mean that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith? To understand this, we will be exploring Hebrews 12:1-2 and Hebrews 11:1 as a deep word study. Word studies can help explore the biblical meanings of a passage of scripture in the correct context from the original languages.
What is faith?
Before diving into the passage itself, and identifying what it means that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, we must address the question of what faith is. It is vital we find our definitions within scripture itself and in the correct context, and we can find a clear Biblical definition of faith in Hebrews.
Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.
to perceive by the use of the eyes, to see, look, descry
Faith is…
Faith is the tested and proven confident belief and conviction of things that exist that cannot be seen or discerned with our eyes, that God is who He says He is, that we receive eternal salvation through Christ alone, and to have confident joy while we wait for faith to be perfected and salvation to be completed.
We cannot see God with our eyes, we cannot see salvation, we cannot see the promises that await those who believe, but faith believes these are true and exist. Faith is believing the evidence of God all over our lives, all throughout the Bible, in the witness of others, and so much more. Those who earnestly seek Him will find Him, and therefore find and believe the evidence of His truth.
You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.
Faith believes with full confidence that Jesus is the Son of God and that God sent His Only Begotten Son to die in our place, paying the price we agree that we deserve so that those who do have faith in Him as their personal Savior will have redemption through His blood.
Faith is the complete conviction and agreement with God about who He says He is, who He says we are, and that He promises to redeem those who have believed in His Son and His sacrifice for our sakes. Seeing is not believing. Believe, be truly convinced, and you will begin to walk by faith rather than by sight and to understand God’s Word.
3 By faith we understand that the [a]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Faith is when, even though we don’t see God with our eyes, we are in agreement with Him and believe what He says to be true through His Word. It is to be in agreement with God about what He says about Himself, His Son, ourselves, and creation. Faith is believing God to the point it convicts you – to be so fully convinced and to believe so strongly that it leads you to confess and repent of your sin, which in turn leads you to change from sin and live in accordance with what God says, by faith.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel [a]of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who [b]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is [c]manifest [d]in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [e]Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
Now that we have a deeper understanding of the Biblical definition of faith, let’s jump back into Hebrews 12:1. At the beginning of Hebrews 12:1-2, the first part of verse 1 talks about being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
In Hebrews 11, the writer of Hebrews reviews the testimonies of the great faith heroes from the Old Testament that the Jewish people this letter was written for would have been intricately familiar with. Then the writer transitions with “therefore, since…” indicating those that had just been discussed are this great cloud of witnesses and are the reason for the statements to follow.
A witness; one who relays what they themselves have experienced, seen, or heard.
A spectator of a contest
Someone who provides a testimony
A witness is not merely someone who stands around watching, but who also shares their testimony. We are enclosed on all sides by a large crowd of witnesses and testimonies of the Old Testament faith heroes.
Lay aside every weight and sin that ensares us
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us
Because we are enclosed on all sides by a large crowd of witnesses who not only spectate but provide their testimony and example of faithfulness, by their testimony we can find encouragement to lay aside the weight and sin that ensnares us.
Because we are surrounded by such a crowd of faithful witnesses and their testimonies, let their testimonies encourage you to cast off to the highest degree every manner of violation of God’s divine law that skillfully surrounds us and prevents us from running this race.
Run the race with endurance
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Because we are completely surrounded by a large gathering of the heroes of the faith and their testimonies, let us be encouraged to throw away all sin, all violation of God’s divine law, that thwarts us, and instead strive forward with constant, steadfast patience and endurance through all struggles, dangers, hindrances, and obstacles standing in the way of our divine appointment and goal of being made perfect in faith as followers of Jesus and coming into the promise of complete salvation.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
When we choose to have faith in Jesus Christ, believing what God says in His Word, who He says He is, who He says Jesus is, who He says we are, and also that we are sinners deserving of death and in need of a savior, we can look at the testimony of the great cloud of witnesses and be encouraged, running the race of faith toward to goal of perfect faith and complete salvation with patient endurance through all hindrances, dangers, and difficulties.
Because this is all through and by faith in Jesus, and those faithful witnesses left a testimony of their faith in Jesus, being examples for us as fellow followers of Jesus who successfully made it to the end of the race, we must change our focus, turning and keeping our attention completely to Jesus Christ – the author and finisher of our faith.
One who has Himself perfect faith and sets the highest example and standard of faith
Note: this is the ONLY instance this exact word occurs in scripture
Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of perfect faith. Having taken the lead, He Himself brought faith to perfection, setting the highest example and standards for us – remaining faithful to God even unto death. He is the leader of our faith, having provided the reason and occasion for our faith – that through His death in our place, He became the way of redemption. He is our example and standard to seek, look to, focus on, and strive toward as the one who perfected faith and as the example for us to learn and grow according to.
What does it mean to be perfect?
In the Old Testament, the word “perfect” means to be finished, whole, complete. In context, it meant to be entirely committed to Yahweh. In the New Testament, “perfect” means having reached the end of the race, endured, made complete, perfect, and full. In context, to have endured in faith to the very end. (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia)
We all strive to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, but absolute perfection is beyond our grasp as finite beings. Perfection is only possible for our infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God. So why does scripture instruct us to be perfect as God is perfect?
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Perfection is the divine ideal that we can endlessly strive for, progress toward, recognizing that there is always room for improvement, we can always be learning, growing, and further sanctified to be made more like Jesus Christ, the reason for, perfector of, and standard of perfect faith.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
We are perfected in our faith when we endure and reach the end of the race. Through our faith, we should always be growing, always be learning, always be striving toward the promised prize, preparing ourselves for the promise of our eternal reward at the end of the race. This instruction should not discourage or overwhelm us but should instead encourage us.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
We are not called to actually BE perfect, but to constantly strive toward the perfect example of Jesus Christ Himself as our standard and goal, and learning also from the examples and testimonies of those who have endured and finished the race before us.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Faith is choosing to believe wholeheartedly and to agree with God about Himself, His Son, His creation, and His will and purposes. By faith, we should focus on Jesus Christ as our source and absolute standard and example of faithfulness, and learn also from the faithful who have endured to the end of the faith race.
2 Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[b]
By faith, we learn to endure by Jesus’ example and provision. We are guided by His Spirit, bear His fruits, and grow in our faith; in our conviction and agreement with God that we are spiritually poor sinners deserving of death and believing that only because of the grace of our Holy and Righteous God, His Son died in my rightful place, and that by wholeheartedly believing this and repenting of my sin I have been washed clean of my sins by the blood of Jesus that was spilled on my behalf, allowing me to be reconciled to God and have a personal relationship with Him through faith.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
How do I grow in my faith and relationship with Jesus?
Faith should be active, alive, working in me and in my life, transforming me. This conviction should lead to change, teaching me to progress forward with endurance, to constantly be striving to become more like Jesus. By growing in my personal relationship with the Lord, He, therefore, works in me to help me grow in my faith and dependence on Him.
Some things we should all be doing constantly to grow in our faith and understanding of the Lord include:
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God[a] may be complete, equipped for every good work.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[a]
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
The NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is a beautiful Bible that focuses on the virtues which the Apostle Paul focuses on in 1 Corinthians 13. It is designed with faith, hope, and love brought to focus all throughout God’s Word. This Bible comes in the NIV translation and, as I often recommend for NIV Bibles, it would make an excellent companion to a literal translation study Bible.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I received a complimentary copy of the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible as a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid in exchange for an honest review of this Bible. You can find even more information about this Bible here.#BibleGatewayPartner
This Bible is published by Zondervan, a company that specializes in publishing and providing Christian resources. Zondervan is the publisher of the NIV translation, which is the translation used for the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible.
As with any Bible, the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible isn’t for everyone, but there are many qualities to appreciate. To help you make a more informed decision about whether to get this as your first or next Bible, or as a gift for a loved one, we will walk through some key points together that I like to consider when shopping for a Bible as well as some information I believe to be helpful when making your decision.
What purpose does the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible serve?
The purpose of the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is to help Bible readers find, focus on, and grow in understanding of the virtues of faith, hope, and love throughout scripture. All over this beautifully designed Bible are passages highlighted in coded colors for each theme, a reading plan focusing on these virtues, and articles that cover each topic along the way. These are all designed with the purpose to study the virtues of faith, hope, and love and to draw readers closer to God.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
The NIV Radiant Virtues Bible reading plan begins and ends with love because love is the first and the last virtue listed in 1 Corinthians 13, and because it is the greatest of these virtues (1 Cor. 13:13). The emphasis on these themes is what this Bible is all about. Faith, hope, and love are the key traits Christians should live in and live out. Growing in our understanding of each can help both new and seasoned Christians develop a stronger understanding of faith, hope, and love throughout scripture and therefore apply them to your own life and relationship with God.
I find it important to point out that the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is an addition to the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible collection. I have the Inspire Journaling Bible, which is the NLT equivalent of the Beautiful Word Bible, and I personally love coloring and journaling Bibles. They are an incredible way to worship, pray, and study while using creativity in scripture.
Along with the focus on faith, hope, and love the NIV Radiant Virtues Biblegives creative Bible readers lots of opportunities to express their creativity while reading and studying the Bible. You will find ample space and inspiration for journaling and art throughout the key features.
What are the key features of the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible?
There are many wonderful features in the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible to help Bible readers focus on the themes of faith, hope, and love throughout scripture in creative ways. Some of the features include:
Highlighted verses color coded for faith, hope, and love
Blank calendar page to fill in Bible reading plan
Lined prayer pages
Note-taking margins
Bible verse art throughout the Bible
Bible verse coloring pages
Table of Weights and Measures
Perforated Bible verse art pages
It also comes with several Bible reading plans, which I personally think is amazing. You not only have the specific virtues reading plan at the front but several in the back to keep you coming back through the Bible and focusing on several important themes in scripture. The following reading plans are included, and again keep in mind the fancy blank calendar in the front to help you plan out your study schedule.
Virtues Themed Bible Reading Plan
30 Days with Jesus Reading Plan
30 Days of Great Faith Reading Plan
60 Day Overview of the Bible Reading Plan
On Year Through the Bible
There are quite a few features, but I find this Bible so balanced in its design that it does not feel crowded or over-filled. It is a wonderful balance of creative space, note-taking margins, articles, and inspirational artwork. This Bible would be a great option for a lot of people, no matter your creative abilities or desires.
How do you use the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible?
With its full list of key features, the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is designed to encourage consistent reading of the Bible. You can fill out the blank calendar to map out your reading plan using the included plans or come up with your own, record your prayers in the prayer pages, and read through the passage planned and their accompanying articles to help you study deeper. It certainly can be used as a Bible that holds a starter prayer journal, Bible study journal, and reading plans.
I personally love the features and layout. I appreciate that this Bible is laid out to encourage a reading schedule as well as prayer, and has many juicy features to help Christians artistically dive deeper into the themes of faith, hope, and love every day.
Who do I recommend the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible for?
I highly recommend the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible. As I said above, I typically recommend the NIV translation be used as a companion to a literal translation, but the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible could certainly make an excellent first Bible for someone just getting started. I also see it as a wonderful Bible for someone who wants to begin prayer journaling or begin a Bible reading routine.
If you are someone with a growing inventory of Bibles, this would definitely be a nice addition to your study Bibles or a standard Bible in other translations. I really enjoy using my NIV Bibles side-by-side with an NKJV, ESV, or even a CSB to use together. The NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is one I will enjoy pairing in this way, and I will be glad to add it to my morning routine as well to coordinate with my NLT Inspire Bible for Bible journaling.
I believe the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible is best for those who want to learn more about the virtues of faith, hope, and love and are committed to following a Bible reading plan. If you prefer more as-you-go reading methods of reading scripture then you will likely find many of the features to be unhelpful, but even then I would encourage you to give the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible a chance.
The art-journaling features of this Bible make it fantastic for those who like to add some creative flair to their time in the Word, as well as for those who are wanting to get started in Bible art journaling. If you prefer to completely do your own art in your journaling Bible, this can be a nice Bible but it does have a lot of its own art which may take away from the space you want to use to create your own.
The NIV Radiant Virtues Bible might just offer the encouragement you need to spend intentional time in the Bible and in prayer every day. This, combined with the purpose of this particular Bible and the extras included, makes the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible great for those well established in Bible reading and prayer routines, as well as those looking to start new habits to strengthen their faith and relationship with the Lord.
Spiritual gifts refer to the special endowments that the Holy Spirit bestows on believers to use for their callings and to benefit the Church as a whole. There are a variety of spiritual gifts named throughout scripture, and all are important to know and understand.
It is vital that we, as part of the Body of Christ, understand that everyone doesn’t have every gift and that each person will be given the gifts God knows they will need in order to do the work He calls each of us to do in this life. All gifts are given to us in order to be used to bring God honor and glory, add to and build up the Body of Christ, and serve God with a grateful heart.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
While some of the spiritual gifts we find in scripture are widely believed to no longer be present in the lives of believers, most are still seen, used and experienced throughout the Church. There are differing beliefs about some gifts while some have beliefs in common. We should always lean on the Holy Spirit in order to discover and understand our own gifts as well as how we are each called to use them.
Where many of us will be blessed with some of the same gifts, the ways in which we are called to use them will be uniquely identified by the Lord using His Spirit as a guide throughout our life and the sanctification process. Being in His Word and in prayer about our gifts is also needed in order to constantly give God the reigns and let Him guide our path and usage of these incredible gifts He provides us with.
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The Gift of Speaking in and interpreting tongues:
Speaking in and interpreting tongues is to be able to speak and understand foreign languages you have never learned. Early Christians on the Day of Pentecost were empowered by the Holy Spirit and given the ability to speak in tongues so that they could share the gospel with visitors from the Roman world in languages the visitors understood. Typically speaking in tongues is a means of special prayer from an individual to God. There are a variety of differing beliefs about this spiritual gift.
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.
Healing is divine healing from the Holy Spirit through incredible faith.
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Some instances in scripture identify “prophecy” when speaking about all speaking gifts (1 Corinthians 14), but the unique gift of prophecy is a specific gift of the Holy Spirit inspiring a proclamation to a believer for the purpose of edifying the Church. This is commonly believed that there are no longer current-day prophets in the world, and there is much to learn throughout scripture about this gift.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Divine knowledge is insight and perception from the Holy Spirit, while divine wisdom is the application of truth and knowledge guided by the Holy Spirit. All believers are called to live wisely, but some are blessed with extraordinary wisdom and knowledge from the Holy Spirit.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Serving is an act of ministry characterized by a joy in doing things for others and hospitality is an unselfish desire to meet the needs of others without expectation of reward.
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Teaching is an instruction that can be understood. It can be recognized by understanding difficult matters and the ability to deliver instruction effectively.
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Exhortation is persuasion and encouragement characterized by the ability to inspire and persuade.
So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Leadership is to be diligent, watchful, and willing to care for and labor for a people or thing. This gift of leadership in Greek means to “rule” or “govern”, indicating someone who is set over something or someone in order to provide care, guidance, and fellowship with a heart of diligent and sacrificial service.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithfulservant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Extraordinary faith is extreme optimism and confidence in the Lord and the ability to inspire others in extraordinary ways and circumstances.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Discernment is the being guided by the Holy Spirit in all circumstances to make judgements, determine good or evil, and see beyond the surface.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Evangelism is the ability to witness, love people, talk easily, and rejoice in sharing the Lord in any situation.
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
All Christians are members of the Body of Christ, and each member is related to a part of the body as a whole. Each part of the body serves a unique and different function, but no one part of the body is any less important for the overall function and health of the whole body.
All are equally important roles but all serve the Body equally in the ways in which they are called, using the gifts in which God has given to each of us. We should not be envious or disgruntled toward any other part of the Body or their gifts, but instead encourage, honor, and care for all fellow members of the Body of Christ and be united together in our shared mission.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
The spiritual gifts which have been given by the Holy Spirit should not be used for self-gain but should be used humbly for the Kingdom of God and Body of Christ. We should be seeking after gifts that deepen our relationship with and sharing the gospel of Christ versus gifts that draw attention to ourselves. We are told to diligently seek these gifts but that “the most excellent way” was faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest of them all.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
As new believers, we are children in our faith and should intentionally be learning and growing in faith through dedicated time in scripture, prayer, and fellowship with God and His people. As we mature in faith, we mature in the way we think and the ways we understand and use all that God blesses us with. As we grow in maturity of faith we also become more mature in abstaining from sin, becoming better imitators of Christ, putting our spiritual gifts to work, building up the Body of Christ, and will also be better equipped to organically and intentionally plant the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of nonbelievers.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.
Spiritual gifts should not be used for self-interest, self-development, or self-display but instead in accordance with the law of love that serves to build up others. The gifts God blesses us with are not our own but are His attributes bestowed upon us to be used for the furtherance of His will and Kingdom. We are not our own, and these gifts are not our own. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and these gifts are His for His purposes.
We should use discernment and be led by the Spirit, prayer and scripture in using our spiritual gifts to avoid corruption, competition, division, and pride within the Church. Paul explains that spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues, are not uncontrollable. We are given free will, therefore the Holy Spirit does not overpower you but gives you the choice to obey His promptings or not. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians that no one is exempt from accountability in how they use their spiritual gifts.
Each member of the Body of Christ is given their own set of spiritual gifts according to their specific callings, roles, and functions as their individual part of the body. Not all parts of the Body have all of or the same gifts, but instead, all are given the gifts which God knows are necessary for the work He has called them to do. Everyone is accountable for every gift given to them by God, and any claim to having a gift should be tested and filtered by the Word of God.
You ever meet someone who tells you their testimony, and they leave you wondering “is that real? Is that kind of faith even possible?” You start to ask yourself how you can get to that point. You know, the point where even when life is crumbling you are at peace, able to trust God’s provision even before it comes.
I used to see “those people” and think it was all made up. I was convinced that they were only trying to make themselves feel better and that what they claimed to experience was absolutely impossible. What I later discovered is that it was impossible…but only because I thought it was.
A man was brought to the disciples to be healed, but the disciples could not heal him. When he was brought to Jesus he was healed. The disciples came to Jesus asking why they were unable to heal the man themselves and Jesus replied
“Because of your little faith…if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Because of their lack of faith in the possibility of healing the man, they were prevented from doing so. In the same way, when we feel that something is impossible, we lack the faith it takes to make it possible.
What is Faith?
Faith; noun
complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.
Faith is a muscle.
It grows the more we use it. If we never use it, we will never have it. If we never exercise it, it will never grow. We put our faith in all kinds of things; ourselves, loved ones, friends, government, possessions. When a game’s developers fail to provide necessary updates, you lose faith in them or the game. When you can’t seem to win that round in your favorite FPS, you lose faith in yourself as a gamer.
When a friend follows through on a promise, our faith in them increases. When our favorite sports team does poorly, we may lose faith in them. When our kids make good choices, our faith in them increases. When your spouse disrespects you, your faith in them may decrease. Our faith ebbs and flows with the tide of these earthly things, and then we sit and wonder how someone can have faith in God.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
It is a lot easier to have faith in things we can see and touch; things we can prove with our eyes. It is a lot harder to have faith in the unseen forces at work, and we risk sounding like lunatics when we try to explain a strong faith to those whose faith is misplaced.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Faith in God in our culture is perceived as a misplaced faith, but when we have the courage to break the mold and put our faith in Him, we open ourselves up to what He has promised us.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Life doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes things happen and we want to understand it, but the reality is that we are not meant to understand everything. That is God’s job, and I for one am glad it is His job and not mine.
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
God gives me the knowledge and understanding I need when I need it, and then I can rest easy knowing that I am not meant to be concerned over the rest of it.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Having faith in God means I can be still, I can be confident, I am assured, and I am saved. Saved from what? Saved from myself, my sins, my past, this broken world.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Faith means that while I am here with my family, friends, and enemies that I am cared for by a God who loves me, and whom I can trust to lead the way because He already has my path laid out before me.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Faith of a mustard seed when planted grows into a strong faith muscle that can bring you through any storm. Faith gives us hope for what is ahead. Trust God, and put your faith in Him and you will reap the rewards He has in store for you.
We are here to grow, to learn, to be strengthened through suffering and trials. Job is an incredible example of someone who suffers immensely but remains faithful. He understood that God was still there with him and that He would restore him in His time. He knew that through faith he would be blessed. It is so easy for us to think there is no hope for a situation to get better, that there is nothing good to be found in a crappy circumstance.
It is far too easy for us to throw faith out the window when we suffer – but God tells us to keep the faith and keep going. God will make us uncomfortable so that we can grow. We cannot grow if we are never challenged. We will never learn if we don’t struggle first. Sometimes our most valuable lessons and most important growth comes from the darkest times of our lives.
Remember to keep faith and keep focused ESPECIALLY while you are struggling.
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
I am a wife, mom, writer, crafter, and above all, a Child of God. I love to study the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and serve God. I am thrilled to invite you to join me in seeking to satisfy our thirsty souls with the Living Water of Christ, which is what Water On Thirsty Land is here to do.
