BETTER FAITH - Part 3 of 7
Hebrews 11:20-22
I. BY FAITH ISAAC BLESSED JACOB AND ESAU (Genesis 27:26-28:17)
A. Isaac knew that “in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.” By faith he blessed his son. Not knowing of the deception. But knowing that he was the child of promise.
B. Jacob is a child of promise as Isaac was (Romans 9:6-13)
i. Promise is not just for the Jewish nation – v.6
ii. Promise is through Isaac – v.7
iii. Children of promise are regarded as the seed – v.8
iv. Isaac was born as a promise – v.9 (Genesis 18:18)
v. Through Isaac came twins and the promise was that the older shall serve the younger – v.10-13
vi. The promise was not one of salvation but one of service (Romans 9:14-21). The promise was that in his seed (Jacob’s now) all the nations of the earth would be blessed.” (Genesis 28:3-4, 10-17)
C. Esau was also blessed concerning future things, particularly him living by his sword and serving Jacob (Genesis 27:39-40)
II. BY FAITH JACOB BLESSED THE SONS OF JOSEPH (Genesis 47:31-48:22)
A. Jacob knew that “in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.” He not only blessed Joseph’s two sons but he also blessed his other 11 (Genesis 49).
B. Jacob’s great faith led him to believe that his nation will return to the land that was promised them and he made Joseph swear to bury him there with Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 47:31) and worshipped at the thought.
C. Ephraim and Manasseh represented Joseph as tribes of Israel. Manasseh was the older but Jacob gave the covenantal blessing to Ephraim (48:19). Joseph thought this was improper but Jacob in faith blessed the younger as he too was blessed.
D. After this he spoke of the future of his sons and pulled his feet up and breathed his last and was gathered to his people (Genesis 49:33). Not fear – FAITH. Even in death.
III. BY FAITH JOSEPH MADE MENTION OF THE EXODUS (Genesis 50:24-25, Exodus 13:19, Joshua 24:32)
A. Joseph knew that “in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.” That is in this covenantal people of God – the nation of Israel. He kept them alive by the blessings he received from God and was used to provide grain through Egypt during a famine.
B. Joseph said “...God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob” (Genesis 50:24). In the next verse he made them swear that they would take his bones with them to Canaan. He knew that Egypt wasn’t the final place for God’s people and he wanted his body to go with them when they entered that fair land.
C. Moses honored the swearing of the people and took Joseph’s bones with them when they left towards the Red Sea nearly 400 years later (Exodus 13:19). Joseph’s bones were eventually buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32).
IV. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things unseen! – Even upon their deaths, these mean spoke confidently of things promised