2 Corinthians 4:18 - "While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
In Hebrews chapter 11 we're given a list of people who spent their lives looking at and pursuing the eternal things, the things that are unseen rather than living for the temporal, visible things of the world. The chapter begins by saying - "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Our salvation is based on faith. No man has seen God at any time. But we know He exists, even though we can't see Him, we know He exists by faith. Faith is the evidence, the assurance, faith is the ability to see that which is unseen.
Hebrews 11:7 - "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." If you can see something it doesn't take faith to believe in it. Even before the first drop of rain ever fell to the ground God told Noah that He would flood the world and Noah, by faith, believed God.
verses 8-10 - "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Abraham left everything he ever knew and went out looking for a city that could not be seen. God promised Abraham a land, but it says that even in the land of promise he lived as a foreigner. He lived as a foreigner on the earth because he was seeking a better country, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
verses 13-16 - "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." Because they saw with the eyes of faith they were willing to live as strangers and exiles on the earth. They didn't have their eyes fixed on earthly things, because if they did they would have lived for this earth. But because they fixed their eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal, we're told, God is not ashamed to be called their God.
verses 24-27 - "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." This is amazing. Moses could have lived very comfortably on the earth. He had the opportunity to live like royalty, but because of his faith, because he had his eyes focused on the things that last, he chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God. We're told that he considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He knew that, as 1 Peter says, the testing of his faith was more precious than gold that is perishable. He knew that the wealth of Egypt would only last for a short time, but he believed that suffering ill-treatment with the people of God would produce treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. And he was able to endure only because he could see God, not with his physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith. "He endured, as seeing Him who is unseen."
After all these examples of seeing the unseen in chapter 11, chapter 12 begins by giving us this exhortation in the first three verses. Hebrews 12:1-3 - "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of ,our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." We can't see Jesus, not with our physical eyes, but only with the eyes of faith. We need to exercise our faith and practice seeing the unseen. We need to live for the eternal, the heavenly country, not the things that are corruptible but the incorruptible. We have all these great examples throughout scripture, now let's follow their lead, "fixing our eyes on Jesus."
1 Peter 1:6-9 - "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."
In Hebrews chapter 11 we're given a list of people who spent their lives looking at and pursuing the eternal things, the things that are unseen rather than living for the temporal, visible things of the world. The chapter begins by saying - "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Our salvation is based on faith. No man has seen God at any time. But we know He exists, even though we can't see Him, we know He exists by faith. Faith is the evidence, the assurance, faith is the ability to see that which is unseen.
Hebrews 11:7 - "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." If you can see something it doesn't take faith to believe in it. Even before the first drop of rain ever fell to the ground God told Noah that He would flood the world and Noah, by faith, believed God.
verses 8-10 - "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Abraham left everything he ever knew and went out looking for a city that could not be seen. God promised Abraham a land, but it says that even in the land of promise he lived as a foreigner. He lived as a foreigner on the earth because he was seeking a better country, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
verses 13-16 - "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." Because they saw with the eyes of faith they were willing to live as strangers and exiles on the earth. They didn't have their eyes fixed on earthly things, because if they did they would have lived for this earth. But because they fixed their eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal, we're told, God is not ashamed to be called their God.
verses 24-27 - "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." This is amazing. Moses could have lived very comfortably on the earth. He had the opportunity to live like royalty, but because of his faith, because he had his eyes focused on the things that last, he chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God. We're told that he considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He knew that, as 1 Peter says, the testing of his faith was more precious than gold that is perishable. He knew that the wealth of Egypt would only last for a short time, but he believed that suffering ill-treatment with the people of God would produce treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. And he was able to endure only because he could see God, not with his physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith. "He endured, as seeing Him who is unseen."
After all these examples of seeing the unseen in chapter 11, chapter 12 begins by giving us this exhortation in the first three verses. Hebrews 12:1-3 - "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of ,our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." We can't see Jesus, not with our physical eyes, but only with the eyes of faith. We need to exercise our faith and practice seeing the unseen. We need to live for the eternal, the heavenly country, not the things that are corruptible but the incorruptible. We have all these great examples throughout scripture, now let's follow their lead, "fixing our eyes on Jesus."
1 Peter 1:6-9 - "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."
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