North Charlottesville church of Christ

Meeting Purpose

Discuss Hebrews 11:23-40, focusing on examples of faith from Moses through later prophets.

Key Takeaways

• The passage highlights people receiving God's promises of nationhood and land, culminating in Christ

• Faith often involved trusting God in difficult circumstances or with unconventional methods

• Many faithful people suffered greatly but held to their faith, not seeing the ultimate promise fulfilled

• The examples serve as witnesses to encourage present-day believers in their own faith journeys

Topics

Moses and the Exodus

• Moses' parents showed faith by hiding him as a baby, defying Pharaoh's order

• Moses chose to identify with the Israelites rather than remain in Pharaoh's household

• The Israelites demonstrated faith in crossing the Red Sea between walls of water

• Recent archaeological evidence supports the biblical account of Jericho's walls falling outward

Rahab and the Fall of Jericho

• Rahab, though a prostitute, showed faith by hiding the Israelite spies

• She was spared when Jericho fell and became an ancestor of Jesus

• The Israelites followed God's unusual instructions to march around Jericho for 7 days

• The city's destruction fulfilled Joshua's prophecy about its future rebuilding

Judges and Early Kings

• Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah were flawed individuals but showed faith in key moments

• Jephthah knew Israel's history well and made a rash vow regarding his daughter

• David trusted God from youth, conquered kingdoms, and received the promise of an eternal throne

• Samuel faithfully served through difficult transitions in Israel's leadership

Prophets and Martyrs

• Many prophets didn't fully understand or see the fulfillment of their own prophecies

• Faithful people throughout history have endured extreme persecution and hardship

• Their examples serve as witnesses to encourage present-day believers

Next Steps

• Connect Hebrews 11 to chapter 12's "cloud of witnesses" concept

• Discuss Jesus as the ultimate example of faith in the next study

• Reflect on how to apply the faith examples to our own lives today