Lesson Nineteen
Believing
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of G-d, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.’
Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 10:35-11:1
Introduction
- Last week we compared and contrasted the ‘Old’ and the ‘New’ Covenants. We saw that in the way that the world and the heavens are temporal, so is the ‘Old’ Covenant. As of the writing of Hebrews 8:13 it had not passed away – nor will it. It will become ‘not visible’.
- Like the ‘Holy of Holies’ – the New Covenant is not seen. It is invisible. It is not yet fulfilled, although parts of it are active, and were active since ancient times.
- The New Covenant is first promised in Deut 30, then Jer 31, and Ezk 36 and 37. It is made between G-d and Israel. Period. The only hope for Gentiles is to be grafted in in Messiah.
- This week the lesson focused upon faith and how that relates to the rest of Hebrews.
Hebrew: Aman
- aman: Pronounced: aw-mawn. It means, “to establish, support, uphold, nourish, carried by a nurse etc. It is the root verb for the Hebrew noun emunah (faith). The word is transliterated into English in the word “amen”.
- In Genesis 15:6 it is hifil stem Perfect mood. The hifil form of a verb is causative, the Perfect mood indicated completed action (hifil is only used 13% in Hebrew). This shows relationship between the one “believing” and the “object” of belief. In the Genesis 15:6 it might be rendered, “… came to be nursed/nurtured”.
- Aman is NOT intellectual assent – it is the placing of oneself in the mercy and care of G-d alone – similar to how a child depends upon its mother for nourishment and protection.
First Usage
- Genesis 15:6 is the first place that the verb aman [believe] is used. All other usages of this word and the principle it embodies are summed up in this one verse:
“And he aman-ed in the L-RD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
- This hifil Perfect verb reveals that Abram’s “aman” was not in a vacuum – it was responsive and brings a response – and it was complete.
- Genesis 17:1: G-d reveals His title “El Shaddai” – which is usually rendered “G-d Almighty”. “Shaddai” means far more than “Almighty”. It comes from the word shad – which pictures a nursing mother. Shad pictures not only nourishment, but also comfort and protection.
- The use of the verb aman in Gen 15:6 pre-pictures Abram as a dependant infant crying out for nourishment and protection – and G-d, as “El Shaddai” carrying him.
Believing Abraham
- Genesis 15:1-6: Abram responded to G-d’s declaration of favor (Great Reward!) with a cry of need (“…what will You give me…?”) – just as the baby cries out to its mother when hungry.
- G-d responds with promises – more reward.
- Romans 4:1-5: “him who does not work” does not imply inaction on Abraham’s part – there is a contrast of motives used here. The reward for aman – is credited righteousness.
- Galatians 3:5-9: Believing Abraham.
- Habakkuk 2:4: The tsadik [righteous one] shall live by faith [emunah = noun form of aman].
- Hebrews 11:6: He who comes to G-d, must believe that His is, and He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- Gen 15:1; 6: Abram sought after G-d – G-d rewarded Him with right standing before Him – that He might be rewarded with G-d Himself.
Believe and Reward – Hebrews 11
- Abel: Offered a more excellent sacrifice – G-d testified to his gifts and a witness of righteousness.
- Enoch: Pleased G-d and was a testimony – G-d took him away, and he did not see death.
- Noah: Moved by G-dly fear, prepared an ark – He became an heir of righteousness (Gen 15:6, Hab 2:4).
- Abraham: Obeyed when called; went out, dwelled in tents in a foreign land; offered Isaac – Received an inheritance, received promises.
- Sarah: Judged Him faithful Who promised – Received strength to conceive.
- Moses: Chose to suffer; left Egypt; endured; kept Passover; looked to the reward – Moses gained Messiah.
Believe and Do (Work)
- Ephesians 2:8-10: Saved by grace. Faith is the instrument of salvation – salvation is followed by works prepared beforehand.
- James 2:14-26: To “say” one “believes” and yet to not have the fruit of that belief (Eph 2:10 – works), is to reveal that such faith is false. By “works” faith was made complete (or fulfilled its purpose).
- Romans 10:8-11; Deut 30:11-4: The word, in your heart and in your mouth THAT YOU MAY DO IT.
- John 8:31: True belief is revealed in those who abide in His word – in obedience and in perseverance.
Summary
- The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews has been showing us the relationship between what is ‘unseen’ and what is ‘seen’ – between the ‘heavenlies’ and the earth – between the ‘spiritual’ and the ‘physical’. Rather than dividing them into two separate things as Greek philosophy does, he shows that they both comprise reality.
- In like manner, faith, a spiritual thing, is evidenced (seen) in deeds. Believing is evidenced by a life that is lived in commitment.