Still More Consequences of Accessing Grace through Faith with hoekstra

Who through faith . . . escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle.  (Heb_11:34)

We have seen that by trusting in the Lord, His people "subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire" (Heb_11:33-34). Other testimonies indicate that there are still more consequences of accessing grace through faith.  

By faith, some of God's servants "escaped the edge of the sword." The prophet Elisha 

experienced this. The king of Syria sent his army to encompass the city. "There was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' " (2Ki_6:15). Elisha saw the true situation by the eye of faith, so he prayed. " 'LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2Ki_6:17). Then, the Lord struck the enemy forces with blindness and delivered His people.  

Others of God's people "out of weakness were made strong." King Jehoshaphat showed what this meant. "The people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others . . . came to battle against Jehoshaphat" (2Ch_20:1). In weakness, the king cried out to the Lord. "We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us . . . but our eyes are upon You" (2Ch_20:12). The Lord assured them of His victory. "The battle is not yours, but God's . . . You will not need to fight in this battle . . . stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you" (2Ch_20:15, 2Ch_20:17). Strengthened by faith and filled with expectation, they marched out to watch the enemy armies destroy one another.  

Others "became valiant in battle." Samson exemplified this. "The Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him . . . and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey . . . and killed a thousand men with it" (Jdg_15:14-15).  

We may face many imminent threats, but we can trust the Lord to provide His escape. "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work" (2Ti_4:18). The Lord can also provide His strength, even when we are weak. "For My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2Co_12:9). Our God can also make us valiant in battle. "Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day" (Eph_6:13).

O Lord, You are my deliverer, my strength, and my source of courage. Teach me to look to You when I am in danger, when I am weak, and when the battles rage.  I long to walk by faith in the blessed consequences of Your abounding grace, Amen.

Moses Keeping the Passover, by Faith with Hoekstra

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. (Heb_11:28)
When Moses boldly led Israel out of Egypt, his fearlessness was based upon his faith in the true and living God. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible" (Heb_11:28). His confidence in the invisible Lord God had been confirmed by what he saw regarding the Lord's faithfulness when he kept the Passover, by faith.  
The crushing blow of God's judgment upon Egypt was the death of the firstborn in every household. "The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt . . . So Pharaoh rose in the night . . . Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD as you have said' " (Exo_12:29-31). Israel was delivered from this judgment by trusting in the Lord's protection, which was provided through the shed blood of the Passover lamb. "Now the LORD spoke to Moses . . . every man shall take for himself a lamb . . . a lamb for a household . . . Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it . . . For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt . . . I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt" (Exo_12:1, Exo_12:3, Exo_12:6-7, Exo_12:12-13). Responding in faith, Moses and the Israelites were delivered. "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them."  

We, too, are delivered from judgment by faith in the blood of the ultimate Passover lamb. "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1Co_5:7). We who trust in the shed blood of Christ are forgiven, delivered from the eternal wages of sin by God's abounding grace. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace . . . For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph_1:7 and Rom_6:23). This eternal life (of endless duration and abundant dimensions) is ours through the New Covenant of grace. "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luk_22:20).

Lord Jesus, my Passover Lamb, I thank You for Your shed blood that rescued me from the eternal judgment that I deserved. I praise You for the abundance of life that Your New Covenant of grace brings to me, by faith!

Moses Leading Israel Out of Egypt, by Faith with Hoekstra

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  (Heb_11:28)

Moses left Egypt on two occasions, involving two distinctly different sets of circumstances. On the first occasion, he left Israel behind in Egypt, going out in fear. On the second occasion, he is seen leading Israel out of Egypt, by faith.  

Moses' first departure saw him fleeing for his life, fearing what the Pharoah might do to him. Moses' heart had been drawn to the people of God. He went out to consider their situation. "When Moses was grown . . . he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren" (Exo_2:11). Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. When his brethren became aware of this reckless deed, Moses was frightened. "So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian" (Exo_2:14-15). So, Israel was left in Egypt in bondage, and Moses' desire to see God's people delivered was thwarted.  

Moses' second departure found him leaving courageously, with no fear of what Pharoah might do. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." Much had transpired between these two departures. For forty years, Moses had humbly tended sheep on the back side of the desert. "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God" (Exo_3:1). There, the Lord revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush, sending him back into Egypt to demand the release of God's people. "I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob . . . Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exo_3:6, Exo_3:10). So, Moses boldly confronted one of the most powerful leaders in the world. "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go' " (Exo_5:1). Then, the Lord performed awesome wonders until He caused the will of mighty Pharoah to be broken. "The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt . . . So Pharaoh rose in the night . . . Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD as you have said' " (Exo_12:29-31). The ultimate difference in this second departure was that Moses had seen the Lord and had learned to trust in Him. "For he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

Lets Pray:

O Lord God, awesome deliverer, I know what it is to run away from situations in fear. I also know what it is to lead out in faith. The difference, Lord, is seeing who You are and what You alone can do. Please reveal Yourself to me that my faith might grow!