Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 11:20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau ] It is true that the blessing of Esau when rightly translated, “Behold thy dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew of blessing” (Gen 27:39) reads more like a curse; but the next verse (40) involves a promise of ultimate freedom, and Esau obtained the blessings of that lower and less spiritual life for which he was alone fitted by his character and tastes.
concerning things to come ] The true reading seems to be “ even concerning,” though it is not easy to grasp the exact force of the “even.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come – see Gen 27:26-40. The meaning is, that he pronounced a blessing on them in respect to their future condition. This was by faith in God who had communicated it to him, and in full confidence that he would accomplish all that was here predicted. The act of faith here was simply what believes that all that God says is true. There were no human probabilities at the time when these prophetic announcements were made, which could have been the basis of his calculation, but all that he said must have rested merely on the belief that God had revealed it to him. A blessing was pronounced on each, of a very different nature, but Isaac had no doubt that both would be fulfilled.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Heb 11:20
Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau
Character and faith of Isaac:
Isaac was a devout man.
Mention is made in his history of positive acts of worship by which devotion is expressed; and in his walking out to meditate at eventide, we have a beautiful picture of an act by which devotion is sustained. The good man left his tents, and forsook his associates, and walked out, thoughtful and alone, to admire the affluence of Providence, and to look upon the works and the wonders of nature. His faith was sometimes overcome by the force of temptation, but it speedily acquired its wonted ascendancy; it was, at others, darkened by defects in his character; but upon the whole, the life of Isaac was marked by comparative simplicity and innocence; that at last he slept with his fathers in a good old age; that he died with confidence in the promise, amid the tears and the benedictions of his household. In the text the apostle specifies one particular act in which the faith of Jacob was shown, He blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
1. The first thing to be noticed is the faith displayed by Isaac in his readiness and desire to bless his children at all, to bless them in the name, and according to the previous communications of Jehovah. This was a pious determination, resulting from continued confidence in God–from the practical persuasion of his truth–from reliance upon the consistency of His moral character; or, in one word, from faith, properly so called–that sentiment of the heart which leads a man to feel the absolute certainty of whatever he knows to be the sayings of God. In this, therefore, Isaacs faith was right though his feeling was wrong. He intended the chief blessing for the elder son, and he pronounced it with the thought that he was thus actually conveying it. But the time was now come for him to be corrected upon the point which he had either not known, or had neglected to keep sufficiently in view.
2. The second circumstance, therefore, which it becomes us to observe, is the obedience of faith which he manifested in respect to this point, when the Divine will was clearly and fully revealed in relation to it. In blessing Jacob, though he might be prompted to the act simply by the devout determination of principle, he felt himself, while performing the act, to be under the direction of a Divine impulse. When Esau afterwards approached and informed him of the actual state of the case, the whole truth seemed to flash at once upon his mind. What he had been led to do, though unconscious of it at the moment, revealed to him the purposes of God, and the direction of the promises with respect to his sons. I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed; as if he had said, I have been the unconscious instrument of imparting to myself a knowledge of the will of Him whom I serve; to that will I bow with ready and voluntary obedience. I have blessed him, and I cannot bless another to the same extent; I have been the medium through which the God of our fathers has now repeated and enlarged His promises, and these, I believe, will assuredly be fulfilled. He has declared the line in which they are to pass, and that line He had a right to select; I approve of what He has done, and I confide in what He has said, as I have often approved and confided before. The things which my lips have uttered are as certain and immutable as are all the intentions and purposes of God; I have blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed! Let us now make a remark upon the last clause of the text; Jacob and Esau were blessed respecting things to come. They were both blessed, for both of them, as men, were objects of pre-determined benediction in the Divine mind; though previous to their birth, that the purpose of God according to election might stand–it was declared that the younger should be the greater Of the two. The expression things to come, is intended to signify things which were so emphatically future that they related not so much to the individuals themselves as to the posterity to descend from them. Both were to be the founders of nations; these nations were to be remarkably distinguished from each other; and in them were to be realised the circumstances–the prosperity, and the vicissitudes–which had been so clearly and so copiously described in the language of Isaac.
Looking at the two prophecies pronounced over Jacob and Esau respectively, they appear to include the following things.
1. In the first place, they may be said either to presuppose, or to predict, the separate existence of the posterity of the two brothers as nations. Jacob is as a field which the Lord hath blessed; in him were to be fulfilled the promises given to Abraham. Esau is represented as living by his sword. The one expression describes a people organised and religious: the other a people of habits and manners rude and predatory; and such, in fact, was the case–the Jews descending from Jacob, and the Edomites from Esau.
2. The second circumstance is, that both nations were to possess very nearly the same local and physical advantages, which was at first also the fact.
3. The third thing is, the reduction, by the other branch, of the posterity of Esau to submission and servitude. This, after frequent advances towards it, was fully accomplished by David.
4. But the fourth and last particular to be observed is, that at length this yoke should be broken off from the neck of the degraded race, when they should obtain dominion, that is, when they should steadily range themselves under a leader, as a strong and united people. This, too, actually occurred; it took place in the reign of Jehoram.
After making these observations explanatory of the text, we propose in the second place to deduce from them a few others of a practical character.
1. In looking at the comparatively calm and unruffled history of Isaac you may learn that the life most favoured of Providence is still required to be a life of faith. In prosperity, faith will render us grateful, moderate, and cautious, as under other circumstances it will inspire fortitude and prompt acquiescence: it will take the form of filial confidence in the continuance of good, so long as that good shall be seen to be consistent with higher purposes. Above all, since the most distinguished lot can never adequately meet the demands and capacities of our spiritual nature, faith in a future world must be ever felt by the devout man to be the only means by which he can endure, so to speak, even the highest happiness of this.
2. You learn from the history of Isaac the propriety of seasons of retirement for collected and serious thought.
3. From the history of Isaac you may learn the pernicious consequences of parents pursuing a system of favouritism with respect to their children.
4. By the nature and the circumstances of the fact to which the text refers–the blessing pronounced by Isaac upon Jacob and Esau–we arereminded of the variety of the proofs that may be adduced in support of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. There are two connected with the present subject.
(1) The first is, the obvious and honest impartiality of the historian in describing the faults and vices of the most distinguished men whose lives he records.
(2) The second, the fulfilment of prophecy.
5. In the last place, from a comparison of the portions of the two brothers let us learn to aspire after the best blessings which God can confer. It will be of no lasting advantage to us to have the portion of Esau, unless we have the portion of Jacob along with it. (T. Binney.)
The faith of Isaac
I suppose it was natural and right that Isaac should take his place next to Abraham in this record of men of faith; he stands next in the historical line of patriarchs who handed on the promise from one to another. And yet we cannot help feeling that in passing from Abraham to Isaac we are descending to a lower level. He seems to have possessed a timid, yielding disposition–a nature calculated to obey rather than to command–to follow rather than to lead. Wherever he comes before us in history we see a character just the opposite to that of Abraham–quiet, meditative, shrinking from everything like individual action, andtimorously yielding to every pressure put upon him. Here was poor material, one might think, for faith to work with; such a man seems ill-calculated to sustain the tradition of faith so gloriously begun in Abraham, and to play a worthy part in handing on the covenant of Divine promise. And yet he is unhesitatingly placed in this glorious line of believers–he also was a man of faith, in his own measure loyal to God and to His covenant. The stream of faith flowed on through him to his successors unchecked and unpolluted. Just as a stream, when flowing through a mountainous and rocky country, is broken into swift-flowing rapids and dashing cataracts, harmonising in their picturesque grandeur with the surrounding features, but on reaching the plain below flows quietly along through green pastures where flocks are peacefully grazing, so the faith, which in Abrahams rugged character comes out in striking and impressive scenes, in the quiet life of Isaac assumes the form of an unobtrusive principle, giving an air of calm assurance and peace to his whole life. Faith now, as then, has to work through a variety of temperaments. The trees, the flowers, the corn, the grass, all are different manifestations of the same life; it assumes various forms, according to the nature of the organism through which it works; so the life of God takes hold of the constitution of a man, and develops results in harmony with the nature God has given him. Some of the most beautiful effects of faith have often been wrought out in retiring characters like Isaacs. There are some delicate forms of spiritual beauty that require a reposeful spirit to blossom in, just as there are flowers growing in sheltered retreats that would perish on the rough mountain-top. We should learn to admire the grace of God in all its manifestations. To return to Isaac. We have no record in his case of any great feats of faith accomplished, any striking deeds done, as in the case of some of the other patriarchs. His faith never rose to that white heat of enthusiasm which leads a man to do immortal deeds. There was an even tenor about his life which was never broken by any special crisis of any stirring event. It is significant of the character of the man that he is celebrated in this chapter by an act of blessing. The most that could be said of him was that he held fast by the faith of his father, that he cherished the heavenly covenant as a precious heirloom which he had faithfully to preserve, and when his failing strength warned him that he would soon have to pass away, his chief thought was to transmit the promise to his posterity. And in many lives to-day faith manifests itself in the same fashion. The most that some men do is to cherish their faith as a source of strength and joy in their own hearts and their own homes, and seek to pass it on as a spiritual legacy to their children. There are many who have neither the opportunity nor the gifts to do great and bold things for God in the world; their efforts must be confined within a narrow circle; if their faith is to be useful at all, it must be in the influence it exerts in the home. And this is not the least fruitful kind of religious life. Some of the most blessed work that has ever been done for God and humanity has been done in the home circle, by those who have never made any great stir in the world or done any great thing in the Church. Quiet, unobtrusive lives have often been blessedly useful in fostering that choicest fruit of faith–family religion. Let every Christian man set this before him as a sacred ambition–to leaven his family with his own faith and leave it as a legacy to those who shall come after him. The blessing which Isaac pronounced upon his sons was something more than the ordinary form of blessing–something more than a pious wish or prayer that prosperity and peace and the favour of heaven might attend them. It was a blessing in which prophetic insight was blended with holy desire and intercession; the illumination of the Spirit enabled him to pronounce an effectual benediction which remained as a permanent good upon the head of him who received it. And every human life ought to end like Isaacs–with a blessing. Some lives end with a curse; they leave behind them a baneful influence which goes on blighting the lives of those that come after. A mans real legacy to posterity is the influence of his character. The bit of parchment which disposes of his material accumulations is not half so important as the distribution of that influence which has been silently accumulating through all the years of his life. In how many hearts there is a memory more cherished than the richest earthly possession–the memory of one who still lives to bless and influence them, to restrain from evil and incite to good I This is the kind of legacy we should strive to leave behind. And if we would do this we must begin to lay up the sacred treasure now. Such wealth is not accumulated in a day. It is the work of years; it is the product of patient continuance in well doing. (J. T. Hamly.)
Faith supporting the saint in the frailties of ages
I. FAITH UNDIMINISHED BY ADVANCING YEARS.
1. The worth of a mans creed fully tested at the close of life.
2. The blessedness of that, our confidence in which increases with increased experience.
3. The continuance of spiritual energy when the physical powers fail. Gods people die full of life.
II. FAITH HANDING ON THE BLESSING TO THOSE THAT COME AFTER.
1. The Divine word qualifies all Gods people to be prophets of blessing.
2. It is only by faith in God that we can impart a blessing to others.
3. Thus we can leave blessings on those we love when we are dying. Faiths legacies are surer than any.
III. FAITH TRIUMPHING OVER LIFES UNFULFILLED HOPES.
1. Promises so far unfulfilled.
2. The strongest possible assurance, even in death, of the things hoped for.
3. Thus faith enables the saint to enter with eager anticipation into the unseen world.
4. As we look back on the subsequent history of the descendants of the patriarchs we see how abundantly their faith was justified. We judge of Gods faithfulness too soon. Time will prove Him true. (C. New.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau] He believed that God would fulfil his promise to his posterity; and God gave him to see what would befall them in their future generations. The apostle does not seem to intimate that one should be an object of the Divine hatred, and the other of Divine love, in reference to their eternal states. This is wholly a discovery of later ages. For an ample consideration of this subject, see the notes on Gen. 27.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Isaac is the next example instanced in of the same Divine faith, described, Heb 11:1; only here exercised on the special revelation of God to him concerning his seed. By this faith he did not only wish and pray blessings, but prophetically applied them to his two sons, to Jacob and Israel his seed the covenant blessings, and to Esau and the Edomites his seed the temporary blessings, God designed them, Gen 27:27,39. Both these were things to come, and to be communicated to their seeds hundreds of years after. As the things to come that concerned Jacob, which were not seen, but hoped for from Gods revelation of them, were, plenty, dominion over brethren, blessings above the power of a curse, even the spiritual and covenanted ones of Abraham and Isaac with him, Gen 27:28,29. The things to come concerning Esau and his seed, were only earthly, temporal blessings, escape out of servitude in time, common good things at the highest, Gen 27:39,40. By faith Isaac foresaw all these future events, foretold them, and applied their several portions to them from the mouth of God, and they were to a tittle fulfilled, 2Sa 8:11, and 2Ki 8:20, as to the Edomites; as in the whole Old Testament unto Jacob, and to his seed literal and spiritual.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. Jacob is put before Esau, asheir of the chief, namely, the spiritual blessing.
concerning things tocomeGreek, “even concerning things tocome”: not only concerning things present. Isaac, by faith,assigned to his sons things future, as if they were present.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau,…. The history of this is in Ge 27:33. The former of these was a good man, and, though the youngest son, he is set before, and was blessed before the eldest; and the latter was a wicked man, and yet had a blessing; for temporal blessings are enjoyed in common: and this blessing was prophetic, it was concerning things to come. Jacob’s blessing was plenty of temporal things, and under which may be signified the dews of divine grace, the fatness of God’s house, the bread of life, and wine of divine love, which true Israelites partake of; also dominion over his brother, and government over nations, which had their accomplishment in his posterity; and may be expressive of the spiritual reign of the saints, and their dominion, by grace; and of the kingdom that shall hereafter be put to their hands; and of the extensiveness of Christ’s kingdom in the latter day, who was to spring front him. Esau’s blessings were merely temporal ones, and respected things future, which were fulfilled in his posterity; and these several blessings Isaac pronounced upon them by faith, believing they would be bestowed upon them; and so his faith answered to the account of faith in Heb 11:1. It may be asked, how Isaac can be said to have blessed Jacob by faith, when he was deceived by him? It is certain he took him to be Esau, when he blessed him, wherefore it was not the design of Isaac, though it was the will of God that he should bless him, Ge 27:18, but yet notwithstanding this, Isaac might do it in faith, believing that the person he blessed would be blessed, though he was mistaken in him; and which he confirmed when he did know him, Ge 27:33 to which the apostle may have respect; and besides, he blessed him after this,
Ge 28:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Even concerning things to come ( ). As told in Ge 27:28-40 when Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Blessed [] . See on Joh 12:13.
Concerning things to come [ ] . A. V. Omits kai which gives an emphasis to the following words. Isaac pronounced a blessing, and that concerning things to come; things beyond the lifetime of Jacob and Esau. See Gen 27:29, 39. The blessing was an act of faith. Isaac ‘s confidence in the power of his blessing to convey the good which it promised was “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” founded on the promise of Gen 17:5.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “By faith,” (pistei kai) “By (the gift of) faith also,” without which it is impossible to please God, Heb 11:6; Eph 2:8-9.
2) “Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau,” (eulogesen Isaak ton lakob kai ton Esau) “Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau,” with regards to matters of the future of their prosperity and families in the faith-promise line of the coming Messiah or redeemer, Gen 27:26-29. Jacob obtained both his birthright and blessing by deception of his aged father, Gen 27:36-37.
3) “Concerning things to come,” (peri mellonton) “Concerning coming things, matters, or events; With much tears and prayer Esau received a secondary blessing from his father Isaac, Gen 27:39; Gen 27:30; Gen 28:1-4. To Jacob the blessing specifically identified his seed as future inheritors of the land, as promised to Abraham, Gen 15:18; Gen 17:8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. By faith Isaac, etc. It was also the work of faith to bless as to future things; for when the thing itself does not exist and the word only appears, faith must necessarily bear rule. But first we must notice of what avail is the blessing of which he speaks. For to bless often means to pray for a blessing. But the blessing of Isaac was very different; for it was as it were an introduction into the possession of the land, which God had promised to him and his posterity. And yet he had nothing in that land but the right of burial. Then strange seemed these high titles, “Let people serve thee, and tribes bow down to thee,” (Gen 27:29😉 for what dominion could he have given who himself was hardly a free man? We hence see that this blessing depended on faith; for Isaac had nothing which he could have bestowed on his children but the word of God.
It may, however, be doubted whether there was any faith in the blessing given to Esau, as he was a reprobate and rejected by God. The answer is easy, for faith mainly shone forth, when he distinguished between the two twins born to him, so that he gave the first place to the younger; for following the oracle of God, he took away from the firstborn the ordinary right of nature. And on this depended the condition of the whole nation, that Jacob was chosen by God, and that this choice was sanctioned by the blessing of the father.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) Concerning things to come.It is probable, though not certain, that the word even should be inserted before concerning; on these words, then, the emphasis will rest. Not having regard to things present only, or things almost at hand, but looking far into the future, through the divine revelation which opened to him the meaning of the promises received by Abraham, he gave to each son the blessing designed by God (Gen. 27:27-29; Gen. 27:39-40). Isaacs confidence in the divine guidance of his words is especially seen in Heb. 11:33 of the chapter.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Concerning things to come It is not quite true that prophets first arose in the later history of Israel. For Abraham was “a prophet.”
Gen 20:7. The recorded paternal blessings of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were prophecies, and we know not how many unrecorded prophecies they uttered. The lineal family nay, we may say the lineal race was for ages susceptible to presentiment and predictive frames. Their natural temperament, therefore, was a basis of possibility of divine revelation. The supernaturalistic person is often unattractive, and not good or wise; but when wise and good, a lofty character may therefrom arise.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.’
Similarly by faith Isaac proclaimed the future hopes of his sons in his blessings. His confidence in God and what He had revealed was such that he pronounced their futures hopes because God had promised them (Gen 27:27-29; Gen 27:39-40), even to the point of finally recognising that God’s greater blessing would come through the younger. It was irrelevant that he did not know that Jacob was not Esau. He was not fortune-telling, he was declaring what God had promised to his seed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Testimony of Isaac in the Genealogy of Isaac ( Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29 ) In Heb 11:20 the testimony of Isaac reveals that he fulfilled his divine commission as shown in the Genealogy of Isaac (Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29), which was to bless the two sons born to his wife Rebekah. His prophetic words in blessing his two sons Isaac and Esau (Gen 27:27-29; Gen 27:39-40) reveal his faith in God’s promised handed down through his father Abraham. Heb 11:20 reflects the theme of Heb 10:19 to Heb 11:40, which is perseverance in our divine service.
Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb 11:20
Gen 27:27-29, “And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.”
Isaac’s prophetic blessing upon his son Esau is recorded in Gen 27:39-40.
Gen 27:39-40, And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Heb 11:20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau He was persuaded that God would one way or other make good his promises to them, though he could not certainly tell how.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 11:20 . The example of Isaac . Comp. Gen 27
] is the more nearly defining: and in truth, and in sooth . A faith was manifested in the imparting of the blessing, by the very circumstance that this benediction extended with inner confidence to facts as yet belonging to the future. [109] Comp. Theodoret: , .
] concerning things as yet future, i.e. concerning the future lot of his two sons, and the pre-eminence of the younger son over the elder.
Jacob, the younger son, is here first mentioned, since he was first blessed by Isaac, and was altogether of greater significance for the history of the people.
[109] How Delitzsch has been able so greatly to misunderstand the above words as to read in them the assertion, that to be combined with instead of , I do not comprehend.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
IV
The example of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph
Heb 11:20-22
20By faith [also] Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith 21Jacob, when he was a dying [while when dying], blessed both [each of]15 the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when he died [while dying], made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Heb 11:20. Also.The position of forbids our regarding the present as the mere appending of a new example of faith from the history of the Patriarchs. Either faith is here designated as of a nature which displays its inward confidence by the utterance of a blessing, and this in relation to a thing in the future; in which case the act of blessing evinces an undoubting faith that the word will be followed by the actual fulfilment (Theodoret, Ln.); or the , with its emphasizing force, introduces the blessing as an act of faith that even determines the future (Del.). In both cases . is dependent on . To connect it with (Peshito, Sykes) would yield a construction elsewhere without example in the New Testament, and opposed to the absolute use of elsewhere throughout the chapter.
Heb 11:21. Worshipped, leaning, etc.In the Heb. text (Gen 47:31) it is said, he bowed himself upon the head of his couch (Knobel), or, he turned himself about upon his bed, turning his face to its head (Hofm., Del.). At all events, he rendered thanks to God in this way, as the aged David did in a similar case, 1Ki 1:47; while in his discourse with Joseph he had sat upright on his bed. In his weakness, he could neither arise nor prostrate himself. Our author here as elsewhere follows the Sept. with their pointing, instead of ; and has perhaps designedly brought this passage into connection with the act of blessing recounted Genesis 48, in order to express the devout frame of mind in which this blessing was uttered (Thol.). Perhaps, too, we are to take in the sense of the reflexive , and to refer the term to the pilgrim-staff of Jacob, Gen 32:10. The reference of this pronoun to Joseph, as well as the supplying of with (Chrys., Theodor., Theoph., etc.) is discountenanced by the utter absence of any mention of a staff of honor belonging to Joseph (which indeed Thom. Aqu. regards as symbolical of the cross of Christ, and Joseph as type of the Messiah), as well as by the connection of the passage, which points to no marks of homage which Jacob, in fulfilment of Josephs dream, may at last have rendered to him. But the rendering of the Vulg. et adoravit fastigium virg ejus, followed by Primas., c., Erasm., Calv., Bisp., Reuss, etc., who regard it as indicating the direction of his homage, and as acknowledging in act the future greatness of Ephraim, is grammatically inadmissible; for nowhere occurs as expressing the object of .
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Believers care in the best way not only for their own future, but also for that of their children and remote posterity. Therefore they bless them, and God hears their prayer.
2. The blessings pronounced by believers are not mere utterances of pious wishes, but prophecies of the future, and actions which exercise a determining power upon history. Yet they are not sorcerers utterances which could exercise a mastery over the will of God, and magically determine the fate of other men. They originate and exert their influence only on the ground and in the power of a human will brought into contact with the will of God. It is God Himself who fills and guides the blessing, heart, hand and lips.
3. Faith strengthens and influences even the weak and dying, so that they look only to Gods promises, wait in blessing and in prayer clear to the end, desire, after their decease, to be gathered to their fathers and brought into the land of promise, and direct toward this all their arrangements.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
They who die in faith think: 1, of the promises which they have inherited; 2, of the prayers with which they are to finish their course; 3, of the benedictions with which they can influence their posterity.Faith renders men: 1, equally potent in life and joyful in death; 2, equally bold and humble; 3, equally reflective and forecasting.The best kind of concern for our posterity.
Starke:As the Patriarchs with great industry transmitted the promises of Christ to their posterity, so should we be zealous to bring the Gospel of Christ to posterity.The saints frequently do, under the direction and guidance of God, something in which they indeed have a good purpose, but in respect to which God has determined something still higher.It matters little at the present time where we are buried, provided only that the soul comes into Abrahams bosom; for the earth is every where the Lords. Psa 24:1.
Rieger:By the early setting in order of his house, Jacob admonishes us of his daily dying, and of the renewed confession of his earthly pilgrimage.
Heubner:Even in age, and amidst the great infirmities of age, Jacob was strong in his faith in the sure purpose and counsel of God.The desire of Joseph to have his bones buried with his forefathers, indicates faith in a perpetual communion among believers through the power of God.
Footnotes:
[15]Heb 11:20.Read after A. D*., 17, 23, 37, Vulg. It., .
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
(20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (21) By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. (22) By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. (23) By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. (24) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. (27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. (28) Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. (29) By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned. (30) By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. (31) By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
I must call to remembrance the limited design of this humble work, and not indulge myself in entering upon every separate particular in relation to the actions of those illustrious champions of the faith here recorded. But otherwise, I might easily shew how strongly entrenched the Lord had made those ancient followers of the faith, in this leading, and distinguishing article, of living upon Christ. Surely, as Peter said of them, the Spirit of Christ was in them, and in all their acts, both in their public ministry, and private conversation; the two grand features of our Lord’s life, and offices, they embraced with an ardor the most animated, namely, of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow, 1Pe 1:11 . And, both Christ in his Person, and Christ in his ministry, those holy men, by the most lively actings of faith, were living upon, and enjoying familiar communion with. All the Patriarchs, from Abraham to Moses, lived in the daily exercise of faith upon Christ, and his blood-shedding and righteousness. If Moses was hidden by his parents, it was by faith. If, conscious of his Hebrew birth by circumcision, which he could not but know, he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh’s daughter; it was by faith. If he esteemed Christ, despised Egypt, kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood; the whole was by faith. All, and every act, became an act of faith, by which the lives and deaths of those blood-bought, royal sons of God, were so distinguished; and for which, the Holy Ghost hath handed down their names with such honorable testimony in the word of God. Hence Jacob, when dying, exulted in the Covenant love, and grace of God in Christ, and cried out: I have waited for thy salvation, 0 Lord. Hence, Joseph, in the hour of death, looked to Canaan, as the sure spot, where Christ in after ages should come; and said, there let my bones be carried. And Moses, in his last farewell to Israel, sung his song concerning Him, my dweller in the bush, Deu 13:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Ver. 20. By faith Isaac blessed ] Patriarchal benedictions were prophetical; the blessing of godly parents is still very available for the good of their children; and justifying faith is not beneath miraculous in the sphere of its own activity and where it hath warrant of God’s word.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
20 .] By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things future also (the belongs, not to , ., by faith and that respecting things future, as Lnem., al. (Syr. joins .), for , though good Greek, is not N. T. language, but to ., blessed them concerning not only things present, but things future also. Jacob is named before Esau, as the worthier and more important in the theocratic sense; perhaps also as having gained the greater portion of the blessing).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 11:20 . . “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to things future,” as is recorded in the well-known passage, Gen 27 . Isaac thus in his turn exhibited a faith which could be described as . “By faith Jacob when dying ( cf. , Heb 11:8 , and , Heb 11:17 : the participle illustrates Heb 11:13 and also reminds the reader that Jacob before he died saw his children’s children inheriting the promise (“thy two sons are mine,” Gen 48:5 ) blessed each of the sons of Joseph. . , that is, he gave each an individual blessing, crossing his hands, laying his right on the head of Ephraim the younger, his left on Manasseh, thus distinguishing between the destiny of the one and that of the other and so more abundantly illustrating his faith. , “and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff”. The words are from the LXX rendering of Gen 47:31 where after Joseph had sworn to bury his father in Canaan, “Israel worshipped, etc.”. His exacting this promise from Joseph was proof of his faith that his posterity would inherit the land of promise. The LXX translating from an unpointed text read the staff and not as it is now read the bed, (as in Gen 48:2 ). The meaning in either case is that in extreme bodily weakness, either unable to leave his bed or if so only able to stand with the aid of a staff, his faith was yet untouched by the slightest symptom of decay. “The idea of is that of reverence shown in posture ” (Vaughan). Here Jacob “worshipped” in thankful remembrance of the promise of God and that his son had accepted it.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Isaac. Isaac shows us faith overcoming the will of the flesh, in that he blessed Jacob instead of Esau.
concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
20.] By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things future also (the belongs, not to ,- ., by faith and that respecting things future,-as Lnem., al. (Syr. joins .), for , though good Greek, is not N. T. language,-but to .,-blessed them concerning not only things present, but things future also. Jacob is named before Esau, as the worthier and more important in the theocratic sense; perhaps also as having gained the greater portion of the blessing).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 11:20-22. , by faith) There are more specimens of faith in Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; but the apostle considers it enough to give a single instance, in the case of each of them, concerning things mostly future.-, blessed) assigning to both his sons things future, as if they were present.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
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Heb 11:20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Isaac was a holy person, who, though a pilgrim, yet, as far as appeareth, spent most of his time in peace, without great perils and dangers. Wherefore there is less spoken of him, and the trials of his faith, than either of his father or his son. Howbeit there is no doubt but that this son of the promise led his life in the faith of the promise; and the promise was particularly renewed unto him, Gen 26:4.
The apostle chooseth to instance in his faith with respect unto the blessing of his sons, which was in his old age, and was the most eminent act of it, because of the conveyance of the promise unto his seed made thereby.
The story which he reports is recorded Genesis 27. And there is none in the Scripture filled with more intricacies and difficulties, as unto a right judgment of the thing related, though the matter of fact be clearly and distinctly set down.
The whole represents unto us divine sovereignty, wisdom, and faithfulness, working effectually through the frailties, infirmities, and sins of all the persons concerned in the matter. It was taken for granted by them all, that, by Gods institution and appointment, the promise, with all the benefits and privileges of it, was to be conveyed by paternal benediction unto one of the sons. Hereon there had been sundry indications of the mind of God, as unto the person to whom it was to be communicated. There was so in the answer of God unto Rebekah, when the children strove in her womb, when he said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger, Gen 25:23. And an immediate indication hereof was given in their birth, wherein Jacob laid hold on the heel of Esau, as being to supplant him, verse 26. It was further manifest when they grew up, partly by the profaneness of Esau, evidenced in marrying evil and idolatrous wives; and partly in his selling his birthright for a mess of pottage, verses 32-34. Yet did not all this prevent the miscarriages of them all in the communication and obtaining this blessing; namely, of Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob. For,
1. Whatever may be spoken in excuse of Isaac, it is certain he failed greatly in two things:
(1.) In his inordinate love unto Esau, whom he could not but know to be a profane person, and that on so slight an account as eating of his venison, Gen 25:28.
(2.) In that he had not sufficiently inquired into the mind of God in the oracle that his wife received concerning their sons. There is no question on the one hand, but that he knew of it; nor on the other, that he did not understand it. For if the holy man had known that it was the determinate will of God, he would not have contradicted it. But this arose from want of diligent inquiry by prayer into the mind of God.
2. As for Rebekah, there is no doubt but that she was infallibly certain that it was the mind and will of God that Jacob should have the blessing. So far she had a sufficient ground of faith. But her contrivance for the obtaining of it, when she ought to have committed the event unto the providence of God, whose word was engaged for it, cannot be approved; nor is what she did to be made an example for imitation.
3. Jacob also had, no doubt, sufficient evidence that the birthright was conveyed unto him; yet although he followed his mothers instructions, and obeyed her commands in what he did, his miscarriages in getting the conveyance of it by his fathers blessing, which were not a few, are not to be excused.
But under all these mistakes and miscarriages we may observe two things:
1. That true faith acted itself in all the persons concerned. The faith of Isaac was true and right in this, that the promise was sure to his seed by virtue of the covenant, and that he was instrumentally, in the way of external evidence, to convey it by his solemn benediction. The first was express in the covenant: the other he had by immediate revelation and inspiration; for his blessing was a prophecy of things to come, as it is in the text. But he missed it in the application of it unto the object in his own intention, though in matter of fact, by the divine disposal of circumstances, he was in the right. This mistake hindered not but that he blessed Jacob in faith. One expositor, who abounds in conjectures, and is as unhappy in them as any man well can be, would have it that the blessing of Jacob in faith doth not belong, or is not to be ascribed unto that solemn blessing which he pronounced upon him when he mistook the person, supposing him to be Esau, Gen 27:27-29, but unto what he said afterwards concerning him unto Esau, verse 33, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed; than which nothing can be more remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost. For in these words to Esau he directly affirms that he had blessed him, and now only declares the consequent of it, namely, that he should enjoy the blessing, He shall be blessed. Now this hath respect unto that former blessing; which was therefore in faith, notwithstanding the previous mistake of the person, which he now understood, by what he had done, as being under the immediate conduct of the Spirit of God.
So did true faith act itself both in Rebekah and Jacob, and they were in the right, from divine revelation, that the promises did belong to Jacob. Howbeit they variously miscarried in the way they took for obtaining a pledge of it in the paternal benediction.
Wherefore it cannot be denied but that sometimes, when true faith is rightly fixed on divine promises, those in whom it is, and who truly believe, may, through darkness, infirmities, and temptations, put themselves on irregular ways for the accomplishment of them. And as in these ways they may fail and miscarry, unto the scandal of religion and a dangerous concussion of their own faith; so if they do succeed in such ways, as Jacob did, yet are not their ways accepted or approved of God, as they will quickly under- stand. But although these mistakes may be such as to vitiate their works, and render them unacceptable unto God, yet shall they not condemn their persons in the sight of God, neither here nor hereafter.
Whereas, therefore, there yet remain many promises to be accomplished concerning the church, and its state or condition in this world; as it is our duty firmly to believe them, so it is our wisdom, not, upon any temptations, provocations, or advantages, to attempt their accomplishment in any unwarrantable way and undertaking.
2. We may see herein the infinite purity of the divine will, effectually accomplishing its own purposes and designs through the failings and miscarriages of men, without the least mixture with or approbation of their iniquities or miscarriages. So did God accomplish his purpose and promise unto Jacob, by ordering the outward circumstances of the irregular actings of him and his mother unto his own blessed ends. And although he neither commanded nor approved of these irregularities in them, yet whereas there was true faith in the persons themselves, though misguided as unto some outward actions; and that acted, as they judged, in compliance with his will, without the least design of injury unto any others (for they aimed at nothing but what was their own by his grant and donation); he accepted their persons, pardoned their sins, and effected the matter according to their desire.
And we may yet observe,
Obs. That the failure, error, or mistake of any one leading person, with respect unto divine promises and their accomplishment, may be of dangerous consequence unto others; as here the failing of Isaac was the occasion of casting Jacob and Rebekah into all their irregularities.
These things being premised, as unto the story which respect is here had unto, the words themselves may be briefly opened. And there are three things in them:
1. What is ascribed unto Isaac; namely, that he blessed his sons.
2. How he did it; and that was, by faith.
3. What was the subject-matter of his blessing; and that was, things to come.
1. He blessed them. Those patriarchal blessings were partly euctical, or prayers; partly prophetical, or predictions. And the matter of them was the promise made unto them, with what was contained in them, and nothing else. They did not pray for, they could not foretell, any thing but what God had promised. They were authoritative applications of Gods promises unto the persons unto whom they did belong, for the confirmation of their faith.
So far as they were merely euctical, or consisted in solemn prayer, they were an effect and duty of the ordinary parental ministry, and as such ought to be used by all parents. Not as some, by the trifling custom of daily asking and giving blessing, whilst perhaps a curse is entailed on families by wretched examples; but by solemn reiterated prayer unto that purpose. But there were two things extraordinary in them:
(1.) A certain determination of the promise unto particular persons, as was here done by Isaac; which falls not within the compass of the ordinary paternal ministry. We may fail in our most earnest desires and sincere endeavors for the communication of the promise unto this or that child.
(2.) Prediction of particular future events, falling within the compass and verge of the promise. So was it in the solemn blessings of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Herein were they acted by a spirit of prophecy and immediate revelation.
2. Thus he blessed his sons; and he did it by faith. But yet there is a difficulty that ariseth on both hands, from the one blessing and the other. For the blessing of Jacob was from immediate inspiration, and not intended by Isaac to be applied unto Jacob; both which considerations seem to exclude his faisth from any interest in this benediction. And the blessing of Esau related only unto temporal things, and that not with respect unto any especial promise.
I answer, That as unto the first, or the blessing of Jacob,
(1.) There was a proper object of his faith, which it was fixed on, namely, the promise of the covenant, that God would be a God to him and his seed, and that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Herein was his faith exercised in his blessing of Jacob; which was no way impeded by his mistake of the person. Faith was acted by the promise, and was guided as to its object by Gods providence.
(2.) Immediate inspiration doth no way hinder the actings of faith on preceding revelations. He had the warrant of the word of God before revealed for the ground of his faith, and his immediate inspiration guided him to act according unto it. And,
(3.) As for the blessing of Esau, although it respected only temporal things, yet he gave it him in faith also, in that it was the fruit of his prayer for him, and contained predictions which he had received by divine revelation.
3. The subject-matter of both these blessings were things to come; that is, things that were not yet, nor yet to have their present accomplishment. For that part of the blessing of Jacob, that he should be lord of his brethren, as it is expressed in the blessing of Esau, Thou shalt serve thy brother, was not fulfilled in their days, there being a great appearance of the contrary. Wherefore the things contained in these blessings, absolutely considered, were future, and yet for to come, in the days of, and among their posterity.
Now, the blessing of Jacob did not contain only a better portion in this world than that of Esau, as Grotius would have it; nor had there been any need of so great a contest about the difference between the land of Canaan and that of Edom, but as it did comprise also the numerous posterity of Jacob, their quiet habitation, power and dominion in the land of Canaan: so the principal subject of it was the enclosure of the church, the confinement of the covenant, and the enjoyment of the promise of the blessed Seed unto him and his offspring. And it was the contempt hereof, and not of a double portion of earthly things, for which Esau is stigmatized as a profane person.
Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews
Isaacs Remarkable Faith
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Heb 11:20
Read Genesis 27, the passage to which Paul refers, and you will see why Isaac is held before us here as a man of remarkable faith. The Holy Spirit specifically declares that Isaac, in an act of faith, blessed both his sons, both Jacob and Esau. Here are eight things I have gleaned from the record God has given us of this event.
God almighty saves whom he will.
Let men rant and rave all they may, gnashing their teeth upon the Word of God, the fact remains Salvation is of the Lord! God has mercy on whom he will. He chooses some and passes by others. The purpose of God according to election stands firm. The foundation of God standeth sure: the Lord knoweth them that are his! Read Rom 9:11-16.
Gods elect are almost always those we least suspect might be.
Gods ways are not our ways. Gods thoughts are not our thoughts. And Gods choices are not our choices. Isaac chose Esau; but God chose Jacob (1Co 1:26-29). Let us never imagine that we know the purpose of God concerning another person. None are beyond the reach of omnipotent grace. And none, no matter how excellent they may appear to our eyes, have anything to commend them to Gods favor.
Faith cherishes and prizes Christ above all things.
Faith chooses Christ. Faith seeks Christ. Faith counts Christ precious and all things but dung in comparison to him (1Pe 2:6-8).
Unbelief despises Christ and cherishes the lusts of the flesh.
Esau despised Christ. Jacob chose him. Esau counted Christ but dung for the momentary gratification of his lust. Jacob counted that dung which Esau cherished, that he might win Christ and be found in him (Php 3:3-14). Multitudes there are like Esau. The sons of Korah, Elimelech, Judas and Demas stand before us as glaring examples of men in whose heart the world was so set that they could not behold the works of God (Ecc 3:11). Jacob preferred Christ to anything and everything. Few there are like him. The birthright Jacob chose represented Christ and Gods salvation in him. For that, Jacob was willing to incur his fathers wrath, a life of separation from family and friend, and anything else.
God gives every one of us exactly what we want.
This is a fact deserving much thought and consideration. If you desire Christ, I am fully aware that God himself has made you want him; but if Christ is what you want, Christ is what you shall have (Jer 29:11-14). If you want the world, if you want self-gratification, if you want what all men naturally want and choose, if you despise Christ and choose your own lusts, God will give you that. Oh, how I pray that God will cause you to seek Christ. But if you despise him and choose to serve your own lusts, God will give you what you want. Esau found enough to gratify his heart in the portion with which he was blessed (I have enough Gen 33:9). His blessing proved to be his everlasting curse (Pro 1:23-32). Jacob, when he had given everything away, found that which gratified his heart and soul in his blessing (I have enough Gen 33:11). His blessing is Christ!
When the Lord God shuts a sinner up in reprobation, he is doomed forever.
If God gives a person up, if God turns a sinner over to himself and lets him have his own way, he is as good as in hell. When God shuts the door, the door is shut! He shut the door going into the ark before the first raindrop fell from heaven! Esau set his heart upon the world; and God set the world in his heart (Ecc 3:11).
Nothing stands in the way of or in any way hinders the purpose of God.
Yes, blessed be his holy name, God always has his way, overruling our wills, our desires, our purposes, and even our most reprehensible behavior, to accomplish his everlasting purpose of grace! The purpose of God shall stand.
Faith ultimately bows to the will of God, because that is what every believer truly wants.
Faith says, Thy will be done! This is what we see in Gen 27:33-41 and Heb 11:20. Though the purpose of God was in direct opposition to all that Isaac wanted, purposed, planned and worked to secure, in the end, he bowed to Gods will.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
Gen 27:27-40, Gen 28:2, Gen 28:3
Reciprocal: Gen 27:4 – that my Gen 27:23 – he blessed Gen 27:28 – of the dew Gen 27:33 – yea Gen 27:39 – Behold Num 6:23 – General Heb 7:7 – the less
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 11:20. This blessing is recorded in Genesis 27, and it pertains to favorable experiences that were to come to his sons in the future. Being a patriarch, Isaac could speak as by a revelation from God, but he would not have done so had it not been for his faith in the declarations of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 11:20. Nor is faith restricted to trial; it realizes blessing also. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob (the heir of the greater promise) and Esau too (the two articles of the original call attention to distinct acts) even concerning things to comethe act of faith and of prophetic faith. The blessing and the prayer of faith, proceeding as they do from a mind instructed by the Divine mind, and from a will in harmony with the Divine will, bind even God, and control the future destinies of him on whose behalf they are offered.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Note, That there is a blessing by way of prayer, and a blessing by way of prophecy, foretelling what shall befall persons in time to come; of this kind is Isaac’s blessing. The patriarchs were in a peculiar manner directed and guided by God, and their blessing was a conferring of a right to the parties blessed.
Thus Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come, that is, concerning the great and future things which should happen to their posterity after them.
Note here, Esaus, wicked men, have their portion in outward blessings as well as Jacobs, as well as the best and holiest of men; partly, as they are God’s creatures, partly as they descend from parents in covenant with God, and partly because they make some profession of the name of God. And God will be behindhand with none, but so far as they do good they shall see good.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Heb 11:20-21. By faith By firmly believing what God had revealed unto him concerning the future state of his children; Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau Prophetically foretold the particular blessings they should receive, preferring the younger before the elder. See notes on Gen 27:6-40. By faith Jacob, when a dying That is, when near death, believing that God would make good his promise of giving his posterity the land of Canaan; blessed both the sons of Joseph Foretelling that two tribes should spring from these two sons; and that the tribe of Ephraim, the younger, should be more powerful than the tribe of Manasseh, the elder; and worshipped Acknowledged Gods goodness to him, which he had so long experienced; leaning Or bowing down; on the top of his staff In the passage referred to, (Gen 47:31,) it is said, according to our version: Israel bowed himself upon his beds head; but the apostle says here, He worshipped upon the top of his staff; which agrees with the Greek and Syriac translation. It seems, as Hallet observes, the word , used in Genesis, signifies either a bed or a staff; and the passages may be reconciled by supposing that he was sitting on the side of the bed when he blessed these sons of Joseph, and leaned on the top of his staff for support, being very old and feeble.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 20
Hebrews 11:20; Genesis 27:27-40.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
11:20 {8} By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
(8) Isaac.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all demonstrated confidence in God’s word in the ways mentioned. They believed He would provide for them what He had promised. We should do the same. The faith of all three of these patriarchs affected their descendants. Ours should as well.
"With all three the significant thing was their firm conviction that death cannot frustrate God’s purposes." [Note: Ibid., p. 123.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
CHAPTER XIII.
A CLOUD OF WITNESSES.
“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones…. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon. Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, evil-entreated (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”– Heb 11:20-40; Heb 12:1 (R.V.).
Time fails us to dilate on the faith of the other saints of the old covenant. But they must not be passed over in silence. The impression produced by our author’s splendid roll of the heroes of faith in the eleventh chapter is the result quite as much of an accumulation of examples as of the special greatness of a few among them. At the close they appear like an overhanging “cloud” of witnesses for God.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau; and Jacob, dying in a strange land, blessed the sons of Joseph, distinguishing wittingly, and bestowing on each[289] his own peculiar blessing. His faith became a prophetic inspiration, and even distinguished between the future of Ephraim and the future of Manasseh. He did not create the blessing. He was only a steward of God’s mysteries. Faith well understood its own limitations. But it drew its inspiration to foretell what was to come from a remembrance of God’s faithfulness in the past. For, before[290] he gave his blessing, he had bowed his head in worship, leaning upon the top of his staff. In his dying hour he recalled the day on which he had passed over Jordan with his staff,–a day remembered by him once before, when he had become two bands, wrestled with the angel, and halted on his thigh. His staff had become his token of the covenant, his reminder of God’s faithfulness, his sacrament, or visible sign of an invisible grace.
Joseph, though he was so completely Egyptianised that he did not, like Jacob, ask to be buried in Canaan, and only two of his sons became, through Jacob’s blessing, heirs of the promise, yet gave commandment concerning his bones. His faith believed that the promise given to Abraham would be fulfilled. The children of Israel might dwell in Goshen and prosper. But they would sooner or later return to Canaan. When his end drew near, his Egyptian greatness was forgotten. The piety of his childhood returned. He remembered God’s promise to his fathers. Perhaps it was his father Jacob’s dying blessing that had revived the thoughts of the past and fanned his faith into a steady flame.
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.”[291] When the Israelites had crossed Jordan and eaten of the old corn of the land, the manna ceased. The period of continued miracle came to an end. Henceforth they would smite their enemies with their armed thousands. But one signal miracle the Lord would yet perform in the sight of all Israel. The walls of the first city they came to would fall down flat, when the seven priests would blow with the trumpets of rams’ horns the seventh time on the seventh day. Israel believed, and as God had said, so it came to pass.
The treachery of a harlot even is mentioned by the Apostle as an instance of faith.[292] Justly. For, whilst her past life and present act were neither better nor worse than the morality of her time, she saw the hand of the God of heaven in the conquest of the land, and bowed to His decision. This was a greater faith than that of her daughter-in-law, Ruth, whose name is not mentioned. Ruth believed in Naomi and, as a consequence, accepted Naomi’s God and people.[293] Rahab believed in God first, and, therefore, accepted the Israelitish conquest and adopted the nationality of the conquerors.[294]
Of the judges the Apostle selects four: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah. The mention of Barak must be understood to include Deborah, who was the mind and heart that moved Barak’s arm; and Deborah was a prophetess of the Lord. She and Barak wrought their mighty deeds and sang their pan in faith.[295] Gideon put the Midianites to flight by faith; for he knew that his sword was the sword of the Lord,[296] Jephthah was a man of faith; for he vowed a vow unto the Lord, and would not go back.[297] Samson had faith; for he was a Nazarite to God from his mother’s womb, and in his last extremity called unto the Lord and prayed.[298]
The Apostle does not name Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and the rest. The Spirit of the Lord came upon them also. They too were mighty through God. But the narrative does not tell us that they prayed, or that their soul consciously and believingly responded to the voice of Heaven. Alaric, while on his march towards Rome, said to a holy monk, who entreated him to spare the city, that he did not go of his own will, but that One was continually urging him forward to take it.[299] Many are the scourges of God that know not the hand that wields them.
Individuals “through faith subdued kingdoms.”[300] Gideon dispersed the Midianites;[301] Barak discomfited Sisera, the captain of Jabin king of Canaan’s host; Jephthah smote the Ammonites;[302] David held the Philistines in check,[303] measured Moab with a line,[304] and put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. Samuel “wrought righteousness,” and taught the people the good and the right way.[305] David “obtained the fulfilment of God’s promises:” his house was blessed that it should continue for ever before God.[306] Daniel’s faith stopped the mouths of lions.[307] The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in God, and quenched the power of the fire, without extinguishing its flame.[308] Elijah escaped the edge of Ahab’s sword.[309] Elisha’s faith saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about him.[310] Hezekiah “from weakness was made strong.”[311] The Maccaban princes waxed mighty in war and turned to flight armies of aliens.[312] The widow of Zarephath[313] and the Shunammite[314] received their dead back into their embrace in consequence of[315] a resurrection wrought by the faith of the prophets. Others refused deliverance, gladly accepting the alternative to unfaithfulness, to be beaten to death, that they might be accounted worthy[316] to attain the better world and the resurrection, not of, but from, the dead, which is the resurrection to eternal life. Such a man was the aged Eleazar in the time of the Maccabees.[317] Zechariah was stoned to death at the commandment of Joash the king in the court of the house of the Lord.[318] Isaiah is said to have been sawn asunder in extreme old age by the order of Manasseh. Others were burnt[319] by Antiochus Epiphanes. Elijah had no settled abode, but went from place to place clad in a garment of hair, the skin of sheep or goat. It ought not to be a matter of surprise that these men of God had no dwelling-place, but were, like the Apostles after them, buffeted, persecuted, defamed, and made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things. For the world was not worthy of them. The world crucified their Lord, and they would be ashamed of accepting better treatment than He received. By the world is meant the life of those who know not Christ. The men of faith were driven out of the cities into the desert, out of homes into prisons. But their faith was an assurance of things hoped for and, therefore, a solvent of fear. Their proving of things not seen rendered the prison, as Tertullian says,[320] a place of retirement, and the desert a welcome escape from the abominations that met their eyes wherever the world had set up its vanity fair.
All these sturdy men of faith have had witness borne to them in Scripture. This honour they won from time to time, as the Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets, saw fit to encourage the people of God on earth by their example. Are we forbidden to suppose that this witness to their faith gladdened their own glorified spirits, and calmed their eager expectation of the day when the promise would be fulfilled? For, after all, their reward was not the testimony of Scripture, but their own perfection. Now this perfection is described through out the Epistle as a priestly consecration. It expresses fitness for entering into immediate communion with God. This was the final fulfilment of the promise. This was the blessing which the saints under the old covenant had not obtained. The way of the holiest had not yet been opened.[321] Consequently their faith consisted essentially in endurance. “None of these received the promise,” but patiently waited. This is inferred concerning them from the testimony of Scripture that they believed. Their faith must have manifested itself in this form,–endurance. To us, at length, the promise has been fulfilled. God has spoken unto us in His Son. We have a great High-priest, Who has passed through the heavens. The Son, as High-priest, has been perfected for evermore; that is, He is endowed with fitness to enter into the true holiest place. He has perfected also for ever them that are sanctified: freed from guilt as worshippers, they enter the holiest through a priestly consecration. The new and living way has been dedicated through the veil.
But the important point is that the fulfilment of the promise has not dispensed with the necessity for faith. We saw, in an earlier chapter, that the revelation of the Sabbath advances from lower forms of rest to higher and more spiritual. The more stubborn the unbelief of men became, the more fully the revelation of God’s promise opened up. The thought is somewhat similar in the present passage. The final form which God’s promise assumes is an advance on any fulfilment vouchsafed to the saints of the old covenant during their earthly life. It now includes perfection, or fitness to enter into the holiest through the blood of Christ. It means immediate communion with God. Far from dispensing with faith, this form of the promise demands the exercise of a still better faith than the fathers had. They endured by faith; we through faith enter the holiest. To them, as well as to us, faith is an assurance of things hoped for and a proving of things not seen; but our assurance must incite us to draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. This is the better faith which is not once ascribed in the eleventh chapter to the saints of the Old Testament. On the contrary, we are given to understand[322] that they, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. But Christ has abolished death. For we enter into the presence of God, not through death, but through faith.
In accordance with this, the Apostle says that “God provided some better thing concerning us.”[323] These words cannot mean that God provided some better thing for us than He had provided for the fathers. Such a notion would not be true. The promise was made to Abraham, and is now fulfilled to all the heirs alike; that is, to those who are of the faith of Abraham. The author says “concerning,”[324] not “for.” The idea is that God foresaw we would, and provided (for the word implies both things) that we should, manifest a better kind of faith than it was possible for the fathers to show, better in so far as power to enter the holiest place is better than endurance.
But the author adds another thought. Through the exercise of the better faith by us, the fathers also enter with us into the holiest place. “Apart from us they could not be made perfect.” The priestly consecration becomes theirs through us. Such is the unity of the Church, and such the power of faith, that those who could not believe, or could not believe in a certain way, for themselves, receive the fulness of the blessing through the faith of others. Nothing less will do justice to the Apostle’s words than the notion that the saints of the old covenant have, through the faith of the Christian Church, entered into more immediate and intimate communion with God than they had before, though in heaven.
We now understand why they take so deep an interest in the running of the Christian athletes on earth. They surround their course, like a great cloud. They know that they will enter into the holiest if we win the race. For every new victory of faith on earth, there is a new revelation of God in heaven. Even the angels, the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, learn, says St. Paul, through the Church the manifold wisdom of God.[325] How much more will the saints, members of the Church, brethren of Christ, be better able to apprehend the love and power of God, Who makes weak, sinful men conquerors over death and its fear.
The word “witnesses”[326] does not itself refer to their looking on, as spectators of the race. Another word would almost certainly have been used to express this notion, which is moreover contained in the phrase “having so great a cloud surrounding[327] us.” The thought seems to be that the men to whose faith the Spirit of Christ in Scripture bare witness were themselves witnesses for God in a godless world, in the same sense in which Christ tells His disciples that they were His witnesses, and Ananias tells Saul that he would be a witness for Christ.[328] Every one who confessed Christ before men, him did Christ also confess before His Church which is on earth, and does now confess before His Father in heaven, by leading him into God’s immediate presence.
FOOTNOTES:
[289] hekaston (Heb 11:21).
[290] Gen 47:31.
[291] Heb 11:30.
[292] Heb 11:31.
[293] Rth 1:16.
[294] Mat 1:5.
[295] Jdg 4:4; Jdg 4:5 :
[296] Jdg 7:18.
[297] Jdg 11:35.
[298] Jdg 13:7; Jdg 16:28.
[299] Robertson, History of the Christian Church, book 2:, Heb 7:1-28 :
[300] Heb 11:33.
[301] Jdg 7:1-25
[302] Jdg 11:33.
[303] 2Sa 5:25.
[304] 2Sa 8:2; 2Sa 8:6.
[305] 1Sa 12:23.
[306] 2Sa 7:28-29.
[307] Dan 6:22.
[308] Dan 3:27-28.
[309] 1Ki 19:1-3.
[310] 2Ki 6:17.
[311] 2Ki 20:5.
[312] 1Ma 5:1-68
[313] 1Ki 17:22.
[314] 2Ki 4:35.
[315] ex (Heb 11:35).
[316] Luk 20:35.
[317] 2Ma 6:19.
[318] 2Ch 24:21.
[319] Reading eprsthsan.
[320] Ad Martyras, 2.
[321] Heb 9:8.
[322] Heb 2:15.
[323] Heb 11:40.
[324] peri.
[325] Eph 3:10.
[326] martyrn (Heb 12:1).
[327] perikeimenon.
[328] Act 1:8; Act 22:14.