In Lent, Trust (3)
.
~ from whom can we learn (or not learn)?
.
Hebrews 12:
such a great cloud / a huge crowd of witnesses (NIV / NLT)
.
follows on from Heb. 11: "Faith in Action"
the "Hall of Fame" ~ " By faith... "
.
- What is faith, as we understand it, in a defined sense?
- Where does / Does faith coalesce with trust?
Heb. 11: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see." (NIV)
.
Three generations of women who struggled to trust God's plan:
.
1. SARAH
.
- Covenant promises via Abram: Gen. 13, 15 & 17
- That Abraham will be Father of many nations
* Gen. 16 - Tries to control the situation through Hagar
.
- Gen. 18: she laughs - in disbelief? in despair?
◘ This promise of a child is beyond her understanding
Specifically v.12 - doubt in herself, her physical capacity
.
→ Gen. 21: Birth of Isaac: "he laughs";
.
The LORD kept his word & did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.
.. This happened at just the time God had said it would.
.
... 6 And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter".
.
◘ The same response but in amazement & triumph,
earning her her place in Hebrews 11, v.11.
.
Sarah's trust shows us that God can act on our faith
& use us, even in the midst of our failures & doubts
.
◘ Sarah: mother of a nation & thereby ancestor to Jesus
.
2. REBEKAH m. Isaac
Sons: Esau (eldest) & Jacob (youngest/ favourite)
A pattern emerges:
Gen. 25: 21 - 23: Whilst Rebekah was pregnant,
God tells her that Jacob will be the family leader
-Esau trades away his birthright (Gen 25:27 - 34)
..
- Gen 27.
Rebekah nonetheless takes matters into her own hands:
the act of deception to trick Esau out of Isaac's blessing
- She does this to bring about what God had said would already happen
..
- Is Rebekah trying to control the outcome
or, has she forgotten God's promise?
- Are we ever tempted to interfere or intervene?
Seeking to know whether to act or wait sometimes in a situation?
..
◘◘ 2 Sam 22: 31 & Psalm 18:30 / Deut 32:4:
'As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless... '
..
3. RACHEL m. Jacob
Sister Leah; handmaids, Zilpah & Bilhah
Sons: from Reuben ... through to Joseph & Benjamin
..
Gen. 30:1 - impatient exchange between Rachel & Jacob
- desire for children; insecurity & jealousy of her sister's success
- decision taken to adopt local custom as acceptable practice
- - history repeats itself, w/ echoes back to Sarah & Hagar (Gen. 16)
..
3b. HAGAR
Hagar has received her own kind of covenant promise
from Genesis 16 ... to Genesis 21, v.15 - 16
- banished with her son Ishmael, Hagar's despair & doubt
~ struggling to hope - unable to see a way out -
only the reality of her present situation
..
◘ We are reminded of the truth for our lives, 2 Cor 1: 20 -
For no matter how many promises God has made,
they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the
“Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
. . . . . . . . .
..
◘ RAHAB
- Joshua 2; Joshua 6: 22 - 25
- Hebrews 11 v. 31
- Status: Canaanite, a prostitute - "unlikely" candidate?
- Location: city walls, the periphery of Jericho
- Rahab sensed that the Israelites relied on a God worth trusting,
not just hedging her bets but risking her life ~ questioned by officials
- Rose above her situation through her trust in God
- In the destruction of Jericho (disruptive/idolatry vs. pure lives),
Rahab is saved - - James 2:25; Matt 2:5
◘ Relative of Boaz - Ancestor of David & Jesus
. . . . . . . . .
...
◘ RUTH
- Key example of faithfulness, kindness, integrity
- Status: Moabite, widower - & yet places her trust in God
- Her pledge to Naomi (1:16)
- How hard life has become for them - 'Mara';
gleaning shows a reduction in state & poverty
- Ruth's bravery, faith & obedience
helps her to find favour with Boaz
- Naomi's instructions bring them into Boaz's care:
NLT footnotes - 3:4
"Naomi's advice seems strange, but she was not suggesting a
seductive act. In reality, Naomi was telling Ruth to act in
accordance with Israelite custom & law. It was common for
a servant to lie at his master's feet .. by observing this custom,
Ruth would inform Boaz he could be her family redeemer."
Naomi's transformation (4:14)
◘ baby Obed - Jesse - David
. . . . . . . . .
...
◘ MARTHA
Trust & doubt
~ Daily Service
. . . . . . . . .
Believing in God's character: HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS
Believing in God's promises: HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS
Hebrews 11 & Hebrews 10:23 - "let us hold tightly to the hope"
References:
Ten Women in the Bible Who Struggled To Trust God's Plan ~ Kristine Brown
* Lot's wife (disobeys command / dwells on the past - Gen 19:26)
* Job's wife (state of helplessness, fear, anger, injustice) vs. Job himself (2:3)
Ten Amazing Women in the Bible Who Exceeded Expectations ~ Kate Edwards
22 Fearless Women in the Bible ~ beliefnet.com
~ from whom can we learn (or not learn)?
.
Hebrews 12:
such a great cloud / a huge crowd of witnesses (NIV / NLT)
.
follows on from Heb. 11: "Faith in Action"
the "Hall of Fame" ~ " By faith... "
.
- What is faith, as we understand it, in a defined sense?
- Where does / Does faith coalesce with trust?
Heb. 11: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see." (NIV)
.
Three generations of women who struggled to trust God's plan:
.
1. SARAH
.
- Covenant promises via Abram: Gen. 13, 15 & 17
- That Abraham will be Father of many nations
* Gen. 16 - Tries to control the situation through Hagar
.
- Gen. 18: she laughs - in disbelief? in despair?
◘ This promise of a child is beyond her understanding
Specifically v.12 - doubt in herself, her physical capacity
.
→ Gen. 21: Birth of Isaac: "he laughs";
.
The LORD kept his word & did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.
.. This happened at just the time God had said it would.
.
... 6 And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter".
.
◘ The same response but in amazement & triumph,
earning her her place in Hebrews 11, v.11.
.
Sarah's trust shows us that God can act on our faith
& use us, even in the midst of our failures & doubts
.
◘ Sarah: mother of a nation & thereby ancestor to Jesus
.
2. REBEKAH m. Isaac
Sons: Esau (eldest) & Jacob (youngest/ favourite)
A pattern emerges:
Gen. 25: 21 - 23: Whilst Rebekah was pregnant,
God tells her that Jacob will be the family leader
-Esau trades away his birthright (Gen 25:27 - 34)
..
- Gen 27.
Rebekah nonetheless takes matters into her own hands:
the act of deception to trick Esau out of Isaac's blessing
- She does this to bring about what God had said would already happen
..
- Is Rebekah trying to control the outcome
or, has she forgotten God's promise?
- Are we ever tempted to interfere or intervene?
Seeking to know whether to act or wait sometimes in a situation?
..
◘◘ 2 Sam 22: 31 & Psalm 18:30 / Deut 32:4:
'As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless... '
..
3. RACHEL m. Jacob
Sister Leah; handmaids, Zilpah & Bilhah
Sons: from Reuben ... through to Joseph & Benjamin
..
Gen. 30:1 - impatient exchange between Rachel & Jacob
- desire for children; insecurity & jealousy of her sister's success
- decision taken to adopt local custom as acceptable practice
- - history repeats itself, w/ echoes back to Sarah & Hagar (Gen. 16)
..
3b. HAGAR
Hagar has received her own kind of covenant promise
from Genesis 16 ... to Genesis 21, v.15 - 16
- banished with her son Ishmael, Hagar's despair & doubt
~ struggling to hope - unable to see a way out -
only the reality of her present situation
..
◘ We are reminded of the truth for our lives, 2 Cor 1: 20 -
For no matter how many promises God has made,
they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the
“Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
. . . . . . . . .
..
◘ RAHAB
- Joshua 2; Joshua 6: 22 - 25
- Hebrews 11 v. 31
- Status: Canaanite, a prostitute - "unlikely" candidate?
- Location: city walls, the periphery of Jericho
- Rahab sensed that the Israelites relied on a God worth trusting,
not just hedging her bets but risking her life ~ questioned by officials
- Rose above her situation through her trust in God
- In the destruction of Jericho (disruptive/idolatry vs. pure lives),
Rahab is saved - - James 2:25; Matt 2:5
◘ Relative of Boaz - Ancestor of David & Jesus
. . . . . . . . .
...
◘ RUTH
- Key example of faithfulness, kindness, integrity
- Status: Moabite, widower - & yet places her trust in God
- Her pledge to Naomi (1:16)
- How hard life has become for them - 'Mara';
gleaning shows a reduction in state & poverty
- Ruth's bravery, faith & obedience
helps her to find favour with Boaz
- Naomi's instructions bring them into Boaz's care:
NLT footnotes - 3:4
"Naomi's advice seems strange, but she was not suggesting a
seductive act. In reality, Naomi was telling Ruth to act in
accordance with Israelite custom & law. It was common for
a servant to lie at his master's feet .. by observing this custom,
Ruth would inform Boaz he could be her family redeemer."
Naomi's transformation (4:14)
◘ baby Obed - Jesse - David
. . . . . . . . .
...
◘ MARTHA
Trust & doubt
~ Daily Service
. . . . . . . . .
Believing in God's character: HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS
Believing in God's promises: HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS
Hebrews 11 & Hebrews 10:23 - "let us hold tightly to the hope"
References:
Ten Women in the Bible Who Struggled To Trust God's Plan ~ Kristine Brown
* Lot's wife (disobeys command / dwells on the past - Gen 19:26)
* Job's wife (state of helplessness, fear, anger, injustice) vs. Job himself (2:3)
Ten Amazing Women in the Bible Who Exceeded Expectations ~ Kate Edwards
22 Fearless Women in the Bible ~ beliefnet.com