Hebrews 11:28-29 By faith [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.            Moses’ faith was also characterized by his obedience in keeping the Passover—a feast he could not have fully under...

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.            In v. 27 the author speaks of Moses as having the same bold faith as his parents who, according to v. 23 (cf. Ex. 2:1-3), had no fear of the king of Egypt when they defied his order to throw their newborn son into the Nile. Instead, they put their beautiful child into a ...

Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.Between v. 23 and v. 24 there is a time lapse of about 40 years in t...

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.After Joseph died, the Israelites continued to live in Egypt. They increased in numbers over the years until a king arose that did not know Joseph and who apparently had no regard for all that Joseph had done for Egypt. ...

Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.       Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. His story in the Bible is one of the most beloved stories, and there is nothing in the account of Joseph’s life that puts him in a bad light. As the son of Jacob’s favorite wife Ra...

Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.       The next man of faith in Hebrews 11 is Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. God established His eternal covenant with Abraham and later with Isaac. Then He established the same covenant with Jacob (Gen. 28:13-17) whom He later named Israel (Gen. 32:24-32)...

Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.On the day that Abraham took his son Isaac upon the mountain to slay him, per God’s command (Gen. 22:1-2), he learned about God’s promise to bless him and his offspring (cf. Gen. 12:1-3). Isaac represented mankind on that altar of sacrifice—man deserving to die for his sins. So when the great man of faith, his fathe...

Genesis 22:15-19 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess th...

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten. 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.       Abraham waited for 25 years to have a son after God ...

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (part 2)            The word for “so” in Greek is houtōs. It means “this is how much” or “in this way.” It can refer to the degree to which God loved the world—so much so that He gave His unique Son. Or, it can refer to the manner in which God loved the ...

John 3:6-10 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answ...

John 3:3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God… unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”The work of the Holy Spirit with regard to regeneration is a key issue in John 3, and it answers many of the questions posed about the Holy Spirit’s work. Regeneration, or being “born again,” might be defined as the sole wo...

John 3:3-5 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God...

John 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  John 2:23-25 reveals that many were coming to believe in Jesus because of the signs He was performing. Yet although these “believed” in ...

John 20:19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week...       The Sabbath day, which is every Saturday, was given by God to Israel as a unique sign that they belonged to Him (Exod. 20:8–11; 31:13–17; Neh. 9:14). No other nation had this, and Israel stood out among the nations by ceasing from their labors, both they and their animals, for the purpose of refreshment. It was not n...