The Book of Hebrews – Heb 11:30-31 “Through Faith we Understand that the Worlds were Framed by the Word of God” – Part 7
Heb 11:30-31 “Through Faith we Understand that the Worlds were Framed by the Word of God” – Part 7
[Study Aired March 25, 2021]
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
It is through faith that “we understand the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb 11:3). We appear to a world that does not know us just as it did not know Christ (1Jn 3:1). God has given us the confidence through Christ (Heb 10:35-37, Php 1:6) to keep fighting a good fight of faith, as we labor in the Word in a world of unbelief, as living witnesses to the fact that “things which are seen” in our personal lives “were not made of things which do appear” but rather were made by the invisible God who, by faith we are granted to continue to endure, seeing (Heb 11:27), as He frames our heavens with his Word it is sanctifying us so that spiritual fruit can be formed through His workmanship which we are (1Ti 6:12, Joh 6:27, Php 4:13, Php 4:19-20, Heb 11:7).
Christ did not say you shall know them by their denomination or by the specific church they attend, but rather a tree is known by its fruits, and that by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love to one another (Joh 13:35). These are the fruits (Luk 6:44) of the invisible God that we see being born in the body of Christ through obedience (Act 5:32, Joh 14:15).
These two verses we are examining now (Heb 11:30-31) focus on specific signs that God gave His people in order to teach us how we are going to obtain a better resurrection by being hidden in Christ as we are judged in this life (1Pe 4:17). It is by being hidden in Christ and through judgment that Christ will “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14-15). Deliverance happens by grace through faith that, if given is certain to accomplish what our Father has ordained it to do by bringing us into subjection to our hope of glory within us as we die daily (Eph 2:8, Mat 10:19-22, Php 2:12-13, Luk 12:32, Rom 8:20, Col 1:27, Eph 5:21-26).
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
If we are God’s living sacrifice (Gal 2:20) that has been bound to the altar, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God, and in this study we will look at two very important signs, the first being the meaning of the story of the battle of Jericho, as well as Rahab who hid the spies. These stories point to the one sign Christ gave to an unbelieving generation which we once were, but who are now hidden in the church, typified by the great fish that swallowed up Jonas and took him where our sovereign God had already purposed according to the counsel of His own will. That experience for Jonas was a type of judgment upon the church just as the battle of Jericho is. Rahab hiding the spies is symbolic of our being hidden in Christ in the earth like Jonas, who typifies Christ being in the midst of the church where again judgment takes place (1Pe 4:17) and the gates of hell cannot prevail against His body (Mat 12:39-40, Col 3:3, Jon 1:17, Rev 19:7).
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Jon 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
In this story of Jericho’s walls falling down, the parallel is being clearly drawn for us how Christ’s spirit in us (Rom 8:9) is the only way we can overcome the spiritual blindness inherent within all flesh which cannot inherit the kingdom of God and must be put off or ‘fall down flat’ like the walls of Jericho (Jos 6:20, Joh 9:40-41).
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth [Pro 16:18].Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Jos 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
It is when Christ was coming out of Jericho with his disciples that a blind man by the name of Bartimaeus cried out to him asking for mercy which God gave this man and Christ acknowledged by saying, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Mar 10:46-52)
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind BartimaeusG924 [Of Chaldee origin (H1247) and (H2931); son of Timaeus (or the unclean)], the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
Mar 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Mar 10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
Mar 10:50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
What blinds us from being able to say that we can’t see (Joh 9:40-41) is found in the very definition of the word JerichoG2410, but if we are judged by God in this life, He takes away that blindness caused by operating by the light of the moonH3405 rather than by the light of Christ. The moon is symbolic of our own righteousness as opposed to His, and it is only when we are given to acknowledge our blindness, by God’s goodness that leads us unto repentance (Rom 2:4), that we can then cast away our filthy garments as Bartimaeus did, rather than remain with the seven women who take hold of one man (Isa 4:1) without “follow[ing] Jesus in the way” as this man did (Mar 10:50, Mar 10:52) by the grace and faith that was given to him of God (Php 3:9).
JerichoG2410
Thayer Definition: Jericho = place of fragrance
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: of Hebrew origin H3405JerichoH3405
BDB Definition: Jericho = “its moon”
Strong’s: Perhaps from H3394 [yârêach=the moon]; its month; or else from H7306[rûach = smell]; fragrant;
…The ‘smell’ of the ‘moon’ (Exo 30:35-38)
Exo 30:35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
Exo 30:36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, [Jas 5:16, Psa 141:2] and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
Exo 30:37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: [Php 3:9] it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
Exo 30:38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smellH7306 thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
It takes the walls of our heavens being compassed about for seven days [a complete process] which is typical of the judgment we must endure through in this life of much tribulation (Act 14:22) in order to enter into the temple of God where that blindness is taken away through the seals the trumpets and the vials that are poured out upon us (Jos 6:2-5, Rev 15:4-8, Rev 16:1, Rev 16:17) so we can then worship God in spirit and in truth through spiritual eyes that now see (Joh 4:24, Joh 9:25).
Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Jos 6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
Jos 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days [Luk 5:5, Gen 32:24, Eph 1:11].
Jos 6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets [Joh 21:6, Luk 5:10].[“The ram’s horn is a symbol of the power of the beast that is cut off from the animal and becomes an alarm for battle that is announced through the complete ministry of Christ [“seven priests”] via God’s holy spirit which is symbolized by that witness of blowing air through the rams horn.”]
Jos 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him [symbolism of this event found in (Rev 11:11-13)].
Rev 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Rev 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
Rev 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
Rev 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.Rev 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
We would perish along with those that “believed not” (Joh 6:28-29) if God did not grant us the faith by which we can gain victory over “the king thereof and the mighty men of valour” (Jos 6:2) within us, to be saved alive “to dwell in Israel unto this day” as Rahab did (Jos 6:25). Rahab who “received the spies with peace” is typical of our witness in this world where “by works is faith made perfect” by God’s spirit (Jas 2:21-26). The physical work of “the armed men” compassing the city seven days (Jos 6:6-21) is typical of the seven angels pouring out “the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth”, the earth representing the marred vessel God made to be destroyed and made anew (Rev 16:1, Jer 18:4).
Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent [Rahab’s declaration of faith in type: (Jos 2:11)]Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his [Abraham’s] works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The faith that God gives us overcomes the harlotry of our heart and produces the good fruit of peace that passes all earthly understanding (Php 4:7-9). We are hidden in Christ and protect and hide each other in the Lord by receiving one another in Him (Rom 15:5-7, Eph 1:6-9). It took faith for Rahab to receive the spies with peace (Jos 2:11), and we are called to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”(Heb 12:14). Hebrews 12:15-29 then expresses the dire consequence of not pursuing peace with all men, produced by labouring in the word of God and thinking on those things that will in time manifest victory in our heavens as we come to believe and be persuaded of the overwhelming evidence in God’s word that tells us we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Rom 8:37, Rom 5:10).
Jos 2:11 And as soon as we [“all the inhabitants of the land” – Jericho] had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Psa 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
[…and this is the bread that strengthens man’s heart:]
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself [Eph 3:10]:
It is through faith that we will understand the worlds within us were framed by the word of God, and these two verses we’ve looked at (Heb 11:30-31) demonstrate how the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. The events and details of those stories appear before us very plainly, but they have a hidden back-story that is found through the faith of Christ, that when understood, the stories become profitable to us in ways that they could have never been, giving us a confidence of the workmanship that we are in Christ, portrayed for us in these living parables that unfolded as prophesy for us today (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12).
The end of our world within, which consists of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1Jn 2:16), is coming to an end through the faith of Christ (Heb 12:2) that comes by hearing the word of God with eyes that see and ears that hear (Rom 10:17, Mat 13:16). That faith is represented by the scarlet cord Rahab hung out of her window that only those who were privy to understand its meaning would then know where to go to be hidden as the spies were (Jos 2:1-6, Jos 2:1-6, Mat 22:14).
Jos 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Jos 2:2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
Jos 2:3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.Jos 2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:Jos 2:5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.Jos 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.Jos 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.Jos 2:19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.Jos 2:20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.Jos 2:21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. [1Jn 4:6] And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.Jos 6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.Jos 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.We are hidden in Christ (Col 3:3) and it is through “the communion of the blood of Christ” (1Co 10:16) symbolized by the symbolic scarlet cord that is weaved throughout many stories in God’s word (Exo 26:31, Gen 38:28, Jos 2:18) that remind us that Christ’s body [the temple of God (1Co3:16)] which is one body, has many members and that we will overcome and come out of her my people together ([come out of Babylon, the harlot churches within represented by the harlotry of Rahab’s life’ (Rev 18:2-4, Jos 2:21, Gen 38:30)].Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?Jos 2:21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound (Heb 13:10, Psa 118:27, Psa 22:6, 1Co 1:26, 2Co 12:9, Joh 12:24, Rom 6:3-4, Isa 1:18, Isa 14:11) the scarlet lineH8615 in the window.Psa 22:6 But I am a wormH8438 [scarlet], and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarletH8144, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.lineH8615BDB Definition:1) cord
2) hope, expectation
2a) hope
2b) ground of hope
2c) things hoped for, outcomeTotal KJV Occurrences: 34hope, 23 Rth_1:12, Job_4:6, Job_5:16, Job_7:6, Job_8:13, Job_11:18, Job_11:20, Job_14:7, Job_14:19, Job_17:15 (2), Job_19:10, Job_27:8, Psa_71:5, Pro_19:18, Pro_26:12, Pro_29:20, Jer_31:17, Lam_3:29, Eze_19:5, Eze_37:11, Hos_2:15, Zec_9:12expectation, 7 Psa_9:18, Psa_62:5, Pro_10:28, Pro_11:7, Pro_11:23, Pro_23:18, Pro_24:14line, 2 Jos_2:18, Jos_2:21expected, 1 Jer_29:11long, 1Job_6:8The natural representation of our salvation is (1Co 15:46) symbolized by the story of the birth of Tamar’s twins Zarah and Pharez. Tying that little scarlet cord around Zarah was a prophecy that all men will be saved each man in his order by the spiritual One who would come afterwards, symbolized by the line of Pharez of whom Christ was descended, the second Adam (1Co 15:45, Oba 1:21).Gen 38:30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called ZarahH2226 [“rising” – a son of Reuel and grandson of Esau, one of the dukes of the Edomites (Eph 2:6)].Next week, Lord willing, we will conclude this chapter of Hebrews as we look at the last nine verses that should deeply encourage us to see the lengths God will go through to finish this work of faith within our heavens giving us all these incredible examples of those who obtained a good report through these faith filled actions but “received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.