Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Monday after the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-40 (NKJV)

11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, 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 passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to 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 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Devotion

The past week and a half we have been reading texts from Hebrews. As we read these texts it is clear that the writer knew the Old Testament. It is also clear that he did not see the Old Testament only as law. He saw it primarily as a witness to the Gospel. From the first verse he is witnessing to the fact that right from the very beginning, even from the first sin, the Holy Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—has been calling His people back to Himself.

Hebrews uses example after example to show that God’s people, the nation of Israel, refused to hear the Word of God and follow His leading. But as per His Holy Promises, the Lord kept His promises and continued to call and guide His Church on Earth toward the birth of the Savior.

So why does the writer use all the Old Testament witnesses? He does this to show that God is faithful! He does not mislead His people. God still does what He promises for His people. Luther, in his explanation of Baptism in the Small Catechism, makes it plain this also applies to God’s people today. He says, “[Baptism] works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil and gives salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.” Luther also quotes St. Paul in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

We pray: Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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