Notes on Readings on Hebrews 11:32-4032And 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: 33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched 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. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, 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 in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:32‑40)
In this portion the apostle gives a kind of general summary. To give details of each would take a great deal of time and space. Thus he gives us five of the Judges and one King. Of course, we get their history in the historical books.
In general the path of faith always has been and always will be a path of suffering. Faith is something that the world knows nothing about. It goes on with the things which are seen and is little troubled or little exercised about the things which are not seen. It says the future will have to take care of itself: "I have not time for the future; I have all I can do to attend to the present." That is one snare of Satan. God is now continually calling attention to the unseen things. It says, "The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." And God is speaking to men of that eternal future. But today, in a special way, all man's energy is absorbed with the present. It is a day of pressure in that way to keep abreast of the times in business, social life and in intellectual pursuits.
In the parable of the sower, the Lord gives us four kinds of ground upon which the seed falls: the wayside, stony ground, among thorns, and into good ground. Only one out of the four became fruitful. With some it is the cares of this life (that is always mentioned first) and they are many and heavy. With others it is the deceitfulness of riches; that is another thing. They are a deceitful thing. Then there is the lust of other things, springing up and choking the Word, and it becomes unfruitful. How well the blessed Lord, all those ages ago, depicted the truth as to the sowing of God's Word. God goes on sowing—speaking to man—and will till the day of grace closes.
The Lord tells us the character of the ground that receives the Word of God effectively: "In an honest and good heart"—uprightness before God—honesty before Him in the reception of His Word. That brings forth fruit, not always in the same proportion, "some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred," but where the Word of God is received in truth there is always fruit; it may be thirty, or sixty, or a hundredfold. Then there is another important thing: God is Judge of what is fruit. You and I might think such and such an one was bearing fruit an hundredfold and another one perhaps only thirty, while in God's sight that one might be bringing forth an hundredfold and the other only thirty.
What is acceptable to God is obedience to His truth. There may be often a great deal of outward energy, the flesh entering in a great deal but not submitting to the ways of God. Here is a saint bed-ridden year after year, and we are apt to think there is little opportunity for testimony or bringing fruit to God. But when the end comes, that one has borne more because there is submission to His will. I think just at this moment of one we know. We have known her now between thirty and thirty-five years ever since the affliction began with her (dreadful rheumatism). She is helpless now, but the poor dear soul seems to be submissive to God's ways with her. There is another in T. afflicted in the same way, but so far as we can see,
there is submission to the will of God. One of the poets has said, "They also serve, who only stand and wait."
Peter said to the Lord, "We have left all and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore?" The Lord tells Peter that He will not be his debtor; but he will get an hundredfold. But at the end the Lord says, though He does not mention Peter, "They that are first shall be last, and the last first." There are a number who have left more than you have, Peter, and have not said a word about it. It is not really according to grace or love to be counting what we have given up for the Lord. What He enjoys is our realization of what He gave up for us. That is fruit. That is our true pride and joy.
So you see we get all these different cases: some of weakness, some of power. "Stopped the mouths of lions"—that is Daniel. "Quenched the violence of fire"—that is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. "Women received their dead raised to life again"— that was the widow in 1 Kings 17 and the woman in 2 Kings 4.
Notice 1 Kings 17:17-2417And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 20And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. 22And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 24And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth. (1 Kings 17:17‑24). In the 18th verse she blames God's servant, but God's hand was in it for the exercise and blessing of the poor woman.
In 2 Kings 4:8-378And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. 9And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 10Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 11And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 12And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. 14And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. 15And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. 16And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. 17And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. 18And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 20And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 22And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 23And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 24Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 25So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 27And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. 30And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. 31And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 32And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. 34And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. (2 Kings 4:8‑37) is the account of the Shunammite's son. The Shunammite woman had received the child in answer to the prayer of Elisha, but he suffered a sun stroke. In the first part of the chapter we read that they had great possessions but no child. Those cases are very instructive, the Lord exercising those great servants of His, both Elisha and Elijah, bringing them into the presence of death and making them to feel their helplessness, honored servants as they were. Contrast these with the Lord Jesus raising the dead. Notice how gradually it is done both by Elijah and Elisha. In the case of the Lord Jesus, "Maid, I say unto thee, Arise." That is all, and she sat and He commanded them to give her something to eat. He was no Elijah or Elisha. So to the young man on the way to the tomb, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." The dead sat up. Lazarus was in the tomb and the Lord said, "Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth." With these honored servants of God it was very different.
You know about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and you know about Daniel in the den of lions: "My God hath sent His angel and...shut the lions' mouths." You know about the victory of Jephthah, Gideon, Barak. All these examples of faith, both in suffering and power, are brought us to encourage those still in the path of faith.
Then there is another class that endured suffering and scourging, who did not get deliverance and did not give up, "Not accepting deliverance." We rather think from the 36th verse on we have the suffering of the Macabees; you know what suffering they went through.
Then we get another remarkable word, parenthetic too, in the 38th verse: "Of whom the world was not worthy." The world did not think them worthy of it, and God did not think the world worthy of them, "Of whom the world was not worthy." That is God's estimate of these outcast and suffering ones.
Nothing in general can be more directly opposed, diametrically opposed, than the thoughts of the world and the thoughts of God. "Of whom the world was not worthy." Tliey hold on you see: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise." They died in faith. Now what was the promise? Look at Hebrews 10:3232But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; (Hebrews 10:32): "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions." Verses 9 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." What is that? The next verse tells us: "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." We get the patience and power of faith constantly and in different ways, patience in suffering, and so on.
Then we get the reason in the last verse of our chapter, and that is very remarkable. These worthies he speaks of, those of whom the world was not worthy, obtained a good report [record] by faith, but received not the promise, "God having provided [foreseen] some b-e-t-t-e-r thing for us." What is that? That is one of the incidental evidences why the apostle Paul wrote this epistle. The apostle Paul had the precious truth of the church, "that they without us should not be made perfect."
What is "perfect" there? They are gone to heaven, resting with the Lord long since, but they are not perfect. "Oh," you say, "can anything imperfect be in God's presence?" They are absent from the body and present with the Lord, but they are in what is called in another scripture in an "unclothed state," and "being made perfect" here is resurrection. When God made man, He did not make him without a body, and death is a thing that has come in by and by and separates a man from his body, strips him of his body, and there he is naked, without his body. Resurrection comes and all get perfection. Man is clothed again with his body, and clothed then, when resurrection comes, with a body that will never know death. He has a soul that will never die now; he has not yet a body that will never die. All this is developed and enlarged upon in another scripture.
"Not for that we would be unclothed," 2 Cor. 5:44For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (2 Corinthians 5:4). If death does come, it comes, and it is very blessed. It is "far better to depart and be with Christ," but it is not what we want. "Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." That is what will take place in the resurrection, clothed with immortal and incorruptible bodies, spiritual bodies.
Is that the same as the celestial body? That passage in 1 Corinthians 15:39-4439All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:39‑44) is speaking of the sun, moon, and stars: "All flesh is not the same flash: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another, There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory." What we have before us is in this 42nd verse: "So also is the resurrection of [from among] the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." We often read that at a burial. We lower the body into the grave; it is already going to decay. It is hidden in a mass of flowers and the fragrance is beautiful, but it is already going to decay. "Sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption." Here it is the body raised. "It is sown a natural body," that is, this body. "It is raised a spiritual body."
What is a "spiritual body"? "The natural body" is this body sustained by natural life. We have a life in common with the lower creatures. The life of the ox and sheep is blood, and my life is blood, too—a body sustained in this natural way. The "spiritual" body is the same body raised from the dead but sustained by a spiritual life, not natural life. We have an idea that the spiritual body is immaterial; it is just as material as this one. Indeed it is the same. "Handle Me, and see;" the Lord said, "for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have" (not flesh and blood).
What is the "sheaf of firstfruits" (Leviticus 23)? It is just a sample of what is to follow. So our chapter says, "Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at His coming."
Take that passage we so often quote to one another: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God . . . Beloved, now are we the sons [children] of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him" (1 John 3). The relationship is there, and the "now" is in contrast with "shall be." One is present; the other is future. "But we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." When they brought that sheaf, it was a type of Christ in resurrection and also of the harvest that is to follow. After the sheaf was presented, they went and gathered the harvest. That was presented nearly two thousand years ago. He has been gathering the harvest ever since.
What have we to show us that we will be known individually, that identity and personality are never lost? "Whose names are in the book of life." The apostle in speaking of the Thessalonians says, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" We will recognize those Thessalonians and those Philippians there as the fruit of his work. Then on the mount of transfiguration where Peter, James and John are with the Lord, two men appear in glory and talked with Him, which were Moses and Elias, and Peter, James and John knew who they were. Peter says, "Let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."
"Every man shall receive his own reward." Turn to 1 Corinthians 3:44For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (1 Corinthians 3:4), "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?" (vv. 6-13). "And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." It is not how much—not quantity, but quality. S-O-R-T does not spell quantity. It is all individual. Paul planted, Apollos watered. God will reward each according to his service.
What a mercy the judgment seat of Christ will be! There were Paul and Barnabas called to a special service and they were sent out by the Holy Ghost, as it says in Acts 13. A circumstance arises. They took John Mark when they first went out. He was their attendant to wait upon them. He got tired and went back. When they start out the second time, on more of a pastoral than an evangelistic tour, to see how their work was getting along, Barnabas wanted to take John along. "No," said Paul, "he went back before, got discouraged, gave up and went back to Jerusalem." Barnabas was so insistent, and Paul was so insistent; Barnabas said, "Yes," and Paul said, "No," and those two servants separated over that. At the judgment seat of Christ, don't you see, the whole thing will be reviewed in the Lord's presence, and Barnabas will see what led him was natural affection. John was his nephew. Alas! natural affection has led many a servant out of his path. But then national affection led Paul out of it, years later. He was determined to go to Jerusalem in spite of all the warnings. At last the brethren said, after they saw how determined he was, "The will of the Lord be done." If you must go, you go. He never was a free man afterwards; he was a prisoner the rest of his life. He was allowed to dwell two whole years in his own hired house. That was like being out under bond. That was because of national affection, his love for his nation. The day of Christ will reveal that.
The judgment seat of Christ is brought before us in the 49th of Genesis; look at it. Here is Jacob just about to pass away. For seventeen years we have not heard a word of him. He has been in Egypt, a retired man, not that active, bustling, never-still man. They have been years of reflection and meditation. There we get the fruit of the retirement of that busy man, that scheming man, before the end of his life. Now we hear him saying, "Gather yourselves together and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father." Then he goes over the history of the twelve. All is reviewed just as it will be at the judgment seat of Christ. Reading it over brings the judgment seat of Christ before us. The Lord will gather His people together and give to every man according to his work. And you will not be I, and I shall not be you. Every man will receive his own reward. That is so solemn. All that those sons have done is reviewed. No doubt we have in it the whole history of Israel until all ends in blessing under Joseph and Benjamin: Joseph the man of glory, rejected by his brethren, and Benjamin the man of power, son of his father's right hand, son of his mother's sorrow. Think what a moment it was for those sons of Jacob to gather themselves together before their aged father, then 147 years old. His eyes were dim. He begins with the firstborn, Reuben, but you have lost your place as firstborn, because of your conduct. Look at 1 Chronicles 5. We were very much impressed in going over it of late. "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel," ("Jacob" was his name in nature, "Israel" was his name in grace) "(for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.)" That is the first thing he has to tell his firstborn. He takes them back some thirty or forty years. Nothing is forgotten.
Nothing is forgotten. All is brought up in review and Simeon's and Levi's father's estimate is given. At the judgment seat of Christ all will be reviewed. Then we shall have such a sense of God's grace as we have never had before—the patient love that never turns aside. It not only sought us and brought us near, but held on to us in spite of our conduct; but it did not pass over our conduct as nothing. It is all reviewed.
Shall we consider Judah. Judah is the royal tribe line and there grace comes in. The 8th verse tells us the throne belongs to Judah. It did belong to Levi.
What a solemn moment that must have been when that aged father gathered those sons around him and just reviewed their whole history! 1 Corinthians 4: "Then shall every man have praise of God." God will own every little bit of good that He can.
Do we see what is meant by "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us.should not be made perfect"? All will get resurrection, but when that comes, the church of God will have its own distinctive place. Sometimes we have illustrated it in this way: In a nation that mobilizes its army, every regiment knows its own place and standing and each takes its place in that standing. There are some regiments nearer to the sovereign than others, but each knows its place. So in resurrection each company will take its own place, and we shall not take our place with the Old Testament saints, but with the New; and these saints who died before the flood, when the resurrection comes, will not take their place with those who died after the flood. Saints before the flood and after the flood, before the Lord came and after, take their own place. All have the dealings of God with them.
Look at all the children in the school yard. The bell rings and we cannot see one. Each went to his own class. So when the shout comes—resurrection—each will take his own place. "Some better thing for us" is the nearest relationship to Christ. "That they without us should not be made perfect." They have been waiting long for resurrection. They will have to wait until the church is completed. Then resurrection comes, and all will get it together, but each takes his place in his own class. "Some better thing" is very striking. It is one of the verses that indicates that the apostle Paul wrote the Hebrews. But the important thing is not who wrote it, but what he wrote. In Hebrews 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1) Christ Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. The apostle Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles.