Good morning, everyone. Beautiful fall day today. Been sun shining for a while, so that makes me nervous, but it's good. Yeah, it's good.

So we're looking at kind of a contrast in our text today, really two sides to what the Christian life can be, which I think is instructive. We've been singing about perseverance and trusting the Lord, and that's really kind of the take-home message today, as we look at some who conquered and did these mighty works and how God worked through them by faith, and at the same time we see so many who were persecuted and who struggled and were poor and naked and hungry, as Paul says, and yet they are heroes of the faith as well.

We've been studying this 11th chapter of Hebrews, this great chapter of faith, for several weeks now, and today we're gonna finish our study in verses 30 to 40. I really feel bad about not doing justice to some of these names we're gonna skip over, but the author said he didn't have time to go through it, so I figured I didn't have time either, so we're gonna finish it up in 30 to 40.

It's important that we set these words in their context and intent, and you'll remember that the author is writing to encourage the Hebrews who had believed Jesus, who had gone on to perfection through faith in Christ, and he's also writing to warn those who had not believed and encourage them to go on to faith, to leave the old behind and to go on to the new covenant in Christ through his blood through faith in Jesus. 

This chapter is strategically placed in the book of Hebrews to ensure that these Jewish people understood that the idea of righteousness by faith was not something new. It was not that God had changed things up on them concerning justification and salvation, but the fact is that from the very beginning with Abel and all the way through Moses and the giving of the law covenant and up to the time of Christ and forward from there, God's means of salvation has always been by faith in the sufficient sacrifice that he would provide. 

His plan has always been the imputation of his righteousness to the man who believes. Now in Christ, in the new covenant, we don't see an aberration, something contrary to God's historical salvation plan, but rather we see fulfillment, completion of all that was pictured in that Old Testament, the old covenant, the law covenant, and throughout the history of Israel.

What we see is completion and the fulfillment of God's eternal plan to bring men to faith in Christ for salvation. What we see is a better covenant built on better promises with the same message of justification by faith that has always been the means of God from Abel to Abraham to Moses to the time of the writing of this epistle and even to now. 

Justification, salvation, has always been by faith and this is the message the author wants to convey to these readers to encourage and to spur them on to continue to hold fast to Christ and the promises of God by faith. 

What we see in our text this morning is more examples, more heroes of the faith, men and women who believed God, who trusted what he said and staked their lives temporal and eternal on his Word, regardless of what the wisdom of the world was or the seeming impossibility of the promise in light of human reason. Paul wrote these words in 1st Corinthians 1, he said, the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame things which are mighty and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are. 

And here's the purpose here's why God does it this way: that no flesh should glory in his presence. We see no greater example of this truth than in the examples given in our text this morning, especially the first one concerning Joshua and the battle of Jericho. But this continues through all the amazing historical accounts of the faithful saints who chose to trust God, to believe him and obey him because of their faith.

And my brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the very thing he is appealing to these Hebrews and to us to do today and every day as we live this life in this world with all its victories and struggles, all its trials and tribulations and even persecutions by faith. That's the message, we live each day by faith.

Let's look at our text in Hebrews 11:30. Hebrews 11:30, by faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace. 

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and also of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 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. 

Women received their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes and of chains and imprisonment. 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, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. 

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

I've given you three points on your outline. First, we're gonna look at power in faith. Second, perseverance in faith. And third, promise in faith. We're gonna spend some time in Joshua this morning. I've chosen to focus on that example that the author gives here this morning, the amazing example of Joshua's battle at Jericho after crossing the Jordan. 

So you want to stay in Joshua for a while. In the first part of our text, we see power in faith, those amazing events where God demonstrated his power through the faithful lives of those who believed. And the first one of those is the account of Joshua in Jericho. 

Let's look at Joshua 1:1. I always find it fascinating in the book of Hebrews that we are largely unfamiliar with the details of the Old Testament accounts and the kind of the premise, the illustrations that the author uses to make the points. We're very clear about the points he's trying to make, about Jesus being better and Jesus being sufficient, but we have to go back and really study the illustration to understand how it illustrates the point that we already know. So it's kind of backwards for us than what it was from the people who were reading this letter at the time. 

So I want to spend some time in Joshua. Chapter 1, verse 1, it says, "...after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, the children of Israel. 

Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you, nor forsake you. Be strong and be of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

Well, these words fascinate me because Joshua would need courage. He would need faith. He would assume the leadership of Israel. He would lead them into the promised land. He would lead the battles against the mighty, seemingly insurmountable enemies of Israel, the occupiers of the land. The reports of the spies would be against him and his commission. We are like grasshoppers in the face of giants, they would tell the people. There would be dissenters, faithless ones. He would need courage. He would need faith, trusting God and His Word if he were to see the power of God and the promises of God worked out in his life.

And the first great test would be this mighty city on the other side of the Jordan, the fortified impenetrable city of Jericho. 

Now in the midst of this story, we see a very interesting character, a harlot named Rahab, and we see her in Joshua 2. Let's read a little bit in Joshua 2. It says, Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly saying, Go view the land, especially Jericho. So they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there. 

And it was told the king of Jericho saying, Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country. So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab saying, Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country. 

Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And it happened as the gate was being shut when it was dark that the men went out. Where the men went, I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof. 

Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are faint-hearted because of you. 

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 

And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted. Neither did the men remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God, in heaven above and on earth beneath. 

Now therefore I beg you, swear to me by the Lord since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house and give me a true token. And spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 

So the men answered her, our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be when the Lord has given us the land that we will deal kindly and truly with you. 

Well, here we see the amazing faith of Rahab the harlot, who believed God, who knew that He is the true God and that He would keep His promises to Israel concerning the land. And so she hid the spies and God spared her and her family when Jericho fell. 

In Joshua chapter 3, we see the crossing of the Jordan, this great monumental event in the history of Israel. And the Lord stopped the waters of the Jordan and He allowed the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant and all Israel to cross the Jordan on dry land and they passed into the Promised Land and they came face to face with Jericho. 

Let's look at Joshua chapter 6 now. We follow this story. Joshua chapter 6 at verse 1. Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel. None went out and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, see I have given Jericho into your hand, its king and the mighty men of valor. 

That's an amazing statement, God. They come across and it's shut up tight, fortified, 30-foot thick walls, the men of war inside and God says, see I've given them into your hand. Well, this is a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. They've wandered in the desert 40 years until all the men of war who came out of Egypt died in the wilderness not receiving the promise according to Joshua 5. 

And now God has brought Israel across the Jordan into the Promised Land. He's removed the reproach of Egypt and is ready to deliver the land to them and to remove the enemies of Israel starting with the great city of Jericho. So at this point we need a battle plan. We need to come together, figure out how we're going to take this city, get a battle plan. 

And that's what we see in Joshua 6:3. The Lord says, you shall march around the city, all you men of war. You shall go all around the city once, and this you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 

It shall come to pass when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout. Then the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him. 

Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the Lord. And he said to the people, proceed and march around the city and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord. 

So it was when Joshua had spoken to the people that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of the ram's horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 

Now Joshua had commanded the people saying, you shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth until the day I say to you, shout. Then you shall shout. 

So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city going around at once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. And Joshua rose early in the morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. 

And the armed men went before them, but the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. And so they did six days.

Now you have to wonder what they're thinking in Jericho, because this is quite an unconventional battle plan. They're just marching around the city, blowing the trumpet, carrying the ark, and then back to the camp for the night. Six days they did this. 

Now we come to the seventh day, verse 15. But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early about the dawning of the day and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. And that day only they marched around the city seven times. And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people, shout for the Lord has given you the city. 

Do you see the faith here? It's amazing that they obeyed, but it's amazing that after six days in the seventh day and they're just marching around the city and then Joshua confidently says, shout because he's given you the city. I think if that was today, maybe that was us, we'd kind of be like, hey, you know? 

Verse 17, now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction. And all who are in it, only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house because she hid the messengers that we sent. 

And you by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. But all the silver and gold and vessels of bronze and iron are consecrated to the Lord, they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. 

So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets and it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him and they took the city. 

His ways are not our ways. Second Corinthians 10, Paul says, though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments. And every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 

I love the obedience of faith that we see here in Joshua in Israel. They had no real army or weapons or plan of war according to the ways of men. They were facing the great fortified city and the army of Jericho and all they had was faith in God and his promise, his power. 

Archeological evidence abounds concerning the city of Jericho and its very long history. Evidence even dates to the fall of the walls around 1400 BC, according to scientists. The article I read on the history and archeology concerning Jericho says that the great walls, 30 feet wide surrounding the city, actually two sets of walls, fell when there was a great earthquake. 

And they add that the story of Joshua and Jericho in the Bible is an allegory. It's interesting how willing man is to reject the truth of God's word and the evidence that proves him true over and over how powerful unbelief can be. But it is confirmed how the walls fell. And we see in the biblical record here that it was by faith that the walls fell, by the hand of God in response to the faith of the Israelites who used a most unconventional battle plan to win the battle of Jericho. 

In Joshua 5, we see that the commander of the Lord's armies meets with Joshua, showing him that he will lead the battle. In verse 13, it says, it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, are you for us? Are you for the adversaries? 

So he said, no, but as commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, what does my Lord say to his servant? And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take your sandal off your foot for the place where you stand is holy. And Joshua did so. 

Joshua and the Israelites did not win the battle of Jericho and take down the walls. It was God's power through faith that accomplished this great victory. It was the Lord who fought, who won the battle. And those great walls, those great warriors were like a house of cards before the Lord. His power is shown through the faithful lives of men and women who trust in him. 

And my friends, that is the same truth we live out today in our world, in our time. Why does God do things the way he does? Why does it seem so contrary to our thinking and our wisdom and the wisdom of the world so often? Paul answers that question so that no flesh should glory in his sight. 

My friends, those pagans in Canaan did not fear this ragtag band of Hebrews. They feared the Lord God. Their hearts melted before Israel because they knew that God was with them. And that is the symbol of the Ark of the Covenant going before them. 

It was God who accomplished these great things by his power, but he only does this through those who believe, who trust by faith and depend on him. So we see the power of faith in Rahab and in Joshua and Jericho and of those who conquered in faith in those following verses in Hebrews 11. 

Daniel, who stopped the mouths of lions. What a tremendous story that is of trust. The Lord sent his angel to close the mouths. We see power in faith. 

Next, we see perseverance of faith in the lives of so many saints throughout history. Look at verse 35 in our text. It says, others were tortured. Notice this next phrase, not accepting deliverance. They could have accepted deliverance. They could have denied the faith and been delivered. 

Not accepting deliverance in order that they might obtain a better resurrection. They were willing to die. They were willing to be tortured, to be sawn in two because they looked for a better resurrection. Verse 36, still others had trial of mockings and scourging, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, were slain with the sword. 

They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves on the earth and all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. 

Well, here's where the prosperity gospel falls apart, my friends. It's not all about conquering kingdoms because so many, so many of the Lord's people have suffered so much. We like to read those first five verses of the text. They conquered kingdoms, they raised the dead, they won all kinds of victories, these great saints of faith. 

But there's also the tremendous, perhaps the greater testimony of all those who persevered through faith, who endured unimaginable testing, trials and persecutions and it says they never received the promise. Here we see the essence of faith again because faith does not depend on prosperity or proving of God through favor in the things of this world. Faith believes God, faith trusts Him and perseveres no matter the temporal circumstances. Faith endures as seeing Him who is invisible.

So how did all these great saints persevere? How did they endure holding fast to faith, holding fast to the promise that they did not see realized in their lifetime? I would submit to you that they had a right view of God and a right view of the world. 

In 1st Corinthians 1:27 it says but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. In the base things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen in the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are. 

God has chosen the things which are despised to bring to nothing the things that are. We are the despised things of the world, my friends. Believers in Jesus Christ. He said that they will hate us because they hated him first. He's not here. They can't hate him, they can't attack him, so they attack those who are his.

Last week my wife kept complaining to me that the sink was draining, wasn't draining in our bathroom. I really don't enjoy that job. Taking apart the pipes, fishing out the hair and the soap, the clog. I kept putting it off but she kept reminding me. So I went in and pulled the trap apart and there was no clog. 

And then I saw a little hair just kind of sticking up out of the main pipe going down and I thought oh, maybe I waited too long and now it's down in there. So I just gently pulled at that hair sticking up that in a big long log of soap scum and hair and total nastiness came up out of that pipe. I even took a picture and sent it to Doug. 

This is the word that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 4. This is the view the world has of those who believe and follow Jesus, the offscouring of the earth. In 1 Corinthians 4:9, listen to what Paul says about the great apostles of Jesus Christ. He says, for I think that God has displayed us the apostles last as men condemned to death. 

For we have been made a spectacle. That word spectacle was used of prisoners of war when they would go out and defeat someone and they would have a parade, a victory parade and the king would come and they'd have in the back the prisoners of war chained. They were a spectacle, they were displayed and then they were brought into the Colosseum and were eaten by beasts. 

We have been made a spectacle to the world both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake but you are wise in Christ. He's talking to the Corinthians. We are weak but you are strong. You are distinguished but we are dishonored. 

To the present hour, we both hunger and thirst and we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless and we labor working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we entreat. He says we have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. 

The whole world lies in the sway of the wicked one. This whole system is designed against Christ and those who are his. There's nothing redeeming in this world or its system. This is what Paul was trying to tell the Corinthians who were following after the philosophies and wisdom of men who were trying to fit into the world around them. 

Faith does not do that. Faith hears God, listens and believes and obeys and that very often means that the faithful come into direct conflict with the world. That's what we see in the last half of our text. The testimony of those who stood fast in faith in the face of openly hostile world that hated God and his truth and just plain wouldn't have it. 

It was true in the apostles' day and it's true in our world and many parts of our world today. How do we persevere in such circumstances? I certainly have yet to speak from experience. We have not suffered yet unto bloodshed but so many have and so many do. 

How? How do they persevere? How do they choose as Moses did to forsake the riches in Egypt and esteem the riches of Christ so much greater? How does Isaiah submit to being sawn in two, rather than deny His faith? There's only one answer, and it's through faith in the promise. 

Through faith in the promise of God. It says they persevered through faith, and verse 35 said, they did not accept deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. That's the promise. They held fast to the promise, even unto death. This is faith. This is confident assurance in God's Word, in God's promise. 

This is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And my friends, they are witnesses to us today. And really a convicting witness for me. And I want you to see why. 

We've seen the power of faith. We see the perseverance of faith. And last, we see the promise in faith. Something better. Hebrews 11:39, and all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. 

The author here shows us that the new covenant in Christ, the fulfillment of His coming, His death, burial, and resurrection is better than the old. The saints of old look forward to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world. Jeremiah looked forward to the new covenant, as Pastor read in Hebrews 8. 

Ezekiel prophesied about regeneration, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, freedom from sin and death, freedom to obey Christ. They all looked forward to the promise, but never saw it fulfilled in their lifetime. They were tortured, and they died, and they submitted themselves to that, rather than being released from that by denying their faith because they looked to a better resurrection. 

They all looked forward to the promise and never saw it fulfilled, and yet we see the amazing works that God did through them because of their abiding faith in Him, their total trust in Him, and their focus on the fulfillment of the promise of a Deliverer. 

This is the main point of the author of Hebrews, of all that he has said. Look back at chapter 8 at verse 1, he's going to tell us that. Chapter 8 at verse 1. Now this is the main point of the things we are saying. It would be good to pay attention here, wouldn't it, to what he's saying. This is the main point of all the things that I'm saying.

We have such a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Look at verse 6, it says, "...but now He, Jesus, has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also mediator of a better covenant which was established on better promises. 

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second." And here we see the quote from Jeremiah, because finding fault with them, he says, "...behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "...when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them," says the Lord. 

"...for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days," says the Lord. "...I will put My laws in their mind, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." And that He says a new covenant, He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete is growing old and ready to vanish away.

The key message, the main point of the entire book of Hebrews is that Jesus brought something better. A better covenant built on better promises, the new covenant in His blood. Perfection could never come through the Levitical priesthood, through the animal sacrifices, but Jesus has perfected forever those who are sanctified by faith in Him. 

Ultimately the new covenant is better. And they look forward to that promise, to the better resurrection. Those saints are all in heaven, in their spirit, and yet they're awaiting the resurrection of their bodies. 

My brothers and sisters, we have so much more today in Christ. We know and understand so much more by the completed Word of God. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us permanently. And yet when I look at the lives of these saints, when I consider all that was accomplished through these saints who simply took God at His Word, and believed Him, and obeyed Him, I can't help but feel convicted. 

I feel as though I do so much less with so much more in Christ. But this brings me back to the real message of this chapter in this book. And that, my friends, is faith. Simple trust in the revealed Word of God. Believing that He is, and that He's a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

Having a confident assurance that what He has promised, He will do. As Paul says, all the promises are yes in Jesus. And this is what God wants from us, a simple abiding in Jesus one day at a time by faith. 

And my brothers and sisters, this is what these Hebrews really needed to understand and to apply in their lives. What they needed to hold fast to. Just as all those who are named here in this great chapter of faith did. From Abel to Abraham and all the way through the Old Testament, these saints of God are testimonies. They're witnesses of a life of faith. 

And now God is doing a greater work through us as we abide in Him by faith, as Jesus lives His life through us, as we go out and bring the good news message to people. He's bringing men to Christ as we abide in Him by faith. He's accomplishing His will and His purpose through our lives. He's bringing glory to Himself. 

And this work is so much greater than the walls of Jericho falling down. The message is the same, faith. Believe God. Believe what He says. Abide in Him. This is what He wants from us. And I'm so thankful because that's one thing I can do. I can trust Him. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we thank you for this great chapter of faith and all the examples, the witnesses throughout the history of Israel and the Old Testament. We thank you that you preserve this for us, that you give it to us for encouragement and assurance and we just pray that you would continue to teach us to trust you, to believe you, to obey you and know that you tell us the truth and that you do what's best for us as our Father. In Jesus' name, amen.