10:17; Pr. Antiquarian & Collectible Books Jehovah Witness Watchtower, The Bible Audiobooks, Bible Books 1850-1899, Bible Antiquarian & Collectible Books, Nonfiction Books Fiction . Sin acts as weight or drag. Our prayer is that the study of community in Hebrews will help us strengthen our own communities. The good of all the ages are perhaps surveying us as we follow on; at least we may survey their glorious example and follow in their footsteps. . Those witnesses are the heroes of the faith. While Moses' life testified to the value of sacrificial faith, those he led out of Egypt testified to the terrible consequences of unbelief. These are those whose past lives of faith encourage others to live that way, too. 11. He then revealed that the similarities between us and them must also be taken to heart: (Heb. . Rom. Their life encourages us and cheers us on. Here is a list of them: Abel - Hebrews 11:4 (HCSB) By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. Faith is not unsubstantiated hope andbelief. Abel acted on faith, whilst Cain apparently acted without faith. #4 the race marked out for us. In general, the race is the same for everyone who would finish in the arms of God. The way to throw it off is to face it honestly, confess it, repent of it and run forward, leaving it behind. Alan is a preacher for the Holly Street church of Christ in Denver, CO. The phrase "Cloud of Witnesses" itself comes from Hebrews 12:1, which we will look at in just a moment. These statements are found in Hebrews 11:1-3 and 6. . You dont know what lies ahead, you dont know pitfalls that lie in wait. . 2 Corinthians 5:7 - for without faith it is impossible to please Him. Homer II. What is weighing you down? Clearly these witnesses refer to the great heroes of the faith just mentioned in . What is surrounding you and harasses you? Tap a Lookup below to generate a list oflessons. These are those who are examples of men and women of God who kept going. Only hers mattered. Cain must have acted without this, and simply done what was right in his own eyes. There is only one event in his entire life God felt important enough to allow him to testify to all future generations. This is the "great cloud of witnesses" spoken of here. Grace is not opposed to effort, only to earning. 3:10-12). Although Noah had yet to see the great rain, the flood, and the new world afterward, he certainly believed in it because God had told him. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of . The Bible speaks often of the dangers of accumulating wealth and its ability to cloud judgment. NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Enoch Enoch was so righteous that God took him up and he did not see death (Genesis 5:23-24). And the trials that . Hebrews 11:6 Examples of Faith | The Hub Throughout Scripture, we find countless stories of God's faithfulness. Hebrews 11, part of which was read for us earlier, lists a bunch of biblical examples of faithful saints, obedient people who serve as examples and witnesses of how to faithfully move toward what God has promised. Each day, as most of us live our lives, we are only spectators. Abels example was recorded for us to follow, but what about Cain? As the senior apologist at Catholic Answers, he has more than twenty years . The Example of Jesus. The saints, as the cloud of witnesses in heaven, are present in the divine services, worshiping the Holy Trinity with us. We could add Nadab and Abihu (Lev. In the midst of massive success, he chose to limit his income to minimum wage. Imagine two people who each hope one day to own a home. Have you ever just stopped long enough to really look deep into your life and identify the things that are a burden? 15), and even Solomon at the end of his life (1Kings 1-11). So we also have a race to run by faith. Yet up to this very day, , . His testimony centered on the day he and Cain brought sacrifices to God. In 1862 he was ordained in the Church of England. He was real. Abel Abel pleased God with a sacrifice that he made. This is the great cloud of witnesses spoken of here. and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. He mentions three persons, Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Bible study connects, nurtures and inspires Presbyterian Women. While each was living their life, something important occurred that God wanted us to hear about. Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, Jesus Heals the Blind Man Coloring Pages (Free Printables), 40 Important Bible Scriptures on Rebellion, 50 Biblically Accurate Facts About Angels in the Bible, 50 Most Profitable Youth Group Fundraising Ideas for Your Church, 250 Ice Breaker Questions for Teen Youth Groups, 25 Important Examples of Pride in the Bible, Why Jesus Wept and 11 Lessons from His Tears, 25 Different Ways to Worship God and Praise the Lord. (Jn. Your health? Thus, every person whose life is recorded in the Bible, no matter how long or short the account, has been placed there because they have something important to testify about. is everyone God recorded in the Bible in a favorable way. Published annually in a variety of formats, the. The Hebrew writer allows no way that a person can please God except by faith (Hebrews 11:6). As well as where we came from, we need to know where are we going. The cloud of witnesses in chapter 12 includes people just like chapter 11 describes - people who pleased God by choosing faith, and relying on God's help to live out that faith well. Anyone so minded must believe that every visible thing originated from other visiblethings. They had their faults as all of us do but are numbered as faithful to God. An early Contemporary Christian musician, his songs fed my angsty teenage soul. The Christian is one who knows her need for God to save her, and then, accepting that free gift seeks to live unto God with perseverance. You only dream of what the finish line looks like. Noah was not a crazy prophet. We see the glories of their triumphs, the factors that brought them victory, and the obstacles that they overcame to win (Hebrews 11). If you've read my book Letters from Ruby you know the impact she had on my life, but here's the snapshot. Every Hero in chapter 11 had a very different race set before them. From the ancient world to Sodom and Gomorrah (2Pet. We live by faith and not by sight. It consists of thirteen chapters, all of which are packed with theology, metaphor, comparisons, and spirituality. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.". Cains life was recorded as a testimony to avoid , . While Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice because he , , Cains works were evil because his sacrifice and worship was not by faith. Studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses convinced her that there is a creator with a meaningful purpose for the earth. Salvation is not unique, but our individual path to the Day of Judgement, where we stand alone in Christ, is. 2:5-9), the wicked kings, the casting off of Israel, or Jeremiahs inability to find one righteous man to save Jerusalem, Scriptures are full of the terrible consequences of rebellion. The entire heaven is focusing on you. If I may interject a prayerfully studied thought about the "so great cloud of witnesses" of Hebrews 12:1, for your (and others) consideration, in the light of its immediate context? He is also the author of the notes and appendixes of The Companion Bible and the author of numerous works including Commentary on Revelation, Great Cloud of Witnesses, How to Enjoy the Bible, and Number in Scripture. 16:26 calls that, The obedience of faith. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson. 5:5-7). This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. God validated their testimony by placing them in Scripture. FALSE Witnesses Examples of Christian ministers Witnesses Acts 1:8 Verse Concepts but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 5:32 Verse Concepts You have a race set before you, and all you see now is the exact spot you occupy right now. Our faith and assurance ofHeaven has great substance in the solid promises ofGod. You will recall too, that God made his testimony under oath (Hebrews 6:16-19). Noah Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), and he and his family escaped the flood that destroyed theworld. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. Lay them aside!!! God has made promises and given us his word on them. A Cloud of Witnesses. Therefore Abel could be confident that he was doing what was right and pleasing to God, and his offering would be respected and rewarded. Return to: If you were to ask any of them they would all agree to the truth in Hebrews 12:1. Noah had commandments from God, and he faithfully kept them all (Genesis 6:22). The community for which the letter was written interacts, in a sense, with all the communities of which you are a part, because you bring those groups with you wherever you gothey have helped to form you into the person you are. 11:24-26). The cloud of witnesses is preaching the truth of Gods word and the advantage of obedience to it. The Letter to the Hebrews is a significant book of the Bible, and is also significantly different from every other book in the Bible. Thus, the account of Abel revealed the witness of Abels faith, but also recorded the testimony of Cains failure. It is a strong warning to wealthy people that it can lead to greed, ambition, and pride, which can, in turn, become stumbling blocks preventing them from receiving God's grace. The cloud of witnesses mentioned in Heb. This verse says that we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Enjoys hiking and drawing . If this person begins to share what they've seen, we call this "bearing witness." It's a simple word, but being a witness carries a lot of responsibility! Cloud of Witnesses bible verse. 2022 Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Inc. Birthday or Thank Offering Grant Criteria, Nube de testigos (Cloud of Witnesses - Spanish edition) Downloadable PDF. We have examples of real people of faith in the Bible. We also find stories of people who remained faithful to Him. Our prayer is that the study of community in Hebrews will help us strengthen our own communities. . Thus, this verse carries the following idea: "Wherefore seeing we have lying all around us on every side." or "Wherefore seeing these biblical examples who are piled up and lying all around us." But to make this point even stronger, the Holy Spirit uses the word "clouds. Hebrews 12:5 God treats us as his sons and daughters. Their witness to the reader is the example of their faith lived out in their obedience, and this is to give us an example to follow and encouragement to obey God in our own lives as proof of our own belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ. . An event occurred in their life, that God gave them the opportunity to become a witness to all future generations to help and bless with wisdom all who desire to serve and glorify God. The Old Testament is valuable to Christians because of the true stories ofGodly men and women who are encouraging examples of faith. The Cloud of Witnesses D. Young Hebrews 12:1 Why seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight I. Ask questions, share your PW stories and stay up to date with all things PW! Every time we read Exodus through Deuteronomy, their lives testify to the danger we all face. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Those who have faith do not have such problems. Astoundingly, the author of Hebrews has made the strong case that all the heroes of Old Testament faith were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, though they had not directly heard of him or understood this (Heb 11). This verse says that we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Providing straight-forward Scripture-based answers to your questions on the Bible since 1998 Generally when we think of witnesses, we think of a trial with those called to testify, either for the defense or prosecution to verify or refute a charge against a criminal. Suggestions for Leaders bySung Hee Chang. by Janice MacLean. A Cloud of Witnesses The Hebrew writer now goes on to mention many more examples which he calls "a great cloud ofwitnesses". The cloud of witnesses are examples to us of those who have run the race and won. Their witness to the reader is the example of their faith lived out in their obedience, and this is to give us an example to follow and encouragement to obey God in our own lives as proof of our own belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ. Faith is the Substance of Things Hoped For. Full trust and confidence in God, a complete rejection of their own wisdom, and exact compliance with Gods commands led them to success. #3 And let us run with perseverance To persevere we must see the long game of our faith and sanctification. 2. The Witnesses Chapter 11 lists a procession of Biblical saints from bygone days, who exemplified "faith", as defined in Hebrews 11:1. The community in which you study and worship, your family and friends, social and therapy groups . Fear nothing fear no one. There is. 11). Your ambition? If nothing unusual occurs, there is nothing to talk about and no need to testify. What we do know is that he walked closely and faithfully with God. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. But clearly that is not its meaning as God used it above. Gods promise is his testimony. Now that she is part of the great cloud of witnesses, I thank God for the example of her endurance in the faith. www.simplybible.com Copyright Ron Graham 2001, "is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him". [1 Thes.5:22] Every sin, even the ones that appear that way to others. Great Stimulus The witness of men and women of faith can be a great stimulus to our own trust, and these women and men who trusted God demonstrate what faith is all about. 1 therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run But this cloud of witnesses covers more than forty centuries. So he could believe that he was pleasing God and would be rewarded, even though he had not yet seen heaven. Sign up for emails so youll be in the know about PWs programs, resources and impact on the world! Taken together, they expound on how faith is, . They also expand our understanding that . They all have one thing in common, they believed God and obeyed Him. A careful examination of their worship when compared to Jesus words about worship today reveals the value of Abels testimony and the importance of our heeding it. NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Faith is said to include the belief that God "is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . (Heb. This is illustrated by the first three witnesses. Hebrews 12:1 - 2. But God has a unique plan for each of us, and we can trust him that it will include everything that is needed for us to make it well, becoming what we are to become in Christ. Accept Christ as Savior and let Him . Blogging through the bible, one verse from every book. Hebrews 12:1. The apostles, Peter, John, Andrew . He moved out to the Southwest, lived in a trailer, and taught music to kids on a Native American reservation. 12:1 is referring to the many faithful people mentioned in Heb. Hebrews 12:1-2. Since . They understand that their origins can therefore be traced back to the word ofGod. The lesson is that we also should exemplify such faith, and be "commended" for it in the same way. Birds gather together in clouds. He has preached in various other locations in his +35 year career. Each record of their testimony gives us one more witness that in some way or another testifies that doing things exactly Gods way always brings success and reward. Genesis 9:14 chapter context similar meaning copy save And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: First, God revealed exactly what we should understand about why God punished them: . A Great Cloud of Witnesses. It entangles and halts progress. 4:23-24). Circumspectly watchful and discreet, cautious, prudent, well considered, that takes patience. In Hebrews 12:1, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing: The so great a cloud of witnesses is here with us, surrounding us, looking upon us and interceding for us. all are part of you. We not only have the examples found in the Bible but we have men and women in our lives today that believe God and obey Him. Are these burdens necessary? Faith is not belief without evidence to support it. Abels sacrifice was more excellent because he , Cains sacrifice was an example of evil works because while being , . (1Cor 10:1-11). Faith understands where we came from. Their obedience to God was counted as righteousness in Christ, along with Abraham (Ro 4:3). Our attention is called, not merely to a cloud, but to so great a cloud. These statements are found in Hebrews 11:1-3 and 6. . We will be wise to heed them. If we do not throw it off, how are we to run the race marked out for us with perseverance?. Indeed, the important thing about that faith is that "this is what the ancients were commended for" (Hebrews 11:2). Your Job? Hebrews 12: 1-2 Therefore, we too, having around our great cloud of witnesses, let us shed all weight and the sin that beset us, and patiently run the race that lies ahead, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, which for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the reproach, and sat down at the right hand of the throne . Since it includes all visible things, there is no visible thing outside it from which it could originate. Worse still of course is the problem that no person can see all visible things. His brother Cain also made a sacrifice but did not please God (Genesis 4:1-7). Second, my friend and mentor Ruby Browning, who died back in 2012. Now, in this present lesson (and continued in the next), the Hebrew writer helps us to focus on the quality of the faith authored and perfected by Christ. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. We will explore nine major themes, relate those themes to other parts of our faith tradition, and tie them together with the overarching motif of community. Each feels sure of owning a home in future, but their hope and belief differs insubstance. He was raw. 39 and all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since god had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Our next lesson continues in Hebrews chapter 11, which reminds us of the faith of Abraham and other courageous Old Testament believers. Nobody can have a valid assurance that God is pleased with them, unless they can show that their belief is substantiated by Gods word. Your debt? Imagine someone says, "Seeing is believing" and refuses to believe in anything that is not visible (or otherwise physically perceptible). So how does one believe in a universe of visible things most of which one has never observed? The "cloud of witnesses" are those spoken of in the preceeding chapter and verses, men of the past, the Pratriarchs and others, who believed God and waited patiently themselves, relying on the promises of God. The race marked out for us is the unique call on our lives to walk the path that God has planned for us. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. We are to be inspired by the godly examples these saints set during their lives. The application should be obvious, but God made it much clearer. That the cloud is referred to as "great" indicates that millions of believers have gone before us, each bearing witness to the life of faith we now live. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson. Paul makes reference in chapter 12 to a cloud of witnesses that are in chapter 11. [Prov.14:9] while some of us try to mock sin! Rom. It consists of thirteen chapters, all of which are packed with theology, metaphor, comparisons, and spirituality. KJV Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. #2 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 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