I love Hebrews 11, and Romans 5, because they both teach of the hope we have through faith in Jesus Christ. Our instructor, Brother Payne, suggested we compare Hebrews 11 with Ether 12.
Even though I have Ether 12 marked regarding hope, I have somehow not connected it with Hebrews 11 and the list of faithful prophets and other personalities in the scriptures. These scriptures provide examples of almost every possible variation of the circumstances of life - examples we may peruse to increase our own faith.
Faith is often compared to a "little seed" that will grow if planted, and nurtured.
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| When I plant a tomato seed, I hope to harvest tomatoes. To me a seedling is the ultimate symbol of hope. It must be taken care of and given continual attention to produce a harvest. |
This week I get to answer several questions about faith in Jesus Christ.
I have faith that he is the prophesied Only Begotten Son of God.
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| Why sink or swim if I can, through faith, walk on water? |
I have faith that he is my Savior and Redeemer.
1. In Hebrews 11, Paul recounted the faith of many ancient men and women. Read Hebrews 11 and fill in the chart below listing eight other people and how each person demonstrated his or her faith and what blessings the Lord gave each of them.
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| A Bible illustration depicting Cain and Abel offering up their sacrifices. |
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| Enoch and His People Are Taken Up to God (City of Zion Translated) by Del Parson |
Name
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Verse
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How They
Demonstrated Faith
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Blessings
They Received
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Abel
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4
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Offered a “more excellent
sacrifice”
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A witness from God that he was
righteous
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Enoch
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5-6
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“Was translated that he should not see death; and was
not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had
this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
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Enoch did not die.
God translated him
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Noah
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7
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“Prepared an ark to the saving
of his house;
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Saved his family and God’s
creatures from the flood.
“By the which he . . . became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
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| Building the Ark (Noah’s Preaching Scorned), by Harry Anderson |
Abraham
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8-9, 17
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“Obeyed; and he went out,
not knowing whither he went. By
faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,” and also
by faith “offered up Isaac.”
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He had posterity, received
the promise of “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God”
(verse 10), and gained an eternal inheritance.
“These are they who are come
unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God” (Doctrine
and Covenants 76:66).
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Sara
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11
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“Received strength to
conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because
she judged him faithful who had promised”
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She had a son, and then
through him, from her and Abraham’s faith, came the Savior and all the
blessings of priesthood, covenants and ordinances.
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Isaac
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20
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“Blessed
Jacob and Esau concerning things to come”
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Was an heir of the
promises of eternal increase with his father, Abraham, and son Jacob.
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Jacob
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21
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“Blessed both the sons of
Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff” (when he was
dying).
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Isaac blessed him thus: Genesis 27:28-29
“Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth,
and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to
thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee:
cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.”
And Jacob told his son Joseph
that God appeared and “blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee
fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people;
and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession”
(Genesis 48:3-4)
and claimed his two sons as part of that inheritance.
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| Abraham Taking Isaac to Be Sacrificed by Del Parson |
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| Jacob-bendice-hijos-de-Jose (Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph). |
Joseph
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22
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“When he died, made
mention [prophesied] of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave
commandment concerning his bones” [that they should be carried out of Egypt
and buried in the ‘Promised Land.’
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His father Jacob blessed him,
and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh with the same blessings, saying, “Let my
name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let
them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16).
As promised by his father that
he would come again, his bones were carried to the promised land (Joshua 24:32).
“God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover
I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren” (Genesis 48:21-22).
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Moses
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24-29
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24 “. . . Refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God . .
26 Esteem[ed] the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of 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 Through faith he kept the
passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn
should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through
the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
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Moses became the great
leader of all Israel, whose name is had in remembrance through all scripture.
From the Book of Mormon prophet Helaman we learn that Moses did not die but was translated.Regarding Alma and Moses, Helaman states in Alma 45:19 that “the saying went abroad in the church that [Alma] was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself;” |
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| Moses Parting the Red Sea by Robert Theodore Barrett |
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| The Taking of Jericho by J James Tissot |
Joshua
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30
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Because of Joshua's obedience and "By faith the walls of
Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."
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Joshua obtained the reality of the land
promised to Israel. Scriptures teach that he also gained the “promised land” spiritually.
(Joshua 24)
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Rahab
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31
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31 By faith the harlot Rahab
perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies
with peace.
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Joshua 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.
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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:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
The New Testament Student Manual provides a succinct list of references for these verses:
Daniel (see Hebrews 11:33; Daniel 6:16–22); Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (see Hebrews 11:34; Daniel 3:21–27); Enoch (see Hebrews 11:34; Moses 7:13–15); the widow of Zarephath (see Hebrews 11:35; 1 Kings 17:17–23); and Isaiah (see Hebrews 11:37; the traditional belief is that Isaiah was “sawn asunder”).
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| Daniel in the Lion's Den by Clark Kelley Price |
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| Queen Esther |
Esther
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16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
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Esther, and all her people, were saved from destruction and their enemies were stopped.
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Ruth
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16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
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Ruth had the companionship of her previous mother-in-law, and by following her counsel found a righteous husband and became an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
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| Ruth and Naomi |
Jonah
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1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly,
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
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Jonah 2:2-10 “The Lord . . . heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. . . . And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
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3. Read Hebrews 12:1–2 and write what Paul encouraged the Saints to do to show their faith.
Paul encourages saints to be keep trying and not give up just because we don’t always see immediate solutions to problems. He chides us to remember Jesus and that we can become like him.
Chapter 12
1 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 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 throne of God.
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| Adam and Eve Offering Sacrifices by Del Parson |
4. Read the institute student manual Points to Ponder sections, “Developing Faith Is Active Belief, Which Is More than Just Belief” (p. 400) and “Fully Developed Faith Is Power” (pp. 400–401). Describe in writing how faith is different than belief.
We learn and come to understand many facets of physical and spiritual life by many methods, and arrive at belief, that is an acceptance or confidence of what we have experienced. This belief becomes the basis of an understanding of how to act—what to do—because of our understanding. By using agency to choose how and when to act, our understanding of why we want to choose certain actions increases through our experience, and through the witness of the Holy Ghost. This knowledge gives us greater acceptance and confidence and is an increasing cycle that brings power to our lives to become obedient to God in all His commandments.
When we realize that the Holy Ghost is able to guide us in every choice so that we are able to achieve complete obedience and adhere to the example of Jesus Christ in doing the will of the Father, then, through faith in Jesus Christ and through his Atoning grace, we become able to overcome all barriers to returning to be with and become like our Father in Heaven.
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