Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac act based on God’s guidance even when it is unclear and uncomfortable.Part 1 of this series is missing due to technology issues.

GYC 2025: Seeing the Invisible

Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac act based on God’s guidance even when it is unclear and uncomfortable.Part 1 of this series is missing due to technology issues.

Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.

Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC)

Faith Heroes Persevered as Though They Saw the Invisible

Erhard Gallos

Abel, Enoch, and Noah

Welcome to the second presentation, Here's Our Faith.

So the question is also, what is our role in all of this?

Now that the author of Hebrews has said, hey, faith is the reality of things hoped for, faith is the proof of things not seen.

Indeed by faith our ancestors received approval.

So, when did God praise the, or On what basis did he praise the ancestors?

Because they trusted, they took his word as a reality.

What is so strange about Noah building an ark?

And he says, hey this zoo is going to float 1 day.

A bunker because it's going to rain a concrete bunker because it's raining fire.

It's not the rain fire never rained fire.

So this is what the ancestors were approved of.

If you go also into verse 5, look what verse 5 says.

By faith Enoch was taken da da da da da for it was testified, attested before he was taken away that he had pleased God.

I don't know why my students complain about it.

They complain that Greek is so difficult.

So, God testified, approved of the ancestors.

And this is kind of a little bit of a what does this text really say?

What does it say about creation and all the rest?

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Okay, things that are seen were made of things that were not seen.

So, how have people interpreted this verse?

Did you guys ever hear of the Latin phrase, hopefully those of you are in college or those of you have gone to college, Creatio ex nihilo.

What does that mean when you read this verse?

What is seen was made of what was unseen.

So many people say, hey, you see here is the proof that God created the universe, he created this earth out of things non-existent this is the proof for a creation ex nihilo a creation out of nothing right and then they read chapter 11 verse 3 which says by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God so what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

Now remember I said in the first presentation that the author of Hebrews is familiar with Jewish rabbinic techniques.

So, if this author was indeed a Jewish author, if indeed the author is Paul, as I personally believe the author is, he talks about here most likely not about the kriyācya ekaśnihilo.

Now could, can God create out of nothing?

Yes, because His words are not seen, right?

A little bit of bread multiplies in a ton of bread a little bit of fish multiplies at 5.

Yeah, you see Something that is not seen can produce can God create out of nothing?

Yes, of course I don't doubt it I don't think that this text talks about the creatio ex nihilo and See with me and see if this makes sense to you.

If we divide the first sentence by faith, we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God.

And then so that the causal phrase afterwards, if you separate that, see how the different elements come together.

We understand that the worlds, what are the worlds?

So you see The worlds correspond to what?

So we understand that the world, what is seen, what is prepared, what corresponds to what is prepared in the second phrase?

And then the Word of God corresponds to what?

So what is the author of Hebrews basically saying here?

We understand that the worlds, what is seen, were prepared, were made by the Word of God that is not visible.

God made this world out of invisible words.

Because God's word has creative power You see when God speaks things happen So he doesn't speak so much of hey did God create out of nothing was this earth because remember when we talk about geology and geologists are saying hey but you know what this dating and the other dating and the rocks and the age and da da da da da and we are saying but Hebrews says creatio ex nihilo so it means that the earth must have been created 6, 000 years ago.

Maybe we misread this verse a little bit.

And the verse basically says, look, the invisible words of God created the visible existence of what you see in this world.

Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac

So we went this morning over who the author, the audience, the different faces the audience encounters.

We went over the context, why Hebrews 11 talks about faith, perseverance at the beginning, perseverance at the end.

We went over what the definition of faith we went over verse 3 create a snehal oh yes or no and then we went over Abel Enoch and Noah and we came all the way to Abram right is that correct do I recall that properly good so before we go on this afternoon we should have a word of prayer again.

So I always see a student of mine from here and there, and that's always good to see some of my students.

I usually remember faces with a seat but you switched.

Anything specific we should pray for and then we'll dive right into Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and then see how far we can go all the way to Moses.

So we just had just talked with somebody and they asked me on Hebrews 4.

So because I wrote my dissertation on Hebrews 4, they were all over the place with Hebrews 4.

Anything else besides the ability to share?

So if that's the case let's pray together and then we'll go into Hebrews chapter 11.

Gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for another opportunity this afternoon to come together to study your work.

Father, after lunch it's not easy to stay awake but we give you thanks that your spirit can work in our minds and in our lives.

We thank you Father for the great hope that you have given us, the encouragement of perseverance, the encouragement of not throwing back, but having faith so that we can be saved.

Father, this afternoon as we are studying your Word, We ask for illumination for ourselves so that we understand what we are talking about.

But we also want to ask for the Holy Spirit to give us the ability so that we can communicate what we just learned here with other people.

Father, at the same time our minds are torn because we have loved ones back home our brother here 2 daughters back home sick and his mind and is with the children and we ask father that you draw close to them that you lay your healing hands upon them you restore their faith as well as their physical health we ask father that you be with each 1 of us with our loved ones wherever they are we entrust them into your care and we give you thanks that you will do much more than we can ask for we ask in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen all right good so Anything else that comes to your mind when it comes to Abraham?

What was his reaction when he was told that he is supposed to have a son?

What does Sarah do when the angels came, remember?

And then of course went with Abram to see Sodom and Gomorrah.

And the angels said, hey, next year by this time you guys are going to have a kiddo.

And they start laughing too behind the tent.

And right and when the angel confronted what did you say?

And the angel said yeah yeah you did you did laugh.

So what do we get out of that when we see Abram kind of laughs it off, Sarah laughs it off.

You see, faith doesn't come full-blown at once.

We need to understand sometimes we grow in our faith, we grow in our trust, because God does something and we say, okay if God came through last time we put our faith and our trust in him that he comes through this time as well now of course for Sarah and for Abram it is kind of late right why they were old right Eugene Peterson in his translation says he was kind of a dead man and his loins were shriveled So it's kind of he puts it nicely right so he's 100 years old when Isaac is born and Sarah is 90 right 90 so it's kind of a little bit late for procreation, but And that's why both Sarah as well as Abram they kind of laugh it off.

So what does Abram do that doesn't show much trust both in Egypt as well as in Gerar when he comes back to the land of Canaan There's this fear of his wife being taken so he says, oh she's my sister.

Which is a technicality but you know it's not.

Walter Ray when he wrote that book in 1980, The White Lie?

Because they did have different mothers, but they had the same father.

So, it is true that Sara was his half-sister.

We go down to Egypt, they see that you are a beautiful lady and they say let's get rid of the guy so that we take the lady.

So why don't we sell you as my sister, right?

And Abram doesn't do it once, he does it twice.

So, and it's amazing to me how God works.

Because remember, who is punished in all of it?

In the case of Abram in Egypt as well as Abram with Abimelech in Gerar.

So if I would be God I would say, Brother Abram, hopefully you learned the lesson by now.

And he sells Sarah once again as his wife when he comes back to Canaan, right?

So Yes, all these heroes of faith Noah drinks get drunk remember he's naked there that all that kind of stuff So all of these guys were not perfect people.

And that's why I want when we are talking about Sarah and Abraham, to make sure that we are getting a little bit of a picture of what we are told between Genesis chapter 12 all the way to 27.

So when we read Hebrew we see okay what what emphasis does the author of Hebrews do with both Abraham as well as Sarah.

He has a son named Isaac but he has also son Ishmael right?

Ishmael has no place in being the heir, right?

Remember Sarah is kind of upset about Hagar and then forces Abraham to send him away.

The angel promises that he'll go with him.

Where does Ishmael show up again in the Old Testament?

In 27, chapter 20, Genesis 27, at the funeral of Abraham.

So, faith grows, but faith is also very patient.

How does faith, How is faith patient in the life of Abram and Sarah?

And what does he see by the end of his life?

1 son and the other 1 with the concubine.

Jacob, Joseph, and Moses

Alright, so the next person that we are tackling here is is Isaac I think it is right.

So what else do we know about Isaac that we have not yet discussed?

As I got 2 sons namely Esau and Jacob, right?

So very good He was the older 1 right or the 1 who came first or who yeah who came out first so who was his favorite his mother's favorite was Jacob right although who prayed for the kids Isaac prayed for the 2 twins right and then he got his favorite in Esau and Rebecca got her favorite in Jacob right why why did why did I why did Isaac get his favorite in Esau what was he able to provide soup maybe it was a little bit of soup but a little bit more than soup right I love it I like I have my good student here so he tries to help me out.

What does the book of Hebrew not talk about?

By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future of Jacob and Esau.

And once again how did Rebekah try to help God?

Why is God, sometimes we are wondering Why is God not telling us what happens?

Why does He disclose to us what's going to happen?

Why does God not disclose to us the future?

Because whenever God discloses somebody the future, people think they need to help God.

And Rebecca says, hey, if the younger and the firstborn right is on Esau, so of course he must have been indoctrinated by his favorite mom to his favorite son.

So he steals that 1 because his mom has indoctrinated him, because God has disclosed the future to his mom.

And then, when the father is on his deathbed and he wants a little bit of meat because he was deficient in vitamin B12.

And she messes it so badly up that what happens?

He needs to go back where Abram came from to Haran.

But she doesn't see him again because she messed it up.

So do you understand why God sometimes doesn't disclose the future to us?

And the book of Hebrews nicely glosses over the whole tension.

Here the cheater grabs and steals and manipulates and da da da da da.

The book of Hebrews simply says by faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future of Jacob and Esau.

Let me tell Let me take you to chapter 12.

Who has a New King James or a King James Version Bible?

And listen to this story and then tell me what is the problem in this translation.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, 14-17 and thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for 1 morsel of meat sold his birthright.

For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

He seeks repentance with tears and could not find it!

So you, You see you put this together with the impossibility of repentance in Hebrews chapter 6.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened to be renewed to repentance.

Esau seeks repentance with tears but he could not Attain it.

What is the problem with the King James Version?

You get safe with the King James Version.

So don't think, Brother Gallus comes here and he destroys my beloved translation of the King James Version.

You keep that, but you need to understand that sometimes, some translations, like the King James Version, are based on the eclectic text.

New Revised Standard Version, American Standard Version, English Standard Version are built on the eclectic text.

The Texas Receptus on which the King James Version is built has manuscripts that are very late.

The Vice Standard Version has manuscripts that go early to the 5th, 6th century AD.

We have in some translations, all the manuscripts, the manuscripts on which the King James Version is built, are built on the Textus Receptus.

But you should understand that there is a difference between the Textus Receptus and the Eclectic Text.

Tischendorf, Westcott, Hort, Griesbach, all these scholars went and found old manuscripts on Mount Sinai.

I think last year there was a seminar at GYC, I think Dr.

Shepard gave it, on Bible translations, manuscripts.

Sometimes the New King James, or the King James Version, New King James is just an update from the archaic language of the KJV, is that it is not highly accurate.

Unless we read the story in the book of Genesis, if you just read that, and read once again verse 17, sir.

And listen to what the text says for you know that afterward when he would have inherited he is he saw he was rejected for he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears.

He found no place for it because he's although he sought repentance with tears.

So God doesn't grant you forgiveness of sin when you repent, right?

Series

Faith Heroes Persevered as Though They Saw the Invisible

Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac

Transcript

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