Hebrews 11:20–22 (ESV): 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

Now, there’s a lot we could focus on in the lives of these patriarchs.  If we go back to Genesis and read the stories in context, we find that each of these men had many great achievements.  

• Isaac became a prosperous, wealthy man.  Crops, wells, etc.  

• Jacob amassed an extraordinary number of livestock and built a large family enterprise. 

• Joseph rose to an astonishing height.  He became second in command over all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself! 

But interestingly, and almost shockingly, the author of Hebrews does not highlight what these men achieved in their earthly lives.  Instead, he compresses hundreds of years, and dozens of chapters of Genesis, into just a few sentences about these great men.   

Why is that? What is he trying to show us? 

Well, on one hand he assumed that his original audience of first century Jewish Christians would have been so well acquainted with the scriptures that they would not have needed him to elaborate on the lives of these men. 

But beyond that, what it seems he wants us to recognize is that earthly accolades don’t really move the needle in the grand scheme of things.  Those achievements may impress other people, but they don’t impress God.  What matters to God… what pleases God… what turns God’s favor towards us… the characteristic of these men that is most worth emulating… is faith.

What we see in their example is that: True faith looks to the fulfillment of God’s promises beyond our own lifetime, and passes that hope on to the next generation.

Our passage today chronicles the faith of men who were in their final hour.  And in their last moments, they chose to look beyond their own death and affirm the promises of God to the next generation.   

The question for us today is, does our faith compel us to look beyond ourselves, beyond our own lifetime, to the greater fulfillment of God’s promises? And are we so convinced by the purposes of God working through history that we are compelled to tell the next generation? 

The author of Hebrews mentions the faith of these three men as examples, and so that is what we are going to focus on as well.  Let’s start with Isaac. 

Isaac’s Faith…

20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 

Isaac was the son of Abraham, who we talked about last week. The one who Abraham took up on the mountain to offer as a sacrifice in obedience to the Lord… but the Lord didn’t make Abraham go through with it because he was just testing his faith.  And Isaac, we mentioned last week, was in that moment a foreshadow of Christ––the Son of the Father who would lay down His life as a sacrifice for sin. 

Well, Isaac grew up. And honestly, the rest of Isaac’s life is not very remarkable from a spiritual point of view.  But one significant thing is that he had two sons: Jacob and Esau.  

• Twins. Esau was born first, making him the rightful heir to the family birthright. 

• Jacob was born grasping Esau’s heel, which became symbolic of how Jacob would live his life, grasping for what didn’t belong to him.  

• Genesis 25 gives us a good sense of the dynamic between the two brothers: 

  • ​​Genesis 25:27–28 (ESV): 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

  • So you’ve got the manly man and the mama’s boy.  

• One day, Esau was out hunting and he came home absolutely famished.  When he got home, he saw that Jacob had a really great looking bowl of stew.  So Jacob agreed to give it to him, in exchange for his birthright.  

• If that sounds preposterous to you, it’s because it was.  That was not a fair deal.  But Esau fell for it, and as it turned out, this was part of God’s sovereign plan, because it would be through Jacob that the promises of God to Abraham would be fulfilled, not through Esau. 

  • In fact, God had explicitly told them during Rachel’s pregnancy that the younger son would inherit the blessing.  

• Well, eventually it comes time for Isaac to give the formal blessing for the birthright. And Jacob conspires with his mother Rebecca to deceive his father Isaac; he pretends to be Esau so that Isaac will bless him instead, which he does.

• Isaac learns that he has blessed the ‘wrong’ son… but he also understands that it was God’s will that it would go like this.  

  • In fact, Genesis 27:33 says [Isaac] trembled very violently…. 

  • He was literally “shook”.  And it appears that he realized that he had been trying to manipulate the plan of God and resist God’s will.  

• His moment of faith comes a few moments later when he says, “Yes, and he shall be blessed.”  

Isaac realised that God’s design was different than his… but he eventually surrendered to it and believed, without a doubt, that God would bring His future purposes to fulfilment. 

In many ways, it’s as though Isaac was saying, “Ok God, you win.  Do it your way.  And I know it’ll work out.  All of this is part of your sovereign plan. I cannot come against your will.” 

Isaac’s brightest moment was when he was willing to surrender to God and declare the certainty of God’s promises to the next generation. 

Then we move to Jacob. 

Jacob’s faith… 

21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Jacob lived a colorful life.  His deception of his brother became somewhat of a life pattern. He tricked his father in law in order to get rich.  He became a self-made man, and very self-reliant. Until eventually, God literally wrestled his self-reliance out of him.  God brought Jacob into submission through a late night wrestling match, and once Jacob was defeated, physically and spiritually, God changed his name to Israel.  After that, Jacob (aka Israel) was a model of faith. 

Jacob had twelve sons, who eventually would become the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. But he had one favorite son, Joseph, and out of jealousy the other sons sold Joseph into slavery. Joseph ended up in Egypt, and through a crazy series of events ended up rising to Pharaoh’s right hand.  

A famine hit the land, which drove Jacob and his sons to seek help from Egypt, which in turn led them to be reunited with Joseph.  

And long story short, it eventually came time for Jacob, at the end of his life, to bestow a blessing on the next generation. 

The author of Hebrews focuses on his blessing to Joseph’s two sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. 

It would have made more sense for Jacob to bless Manasseh first, being that he was older. But even though Joseph tried to give them to his father in that order, and even protested about it, Jacob had resolved to bless the younger son, Ephraim first. 

By the way, this further develops a biblical pattern of God choosing the lesser, younger or unexpected person over the more obvious choice. 

• Isaac over Ishmael

• Jacob over Esau

• Joseph over his brothers

• And later on, David over his older brothers.  

All of this communicates to us that: Jacob was fully surrendered to God’s will, and trusting in God’s plan.  

And the fact that it says, “he bowed in worship” over the head of his staff further emphasizes that.

Which is such a rich image, isn’t it? 

Here you have this battle-worn, weathered man, who has seen it all.  He has lived through famine and wild prosperity.  He has seen family drama like you wouldn’t believe.  He has endured the loss of his own son, only to later discover that he had been alive all along.  Jacob was a man whose life was marked by radical hills and valleys.  

Yet at the end of all of it, he bows in worship.  He bows in surrender to God’s sovereign plan, leaning over his staff… perhaps a symbol of his own utter dependence.  The staff that he needed ever since God wrestled with Him and defeated his pride. 

Perhaps a symbol of his long life as a sojourner and wanderer on the earth… the earth which was never his true home.  At the end of all of it, he was looking forward to an eternal reality… a promise that was made to his grandfather Abraham that through their line of descendants “all the nations of the earth would be blessed”.  Salvation would come.  Messiah would come through their family.  

For all of his infamous highs and lows, Jacob’s brightest moment was when he bowed in humble worship and trusted in God’s plan for future generations. 

Then we come to the third and final portrait of faith for today: Joseph. 

Joseph’s faith…

22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

It is shocking to me that of all the things we could highlight from the life of Joseph to illustrate the faith of this great man of God, the one thing the author points to is his mention of the exodus from Egypt, and some burial instructions. 

• I mean, why not talk about how Joseph stayed faithful to God even when his brothers sold him into slavery? 

• Why not talk about how Joseph stayed faithful to God even when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him? 

• Why not talk about how Joseph endured years in prison, though he was unjustly accused, patiently waiting for God to bring him out?  

• Why not talk about his ability to translate and interpret prophetic dreams? 

• Why not talk about how Joseph rose to prominence in Egypt as the prime minister, and how he was humble and forgiving to take care of his own brothers who sold him into slavery, and give them a prosperous life in Egypt? 

None of these achievements make it into our Hall of Faith. 

Instead, our attention is directed to the end of his life.  The moment when all the adventures were over for Joseph, and he was left to decide how he would finish the race.  

And what we see is that in his dying hour, Joseph’s heart was focused on the future promises of God.  

• Genesis 50:24 (ESV): 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

Joseph knew that his descendants would not be in Egypt forever.  Eventually, they would go into the Promised Land of Canaan.  God made promises to them, and Joseph trusted that if God said it, God would do it.  And Joseph was so convinced that this would happen that he even gave specific burial instructions for his body to be preserved so they could eventually be taken out of Egypt into the Promised Land.    

• Genesis 50:25 (ESV): 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

The point is not Joseph’s unique burial… the point is what it communicates about Joseph’s powerful trust in God’s promises.  

• Think about this: that mummified body of Joseph sat above ground for 400 years as a constant reminder that God’s promises would eventually be fulfilled!

For all of his admirable qualities, the thing about Joseph that the author of Hebrews is most concerned with is this: 

Joseph demonstrated, all the way to his last breath, that he trusted in the fulfillment of God’s promises beyond his own lifetime, and declared it to the next generation.    

That is what lands him in the Hall of Faith.  

When we examine the lives of the patriarchs, we find that their most notable characteristic, over and above all of their wild accomplishments, was their faith in God’s promises.

In the end, that’s all that mattered for them.  And honestly, that’s all that will matter for us as well.    

When we die, what will be said about us?  Will people be infatuated with our many accomplishments? Our acquisition of wealth? Our talent?  Our large estate that we left behind? 

Our wealth won’t matter.

• Jesus said, “what does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) 

Our achievements won’t matter. 

• The Bible says our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.  (Isaiah 64:6)

Our attempted morality won’t matter… 

• By works of the law no human will be justified. (Galatians 2:6)

What other people say about us won’t matter… 

• “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

The only thing that will matter in the end is our faith, and how we pass it on. 

• We are saved by grace, through faith. Not by works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

• That’s why every listed name in Hebrews 11 begins with, “by faith”.  

• “By faith Abel…” ; “By faith Enoch…” ; “By faith Noah…” ; “By faith Abraham…” “By faith Sarah…” ; “By faith Isaac…” ; “By faith Jacob…” ; “By faith Joseph…” ; 

• And next week we’ll look at, “By faith, Moses…” and so on.  

The point could not be more explicit: It is by faith and faith alone that any person is justified before God.  

You may remember from a few weeks back, that the author set up this chapter on faith by saying this at the very end of chapter 10: 

• Hebrews 10:39 (ESV): 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

The patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph… they all looked ahead to the fulfillment of God’s promises by faith.  They commended that faith to the next generation.   And by their faith, their souls were preserved.  We can be sure that when we get to heaven, we will meet them there.  They are in the presence of God. Not because they were such great guys… but because they have faith in a great God. 

You and I have much more reason to believe than they did, and much more reason to pass on the faith than they did.  We have the advantage of the clear picture of God’s redemptive purposes, which they didn’t have.  

They looked ahead, through a mysterious prophecy of salvation. 

We look back on the completed work of Jesus on the cross, the fulfillment and culmination of God’s promises.  

All of God’s promises have found their “amen” in Jesus Christ. 

Because of what Jesus has done for us, in conquering sin and death, we can trust that all the promises of God will come true and we can commend those promises to the next generation. 

• Like Isaac, we can rest in God’s perfect, providential will to be done, in our lives, in the lives of our children, and in all of history. 

• Like Jacob, we can bow in worship and surrender to God’s purposes. 

• Like Joseph, we can know that though we die, we have a final resting place with God. We will live with Him forever in the land that He has prepared for those who love Him. 

When we die, our bodies will go into the earth. Our souls will go with the Lord.  Then when the Lord returns… which he WILL, because He has always fulfilled His promises… He will reunite our souls with our bodies and we will live in the New Jerusalem, the New Creation… the true and eternal promised Land.  

So, what do we do with all of this information, practically speaking? 

Well, if it all comes down to faith, the first thing is, we need to examine our hearts to see whether we possess true faith in Jesus Christ. 

Here are some honest questions to ask yourself: 

• Do I believe God’s Word is true? 

• Do I believe what God’s Word says about Jesus Christ?  That He’s the sinless Son of God who came in fulfillment of scripture, lived a sinless life, died a sinner’s death, and rose again on the third day? 

• Do I believe that trusting in Jesus is the only way to salvation?  

• Do I believe that Jesus is coming back again and will separate those who love Him from those who don’t?  

• Do I believe that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved? 

If the answer to those questions is a heartfelt ‘yes’, your job is to orient your life around those promises… and to pass that truth on to the next generation. 

Parents, grandparents… we obviously have an especially great responsibility in this regard.  We must pass on the faith to the next generation.  

• Pray with and for your children 

• Talk as a family about what you learned in church.

  • We have sermon discussion questions available every week online, just follow the QR code.  

• I think of Timothy, of whom the apostle Paul said:

• 2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV): 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

But really, this message is for all of us.  No matter who you are or what age you are, if you are a follower of Christ, the gospel is yours to pass on.  

• “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

I’ll close by reminding us of our marching orders from our Lord:  

• Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV): 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”