INTRODUCTION:

(Deuteronomy 4:2 [KJV])
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

(Proverbs 30:5, 6 [KJV])
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

(Isaiah 28:10 [KJV])
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

(Isaiah 28:13 [KJV])
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

(2 Peter 1:20 [KJV])
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

All of the studies found here, whether book studies or topical studies, are done with research with mainly two things: The KING JAMES BIBLE and a plain old, 1828 Webster's Dictionary. Why? Outside of actually studying secular and Jewish history, archaeology, one needs nothing more. You do not need foreign, dead languages that no one speaks, nor lexicons, nor concordances, nor commentaries, because they differ not only with one another and with the KING JAMES BIBLE, they create division, confusion, debate, and unbelief, apostasy, and a falling away from God Himself. We do not need them. That Word of God written and preserved for us in our own language is supposed to be enough, like the Old Testament was for the Jews, and as the New Testament was for the early Christians in Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, German, etc.

Tyndale Bible
Coverdale Bible
Matthew's Bible
Great Bible
Geneva Bible
Bishop's Bible
King James/Authorized Bible

There are studies within as tangents on words, subjects found within the two testaments, as to broaden the scope of the study, to learn more, deeper truths. This is not an intellectual site with PhDs, theologians, and no worldly wisdom.. Check everything out, everything. Not just here, but with everything you read and see and hear. Be Bereans:

(Acts 17:11 [KJV])
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 [KJV])
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Always research for yourself, use all of the context, and never privately interpret!

Start of study

HEBREWS CHAPTER 11: THE HALL OF FAITH

The record of the things which happened to these specific Old Testament saints, listed here-certainly not an exhaustive list, and their service to God, their reactions to the things that happened to them, demonstrates that they were trusting God over all in this world, over everyone, for whatever it was He promised them and they had to wait for; often never once seeing it come to pass before their death. In the meantime, they may have been busy, but they still had to wait and trust the LORD for the fulfillment of that promise, however short or long, even if it was not to happen in their lifetime. This was their good report, now recorded for us in the Word of God. All of them were sinners, not a one was a "good person", but they were declared of God to be righteous, some "a man after my (God's) own heart", though they sinned greatly, David, because of his sins with Bathsheba and then Uriah her husband, being the example there. They were people of faith, not because they were not in the flesh sinners, not because they lived a sinless life, but because God sees the heart of faith they had and we have, the heart of belief in Him and HIS salvation, not the works of wicked hands which we all have. Whether this is the heart of a lion or the the heart of a chicken, God sees a heart toward Him. Man says, "SEEING IS BELIEVING", God says, "BELIEVING IS SEEING".

(1 Samuel 12:6 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

(Hebrews 11:1 [AKJV/PCE])
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Things not seen: this is precisely why scientists struggle to catch up with God, only discovering the atom in the last 200 years or so, only having the microscope in the last 300 or so (1677, Anton Leeuwenhoek)
Faith is how one knows there is a God that we believe in, and this is the very definition of faith right here in this verse
The world cannot see God in any way; us only with the eyes of faith, but we see Him nonetheless through His work in us, through His work in others, and He, being the object of our faith, is why we are who we are and why we do what we do. Having faith in one's faith or in atoms and molecules (atheists) which one day will fall apart, be replaced in a new heaven and new earth is useless faith in nothing
Faith is how one can tell that the evolutionists have their gods they believe in: Time, space, matter, natural selection, mutations as a creative power
We believe by faith in God, His Saving Grace, His power, His everlasting salvation for us
Those in the Old Testament who were, in the world, founders, fighters, persecuted to death, stood against the tide, were all faithful, as in full of faith

THE FAITH OF MAN IN NOTHING, IS NOTHING

The ones who put their trust the laws of man, the laws of science, in physics, chemistry, biology Astronomy to Zoology, the interactions, the visibility with microscopes, etc. are missing out on seeing God, deliberately denying He exists, in a world that will die and be replaced one day.

(Isaiah 65:17 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

(Isaiah 66:22 [AKJV/PCE])
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

(2 Peter 3:13 [AKJV/PCE])
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

(Revelation 21:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

(Hebrews 11:2 [AKJV/PCE])
For by it the elders obtained a good report.

It is always well spoken of those such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Isaiah, all of the prophets, despite their carnal natures, despite any flaws, that they were men of faith
Of Daniel and Joseph especially, nothing bad was ever said by God
This chapter will reveal the many noble, courageous deeds that they did
The main thing to glean from all of this is that they did what they did first for God, which helped man
Everything they did, or God did through them, was done by faith and, even if they had a lot of work involved, in the end God fulfilled the promises made

(Hebrews 11:3 [AKJV/PCE])
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.

That word is both the spoken word and the Living Word, the LORD Jesus Christ as Creator
And through much more faith the evolutionists believe it all happened by chance, from nothing which exploded and created everything from elements to elementary schools
Jesus Christ our Creator has to be that first before we can begin to know Who He is, as a redeemer.
No one can see an electron, p[roton, neutron, or any smaller particle as yet undiscovered, an atom, or a molecule as a single unit, and this is what everything is made up of

(Hebrews 11:4 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Notice Adam is not mentioned here, perhaps because he fell with Eve, living in a perfect world and choosing sin, disobedience-over faith in God, but Abel, the first faithful murder victim who believed God and brought the right sacrifice without the law yet, is mentioned here
Nevertheless, we cannot look down our noses at him, since we most assuredly would have done the exact same thing at some point, if not Adam
Abel offered up what God had said, even before the sacrificial Law was given by God through Moses
Abel was not there at the fall, so Adam and Eve had to tell him this, and Cain would surely have known. Adam and Eve saw God give them coats of skins, probably in front of their eyes He sacrificed it to show their sin, to cover them with skin

(Genesis 3:21 [AKJV/PCE])
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

(Genesis 4:3-5 [AKJV/PCE])
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

(Hebrews 11:5 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Enoch 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.

Because he walked with God, he was the first one raptured out of here before his death
Before any law, us not knowing how Enoch pleased God, except by faith, Enoch pleased God
This was grace, as Enoch could have died like most others then to now, from anything
Enoch pleased God by faith, even if he could do nothing because, let's just suppose he was disable and never walked, talked, worked, could physically do nothing whatsoever-HE HAD FAITH IN GOD, all that was necessary
It was his faith in God's grace, and faith and God's grace that got him raptured

TRANSLA'TED, pp. Conveyed from one place to another; removed to heaven without dying; rendered into another language.

(Hebrews 11:6 [AKJV/PCE])
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.

Without what? You mean not without works? Precisely, without faith and with one's works it is impossible to please God for salvation
Get saved by faith, work for God, walk with God by faith afterwards, like the these Old Testament saints did
Impossible to please God? Yes, and not just improbable either, but maybe can we without being saved by God, please God without faith? No.
No one ever pleased God, no one pleases God, no one ever will please God in unbelief
Step one: Believe in the existence of God
Step two: Believe He can save you, reward you through the Heavenly gift of His Son, and will do so if we believe, by faith
Both are by faith, belief, not works of the law
Then, serve God, in that order o0nly, set up by Him, not us, the very opposite of what the world thinks and believes and practices

(Hebrews 11:7 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

A hundred and twenty years, no rain, no floods, working to build the ark, a hundred and twenty years, still not seeing rain yet, only his three boys to help, four men in all
Being mocked constantly as a fool we can be certain by an evil, wicked world, more so day by day
Allowing God to bring all kinds of animals to him, gathering food, not knowing how on earth (or in the ark) he would be able to care for them, that much work
How did the animals all; get there? God brought them. Noah merely gather the food for them is all

BY FAITH, NOT SEEING RAIN OR FLOODS

(Genesis 2:5-6 [AKJV/PCE])
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

(Hebrews 11:8 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Imagine just walking and walking, riding, to an unknown land, no particular route, God guiding and leading him
That is an Awesome God Who gets you there, to the exact place He wants you to land at, when you have merely started moving forward
He had no inheritance yet, either, no land, no nation to lead, no heritage
He did not know the route or the destination; He knew the leader, Who he followed there, having confidence in Him more than directions

(Hebrews 11:9 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Years later God got him there, where promises of the son by faith, Isaac, was born, who then gave birth to Jacob, later called Israel
They were in the land promised to Abraham by faith, years earlier, which was the first part
"Once there, you will start a nation", which nation Israel still exists today

(Hebrews 11:10 [AKJV/PCE])
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Despite all of that, Abraham was even looking more foward, to the day he entered into heaven to actually see God and dwell with God
This is what awaits us, and what we await, and need only to hope in, rest in, as this life offers no eternal hope, nothing but darkness, growing more dark daily, we need to look up
That does not make us irresponsible to do what we need to do here, it is a perspective, WHILE we abide and do what we can here to take care of them, friends, family, bring others to Christ
Whatever befell Abraham, this was not his home, even going to his new home, even to the land promised, this earth is not our home

ABRAHAM

(Genesis 12:1-5 [AKJV/PCE])
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

(Romans 4:20-21 [AKJV/PCE])
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

(Hebrews 11:11 [AKJV/PCE])
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Because, after initially giggling when God told Sarai she would, she later believed and conceived, because God saw her faith and was going to fulfill His promise, either way
Because "she judged him faithful who had promised"

SARAI/SARAH: A WOMAN OF FAITH

(Genesis 18:9-15 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

(Genesis 21:1-7 [AKJV/PCE])
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. ¶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

(Hebrews 11:12 [AKJV/PCE])
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

All of that is true, Israel is still here, to this day, because God promised, fulfilled, and they believed and acted ever so slightly, by faith, on that promise
Not to menion that God still has a future with them and is not done with them

(Hebrews 11:13 [AKJV/PCE])
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

This is the "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
We also are strangers, pilgrims, and this is not our home, either
One can eithre be at home or wandering through as a stranger, a pilgrim, in a foreign, alien land. It cannot be both
We receive no promise of land here, no earthly possessions will follow us home, we get Jesus, we get Heaven, our promised land, a mansion, forever
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob got the land of Israel for their inheritance, somethign the church was never once promised
This is far better, and we need to remember who and what we are here, pilgrims and strangers in a strange land, not our home, or this world will make us crazy!

(1 Peter 2:11 [AKJV/PCE])
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

(John 14:1-3 [AKJV/PCE])
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

(Hebrews 11:14 [AKJV/PCE])
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

No one wanders through a strange land looking for the Promised Land when they find it and live in it. That is called "Vacationing as a tourist" or "Resorting"
Their sojourning and wandering through tells everyone they are seeking something, walking to get to it, camping in tents, tabernacles until they get there and build a house

(Hebrews 11:15 [AKJV/PCE])
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Lot's wife was told not to look back. Israel was told to leave Egypt and never return, nor look back
Israel wanted to return to Egypt, and died in the wilderness
The faithful look forward, not wanting to go back

NO NEED TO LOOK BACK, WE ARE NOT GOING THAT WAY

(Luke 9:62 [AKJV/PCE])
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

(Philippians 3:14 [AKJV/PCE])
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

(Proverbs 26:11 [AKJV/PCE])
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

(Exodus 16:3 [AKJV/PCE])
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

(Deuteronomy 17:15 [AKJV/PCE])
Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

(Hebrews 11:16 [AKJV/PCE])
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Leaving Egypt, a type of this world in Scripture, is best for us and, once we leave, there should be no going back, as we can only walk in one direction at a time-away or toward God
No matter what befalls us here, we have a future home

(Hebrews 11:17 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

This is even more faith, to sacrifice one's only son, the child of promise, a type of Christ
This was not just any child, but his
This was not just his child, but the miracle baby
This was not just his only child, but the promised one through whom God said His seed would come
Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac to please God; God sacrificed His Son to save man, because God saves man by His sacrifice; we do not get saved by sacrificing, working, keeping the law, as it always was, always is, all by faith in Jesus Christ alone and not in our works
We cannot do good works for God to be saved; He can only do them for us
Abraham believed God enough with enough faith to know that He would raise Isaac from the dead after the sacrifice (v.19 below)
This child embodied all of God's promises in the carnal realm, fulfilled ina a body

(Matthew 5:16 [AKJV/PCE])
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

(Mark 14:6 [AKJV/PCE])
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

(John 10:32 [AKJV/PCE])
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

(Genesis 22:2 [AKJV/PCE])
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

One cannot do good works without the light of God the Spirit in us for all to see, witness
The woman who brought the ointment in the alabaster jar did it because she already knew Jesus was the Messiah, not to get saved
When Jesus did good works, the leaders in Israel felt threatened that they were losing and would lose followers, so they wanted Him dead
When good works by us are mentioned in Scripture, they always follow faith, never precede it
Can the world do good works? Of course. But, in the context of salvation by grace through faith, when they stand before God, he will still say, "I never knew you"

"GOOD WORKS" VERSUS GOOD WORKS: PRIDE VERSUS HUMILITY

SCENARIO #1

(Matthew 7:15-27 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

SCENARIO #2

(Matthew 8:5-13 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

(Hebrews 11:18-19 [AKJV/PCE])
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

The only way that God could go through with the promise was to raise Isaac from the dead
God was not telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac because he was a bad child, for discipline, nor to execute judgment nor for punishment
It was to test Abraham's faith and Abraham knew that, if God did not intervene before, He would simply bring Isaac back from the dead afterwards
Literally, that is what Abraham got back anyways, since he was stopped and, if the angel had not called him, Isaac was a goner

THESE BLESSINGS: When these men blessed their children, they would not be on earth to see, to personally witness what God would do to them and throught these children on earth, so this was only all by faith, not sight

(Hebrews 11:20 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

The blessings given to the sons of Jacob had to be by faith, since Jacob would be gone soon, unable to personally witness them on earth
Not to mention that, if these things did not come to pass, (impossible with God, never gonna happen) there would be nothing he could do from heaven!

(Hebrews 11:21 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

This is the account in Genesis 48:13 of Ephraim and Manasseh's, the two sons of Joseph

JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH'S SONS

(Genesis 48:13-20 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. ¶ And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and 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.
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

(Hebrews 11:22 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

Once one leaves the earth, they cannot do anything about their own body left here, so he had to trust God, not the people left behind, especially the brethren who lied and told their father Jacob he was dead and sold him into Egypt!
Alas, he had already told them that he had forgiven them, but there are always those....
Since Joseph knew that God had said prior that they would be in Egypt 400 years and, since He would therefore fulfill that promise, Joseph could safely tell them that, once their time in Egypt was up, they would be delivered. That would be three to four hundred years later, so this is by faith alone in that promise. Joseph would never see it in earth, yet still told them without that personal eyewitness that this would happen
It indeed happened, showing us that this is a faithful God Who comes through for us, in the end, not when we need or wish, but in His time

(Genesis 50:24 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

JOSEPH: THE FORGIVER

When one does a lot of harm to someone, they need forgiveness. The worse and longe they do it, the harder it is to forgive and forget When someone has had a lot done to them, they need to forgive a lot, more. The account in Genesis 37 is why Joseph had to forgive them. Joseph's brethren, minus Reuben, threw Joseph into a pit, hoping he would die, after he dreamed two dreams about his rule over the family, told it to them and they resented it, all of which came true in Egypt, a type of the world. Then they hoisted him out to sell to Ishmaelites, to be taken into Egypt. Yet God used that for the sake of putting Israel into captivity, to show His strength and power to care for and release them after forty years, and destroy the Egyptian empire with miracle after miracle, each one destroying their tribal gods, gods of

Hapi: Egyptian god of the Nile, plagues of waters turned to blood (Exodus 7:19)
Heket: Egyptian goddess of Fertility, the Egyptian Goddess which had the frog head. plague of frogs (Exodus 8:2)
Geb: Egyptian god of the Earth over the dust of the earth. The plague of lice from dust (Exodus8:16)
Khepri: Egyptian god of creation, movement of the Sun, rebirth, a god that had the head of a fly, plague of the massive swarm of flies (Exodus 8:21)
Hathor: the Egyptian goddess of Love and Protection, often depicted with the head of a cow. The plagues against the gods of protection, a murrain on cattle, animals (Exodus 9:3)
Isis: Egyptian goddess of Medicine and Peace Egyptian Plague- ashes were turned to boils, sores, a pestilence on men (even the magicians! (Exodus 9:9)
Nut: Egyptian goddess of the sky A plague of hail in the form of fire came down upon Egypt (Exodus 9:23)
Seth: Egyptian god of storms and disorder, a plague of locusts was sent by God from the sky (Exodus 10:12)
Ra: The Sun god got the Egyptians three days of darkness, (Exodus 10:22)
Pharaoh-worshiped as supreme power over Egypt above all, the last Plague- the death of the firstborn in Egypt

(Genesis 37:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

(Genesis 37 [AKJV/PCE])
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
¶ And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. ¶ And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
¶ And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

¶ And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. ¶ And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. ¶ And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

JACOB, JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN IN EGYPT

(Genesis 50:15-21 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

JOSEPH FORGIVES

(Genesis 50:24-26 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

HIS REQUEST IS GRANTED

(Exodus 13:19 [AKJV/PCE])
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

(Joshua 24:32 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

(Hebrews 11:23 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

By the faith of his mother did this happen

(Exodus 2:1-10 [AKJV/PCE])
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. ,
¶ And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

(Hebrews 11:24-25 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Moses thought, "What is prestige when we have thr LORD? What is riches when we have the LORD?"
Fleeing to Midian, after protecting an Israelite, a Hebrew, from being possibly being beaten to death by an Egyptian, after or during which Moses killed that Egyptian who was beating the Hebrew, and was then called out for it during a fight between two men, Hebrews, and fled to Midian
After fleeing, marrying a Midianite, having a child (Gershom), God called him into service
The imagined "contradiction" in 400 versus 430 years in Egypt, referred to here being started, is because of Isaac and Ishmael, thirty years earlier
It says they stayed 400 years, not that they suffered four hundred

(Exodus 2:11 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

THE CAPTIVITY IN EGYPT

(Genesis 12:4 [AKJV/PCE])
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

(Genesis 15:13 [AKJV/PCE])
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

(Exodus 12:40 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

(Galatians 3:17 [AKJV/PCE])
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

NO CONTRADICTION!

"The 400 years of sojourning and affliction started with Isaac’s weaning at five years old when Ishmael mocked him.3 This point about Isaac’s weaning and Ishmael’s mocking 30 years after the promise is also concluded by James Ussher in his The Annals of the World: Based on these verses (Ga 4:29, Ge 15:13, Ac 7:6), we conclude that this persecution started at this time when Isaac was five years old and Abraham made this feast. This was thirty years after Abraham left Haran." 4 (Floyd Nolen Jones)

"By comparing Genesis 12:4, Exodus 12:40 and Galatians 3:17 the much debated 430 year epoch can be properly understood. Never is it said in these Scripture references that the Jews dwelt in or were slaves in Egypt for 430 years. Rather, they teach that the duration of their sojourn from the time Abraham (Abram) entered the Promised Land (Gen.12:1) until the giving of the Law three months after the Exodus was that of 430 years. The sojourning commenced at Genesis 12:1 and is quite a different subject from the dwelling in Egypt. The Scripture does not say the "sojourning" of the children of Israel in Egypt, but rather who "dwelt" in Egypt. As we have seen, the dwelling in Egypt was only 215 years. The dwelling is to be distinguished from the broader "sojourning", which was over another 215 years. Galatians 3:17 makes all this both clear and certain: 586 BC

430 YEAR SOJOURN - EX 12:40, GAL 3:17
The Galatian text unequivocally declares that the interval from the Covenant with Abraham (context, cp. Gal.3:16) to the giving of the Law at Sinai (on the day of Pentecost fifty three days after Passover) was 430 years. Exodus 12:40 is saying that the sojourn of that particular branch of Abraham's lineage as traced through Isaac and Jacob was the group which eventually went down to Egypt. In other words, it is a statement defining and identifying with which of Abraham's lineages the narrative is dealing as Abraham had numerous other lineages, i.e. through Isaac and Jacob - not by way of Ishmael, Esau or Abraham's many offspring by Keturah whom he wed after Sarah died (Genesis 25). The verse is telling us which children of Abraham are being focused upon, not how long they were in Egypt. That the lineage of Isaac was the branch selected by God is indisputable for "in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12c, cp. 17:19, 21 and Hebrews 11:17-18)."
-Dr Floyd Nolen Jones, ThD., PhD., The Chronology of the Old Testament: A Return to the Basics

(Hebrews 11:26 [AKJV/PCE])
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

It says here Moses too on the reproach of Christ, not just of God, meaning Christ is eternal, Moses did not know His Name, but knew of Him
The Old Testament Jews knew of the Messiah all through their history, just not His Name
They knew God and The LORD, just not the name Jehovah, not the name Jesus (Joshua), not the Greek fo MEssiah yet, which is Christ until God revealed it all to them
God's revelation was to them in time, as He knew they needed it, it is today still in His time, as He knows we need it, personally
His Word is finished; His work in us is not until we go home, as He reveals what He is doing and going to do, day by day
When we stand for Christ, we are reproached as well, so expect it

(Exodus 6:3 [AKJV/PCE])
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

(Hebrews 11:27 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

As Abraham left, went, not knowing where he was going, so Moses left Egypt, no real place to go to, no real nation to join, no people, by faith, trusting God, who took care of him
The work God then did through him, after that, was everything compared to what he was seeing in Haran/Canaan/Ur of the Chaldees

(Exodus 2:14-15 [AKJV/PCE])
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

FORSA'KE, v.t. pret. forsook; pp. forsaken. See Seek .]

To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon; to depart from. Friends and flatterers forsake us in adversity.
Forsake the foolish, and live. Prov 9.
. To abandon; to renounce; to reject.
If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments - Psa 89.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Psa 37.
To leave; to withdraw from; to fail. In anger, the color forsakes the cheeks. In severe trials, let not fortitude forsake you.
In scripture, God forsakes his people, when he withdraws his aid, or the light of his countenance.

(Hebrews 11:28 [AKJV/PCE])
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Moses did not see God slay the firstborn in Egypt, that last plague, when he had them prepare the passover lamb, sprinkle the blood
Moses did not see the firstborn slain by God in Egypt, because he was not there, near their houses, so this was all by faith, not seeing it
Why? To the eye, Israel was done, finished, by Pharaoh and hs men. But, with the eyes of faith, God had already promised a nation, a land, descendants as many as the sand on the seashore, which was as yet invidsible to him and israel, so this ws by faith, in unseeming odds.

THE FIRST PASSOVER: BY FAITH

(Exodus 12:21-28 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

(Hebrews 11:29 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

When they got to the shore, they were trapped. Only God could get them out
They were either dead or saved at that point, nuch like a person who is thinking about the Gospel they just received
They had brought no real food with them it happened so fast, over a million people, with their animals

(Hebrews 11:30 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

When one studies the archeology of Jericho, it was so heavily fortified that it should never have fallen, with ramparts, a stone retaining wall at the base of the city wall, basically impenetrable and impregnable
1. The retaining wall was twelve to fifteen high alone
2. Then another wall of mudbrick, most likely thoroughly baked, six feet thick, twenty to twenty six feet high
3. On top of that a cap wall, now forty six feet up above their heads for them to scale to, no ropes (sword, knives cut ropes) to then cross-impossible to scale with people guarding it, trying to kill you
4. God did it, after asking them to not do it, but to merely march around it, trusting Him alone
5. They had a s[ring for water inside, for over 1,000 residents, and stored food, so they could wait out any enemies, months, maybe years

(Hebrews 11:31 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Rahab had heard rumors of all that God did for Israel, witnessed by many who had either experienced them and told her or, more likely, the king of Jericho, eventually
All fo the nations around Jericho were being taken by Joshua, so this would have made it to her
She still had to see that it was God working, and know who these men were, and trust God to deliver her as they delivered them with no uncertain heart, as this was a life and death situation

RAHAB, A WOMAN OF FAITH, JOSHUA 2

(Joshua 2:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not. ¶ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them: And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

(Hebrews 11:32 [AKJV/PCE])
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:

The author can go on and one with a list of names, deeds, persecutions for a very long time, but he assumes we will seearch the Scriptures and find them, like we are told to do, in 2 Timothy 2:15

Gideon/Jerubbaal: Judges 6-7

(Judges 6:11-16 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Gideon initially needed some signs from God, preesumable never having met an angel of the LORD, talking directly, taking instructions, prophecies
Once the Midianites were defeated by a few israelites from Naphtali, Asher, and of all Manasseh, and later Ephraim, Gideon saw the Hand of the LORD was uopn him and Israel, as well as the Sword of the LORD (Judges 7:20)
He was a man of his word who warned the princes of Succoth they would be beaten with briars when he returned for not fortifying his passing troops, and did so
Gideon was a man of faith becuase, when Israel asked Gideon to reign as king over them, he said the LORD was to be their king, not him (Judges 7:23)
After he was gone, Israel wen whoring once gain after oher gods, Ballim and Baal-berith

(Judges 7:20 [AKJV/PCE])
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Barak

Barak started out cowardly, needing Deborah as his leader
After defeating Jabin king of Canaan, and Sisera his king fled to a tent where Jael the wife of a Kenite Heber hammered a tent stake through his head whiel he was hiding under a tarp, Barak and Deborah worshiped the LORD, singing praises to Him
One verse, Judges 5:12, is a sort of Messianic one, similar to others speaking of the LORD Jesus Christ, so it may have been a common phrase

(Judges 5:12 [AKJV/PCE])
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

(Psalms 68:18 [AKJV/PCE])
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

(Ephesians 4:8 [AKJV/PCE])
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Samson (Judges 13-16)

Samson had a Nazarite vow, meaning his parents, nor he, were to cut his hair, which God signified He would use by faith to manifest the strength He gave Samson
Cut the hair? Lose the strength God gave him. Grow it back? Regain the strength, all by the Spirit of God
God had a plan to use Samson to defeat the Philistines, who ruled over Israel and worshiped their god Dagon, by marrying a Philistine woman and using Samson to defeat them
Samson after went to get his unnamed first wife (a betrothed to marry woman was man's wife before the wedding), later given to his companion, and tore apart a young lion that roared at him, leaving the carcass

BETROTH', v.t. [be and troth, truth, faith. See Truth, and Troth.]
1. To contract to any one, in order to a future marriage; to promise or pledge one to be the future spouse of another; to affiance; used of either sex. "The father betroths his daughter.'
2. To contract with one for a future spouse; to espouse; as, a man betroths a lady.
3. To nominate to a bishopric,in order to consecration.
Later, her returned that way and took honey from the bee hive now made in the carcass
He offered a prize for a riddle and, after three days, the prize went unclaimed, so his wife begged him for over a week and, when he told it to her, she told them the answer
Samson got angry when they suddenly told him the answer, knowing they got it from his wife, and had to slay thirty men of Ashkelon to hand them the prize (Judges 14:18)
When Samson went back to get this woman to be his wife, her father refused, so he caught three hundred foxes, tied their tails together and put a firebrand on the tie, let them go into the corn fields of the Philistines and they burned the crops
In revenge, the Philistines burned the girl and her father
Samson then avenged this act and hit them all on the hips and thighs them
Now, later, the Philistines came after Samson, to bind him with new cords and bring him to judgment. Upon entering their camps, they screamed at him and he broke the bands like they never even were there, then took the new jawbone of an ass and killed a thousand of them
Being extremely thirsty after this, he questioned God, who then had water appear in the hollow of the jawbone for him to drink to the full
Samson judged Israel for thirty years
Next he went to Gaza, to a harlot, where the Philistines again planned to kill him, but he removed the city gate and carried it off to a mountain
Then he met Delilah, a Philistine, in the valley of Sorek
The Philistines thought that she would be perfect to bribe Delilah and find out the secret of his strength, not knowing it was God, through faith
Delilah wooed Samson until he finally told her it was in his hair
She tested him by what he told her would do the trick, by binding him first with green withs (vines, below), then ropes, then tying his hair to the weaver's web (weave), on a pin, which is very strong, all three of which failed miserably against God's chosen man for that time, Samson

John Gill:
"The word is sometimes used for nerves, and cords or ropes; but neither of these can be here meant, since these, if moistened or made wet, are the less fit to bind with, and the drier the better; but rods or branches of trees just cut off, such as faggots are bound up with, or green osiers, which are easily bent and twisted, and may bind with; Josephus calls them vine branches:"

WEB, n. [See Weave.]
- Texture of threads; plexus; any thing woven. Penelope devised a web to deceive her wooers.
- Locally, a piece of linen cloth.
- A dusky film that forms over the eye and hinders the sight; suffusion.
- Some part of a sword. Qu. Net-work of the handle or hilt.
- In ship-building, the thin partition on the inside of the rim, and between the spokes of a sheave.
- In ornithology, the membrane which unites the toes of many water-fowls. Spiders web, a plexus of very delicate threads or filaments which a spider spins from its bowels, and which serves as a net to catch flies or other insects for its food. Web of a coulter, is the thin sharp part.
When she wore him down enough, he confessed it was the Nazarite vow of never cutting his hair which made him strong, so she waited for him to sleep on her lap and called in a Philistine cut his hair
Because Samson trusted a lying woman, he lost his strength when the Philistine cut his hair, so they bound him
Because of this, the LORD left Samson
They took his eyes out, made him work in prison, and then..............his hair grew back
Later, when his hair grew bac and the LORD returned to him (not in the text, but obvious by the result), they brought him to the arena/stadium/house of Dagon their god
The people rejoiced, Samson "made sport" for them as a show, and he asked the lad who brought him to let Samson feel the two pillars that were on either side of him, and he pushed them down, killing all, including himself
The total was 1,000 men, besides women and children, who God got revenge on through Samson

Jephthae: OATH KEEPER

(Judges 11:1 [AKJV/PCE])
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. ¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. ¶ And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him. ¶ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
¶ So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
¶ And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

He was a Gileadite, born to Gilead through a harlot
To be noted here in Judges 11:1 and Judges 11:2 God called the harlot Gilead's wife, because they were joined as one flesh, despite what man says about paperwork
His half brothers here are also called his brethren
The Ammonites were then at war with Israel, and Israel asked Jephthae to be their captain
He agreed, eventually, though they had kicked him out from them
At war, he vowed a vow to the LORD that, if God let him win over his enemies, he would sacrifice whatever came through the door of his house first
It was his daughter, his only daughter, his inly child, and he was heavily grieved
She asked to be allowed to go away for two months to bewail her virginity, then return to be sacrificed
She returned, and he fulfilled his vow to the LORD, sacrificing his only daughter, his only child

David

David's name appears nearly 970 times in Scripture, so much so that he is a huge study to do, both testaments

Jesus Christ is the seed of David
David was promised someone on his throne forever
This same David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle
This same David was called a man after God's own heart! Why? By faith,as we are all sinners
David spared Saul when he could have easily, unknowingly killed him, as he had him in his grasp and even took a sword where Saul and hi men were sleeping

DAVID, BATH-SHEBA, URIAH THE HITTITE: 2 SAMUEL 11

(2 Samuel 11:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. ¶ And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. ¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
¶ Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
¶ So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
¶ And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

NATHAN REBUKES DAVID, GOD PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT ON HIM, UNTIL THIS DAY AND BEYOND (2 Samuel 12)

(2 Samuel 12:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

¶ And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

DAVID SPARES SAUL (1 Samuel 24

(1 Samuel 24 [AKJV/PCE])
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. ¶ And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

¶ And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

(Hebrews 11:33-34 [AKJV/PCE])
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

The deeds of their forefathers, some of whom are listed above, such as Samson, certainly Joshua, Joseph, Daniel, David, Elijah
Daniel and Samson both stopped the mouths of lions (Judges 14:6-7, Daniel 6:22)

(Hebrews 11:35 [AKJV/PCE])
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

Many others were tortured, throughout Israel's history,

THE DEAD RAISED FOR AN UNNAMED MOTHER: ELIJAH

(1 Kings 17:17-24 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
¶ And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

(Hebrews 11:36 [AKJV/PCE])
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

The bad and ugly rewards for the good work, at the hand of man
Mocking for all who believe has been for 6,000 years straight now; but soon it will end
Jesus warned He Himself would be mocked, scourged, crucufied
they Jews even picked up stones to stone Him, because? He claimed to be God

(Hebrews 11:37 [AKJV/PCE])
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Stephen was stoned, at the hands of Saul in Acts 7:58 (later Paul)
Stoning to death was a punishment for an animal that killed someone, or both the animal and the owner who knew it had a history of being deadly and did nothing, or a disobedient person in Israel, for various willful sins, crimes
The enemies of God have used it then, as now, for His people, for preaching the truth
Deceitful people such as Jezebel used it to get things, in this case, for her husband Ahab, by falsely accusing Naboth and having him stoned to steal the land, the vineyard
It is quite certain that Israel, in the Old Testament, stoned many of their own prophets
Jesus warned the disciples of those who would scourge them in the synagogues

(John 8:58-59 [AKJV/PCE])
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

(John 10:31-33 [AKJV/PCE])
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

(Matthew 10:17 [AKJV/PCE])
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

(John 11:7-8 [AKJV/PCE])
Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

DEATH BY STONING

(Exodus 19:13 [AKJV/PCE])
There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

(Exodus 21:28 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.

(Exodus 21:29 [AKJV/PCE])
But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.

(Exodus 21:32 [AKJV/PCE])
If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

(Numbers 15:36 [AKJV/PCE])
And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

(Joshua 7:25 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

(1 Kings 12:18 [AKJV/PCE])
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

(1 Kings 21:13 [AKJV/PCE])
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

(1 Kings 21:14 [AKJV/PCE])
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

(1 Kings 21:15 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

(2 Chronicles 10:18 [AKJV/PCE])
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

(2 Chronicles 24:21 [AKJV/PCE])
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

(Matthew 21:35 [AKJV/PCE])
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

(John 8:5 [AKJV/PCE])
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

(Acts 5:26 [AKJV/PCE])
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

(Acts 7:58 [AKJV/PCE])
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

(Acts 7:59 [AKJV/PCE])
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

(Acts 14:19 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

(2 Corinthians 11:25 [AKJV/PCE])
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

(Hebrews 11:37 [AKJV/PCE])
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

(Hebrews 12:20 [AKJV/PCE])
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

(Acts 7:58 [AKJV/PCE])
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

(Hebrews 11:38 [AKJV/PCE])
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

(Hebrews 11:39 [AKJV/PCE])
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

These all died before seeing the fulfillment of the promises made to them
That is a large amount of faith
We must have that same sort of faith, because we do not now see Jesus Christ literally in the flesh like the disciples and apostles, with our eyes, nor heaven, nor our mansions in glory, but we know we will because God always keeps His promises
Those of us declared righteous through the Blood of the Cross of Christ are not worthy of by world, according to God, and the world is not worthy of us to have us in it, because we are declared righteous in a wicked world

(Hebrews 11:40 [AKJV/PCE])
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The world is not going to ever be made perfect without the Gospel precahed, believed on, and God declaring them so, through us.
Once the Rapture hits, those who openly rejected Christ are left with no rememedy for sin, and will soon bear it's consequences, forever

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Hebrews chapter 12