14-Day Reading Plan

Day 1 • Hebrews 11

Background

Hebrews 11 is also known as the “Hall of Faith,” because it recalls many stories of heroes in the faith. We will be sitting in Hebrews 11 for the next 14 days reading the stories of expressions of faith of the Old Testament. As we look into the role that faith plays in our relationship with God, keep in mind our theme verse for this reading Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Take some time with a journal, note, or voice memo to reflect on these questions after your reading…

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? What would you like to learn more about as we study these stories? How does this passage relate to your life?

Day 2 - [CREATION]

Genesis 1 / Hebrews 11:3 – "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."

Background

Genesis 1 tells how God created the world out of nothing. This is the first reference in Hebrews 11, and we are reminded that we believe that the universe was formed at God’s command. Read this chapter and pay attention to God’s ultimate authority and power over creation.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you?
Why did it stand out to you?
Why do you think the Bible goes into such great detail about how God formed the universe?
What does this story reveal about our Creator?

Day 3 - [ABEL’S OFFERING]

Genesis 4 Hebrews 11:4 – "By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.”

Background

Abel and his brother, Cain, were sons of Adam and Eve. In this chapter they brought offerings to God. Cain sacrificed some of his crops, but Abel offered a sacrifice from his best lambs, demonstrating faith. God accepted Abel’s offering because it was given with sincerity, while Cain’s was not.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you?
Why did it stand out to you?
In what areas of your life are you bringing God your best?
What about some areas that are not so your best?

Day 4 - [ENOCH]

Genesis 5 / Hebrews 11:5 – "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away."

Background

Enoch was a man who walked with God, living a life of faith and devotion. Unlike others, Enoch did not die; God took him away. In this chapter, God honors Enoch by sparing him from death.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? What does Enoch’s story reveal about God’s relationship with those with great faith?

Day 5 - [NOAH]

Genesis 6 / Hebrews 11:7 – "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family."

Background

Noah was a righteous man in a world full of evil. Because of how evil the world was, God instructed Noah to build an ark to save his family from a coming flood. His faith in God’s word saved humanity from total destruction and marked Noah as an example of God’s unwavering trust in God.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? How does someone keep their faith in the midst of a corrupted culture? How can you protect yourself from the darkness of the world around you?

Day 6 - [ABRAHAM & SARAH]

Genesis 12:1-9 / Genesis 21:1-6 / Hebrews 11:8 – "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Background

Abraham (Abram) and Sarah were called by God to leave their homeland and travel to a land that God promised them. Abraham’s obedience to God and Sarah’s faith in God’s promises bring great blessing on their lives. God declared Abraham righteous for trusting God, even when the promises seemed distant.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? What promises can you think of in scripture that apply to you? If you can’t think of any, take some time to look some up and reflect.

Day 7 - [ABRAHAM pt2]

Genesis 22:1-19 / Hebrews 11:8 – "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Background

In this chapter, God calls Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Without question, Abraham sets out on the journey with his son. Ultimately God provides a lamb to take Isaac’s place, and blesses Abraham for his faith.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? Has there ever been anything in your life that God has asked you to give up? What was that like? Is there anything that God may be asking you to surrender to Him and trust Him with fully?

Day 8 - [ISAAC’S BLESSING]

Genesis 27:1-40 / Hebrews 11:20 – "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future."

Background

Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, carried on their legacy of faith. Before his death, Isaac blessed his sons, Jacob and Esau. Even though Esau, the older son, was entitled to the blessing, Isaac followed God’s plan and blessed Jacob.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? It was tradition for the firstborn to receive the blessing of the father, yet Jacob was the youngest. Why do you think Jacob ultimately received his father’s blessing?

Day 9 - [JACOB’S SONS]

Genesis 48 / Hebrews 11:21 – "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff."

Background

Jacob, before he died, blessed each of his sons. By faith, Jacob saw God’s future promise for his descendants and prophesied over their futures. This displays how faith spans generations and involves trust in God’s promises.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? How have these blessings spoken over Jacob’s descendants come to pass?

Day 10 - [JOSEPH’S PROPHECY]

Genesis 50 / Hebrews 11:22 – "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones."

Background

Joseph, son of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his brothers but eventually rose to power in Egypt. Before his death, Joseph prophesied that God would lead the Israelites out of Egypt, demonstrating faith that God’s promises would come to pass.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? What can you learn from Joseph’s faith for the future?

Day 11 - [MOSES & HIS PARENTS]

Exodus 2 / Hebrews 11:23-29 – "By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter... he regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt."

Background

Moses’ parents defied the Pharaoh’s decree to kill all Hebrew baby boys by hiding Moses for three months. They believed Moses had a special purpose in God’s plan. Once Moses grew up, he chose to suffer alongside the Jews. His faith empowered him to rise up and become a leader for his people.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? What can you learn from Moses and Moses’ parents' faith?

Day 12 - [JERICHO]

Joshua 6 / Hebrews 11:30 – "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days."

Background: The Israelites, led by Joshua, were instructed to march around the city of Jerich for seven days. On the seventh day, the walls miraculously fell down. The Israelites obeyed God’s commands even when they didn’t make sense, displaying great faith in God’s way.

Questions: Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? Why do you think God asked the Israelites to march around Jericho instead of attacking?

Day 13 - [RAHAB]

Joshua 2 / Hebrews 11:31 – "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."

Background

Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. When the Israelites were scouting Jericho (before the fall of the wall in chapter 6) Rahab protected two Israelites. She demonstrated faith even though she was not considered part of God’s people. Faith transcends cultural and societal

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you? Why did it stand out to you? Why do you think someone like Rahab was included in the “Hall of Faith”?

Day 14 - [CONCLUSION]

Hebrews 11-12:3 Hopefully after spending these previous 14 days looking back on acts of faith of others, you are encouraged in your faith. As Hebrews 12:2 commands, fix your eyes on Jesus and allow His life to transform how you choose to live everyday.

Questions

Was there a verse that stood out to you more the first time than the second time? What differences did you notice this time around? Look back over your responses for the previous 14 days. What has been your biggest takeaway from this study?