A Great Cloud of Witneses

Introduction.  The book of Genesis (beginnings) records the beginning of the heavens and earth, sin, worship, salvation and destruction. We learn about all these things in the lives of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Enoch, and Noah. While some dismiss these people as myths, Jesus and His apostles used the events recorded about them both as examples and the basis of warning and exhortation.
  • The sin of Adam and Eve is used to illustrate the resurrection (“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” - 1Cor. 15:22), and the danger of deception (“as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” - 2Cor. 11:3).
  • Cain is used to illustrate the danger of a lack of love (“we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous” - 1Jn. 3:11). Abel is still speaking today about the value of faith and submission in our worship to God (“Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks” - Heb. 11:4).
  • God testified of Enoch’s “pleasing” life of faith by revealing the first tangible act of salvation (“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death“, “and was not found, because God had taken him;” ”for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.“ - Heb. 11:5).
  • Noah’s obedience was to the divine warning of the coming flood (“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household“ - Heb. 11:7) and was an illustration of how God delivers His godly people, when He “did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly“ -  2Pet. 2:5).
They are part of “A Great Cloud of Witnesses” (Heb. 12:1) God has gathered and placed into the Scriptures to testify to each of us how we should live our own lives. They succeeded in living faithful and honorable lives though each lived in very different circumstances. The reason they will always be relevant is set forth in the introductory comments of Ecclesiastes.
  • “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.“ (Eccl 1:9-11)
There are a finite number of trials and tribulations, a limited number of temptations, lusts and sins, and only so many blessings we can enjoy. Their history in the Bible covers them all. If we do not learn from their failures they will become our failures (1Cor. 10:1-12). If we learn from their success we too will have success (Heb. 11:1-12:3)

Written for our Learning.
  • “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.“ (Rom. 15:4-5)
Although all that was written before the gospel no longer has authority as Law, it still holds a vital purpose for Christians. Every Bible character has an important story to tell. When we learn their stories we can gain patience and comfort leading to hope. We should be teaching these events to our children from their youth.
  • “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.“ (2Tim. 3:15)
Written for our Example and Admonition.
  • “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.“ (1Cor. 10:11)
There are so many similarities between Israel leaving Egypt and journeying to the Promised Land and our leaving the world and journeying toward the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit used their lives as an example for our own. There are also positive examples. James lists all the prophets and Job.
  • “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.“ (Jas 5:10-11)
These examples have the power to give wisdom that will result in our salvation.

Conclusion.  God’s people have a great heritage. We are an elect race and holy nation. The father of our nation is Abraham and we are the Israel of God. There is great comfort, wisdom, hope and salvation when we learn our history from those who lived before us.