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thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife" was the rebuke addressed by God to Adam. Eve herself listened to Satan instead of holding fast to the
commandment of God (Genesis 2:16;3:1-5,17). "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain" (Hebrews 11:4), because he held
faith from the proper source (Genesis 3:21; 4:3-4; IJohn 3:12).
Peter summarized the conditions in the days of Noah, where the people "were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days ofNoah,whilethearkwasapreparing"(IPeter3:20). Thatwickedgenera tion mocked Noah, who had heard from God and obeyed Him. Hewas ulti mately saved, along with his household: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the sav- ing of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Hebrews 11:7). It was said of the father
of the nation of Israel, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed..." (Hebrews 11-8), because he trusted in the Lord who called him, and from whom he had this testimony: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice" (Genesis 22:18).
Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11.27), because he heard and believed on the omnipotent who declared. My ser vant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth" (Numbers 12:7-8). His contenders were confounded for having given their ears to deceitful sources (Numbers 16:1-9). When the
twelve spies sent to Canaan brought their report to Moses, only Joshua and Caleb, who trusted in the promises of God, which they heard through Moses,stoodinfaith ThewholecongregationofIsrael,whohadneverreal ly believed in Moses," was quickly invaded by fear when they heard the dis couraging report (Numbers 13,14).
The parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13 could also be used asanothervividillustrationoffaith. AstheLordexplained,"Hethatsoweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
The enemy that sowed them is the devil" (Matthew 13:37-39). Sowing the good seed is synonymous with proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. What the wicked one sows is counterfeit. Hearing the good news
proclaimed brings saving faith for those who will take heed to it.
The warnings of the apostle Paul were not in vain: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in
hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (I Timothy 4:1-2; cf. II Timothy 4:3-4). He urged his young disciples Timothy and Titus not to give heed to fables and commandments of men (Titus 1:14; I Timothy 1:4).
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