Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These cross references all relate to the theme of God's promise of a great number of descendants for Abraham. The verse from Hebrews 11:12 speaks of the many descendants from one man, Abraham, and the cross references all emphasize the great number of this descendants, whether compared to the stars of heaven, the sand of the sea, or the host of heaven. This emphasizes the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his promises, which is the main theme of Hebrews 11:12.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Genesis 15:5: And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” | Both passages reference the promise of descendants made to Abraham. In Hebrews 11:12, the author is providing evidence of the fulfillment of this promise by referencing the stars in the sky and the grains of sand by the seashore. Genesis 15:5 is the original promise made to Abraham, in which God tells him that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. |
| Genesis 22:17: I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, | Both passages refer to the promise of God to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars and sand of the seashore. Hebrews 11:12 is referring to this promise as a way of illustrating Abraham's faith in God, despite the fact that Abraham was as good as dead and had no children at the time. Genesis 22:17 is the passage where God makes this promise to Abraham, in which He promises to bless and multiply Abraham's offspring. |
| Genesis 32:12: But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” | Both passages refer to the promise God made to Abraham about his descendants being as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Hebrews 11:12 is a reminder of the fulfillment of this promise, highlighting the fact that Abraham's descendants were born from him, even though he was as good as dead. Genesis 32:12 is the initial promise God made to Abraham, in which He declared that his offspring would be as numerous as the sand of the sea. |
| Jeremiah 33:22: As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.” | Both passages use the imagery of the stars of heaven and the grains of sand by the seashore to illustrate God's promise to multiply the descendants of Abraham. Hebrews 11:12 emphasizes the faith of Abraham and the miraculous nature of his descendants' growth, while Jeremiah 33:22 ties this promise of multiplying descendants to David and the promise of a faithful and obedient priesthood. |
| Hosea 1:10: Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” | Both passages refer to the same concept of the multitude of the people of Israel. Hebrews 11:12 speaks of the descendants of Abraham, the father of the Israelites, as being innumerable, like the stars of heaven and the grains of sand by the seashore. Hosea 1:10 further emphasizes the vastness of the Israelites, comparing their number to the sand of the sea, which is impossible to measure or count. Both passages point to the promise of God to make Abraham's descendants into a great nation. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand by the seashore. We thank You for the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and for their trust in Your promises. We thank You for the hope of Israel, and for the faithfulness of Your chosen people. We thank You for the abundance of Your grace and mercy, and for Your unending love. We pray that You will continue to bless Your children, and increase their number beyond measure, just as You have promised. In Jesus' name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
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