Striving after the passionate faithfulness of past generations

<p>How following the godly examples of our spiritual forefathers during their exodus experiences can lead us to a life of integrity.</p><p>Yeshua taught:</p><p>Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."</p><p>This is a reference to the wanderings in the wilderness which Israel experienced, and how God provided for them. They neither hungered nor thirsted, they were protected from the scorching sun by the cloud that covered them, and he had pity on them and led them by springs of water. In a physical way, they were experiencing what would ultimately be fulfilled within the spiritual kingdom of God.</p><p>This exodus event is when God proved himself as a protector and provider of his people. This is how the Israelites could be assured that Yahweh is the one true God. This is the essence of Hebraic thought, woven into all of their storytelling and tradition. Based on this consistent theme of the exodus story, we can see how the biblical writers drew from this resource time and again to provide spiritual application of the exodus story in other contexts.</p><p>John 8:34, 36 - Yeshua answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. ... So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.</p><p>1 Peter 2:9  - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.</p><p>As believers, we identify with the passionate expression of these principles of our faithful spiritual ancestors because we are ignited with the same Spirit. We desire to share in the exodus experience that they have given voice to over the centuries and millennia as these words were collected and compiled into our Bibles. Like the writer of Hebrews, we have the privileged opportunity to step back and view the entirety of the faithful ancestors who followed God and learn to copy their exemplary lives:</p><p>Hebrews 1