HEBREWS CHAPTER 11, “HEROES OF THE FAITH”

THE IMPORTANCE of faith has been previously mentioned: “Followers of them who through faith and patience” and “The just shall live by faith” (6:12; 10:38). The change from the old to the new would come about for the Hebrew followers of the Messiah through belief, and understanding, in other words, by faith. Therefore, we find the argument, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Heb. 1:11). The Emphatic Diaglott uses the words “the basis” for “substance,” and “assurance” is used in the Revised Standard Version.

There is a vast difference between faith and obeying the works of the law. The old had “waxed old” and “vanished away.” The Greek word for “faith” is the same one translated “confidence” in chapter 3:14. In the letter to the brethren in Rome, Paul pointed out: “We are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for” (Romans 8:24). Faith makes us sure of things to come and hope makes us sure they will be.

Faith is something more. It is the “evidence of things not seen” (vs. 1). The Diaglott uses the word “conviction” and the Revised Standard Version, “convinced.” The J. B. Phillips translation reads, “It means being certain of things we cannot see.” That which is not seen is not unknown but unseen. God has made known “all his works from the beginning” (Acts15:18), yet many are still unseen. We are convinced they will come to pass because of our faith. It will be at the coming of Jesus that the things hoped for will become realities. “By [faith] the elders obtained a good report” (vs. 2). These elders, in Paul’s mind, began with Abel and will be considered later.

Is there anyone who can fully explain how God created the heavens and the earth? Yet “through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (vs. 3). The first verse of our Bible emphatically states, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” We see what God has done and we believe that He did it, but we do not see or know how He did it nor what He used to make what we see. One thing that should be considered here is that the Diaglott uses for “world” the word “ages.” There are three ages dispensations of time) recorded and previewed in God’s Word. They are:

1)  the one before the flood…

2) the one in which we are now living; and

3) the future when there will be a “new heavens and a new earth.”

As far as God is concerned, even the future age has been created, but we do not yet see it. The word of God is so sure that nothing can keep the future from becoming a reality. Thus, with all assurance and confidence we are convinced of the future.

Now begins a long list of famous Israelites (Hebrews) for the Hebrew Christians to consider. None of these were cited for faithfulness because of having kept the Ten Commandments and the law. As we study each one, briefly, we will take note of something deeper than a mere desire to follow ritual.

The offerings of Abel and Cain have been a source of controversy for many centuries. We understand the Scriptures, both in Genesis 4:4-5 and Hebrews 11:4, to show that Abel brought to Yehovah the best he had. It is evident that Cain did not. Because of his faith in bringing the best to God, Abel showed his confidence in God. Even more important is the fact that “he obtained witness that he was righteous” (vs. 4). This is an important factor at this stage in Paul’s writing to the Hebrews. In previous chapters, Paul showed there was no righteousness in the law. As far as Scripture reveals, Abel had not been commanded to bring an offering. He did it because he wanted to serve God.

Who was Enoch, and what was his office? We know nothing more than what is written. Genesis 5:21, 22 tells us that he was the father of Methuselah, and that he walked with God.” Paul said that he “had this testimony, that he pleased God” (vs. 5). What a wonderful testimony! Would you like to have the same said of you? What did Enoch do? He had faith to follow God. This was enough. It was all that Paul was asking the Hebrew Christians, but he was showing them that “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that be is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (vs. 6). “Without” means apart from.” Anything less than a faith like that of Abel and Enoch is not enough to please God. It is important to “believe that he is.” This means to believe in a living God.

In Romans 14:22 Paul wrote, “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God.” “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans14:23). In writing to the Galatian church, Paul said, “Howbeit then, when you knew not God, you did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements?” (Galatians 4:8, 9). In believing “that he is” is rendered in the Diaglott as “that he exists.” The fundamental of faith is to believe in God, whose name is Yehovah. He is the EVERLIVING (Ferrar Fenton), the ever existing. It is doubtful that Enoch had seen God, yet  he “walked with God.”

At one time when God appeared to Abraham, He said, "I am your exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). We must believe that God is our Rewarder. To those who will not believe and have faith, God will give reward, the reward of the unbeliever. The word “diligently” cannot be overlooked. It is a suggestion of faith. It does not allow for neglect, indifference, or self-appraisal. We can here be reminded of the words of Jesus: “Ask, seek, knock, find.” Yes, this is faith!

To fully establish the fact that faith was the basis for pleasing God, Paul gave a panoramic view of the sages who helped to establish Israel’s history. One figure stands out before we get into the more familiar story about Israel. He is Noah. “By faith Noah …moved with fear.” Why? Because he believed in God; believed that He existed and that He would perform that which He had spoken. Phillips translation states that Noah “reverently constructed an ark to save his household.” Through his actions, Noah “condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness' which is by faith” (vs. 7). It is through faith that a follower of Jesus is justified, even sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11) and made holy in the sight of God.

This faith which makes us righteous to God through Jesus is still condemning the world. Almost without fail, when a Bible student gives an example of faith, Abraham is mentioned. He, truly, was one of the greatest examples of the faithful. He is often referred to as the father of the faithful, and indeed he is, for Paul wrote, “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3:9).

An important word in verse 8 is “obeyed.” This is the characteristic of Abraham that made him faithful. Many hear the word of Yehovah, even so-called followers, but do not obey. Because of obeying the voice of God, Abraham became a wanderer; at least for a time. God had made wonderful promises to him. They included peace and plenty in a permanent home. Therefore, Paul wrote, “He looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (vs.10). The city will be the new Jerusalem which will be built according to the plan of God. God is the “builder and maker” (coming from the Greek word artificer, from which comes the word “architect”). With Abraham was a faithful wife, Sarah. Because of faith, Sarah “received strength to conceive seed,” and this seed was Isaac. (vs. 11.) Because of the faith of both Abraham and Sarah, “there sprang there even of one …so many as the stars of the sky in multitude” (v. 12).

The faith of the father was found in the son, and so we read, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come” (vs. 20). Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph. (vs. 21.) Joseph, because of his faith in God’s promises concerning the land, told his descendants of the time of return and made them promise to take his bones with them. (vs. 22; see also Genesis 50:24)

Moses is introduced by the faith of his parents who hid him “three months” (vs. 23). This faith caused them not to be “afraid of the king’s commandment” (vs. 23). By faith Moses refused to become a part of the household of Pharaoh and a son of the woman who reared him. He chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God” (vs. 25). He could have enjoyed “the pleasures of sin for a season” (vs. 25). A sad condition found in the world of today is that the majority of people desire to enjoy the pleasures of sin rather than to suffer affliction “with the people of God.” We are told by historians such as Josephus that Moses was an important man in Egypt, ranking in importance to that of the highest general in our army. Also, there is every possibility that he could have become the Pharaoh some day because his foster mother was a princess. Whatever may have been the future of Moses, he chose by faith to be with his own people who were suffering at that time. “By faith he forsook Egypt” and became a very profitable servant to God. (vv. 27-29.)

What one of you reading this message has not heard the story of the walls of Jericho? Had you ever thought that this great event was an act of faith? Under the masterful leadership of Joshua, a man of faith, the Israelites obeyed the command of God and Jericho became theirs. (vs. 30.) Rahab, sinful as she once may have been, through faith listened to the two spies who were men of God, obeyed, and was saved along with all who were in her house. Later she married one of the Israelites (tradition states that it was Hur) and is reckoned in the lineage of Jesus.

“What shall I say more?” (vs. 32). We would like to briefly take notice of the ones mentioned and add a few. Gideon was called of God to be a judge of Israel. This he did for forty years. Gideon established faith by the fleece and the dew. It was he who said, “I will not rule over you …Yehovah shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23).

Barak, a general over the army of Israel, was called by Deborah, who was judge of Israel at the time, to deliver the children of Israel out of the hands of the oppressors the Canaanites and those called Gentiles. (See Judges 4.) Barak obeyed, but only if Deborah would go with him. After the deliverance, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise to God. (See Judges 5.)

In the life of Samson, we again have reference to the faith of others, his parents. (See Judges 13.) They asked the angel of God, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” (Judg. 13:12). Samson’s faith in God, given him because of keeping the Nazarite vow, caused him to do many unusual things by brute force.

Jephthah made a vow “that whatsoever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me …I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). “Jephthah came to Mizpah …his daughter came out to meet him” (Judges 11:34). The Scripture relates that Jephthah kept his vow. Paul wrote of him as a man of faith.

Hours could be spent in writing of the simple, yet steadfast, faith of David. He was of such character that God said of him, “The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; see also Acts 13:22). Again, in the life of Samuel, we have the faith of a parent involved. Hannah, his mother, had been barren. She prayed for a son and if God would grant the answer, she would give him to Yehovah. This she did, and Samuel was brought up in the house of the priest and served God all of his life.

Paul made reference to the “prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (vs. 33). Many of the prophets could here be named. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea. These men performed great things for God. They served in high places (Daniel); ran naked through the land and died a martyr’s death (Isaiah, according to history was sawed apart by Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah); married a harlot (Hosea) ; and, as Paul wrote, “What shall I say more?”

“These all, having obtained a good report through faith” (vs. 39), were credited by Paul as having been very remarkable people; remarkable not because of a daily routine of following the ritual of obeying the daily laws concerning the sacrifices, but because they sought to serve the living God with the best of their lives. They obeyed God and humbled themselves before Him.

This, then, was the plea that Paul was making to the Hebrew brethren. The people of faith had not received “the promise” (vs. 39), but the promise did include the hope of being made perfect (vs. 40). How could Paul know that he with them or “they without us” would not be “made perfect” (vs. 40)? It was that he, too, had the assurance (substance) of “the things hoped for” (promises of God) and was convinced (had evidence) because of these faithful ones he had mentioned.

Do you have like faith? Will you be rewarded with Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and a multitude of others? Will your life give “a good report through faith”? Brethren and friends, we have the word of God, we have the examples, and we have the greatest ever to help us, Jesus, the son of God.

Written by Francis E. Burnett and edited and added to by Bruce Lyon