August 9, 2020
For the next 13 days we will be spending time together walking through the book of Hebrews! Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were undergoing persecution for their faith and considering running back to Judaism. The author of Hebrews takes an in-depth look at the practices and regulations of the Old Testament as articulated in the Torah and argues for how Jesus is both superior to each of them and supreme over all of them! The author also warns his audience of the grave danger facing them should they choose to now reject Jesus and return to their former way of life. These warnings can and should make us feel uncomfortable as we read through the book together; allow the Spirit to do what He wants to do in your heart through them! Overall, the message of Hebrews is that Jesus, the Son of God as well as our Savior and Messiah, is infinitely superior to anything or anyone else we could give our lives to, and He is worthy of all our devotion and worship. Jesus is greater!
Here in Hebrews chapter 11 the author gives us the well-known “Hall of Faith”, recounting the ways in which the people in the Old Testament lived their lives by confident faith in God and His promises as an example for us to follow. He has just finished demonstrating the awesome, incomparable greatness of Jesus and His superiority to everything that came before Him, and now the author turns and commands his audience, in light of Jesus’ surpassing greatness, to walk by faith, following in the steps of those who went before.
He defines faith in the first verse as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” As he goes down the list of Old Testament heroes who lived according to their faith, notice that they are not commended merely for believing God, but for what they did based on that belief. Every single time the author says “By faith”, what follows is an action the person took based on their confident belief and trust in God and His promises.
Faith means that we obey God, that we follow where He leads when His plan and purposes aren’t all laid out for us clearly. It means that we trust that He really is as great as He says He is, and that if that is true then it is worth following Him no matter what we have to go through or where He leads us!
This point is made crystal clear in the ending of the chapter: the author starts by stating all of these amazing feats that were accomplished by faith, but in verse 35 he turns to the horrific things that were endured by those of faith. Jesus is able to lead us to do great and incredible things for Him and His Kingdom; He is also worthy of enduring and persevering through suffering for.
In any and every circumstance Jesus is the treasure, the reward that we cling to by faith, and that is how we live a life that is pleasing to God!
Hebrews 11
By Faith
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 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.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- What are some ways you have heard “faith” defined? How does the way the author defines and demonstrates it in this chapter change your understanding of faith?
Faith. I have seen the Lord fulfill promises, been gifted with God’s favor, and am also patiently waiting. God reveals Himself through every phase and season, and all of these strengthen me in my walk.
I am not always certain where the Lord is leading me, but in Him, I am always filled with joy and hope!❤
AMEN and HALLELUJAh!!! I have to believe in faith not by sight. I walk in faith that knowing my God is always with me. I believe that my God will get me through anything that comes my way. I thank him every day for my blessings. AMEN ?
“…but in verse 35 he turns to the horrific things that were endured by those of faith.” We are beginning to see persecution of the church even now. Some are prohibited from assembling together as we are commanded to do by God. I am foolish enough to believe that God will commend those who by faith attend church services and He will protect us just as he did Daniel and the three Hebrew children.
Dear Heavenly Father,
My understanding of faith is believing so strongly in something and accepting that it is real,though you can’t see it. It is having trust in something beyond what is humanly conceivable…going beyond your understanding. This is the faith I feel for You, Lord. I know You have somenthing better for us than this life we are in right now. You love Your children and one day You will return and bring us home. In the meantime, we have to continue on with blind faith trusting You in all we do. Thank You for loving us and being there every time we call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Father strengthen us dear Lord, for our turn for enduring faith is surely coming. Even as I shudder at the thought of the disciple who was sawed on two, I am filled with resolve that for the glory set before us we too shall conquer the flesh by your Holy Spirit you shared with us. Be there Lord, please be there and hold our hands promise keeper.
Thank you Dear Lord Jesus, for you said “fear not ” and all your promises are yes and Amen!!???
I like Hebrews 11:1 in the Amplified Bible. Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
My faith in God is what gets me through every day of my life as a caregiver for my husband.This year has been a challenge with his Ostomy wafer holding down I have been having to change it some times twice a day.I now has bladder spasms from his Catheter that is inserted in his stomach. I know my God hears my prayers and is right hear for me I will not give up. Last week I had a bad fall hit my head on the kitchen floor had to go to the ER because I was bleeding so much. My God took care of me by no serious head injures and only some glue on the cut. We have to hold on to our faith and trust he has his timing for us. Thank your church for allowing me to be part of your devotional I watch y’all every week on the Internet God Bless Everyone.
Father, you are the creator of all. As I look around, I see evidence of your power and glory. The devil’s desire is for all to doubt, for all to question, for all to sake their fists at you. I will not doubt you this day. I release the plans I have for the remainder of my life and place the minutes, hours, days into your hands. Use me to sound the alarm. Use me to guide more to Jesus. May my faith in you be counted worthy. Thank you for my renewed health and strength. Now, let’s go and kick on the gates of hell and pull one more from the fire into your glorious light. For it is by and through and in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
In faith, what would you have have me do today and this week Lord? I believe that you exist Lord. I want to please you. I am listening today, and will listen this week for you voice, to join you where I see you at work.
An article published in science magazine a few days ago on matter stated the Higg’s particle is the same as DNA which means it could not just happen which is what v3 tells. Neither evolution or Big Bang theories are provable but only our God is the answer. Faith in God’s word has been shown to be true.