We are in our second section of the Book of Hebrews. The first section outlined for us the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ. Our second section seeks to apply to our lives what that greatness should mean for those who believe in Him.
Last time we looked at how one of the things that it meant was that we should develop a faith that is prepared to endure. If you recall the Hebrews situation, they were traveling through some difficult times. They had lost some of their early fire and along with it some of their folk. Things weren’t like they used to be.
My theory of the authorship of the book is that it is the work of an editor who has been present at some great bible studies and sermons and is keen to pass on what they have heard. The book contains a variety of different styles, and the passage we consider tonight is a case in point for it reads like a sermon rather than a study. It is more like a separate unit than part of the whole.
That is not to say it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the book, rather to say that it sticks out from the rest of the book! If this section needed a title to put in the church bulletin then it could be confined to one word. ‘Faith.’ Hebrews 11 is all about faith.
Firstly, we are given a brief explanation of what faith is. Following that we are given a chronological description of people and experiences of faith that begins with Creation and culminates in the lives of those whom were contemporaries of the writer... the saints and martyrs whose lives they had witnessed.
And the whole thing ends, not with an altar call or confession, but on a cliff hanger! But we are not there yet. Let us begin where our writer begins, with a definition of faith.
Faith Defined - Hebrews 11:1-2
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.
A little boy was once asked what he thought faith was. The little one replied, “It’s believing in things that you know aren’t really true.” The accusation is sometimes made against Christians that our faith is nothing more than self-delusion. In reply Hebrews chapter 11 gives us the stories of folk who lived faith. The implication is that faith is not so much a proposition either to be accepted or dismissed but that faith is a lifestyle marked by active trust and dependence on God.
As such it contains elements of hope, dependence and mystery. Hope here is not wishful thinking, but a sense of conviction that because one has a relationship with God one can trust God to do things God has promised. It is this deep trust that stems from relationship that defines the lives of those about whom we will hear of as shining examples of faith.
We begin with examples from the earliest stories of faith, indeed with Creation itself. The writer declares that faith is a way of knowing and living based on the confident assurance that God is the one who has ordered all of creation and history. Using the repeated phrase ‘By faith…’ we are taken character by character through a history of what living faithfully before God looks like!
Faith Before the Flood - Hebrews 11:4-7
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain's. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and "he was not found, because God had taken him." For it was attested before he was taken away that "he had pleased God." 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.
Abel, Enoch and Noah are cited as examples of faith before the flood. The ‘living out’ of faith is what makes these peoples lives acceptable to God.
The reason why Abel's sacrifice was one more acceptable to God than Cains, is one of those mysteries of the Bible that is maybe best answered by saying “Well that’s the way it was!” Various theories have been put forward. To my mind the most satisfactory is that Cain offered a sacrifice out of desire to receive something in return, whilst Abel offered an offering that came out of His thanksgiving and desire to give of his best.
In Genesis Abel’s offering is described as being ‘first fruits', whilst Cain’s is simply giving something of what he had. In our stewardship minute for mission, Howard Batsford spoke of the difference between giving “off-the-top” (as one does with paying your mortgage or car payments) or giving from our left overs. Abel’s offering expresses devotion and thankfulness, it's “off-the-top”, whilst Cain seems to be just doing what he felt was the minimum necessary. Cain offers his left overs. The one is superior to the other; hence the one was more acceptable than the other. Abel 'pleases' God because his actions indicate he took God's Lordship over him with all seriousness.
Enoch, whom like Melchizedek mysteriously disappears from the scene is also described as having a life that ‘pleases’ God. We know about as much about Enoch as we do about Melchizedek … they were both taken by God because of their 'pleasing' and exemplary lives of faithfulness.
Noah, is declared righteous because he had developed a relationship with God so trusting that when God asked him to do what seemed like a ridiculous thing… build a big boat… he got on with the job and ultimately Noah was right, the rest were wrong. Noah exemplifies the definition given earlier that faith is ‘the conviction of things not seen’. The flood came… life started over again and our next character to consider is Abraham, followed by a passing reference to Jacob and Joseph.
The Faith of Abraham - Hebrews 11:8-22
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." 13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, 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; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you." 19 He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead-- and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, "bowing in worship over the top of his staff." 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.
The writer of Hebrews talks more about Abraham than they do about any other character from the Old Testament. We saw earlier his account of Abraham's dealings with the mysterious Melchizedek to whom he gave a tenth of all he had.
Abraham’s life is highlighted.
• He listened to God’s directions and heads for a destination unknown
• He lived in the land as a traveler and as an alien
• He trusted God to provide him with a child of promises, against the odds.
• He offered up Isaac as a sacrifice, even though he couldn’t understand why!
• He invoked blessings for the future of his children, Jacob and Esau, and through them his grandchild Joseph.
Significant in this list of achievements is that they are all... achievements. Mentions of Abraham’s lapses and those moments when he took wrong actions are simply not mentioned. This surely gives us hope! God measures our lives by the times we get things right, rather than by the times that we mess up. We get it right. God notices. We get it wrong. We learn, we carry on and it’s over. Think of the thief on the cross. He messed up all his life. But one time… he got it right and Jesus promised him paradise!
All the time, the emphasis is on the fact that Abraham had a future in mind, a future being shaped by God. God would direct him to the right place. God would give a child. God would bring him to a new home. God would bring the descendants into being. Abraham never looked back. So we have those words in verse 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; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. “
This heritage he even passes on to his descendants and the example is given of Joseph who looked beyond the circumstances of his old age, and reiterated the hope that had been passed down to him of their being a homeland for his people that wasn’t Egypt!
God’s people of faith are a pilgrim people. We do not make this pilgrimage alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of unseen witnesses, who through their faithful lives show us what is possible and urge us to imitate their example. This was important for the Hebrews to understand. Their church was going through difficult days. Persecution. Loss of faith. Discouragement. By faith… the writer is urging, keep on keeping on. Keep trusting. Keep traveling.
And we’ve only got as far as Abraham! There’s a whole lot more. Consider Moses… our next character.
The Faith of Moses - Hebrews 11:23-29
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, 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 a son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king's anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. 29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned.
This passage is the only one in the Bible that describes Moses as being a beautiful child. The beauty spoken of here though should not be considered as merely that of outward appearance, but more in terms of the blessing of God that rested upon his life. We sometimes sing a hymn that declares “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness’ and it is in that sense Moses life had a peculiar radiance.
That brightness was not just from Moses, it was something that surrounded his life, present in his parents, present even in the lives of his two mid-wives Shipra and Puah who refused to carry out the Pharaohs orders and spared the lives of many Israelite children.
The achievements of Moses are highlighted.
• He rejected the claim of Egypt on his life in deference to sharing the plight of his people
• He persevered in obtaining the peoples release from Egypt and was ‘unafraid of the Kings anger.’
• He instituted the Passover
• He led the people through the Red Sea.
As with Abraham Moses is praised because he looked beyond his immediate circumstances in verse 27 ‘as though he saw him who is invisible.’ Prior to that in verse 26 we are told ‘he was looking ahead to the reward.’
Again, just like Abraham, it is the achievements of Moses that are remembered. Not his violent attack on the Egyptian soldier, or his stammer and inability to stand in front of a crowd that led to God recruiting Aaron to have to do his talking for him. Not his anger or the failures that led to him never actually reaching the Promised Land! Hardly surprisingly. All of that was not considered as evidence of faith!
The verdict on his life is that he pleased God… in fact he was so close to God that often people had to look away! And it is a tribute to his life that some of the enormous things he did do… like deliver the 10 commandments… aren’t even mentioned here in Hebrews. For sure… he was a man of faith. As were many others, for our sermon continues.
Miscellaneous Examples of Faith - Hebrews 11:30-38
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell 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 received the spies in peace. 32 And what more should 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, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
We move quickly from Moses to his successor Joshua… who actually doesn’t get a name check, but rather the whole nation is praised for their unusual way of bringing down Jericho’s walls. Rahab the Prostitute, however, does get a mention. The emphasis seems to be that this was a time when the nation threw all their hopes on God, as well as did those who perceived what God was doing who were outside of the nation. Faith is an indiscriminate quality that could be found in the body as a whole and in those outside of the community.
Sometimes as churches we forget that God does not just work through the lives of faithful fully committed church members. Sometimes God throws us a curve ball and faith springs up in unlikely places. The whole faith community can sometimes become so focused on a thing as being the will of God that they come together as one. When things aren’t happening, God can always raise up people in the unlikeliest of circumstances to see that things happen. The Old Testament bristles with unlikely characters that are outside of the conventional ‘person of God’ mold. Think of the stories of women like Rahab, Esther, and Ruth.
Whoever first spoke this sermon was a wise preacher. He knew when it was time to finish! Verse 32 says “And what more should I say? For time would fail me”. I suspect there are many occasions when the folks in the pews pray for their preacher to have such wisdom and restraint. Once you have lost somebody’s attention, you’ve lost them!
His point however is not that he’s wearing his listeners out, but rather that the Old Testament bristles with so many characters of faith that time is not enough to tell us about everyone of them. And in each case it was the trust they had in God’s promises that carried them through and shaped their lives. None of them were perfect, but their obedience to God defined their lives, not their failures.
It’s an impressive crowd that gets a mention. Verse 32: ‘Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."
Hebrews 11 offers two images of the life of faith. One image is filled with triumph and victory over all enemies, with dramatic deliverance's from all threats and dangers, even death; the other is marked by torture, public mocking, imprisonment, beatings, stoning, homelessness, destitution, hiding in caves, and violent death. Popular names for the two conditions are 'triumph' and 'tragedy,' or 'success' and 'failure'.
Both are descriptions of the life of trust in God. The New Interpreters Bible Commentary observes;
‘Faith does not calculate results and so believe, nor can an observer look at one's lot in life and thereby measure the depth of one's faith. The writer is simply reporting on what has always been true among God's believers, and the reasons for the differences are hidden in the purposes of God. To offer both examples to the readers is in the service not only of truth but also of encouragement. The readers have suffered a great deal. To offer them only examples of suffering faith could add to their discouragement; to offer only examples of victorious faith could produce feelings of guilt and self-doubt. But both are presented, and the readers must locate themselves among them.’
Our sermon draws to its conclusion.
The Conclusion of the Matter - Hebrews 11:39-40
39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.
Again the New Interpreters Commentary is helpful here as the author points out that there are at least two ways to understand these last verses. They may be read in a triumphal manner or a humble manner.
The triumphal manner fits in with the whole theme of the first major section of the Book of Hebrews, that Christ is the greatest example of faith that there has ever been. Those who came before Him pointed to the great salvation He achieved. God, in God’s time ‘provided something better’, the Good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus alone is the fulfillment of faith and bearer of the fullness of God’s promises. Christ is the triumphant one who leads the parade of faith.
It may be read in a humble manner, recognizing that those who came before us were living the earlier chapters of one continuous story and that the last chapter will be the greatest yet written. The “something better” in verse 40 has been prepared for them as well as for us. The humble hope is that we, too, might be included among those who, in the words of verses 13 and 16 believe, but who die, “without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them....Therefore God...has prepared a city for them”
Probably we need to hold to both the triumphal and the humbling ways of reading these last verses. Yes, the lives of these great examples of faith did foreshadow the greatness of faith that we see in Christ, but they also invite us to be on the journey of faith for ourselves. Together, pilgrims and saints, past, present and future, seen and unseen, we are travelers towards God’s promised glory! And all of it is made possible through the love of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 11:1 provides the raw material for drawing a profile of faith as it has characterized the people of God throughout their history. Faith is not simply belief that there is a God but trust that God “rewards those who seek Him”. Faith has a long memory and profits from the experiences of those who traveled the road before us.
Faith dares to look beyond the immediate crisis to a future created by God. Faith is tenacious and enduring, able to accept promises deferred in the conviction that death itself is not the end but a new beginning.
Faith cannot be forced on a person. People always have the option of, as it says in verse 15, returning to “the land that they had left behind.” Faith is courageous, acting often against the tide of opinion. Faith is something inside of us, a deep conviction firmly held, but it is not just an emotion but a hope that transforms the way we walk through life, the way we deal with the things life throws at us and something which shapes our priorities.
And what is faith? All of the above and more. A mystery. A gift. A way of life that pleases God. Our next chapter, Chapter 12, will be a motivational message inviting us to apply faith to our lives.