“We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who
have faith to the preserving of the soul” (Heb 10:39)! That powerful
exhortation leads us naturally to ask, “What is true faith anyway? How do we
know if we have it? Can you give us some clear examples?”
The readers of this letter faced persecution, loss of property, and
imprisonment. It was vital for them to see how a vibrant, resilient, active
trust in God had sustained the heroes of old. In our own day, we desperately
need that same reminder. Heb 11 records, not just historical Bible stories for
children, but real-life lessons for adults that apply to our current challenges
and opportunities.
Of course, these faith giants form the “great cloud of witnesses” that
surround us and encourage us. Knowing them well will energize us as we run the
race with our eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb 12:1-4).
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These are lesson notes,
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Read Heb 11:1-3, and then through the entire chapter as
we study.
Faith is the assurance, confidence, and conviction …
hypostasis: what stands under anything (a building, a contract,
a promise); essence, substance, reality; basis or guarantee of transactions; a
title deed to property.
elengchos: proof, evidence, or conviction; item brought into
court; decision that results; cause or effect.
That what is intangible and
invisible …
Things hoped for … things not seen.
Rom 8:24-25; Phil 1:20; 2 Cor 4:16-18; 5:7
Heb 11:7, 8, 10, 13 (invisible city), 15-16 (better, heavenly country),
22 (Joseph), 26-27 (Moses)
Is real.
Faith is the means to God’s gracious “well done.”
Heb 11:2 the men of old
Heb 11:4 Abel
Heb 11:5 Enoch
Heb 11:39 “all of these”
Faith takes God at His Word regarding creation and all
else.
Heb 11:3 World prepared by His Word; visible not made from visible.
Heb 11:7 Noah – warned.
Heb 11:8, 17 Abraham – called / commanded.
Heb 11:11 Sarah – promised.
“God said it. I believe it. That settles it!” Of course it is settled
whether I believe it or not, but it is settled for me specifically because I own it through my faith.
Abel – Faith offers God a better sacrifice.
What made it better? Many assume that God had prescribed a blood
offering. In that case offering “by faith” means that Abel obeyed God in
contrast with Cain. The phrase “by faith” could also indicate that Abel’s
sacrifice expressed his trust in God and dependence upon God, while Cain’s did
not.
Heb 10 has already emphasized that even blood sacrifices were just a
shadow of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They could not actually
forgive sin.
Note also regarding Abel and sacrifice …
Matt 23:35
Heb 12:24
1 Jn 3:12
2 Sam 24:24
Mark 12:41-44 Widow’s mite (Grk. lepton)
Enoch – Faith walks with God, pleases God, and goes to
be with God.
Walking the walk vs. talking the talk.
Gen 5:21-24
“Will the real Enoch please stand up?” There were two men by this name,
from two very different family trees.
Gen 4:16-24 Enoch, line of
Cain > Curse > Flood.
Gen 4:25-5:32 Enoch, line of
Seth > Christ > Salvation.
Of course it is this second, godly Enoch who is commended for his faith.
This faithful hero did not build a boat, offer his son, or part the Red Sea. He
simply lived out his faith consistently, walking with God day by day.
All – Faith pleases God by trusting in His existence
and in His reward.
Heb 11:6 And without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that
He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
This idea that faith seeks and pursues God recurs in Heb 11.
Heb 11:10 – looking; 11:13 – seeking; 11:16 – desiring.
Noah – Faith heeds God’s warning …
acts
in godly fear …
builds
a boat of safety …
saves
one’s family …
condemns
the world …
and inherits
righteousness.
That’s what made Noah a “Titanic Success.”
Matt 24:37-38; 1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 3:1-7
Abraham – Faith goes without knowing …
lives
as an alien in a foreign land …
and
looks for the city built by God.
Abraham – Faith consists of …
Listening In response to God’s call.
Leaving In obedience forsaking the past.
Living As an alien in a foreign
land.
Looking In anticipation of the future.
Sarah – Faith believes and receives the inconceivable!
Faith considers Him faithful who promised.
Abraham’s faith: Rom 4:16-21
Sarah’s faith: Gen 17:16; 1 Pet. 3:6
Every one of the innumerable descendants is indebted to the faith of
Sarah and Abraham.
All these ...
Heb 11:13 All these
died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having
welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers
and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things
make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed
if they had been thinking of that country from which they went 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 a city for them.
Faith sustains one
in death.
Faith sees and
welcomes the promises, but is willing to die without receiving them.
Faith confesses that
one is away from home.
Faith lives as if in
exile. 1 Pet 1:1-2
Faith expects a
better country, a heavenly city.
Faith looks
expectantly to the future.
Faith causes God not
to be ashamed.
Abraham and Those who Followed Him
Abraham: Faith
surrenders, submits, and sacrifices.
Isaac and Jacob:
Faith gives the blessing.
Joseph: Faith
expects the Exodus.
Moses’ parents:
Faith obeys and protects.
Moses: Faith
chooses, evaluates, fears not, obeys.
Israelites: Faith
keeps moving forward.
Jericho / Rahab:
Faith obeys and survives.
Faith: Too Much to Tell!
“Time will fail me …” Who else served God by faith?
Gideon led 300 men with torches and trumpets to topple Midian. Jud 6-8
Barak overcame Sisera and his confederate Canaanite chariots. Jud 4-5
Samson struck down hostile Philistines, even in his death. Jud 13-16
Jephthah subdued the Ammonites to protect Israel’s God-given land. Jud
11-12
David extended Israel politically, militarily, and spiritually. 1 Sam
16ff
Samuel served as prophet, priest, and judge, anointing Saul and David. 1
Sam 1ff
Others …
… conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises,
shut the mouths of lions (Daniel), quenched the power of fire (Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego), escaped the edge of the sword (Elijah,
Elisha, and Jeremiah), from weakness were made strong (Gideon), became
mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by
resurrection (poor widow of Zarephath; wealthy woman of Shunem).
… and others were tortured (Jews persecuted between OT and NT,
predicted in Dan 11:33) (Gk tympanizo = stretched on the rack and beaten to
death), not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a
better resurrection (to eternal life); and others experienced
mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment (Jeremiah).
They were stoned (Zechariah – 2 Chron 24:21), they were
sawn in two (Isaiah?), they were tempted (to sin or to
quit), they were put to death with the sword (prophets – 1 Kgs
19:10); they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute,
afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in
deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground (Elijah, Elisha)
(Jews persecuted between OT and NT, predicted in Dan 11:33).
Yet “Something Better for Us!”
Heb 11:39 And all
these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was
promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so
that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Look how hard they fought … how much they lost …
how long they endured … how deeply they suffered …
even without the better promise from the better Savior, Jesus!
With all these faith heroes as witnesses around us, and with Jesus as our
forerunner ahead of us, we are ready to run the race that is set before us!
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