Hebrews chapter 11 opened with a definition of faith in verses 1 to 3, “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.” Hebrews 4:1-3. [NOTE 1]
The remainder of the chapter gives examples of those who exercised faith in God in the midst of challenging circumstances.
This is shown in the different eras of Israelite’s history.
- A]. 11:4-7. Early History To The Great Flood
- B]. 11:8-31. History From Abraham To Entry Into The Promised Land.
- C]. 11:32-40. Other Historical Examples Of Faith.
A]. 11:4-7. Early History To The Great Flood
Heb 11:4 “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.” We are not told why Abel’s sacrifice was more acceptable to God than Cain’s, except that it was offered in faith. His example of faith continued to encourage people even after his death.
Heb 11:5 “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. 1:6 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.” The first “taken” is from [metatithēmi; μετατίθημι meaning to transport, transfer, to translate out of the world. The second is from the noun [metathesis; μετάθεσις] and reinforces the concept that Enoch was removed from the world because of his faith. There follows a general truth, namely that anyone who wants to please God, like Enoch, must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
Heb 11:7 “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.”
Noah acted in faith by obeying the voice of the Lord to prepare for a giant flood and was considered righteous for doing so.
B]. 11:8-31. History From Abraham To Entry Into The Promised Land
Heb 11:8 “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.” Faith means acting on what God reveals. This is what Abraham did as he acted in faith setting out to go to a promised land while not knowing what direction he would be travelling.
Heb 11:11 “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.” Sarah allowed herself to participate in the plan of God knowing it was humanly an impossible task. But in faith, she looked beyond the impossible in trusting that God was faithful to His promises.
A summary of those who had faith
Heb 11:13 “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.” Faith is believing in promises that are unseen by natural sight. All the above heroes of faith trusted in God’s promises seeing and greeting them “from afar.”
Examples Of Faith From Abraham To The Entry Into The Promised Land. 11:17-31
Heb 11:17 “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.”
God’s testing of Abraham in commanding him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice, may seem out of the character of God. However, God knew that Abraham would act in faith and Isaac would not be sacrificed. Abraham in faith believed that if Isaac was sacrificed then God could bring him back from the dead.
Heb 11:20 “By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.“
Isaac had known God’s blessing on his life and in faith believed that his sons would also receive God’s blessing. He preferred Esau to Jacob and tried to bless Esau first even though he was not the firstborn. His will was contrary to the will of God. However, when he discovered that he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau, he realised that God’s will must be done and in faith accepted God’s plan in making Isaac His first choice in His purposes.
Heb 11:21 “By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.”
When Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, he crossed his hands so that the older son’s blessing fell on Ephraim, the younger. In spite of Joseph’s protests, Jacob insisted that the blessings must stand because this was the order that the Lord had specified. He acted in accord with the revealed will of God and this was seen as an act of faith.
Heb 11:22 “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.”
When Joseph knew that the end of his life was near, he predicted the exodus of Jacob’s descendants from Egypt. And he expressed his faith in telling these descendants to carry his bones from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan.
Heb 11:23 “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.”
Here it is the faith of Moses’ parents that is being discussed. Somehow they recognised that this child was special and needed to be protected from Pharoah’s edict that children his age had to be killed. They took the risk of hiding Moses because of their faith in God’s purposes.
Heb 11:24 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.
Moses’ faith was seen in his forsaking all the wealth and privilege of belonging to the court of Pharoah to take a stand for his own people. In faith, he led the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt knowing that Pharoah would be angry and would try to prevent them from leaving. He observed the Passover and encouraged all the Israelites to do the same, and as a result, the destroying angel passed over the homes of the Israelite people.
Heb 11:29 “By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.” The Israelite people followed Moses’ command and in faith began to enter into the Red Sea only to find that the sea opened up for them, but the pursuing Egyptian army was destroyed as the sea closed over them.
Heb 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.”
The people believed that if God’s command was obeyed, then the wall would fall.
Heb 11:31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
Rahab hid the spies because she had begun to have faith in the God of Israel. She told them, “And as soon as we heard it [the stories of the Exodus and the victories God had given the Israelites], our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” Joshua 2:11. Rahab recognised that God was at work in blessing His people and trusted in Him.
C]. 11:32-40. Other Historical Examples Of Faith
The writer concluded the chapter by joining together the many acts of faith that the people of God had performed over many centuries. Heb 11:32 “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—
- Heb 11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
- Heb 11:34 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.
- Heb 11:35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
- Heb 11:36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
- Heb 11:37 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—
- Heb 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. The judgment of the writer on all these heroes of faith is given in the simple phrase, “of whom the world was not worthy.” 11:38. The unbelieving world did not deserve to have such heroes living among them and considered them as being of no worth, but by their faith they were worthy in the sight of God.
Something Better For The Current People Of God. 11:39-40.
There is a surprising ending to the chapter as the writer reveals a wonderful truth, “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.” 11:39-40. The believers in the Old Testament period knew God’s blessings but there was more to come which would be introduced through Jesus. God’s promises are eternal but are fulfilled according to His timetable, not ours. The fulfilment would come in Jesus as St Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”
The entry of Israel into the promised land could have been seen as the fulfilment of all God’s promises to His people. But there was something ”better” for the people of God in all ages to experience. As the writer expressed in Heb 4:3 “For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.” All believers may enter into God’s rest which means into a personal relationship with Christ. He encourages everyone to come to Him to enjoy the rest that only He can offer, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
[NOTE 1]. The definition of “faith” is outlined in the previous blog No. 530.
Blog No.531 posted on Friday 23 February 2024
holbeck 
537. Sermon on Mark14:1-9. True Love Achieves Great Things. [A Gospel reading for Sunday 24 March 2024]
[From a sermon preached at the Healing Service in StAndrews Cathedral, Sydney in 1997.]
As Jesus reclined at the table in a private home, a woman came to Him carrying a jar whose contents (perfumed ointment) were valued at almost one year’s salary. Others might be plotting His death, but at least one person was showing Him, that to her, He was special.
I want us tonight to look at how love behaves, as we see it expressed by the woman.
THE EXPRESSIONS OF TRUE LOVE.
1. Love Takes The Initiative. She Came To Him. 14:3
We don’t know what sort of contact this woman had previously had with Jesus, but obviously her heart had been moved by His ministry of love. It may have been in gratitude for a blessing she had received at His hands. Or it may have been that she was overcome with the sheer integrity of His life. Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass to express her love. She came to Him.
Let me ask you, whether there is anyone that you should be loving, but you’re holding back. You’re waiting for them to take the initiative before you give of yourself in love to them. You think to yourself, “When I see some evidence that they’re sorry; when I think they’ve suffered enough through my withdrawal of love to them; when they have proved that they have changed; then and only then will I become loving and gracious to them.”
If you’ve got that sort of attitude, it’s something you need to repent of, because that’s not how love behaves. What would have happened if God had acted on those same principles. He would have looked at the world in all its sin and said, “What an ungrateful, sinful mob. They don’t deserve to have me send my Son Jesus into the world to die for them.” But His word says that it was while we were yet sinners that Christ came and died for us. He took the initiative. God may be calling many of you tonight to take the initiative in seeking to reach out to restore relationships. To bring His healing grace and power into human lives.
2. Love Offers The Best That One Has. 14:3
It is almost certain that this was the most valuable possession that the woman had. She could have thought, “I’ll just put a little dab on His forehead and keep the rest for another time.” But there wasn’t going to be another time. Within hours He was going to be dead. She broke the jar and poured it all over His head and anointed His head with it.
What a contrast to so much in the church through the ages. Support for missionaries in the form of second-hand tea bags. Support for Christian causes from small change in the pocket, rather than committed giving. But love offers the best that one has, sacrificially and generously. Praise God that so many of His people give sacrificially and with love.
3. Love Makes The Most Of Every Opportunity. 14:3-4
It must have been hard for her to go into that home and do what she did. But it was important enough for her to risk all the ridicule and the misunderstanding of her action. Men could have thought the worst of her morals. Women could have thought that she was downgrading the status of women by making such a pathetic display of pandering to a man in this public way. She did what she could, when she could, making the most of the opportunity before it was too late.
I have often come across very sad situations in visiting people who have been bereaved. But the saddest of those circumstances is that in which people are living with regret for the opportunities that were missed for showing love and affection. As a young person, I once heard the words that go something like this, “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” [Words attributed to Stephen Grellet (1772 –1855) who was a prominent French-American Quaker missionary.]
The moments for expressing love which were never taken up, are lost for eternity. I remember being in my late 20’s and most of my younger friends had already married. I had begun to have deep feelings about one of the girls in my fellowship group. I felt she was far too good for me and was destined to become the wife of a Lord Mayor or a Prime Minister or some other dignitary. All I had to offer her was my love and a life in an ordinary lifestyle. I hesitated about telling her how I felt. But I had this strange thought. Would I ever seek less than God’s best for her? NO! Would I ever deliberately hurt her or fail to appreciate her? NO! I felt I would be committed to her for the rest of our natural lives if she was willing to accept me as a lifelong partner. One Sunday night after I had driven her home from church I decided to share what I was feeling. Adopting a very low-key approach I said to her, ”I think I’m beginning to like you.” When it appeared that my profession of love in this form pleased her I was able to tell her that I loved her very much. And to my delight, this beautiful attractive creature replied, ‘I love you too!” It meant that months afterwards we began our richly blessed life together for almost 54 years before she passed into the presence of the Lord. I am so glad that I got around to expressing my love to this wonderful servant of God and as a result serving Him together for those 54 years.
What marriages could have been enriched, what families could have been blessed for generations, if husbands and wives had taken those opportunities to express their love for each other, and the influence of that be passed on to their children. Unfortunately, the pattern that is set for marriage in the eyes of many children, is that of conditional love, not the self-giving love of the New Testament.
The way we behave is not just affecting you and me; it is affecting generations where those wrong attitudes continue in the family.
4. Love Is Never Wasted. 14:4-5
I want us to notice the different value placed on her action. Many there perhaps, including some of the disciples said, “What a waste. “ In fact they tried to be spiritual about it, saying, “This ointment could have been sold and given to the poor. ” They saw it all as a terrible waste. What they were really saying was this, “HE ISN’T WORTH IT.” But she thought He was. What did Jesus think? He called what she did a “beautiful thing.” Not only was it beautiful, but it was timely. The poor could benefit from help at any time, but He had only hours to live. Her opportunity to show love was not wasted. Nor is love ever wasted.
Sometimes we might hear the words uttered by parents when a daughter marries someone whom they feel is inferior to the family, “She threw herself away on him. What a waste of a talented girl.” But it’s no waste if there is genuine love between the daughter and her husband and they affirm each other, encouraging each other to know and do the Lord’s best for them. God, you could say, gambled when He sent His Son into the world. What if most people rejected Him, wouldn’t that be an incredible waste of the life of His precious Son? But it was His initiative in sending His Son into the world to die for sinners that made some respond in love to His love. Love gives in spite of not being appreciated, and can bring forth love in the other person. Praise God for every person who has responded to the Lord’s love by loving Him in return!
5. Love Is Eternal. 14:6-9
That’s what Paul wrote in 1 Cor 13. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Love never ends.” So significant was this expression of love in the eyes of Jesus that He gave it eternal value. He said that her actions would be told throughout all the generations of humankind in memory of her. This action of the woman will never be forgotten while there is a world. Our expressions of love are also eternal. They change the world around us and then spread out to touch the lives of others, who in turn acting in love, touch more people. But our failure to love is also eternal. It has eternal consequences. What would the world be like now, if generations ago, some of the people in the Middle East or in parts of Africa had put aside their bitterness and determined by the grace of God to take the initiative and to be loving to those whom they once hated?
This is a very powerful story. Jesus knew we needed to be challenged with a human example of someone who loved. I believe that tonight God is going to begin to open some of us wide open, so that He might pour His love into us by His Holy Spirit, and He is going to impress upon us the need to take the initiative in showing love to those whom He will show us.
We need to cooperate with Him as He shows us who those people are, even though we may be going through difficult times, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5.
We are able to love even the unlovable with the agape love of God. It is God’s own love poured into our hearts, flowing through us to enrich the life of a person [or people] who long to be loved. To whom do we need to reach out with God’s love?
Blog No.537 posted on Tuesday 12 March 2024,