I really was encouraged by these examples of people who had great faith in God, and their lives reflected this commitment. Especially when reading through the list in verses 35 to 37 as well as the specific people listed earlier in the chapter. Here are two verses that I also really enjoyed because of the power of what they promise and the power of God.
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. (Hebrews 11:6 ESV)
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 11:3 ESV)
While verse 3 is a really easy one to glance at and look over, that thing that hit me most is the thought that it was the word of God that brought our entire universe into being. That is the power of his word, and we have been blessed with his word at our fingertips everyday. Let us not waste this opportunity to study it and understand the power of it and knowledge that it holds.
I am struck by the repeated idea that "they did not receive the thing promised," which is in conjunction with them living by faith (v. 13 & 39). Many of them had great rewards on Earth (large, prosperous families; flourishing kingdoms; numerous servants, wives, and concubines; great military and expeditionary conquests). And yet, the writer still regards them as not having received the thing promised! I find this most interesting, and v. 40 points toward the Christ and resurrection, which was yet to come for those named in the Hall of Faith at the times of their deaths. Verse 1 is a brilliant description of the notion of faith and makes me wonder about us. What stance do we take since we are already the beneficiaries of the Atonement? Do we yearn for the full restoration of the Kingdom of God in the same way, or is our stance slightly different?
ReplyDeleteFrom John 5:24 (ESV)
ReplyDelete[Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.]
First a premise. This verse in John 5 comes from when Jesus heals an invalid of 38 years by the pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. The Jews are angry because Jesus broke the Sabbath and claimed to be the Son of God making himself equal with God. Jesus rebukes them and starts off by saying “Truly, truly, I say to you, "the Son" can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing..." (John 5:19) and then warns them by saying "...Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him." (John 5:23)
Jesus the Son derives his authority from God the Father, therefore believing and acknowledging his teachings is to believe and acknowledge that of God's. But when we hear, do we really believe? Are we poised for eternal life and ready to receive the thing promised as Hebrews 11 describes? Or are we tied down to earthly rewards and principles that we cannot the greater gift. Are we like the Jews who chastised Jesus for performing miracles on the Sabbath because the laws of man forbid it? Definitely something to think about as we enter the world as independent adults.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. 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.
ReplyDelete- Hebrews 11:1-3 -
These verses convicted me a lot because I feel like I struggle with this quite often. I see myself often times, questioning my faith and doubting God's plan and love for me. And it's a constant battle everyday and every moment. I often want some physical proofs to trust God, which is absolutely opposite of what God has called us to do. We tend to find a checklist that God would approve and be a good rule keeper. But that is not enough for God. God wants our hearts to be full of conviction. And when we do this, we are able to fully enjoy the inheritance that God has set aside for us. Something better than what we can find in this world. I think that is just unbelievable amazing. And how can we not trust and have faith in God who has fulfilled all of his promises? But we still do and I think we, as a community of believers, should encourage another and ask others about their faith constantly.
I found this entire passage very uplifting and simultaneously challenging. Every character mentioned went through trials. This is solid proof that following God is not taking the easy way out. God requires our faith, which has to come when times are tough. Those are the times when God can do the most amazing things in our lives.
ReplyDeleteWe are familiar with these stories because in them, the men and women of the Bible were given success in their earthly ventures because they put their trust in God. Though their lives were not easy, God did reward them for their faith. And yet "all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." Hebrews 11:39-40
This really amazes me because not only did they look past their trials, but also their victories on earth. Often times people fall into the prosperity gospel kind of mentality, where they only worry about their possessions and rewards on earth. But these heroes of the Bible had their eyes on God, and His grand scheme. They looked forward to the coming of Christ and the reuniting of man and God in Heaven. That is certainly something incredible to have hope in, and a reason to have faith.
The world today seems to call for fact and explanation for every little thing, neglecting the fact that faith is a large part of our lives. Faith in God can yield great rewards, although the full promise is not received in this life, as seen in the chapter. Those who refuse to believe until they are given proof are missing the point. Faith is what drives us, what brings us close to Him, and what allows us to truly experience His love and reap the rewards. I find myself all too often leaning on myself instead of trusting in the almighty God with my struggles. I need to have faith not no problem is too big for the God of the universe.
ReplyDelete"But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
ReplyDeleteHebrews 11:6
Without the gift of faith, what Hope is there? Often I hear around the world skepticism for anything that is not proven beyond any doubt. We believe in a God who believes in free will. For if we as humans don't have free will, than we cannot love God (it's not love if you're forced to do it). If Jesus wanted to remove the free will element, he would've done all his miracles in plain sight of everyone and he would have told all those saw the miracles to go and tell everyone. However, he didn't do that. How easy is it to believe something when it's being shown directly to you? Wouldn't it be a truer test of belief if you had to come to have faith in someone? For this reason, Jesus typically only did miracles in the presence of those who already had faith in Him as the messiah, as the Son of God.
In looking at this passage it struck me that each example was an example from the history of Israel. This is very fitting given that the book is called Hebrews and must have been written to a group of Jewish Christians. I love how Paul tells them that the faith that the Jewish religion required of them has not changed with the coming of Jesus. He connects the old with the new through his telling of these stories. They have not forsaken the faith of their fathers but instead embraced the fulfillment of it. This is a huge encouragement to people who probably felt ostracized from their family by their choice to follow a new way.
ReplyDeleteI love how God is always encouraging us in a way that transforms us for his Glory!
There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.
ReplyDeleteThough it may not always be comforting to look so far into the future, it is reassuring to know that all of our sufferings will only last in the short term. Even believers who were being tortured did not try to shorten the duration of their torture. why? Because even an extra few day, weeks, months, years of suffering will prove to be inconsequential in the eternal scheme of things. By putting our faith in God's promises, we can weather any storm.