Talent? Genius? Where do we belong in this discussion? Read Romans 1:20 and study more about God as the Creator in our section “Is There a God?”. Change ). And faith allowed them to walk between walls of water through the Red Sea, while the Egyptian army chasing them was destroyed (Exodus 14). “Obtained a good report”: Literally “were testified to” or “had witness given about them” (verses 4, … Never miss a post! And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! After listing these six, he adds “and the prophets,” evoking dozens more stories told throughout the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament. Heb 10:32-35, NIV. Women in these places are especially vulnerable. Contrary to Paul’s usual practice, the author of Hebrews nowhere identifies himself in the letter—except to indicate that he was a man (see note on 11… Next time. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts and updates. Her story is recounted in Joshua 2 and 6. He is a loving, giving God—“a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”. Stolen property, beatings, imprisonment and martyrdom have been the fate of countless Christians. “Substance” can mean essence or reality, and “evidence” can mean proof or conviction. In addition, six more men are listed in one verse, Hebrews 11:32: This summary takes stock of the final outcome and the faith shown by these men. ( Log Out /  Plus pressure from angry, anti-Jesus legalistic Jews who insisted they renounce faith in Messiah Jesus and thus to fall away. Therefore it is imperative to grasp the scriptural meaning of faith in order to understand how Hebrews employs it. 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. 1. God-botherer appealing for faith, hope and love. These brief vignettes of faithful and faith-filled people of God demonstrate the power of trust in God and how to grow in it. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Description of the great things which faith (in its widest sense: not here restricted to faith in the Gospel sense) does for us. And He can control the future. The context of Hebrews 11, the Faith Chapter The book of Hebrews contains exhortations, warnings and encouragement to Jewish Christians facing trials and was probably written not long before the Romans destroyed God’s temple and its worship system in A.D. 70. 2:2-4). Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 11 as people of great faith” (NKJV Study Bible, p. 2095, “Heroes of Faith”). The book gives reminders of how Jesus Christ superseded the Old Covenant priesthood and sacrifices. Study more about His amazing promises in our free booklet God’s Purpose for You: Discovering Why You Were Born. Study more about this vital subject in these articles: Mike Bennett is editorial content manager for the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in the Dallas, Texas, area. Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:6 Context. Whoa. Hebrews 11:6 gives another foundational summary statement about faith: “But 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 diligently seek Him.”. God is faithful, and He wants us to believe in Him and believe Him. Surely testing times lie ahead for us. ()Amplified: By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in … Sarah’s faith is highlighted in verse 11. He who, in this period of time, is first testified unto in the Scripture, is he whose example on all accounts was most forcible with these Hebrews, which he had before at large proposed unto them and insisted on, Hebrews 6:11-15; the exposition of which place may be consulted, to give light to this context. Hebrews 11:1. This Hebrews 11 Bible study will explore the chapter to find what God wants us to learn about faith today. What comes right before and right after it are extremely significant. Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe, Article URL: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/faith/hebrews-11-faith/, God’s Promises: Rock-Solid Hope and Assurance, Spiritual Warfare: How to Win and How to Lose. I missed the last eight verses in Hebrews 10! Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”. That wonderful country is elsewhere described as the Kingdom of God that Jesus will bring to this earth at His return. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 3. Again, this is confirmed by the entire New Testament corpus. … It is the response of obedience that qualifies the characters in ch. ( Log Out /  He gives faith and wants us to grow in faith. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” (Isaiah 26:20)   And, “But my righteous one will live by faith (Hab. He wrote there Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict… With Jesus Christ’s example and help, we don’t need to succumb to weariness and discouragement (verse 3). Noah (Hebrews 11:7; his story fills Genesis chapters 6-9). The Triumphs of Faith 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Countless brothers and sisters in many nations face similar trials daily. Hebrews 11:13-16 demonstrates how these heroes of faith were motivated by their spiritual vision and steadfast belief in God’s promises: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They were insulted publicly, even been imprisoned and lost possessions for their faith—and joyfully! This text is the opposite of … We will learn that even chastening shows God’s love (verses 5-11). 11:1). Hebrews 11:1 Context. Their faith and endurance prepared them for the awesome future God has planned. Faith gives us solid assurance that God’s promises will be fulfilled and a clear vision of the invisible spiritual reality. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. However, “by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (verse 3). What Does It Mean to Believe in Jesus Christ? Their faith was rewarded as he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the royal court. The Bible. Isaac (Hebrews 11:20; this event is recorded in Genesis 27:26-40). Read more about this in our article “The Faith of Abraham.”. The sentence may be explained either, “received strength as regarded the deposition of seed,” to fructify it; or, “received strength for the foundation of a posterity,” σπέρμα being rendered in accordance with Hebrews 2:16; Hebrews 11:18, and καταβολή in the sense of foundation, as everywhere else in N.T. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. It establishes a good, practical definition of faith, but it is not the only one, since the Bible uses the term "faith" in several other ways.We have to be thinking as we read, or we may get an idea about faith other than the one God intends within a given context. To please God and to be motivated to faithfully follow God’s commands, we must also believe that His awesome promises for the future are true. We know the universe exists—we can see it, hear it, touch it, measure it. THE CONTEXT: Hebrews 11 is the great faith chapter of the Bible, first defining faith (v. 1) and then using well-known Hebrew people to show faith in action. Like our letter’s readers, we Christians must not throw away our confidence, our trust, our active, living hope in the grace and love of God in Jesus for the future, because we know that we ourselves have better and lasting possessions which will endure. https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-general-epistles The examples of God’s miraculous interventions (verses 33-35a) can help build our faith, as we recognize that no problem is too hard for God. (NASB: Lockman)Greek:Pistei nooumen katertisthai tous aionas remati theou, eis to me ek phainomenon to blepomenon gegonenai. Pakistan is a dangerous place to call yourself a Christian. “The elders”: In this context, the term refers to all saints, both men and women, under the older covenant, a select few of whom are described (in verses 4-40). Learn more in our section on the “Prophets of the Bible.”. How Should a Christian Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic? But in the end, the writer of Hebrews focuses on their examples of faith, which we can learn from. All rights reserved. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. This leads into a discussion of what faith is and what it looks like. Moses’ story of faith also received longer treatment in Hebrews 11:23-29. I missed the last eight verses in Hebrews 10! Though God did not require faithful Abraham to follow through, this incident was preserved as an object lesson in the tremendous sacrifice God the Father and Jesus Christ actually made for us. Christians who live in peace and safety often compromise their … Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. But He knew God, the giver of life, “was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19). 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Though we know God can protect and heal us in any circumstance, we do not know if He will in each situation. Here is yet another strong argument not to throw away their confidence. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. Faith is ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen’ (Heb. God’s people have not always been spared from trials, tortures and martyrdom (verses 35b-38). Prominent Old Testament examples of this include the raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24) and the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37). Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Then comes the encouragement to look to greatest example of faith and endurance: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (verse 2). The Faith Chapter begins with this key summary: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). This is happening today. But God reminds us that His ultimate promises are not in this life, and that faith is also a gift to help us endure the terrible trials of this evil age. Hebrews 11:1-3 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. “Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. It’s what the Book of Revelation is all about with its strong emphasis on HOPE. “To leave the certainties one knows and go out into what is quite unknown—relying on nothing other than the Word of God—is the essence of faith” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, note on Hebrews 11:8). Followers of Christ have suffered persecution throughout history. Faith is an essential and valuable characteristic for the Christian. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. The author of Hebrews “is particularly interested in the opposition of faith to sight. It physically can’t happen. It is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. We are reassured that our glorious hope is in Jesus’ coming, everywhere spelled out in the New Testament writings. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”. Whoa. BELIEVED THE IMPOSSIBLE Genesis 22:7-8, Hebrews 11:19. Hebrews 11:4-7 lists three faithful men from the time before the Flood: Hebrews 11:20-22 lists three more men who acted on faith: “With all three the significant thing was their firm conviction that death cannot frustrate God’s purposes” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, note on Hebrews 11:20-22). ( Log Out /  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews Chapter 11: Hebrews 11. Footnotes. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (2) For by it the men of old gained witness. The Old Testament stories are not sanitized or stories of perfect people. Lately I’m understating spiritual maturation in the context of Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11:33-38 summarizes what these named and unnamed heroes of faith did and what they endured. 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In addition to Sarah and Rahab mentioned above, Hebrews 11 summarizes many other stories of faith, including women who “received their dead raised to life again.”In addition to Sarah and Rahab mentioned above, Hebrews 11 summarizes many other stories of faith, including women who “received their dead raised to life again” (verse 35). He coordinates the Life, Hope & Truth website, Discern magazine and the Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter. Chapter 11 is a list of examples of those who did not "shrink back." Jesus is the finisher of our faith because “He is our example and model, for He focused on the joy that was set before Him. For those of us who aren't suffering in these ways, it's hard to imagine the temptations that persecution brings. She and Abraham waited a quarter century—long past Sarah’s childbearing years—to have the promised son, Isaac (Genesis 12:1-4; 17:19; 18:10-14; 21:1-2, 5). These believers had suffered, side by side, endured persecution, wept and cared for others who were suffering. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. Coming to know that God exists is a starting point. CHAPTER 11. Perseverance reigns supreme. Because these set the context for what follows in chapter 11, I hope you will bear with me by my going back to these passages. By faith Jericho’s walls … 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what … When he heard rumors that God’s prophet Elisha was supernaturally aware of the Syrian battle plans, the king of Syria “sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament scriptures inherited from Judaism, together with the New Testament, drawn from writings produced from c.40-125CE, which describe the life of Jesus and the establishment and teachings of the early Christian church.It consists of 66 books of very varied literary forms and genres, although some churches also include the Apocrypha. Altogether 16 heroes of faith are named, and the stories of many others are summarized. To this point in chapter 11, the writer has defined "faith" from the perspective of a forward-looking trust in God's promises (Hebrews 11:1). There is no disharmony between the teaching of Hebrews and that of Paul’s letters, but the specific emphases and writing styles are markedly different. Sometimes their flaws are as memorable as their faith. Chapter 13 powerfully sums up the foundation of our faith and the source of our encouragement: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. Elisha’s servant was encouraged by seeing with own his eyes the powerful spiritual reality that Elisha already saw by the spiritual vision of faith. Millions of Christians around the world are persecuted, some being killed and their property confiscated or burned. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM . Will we be among those who shrink back when things get tough, threatening? No. What will we do when persecution comes our way? 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