Faith is living in a hope that is so real it gives absolute assurance. They simply took God at His word and lived on that basis. Faith is “the conviction of things not seen”. It is an outward manifestation of the inward assurance. The person of faith lives his belief. His life is committed to what his mind and his spirit is convinced are true.

1 – Abel – Worshipping in Faith (vs. 4)

See 1 John 3:11-15. Dead men do tell tales!

• Abel made a true sacrifice. God prescribed a BLOOD sacrifice. Cain is the author of false religion. Cain’s religion came from Satan. See Proverbs 14:12.
• Abel obtained righteousness. The only thing that obtained righteousness for Abel was that in faith he did what God told him to do.
• Abel speaks from the dead. What does he say?

1. Man comes to God by faith and not works.
2. Man must accept and obey God’s revelation above his own reason and self-will.
3. Sin is severely punished.

2 – Enoch – Walking By Faith (vs. 5-6)

See Jude 14-15.

• Enoch was reconciled to God. See Amos 3:3. Walking together suggests intimate fellowship and harmony.
• Enoch had a corresponding nature with God. See 2 Peter 1:4.
• Enoch continued his faith. See 1 Corinthians 5:7 & Colossians 2:6-7. He walked with God for 300 years. Enoch never saw God. He walked with Him, but he did not see Him.
• Enoch so pleased God that he was translated into heaven. So close was his walk. See Psalm 116:15.

3 – Noah – Obeying By Faith (vs. 7)

See 1 Peter 3.

• Noah responded immediately despite the fact he knew little of what God had told him. He probably had never seen a boat before never mind such a large one. It took 100 years to build. To build a boat far from water must have made him the laughing stock of the country. He had nothing to go on except God’s Word.
• Noah rebuked the world. See 2 Peter 2:5. It was a message that lasted 100 years. Alas it was a message that was rejected by the world. See Matthew 24:37-39.
• Noah was declared righteous.

4 – Abraham – The Life of Faith (vs. 8-19)

Abraham is the father of Israel.

• Pilgrimage of faith – Abraham came from a heathen land and was an idol worshipper. Abraham left the world behind to live his life for God, not knowing where He would take him.
• The patience of faith – Dwelling in tents. Awaiting a city in heaven.
• The power of faith – Sarah gave birth in her old age as God had promised.
• The proof of faith – Abraham believed that if he killed Isaac that God would raise him from the dead.

5 – Isaac, Jacob & Joseph – Faith that defeats death (vs. 20-22)

Joseph had a total conviction of the fact that God would bring about deliverance of His Israel people from Egypt and its bondage. And although he could not be expected to know the details of their future history this deliverance was to apply to the then far distant future, of which his faith signified.

His faith spoke of that which was later recorded in Jeremiah 23:7-8; “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.” Thus his faith spoke of two things:-

• The restoration of Israel to their inheritance, and
• The absolute necessity of his people to “come out of Egypt”.

He didn’t want even his dead body to remain there. Hence he was embalmed in order that his body would not become a part of the dust of Egypt.

6 – Moses – The decisions of faith

Moses gave up much to obey God by faith.

• Faith rejects the world’s prestige – He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He was looking for a reward from God in the future.
• Faith rejects the world’s pleasure – The pleasures of this world are only passing. God’s promises last for eternity. He chose to suffer with a nation of slaves.
• Faith rejects the world’s pressure – Moses was continually under pressure from Pharaoh. He saw Him who is unseen.

7 – Rahab and others- The courage of faith (vs. 30-40)

Abraham is the father of Israel.

• Bringing down Jericho’s walls – A disbelieving people did not enter the land, but a new generation were brought into the land by Joshua. The first great obstacle to conquest fell to their faith (Joshua 6). The endurance of their faith, though tested by the seven days of obedience, triumphed. God has His own special plan and timing for the solution of each and every challenge that confronts us – ours is but to trust and obey.
• The saving courage of Rahab. What she was before being saved, a harlot, she was no longer after believing (Joshua 2:8-11; 6:22- 25). God’s great grace is the experience of the believing sinner. She married Salmon and her son was Boaz – she became the great-grandmother of David, and listed by Matthew as one of the ancestors of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). Faith lifts up to high dignity and exceeding great reward.
• The courage of others – The writer knows he cannot at length deal with all the examples of those who have displayed triumphant faith (Hebrews 11:32), so he mentions six prominent ones from Israel’s history – from the days of the judges to the early days of Monarchy.

1. Gideon. By faith achieved a miraculous military victory (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 7).
2. Barak. By faith defeated the Canaanite army of Sisera. He believed the encouraging prophetic word of Deborah (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 4 and 5).
3. Samson. By faith exercised miraculous physical strength. He delivered Israel from the Philistine oppression (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 13:1 to 16:31).
4. Jephthah. By faith conquered the Ammonites and punished the tribe of Ephraim (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 11:1 to 12:7).
5. David Greatest King. By faith depended on God. He, through communion with God became the sweet psalmist of Israel, and a prophetic spokesman for God (Hebrews 11:32; 1 Samuel 17:32-51; 23:4, 11; 2 Samuel 22:1 to 23:7; Acts 2:25-35)
6. Samuel – Great Prophet and Judge. Lived by faith from a boy to maturity and old age, unwavering in his faithfulness to God. (1 Samuel 3:18, 21; 9:6; 12:1-6, 16-25).
7. The faith of the prophets (Hebrews 11:32 ) well known to the first readers of Hebrews and to us, among them Elijah and Elisha – Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and all the others though not named, are indeed among the heroes of faith. Time may fail the writer to tell – but we can spend time in the word given through them and be strengthened in our faith to do exploits for God.

Categories: Hebrews