Tags
MP3 Audio (Click)
Heb 11 is known as the Hall of Faith. It is a Holy Spirit inspired list of those who are viewed by God as great in His eternal Kingdom. Every name is well known to those who have read their Old Testament.
In 11:4 Able is mentioned as offering a sacrifice accepted by God. This may mean he placed his life & faith in God’s hands. Though his brother murdered him, he IS remembered for his faith.
In 11:5 Enoch pleased God by faith & as a result God took him to heaven without dying. It’s written about him… “He walked with God…” (Gen 5:22-24).
Next is Noah in 11:7. By faith he built an ark without understanding what rain was… by which God destroyed the earth… & he was commended.
Then is Abraham in 11:8-10, 17-19. By faith he left his home & family going to a place he did not know. By faith Abe was set to sacrifice his son Isaac believing God could raise him from the dead even though to that point there had been no one resurrected from the dead.
The first woman mentioned is Sarah in 11:11-12. By faith, when she past child bearing years, a child was born to her. A male child which resulted in children as numerous as the sand by the sea.
In 11:13-16 the writer pauses to explain. 11:13…
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them & greeted them from afar, & having acknowledged that they were strangers & exiles on the earth. 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.
If there’s ever been a passage to orient our heart properly it is this one. People of faith don’t live for this world or anything in it. Instead their energy, mind, & heart is on heaven… because that’s where God is. Streets & crowns of gold are meaningless. Their desire is The One who prepared & built it.
The way God’s people focus their mind on heaven is by how they live now. Their heart is set on honoring God… seeking justice… doing good… living a holy life… helping the poor, widows, and orphans. Having a heavenly mindset is being of tremendous earthly good. Let’s continue…
11:20 contains the blessing of Isaac on Jacob & Esau. In 11:21 Jacob in turn blessed each of Joseph’s sons. In 11:22, though many years off, by faith Joseph foretold of the Exodus from Egypt.
11:23-31 recounts the faith of Moses’ mom in hiding him from the Egyptians to save his life.
Vss 25-27 describe Moses’ faith where he… “(Chose)… to be mistreated with the people of God rather than 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.”
Don’t blow by that! Let it sink into your heart. He chose mistreatment?! Why?! Look at the text. 1) Pleasures of sin {The world} are fleeting. 2) Suffering for Christ is more valuable than all the gold, diamonds, & money on earth. 3) THE reward is God in heaven. Col 3:1…
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
It was by faith that the Red Sea was parted & Egyptians drowned (11:29). By faith Jericho’s walls fell down (11:30). By faith Rahab the prostitute was delivered (11:31).
Then in 11:32-36-A is a rapid fire list of others in the hall of faith. Gideon, Barak, Samson… David, Samuel, & the prophets. These “rode the wave” of God’s blessing & displays of His power.
Who thru faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 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. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection.
Many through the history of God’s people have been blessed to participate in & see God do great things. They were victorious… lived through a lion’s den… were tossed into fire & lived… & resurrected. They “Rode the wave” of God’s blessing…
But then comes 11:36–B. The writer describes another group. These were like Moses in 11:25, they CHOSE the path feared by those without faith. They could’ve been released… if they’d reject Christ. But they chose death “to rise again to a better life.” They lived not for this world, but the next!
These people of faith were/are mocked… whipped… chained… imprisoned… stoned… sawed in two… killed by the sword. They wore animal’s skin. Had NO earthly goods. They suffered & were mistreated by others. They were homeless, going from place to place… sleeping wherever they could in the wilderness. (Pause)
It is about THIS 2nd group… those who suffered… that the comment is made, “Of whom the world was not worthy.” Wow! What a honor to be described as such! While an unbelieving world sees them as failures… God views them as successful & honors them. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
11:39. “ALL these…” Those who rode the wave AND those who lived in caves are in God’s Hall of Faith! ALL those in this chapter pleased God because He doesn’t see as the world sees. “Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). And consequently, God chose to provide “something better for us” (11:40). They ALL pleased God because the ONLY way to please Him is by faith (11:6). So in this life we remember 1 Cor 4:5 where it is written…
Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness & will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Here’s what to keep in mind, an accurate evaluation of a person’s worth & faithfulness cannot be done in this life. There is too much we don’t know… we can’t know. It is only in heaven… standing before God when EVERYTHING is revealed & we see as God sees that right evaluation can be made.
When everything is revealed… we’ll know as God knows. Then the intentions of the heart of those who preach… teach… do missions… serve as deacons… make recommendations as committees… will be known. Until then… in heaven… we don’t know fully.
In heaven God will reveal the reasons & motivations of us all. Then… by God’s revelation… He will give HIS evaluation. HIS assessment of our lives. HIS opinion & appraisal of the good done for HIS glory. This is described in 1 Cor 3:11-15…
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw… 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, & the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire (Smelling like smoke)…
The work done in this life will be tested by fire. Work done is exposed by the intentions & motivations of the heart (1 Cor 4:5). IF the motivation of the heart is right (God’s glory & the Gospel)… there is a reward. If not… rewards are lost, but the person IS saved!
Those who “ride the wave” & those who “live in caves” will be equally rewarded IF their motivation is God’s glory. God’s reward is NOT based on the way the world evaluates success. The person who leads 1 to Christ on earth & lives an austere life of hardship is just as loved, valued, & rewarded as the one who speaks to great crowds where thousands are saved with many material blessings… IF their motivation is God’s glory.
We just simply cannot evaluate anyone’s approval of God… much less our own… based on OUR view of things. As it is written in 1 Cor 13:12… “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
All Christians then should consider the words of Paul from 1 Cor 15:10…
By the grace of God I am what I am, & His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Are you riding the wave? Praise God for it! Do you have wonderful gifts, talents, & abilities? Praise God for them… & work all the harder to improve them. But keep in mind that even your ability to work & improve comes from God! Give Him the glory!!
Are you in a cave today? Praise God for it! Be faithful! Honor Him! Do the best you can with what you have been given. Be like Paul in 1 Tim 6:8… “If we have food & clothing, with that we will be content.” God is good. He knows where you are. There is a reward being laid up for you in heaven!
Know this… God is sovereign & on His throne. His providence is good & loving toward you. Trust Him (Pr 3:5). He is working for His glory & your ultimate good (Ro 8:28). He is in the process of laying up a reward for you in heaven that is greater than you can imagine! I close with 2 Cor 4:17-18
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.