Endurance
The Bible is filled with many great verses that offer encouragement, and perhaps one of the best things about the Bible is there is an encouraging verse that can be applied to any situation we face. As Christians we can also be encouraged in our faith through the many descriptions of those who have come before us. We see how God has worked in their lives and how even so many years later we are still reading of their acts of faith. This is why I believe that Hebrews 11 is such a great chapter.
I am not going to quote the whole chapter to you, but I do hope you go and read it for yourself in your own Bible. Hebrews 11 describes the acts of many of the “greats” in the Christian faith, it almost reminds me of a greatest hits CD. Hebrews 11 starts by defining what faith is, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old gained approval.” Hebrews 11:1-2; the next verse describes a fundamental truth in the Christian faith, that God created the world and everything in it, “ 3By 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.
In the following passages, this chapter describes the works of those such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. Some of whom had issues placing their faith in God, but are still mentioned in this chapter. We are reminded that God came to them to offer help, protection, and guidance. All of this is a reminder that, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6. All of these people are not being mentioned in this chapter based on their own merit, but on the faith that they had that God would provide for them. Because of this we are able to look at the results of that faith and see how it affects us even today.
Hebrews 11 does not stop here though. This chapter continues to mention Abraham being tested; Abraham had no idea why God was telling him to sacrifice his son, but he knew that God would provide and keep His promise to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars. It was in faith that Jacob and Esau received blessings. By faith that Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, and by faith that Joseph gave orders to return his body back to Israel while the Jews were still in Egypt. Moses had great faith that caused him to turn from the easy life of the Pharaoh’s son and to endure the hardship of his people. It was in faith that the Jews crossed the Red Sea, it was their lack of faith that caused them to wander the desert for forty years but the faith of Caleb and Joshua brought the Jews into the Promised Land. We also are reminded of the faith the Jews had when faced with the walls of Jericho and the faith of Rahab when she hid the spies. All of these people were rewarded for their faith!
This is only a handful of those in the Bible who expressed great faith, and even the author of Hebrews admits that he would not have time to tell them all, “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— 33 who through 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.” Hebrews 11:32-34. Having all of these great heroes in the faith being mentioned here is a reminder to us all of those who walked before us in the faith.
However, after reading this chapter it can be tempting to say that these men and women had something special about them that allowed them to have such great faith. Friends, that is simply not true. There is nothing different about those mentioned in this passage and you or I. Each of these people had their own issues, they were not perfect. Sarah doubted God, Moses was a murderer, had anger issues and doubted God, the Jews as a whole doubted God’s promises, and David committed adultery and murder. What makes these people worth mentioning is not their deeds, but their faith. They simply had the faith to allow God to work in their lives. Remember faith “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1. We all have access to the same type of faith that these men and women mentioned here did. We simply need to have enough faith that God will complete His work in us.
As we are entering darker days, I ask that you have the faith like those mentioned. We need more stories of believers who by faith were able to complete amazing things. We need to step up now and be the encouragement for future believers just like those who came before were to us. One of my favorite verses in relation to faith is not actually found in Hebrews 11 but in Hebrews 12, “Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3. The author of Hebrews is concluding his list of those great in the faith by reminding us of the greatest example. When we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ we are reminded of what He endured all in faith of God the Father’s plan for salvation and the promises that He made His Son, Jesus Christ. When we keep our focus on Him, we will not falter.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex