THE HEBREWS HALL OF FAITH

Hebrews 11:1-40
Every man/woman has a form and level of faith, but the faith being shown in Hebrews 11 is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to every believer in a measure. Faith is used to appropriate the promises of God. When faith believes the promises of God, they become reality. Many great achievements are attributable to faith as we shall see in this chapter of Hebrews. Sixteen persons were mentioned in this chapter in connection with their faith in God - Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel. These are not the only heroes of faith in the Bible, but the Holy Spirit led the writer to choose these few names as a sample to encourage us to live by faith. Some of these men had failings in their lives but the author does not focus on these. The intention is to illustrate to us what faith looks like, what can be achieved by faith in God's promises

1. The Possibilities Of Faith

Hebrews 11:1-6; Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23
Through faith we know that something God has promised, which is still in the future, which is not yet seen, will surely come to pass. All things are possible through faith. God created the universe through his word of faith, out of nothing! In a similar way whatever promise of God you are claiming will become reality for you if you have faith and patiently wait for its fulfilment. In this section the earliest saints were mentioned.
(i) Abel (Heb.11:4; Gen.4:4, 7). Abel's acceptable sacrifice shows the possibility of serving God acceptably - by faith. Faith is serving God acceptably.
(ii) Enoch (Heb.11:5; Gen.5:18-24). Enoch did not die for God took him. Why? Because he was righteous before God (Prov.11:4). The righteousness of faith pleases God. Nothing else would. Faith is living to please God.

2. The Persuasion Of Faith

Hebrews 11:7-16
(iii) Noah (Heb.11:7) was persuaded by God's word to build an ark to save his family and selected creatures. He acted on God's word. Faith is acting on God's word.
(iv) Abraham (Heb.11:8-10, 17-19; Gen.12:1-4; etc.). The bible calls Abraham the father of faith. Abraham believed God (Rom.4:3; Gen.15:5-6). Abraham obeyed God (Gen.22:16-18). What do we learn from Abraham about faith? Faith is believing God('s promises). Faith is obeying God's commands.
(v) Sarah (Heb.11:11-12; Gen.21:1-2). Sarah was Abraham's wife, but she was barren until late old age. Through faith Sarah conceived in her old age and had Isaac in her old age. Age is nothing in the face of faith. Faith makes the impossible possible. Faith will rejuvenate you if your body is failing. Old saints of God believed in God's word and promises, whether the promises are of physical, material things or whether they are for a better country! Faith is believing God for the impossible.

3. The Trial Of Faith

Hebrews 11:17-29
(vi) Isaac (Heb.11:20; ). In verse 17 Abraham's faith was represented again in the form of obedience in offering up Isaac to God. Isaac had the vision of faith. He saw the future and manifested faith in God's promises for the future and proclaimed blessings upon Jacob, the father of the nation of Israel.  Faith is obeying God even when it looks unreasonable and convenient. Faith is calling those things which are not as though they are.
(vii) Jacob (Heb.11:21). Jacob had strong faith in the promises of God for a better country, the Promised Land. He blessed his children accordingly. Faith is placing our hope in God's promises.
(viii) Joseph (Heb.11:22). He believed that God would surely deliver Israel from slavery and asked that his bones be carried along when this is fulfilled. It was fulfilled as he hoped and his bones were carried along as Israel came out of Egypt. Faith turns hopeless situations around.
(ix) Moses (Heb.11:23-29). Moses was the deliverer of Israel, a type of Christ. He was brought up as a prince of Egypt, instead of enjoying what may deemed an enviable position, he chose to suffer affliction with God's people (Exodus 2:10-12)! Faith is enduring reproach with God's people. By faith he brought Israel out of Egypt. By faith he caused the red sea to part and Israel walked through on their way to the Promised Land. What else can we learn from Moses about faith? Faith is attempting the impossible and achieving the incredible..

 

4. The Triumph Of Faith

Hebrews 11:30-40
(x) Rahab (Heb.11:30-30): Rahab is a heroine of faith. Described as "the harlot", she contributed to the fall of Jericho by hiding and protecting the Israelite spies (Joshua 6:17-25). Faith brings deliverance for the unworthy.
(xi) Gideon; (xii) Barak; (xiii) Samson; (xiv) Jephthah; (xv) David also; (xvi) Samuel...
In this section the writer summarises by invoking great men of faith and some Judges also whose lives had many failings. The writer is not promoting their faults but pointing out how God through faith used them in the deliverance of Israel and in winning great victories over Israel's enemies.
We shall not have time today to expand on the condensed summary given here. It is better to read it as it is written (Heb.11:30-40). They subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, stopped the mouth of lions (Daniel, Samson and David), quenched the violence of fire (Shedrach Meshach and Abednego); escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant, put to flight alien armies; raised the dead!
Holding unto faith they endured great suffering and hardship and even death still holding unto their faith. Nothing could take their faith in God from them, not even death
I am persuaded that when the apostle Paul wrote (Rom.8:31-39) he had these heroes in mind, thus challenging us that like them, nothing should separate us from Christ.
Are you weak? You can be strong through Faith. Are you struggling? You can become stable by faith. Are you troubled? You can be delivered by faith. Are you in need? Your needs can be met by faith. Are you oppressed because of your faith in Christ? Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and you will surely be delivered (Heb.12:1-2).