Hebrews Chapter 11

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1. VS 11:1 - “11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” - The author defines what faith is

1.1. Having in the previous chapters attempted to prove the superiority of Christianity to Judaism, the author of Hebrews now wants to encourage and build up the faith of his readers, thus he writes chapter 11.

1.2. “Faith” in the New Testament is employed sometimes to signify the act or state of the mind which we call “belief,” and sometimes the object of the mind in this state or act, or “the thing believed.” In verse 1, it is employed in the first sense, as equivalent to “believing.”

1.3. Though this verse is often referred to as the Bible’s definition of “faith,” it is actually more a description of how faith operates in our lives when it takes up residence.

1.4. “Faith” it has usually been taught gives a subsistence in the mind to things hoped for, makes evident things which are not seen, and gives existence to things future. I think that as we study chapter 11 we will see that in each example of faith that the faith of the believing Hebrew was based upon the known revelation of God. It was not "positive thinking" or "faith in faith itself," rather it was belief in the direct "Word of God" specifically made concerning future events. This then is the "assurance of things hoped for" and "conviction of things not seen."

1.5. "Hope" in the New Testament has a different meaning than is commonly used in our culture. "Hope" in the New Testament is not a positive attitude or expectation, rather New Testament "hope" is defined as “confident expectation” based upon the revelation of God in His Word concerning a truth or an event to occur.

1.6. "Faith" is as valid as the object of that faith. A man may have faith in Chevrolet Corp. to make a good new car. But, only to a limited extent that faith may be valid. The believer in the living God, New or Old Covenant, has faith that is based upon the "Word of God" which he has received from God Himself. This "Word" is from a God which is eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, without beginning or end, and of infinite power and glory. Therefore, our faith or confident expectation has a foundation that no other belief system can have, specific promises from God’s Word.

1.7. Each of us as Christians must realize that our need is to place an active faith in the revealed Word of God in the Bible. As we read and mentally apprehend the many promises of the Word of God we must choose to actively place our trust in the validity of those promises.

2. VS 11:2 - “2 For by it the men of old gained approval.” - The Old Testament patriarchs and saints gained God’s approval because of their having faith in the revealed Word of God

2.1. God's plan for men for all time has been to justify them by their faith. This faith described in verse 1, enabled all the fathers of our faith, "the elders" or "men of old" as it is sometimes translated in verse 2, to do and suffer things that they would not have been able to do otherwise, and thus they obtained "favor with God."

3. VS 11:3 - “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.” - Faith enables us to understand how God has created all things

3.1. It makes sense that the first item of consideration of which faith applies is the most basic revealed truth about God and that involves His "creation of the world from nothing."

3.2. Natural reason leads men to conclude that the world as we know it either came from nothing to the form it currently is in, or that some sort of matter always existed and somehow changed to the present form that it is in, or, that there is a pre-existent eternal God that created the world that we see.

3.3. The revelation of God's word in the scriptures, as recorded in Genesis and other places, states that God created the word out of nothing, that it was spoken into existence. This knowledge requires a revelation from God and is not derived from man's natural knowledge or wisdom.

3.4. In the same way, the rest of God's revelation of Himself to us and recorded in our Bible is that which takes us from what we can discern in our own natural understanding to that which only God could have thought of and brought into being.

3.5. All of the Biblical revelation made to us was made for the express purpose of bringing man to God so that we may know and have fellowship with God. As we learned from the first chapter of the book of Hebrews, the revelation of God to man “IS” Jesus Christ. He is God's full and complete revelation of Himself to man.

4. VS 11:4 - “4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” - Abel demonstrated genuine faith by the sacrifice he made to the Lord

4.1. The author now proceeds to give us an account of the efficacy of faith in enabling men to perform duties, endure trials, and obtain benefits, as demonstrated by the experience of some of the Old Testament patriarchs and heroes of our faith.

4.2. Both Cain and Abel offered a sacrifice, however we understand that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice, one that was accepted by the Lord. Yet, we must ask the question of “Why was Abel’s sacrifice accepted and Cain’s rejected?”

4.2.1. Some have interpreted the "more excellent sacrifice" of Abel referring to the fact that it was larger than Cain’s.

4.2.2. Others have thought that the sacrifice was a more valuable one than Cain’s, which consisted of vegetables.

4.2.3. Others have thought that Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted because it was not a blood sacrifice.

4.2.3.1. We must understand that it was by faith that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. Faith throughout the whole of this chapter is the belief in revelation of God’s Word. It is plain, then, that a revelation had been made to both Cain and Abel respecting the duty of offering sacrifice, and the acceptable method of performing that duty.

4.2.3.2. We have no particular account of the institution of sacrifice, except that it has been believed by many that after Adam and Eve sinned and God killed animals and clothed them, that God revealed to them the proper means of sacrifice being a blood sacrifice and none else being acceptable. The scripture "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" is an Old Testament scripture and applicable to all covenants and sacrifices acceptable to God.

4.2.3.3. In Mark 7:7 Jesus said 'In vain do they worship God, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." There has never been a sacrifice which God has accepted except that which was of divine institution, so God somehow must have revealed to Cain and Abel that mode of sacrifice He demanded for atonement of sin. And, Abel believed this revelation, and thus His animal sacrifice was acceptable, whereas Cain's was not acceptable in God's sight.

4.2.3.4. Expiatory ( atoning ) sacrifice, when offered from a faith in the divine revelation in reference to it, was acceptable to God, both as the appointed expression of conscious guilt, and of the hope of mercy, and, as an act of obedience to the divine will. It would appear that this revelation was not believed by Cain, that he did not see and feel the need of expiatory sacrifice, and that his religion consisted merely in an acknowledgment of the Deity as the author of the benefits which he enjoyed. Abel on the other hand believed the revelation and acknowledged himself as a sinner in need of mercy and expiation for his sin as he experienced repentance of heart.

4.2.4. Others have thought that what Abel sacrificed was costly as he sacrificed from his abundance or first fruits, however Cain’s sacrifice came from his excess and thus was one that was not costly.

4.3. When Cain’s sacrifice was rejected by the Lord we read in Genesis that, "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell," and then he killed Abel out of jealousy.

4.4. All we know for sure however about this incident with Cain and Abel, and all that is necessary for the author's argument, is this: Abel believed what God revealed, did what God commanded, and obtained evidence that God was pleased with him and his services (possibly his sacrifice being burned up with fire from heaven or something). On account of this faith of Abel he obtained "witness that he was righteous."

4.5. The words "and through his faith, though he is dead he still speaks" have been interpreted in two ways. Both of which contain truth.

4.5.1. One says that this refers to the fact that Abel's sacrifice is an example of faith to us even today and thus he speaks.

4.5.2. The other interpretation involves God in Genesis speaking to Cain about the blood of his brother Abel which spoke to him from the ground, "What have you done?" The earth could not cover righteous Abel's blood which was precious to God, for it spoke.

5. VS 11:5-6 - “5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 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.” - Enoch demonstrated genuine faith in the Lord and thus was translated straight up to heaven

5.1. We read the story referenced here about Enoch in Gen. 5:21-24, “²¹ Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. ²² Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. ²³ So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴ Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”\

5.2. The author now shows proof that it was by faith that Enoch was translated into heaven, for, ‘he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.’

5.3. The proof that it was by faith that he was pleasing to God is found in verse 6 where it says that, ‘without faith it is impossible to please Him.’

5.4. Enoch 'walked with God' and this is probably what the verse means when it says "for he who comes to God."

5.5. In order to walk with God you must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

5.5.1. Believing that there is a “first cause” called God, or some irrational force is not enough. It is also not enough to simply believe that God's revealed Word is true, "true faith" seeks to know and fellowship with God as it trusts in the absolute goodness and love of God in all His commandments and precepts, and that "He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

5.5.2. Some have said that in serving God we ought to have no respect to any "recompense of reward" from the Lord. However, the author states this as forming a necessary part of that truth which must be believed in order for us to be pleasing to God, for, "He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

5.6. You must ‘believe that He is,’ which implies to believe the revealed truth about Him and His character.

5.7. Contrary to popular belief, “what you believe” means everything. Its not ok no matter what you believe as long as you believe something.

5.8. To believe the truth about the character of God is to have "conviction about things not seen" since no man has seen God at any time, as the scripture says.

5.9. The scripture says that Enoch walked with God, and thus His character must have been as a righteous man, who, realizing the divine presence, habitually thought and felt, spoke and acted, as if God were right there with him at all times.

5.10. Enoch also was beloved of God and as an evidence of it, he was taken directly into His presence without having to suffer death.

5.10.1. Both Enoch and Elijah were translated directly to heaven without suffering death and for this reason many believe that they will be those two witnesses that are to appear during the 7 Year Tribulation of the book of Revelation and testify of the Lord.

6. VS 11:7 - “7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” - Noah demonstrated genuine faith in the Lord by building the ark

6.1. The verses being referenced concerning Noah and his faith are found in Genesis 6:13-22, “¹³ Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. ¹⁴ “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵ “This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. ¹⁶ “You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷ “Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. ¹⁸ “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. ²⁰ “Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. ²¹ “As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” ²² Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.”

6.2. In this verse, Noah we see was warned by the Lord about things not yet seen, he believed or had faith in this Word of God and thus acted upon the warning. These things were not discerned by his senses which would have told him just the opposite of the warning. The thing he was warned against was then "unseen" because it was future.

6.3. This belief of Noah's had an effect upon his mind and conduct, and thus "he moved with reverence" and ‘prepared an ark’ in obedience as he was instructed to do. Noah moved with reverence not because he was afraid the flood would destroy him, God had already told him it would not. He revered God who because of His holiness and justice was to judge the world in justice for its sin and hardened heart. Noah knew that but for the grace of God, he too would be destroyed along with the world, for it was by no righteousness of his own that he would be saved. He knew he was a sinner as was the rest of the world.

6.4. What Noah obtained through his faith and resultant obedience to God's revelation was the salvation of himself and his family ("he built an ark to the saving of his house"), an eternal dwelling with those of all ages who are made righteous by faith, and the testimony of God in His Word concerning his faith and obedience.

6.5. It says here that by this action of Abraham’s that "he condemned the world." This has a two fold interpretation.

6.5.1. He condemned the world by his example showing that true righteousness is by faith in God and His word.

6.5.2. It is recorded in Genesis that he was a preacher of righteousness publicly proclaiming repentance before the imminent destruction of the world.

6.6. The last clause in this verse states that Noah " became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." By his faith, Noah received the blessing of justification by believing just as all God's people of all ages have likewise done. Faith has been required by all.

6.7. In Gen. 7:8-9, God's testimony concerning Noah's faith is that "Noah was well-pleasing to God" (an object of His peculiar favor) and "Noah walked with God."

6.8. Had the warning from God not been believed by Noah he surely would not have embarked on what was probably the greatest example of persevering faith in the history of the world.

6.8.1. Noah's undertaking took at least one hundred years and was filled from beginning to end with tasks impossible for a man, requiring God to grant a tremendous amount of divine assistance.

6.8.2. To go against the entire flow of humanity amidst all the trials, mockings and persecutions he experienced for a period of at least one hundred years, is truly an example of persevering and overcoming faith for all men.

6.8.3. Faith enabled Noah to do what otherwise would have been impossible for him to do.

6.9. We as believers today should be able to relate to Noah because we know that God has said that the world is soon to be destroyed and only those who believe in Jesus shall be saved. Amidst a world who believes not God's testimony but rather mocks us at every step we are called to preach the gospel in all the world and make disciples of all nations. And, by faith in God alone we too are saved, not by the works of the flesh, but by believing God's testimony concerning His Son. We should persevere in this endeavor God has called us to as faithful Noah persevered.

7. VS 11:8-10 - “8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” - Abraham demonstrated that he had genuine faith by going out to a place he did not know

7.1. The events referenced in these verses are found in Genesis 12:1-4, “¹ Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; ² And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; ³ And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” ⁴ So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

7.2. The call of Abraham consisted of two parts, a command and a promise.

7.2.1. The command was to "get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house , unto a land that I will show you."

7.2.2. The promise was "I will give you this land for an inheritance, and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, etc.".

7.3. Abraham believed that both the command and the promise was from God, and since God being God cannot lie, Abraham obeyed and "had convictions in things not yet seen."

7.4. It was faith which led Abraham to break the strong bonds which bind men to their country and family, and to undertake a journey of unknown length, and difficulty and danger. Abraham knew nothing of what he was getting into going to this land, only that God would lead him.

7.5. God was calling the Hebrew Christians to break bonds as strong as those which bound Abraham to Mesopotamia, in abandoning Judaism, and to attach to Christianity, the consequences of which were as apparently hazardous, and as completely unknown to them and beyond their control, as the circumstances of Abraham's journey from Mesopotamia to Canaan. Nothing could enable them to do this but faith.

7.6. It was equally true then as it is now, nothing but faith can cause a man to break from the bonds of the world. However, “by faith” it is easy, and we will overcome and persevere faithful unto the end, instead of "turning back unto perdition" as many have done.

7.7. In verse 9 we see that although Abraham went unto this land which the Lord showed him, he did not really receive the promise nor did his generations for a period of five hundred years after he left for this land. Instead, faith in God's promise enabled Abraham to dwell as a nomad in tents when the promise was always far off for him. Yet, by his conduct we know he "had a conviction about things not yet seen" and thus faith enabled him to persevere through extreme trials, discouragement, and suffering.

7.8. Had Abraham had no faith he would have had continual opportunity to return to that land from which he was called, but instead he stuck it out "considering Him faithful who had promised."

7.8.1. Abraham went into Egypt during the time of famine, but it was to sojourn, not to settle.

7.8.2. Abraham sent Eliezer to obtain a wife for Isaac in Mesopotamia, and took an oath of him, that even in the case of his not succeeding in getting one of his kinswomen as a wife for Isaac, he was not to take Isaac back again to the land of his ancestors.

7.9. The Hebrew Christians needed to be reminded of the "steadfast and immovable" faith of Noah and Abraham which enabled them to persevere through these long "wilderness experiences" for they were in similar experience of trials and soon the nation of Israel would be destroyed by the Romans (in 70AD) and this extreme trial would only be overcome by those whose faith in God's promises would be steadfast and immovable.

7.10. The description in verse 10 of the city of God which Abraham looked for is one "which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." This description can only refer to an inheritance gained in an afterlife, a heavenly city. Abraham had been promised by God that the true city for which God would lead him to would be built not by man but by God Himself, for he was promised a heavenly city. Abraham expected true and permanent happiness from God in a future state.

7.11. Abraham’s heavenly expectation enabled him to persevere through the trials mentioned in verse 9. Paul wrote that "the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us." Abraham knew this same truth.

7.12. We Christians must be willing to forsake our own friends and even family if Christ shall call us to do so in order to follow Him and fulfill our calling.

7.13. 'Don't be discouraged': Abraham persevered through faith even though he never received the promises, shouldn't we persevere in faith when all seems hopeless and the promises always seem afar off?

7.14. Through our faith of the gospel in the expectation of eternal life, we too can be enabled to cheerfully submit to all the privations and sufferings connected with the Christian life and not become discouraged in doing good.

8. VS 11:11-12 - “11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised; 12 therefore, also, there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” - Sarah demonstrated genuine faith by receiving the ability to conceive late in her life

8.1. We read about the promise made to Abraham and Sarah that Sarah was to conceive a child in Genesis 17:19, “¹⁹ But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”

8.2. These verses teach of the blessings that can be received from God by simply believing. The recipient here is Abraham and Sarah, however the person whose faith is testified of is Sarah, not Abraham.

8.3. This promise of Sarah having a Son was initially laughed at by Sarah in her heart, but after the Angel of God convicted her of her sin of unbelief ("Is anything too hard for the Lord?"), she apparently believed God for the conception of a son from whom would come innumerable descendents who would be a blessing to all men.

8.4. We must remember that Sarah’s faith was faith in the promise made to her by God concerning this son. It was nothing she made up herself in her imagination.

8.5. This conviction of things not seen and which were impossible by the natural course of life must have had an impact upon the Hebrew Christians who saw themselves as being trapped in impossible circumstances in their persecution and trials by their countrymen. Abraham would tell them to just persevere in their faith and they would also inherit all the blessings of God promised to the Christian.

9. VS 11:13-15 - “13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.” - The author tells us that all of these died in faith without receiving the promises

9.1. The expression ‘all these’ does not refer to the whole of the ancient saints mentioned in the previous verses, since Enoch never died at all, and most likely Abel and Noah were not in the author’s thoughts either. Rather those who were sojourners in the land of Canaan are the primary persons in focus here.

9.1.1. These ones died not having received the inheritance of Canaan, nor seeing the fulfillment of all the nations on earth being blessed by their descendents.

9.1.2. These ones believed God's promises, had conviction of things not yet seen, and thus it says in verse 13 they were "welcomed them from a distance."

9.2. Abraham, David, and many more of the Old Testament saints said that they were sojourners (strangers and pilgrims) on earth, who had a citizenship in a different country. They knew that they were looking for happiness in a future state in that city whose founder and builder is God. Their country was a heavenly country, one which is of God.

9.3. We who have entered within the veil in heaven can live in that country, the kingdom of God, here and now. In reality, where Jesus is that is where heaven is.

9.4. The word "country" used here is best translated as a "fatherland," a country where a man's father dwells, which as a result he possesses as his own, and, in which his children have a right to dwell with him. This definition is opposed to a strange or foreign land. But, it is not their earthly "fatherland" they were seeking for as it says in verse 15 " if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return."

9.5. Their "fatherland" was with their heavenly father in the heavenly "fatherland" for which they were citizens by birth. It would have been an easy journey for Abraham or his descendants to go back to Chaldea to the home of Terah from which he departed. However, that was no longer their home.

9.6. Is your real home in heaven? Is that the place you are preparing your heart to dwell? Don’t live for this life and the things of this world, for to do that is foolishness…

10. VS 11:16 - “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 a city for them.” - The author tells us that these faithful ones from Israel’s past ‘desire a better country, that is a heavenly one’

10.1. Because they sought a heavenly country and not the earthly home from which they were born, therefore "God is not ashamed to be called their God." Not only so, but as a result of their faith, God is in fact preparing a heavenly city for them.

10.2. Jesus told His disciples that He had to go away in order to prepare a place for them. The heavenly Jerusalem that is the city where God shall bring all true believers to dwell.

10.3. This lesson of perseverance unto the end for the reward of the eternal blessings of the city of God is one which all believers for all ages have needed to learn.

10.4. We have in Matt. 19:29 a promise from Jesus concerning whatever we may give up in order to follow him, "..and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life".

11. VS 11:17-18 - “17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type.” - The author tells us of the test of Abraham’s faith when he was told by the Lord to offer up his promised son as a sacrifice to the Lord

11.1. The story referenced in these verses is found in Gen. 22:1-18, “¹ Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” ³ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴ On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. ⁵ Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” ⁶ Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. ⁷ Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. ⁹ Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹² He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” ¹³ Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. ¹⁴ Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” ¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶ and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. ¹⁸ “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.””

11.2. This story shows the efficacy of faith in enabling a person to sustain a very severe trial, to perform difficult or ardous duties, and in doing so to be blessed.

11.3. Here, we see the faith of Abraham when he, by his own understanding cannot imagine why God should want him to do something which will surely bring inconceivable sorrow to him. This is the faith which trusts in God, even when the circumstances seem inconsistent with even the clear revelation of His promises and loving character...

11.4. Trying to understand the sufferings of the righteous is one of the most difficult of trials which a child of God experiences. There can seem no rational reason why God should allow some things to occur in His peoples’ lives.

11.4.1. Abraham was tempted to doubt the character of God in this trial. The Psalmist asks in a few places "Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?"

11.4.2. This story is an illustration of the fact that God always has everything in control and works everything together for good in His childrens’ lives.

11.5. In this story, we see that Isaac was spared and that Abraham's faith and character passed the testing of God and were thus strengthened.

11.6. God did not "tempt" Abraham in this experience, though the same word for "try" also is translated "tempt," depending only upon context. God knew Abraham's character, just as He knows all about everyone of us, rather the testing was to reveal to Abraham his character. This is what it means to be "tested" by God!!!

11.7. By faith Abraham continued to believe the promise God had given to him of a descendant through whom He would bless all of the nations, in spite of his circumstances. Abraham believed that even if he were to slay Isaac, the miraculous child born when by nature it would be impossible for Sarah to conceive and bare a child, that God could raise up Isaac from the dead and fulfill His promise to Abraham.

11.8. The author writes that Abraham received Isaac back "as a type,"which is an interesting comment.

11.8.1. It could be that in Abraham's mind Isaac was as good as dead, and thus Isaac's being spared at the last minute through God's provision of the lamb, Abraham saw Isaac as having been raised from the dead.

11.8.2. It could also be that Isaac was a type of Christ who was raised from the dead. This is probably what this reference is to.

11.9. It must have been a tremendous blessing for Abraham to suddenly have Isaac back after setting his mind to sacrifice him to God. Perhaps it was even a greater blessing than Abraham's receiving Isaac at birth in the first place.

11.10. We Christians should follow Abraham’s example and trust in God’s character even when we can’t understand why some things happen to us, or why God wants us to do some things.

11.11. The Hebrew Christians addressed by this epistle were exposed to severe trials, called to difficult duties, and, they had promises made to them. However, if they had "consulted with flesh and blood" about the validity of these promises they would have supposed that these promises were not very likely ever to be performed. Yet, they needed to trust in the Lord in spite of what their senses and circumstances told them.

11.12. How are difficult trials to be endured, difficult duties to be performed, incredible benefits to be obtained? We need to look to Abraham... Our trials are no more difficult than his.

11.13. We will never follow Christ if we first must understand why we should do each and every duty! We need the faith of Abraham. Without faith, any trial becomes unsustainable, any duty becomes impossible to fulfill. With faith, no trial is unsustainable, no duty is impossible to fulfill, every trial and duty we can carry out and be victorious in.

11.14. The trying of our faith works patience, or rather perseverance, and produces a refined godly character, James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let...".

11.15. We should never forget that in order for our trials to be useful to us, they must be endured in faith. They are to be submitted to in a humble dependence on Him who supported and strengthened Abraham. Jesus said "My grace is sufficient for you; My strength shall be made perfect in weakness."

12. VS 11:20-22 - “20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.” - The author tells us of the faith that enabled the patriarchs to bless those who would inherit their promises

12.1. The stories mentioned in these verses can be found in Genesis chapters 27, 48, and 50.

12.2. In these verses we see how faith enabled Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph to do what otherwise they could not have done - to pronounce prophetic blessings on their descendents, which were accurately fulfilled in later years.

12.3. How is it that Isaac, for instance, pronounced the blessing by faith? God gave him a revelation of what was to pass... Isaac believed the word of God given to him, and thus it was by faith that he pronounced the blessings. Isaac spoke with great confidence about precise occurrences in his blessing.

12.4. There is a difficulty with the blessing of Isaac because he pronounced the blessing to Jacob whom he thought was Esau. However, he had faith in the revelation being given to him for the one before him, so he said after the blessing was pronounced that it would nonetheless be fulfilled. The New Testament scripture is true which says, "no prophecy of old time came by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

12.5. Faith enabled these Jewish patriarchs to do what they could not otherwise do, reveal the future prophetically with complete accuracy. To the Hebrew Christians, this truth should have encouraged them since they were being called upon to do things which they had not the power to do, namely to suffer persecutions of an extreme nature and to be cut off from family and country for the sake of Christ. Without faith, they could not persevere in doing and suffering for the will of God, hoping only for a reward in heaven.

12.6. In Gen. 49, Jacob blessed Manasseh and Ephraim and crossed his arms giving the greater blessing to the younger. When Joseph tried to correct his father, Jacob said that he knew what he was doing and that contrary to cultural norms the younger son would be greater than the older.

12.7. Though Jacob died in Egypt under Joseph's protection, he demanded that his body be buried in Canaan, for he believed that his posterity would one day inherit that land and be a blessing to all nations.

12.8. Jacob worshipped the Lord as he was dying. He did all by faith in the word of God promised to him, as he looked for that heavenly city to which he had been promised.

12.9. Joseph as he was dying foretold the exodus out of Egypt by the Israelites, for he believed that the land would belong to his posterity to whom God had promised it. Joseph also made them take an oath that his bones would be taken to Canaan after he had died, for that was the land promised to him and his descendents.

13. VS 11:23 - “23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” - The author tells now of the faith of Moses’ parents in hiding him from Pharaoh and the Egyptians who at Pharaoh’s command were killing all of the Jewish babies that were born

13.1. This story is found in Exodus chapter 2.

13.2. Before the birth of Moses, Pharaoh concerned about the rising population of the Israelites, made an edict that every male child born among them should be put to death. However, Moses parents, Amram and Jochebed, in defiance of the king's edict hid Moses for three months. They feared the king, but not to the extent that they could be party to such an atrocity of destroying their "beautiful" son.

13.3. The parents of Moses hid and protected him from death because of their higher principles, and this does follow from the text since it says that the reason they hid him was because ‘he was a beautiful child’ as is every child. However, though they surely had higher principles, that definition perhaps doesn't completely explain their faith as being "conviction of things not yet seen." Tradition, as passed down from Josephus the historian, states that God told Amram before Moses' birth specifically of the calling of Moses to deliver his people. Though this is not recorded in scripture, it may be that they exercised faith in this revelation made to them by God of their son, even to the risking of their own lives as they depended upon God for the strength and protection of their lives as they followed Him whole heartedly.

13.3.1. Had Amram and Jochebed not believed this revelation, they may have acted in fear for their own lives as many of the other Hebrews did, and given up their son to death.

13.3.2. In any case we do know that they hid Moses and risked death in so doing, and this surely should have been a strong encouragement to the Israelites who were likewise called to follow a path full of difficulties and hazards.

13.4. It is also to be surmised that it was by faith that after the three months of hiding Moses, that his parents planned and successfully performed the act of floating the baby down the river in the reed basket to be picked up and adopted by Pharaohs daughter.

13.5. If we believe Josephus’ account of this act by Moses’ parents, they probably felt that since God had said that Moses would deliver his people, that they should no longer risk their own lives protecting the child, but rather place him in God's hands for protection. They probably reasoned that Moses would be in the best environment for obtaining whatever preparation he would need for delivering the people.

13.6. So, we also see that Moses’ parents must also have been through their faith blessed in a great way as they watched Moses be adopted, taken care of, receive the best in education and benefits, and obtain the favor of Pharaoh himself. Their persevering faith in the midst of extreme dangers and trials obtained in the end tremendous blessings for them, as it does for all who persevere in faith, and, they eventually obtained the "promise" of God.

13.7. The Hebrew Christians in their coming trials could look to and learn from the faith of Moses’ parents who were protected by God and enabled to perform this act of saving the son who was called to be the deliverer of God's people.

13.8. As we obey God and not man, we can be encouraged by the faith of Moses’ parents, especially as we see how that God protected them and Moses from Pharaoh and from death.

13.9. There are times when we as Christians must risk much in order to follow Jesus. All of the people in the Bible who were used greatly by God were people who took risks by faith.

13.10. We must fear and obey God, not man, even if we must break man’s laws in order to obey God.

13.11. We Christians need to also follow Moses’ parents example as people who looked to God in order to know how to act in such a difficult situation, for it was God who birthed in Moses’ parents this plan to float Moses down the Nile.

14. VS 11:24-27 - “24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.” - The author tells us of the faith of Moses that enabled him to forsake the comforts of Egypt and the passing pleasures of sin to endure ill-treatment with the people of God

14.1. The events referenced in these verses can be found in Exodus chapter 2.

14.2. Having the title of the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter must have given to Moses a very dignified position in the kingdom of Egypt, not to mention worldly riches and power. But, when he came to maturity, at some unrecorded point in Moses life, he renounced his family rights and privileges to associate himself with that class of slave labor of which the Hebrews were comprised.

14.3. The sinful pleasures which Moses renounced are termed "the pleasures of sin for a season," that is, they were just temporary and of this earthly realm (He looked for a heavenly city).

14.3.1. These pleasures may not of themselves even have been sinful, but they held no allurement for him.

14.3.2. He chose rather to suffer affliction along with God's people.

14.4. Only by faith can men turn away from such worldly temptations which are dropped in their lap. In verse 26 it says that he was, ‘considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.’ Probably what this refers to is the fact that Moses experienced the same reproach of men that Christ experienced when He condemned the Jewish leaders, choosing rather in poverty to serve the Lord of heaven.

14.5. The ‘reproach of Christ’ was definitely something that the Hebrew Christians could relate to since they were rejected by family and nation for their faith in Jesus. They could look to Moses who saw where true treasure was to be found.

14.6. Many people have no faith and as a result are not willing to make the sacrifices which God desires them to make when He calls them.

14.7. Without faith Moses would and could not have persevered through his many years of wandering and privation. Soon after these events occurred, Moses had to flee to the deserts of Arabia where he wandered about for forty years before God appeared to him in the bush and called him to go directly before Pharaoh as Israel‘s deliverer. In believing this revelation Moses had "conviction of things not yet seen."

14.8. Moses must have received another revelation in which he placed his faith, for it is written in verse 26 that ‘he was looking for the reward.’ So, God seems to have given him a personal revelation of the future state in heaven which waited for him as he persevered faithful unto the end. Since Moses never entered Canaan, it cannot be an earthly reward to which the reference is made of reward.

14.9. In verse 27 it says that it was ‘by faith he left Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king.’ Moses left Egypt twice :

14.9.1. Once he fled fearing for his life after killing the Eqyptian solder.

14.9.2. The second time he left with the Israelite people as their deliverer.

14.9.2.1. It must have been the second time that he left Egypt that is mentioned here because Pharaoh determined to slay Moses after he had killed the Egyptian solder, and then Moses fled in fear. But, the second time Moses left Midian and went to Egypt because the Lord told him to go and appear before Pharaoh and request that he let the Israelites leave and perform a sacrifice to God. Then, Moses left with the Israelites and Pharaoh and his army not far behind pursuing them.

14.10. It says in this verse also that Moses ‘endured,’ which alludes to his determined perseverance in the path God had called him to, regardless of the difficulties. As great as the persecution of Pharaoh must have been, probably the ingratitude, faithlessness, and waywardness of the Israelites themselves were probably a much greater burden for Moses to carry.

14.11. Moses would not have gone to face Pharaoh and deliver the people had he not had faith in what God had promised him at the burning bush, as well as possibly other promises the Lord had made to him. In the last part of verse 27 it says that Moses endured ‘as seeing him who is unseen.’ This calls to mind the "conviction of things not yet seen" and probably means that because of Moses' faith he in his mind considered what God had promised as good as done.

14.12. What are you willing to give up for the Lord? Are you willing to give up a career if the Lord should call you to do so? If your career keeps you from God and church, then perhaps you should give it up. But, are you willing to do so if God should require it?

14.13. Are you ashamed of the Lord and of the gospel? You must realize that if you do not confess Him before men, He won’t confess you before the Father in Heaven.

14.14. Are you willing to follow Moses’ example and make the sacrifices that He calls you to make for Him?

14.15. Are you willing to forsake all of those passing pleasures of sin in order to follow Jesus?

15. VS 11:28-30 - “28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.” - The author tells us that it was by faith that Moses kept the sprinkling of the blood on the Passover night

15.1. The events referenced in these verses are found in Exod. 12:21ff, 14:22ff.

15.2. Moses, a short time before the departure of Israel from Egypt, gave warning both to Pharaoh and to the Israelites, that at midnight on the fourteenth day of the month Abib, all the firstborn both of man and of beast were, by a miraculous visitation of Heaven, suddenly to die. He predicted also that this dreadful infliction of divine wrath would not only make the Egyptians consent to the departure of the children of Israel, but make them anxiously urge their departure.

15.3. As a means of protecting the first-born of the children of Israel from the general desolation, he commanded every family to set apart a male lamb or kid of the first year, on the tenth day of the month. On the fourteenth day of the month this lamb or kid was to be slain, in the evening. Its blood was to be sprinkled, by means of a bunch of hyssop, on the doorposts and lintels of their house; and the flesh, having been roasted, was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

15.4. Meanwhile with girt loins, sandals on their feet, and staff in hand, the Israelites were ready to commence their march from Egypt towards the land of promise.

15.5. The event commensed exactly with Moses' prediction, and he and the children of Israel, according to the divine commandment observed the passover, and the sprinkling of blood.

15.6. Because the Angel of death passed over all the blood sprinkled doorposts and lintels of the Israelites, the service was called the "Passover" and continued as an Israelite tradition.

15.7. The phrase ‘might not touch them’ means that this angelic warrior named "destroyer of the firstborn" would not kill their firstborn, for to touch them would be to cause their death.

15.8. It was only by faith Moses did these things, as he believed the divine revelations given to Him. Only faith would have enabled Moses to become this deliverer of his people from Pharaoh, as he foresaw and predicted the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

15.9. It would not have entered Moses’ mind to encumber the Israelites with such an involved religious ceremony as the “Passover” and sprinkling of blood. This could have occurred only as a result of faith.

15.10. The author in telling this story hopes to show the importance, necessity, and sufficiency of believing and continuing to believe, as well as the importance of discharging of the duties set before the Christian and the sustaining of the trials allotted to him.

15.11. Some of the duties the Christian is called upon to perform seem absurd to unbelievers, and can only be ascribed as being done because it is God's will.

15.12. In verse 29, we have the story recalled of how after the Israelites left Egypt that God told Moses that Pharaoh would say of the children of Israel that they are cutoff in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. The Lord would harden Pharaoh's heart and thus he would follow after the Israelites, and the Lord would be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, and thereby the Egyptians would know that He is the Lord. So it happened…

15.13. By faith Moses led the Israelites directly towards the Red Sea, knowing that they would be trapped against the sea. But, he also believed that God had told him that He would also part the Red Sea and swallow Pharaoh's army.

15.14. God also told Moses to hold up the rod and part the waters, and Moses believed and in boldness and confidence told the people not to fear, that God would provide this deliverance and destroy the army.

15.15. The verse says ‘by faith they...,’ referring to Moses and all the people. God made this revelation of His deliverance to all the people through Moses, and this revelation of the future they all believed, and thus were enabled to walk through the waters of the Red Sea. This lesson shows the power of real faith in God, whatever be its object.

15.16. In a similar way to Moses placing the blood on the door posts, we Christians are called on also to expect very important ends by very strange means. We are called on to expect a complete change of our state and character by means of the death of God's Son on a cross, and by means of our understanding and believing the truth respecting this death.

15.17. We Christians must believe that the blood of Christ is our covering of sin. These truths seem as irrational as believing that blood on doorposts and lintels would protect firstborn from the destroyer.

15.18. A similar faith as Moses’ in parting the Red Sea, our believing of the revelation of salvation from guilt and depravity, and death and hell, will enable us Christians to perform all the duties, and endure all the difficulties, that are involved in obtaining complete possession of our salvation, and will in due time bring us into the enjoyment of all its blessings, in all their perfection.

15.19. The lesson to be gleaned from the Egyptians pursuit of the Israelites through the Red Sea only to be drowned when Moses brought back down the staff is that they who attempt to do without faith, what believers successfully do by faith, those who attempt to obtain without faith, what believers succeed in obtaining by faith, will assuredly be disappointed.

15.20. The believer obtains peace with God, but all the unbeliever's attempts to obtain solid peace will end in disappointment. Every persevering believer will certainly obtain the salvation of his soul as the end of his believing, but every man who is seeking genuine and permanent happiness without believing will find himself at last, like the Egyptians, engulfed in the depths of destruction.

15.21. The Hebrew Christians could surely relate to this story amid the numerous and severe afflictions in the maintenance of their Christian profession, and submission to the Lord in the midst of these was absolutely necessary in order for their progress towards the heavenly promised land. Only faith could enable them to persevere and obtain the victory.

16. VS 11:30 - “30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.” - The author tells us that it was by faith that the children of Israel brought the walls of Jericho down

16.1. The story referenced is found in Josh. 6:1-27.

16.2. In this verse we remember the Lord saying unto Joshua, that He had given the city of Jericho into his hand. Joshua and all the men of war were to go around the city once each day. On the seventh day seven priests were to bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns, and when the city had been circled seven times, the priests were to blow a long blast with the rams' horns. Then, when the people heard the horn blast they were to shout with a great shout, and the walls of the city would fall down flat. Then, the people were to go straight into the city. But, the people were not to make a peep before the shout.

16.3. The falling down of the wall was completely miraculous and was accomplished by faith because the people believed the revelation of the events as given them by God and fulfilled the Lord’s plan to the letter for the destruction of Jericho.

16.4. In Jericho, the Israelites were before one of the most strongly defended cities in the land of Canaan. They dug no trenches to preserve themselves. They didn't stand in battle-array to meet any attack upon themselves. They laid no formal siege, set no battering engines, and raised no shouts to intimidate the inhabitants. Only by faith in the revelation given to them by God would they conquer the city, for the Israelites had put aside considering conventional reason and means for defeating the city.

16.5. The Hebrew Christians were committed to living for and serving Jesus, and winning the world for Christ. Their success in the estimation of human reason, was even more hopeless than the capture of Jericho by the Israelites. The final triumph of the religion of Jesus’ followers, the Christians, over Judaism or even paganism, over false philosophy and worldly power, which had been distinctly predicted by Jesus ( the gates of hell would not prevail over His church ), seemed very unlikely. The means the Hebrew Christians were to use to achieve their cause and goals, appeared very ill fitted to gain their object. The preaching of the Gospel, the prayers of the Church, the holy lives of believers, and the patience under manifold and severe afflictions, by these the powers of darkness were to be shaken.

16.6. As it was true for these Hebrew Christians, faith and nothing but faith can carry forward the Christian Church today in its predicted triumph over the world and hell.

16.7. What is the reason that there has been so little missionary effort in the Christian Church, as there should have been? Lack of faith. We war against principalities and powers, wicked spirits in high places, therefore conventional warfare will win no battle. Only through faith can we expect to conquer foes much more powerful than ourselves, but through faith we shall conquer for "greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world."

17. VS 11:31 - “31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.” - The author tells us that it was by faith that Rahab welcomed the Jewish spies and thus did not perish with the rest of the city of Jericho

17.1. The story referenced is found in Joshua chapter 2.

17.2. When Joshua, previous to Israel's passing the Jordan, sent from Shittim two men as spies to Jericho, to bring him intelligence concerning the Canaanites, the inhabitants of Canaan, these men were treated hospitably and hidden by Rahab, to whose house they were providentially directed. When it was suspected that the spies were in Rahab’s house, the men were concealed by her at the peril of her own life. Because of Rahab the lives of these spies was spared.

17.3. As a reward for this important service by Rahab, when all the inhabitants of Jericho were put to the sword, Rahab and her family were preserved alive, and obtained a place among the children of Israel. Eventually, Rahab married Salmon, the prince of Judah, and thus became one of the ancestors of the Messiah.

17.4. Had Rahab acted on the ordinary principles of human nature, she would immediately, on discovering who the Israelite spies were, and the nature of their errand, have given information to the authorities of the city about these Hebrew spies, that they might be apprehended.

17.5. Yet, when a search was made for these spies, Rahab hid the spies in her house and lied to those searching for them, and she never would have exposed her own life to this imminent peril in order to save them had she not had genuine faith. The principle which exceeded in force the love of country and the fear of death was faith. Rahab's own confession is recorded, "And she said unto the men, “I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you."”

17.6. Rahab had heard of the deeds of Jehovah in destroying Pharaoh and his army, etc., and instead of disbelieving them as all the rest did, she instead believed them and put her faith in Jehovah.

17.7. No direct revelation from the Lord about these spies seems to have been made to Rahab, however she had credible evidence of the reality of the revelations which Jehovah had made of His power and regard for Israel, and this formed a foundation for her to believe.

17.8. The efficacy of faith as an operative principle does not depend on the divine revelation which is the subject of faith being made directly to the individual, but on the individual's being fully persuaded, on sufficient evidence, that such a revelation has been made.

17.8.1. In this regard, many people today are waiting for God to speak directly to them in order that they may believe, but they already have His Word available to them and His revelations made to them, and therefore there is no excuse for their unbelief.

17.8.2. Jesus encountered many people who saw and heard of His miracles from others but asked Him to do some miracle in order that they might believe. In reality, no matter what He would have done they were seeing and hearing only what they wanted to see and hear, and no miracle would have convinced them. Jesus refused to perform the miraculous in these situations.

17.9. Pertaining to this illustration of Rahab, the Hebrew Christians were being called on to renounce their patriotic feelings, to separate themselves from their unbelieving kindred and country, and to follow a course which exposed them to potentially even fatal hazards. But, if they believed in Jesus, even He who is to be the judge of the living and the dead, they would readily do and suffer all that was expected of them- they would submit to privations, expose themselves to dangers, and make sacrifices, from which otherwise they would have shrunk with terror. These sacrifices are experienced of believers of all ages, for the scriptures tell us that, "all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions."

17.10. We as Christians are all called upon to place the Lord first in our life. We are called to do things that we wouldn’t necessarily want to do as well. We must sacrifice many things, go places we wouldn’t go otherwise, etc. There is risk involved in whatever we are called to do. If we have faith, we’ll do whatever He calls us to do.

18. VS 11:32 - “32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,” - The author tells just the names of other men who were examples of living by faith to us : Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel

18.1. The stories referenced concerning Barak, Gideon, and Samson’s are found in a few chapters of the book of Judges as they all were judges. Samuel was actually the last of the judges, as well as the first of the prophets, and his story of faith is found in 1 Samuel.

18.2. From this verse through the first clause in verse 35 we see examples of saints of old who did things beyond their own human powers, by faith.

18.2.1. Gideon :

18.2.1.1. At a time when the worship of Baal prevailed to such an extent in Israel that anyone who opposed that worship would be killed, Gideon cut down the grove dedicated to that idol, and overthrew the altar at his father’s house, by his faith.

18.2.1.1.1. A revelation was made to Gideon which he believed, and he acted accordingly, Judg. 6:25-27, “²⁵ Now on the same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; ²⁶ and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” ²⁷ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.”

18.2.1.1.2. The Lord told Gideon to overthrow the altar of Baal and sacrifice his father's young bullock upon an altar he was to build.

18.2.1.2. Another story that reveals the faith of Gideon is found in Judg. 7:1-22, “¹ Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. ² The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ ³ “Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. ⁴ Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” ⁵ So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” ⁶ Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. ⁷ The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” ⁸ So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. ⁹ Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands. ¹⁰ “But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, ¹¹ and you will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the outposts of the army that was in the camp. ¹² Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. ¹³ When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” ¹⁴ His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” ¹⁵ When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” ¹⁶ He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. ¹⁷ He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. ¹⁸ “When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” ¹⁹ So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. ²⁰ When the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” ²¹ Each stood in his place around the camp; and all the army ran, crying out as they fled. ²² When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.”

18.2.1.2.1. Gideon, after collecting an army of thirty-two thousand men to fight against the Midianites and Amalekites, who at that time oppressed Israel, made proclamation, that every individual who was afraid of the approaching combat was at liberty to retire and thus reduced his troops to ten thousand. He then brought them to a pool of water and made them drink, dismissing any who lay down to drink, and retaining only those in a bending posture who lapped the water with their hands. Gideon’s army was thus reduced to three hundred men.

18.2.1.2.2. With the three hundred men remaining, Gideon armed his men with trumpets and empty pitchers containing lamps. Using these most unlikely tools Gideon obtained a complete victory, and delivered Israel out of the hands of their enemies.

18.2.1.2.3. Gideon did all this by faith, acting in faith in each instance in a divine revelation made to him. He used the means appointed by God, though in themselves utterly unfit for gaining the end. Without such a revelation as he had, and without faith in the revelation, he could not have been successfully acting as he did; with such a revelation, and with faith in such a revelation, he could not but be successful.

18.2.2. Barak :

18.2.2.1. We read of the faith of Barak in Judg. 4:4-16, “⁴ Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. ⁶ Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “Behold, the Lord, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. ⁷ ‘I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.’ ” ⁸ Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” ⁹ She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. ¹⁰ Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. ¹¹ Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. ¹² Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. ¹³ Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. ¹⁴ Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the Lord has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. ¹⁵ The Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. ¹⁶ But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.”

18.2.2.1.1. Barak, at a period when the Israelites were completely subjected to the oppressive yoke of Jabin, king of Canaan, raised a small band of ten thousand men, and led them to attack Sisera, the commander of Jabin's numerous and well-appointed army, and, he completely destroyed Sisera.

18.2.2.1.2. A divine revelation was made to Barak through the medium of Deborah the prophetess; he placed an active faith in that revelation, and was successful in his campaign.

18.2.3. Samson :

18.2.3.1. Samson performed many wonders.

18.2.3.1.1. He tore a lion to pieces, as if it had been a kid.

18.2.3.1.2. He burst asunder the strongest cords with which he could be bound.

18.2.3.1.3. He single-handedly slew a thousand of his enemies.

18.2.3.1.4. He carried off the gates of Gaza and their posts on his shoulders.

18.2.3.1.5. He overturned the pillars by which the temple of Dagon was supported.

18.2.3.2. By faith Samson accomplished these feats. It is written that the spirit of the Lord came upon him in each instance and then he performed these feats.

18.2.3.3. It appears that Samson exercised faith in a revelation given him by the Lord that he would be used in an extraordinary manner in each instance, he believed the revelation, and thus by faith performed the deeds and was successful each time.

18.2.3.4. We Christians need to realize ourselves how that we need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to fall upon our lives and anoint us mightily so that we can be powerful and effective witnesses for Christ in the world we find ourselves in. The Great Commission we have been given to fulfill cannot be fulfilled by us in our own strength or abilities. We are in great need of divine assistance.

18.2.4. Jephthah :

18.2.4.1. In Judg. 11 we read about the acts of faith of this man, “¹ Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead was the father of Jephthah. ² Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” ³ So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and worthless fellows gathered themselves about Jephthah, and they went out with him. ⁴ It came about after a while that the sons of Ammon fought against Israel. ⁵ When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob; ⁶ and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.” ⁷ Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me from my father’s house? So why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?” ⁸ The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “For this reason we have now returned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” ⁹ So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the Lord gives them up to me, will I become your head?” ¹⁰ The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord is witness between us; surely we will do as you have said.” ¹¹ Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah. ¹² Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” ¹³ The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.” ¹⁴ But Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon, ¹⁵ and they said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon. ¹⁶ ‘For when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh, ¹⁷ then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. And they also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh. ¹⁸ ‘Then they went through the wilderness and around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came to the east side of the land of Moab, and they camped beyond the Arnon; but they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. ¹⁹ ‘And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.” ²⁰ ‘But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people and camped in Jahaz and fought with Israel. ²¹ ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. ²² ‘So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan. ²³ ‘Since now the Lord, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it? ²⁴ ‘Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the Lord our God has driven out before us, we will possess it. ²⁵ ‘Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them? ²⁶ ‘While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? ²⁷ ‘I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the Lord, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’ ” ²⁸ But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him. ²⁹ Now the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. ³⁰ Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, ³¹ then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” ³² So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand. ³³ He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel. ³⁴ When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. ³⁵ When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.” ³⁶ So she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the Lord; do to me as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” ³⁷ She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.” ³⁸ Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity. ³⁹ At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel, ⁴⁰ that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.”

18.2.4.1.1. A man of low birth with very inadequate means, Jephthah, at a time when the children of Israel were oppressed by the Ammonites effected their deliverance.

18.2.4.1.2. The spirit of the Lord came over him: i.e. a revelation was made to him that he was to be the deliverer of Israel. He believed it, and though he made a foolish vow to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his tent if the Lord gave him victory in the battle, he acted according to faith in that revelation, and was successful in battle.

18.2.5. David :

18.2.5.1. David accomplished many extraordinary feats for the Lord, but perhaps the slaying of the Philistine giant is the best and most pertinent example, 1 Sam. 17, “¹ Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines. ³ The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. ⁴ Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. ⁵ He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶ He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. ⁷ The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. ⁸ He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. ⁹ “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰ Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. ¹² Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. ¹³ The three older sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. ¹⁴ David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. ¹⁶ The Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand. ¹⁷ Then Jesse said to David his son, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. ¹⁸ “Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them. ¹⁹ “For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.” ²⁰ So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. ²² Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. ²³ As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. ²⁴ When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. ²⁵ The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” ²⁶ Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” ²⁷ The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, “Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.” ²⁸ Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” ²⁹ But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?” ³⁰ Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before. ³¹ When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. ³² David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ³³ Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵ I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. ³⁶ “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” ³⁸ Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. ³⁹ David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off. ⁴⁰ He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine. ⁴¹ Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. ⁴³ The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴ The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” ⁴⁵ Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. ⁴⁶ “This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷ and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” ⁴⁸ Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. ⁵⁰ Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. ⁵¹ Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵² The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. ⁵³ The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. ⁵⁴ Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent. ⁵⁵ Now when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O king, I do not know.” ⁵⁶ The king said, “You inquire whose son the youth is.” ⁵⁷ So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand. ⁵⁸ Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.””.

18.2.5.2. Here, as a young man, David must surely have had the Lord make a divine revelation to him that he would slay the giant. For it is written, David said, “⁴⁶ “This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷ and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

18.2.5.3. David believed the revelation, and this accounts both for his conduct and his success. If we should fear, we should fear the Lord, but never the Lord's enemies who have already been conquered, Matt. 10:28, “²⁸ “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul ; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

18.2.6. Samuel :

18.2.6.1. Samuel is the last of the ancients mentioned by name as exemplifying the power of faith. We cannot say certainly to what the inspired writer refers. It is possible that he refers to his anointing David to be king over Israel, notwithstanding the extreme danger to which this exposed him (Remember, Saul could have killed Samuel since David was anointed by Samuel while Saul was still reigning over Israel).

18.2.6.2. In any case, a divine revelation was made to Sameul, he believed it, and acted accordingly.

18.2.6.3. Samuel’s anointing Saul was another proof of the power of faith.

18.2.6.4. Most striking of Samuels' acts of faith is probably found in 1 Sam. 12:16-18, where it is written, "Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and He shall send thunder and rain; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for a king. So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel."

18.2.6.4.1. A revelation was made to Samuel that the Lord would send thunder and rain, and that divine power was to be put forth in connection with certain words which he spoke. Samuel believed that revelation, he spoke the words as he was told, and then the event prophesied occurred.

18.2.7. The prophets in general are put forth as exemplifying faith.

18.2.7.1. Nathan rebuked King David for committing adultery and murder at threat of his own life.

18.2.7.2. Micaiah denounced Ahab's overthrow.

18.2.7.3. Elijah :

18.2.7.3.1. He was fed by ravens.

18.2.7.3.2. He miraculously increasing the meal and the oil of the widow of Zarephath ( I Kings 17:13 ), and raised her son from the dead ( 1 Kings 17:18-23 ).

18.2.7.3.3. He challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to call upon their god to bring forth fire to come down from heaven and consume their sacrifice, then when he called upon the Lord to do the same he brought down fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice ( I Kings 18:21-ff ).

18.2.7.3.4. He both withheld and bestowed rain by his prayers (1 Kings 17:1 ).

18.2.7.4. Elisha performing similar wonders.

18.2.7.5. Isaiah predicting Hezekiah's lengthened life, and the sudden destruction of the Assyrian army.

19. VS 11:33 - “33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions” - The author tells of the faith of those whom he does not name to conquer kingdoms, perform acts of righteousness, obtain promises, and shut the mouths of lions

19.1. The author now goes on to specify some of the deeds performed by the prophets of old, through faith.

19.2. Joshua and David are perhaps the best examples of men who ‘subdued kingdoms.’

19.2.1. Joshua subdued the kingdoms in Canaan.

19.2.2. David subdued those which were around that country, such as Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Syria.

19.3. Both Joshua and David subdued these kingdoms through believing. God had clearly revealed, not merely that it was His purpose that these kingdoms should be subdued, but also that Joshua and David were to be instruments of the subjugation.

19.4. The author tells us that they ‘wrought righteousness,’ or ‘performed acts of righteousness,’ which sometimes means in Scripture to live a holy life. Yet, perhaps the general scope of the passage leads to interpretation of the phrase to mean to "carry out the laws of justice into execution, executed judgment."

19.4.1. Phineas in Num. 25:1-11 and Elijah, in 1 Kng. 18:40 are good examples of those who inflicted merited punishment on notorious offenders- in circumstances in which, had they not been believers, they would not have done what they did. They could not let the sun set until the Lord's name had been vindicated.

19.4.1.1. Phineas :

19.4.1.1.1. Numbers 25:1-11, “¹ While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ² For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³ So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. ⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” ⁵ So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.” ⁶ Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁷ When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, ⁸ and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. ⁹ Those who died by the plague were 24,000. ¹⁰ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹¹ “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.”

19.4.1.2. Elijah :

19.4.1.2.1. 1 Kings 18:40, “⁴⁰ Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”

19.5. The Hebrew recipients of the letter as well as all believers in Christ ought to stand up for the Lord and His righteousness, being sure that God receives proper reverence.

19.6. They ‘received promises’ which probably refers to actually receiving the thing promised.

19.6.1. It was promised to Joshua that he should conquer Canaan, and through believing he obtained the conquest of Canaan.

19.6.2. It was promised to Gideon that he should defeat the Midianites, and through believing he obtained their complete destruction.

19.7. There is really no inconsistency between the declaration in the 39th verse, that they "did not receive the promise" and it saying here that these ones ‘received promises.’ These ones received the accomplishment of many particular promises made to them, but they did not receive the accomplishment -the promise of the Messiah, or of the "salvation with eternal glory" which is in Him.

19.8. They ‘stopped the mouths of lions’ :

19.8.1. Both Samson and David slew lions.

19.8.2. Daniel, when cast into the den of lions because of his worshipping of the Lord did this. God sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths, that they did not hurt him. This was done by faith, for it is expressly stated, that this was done "because he believed in his God."

20. Who knows if God might use any of us to stop those who would persecute us through our faith and prayers.

21. VS 11:34 - “34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” - The author tells us of the faith of ones he doesn’t name who quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, and became mighty in war

21.1. They ‘quenched the power of fire’ :

21.1.1. In Dan. 3:18-28 we read the story of the faith of, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nigo, “¹⁸ “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” ¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ²² For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. ²³ But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. ²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” ²⁵ He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” ²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. ²⁷ The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.”

21.1.1.1. These three young Israelites living in captivity in Babylon refused to yield obedience to the edict of Nebuchadnezzar, requiring all to worship the colossal image which he had erected in the plain of Dura, and for this they were thrown into a fiery furnace, seven times heated.

21.1.1.2. These men were not only preserved alive, but walked up and down in the midst of the flames, and after being taken out it was found that "not even the hair of their heads was singed, nor their coats changed, nor had the smell of fire passed upon them." Plus, Jesus Himself walked through the fire of their tribulation with them ( just as He does with all of His people ).

21.1.1.3. It was by faith that the fire was quenched. A revelation had been made to their minds that God would preserve them alive in the fiery furnace. They believed the revelation, and permitted themselves to be cast into the fiery furnace, and found that it was to them according to their faith.

21.1.1.4. Before being thrown into the furnace they said, "Our God, whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your Gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up," Dan. 3:17-18. Even if the Lord didn’t deliver them they determined that they would not submit to the edict to worship the image, no matter the cost.

21.1.1.5. We Christians can trust God in the heat of the fiery furnace we find in our lives. Our God can deliver us just as He delivered these men of God. He has delivered His people over and over again throughout history.

21.2. They ‘escaped the edge of the sword’ :

21.2.1. In Exod. 28:4, it is said by Moses, "The God of my father was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

21.2.2. Elijah's life was in extreme danger when Jezebel threaten to slay him with the sword, after he had slain the priests of Baal. However, he ‘escaped the edge of the sword.’ He fled into the wilderness we must assume through a divine revelation since he sought the Lord for every move, and was rescued from the sword of Jezebel.

21.3. They ‘from weakness were made strong’ :

21.3.1. The word ‘weakness’ used here can mean illness and we know of instances when God healed men by faith, as in the case of Hezekiah, who in consequence of his faith was healed from a mortal disease. A revelation was made to Hezekiah by the prophet Isaiah, confirmed by a miraculous sign. Hezekiah believed it, it was to him according to his faith and "out of faith he became strong."

21.3.2. The phrase ‘from weakness were made strong’ reminds me of what Paul wrote when he said, "when I am weak then I am strong, for power is made strong in weakness." In our flesh we do not have the strength to fight our own, much less God's, battles. But, when we depend upon the Lord for our strength and help, then we are truly strong, as were the prophets of old. The Spirit of God will come upon us also and strengthen us.

21.4. They ‘became mighty in war’ :

21.4.1. These ones were "valiant in fight” or “become strong in battle” by faith.

21.4.2. Many of these men had supernatural courage and strength during battle, which was given them by their faith.

21.4.2.1. In Josh. 10:1-13, we see Joshua "turning to flight the armies of the aliens." There was given him a divine revelation, Joshua believed it, and in consequence of his faith he, "turned the armies of the aliens to flight."

21.4.2.1.1. As He did for Joshua, God might even stop the earth's rotation around the Sun if needed, to fulfill His promises to His people.

21.4.2.2. In 2 Samuel, we read that after King David was made king over all of the tribes of Israel that he then subdued or conquered all of the peoples living within the entire territory that was promised to Abraham and his descendants as an inheritance.

22. VS 11:35 - “35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection;” - The author tells us of the faith of more nameless ones, these who are women who received back their dead by resurrection, and others who were tortured and wouldn’t accept their release

22.1. ‘Women received back their dead by resurrection’ :

22.1.1. This first part of this verse seems to fit into verse 34. In this verse the women who received back their dead by resurrection seems to refer to the widow of Zarepath and the Shunammite widow. Their sons were resurrected by Elijah and Elisha, respectively in 1 Kings 17:22-24 and 2 Kings 4:36.

22.1.2. It was by faith that these events were brought about. A revelation, made to the minds of the prophets and believed by them, led them to speak the word or do the action which by divine appointment was connected with the putting forth of the divine power to work the miracle.

22.1.3. However, the faith is that of the women. Their faith must have consisted in a belief in the God who has revealed Himself as having the power even to resurrect from the dead.

22.2. Who knows but that God, for His glory, might even use us in the raising of people from the dead?

22.3. They ‘were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection’ :

22.3.1. The second division of the verse is an illustration of the power of faith to enable men patiently to endure the severest trials, to continue steadfast in their duty to God notwithstanding their being exposed to extreme suffering.

22.3.2. The word translated here ‘tortured’ signifies to stretch a person upon an instrument called a "pumpanon" which caused suffering from being stretched to death. The general idea of being tortured to death in any way is probably implied.

22.3.3. Under the idolatrous kings of Israel and Judah, numerous people were tortured and put to death for their steady attachment to the pure worship of Jehovah.

22.3.4. Probably, the persecutions which occurred in the history of Israel during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, mentioned in the books of the Apocrapha, are a more accurate reference to whom is mentioned.

22.3.4.1. In the sixth and seventh chapters of the second book of the Maccabees, Eleazar was beaten to death when he had been persuaded or allured to accept deliverance by transgressing the law. The same may be said of the mother and her seven sons, whose story and torments are recorded there also. In the words of Josephus the historian, "They every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were crucified while they were still alive and breathed."

22.3.4.2. When these ones were tortured in this way they would not accept deliverance on the condition of denying or blaspheming Jehovah and violating His law. The reason of their perseverance and steadfastness is given, ‘that they might obtain a better resurrection."

22.3.4.3. It deserves notice that the hope of the resurrection is expressly stated by those who were tortured to death, and, they would not accept deliverance by denying their Lord, continuing constant unto death...

22.4. The conclusion we need to draw from all of these stories is that there is no enterprise so difficult, but faith in a divine revelation promising success can enable a person cheerfully to undertake, steadily to prosecute, and prosperously to finish it.

23. VS 11:36 - “36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.” - The author tells us of the faith of unnamed ones who endured mockings and scourgings, chains and imprisonment, because of their faith

23.1. ‘Mockings’ in this verse refers to the scorn, derision, and beatings which the victims of persecution experienced.

23.2. ‘Scourgings’ refer to another mode of inflicting stripes than that referred to in the former verse. In the New Testament we read of Jesus being given a scourge of 39 lashes with a cat-of-9 tails.

23.3. Micaiah, Jeremiah, and Joseph are persons who were tried by ‘chains and imprisonment’ and who persevered in their faith through the trial, remaining steadfast and unmovable.

24. VS 11:37 - “37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated” - The author tells us of the faith of more nameless ones, these who were stoned, sawn in two, tempted, put to death the sword, and wandered about as destitute people

24.1. The instances mentioned in this verse are not recorded in the Old Testament but were doubtless the realities God’s saints repeatedly experienced, for instance, perhaps under the dreadful persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes.

24.2. Tradition has it that Isaiah was killed by being ‘sawn asunder,’ or "sawed in two."

24.3. The phrase ‘they were tempted’ seems out of place in the midst of these horrible types of persecutions, but it probably refers to opportunities given to those being persecuted to deny Jehovah or possibly blasphemy, with the promise that the persecution would cease. It was also common that wealth and honor would be offered those martyrs being tortured if they would just deny their faith.

24.4. Others of these ancient believers, who were not deprived of life, were yet exposed to numerous and great inconveniences. They had to abandon their own habitations, and, destitute of the ordinary accommodations of human civilized society, lived in the wilderness like wild beasts: " went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated.’ These great sufferings depict those endured by the church since the writing of this book by the author.

25. VS 11:38 - “38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.” - The world was not worthy of these great men of God of old

25.1. The persecutors of these martyred saints of old thought that they were not worthy of the world, but in fact the world was not worthy of them.

26. VS 11:39-40 - “39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” - The author tells us that all of these ones he has mentioned gained approval through their faith

26.1. The great truth which the author bring before our minds by these statements is that: "Faith can enable men to endure the severest sufferings. It was faith that enabled these holy confessors to suffer all this patiently, cheerfully, perseveringly. Nothing but faith could have done this."

26.2. The application to the Hebrew Christians in all these examples of men and women enduring and triumphing through great suffering through their faith is: "You have much to do, you have much to suffer, as Christians. Faith can- nothing but faith can- enable you to do and suffer it all."

26.3. In verse 39, the phrase, ‘and all these,’ refers to all those who had faith in the revelations made to them by God and who persevered through difficult and various trials unto the end, as a result of that faith in God and His promises.

26.4. How did these ones mentioned gain approval of God? "By their faith"...

26.5. In verse 39 it says that these ancient believers, ‘did not receive what was promised.’ It is obvious that these ones did receive many promises as they exercised and acted in faith concerning the promises revealed to them. But, the distinction is between the Old Testament believer and the New Testament believer. These Old Testament believers did not receive, "THE promise," the Messiah who died for their sins, who could wash them white as snow, placing His laws right in their hearts, and then who could bring them and sustain them in the very holy of holies in heaven. They did not receive the salvation through Jesus that the New Testament believers received.

26.6. Being Gods' people, He brought these Old Testament saints to heaven when Jesus resurrected, applying in retrospect Jesus' death on the cross for their sins. But, these ancient believers did not receive the real benefits of the salvation Jesus brings to us as believers. Yet, they persevered and believed God when He promised, did sometimes great feats when led and empowered by God, and received many promises made by God during their lives.

26.7. The author's point to be derived is one to humble these Hebrew Christians: "If these saints of old could overcome and persevere in their faith, how more should we be able to do the same since we do possess that to which the ancients had perhaps only a slight glimpse. Jesus has given us true atonement for our sin, He has showed us the way into the holiest, regenerated our very hearts and minds through the presence and influence of The Comforter, replaced a system of worship and religion that could only bring death, and "greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world."”

26.8. Verse 40 says ‘because God had provided something better for us,’ the ‘us’ refers to the New Testament believer, who has received the promised Messiah. But salvation is future for all Gods' people since none have inherited a glorified and resurrected body. This is the future for those who have gone on to be with the Lord as well as us who remain behind. So, perhaps the last clause refers to the fact that these ancient saints shall "not be perfect without us" because salvation is still a future event, in all of its fullness. Together with all Gods' people of all ages we shall share in this joyous inheritance of the fullness of ‘the promise,’ the completion of our salvation. They shall be perfected, and so shall we.

26.9. This teaching was meant to encourage the Hebrews to persevering faith.

26.9.1. "When He who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory,"

26.9.2.

26.9.3. "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

26.9.4. "We look for the Saviour from heaven, who shall change these vile bodies, and fashion them like unto His own glorious body."

26.10. The last two words of verse 40, ‘made perfect’ probably refers to inheriting the full salvation of Jesus Christ.

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