“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:39-40 The previous verses describe some of the terrible things that the followers of God suffered because of their beliefs. Yet they stood faithful even when it often meant their death. Verse 38 says “the world was not worthy of them.” As we read of what they went through, we must remember that they did not have the teachings of Jesus that we have today. Jesus had not yet…
“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” Hebrews 11:32-35 After highlighting the stories of several well-known Bible characters, the author of Hebrews realized that he did not have the time to give us all the details of others, but we can read their stories for ourselves. Take time this week to read them: Gideon – His story is recorded in Judges 6-8 and highlights his acceptance of God’s call to deliver His people. It took great faith to lead his small army of three hundred men, bearing only trumpets and pitchers with lamps, against the great army of the Midianites. Barak – In Judges 4, he listened to the voice of Deborah and together they went forth to defeat the army of Sisera. Jephtha – Look at Judges 11. He…
“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” Hebrews 11:31 Under cover of darkness, two men sneaked into the city of Jericho, hiding in the shadows until they saw an open door and quickly slipped inside. The woman who greeted them realized who they were and guessed that they were there to spy out the country. She gave them lodging knowing that they had been seen by someone else in the city. She had stalks of flax laid out to dry on her roof and so she hid them there. Before long, a messenger from the king was at her door, demanding that she turn the men in. She told the messenger that the men had left her house and the city before the gates closed for the night. Then she talked to the two men, acknowledging that the whole country was in terror because of news of all that God had done for the Israelites. He was going to give this land into their hands, and that Jericho would fall. In return for her helping them, she asked that they protect her and her family. Her house…
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” Hebrews 11:17 I remember the joy that my husband and I felt as we held each of our newborn children in our arms for the first time. They were gifts from God, and we cherished all three of them. We dedicated them to the Lord and did our best to raise them to love and serve Him. As a parent, I can imagine how Abraham must have felt when the Lord told him that he must sacrifice…
“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11 The story of Sarah in the Bible has been an inspiration and encouragement to all women. She set a fitting example for us all. There is no record that the Lord appeared to her when she married Abraham and gave her any special promise. We do not know when Abraham shared with her the promise that God had given him of becoming the father of many nations, but he must have done so at some point. We do know that she was devoted to her husband, and willingly went along with all the decisions that he made. As the years passed quickly by and no child came to bless their home, it must have been hard for her to trust God. Can we blame her for taking things into her own hands, and deciding to give her maid, Hagar, to Abraham so he would have a son? And then one day, three men visited Abraham. Genesis 18:9-10 “And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he…
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Hebrews 11:4 Raised by the same parents, no doubt Cain and Abel had been told the story of their parent’s failure in the Garden of Eden and how God had sacrificed an animal to make an atonement for their sin. They had probably participated year after year as their parents built an altar and sacrificed a lamb. I can imagine them building their altars side by side, perhaps chatting and laughing together as they worked. Abel chose the finest lamb from his flock, slew it, and placed it on his altar. Cain arrived with a basket of his best fruits and vegetables. The Bible does not tell us how God showed His approval or disapproval of their selections. Did fire come down from heaven to consume Abel’s lamb? In some way, God showed His respect for Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Genesis 4:6-7 “And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not…