Hebrews 11:1-16
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 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. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 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. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (or reality) of things not seen. … Hebrews 11:4-32 provides an impressive array of the faithful, naming sixteen heroes and heroines of the faith, from Abel to Samuel. These heroes of the faith persevered in the conviction “that [God] is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Keep in mind that the men and women named here are not perfect — each struggled to understand what God had called them to, and through their struggles learned to trust in God, to submit to Him in faith.
The last portion of Hebrews 10 provides an introduction to the panoply of the faithful in Hebrews 11:
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
We must not cast away our confidence in God … we must patiently endure; we must hold firm our faith in times of hardship because the eternal reward is so much greater than the struggles and suffering we must endure. The OT saints in Hebrews 11 are given as examples of those who persevered in faith in what God has promised.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen … One of my favorite stories of faith that lays hold of what is promised as something real, substantial, though not yet seen, is found in Genesis 15. The Lord comes to Abram in a vision telling Abram not to fear, that his reward shall be very great. Abram — not yet given the name Abraham - responds: “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” Among the seven promises God made to Abram one promise was to make of Abram a great nation. Abram is wondering how this will happen considering he is childless and God has given him no offspring. God takes Abram outside and tells him to look toward the heavens and count the stars, if he is able … so shall your descendants be. “ Then [Abram] believed God; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Abram’s faith is counted as righteousness. How might counting the stars in the sky help Abram to trust in God’s promise of numerous descendents? How is this a profound example of what faith requires? The answer becomes clear in the verses that immediately follow God’s taking Abram outside to count the stars:
v12 Now when the sun was going down
v17 It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark
God took Abram outside to count the stars in the daylight! Imagine God taking Abram outside on a clear afternoon and asking Abram to look toward the heaven and number the stars. What stars would Abram have seen in the daytime? Abram knew the stars were there even though in the daylight he could not see them. The stars may not be visible, but Abram did not doubt their existence. And Abram believed God’s promise and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen!
In Hebrews God asks us to believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ based on what we know to be true about Him. We are to remain steadfast in all of God’s promises in Jesus Christ, knowing that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Just as Abram believed that God would give him offspring as numerous as the stars - even though Abram could not see them. No wonder God reckoned that faith to Abram as righteousness!
JSH+