DId God Really Say…

February 24, 2024

Read Leviticus 11, Psalm 55, Hebrews 11

We all exercise faith every day. Most of the time we don’t even bat an eyelash thinking about the ways that we put our faith into practice. Think about it, when you pick up a prescription from the pharmacy, get in your car and drive 70 mph down the road, or some other mundane tasks that we repeat repeatedly. Think about it, the reason we don’t even give it much thought is because often we repeat these tasks over and over. By faith we expect the medications we get from a pharmacist to be correct and by faith we expect our vehicles to run correctly and that others will abide by safe driving rules.

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “Hall of Faith.” It begins with a concise definition of faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” v. 1. Next, we learn without faith, “it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” v. 6. Faith is the requirement that God desires from all of us.  Then the author highlights the Old Testament people who exercised faith and trusted God. From Abel to Rahab each of these people trusted God in faith and took Him at his word.

The last part of Hebrews 11 shifts from the giants of the faith that everyone recognizes from the pages of the Old Testament to a list of unknown and unrewarded faithful people. “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. ³⁷ They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. ³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” vv.35-39. Often when we read the narratives in the Bible we tend to focus on the military victories, the miraculous rescues, and other good things that we want for ourselves. We can easily overlook those who didn’t have the happy ending or those who were killed even for their faith. The author of Hebrews treats them all the same. Win or lose, they all win by exercising the faith in the Lord they had. The author reminds us, “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” v. 40.

How can you exercise faith today? How can you trust the Lord and know that win or lose He has a plan for you just like He did each of these people in Hebrews 11.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you most?
Add your thoughts below.