Faith caused God’s people to win battles, endure persecution, and anticipate the life beyond. Joshua led his people to circle Jericho for seven days in what must have appeared to the pagan onlookers as something completely futile and ridiculous (Josh. 6). Faith strengthened the Israelites with the conviction that their God could do the impossible.
The pagan prostitute Rahab had heard of the mighty feats of Israel’s God (Josh. 2:10–12), and her faith in God moved her to welcome the spies. Her faith enabled her to see them as divine agents rather than as enemies.
The list of faithful servants in Hebrews 11 consists of six names (v. 32) which were typical of the period of the Judges and the early monarchy along with some of the prophets, including Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah (Judg 4-16). The faithful deeds of Samuel and David were engraved in Israel’s history. Samuel was a link between the Judges and the monarchy. David was the most revered and outstanding representative of the monarchy.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. 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, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 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. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. 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, tormented 38 (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes in the ground. 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 would not be made perfect. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Faith in God and His promises enabled the Old Testament saints to hold onto His promises and experience God in the hardest of circumstances
- Faith in God does not guarantee comfort in this world. But this faith has amazing rewards in the world to come.
- Faith led believers to experience God’s better blessing. No matter how it looks in the moment, God has provided something better for us. (v. 39-40)
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 30–31: The readers could also look forward to victory over their enemies (cf. 1:13–14). They could learn from the destruction of the Egyptians and the collapse of the walls of Jericho what triumphs faith can win over its adversaries. If, as seems probable, there were a few Gentiles in the church that received this letter, they could take comfort from the experience of “Rahab the harlot,” a Gentile who was spared when Jericho was conquered.
Verses 32–35a: There were far too many heroes of faith for the writer to deal with them all in detail. Swiftly the writer mentioned the variegated accomplishments of some of them. At the climax of this list stand women who “received back their dead by resurrection”—a truly superlative victory of faith which does not allow death to defeat it (cf. 1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:17–37).
Verses 33–34 contain nine statements about the achievements of faith. The statements appeared in three groups of three commendations. The first group of statements marked such attainments as conquering kingdoms, performing acts of righteousness, and inheriting spiritual promises. In conquering kingdoms, weak people empowered by faith overcame Israel’s enemies (Josh. 8:1–29). In performing acts of righteousness, Israel’s leaders practiced righteousness rather than injustice (meaning established justice; 1 Sam. 7:13–17). In receiving promises, wavering human beings seized God’s words and lived by them.
In the second triplet, these are actions of endurance focusing on rescue. Faith shut the mouths of lions in saving Daniel (Dan. 6). Faith quenched the fury of the flames with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 3). And finally, faith escaped the edge of the sword for David in 1 Samuel 23:19–26.
The third triplet focuses on positive achievements by believers. Hezekiah found his weakness turned to strength (Isa. 38). David became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (2 Sam. 8:1–18).
Verses 35b–38: In a swift transition of thought, the writer moved from faith’s obvious triumphs to what seemed to be its defeats. But these defeats were only apparent, not real. Those who were tortured and refused to be released did so because they knew their sufferings would lead to a richer and “better resurrection” experience. So the readers might also endure suffering staunchly and expect reward in the future world. Indeed, all manner of physical suffering (vv. 36–37, 38b cite about a dozen kinds of persecution) has been endured by people of faith, as well as ostracism from their homes and countries, treatment that the readers might also have to endure. But in a lovely touch, the writer commented that “the world was not worthy” of those whom it banished.
Verses 35-38 present a remarkable sample of spiritual stamina and endurance. Elisha raised the Shunammite’s son (2 Kgs. 4:18–37) as an example of a woman who received her dead raised to life again. To endure torture required an inner source of strength known only to people of faith.
In Jewish intertestamental writings one famous story of courageous martyrdom involved the death of a mother and her seven sons (see 2 Maccabees 7:1–42). Many scholars feel that the reference to enduring torture in Hebrews 11:35 has this incident in mind. All eight endured barbarous torture because they refused to disobey God’s laws. One moving incident in the story occurred when the pagan king asked the mother to encourage the last of the seven sons to renounce his faith and eat swine’s flesh. The mother, who had seen six other sons die, said to her son, “Fear not this tormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death, that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren.” The son refused to obey the king’s command, and the king treated him with greater rage than all the other sons.[1]
Joseph (Gen. 39:20) and Jeremiah (Jer. 20:2; 37:15) are among those who endured mocking, flogging, and imprisonments. Most scholars associate the reference to being sawed in two with Isaiah. Although this incident is not mentioned in the Bible, Jewish tradition held to this grisly manner of death for the prophet. In addition to violent death, we also find instances (v. 37) of prolonged hardship, including destitution, persecution, hunger, and severe abuse (1 Kings 18:13).
These instances of extreme difficulty led to the exclamation that the world was not worthy of them (v. 38). These people of faith lived in deserts, mountains, and caverns. They were banished from society without fellowship. Many of God’s servants had to live like animals. Faith in God does not guarantee comfort in this world. Such faith does promise plentiful reward in the only world that matters.
Why are these verses important? Cause this is really the death nail for prosperity theology. People say if you really walk by faith, you won’t get sick. I’ve had people say if you say you have enough faith you wouldn’t have had cancer. You know? Has this happened to you? They say I do not have enough faith, and that is my problem. They tell I have got sin in my life, or did something, and it caused this. Then say I don’t have enough faith. Another thing people say is If you had faith you’d be rich and so on. That is just pure, pure rubbish. That just gets me so angry because some dear saints take it very seriously when they’re told the reason you’re sick is because it’s not God’s will for you to be sick. We hear that all the time. It’s not God’s will for you to be sick. Or It is God’s will for you to be rich. Well how about Paul in II Corinthians 12? Remember he said Three times I sought the Lord that this thorn might be taken from me. And it was never taken from me. Never. And when he says three times you know that Paul laid hold of God hard for three times. It was not just some passing prayer at night. Lord bless me. No. It was three times he sought the Lord that this might be taken from me. So, we need to know this for the sake of countering prosperity theology.
Verses 39–40: In a concluding summary the writer pointed out that the great heroes of faith they had spoken of, had not yet realized their eschatological hopes. This fact shows that “God had provided something better for” them and us. It is indeed “better for us” that the future hopes they strove toward be delayed, since only thus could believers enjoy the present experience of becoming companions of the Messiah who leads them to glory. As a result, the perfecting (cf. 10:14; 12:23) of the Old Testament worthies—that is, the realization of their hopes—awaits that of all believers.
The promises for which believers eagerly waited appeared only in Christ. Old Testament saints did not experience the eternal inheritance. Their faith earned for them a remarkable reputation and favor with God. They lived and died in the hope of a fulfillment which none of them saw on earth. The obtaining of the benefits did not occur until Christ opened the way for spiritual treasures.
Verse 40 may have been a warning to some Jewish Christians who exulted in Jewish heroes so that they forgot their own shortcomings.[2] Such believers needed the finishing work which Christian believers could provide. No part of God’s community can be complete without the rest.
Christ’s revelation of God’s redemption allows all believers to experience their eternal inheritance. Ultimately, all the redeemed from all the ages will be gathered under Christ (Eph. 1:9–10).
[1] Thomas Lea, “Hebrews,” in Holman New Testament Commentary – Hebrews & James, vol 10, edited by Max Anders (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 1999), 205.
[2] Thomas Lea, “Hebrews,” in Holman New Testament Commentary – Hebrews & James, vol 10, edited by Max Anders (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 1999), 205.