Faith in victory and in death

It is easy to have faith when everything is going well. But faith is needed most when we face danger. The "faith chapter" continues with stories of how people remained faithful in life-threatening situations.

Moses

The author takes several episodes from the life of Moses. He starts with his parents, Amram and Jochebed: By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict (Heb. 11:23).

Moses’ parents saw that God had a special purpose for this boy, and they risked their lives to keep him (Ex. 2:1-10). The lesson implied for the readers (who seem to be facing a threat of persecution) is that they should not be afraid of a government edict, either.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin (Heb. 11:24-25). Moses turned down a privileged position, and chose instead to be part of the people of God. He gave up the easy life and suffered. If the readers have faith like Moses, they will be faithful, even if they are persecuted.

He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward (v. 26). The readers were also facing disgrace for the sake of Christ. Even if they might lose a lot of money, the choice should be clear, because God offers a far more valuable reward. It’s in the future, but it’s worth waiting for, even if we have to suffer for our allegiance to Christ.

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible (v. 27). The first time Moses left Egypt, he was afraid (Ex. 2:14), but the author here is probably referring to the Exodus, when Moses had courage. (There are several parts of Hebrews 11 that are not in chronological order. The author is giving a motivational speech, not a history lesson, and he is selective about which events he reports, and in what order.) The point for the readers: Do not be afraid of the king—keep God in the picture. Moses saw God at the burning bush, but for us he is invisible.

The author presents two more examples from the Exodus: By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned (vv. 28-29). The Exodus is credited to the faith of all the people. The Egyptians had faith, too—they believed they could cross the seabed just like the Israelites did. But their faith was in vain, because it was not based on the promise of God. All the great moments of Israelite history came about through faith, so we should not be surprised if God calls on us to have faith in perilous circumstances, too.

The author now moves to the Israelite conquest of Canaan, and in doing this, he has skipped an important moment in Israelite history: Mt. Sinai. Hebrews says nothing about the role that Moses had in building the nation, because those situations were less relevant to the readers. The author is trying to get the readers to stop looking to Moses and his covenant; he is not going to praise it here. He emphasizes Moses’ role as a fugitive, as a person who went out.

Then the people reach Canaan: By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient (vv. 30-31). Surprise! The heroes in Israelite history include a non-Israelite woman. She was saved by faith, in contrast to people who disobeyed (disobeyed God, that is, rather than the king of Jericho).

The author could go on, but he has already amassed enough evidence to illustrate his point, so now he wraps it up: And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets…. (v. 32).

The author does not dwell on the history of the people as a nation—he was more interested in illustrating people who were isolated and persecuted. But he mentions some blessings that came with faith. Through faith, these people conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised (v. 33). They gained Canaan, but they did not gain all that God had promised (v. 39).

The author skips to the end of the Scriptures for some final examples. Through faith, he says, some people shut the mouths of lions [Daniel 6], quenched the fury of the flames [Daniel 3], and escaped the edge of the sword [possibly the story in Esther]; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (v. 34).

Then the author moves from triumph to tragedy: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. [But] there were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection (v. 35). In times of triumph, Elijah and Elisha brought people back to life (1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:17-35). But other equally great prophets were persecuted to death for that "better resurrection." The author’s comments remind one of a story from the Jewish history book 1 Maccabees, chapter 7. Here we are told about seven brothers who were tortured by the Syrian ruler, while their mother reminded them that God would resurrect the faithful—a resurrection even better than Elijah and Elisha restoring people back to life.

History is full of people who refused to give up, even when threatened with death, and God wants his people to have faith like that—a faith that sees beyond the temporary treasures and temporary trials of this world, and seeks the heavenly country, the city built by God, the place of permanent reward.

Hebrews tells us what it may cost: Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them (vv. 36-38). If you are persecuted, the author says, you are in good company. The world does not deserve to have such honorable people in its midst, but God puts his people here anyway.

They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised (vv. 38-39). These trials were not punishments from God, nor evidence that God had taken away his protection. These people were strong in faith, and yet had troubles in this life. That’s because the promise of God is not a better life in this world—it is life in a better world.

We will all die, but for those who die in the faith, the promises are guaranteed. The readers are worried about threats of persecution, so the author encourages them to keep their eyes on the eternal, not the temporary.

God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (v. 40). God wants us to join the heroes, and we will be rewarded together; we will all be brought to the finish line if we keep the faith.

• In what circumstances would I choose pain over pleasures? (v. 25)
• Why was Rahab the only person in Jericho who put her life in God’s hands? (v. 31)
• Who turned weakness into strength? (v. 34) Can I do that, too?
• In what way were the Old Testament heroes waiting for us? (v. 40)
• What New Testament heroes of faith are there? Who had victories, and who had tragedies?