Hebrews 11:32-40 — What More Shall We Say, The Righteous Live By Faith

Reformation Sunday!

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Intro

As the young soldier stood there nervously ready to jump from the air plane, the jump master told him, not to look down, trust your training, and keep your eyes on the horizon.

The writer of Hebrews has invited us into a survey of faith through the OT.

Each person or group, though different in many ways, kept their eyes on the promises of God and displayed faith worth imitating.

Don’t look back, trust the word of God, and keep your eyes on him.

Now, I especially like this section due to the preacher sharing my weekly dilemma with running out of time and having more to say.

Heb. 11:32 “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell...” but I will do my best.

(vv.32-35a) By Faith, The Righteous Are Made Strong Through Weakness.

In this section we are introduced to faithful individuals who were made strong out of weakness. They conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword.

Gideon gave Israel victory over the Midianites with just 300 men. Following God’s direction, Gideon armed these men with torches and jars of clay which they smashed and God threw their enemy into chaos.

Barak is another leader in the time of the judges. He, guided by the prophetess Deborah, led the united tribes to victory against a mighty Canaanite army.

You may be familiar with the story of Samson who had a weakness for foreign woman, and at the end of his life, having forfeited his strength, regains it—quite literally being made strong in weakness.

Jepthah, also from the book of Judges, was an unwanted child, had a career as a bandit, made a foolish vow that cost his daughter’s life. But, as a man of faith, he later led the people of God in battle against the Ammonites.

Lastly, there is David and Samuel.

David was a king after God’s own heart and he killed the giant Goliath. Most notably, he is seen time and time again as an OT foreshadow of Jesus. Though he was a great sinner, he is a picture of faith from the Old Covenant.

Samuel was a prophet and a judge. He is known as the “king maker” due to his role in moving Israel from the judges to kings. Samuel’s life was formed in faith at the cry of his mother, and ended in the same way.

Each of these individuals were influential in the redemptive plan of God. They lived by faith, not their own wisdom, nor their own righteousness.

Heb. 11:1-2 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.”

These individuals are commended, kept in Holy Scripture, for their faith.

Simply, we see that our identity is not determined by our past but by where we put our future hope.

In spite of their shortcomings, God used these individuals, by faith, to accomplish great things.

David certainly conquered kingdoms.

These men and their efforts “enforced justice” by establishing what was right in God’s eyes throughout his creation.

2 Sam 8:15 “So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.”

And because of their faith, they “obtained promises.”

Now, if you have been paying attention, you might be thinking, “I thought they didn’t receive the promises!”

Heb. 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised...”This is true, in part. They did not see the eternal promises of God in Christ fulfilled, but they did see some temporal promises carried out.

v.35a—Women received back their dead. And think back to last week, Rahab and her household were saved, Joshua saw the walls of Jericho fall down, David became king as promised, the Israelites saw the Egyptians swallowed up by the sea, and Noah saw the flood and salvation come to his family.

The encouragement here is to persevere, by faith, forgetting about yesterdays weaknesses and sins, but focusing on God and his faithfulness.

(vv.35-40)By Faith, The Righteous Are Made Strong Through Suffering.

A shift is made here to those who persevered, by faith, in times of suffering.

Again the writer of Hebrews introduces us to these individuals through a list.

(35b)—“Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.”

Women received back their dead by resurrection.

Others faced mocking, flogging, chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned and sawn in two, and killed with the sword

They went about in sheep and goat’s skin.

They were destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.

If earlier we read about those who were delivered from their circumstances (stopped mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword) here we see those who felt the full weight of there’s.

Now, the torture mentioned in v.35 does not occur anywhere else in the NT. However, in the book of Maccabees, and extra biblical Jewish historical book, this horrible form of punishment is mentioned in relation to some who were martyred.

Eleazer, 90 year old scribe, was told that he would be released if he violated the law of eating pork.

2 Maccabees 6:21–28 (NRSV)

Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and to pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal that had been commanded by the king, so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. “Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life,” he said, “for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year had gone over to an alien religion, and through my pretense, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. Even if for the present I would avoid the punishment of mortals, yet whether I live or die I will not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.” When he had said this, he went at once to the rack.

For Eleazar, and those who suffered like him, the cost of renouncing their faith in God was too high a price to pay in exchange for the promised heavenly reward.

So looking ahead, by faith, these and many more suffered for the sake of knowing Christ, so that they might rise again to a better life.”

With this in mind, we can think of Uriah who was struck down with a sword.

Elijah’s cloak was made of sheepskin and was passed down to Elisha.

And, often, in the face of persecution, the people of God would escape to the desert regions and hill country. There they faced hunger, thirst, and the elements.

Ps. 107.4 “Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;”

v.38—Of these it is said that “the world was not worthy.”

In fact, the recipients of this letter had not yet known suffering like this.

Heb. 12:4 “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

But, these examples were meant to encourage the church to hold fast to their faith in the face of suffering!

Now, you might be thinking, “How much faith is enough faith to receive such an acknowledgement?”

Well, it is not the amount of their faith, but the object of their faith.

Matt 17.20 He said to his disciples when they couldn’t heal a boy with seizures, “... [I]f you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””

We can easily get down on ourselves in thinking that we don’t have enough faith, but I want to encourage you to move from considering yourselves, and on to glorying in the promises of God!

2 Cor. 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus].

The importance of Heb 11 is not an individual’s faith, but the object of their faith.

Like jumping from a plane and being encouraged not to look down. Here, I am encouraging you to focus not on your circumstances, but upon the promises of God in Christ. For in our weakness, we enjoy his strength, his stability, his salvation.

Consider, that in weakness and suffering you may know more clearly the promises of God than if your life were easy.

J. Newton—”What would have become of me, if the Lord had not stuffed that pillow with thorns on which I was disposed to rest?”

v.39-40 Concludes this section by ending where we began.

v. 39—Those mentioned in Hebrews 11 were “commended for their faith,” but “did not receive what was promised.”

As I have mentioned, their forward focused faith enjoyed some earthly blessings, but their was more, a heavenly king and kingdom that spurred them on.

Heb. 11:16 “ Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

They all died without knowing the reality of Jesus Christ and the inauguration of the New Covenant, but like us, they were saved by faith in Jesus Christ—we simply have more evidence that the promises of God are true!

Conclusion |

So, the invitation of Heb 11 is to live by faith, however small and in whatever circumstance, knowing that the promises of God will see you through!

For Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again! Glory be to God!

The Lord’s Supper |

The Invitation |

By Faith, each month we come to the Lord’s Table. You are invited, as coheirs with Christ to come and be comforted, not as strangers, but as family, in the Lord.

Here those who are baptized members of a like-minded church come to remember and enjoy Christ until he comes again.

Let us now take a moment to prepare our hearts.

Parents use this time to share Christ with your unconverted children as we all savor the goodness of Christ and his many benefits.

—Invite those who are serving forward.

The Prayer |

Let us pray—”We celebrate this meal as a sign of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we come by faith to recall Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Would you bless this bread and this cup unto your glory and our good.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit for your people, may they be holy food and drink of the new covenant. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this meal, and serve you in unity, faithfulness, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ, by the power of your Holy Spirit. AMEN”

—Invite the servers to serve, and instruct the church to hold the elements so that we can take the meal together.

The Meal |

Just as on the night this meal was given, we come by faith. Having no confidence in the amount of our faith, but in Jesus, the object of our faith. You may not feel as though you have enough faith, or have been faithful enough to come, but that is not the point. Since Jesus deserves to be at this table, you, in him, do as well. So the invitation to come and be comforted is for all who have a forward looking faith in the promises of God!

“On the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

These are the gifts of God for the people of God!

Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.

The Body of Christ that was broken for you.

The Blood of Christ that was shed for you. [Amen.]

—Please stand together to sing with thankful hearts for the salvation God has provided for us in Jesus Christ our Lord.