Approval Through Faith

Hebrews 11:30-40

Hebrews 11:30–40 CSB

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed. And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

Introduction

Today, we continue the roll call of faith, as the author now moves from the patriarchs and Moses into the conquest, the judges, the monarchy, and the prophets. We've seen faith that pleases God (Abel), faith that walks with God (Enoch), faith that obeys (Noah), faith that follows without knowing the destination (Abraham and Sarah), faith that blesses the future (Isaac and Jacob), and faith that surrenders what we love most (Abraham offering Isaac).

Now the author picks up the pace, but he says that time is too short to cover everyone, so he names examples and summarizes the pattern found those who walk by faith. These examples show us that faith is not one-size-fits-all. It looks different in different seasons, but the outcome is the same: God's approval Transition: 

Key Verse: Hebrews 11:30-31

Hebrews 11:30 CSB

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days.

Faith that obeys without understanding (v. 30)

The author skips over the 40 years in the wilderness — and that's intentional. He already covered that period in Hebrews 3, where he warned against unbelief. That was not a season of faith for Israel. The people wanted to go back to Egypt 

Hebrews 3:7–11 CSB

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me, tried me, and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked to anger with that generation and said, “They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.” So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest.”

But as they finally entered the Promised Land, they conquered Jericho — not by military strategy, but by following the odd instructions of the Lord to march around the city once a day for six days. Then, on the seventh day, they were to march around the city 7 times as the priests blow the rams horn. Then, when there was a prolonged blast of these trumpets, they were to give a mighty shout. They did that and the walls came a’tumbling down.

This is not an orthodox battle strategy. But…

Faith sometimes means obeying God's plan even when it doesn't make sense to us.

This is one more way that God is showing his people that they were not the ones giving themselves victory in battle. It was God who gave them victory. As long as their faith was in the Lord and not in themselves, not doubting that the Lord will provide, the Lord gave them victory.

Christian - how often do you doubt the Lord will provide? Or, do you forget to even call on him, thinking you need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps?

Trust that the Lord is with you.

Hebrews 11:31 CSB

By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

Faith that reaches the least likely (v. 31)

The one family that survived the fall of Jericho was that of Rahab.

We see why she was saved in Joshua 2. Joshua had sent spies into Canaan to scout the land, especially the city of Jericho. When they get there, they hide in Rahab’s home. Again, she was not an ordinary woman. She was a Gentile and a prostitute, meaning she was an open sinner. The king of Jericho finds out the men came to her residence and he demands that she turn them over to him. She tells the king that the Israelites have already left and so, the king sends men after the Israelites and closes the city gate.

Rahab then went up to the roof, where the men had been hiding and tells them this:

Joshua 2:8–14 CSB

Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.” The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Rahab feared the Lord over the king of Jericho. She was willing to hide the Israelite spies who were scouting the city, knowing that their God had delivered them through the Red Sea from the Egyptians and given them victory over the kings of the Amorites. The people of Jericho had heard all of the stories of Israel leaving Egypt. She herself declares in Joshua 2:11

Joshua 2:11 CSB

…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.

This faith that the God of Israel is the God of heaven and earth, asking for his mercy to spare her life, it is what brings her and her family salvation. When the city walls came down, her family was spared and they joined the Israelites. But that is not where her story ends. She would become the mother of Boaz, the great-grandmother of Jesse, and the great-great-grandmother of David — and ultimately an ancestor of Christ himself.

Application: Rahab is a picture of grace: a woman, a Gentile, a sinner — welcomed into God's people by faith. He shows us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. Faith means trusting God over our circumstances, our past, and our reputation.

To those who have not submitted their lives to Christ - Do you understand that the God we worship here at Living Word Community Church is the God of heaven and earth? Do you understand that Jesus is the Son of God who came to this earth to die for your sins, taking the punishment you deserve? If you believe that, ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. Turn your life to him.

Next Step: I will submit my life to Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:32

Hebrews 11:32 CSB

And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets…

A. The Roll Call — Flawed Heroes of Faith (vv. 32-34a)

The author moves past the conquest and sums up faith through the rest of Israel's history. He names four judges — Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah — then David (representing the monarchy) and Samuel (representing the prophets). As we take a quick look at these first four men from the book of Judges, I want us to see that all of them were very flawed men.

Gideon — found threshing wheat in a winepress to hide from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord calls him. He performs two "fleece tests" to confirm God's instructions. Yet God used him to defeat a vast army with only 300 men

Barak — a military leader during Deborah's judgeship. God promised to deliver Sisera into his hands, but Barak said he would only go if Deborah came too. A woman named Jael ended up killing Sisera with a tent peg — Barak received no honor for the victory 

Samson — a Nazarite by birth, set apart for God. He killed a lion with his bare hands and later ate honey from a hive built inside the carcass. He broke free of his bonds and killed 1,000 Philistines with a donkey's jawbone. He ripped city gates from their posts. Yet he had an eye for Philistine women, gave away the secret of his strength to Delilah, and was captured

Jephthah — made a rash vow that if God gave him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing out of his house as a burnt offering. After God granted him victory, his daughter — his only child — came running out of the house to greet him, dancing and celebrating with tambourines. When Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes in grief. His daughter, upon learning of the vow, responded with remarkable faith — she asked for two months to go mourn with her friends in the mountains, and then she returned and Jephthah fulfilled his vow. Scripture says she never married, and Israel established a custom of commemorating her four days each year. This is a difficult, troubling story — a rash vow, a devastating consequence — yet the author of Hebrews includes Jephthah among the faithful. It reminds us that even our flawed, painful moments of obedience can be expressions of faith

David and Samuel — We see David's faith through the killing of Goliath and persecution by Saul. We also know of his egregious sin against Bathsheba and Uriah; Samuel was the first of the prophets, with all the prophets included behind him. Samuel did not have any major issues other than the fact that his sons, whom he had set as judges over Israel, were rebellious, taking bribes, and perverting justice.

The point: These were not perfect people. They were flawed, inconsistent, sometimes foolish — yet God approved them through their faith. God doesn't require perfection. He requires faith. Your failures don't disqualify you from being used by God 

B. What Faith Produced — Both Deliverance and Suffering (vv. 33b-38)

Hebrews 11:33-35a

Hebrews 11:33–35 CSB

…who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead, raised to life again.

The author lists the different ways God worked on behalf of His faithful people — and many of these can be connected to specific Old Testament figures:

"Conquered kingdoms" — Joshua, David, and others who led Israel in battle by faith

"Administered justice" — Samuel and the judges who ruled Israel and delivered God's verdicts to the people

"Obtained promises" — the patriarchs and Moses who received and trusted God's covenant commitments

"Shut the mouths of lions" — Daniel, cast into the lion's den by Darius's decree, yet God sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths (Daniel 6)

"Quenched the fury of flames" — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, thrown into Nebuchadnezzar's blazing furnace for refusing to worship the golden image, yet they walked out without even the smell of smoke on them (Daniel 3)

"Escaped the edge of the sword" — Elijah, who fled Jezebel's threats, and David, who escaped Saul's spear and sword on multiple occasions

"Gained strength in weakness" — Gideon's reduced army of 300, and perhaps Samson's final act when his strength returned one last time 

"Became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight" — Jehoshaphat, who sent worshippers ahead of his army and watched God rout the enemy; and the Maccabees in later Jewish history

"Women received their dead raised to life" — the widow of Zarephath, whose son Elijah raised (1 Kings 17), and the Shunammite woman, whose son Elisha raised (2 Kings 4)

We can see God’s provision for those who had faith in Him. There are not only stories of God’s provision for the faithful in Scripture, I know there are stories within this congregation of how God has pulled people through incredible situations, providing when there seemed to be no way. However, that does not mean that God delivers his people in that way every time.

There is a transition in the middle of verse 35 that is extremely critical.

Hebrews 11:35–38 CSB

Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

God did not always provide miraculous deliverance for the faithful:

Mocked, scourged, chained, imprisoned — the prophets who were rejected and mistreated by the very people they were sent to warn

Stoned — tradition holds that Zechariah son of Jehoiada was stoned in the temple court (2 Chronicles 24:21), and Jesus Himself referenced prophets being stoned (Matthew 23:37)

Sawed in two — Jewish tradition connects this to Isaiah, who according to early sources was martyred under King Manasseh by being sawn in two

Killed by the sword — many prophets lost their lives for speaking God's word faithfully

Wandered in sheepskins and goatskins — destitute, afflicted, mistreated — prophets like Elijah, who wore a rough garment and lived as a fugitive

Hiding in caves and holes in the ground — David hiding from Saul in caves at Adullam and En-gedi; Obadiah hiding 100 prophets in caves from Jezebel's purge

This does not sound like a victorious list of accomplishments by the people of God. This looks like a list of failures.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: Faith—The Greatest Power in the World (Hebrews 11)

Faith enables us to turn from the approval of the world and seek only the approval of God. If God is glorified by delivering His people, He will do it. If He sees fit to be glorified by not delivering His people, then He will do that. But we must never conclude that the absence of deliverance means a lack of faith on the part of God’s children.

Possible origin of the song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”

About 150 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales. As a result of this, many missionaries went to north-east India to spread the Gospel. The region known as Assam was comprised of hundreds of tribes who were primitive and aggressive head-hunters

Into these hostile and aggressive communities, came a group of missionaries from the American Baptist Missions spreading the message of love, peace and hope in Jesus Christ. Naturally, they were not welcomed. One missionary succeeded in converting a man, his wife, and two children. This man’s faith proved contagious and many villagers began to accept Christianity.

Angry, the village chief summoned all the villagers. He then called the family who had first converted to renounce their faith in public or face execution. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the man said:

“I have decided to follow Jesus.”

Enraged at the refusal of the man, the chief ordered his archers to arrow down the two children. As both boys lay twitching on the floor, the chief asked, “Will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too.”

But the man replied:

“Though no one joins me, still I will follow.”

The chief was beside himself with fury and ordered his wife to be arrowed down. In a moment she joined her two children in death. Now he asked for the last time, “I will give you one more opportunity to deny your faith and live.” In the face of death the man said the final memorable lines:

“The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back.”

He was shot dead like the rest of his family. But with their deaths, a miracle took place. The chief who had ordered the killings was moved by the faith of the man. He wondered, “Why should this man, his wife and two children die for a Man who lived in a far-away land on another continent some 2,000 years ago? There must be some remarkable power behind the family’s faith, and I too want to taste that faith.”

In a spontaneous confession of faith, he declared, “I too belong to Jesus Christ!” When the crowd heard this from the mouth of their chief, the whole village accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: Faith—The Greatest Power in the World (Hebrews 11)

…it takes more faith to endure than it does to escape.

I agree with the writer of Hebrews when he talks about the martyrs for the faith and says: “The world was not worthy of them" (v. 38)

The world does not deserve to have such amazing examples of faith. Those who have suffered death for the cause of Christ were willing to walk forward in faith as the three Hebrew young men in the story of the fiery furnace. After not bowing down to the idol that Nebuchadnezzar had made, the king gave them one more chance, asking them, “Who is the God who can rescue you from my power?”

The three hebrews responded:

Daniel 3:16–18 CSB

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

That is the kind of faith the martyrs had. “Our God can deliver us. But even if he doesn’t, we will not bow down to your idols.”

These stories would have been deeply encouraging to the Hebrew Christians who had been persecuted and lost possessions for being identified with Christ. We saw this as we went through the book of Philippians. As Paul is writing to his readers from house arrest in Rome, he says this:

Philippians 1:12–14 CSB

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly.

Application: Faith does not guarantee comfort or escape. Sometimes faith means suffering. But whether God delivers us from the fire or through the fire, He is still faithful — and we are still approved 

III. Faith That Looks Forward to Something Better (vv. 39-40)

Key Verse: Hebrews 11:39-40

Hebrews 11:39–40 CSB

All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

A. They Did Not Receive the Promise (v. 39)

Though the entire list of people that the author of Hebrews gives in this Faith Hall of Fame were approved through their faith, none of the examples listed by the author — not a single one — received the full promises of God while on this earth. They were approved through their faith, but they lived and died without seeing the fulfillment. What their faith did was guide Israel forward, generation after generation, until the time of Christ

B. God Had Provided Something Better (v. 40)

The author then tells his readers God had provided something better for us — so that they (this list of the faithful, along with the rest of God’s people from the Old Testament) would not be made perfect without us.

Christ is the fulfillment of every promise, every sacrifice, every longing these saints carried. The Old Testament saints and New Testament believers are one people of God, made complete together in Christ.

Application: We live on this side of the cross, with the full revelation of Christ. If they were approved by faith in what they could not yet see, how much more should we live by faith in what has been revealed? Their faith pointed forward to Christ — our faith rests on Christ. The same God who approved them approves us when we trust in His Son.

Conclusion

Faith is the only path to God's approval and reward

It doesn't require perfection — Gideon doubted, Barak hesitated, Samson fell, Jephthah made rash vows, David sinned grievously — yet all were approved through faith

Faith doesn't always look the same — sometimes God delivers miraculously, sometimes He walks with us through suffering

Faith doesn't always see the fulfillment in this lifetime — but it trusts that God has provided something better

Call to response: Where do you need faith that doesn't require seeing the outcome? Where is God asking you to trust Him even when the instructions don't make sense, even when the outcome is uncertain? The same God who approved Rahab and David and the prophets is calling you to faith in His Son. If you want true peace in this life, it starts with letting go — and putting your life in God's hands.