19: Eyes on the PRIZE (Hebrews 11:32-12:2)

Runners are discouraged from watching those running beside them. Instead, they are taught to keep their eyes on the Prize - the finish line. Comparatively, many of us are discouraged because we are constantly watching the news and focusing on what is going on around us INSTEAD of keeping our eyes on the PRIZE - the One who stands at the finish line waiting to welcome us on the other side of eternity.

Over the last several weeks we have covered Hebrews 11 - the Hall of Faith - ancient examples for the author’s contemporary audience - reminding those facing persecution to follow the example of those who have crossed the finish line before them AND keep their EYES on the PRIZE.

Now the author Hebrews wants to hammer that point home and he finishes by quickly noting some who have trusted God and were protected through the tough times.

Hebrews 11:32–35a (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, 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.

Gideon, Samson, and David were all warriors who faced impossible odds, yet were victorious BY FAITH - trusting that God was with them.

GIDEON

Gideon conquered kingdoms, obtained promises, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

Although he first felt inadequate to lead God’s people, God taught him that to stop trusting in his own abilities, but to trust our Faithful God. If you remember the story, Gideon had a fighting force of 32,000 yet...

Judges 7:2–3 (CSB)

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say, ‘I saved myself.’ Now announce to the troops, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand of the troops turned back, but ten thousand remained.

But that was still too many, God had Gideon lead the 10,000 down to the water and have them drink. Those who drank on their knees lapping up water like a dog would go home. Only those who cupped water into their hands and drank would stay. And that cut the number WAY down!

Judges 7:7 (CSB)

The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the three hundred men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.”

And that’s exactly what happened. There’s a little more to the story, but Gideon was certain about the things God had promised, so...

Gideon and his 300 men encircled the camp of the Midianite army and shattered their pitchers, held their torches in their left hands and blew the rams horns that were in their right hands, and shouted “A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!” (Judges 7:19-20).

The enemy army was so surprised and scared, and Yahweh threw them into such chaos, that they began to turn on each other and kill each other with their weapons, and run away from the battlefield (Judges 7:21-23).

Who got the credit for that victory? Yahweh! Gideon’s trust in Yahweh, the One True God, reminds us of what Paul later asks:

Romans 8:31b (CSB)

If God is for us, who is against us?

And author of Hebrews also mentions...

SAMSON

Samson didn’t always obey God, but when He trusted God he was empowered to became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. (You can read Samson’s whole story in Judges 13:24-16:31.)

He was used to show God’s power to the Philistines, the enemies of God’s people. But he was tricked by Delilah and captured by the Philistines, who gouged out his eyes, and locked him up.

But Samson ultimately trusted God and gained strength in weakness to pull down the pillars of their pagan temple killing himself and thousands of God’s enemies.

DAVID

Then, of course, there is King David who conquered kingdoms, administered justice, escaped the edge of the sword (when Saul tried to kill him), became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

David trusted God during the most difficult of circumstances of his life. This is best remembered when this shepherd boy was willing to trust God when no one else would. David took on Goliath - the champion giant of the Philistines - and dropped his big carcass with just a sling and a stone.

All these warriors conquered BY FAITH.

Then there were...

SAMUEL AND THE PROPHETS

These guys were known as people who BY FAITH obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword.

These prophets trusted God and spoke the truth even when everyone else cursed them and wanted them dead.

MacArthur notes these men “had to stand up in the middle of a polluted society and fearlessly speak God’s truth”, with their most severe opponents not being enemy troops, but their own people.

[John F. MacArthur Jr., Hebrews, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983), 366.]

As you might recall, it was...

Daniel’s faith in God shut the mouths of lions. Rather than obey the king’s order to pray to no other God than the king, Daniel refused - continuing to pray to Yahweh - the One True God. It could have cost him his life and he was willing. When thrown into a pit full of lions, everyone expected Daniel to be lion lunch, but BY FAITH in the One True God, the mouths of the lions were SHUT and Daniel was SAFE.

And then there are Daniel’s friends - known by their Babylonian names...

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God who quenched the raging of fire when a 4th person miraculously showed protect them.

Elijah and Elisha both were enabled by God to raise dead children and give them back to their mommas. You can read about this in 1 Kings 17:17-24 and 2 Kings 4:32-37.

But while God gave often gave victory to these warriors and prophets…others who trusted God experienced persecution and even death.

Hebrews 11:35b (CSB)

Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

The word for “tortured” has a root reference to tympanum meaning “drum” - where we get our word “tympani” from.

This was a large wheel on which victims were stretched out like a DRUM head [1], beaten to death, or even dismembered. [2]

Second Maccabees 6:18-31, one of the intertestamental writings that gives the history of the Maccabean revolt, give the gruesome details of a 90-year-old priest who was tortured to death when he spit out the pig flesh that had been forced into his mouth and even more torturous punishment to 7 brothers who refused to eat it as well (7:1–42).

[1 John Peter Lange, Philip Schaff, and Edwin Cone Bissell, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Apocrypha (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 584.]

[2 R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993), 152.]

But how were those who were tortured and not accepting release able to gain a better resurrection?

The author seems to be comparing the temporary resurrection of the children mentioned just before then (Heb 11:35a) to the eternal resurrection of those who died trusting God.

In other words, the children were resurrected but would later die. The prophets who were tortured to death, however, would be raised from the dead, never to die again - that’s a better resurrection!

Hebrews 11:36–38 (CSB)

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.

These faithful followers went through TOUGH TIMES, and while those who tortured and killed them thought they weren’t worthy to live in THIS WORLD, the writer declares that this world was not worthy of them because they belonged in God’s kingdom.

While some experienced mockings, scourging, imprisonment, and some were STONED to death. Jesus slammed the hypocritical religious leaders of His day in Jerusalem with these words: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her.” (Mt 23:37a). Many of those who spoke for God met their end in this way.

Jesus encouraged His followers to be faithful even to the point of death, reminding them of this truth:

Matthew 5:11–12 (CSB)

You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Beyond the torture, mockings, scourgings, bonds, imprisonment, and stoning, at least one prophet was even sawed in two! A non-Biblical tradition written in Ascension of Isaiah claims that Isaiah the prophet was sawed in two by false prophets.

[R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993), 152–153.]

Others died by the sword. Closer to the time of this writing, this is how the apostle James (brother of John) died (Acts 12:2) - as well as the apostle Paul.

Still others were run out of town and threatened which forced them to wander around in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated…hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

I don’t know about you, but when I hear about what others have gone through while continuing to trust God, I feel VERY SMALL and IMMATURE. What in the world am I complaining about!?!?

Why do I act like my throat has been slit when someone says something unkind about me?

Why do I wonder if God loves me when I face tough times…that don’t hold a candle to what this folks went through?!?

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.

They were approved through their faith - they trusted God even though they did not receive what was promised.

What’s that mean? These faithful Old Testament saints haven’t been resurrected yet.

While on earth, they knew something big was coming, but they didn’t get to hear of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension! They didn’t get to see the fulfillment of all the substitute sacrifices when Jesus - God in skin - shed His blood to make us clean! But WE have heard! God had provided something better for us, and one day we will all be resurrected and perfected TOGETHER with these faithful folks!

And now after being reminded of the Hebrew heroes in this great Hall of Faith who lived BY FAITH in the One they could not see -

challenging us to live like God exists and God rewards those who seek Him, the author of Hebrews sticks an exclamation point on his reason for highlighting these heroes...

Hebrews 12:1 (CSB)

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

This race is NOT going to be easy. That’s why we need to run with endurance. In fact...

John MacArthur writes that the Greek word for “Race is the Greek agōn, from which we get agony. A race is...demanding, sometimes grueling and agonizing, and requires our utmost in self-discipline, determination, and perseverance.”

[John F. MacArthur Jr., Hebrews, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983), 372–373.]

As we have recounted the price that the Hebrew heroes were willing to pay in chapter 11, it should reminds us of HOW VALUABLE the PRIZE at the end of the race really is.

Those who watch the Olympics are often in awe of the skills of the competitors, but most of us haven’t watched them diet, practice, sweat, & bleed to make it into the competition.

They have laid aside anything that would hinder them from finishing the race! They eat right, rest well, practice hard, and stay away from things that distract them from their goal.

So too, followers of Jesus are to lay aside every hindrance, including the sin that so easily ensnares us. What is it that keeps us from running the race with endurance?

What are some hindrances that keep us from keeping our EYES on the PRIZE? Material possessions, reputations, busy schedules? Are you living for earthly treasures that will fade away rather than eternal treasures that will never fade?

What sin sidelines us from finishing the race? Lust, greed, pride, drugs?

You know what drives Olympic athletes to give their lives to their craft? They KEEP THEIR EYES ON THE PRIZE! They have seen others stand on the podium, hear their national anthem, and receive their PRIZE. And as they work day after day, they envision the day that THEY will receive their PRIZE!

And THAT’S what should drive us to keep running the race when things get tough - Keep your EYES on the PRIZE that awaits us!

So…the author writes these powerful words that we will conclude today’s teaching with:

Hebrews 12:1b–2 (CSB)

Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is our ULTIMATE EXAMPLE of the one who ran with endurance because He kept His eyes on the ETERNAL PRIZE. He knew the CROSS would NOT be the end. He KNEW that He would once again be exalted and provide the payment for US to enter into eternity with Him!

On that day when we open our eyes to the OTHER SIDE of ETERNITY. I am certain that we will be confronted with the reality that we have wasted a TON of TIME chasing things that won’t matter in eternity.

Paul writes these words near the end of his life:

2 Timothy 4:6–8 (CSB)

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

At the end of the race, the victor receives the PRIZE, but our prize is much more than a crown. I can get one of those at Burger King.

This is a crown of righteousness - given by Jesus Himself! On that day the Lord Jesus will make it official - He will lay HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS on us!

Never again will we wonder if we are RIGHT with God.

Never again will we struggle with the sin the so easily used to entangle us!

“Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.”

So until that day, let’s keep our EYES on the PRIZE - the Lord Jesus.

Ditch the distractions & kick our sin to the curb

Ask this question “What am I doing for Jesus today?”

Do you have questions? Call us!

STAFF

DEACONS

NEW MEMBERS