Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Hebrews Chapter 11 mean?

Hebrews chapter 11 dives deeply into the writer’s application of all the information given so far. Chapter 10 ended with both a warning and a word of encouragement. That encouragement specifically referred to “those who have faith,” in contrast to “those who shrink back” (Hebrews 10:39) Here, in this passage, the writer gives a direct definition of faith, along with numerous examples to make his meaning crystal clear.

Faith, according to the Bible, is not blind. More than half of the verses in the book of Hebrews are dedicated to explaining reasons and evidence to accept the new covenant in Jesus Christ. Nor is faith gullible, or senseless. Instead, godly faith is exemplified by trust. That trust is based on what we know of God, relying on Him for the things we do not know. In particular, godly faith looks forward, from an eternal perspective, and produces obedience, even in the face of hardship. God takes what we cannot see, or cannot understand, and uses it to make good on His word. Since faith relies on what we’ve seen of God, and trusts Him for the future, it becomes the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1–3).

Most of the rest of the chapter is devoted to giving examples from Scripture to clarify this particular definition of faith. In each case, the same basic pattern emerges. These figures knew enough about God to trust Him, and so they obeyed, even when they were faced with doubts or challenges. In some cases, this meant trusting that God’s promises were ultimately meant to be fulfilled in eternity, not necessarily their own lives.

In the first set of examples given, the writer focuses on examples of general, life-long trust in God. Abel and Enoch are strongly contrasted in the way their earthly lives ended. Abel was murdered (Genesis 4:8), while Enoch was taken by God without even experiencing death (Genesis 5:23–24). Part of the lesson here is that what happens in our earthly lives is not the end of God’s plans for us, nor does it represent everything He intends for our future. Others, such as Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, are also referenced as examples of those who honored God in their lives, and were in return honored by God (Hebrews 11:4–12).

After bringing out these early examples, the writer then points out that godly faith is not aimed at our earthly lives, but at eternity. People like Abraham were able to trust in God, in part, because they were not explicitly concerned with this life. They were looking forward, but beyond even their own death, to “the city that has foundations” (Hebrews 11:10), and to a “better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:13–16).

The next set of examples focuses on those who trusted in God in the midst of immediate, direct personal challenges. Abraham is mentioned again, in the ultimate example of godly faith. When ordered to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham obeyed. This obedience was driven by his prior experiences with God, and the Lord’s ability to prove Himself righteous, even when Abraham could not see all ends. Other patriarchs are also mentioned, for their willingness to pass along God’s words, and God’s blessings, to their children. Moses, also, is mentioned, as one who was willing to endure hardship for the sake of honoring God (Hebrews 11:17–28).

The writer also refers to the crossing of the Red Sea, the conquest of Jericho, and the rescue of Rahab as examples of victory earned through faithful obedience to God (Hebrews 11:29–31).

At this point, the book of Hebrews launches into one of the most inspiring passages in Scripture. Without giving detail, the writer reminds his readers of Old Testament heroes, such as the Judges, the prophets, and David, who accomplished amazing feats as a direct result of their faith. Those achievements are listed, also in a rapid-fire style, culminating in the ultimate example of victory: resurrection from death (Hebrews 11:32–35).

Next, this passage reminds the reader that these same heroes of the faith suffered many earthly hardships. They were willing to endure persecution, torture, and even death, rather than forsake their obedience to God (Hebrews 11:36–38).

And yet, those same heroes are still waiting for God to grant them the full promise of His word. This is for a humbling, crucial reason: us. In order to grant those still living the opportunity to share in that same reward, God is allowing us time to hear, to respond, and to obey (Hebrews 11:39–40). The first words of chapter 12 flow directly from this theme, encouraging the reader to “hold fast” despite hardship, and to face whatever circumstances might occur. Christ, our ultimate example, did the same: obediently enduring pain and suffering, because He knew the reward which was waiting in eternity (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Chapter Context
Up to this point, the book of Hebrews has given extensive evidence proving that Jesus Christ, and the new covenant He brought about, is God’s ultimate plan for mankind’s salvation. Chapter 10 provided an additional warning about the danger of falling away from this truth. Chapter 11 begins by clarifying the meaning of the word ”faith,” primarily by listing examples of Old Testament figures who exemplify it. The ultimate application of this knowledge should be a motivation to ”hold fast” to the gospel, despite hardships. That encouragement is a major theme of chapter 12.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

This often-quoted verse gives a direct definition of faith, meant to be read in the context of the rest of this letter. At the end of chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews finished describing why the new covenant in Jesus Christ was superior to the old covenant of animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1–18). This concluded with a reassuring reminder not to “shrink back,” but to “have faith” (Hebrews 10:39). The definition given here is meant to tie this command to the examples given later on. After this verse, the writer will explain how the actions of various biblical figures proved both the existence and validity of their faith. Those contexts—former evidence and future expectation—are essential when interpreting the meaning of these words.

In the following verses, the writer of Hebrews will point out examples of believers who demonstrated real, saving faith in God. Each example of faith demonstrates trust, based on what that person knew and held as reassurance that God would act according to His promises. The “assurance” and “conviction” of faith is not blind belief, or gullibility, or wishful thinking. Study of the various characters mentioned in this chapter shows that they all had good reasons to trust in God. Their “faith” was not naively accepting fairy tales; it was acting in full confidence that God would do as He had promised, based on those experiences.

As the rest of this chapter demonstrates, that kind of faith—trust which produces obedience—results in God’s blessings and approval. Our perspective, looking back on their example, should inspire confidence that God will make good on His promises, even if our earthly lives don’t last long enough to see them come to fruition. God “creates” out of things we cannot see—both in a literal, physical sense, as well as a spiritual sense. Just because we don’t understand how God will act does not mean He cannot, or will not act.

Context Summary
Hebrews 11:1–3 defines faith using words which are frequently quoted, and also frequently misunderstood. As with the rest of the book of Hebrews, context is critical. In this passage, the writer demonstrates that godly faith is really ”trust.” What we have seen of God’s nature and character should lead us to trust Him, and trust naturally leads to obedience. This is not an endorsement of ”blind faith,” especially since it comes after a lengthy discourse full of evidence and logic. Instead, the writer presents the idea of ”faith” as a confident look to the future, based on reliance on God’s promises. The next two sections of Hebrews will present God’s acceptance of faith and actions which prove it.

Verse 2. For by it the people of old received their commendation.

The “it” referred to here is faith—a trusting reliance on God. In context, this is not mere “belief,” in an intellectual sense. Nor is it a blind assumption. Rather, it’s a choice to follow God with confidence, even when we don’t fully know what lies ahead. The famous figures listed later in this chapter are among those “people of old” who are commended on the basis of their faith.

A recurring theme in the book of Hebrews is that God had always intended to replace the old covenant with the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6–7). Using various quotations from Scripture, the writer explained that animal sacrifices and rituals were never meant to be our ultimate answer for sin. On the contrary, those were merely symbols of a “true” salvation found in Christ (Hebrews 9:11–12). This makes faith, not works, the method of salvation for those living in the era of the old covenant, just as much as for those living in the era of the new covenant.

As this chapter continues, the writer will explain how the examples of figures such as Abraham, Moses, Gideon, and Rahab prove that God was responding to their faith. Their obedience and actions were products of saving faith, not the cause of their salvation. God honored their actions, but did so because of the faith which produced those works.

Verse 3. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

This verse continues to define faith in a way harmonized with the theme of this entire letter. The point made here helps to explain faith by combining our sense of the past, present, and future. Earlier verses described faith looking forward, to “things hoped for…not seen.” The context of this idea is that what we have seen and experienced of God ought to inspire trusting confidence in the future (Hebrews 11:1–2). Here, that same idea is used to show faith looking backwards, to the past.

As with earlier verses, it is easy to take these words out of context and misunderstand them. The writer is not suggesting that belief in God as Creator is a matter of wishful thinking, or of gullible self-deception. The entire letter of Hebrews, so far, has been a combination of evidence and logic pointing to a certain conclusion. Other parts of the Bible extoll the value and need for evidence (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:18–20; Luke 1:1–4). The point being made here is not about inventing beliefs, but about putting our trust in God, based on what we can see, in order to rely on Him in areas where we cannot see.

This perspective is especially important when reading upcoming verses about biblical figures. In each case, their faith is demonstrated by obedience to God, despite a lack of complete knowledge. Abraham is held up as the highest example of trusting faith for that reason: his actions show that he was willing to trust God, though he himself could not see how God’s plan was going to be worked out. Spiritually, as well as physically, God takes what is “unseen” to us, and makes things which, later on, we can see.

Verse 4. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

This passage focuses on examples of faithful obedience from the Old Testament, to show that God’s favor was on those whose trust led to obedience. Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, after his older brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–2). Both brought sacrifices to God, but Abel’s was apparently a more sincere and acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s (Genesis 4:3–5). Despite God’s reassurances, Cain responded to God’s rejection of his sacrifice by murdering his brother and attempting to hide the body (Genesis 4:6–10).

This makes Abel an interesting inclusion on this list. The pattern being shown here is that God will bless those who respond to Him in obedience—yet the opening example is the victim of Scripture’s first recorded murder! However, this fits perfectly with the purpose of the book of Hebrews. Faith, as defined earlier, is a forward-looking trust that God will make good on His promises, even when that fulfillment is “unseen” to us. Abel obeyed God’s commands, in faith, and was accepted by God. As the writer of Hebrews has shown, it is this trusting faith—not ritual actions—which brings God’s commendation. Abel’s sacrifice didn’t cleanse him from sin (Hebrews 10:3–4); his faith in God is what saved him.

Despite suffering a violent end to his earthly life, God worked out everything for Abel’s good (Romans 8:28–30), in an eternal sense. Abel was “accepted” by God, while his murderer was not. And, Abel’s example of faith is still a potent lesson, despite the fact that he was killed for it.

Interestingly, the next figure mentioned as an example of faith is Enoch, a man who apparently was taken by God before experiencing physical death (Genesis 5:24). The contrast between these two lives is no accident. The writer of Hebrews is specifically pointing out that the circumstances of our earthly lives, even when they seem impossible to understand, are irrelevant to God’s plans for us. He can, and will, fulfill His promises out of things unseen.

Context Summary
Hebrews 11:4–16 gives examples of figures from the Old Testament who demonstrated faith in God and were blessed as a result. Persons such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah are commended for their trust in God’s promises. In particular, this segment of the book of Hebrews focuses on those who heard from God, obeyed, and were blessed. While their actions are important, the common theme of these early references is obedience to God when fulfillment of His promises seems distant. The following passage will explore a similar idea, but in the context of those who demonstrated faith in the face of more immediate hardship.

Verse 5. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

The writer of Hebrews is explaining how faith leads to God’s blessings. The first set of examples used are meant to show that God rewards those who seek Him, despite not having a crystal-clear understanding of how or when His promises will be fulfilled. The first example given was that of Abel, who offered God an acceptable and faithful sacrifice (Genesis 4:3–5). Even though Abel was killed by his jealous brother, Cain (Genesis 4:8–10), God honored Abel’s faith, and his story has become a useful lesson for us all.

Here, the writer offers a drastic contrast in Enoch. So far as we can tell from his appearance in the book of Genesis, Enoch did not experience physical death—instead, he was “taken” by God (Genesis 5:23–24). While Abel suffered the worst possible end to his earthly experience, being violently murdered, Enoch never had to die at all. The example given by Enoch is that he so “walked with God” that he was taken before death. Crucially, the writer of Hebrews points out that it was Enoch’s faith which motivated his behavior.

The contrast between Abel and Enoch is important. Both are recipients of God’s acceptance, though their earthly lives came to radically different ends. The theme of this part of Hebrews is that faith “looks forward” despite incomplete knowledge. Though we cannot see all ends, here and now, God is moving towards an eventual fulfillment of all promises. What happens during our earthly lives is only a part of that process, not the end of it. As a result, believers are not guaranteed success in the mortal world.

Verse 6. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

This is a popular verse from the book of Hebrews, and also one easily misunderstood out of context. Taken all by itself, the verse presents a truth which is fairly easy to understand. Namely, that God’s first and foremost concern is with our faith—our attitude towards Him and trust in Him—rather than in our actions. This does not make our behaviors unimportant. On the contrary: what we do reflects what we truly believe (James 2:14–17). However, as this verse shows, merely “going through the motions” is not what God is looking for. Those who want to please God need to have faith, not simple agreement, and not merely reluctant cooperation.

The problem with quoting or reading this verse out of its context is the specter of “blind faith,” or wishful thinking. As shown in prior passages, the writer of Hebrews is not advocating for a gullible, wishful-thinking attitude. On the contrary, this entire letter has been an exercise in evidence and logic. The writer’s point is meant to emphasize the primacy of true faith over insincere works: robotic obedience without legitimate trust in God is worthless. This lesson is given as part of a description of Old Testament figures whose actions prove their faith.

Verse 7. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Faith, according to the writer of Hebrews, is what gives us confidence in an unseen future (Hebrews 11:1). When we trust God, based on what we know of Him, we act according to His will. That is the “faith” which God commends, and which is required in order to please Him. Prior examples of this kind of faith were Abel and Enoch.

Noah, listed here, also exemplifies trusting obedience. God’s communication with Noah was relatively detailed—he was told about the upcoming flood and how the ark would serve to rescue mankind (Genesis 6:13–18). All Noah had to do was obey, which he did (Genesis 6:22). Of course, Noah would have grappled with his own unanswered questions, which is what the writer means by referring to “events as yet unseen.” At the time God gave His command for Noah to build the ark, Noah had never seen anything like the flood before. He could see no physical evidence that the flood was imminent. But Noah chose to trust God.

This trust, sufficient to produce obedience, is what the writer of Hebrews extolls as the “faith” we ought to live by. Noah’s trust proved the wickedness of those who rejected God, and his obedience saved his family (Genesis 7:11–13, 22–23). Noah is also referred to here as an “heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Obedience to God, in the book of Hebrews, is often tied to the concept of an “inheritance,” usually meaning the victorious rewards God intends us to obtain by following His will (Hebrews 6:11–12). Noah’s behavior should be contrasted with the actions of the nation of Israel as described earlier in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–15).

Verse 8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

To this point in chapter 11, the writer has defined “faith” from the perspective of a forward-looking trust in God’s promises (Hebrews 11:1). This is in the context of taking all we know of God—the evidence of Scripture, history, and our experiences—and using it to “hold fast” to our confidence that God will make good on His word (Hebrews 10:23). That confidence, naturally, should lead us to obey Him even when we can’t fully see the end of the story. This is the core property of saving faith: a trust that God will be God.

One of the Bible’s greatest examples of this kind of trusting faith is Abraham. Here, the writer specifically mentions the moment when Abraham—then named Abram—was called by God to leave his homeland (Genesis 12:1–4). Though Abraham didn’t know exactly what the future held, he chose to obey God. This particular section of Hebrews focuses on the general pattern on faith and how God responds by blessing those who obey. Later, Abraham will be mentioned again as the theme shifts to Old Testament heroes who “held fast” to faith despite challenging circumstances.

Verse 9. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

Abraham, then named Abram (Genesis 12:1–4), left his homeland when called by God. Despite the fact that he did not know exactly how God would make good on His promises, Abraham obeyed. The writer of Hebrews includes this moment in Abraham’s life as an example of how God blesses those who respond to Him with obedience. That obedience, according to the writer, is evidence of their faith—which is the key requirement for those looking to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Later on, as the theme shifts to those who “held fast” to their trust in God despite hardships, Abraham will be mentioned again (Hebrews 11:17).

This verse also mentions Abraham’s son and grandson: Isaac and Jacob. God gave to them the same promises given to Abraham. This is a key point that many readers might miss: God’s promise to Abraham was to create a large and mighty nation, occupying a particular territory (Genesis 15:5–7). That promise was not entirely fulfilled in the lifetime of Abraham. Nor was it completed during the life of Isaac, or Jacob. However, their faith in God led them to obey, and to trust, knowing that God was able to make good on His promises. Those of us reading their stories, today, can look back and see how God did, in fact, fulfill His guarantees (Joshua 1:1–4). That should inspire us to be all the more confident in our faith.

Verse 10. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

This verse is key to understanding the perspective of early patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God had promised Abraham his descendants would be a mighty nation, occupying a Promised Land (Genesis 15:5–7). The writer of Hebrews invoked Abraham as an example of true faith and one God honored with blessing. At the same time, this passage noted the same promise was also given to Abraham’s son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob. That particular pledge had not been fulfilled in their lifetimes, but they chose to trust God and obey accordingly.

This, according to the writer of Hebrews, is because Abraham—and by extension, his children—looked forward beyond even their own lives. The reference here to “the city that has foundations” might be an echo of the visions seen by prophets of the Old Testament (Ezekiel 40—48; Isaiah 60—66), and given more detail in the book of Revelation (Revelation 21:9–14). The city is the New Jerusalem, a feature of God’s eventual conquest over all sin and death (Revelation 21:2–4). Their faith explicitly led them to believe that God’s ultimate purpose for them was not earthly, but heavenly. This same perspective is important when reading the other examples of faith given in this passage.

Verse 11. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

This passage from Hebrews details Old Testament heroes who obeyed God, despite not fully understanding the future. This forward-looking trust, based on their experiences with God, is what the book of Hebrews commends as faith that pleases God. Prior examples given were Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham.

This reference is to Abraham’s wife, Sarah (Genesis 16:1). Despite being barren for some ninety years, she was able to conceive and birth a son, just as God had promised (Genesis 17:15–16; 21:1–2). This verse is particularly interesting, since Sarah is commended for her faith—her trust that God could make such a thing happen. And yet, we see that at one point, Sarah and Abraham tried to “help out” God by using her servant Hagar as a surrogate mother (Genesis 16:2–4). Even the name of that promised child—Isaac, meaning “laughter”—was a reference to the reaction of both Abraham and Sarah to God’s initial promise of a natural-born child (Genesis 17:17; 18:12): they laughed.

The lesson, it seems, is that Sarah’s initial doubts, and occasional failures, did not prove that she lacked genuine faith in God. This, too, should be reassuring to the readers of this passage. While the writer of Hebrews is commending faith—specifically, a trusting reliance on God—he brings examples which are just as flawed as we are. Later, as the theme shifts to faith in the face of more dire circumstances, we will see that true “faith” does not make a person morally or spiritually perfect.

Verse 12. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

The general pattern of biblical faith is to trust our future to God, despite not having perfect knowledge of what will happen next (Hebrews 11:1). This part of the book of Hebrews describes examples from the Old Testament, showing that God rewards those who trust Him, even though they cannot see all of the details in how God plans to make good on His promises (Hebrews 11:2). Among these examples were Abel, Enoch, and Noah, as well as Sarah and Abraham.

Here, the reference to Abraham is especially important. Abraham was promised a son by God, despite being more than seventy years old when God first called him out of his homeland (Genesis 12:1–4). Later, God vowed to give Abraham a natural-born child despite his old age, and his elderly wife’s lifelong barrenness (Genesis 17:15–16). Both Abraham and Sarah laughed, at first, in response to this prediction (Genesis 17:17; 18:12). Given that Abraham was already well past the average human lifespan (Psalm 90:10), he was “as good as dead,” from a worldly perspective.

And yet, just as He said, God delivered on His word. Abraham, a man a full 100 years old, was blessed with a son of his own (Genesis 21:5). Descendants of that son, Isaac, became the nations of Edom and Israel, a massive and uncountable host of people.

Verse 13. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Prior verses referred to various Old Testament figures who exemplified faith in God. Names such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah were referenced. This verse ties together the reason for including these various stories. In this case, the point is that each of these people had a faith that “looked forward.” Despite not having a crystal-clear view of the future, they chose to trust in God and obey (Hebrews 11:1–2). In some cases, such as Abraham and Sarah, they did not even live to see the promises fulfilled. And yet, their perspective was eternal, rather than temporary. As an earlier verse pointed out, these were men and women “looking forward” to God’s ultimate plans (Hebrews 11:10).

Here, the writer points out the depth of this perspective. For those who truly trust in God, life on earth is merely a temporary journey. Christian songwriters and poets often refer to the idea that this life, and this earth, is not our real home. Instead, as the book of Hebrews indicates, we are “strangers and exiles on the earth.” This is the kind of faith which allows us to trust God despite personal abuse, as did Abel (Hebrews 11:4). We can obey difficult and confusing commands, as did Noah (Hebrews 11:7). We can trust God to make good on His word, even when it seems as if He’s waited too long, as did Abraham and Sarah (Hebrews 11:8–12).

These figures accepted God’s promises and “greeted them from afar,” from that perspective. This is the kind of faith which the writer of Hebrews wants to inspire in those who read this letter.

Verse 14. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

According to the writer of Hebrews, faith in God is a matter of trust (Hebrews 11:1). The prior verses were meant to explain how that trust, in a general sense, is reflected in our willingness to obey God despite not having a perfect understanding of His plans. Figures such as Noah and Abraham had to choose obedience before they had a full understanding of how God would make good on His word. In some cases, such as Abraham and Sarah, they did not live to see the complete fulfillment of those predictions. And yet, they had faith in God, because their faith was “looking forward,” understanding that God’s ultimate purpose for them was eternal, not earthly (Hebrews 11:10).

This point is emphasized in the next verse by noting that, if figures like Abraham were merely looking for an earthly home, they could always have gone back to where they started (Genesis 12:1–4). And yet, they did not.

So, those with a trusting, forward-looking faith are said to be “seeking a homeland.” Instead of relying on this earth as our ultimate end, saved believers can be confident that God’s ability to work all things for good extends into eternity. In short, faith in God includes a recognition that this life is not all there is, and that what happens in our time on earth is only a temporary step towards what God has in store for us.

Verse 15. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Those with a truly biblical faith trust God, despite not knowing all of the details (Hebrews 11:1). The prior verses described many examples of this perspective, including Abel, Noah, and Abraham. These men obeyed God, though they could not see all of the twists and turns ahead in their futures. Abraham, in particular, did not live to see the complete fulfillment of God’s promises. And yet, Abraham—like these other examples—was not limited by an earthly perspective. This part of Hebrews specifically tells us that men like Abraham were “looking forward” to a something eternal (Hebrews 11:10).

This verse makes a common-sense point to support this idea. If men like Abraham were merely looking for some physical territory, they had every opportunity to go back to where they’d started (Genesis 12:1–4). And yet, they did not. Their reason for waiting, faithfully, was an understanding that God’s ultimate plan for them reached into eternity. The next verse will put a very direct point on this teaching: faith in God gives us a heavenly, eternal perspective, rather than a limited physical one. This gives us confidence to “hold fast” despite temporary setbacks or hardships.

Verse 16. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Old Testament figures such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remained faithful to God, even though His promises did not come true in their earthly lifetimes. According to the writer of Hebrews, this is evidence of their understanding that God’s plans for us are ultimately eternal, not material (Hebrews 11:10). If these men had merely been looking for some earthly benefit, they could have gone back where they came from. The fact that they did not proves that they saw themselves as citizens of heaven—”strangers and exiles on this earth” (Hebrews 11:13)—and were willing to trust God’s ability to bring about His promises out of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1–3).

Earlier verses referred to Abraham looking forward to “a city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel recorded visions of a heavenly city. The book of Revelation also mentions the city of New Jerusalem, in particular its amazing foundations (Revelation 21:9–14). This is the real goal, and the real purpose, of the faith held by men like Abraham. They realize that God’s promises are not necessarily tied to some physical, earthly benefit. Instead, God is working all things for good from a heavenly, eternal plan (Romans 8:28).

The writer sums up his point using the word “therefore.” Mere obedience is not enough; a person must have faith in God in order to please Him. Since these listed figures held that kind of trust in God, God was not ashamed of them. It was their faith, leading to obedience, not the actions themselves, which made them acceptable to God.

Verse 17. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

True godly “faith” is a trust in God, based on prior knowledge, and in spite of our limited understanding (Hebrews 11:1). The writer of Hebrews intends to demonstrate that God’s assessment of a person is tied to their faith, not merely to their actions (Hebrews 11:6). Prior examples, such as Noah and Sarah, focused on those who trusted God in the face of general, long-term doubts or unsure circumstances. Here, the focus shifts to moments when people are confronted with immediate, dire conflict. God’s desire for those moments is the same as always: to trust and obey.

The ultimate example of this is Abraham, whose faith was demonstrated dramatically in the incident with his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1–14). Abraham’s life shows how he learned to trust in God’s ability to keep His word, despite Abraham’s own insecurities. Abraham could not see how God could provide him and Sarah a natural-born son, but God did just that (Genesis 21:5). Abraham could not see how God could judge the sins of Sodom without destroying the righteous (Genesis 18:22–23), but God did just that (Genesis 19:15–17). When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the one through whom all of His promises were meant to be fulfilled, Abraham could not see how God would keep His word. And yet, Abraham obeyed (Genesis 22:1–14).

It is that established, decades-long trust which many critics miss while interpreting Abraham’s actions, as well as the Bible’s definition of faith. Abraham was not coldly agreeing to murder his son. Nor was he blindly following an unknown voice. Abraham was confident that God would prove righteous, even if Abraham could not see or understand in that moment how such a thing was possible. This passage will go on to offers some insight into Abraham’s mind, but the main point is his faith—demonstrated by his obedience (James 2:14–17).

Context Summary
Hebrews 11:17–31 makes a subtle shift from the prior verses. Earlier, the writer had given examples of faithful obedience leading to God’s blessings. Those cases were mostly general, where a willingness to trust God was weighed against an uncertain future. In this passage, however, we are shown men and women who chose to trust God despite immediate, personal hardships. This, as well, is a crucial aspect of faith, which the writer has already defined as a confident trust in God.

Verse 18. of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

This passage in Hebrews demonstrates that godly faith is exemplified by trust. When we cannot see the future, “faith” is our ability to trust in God that He will make good on His promises (Hebrews 11:1). This is the kind of faith which God honors (Hebrews 11:2), since it means we are confident in God’s ability to work in ways we cannot see (Hebrews 11:3). Prior examples included those who faced general doubt, but persevered, such as Noah (Hebrews 11:7). The current example is one of an immediate, dire moment of decision: God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1–14). In hindsight, we know that God did not allow Isaac to die, and provided a substitute at the last moment. But when the command was given, Abraham did not have that perspective.

As this verse reminds us, Abraham had been given promises by God (Genesis 17:3–8), and those promises were explicitly tied to the life of Isaac (Genesis 17:18–19). The writer cites Genesis 21:12, where God clearly states that it is Isaac who will carry on Abraham’s legacy. And yet, this is the son God commanded Abraham to sacrifice. Abraham would have been mystified, wondering why God would ask such a thing, and how God would fulfill His promises.

And yet, Abraham had learned that God was able to work in ways Abraham could not see. God had given him a son when he was 100 years old (Genesis 17:17; 21:5), and saved his nephew Lot from the judgment of Sodom (Genesis 18:22–23; 19:15–16), all despite Abraham’s lack of understanding. This is the basis for Abraham’s faith, and that faith was the basis for his obedience to God. The passage will continue by offering one possible explanation of Abraham’s willingness to obey.

Verse 19. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Faith, in a biblical sense, is not blind. It is based on prior experience, and means trusting that God can work in ways we cannot immediately see (Hebrews 1:1–3). The ultimate example of this type of faith is Abraham’s obedience to God, when commanded to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1–14). This was the same son through whom God had sworn to fulfill His promises to Abraham (Hebrews 11:18; Genesis 21:12). In literal terms, this command would seem to be a violation of God’s nature, as well as a break in His agreement with Abraham.

And yet, Abraham had seen God provide him with a son despite doubts and delays (Genesis 17:17; 21:5). Abraham had seen God rescue Lot (Genesis 19:15–16), despite Abraham’s fears about the judgment of Sodom (Genesis 18:22–23). So, when God gave His mysterious command, Abraham was willing to trust in God and obey—proving by his actions that he possessed a true, godly faith (James 2:14–17). For this reason, he was not only rewarded by God (Genesis 22:15–18), who never intended to let Isaac die (Genesis 22:12), but he became an example of faith for the rest of humanity.

Here, the writer of Hebrews offers one of the justifications Abraham would have held as part of his faith in God. At the time Abraham spoke with God, Scripture had not recorded any instances of God bringing someone back from the dead. And yet, Abraham’s faith in God’s assurances was strong enough that he felt God could resurrect Isaac, if need be. Poetically speaking, God did “bring back” Isaac from death, by sparing him after Abraham had committed to follow through with the sacrifice.

Verse 20. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

In this passage, the writer of Hebrews continues to demonstrate that godly faith is trust, not merely agreement. We demonstrate faith in God when we rely on Him to keep His word, even when we cannot see or understand all of the details (Hebrews 11:1–3). Earlier, examples were given of faith in the face of general doubts, such as Noah (Hebrews 11:7) and Sarah (Hebrews 11:11). Now, the emphasis is on those who faced more immediate, personal moments of testing. The ultimate example of this is Abraham (Hebrews 11:17–19), who exemplified trust in God through his obedience regarding his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1–14).

A key point being made is that many of the promises given by God have an eternal perspective (Hebrews 11:10). Not all of the figures mentioned in this chapter saw those promises come to full fruition in their earthly lives (Hebrews 11:13). And yet, those very promises were fulfilled, on earth, through their descendants. Others will be fulfilled in the future, as God completes His plans. This is part of the point of their faith: recognizing that their earthly lives were not the end of God’s ability to fulfill His purposes.

Following this pattern, Isaac received the promises God had given to Abraham (Genesis 21:12), and passed them along to his children. Despite not seeing how or when they would come true, and dealing with considerable family strife (Genesis 27:1–40), Isaac exhibited faith and obeyed God, though he was extremely old and had not seen a total fulfillment of the divine plan.

Verse 21. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Faith, according to this passage, means trusting God to work in unseen ways, even when we do not completely understand what is happening (Hebrews 11:1–3). This includes remembering that God’s perspective is eternal, and so we can look beyond our own earthly lives as part of that faith (Hebrews 11:13–14). Abraham exhibited this faith when given a confusing and challenging command from God (Hebrews 11:17–19; Genesis 22:1–14). Isaac demonstrated godly faith by passing along God’s promises and blessings to his children (Hebrews 11:20).

Jacob, for his part, continued this pattern of trusting God by looking to the future. In hindsight, modern readers know that God did, in fact, fulfill those promises. The children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became a massive throng of people, and those people took possession of the Promised Land (Joshua 1:1–4). But, nearing death, Jacob had not yet seen those promises come true. His faith is exemplified in continuing to pass down the blessings, just as his fathers had (Genesis 48:21).

The expression regarding Jacob’s staff seems to imply both his extreme age, and nearness to death, as well as his humility in worshipping God despite his doubts.

Verse 22. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

This passage gives examples of Old Testament believers who exemplify godly faith. This faith is best described as trust, which is a reliance on God to make good on His promises, even when we can’t see all of the details (Hebrews 11:1–3). This includes a recognition that God’s plans are eternal (Hebrews 11:13–14), and our purpose is not exhausted in our earthly lives (Hebrews 11:10, 16). Prior examples in this segment included patriarchs such as Abraham (Hebrews 11:8), Isaac and Jacob (Hebrews 11:9), and others who trusted God to continue His work, through their children, towards fulfilling His promises.

Here the example is given of Joseph, who certainly faced struggle and hardship during his life (Genesis 37:23–24; 39:10–20). Despite that, he witnessed God using those hardships to rescue the descendants of Jacob (Genesis 45:1–5; 50:19–20). As a result, though he died with Israel still living outside of the Promised Land, Joseph specifically asked that his bones be carried into that land when Israel finally took possession (Genesis 50:25). During the exodus from Egypt, four centuries later, Joseph’s bones were transported personally by Moses (Exodus 13:18–19).

Verse 23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king ‘s edict.

This passage in Hebrews gives examples of believers who exemplified godly faith. According to this passage, true “faith” is a forward-looking trust, in the face of the unknown, based on what the believer knows of God. Abraham trusted God even when the future seemed to contradict the Lord’s promises (Hebrews 11:17–18). Isaac exhibited faith by passing along God’s blessing to his sons, even in his old age (Hebrews 11:20). Jacob (Hebrews 11:21) and Joseph (Hebrews 11:22) both followed suit, looking forward to the future while trusting in God to fulfill all He had promised.

Moses’ parents also faced an immediate, dire dilemma. The ruler of Egypt had ordered the entire nation to kill Israelite boy babies (Exodus 1:22). This was after the Israelite midwives themselves refused to follow such an order (Exodus 1:17). Rather than give in to their natural fear of retribution from the Pharaoh, Moses’ parents defied man and obeyed God, keeping their son alive (Exodus 2:1–10). Though they could not know, at the time, exactly what would happen, they knew that it was more important to obey God than to live in fear of men.

Verse 24. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh ‘s daughter,

This section of the book of Hebrews lists examples of Old Testament figures who demonstrated true, godly faith. This kind of faith, according to the writer, is a trust in God, which looks beyond current circumstances, and around the unknown, relying on God to deliver His promises in His own time (Hebrews 11:1–3, 10). Examples given so far have included men like Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, all of whom died expressing their faith that God would keep His word to their descendants (Hebrews 11:20–22). The writer has also mentioned Abraham, perhaps the most vivid example of this kind of informed, trusting, obedient faith in God (Hebrews 11:17–19).

Moses also faced an immediate, personal choice regarding His trust in God. As an adopted son of the daughter of the Egyptian king (Exodus 2:1–10), Moses could have kept himself separate from the oppression and shame of his birth people, the nation of Israel (Exodus 1:8–14). Instead, he took sides with Israel rather than Egypt. Unfortunately, Moses’ first recorded action along those lines was the killing of an Egyptian who was beating an Israeli slave (Exodus 2:11–12), an act which forced him to flee the country (Exodus 2:13–15). The mention of Moses’ attitude, given here in the book of Hebrews, indicates that this was not a spur-of-the-moment action by Moses. Rather, he seems to have fully embraced his Jewish heritage, rather than rejecting it in favor of a life of luxury in the Egyptian palace (Hebrews 11:25).

Verse 25. choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Moses is described in this passage as a man who exhibited true, godly faith. Earlier, this kind of faith was defined as reasoned, obedient, forward-looking trust in God (Hebrews 11:1–3). Examples were given of Old Testament figures who lived out a reliance on God, even when they could not see the entire picture of how God was working. In many cases, these faithful ones were faced with drastic, immediate dilemmas, such as Abraham’s obedience regarding Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19), and Moses’ parents disobedience to Pharaoh’s evil commands (Hebrews 11:23). Moses, himself, is described as rejecting his adoptive status in Pharaoh’s own house (Hebrews 11:24), instead favoring his Israeli bloodline.

This rejection, according to this verse, was a deliberate decision by Moses to count himself among the people of God, even as they were abused and persecuted (Exodus 1:8–14), rather than taking the easier road and living in the Egyptian palace. Contrary to pop culture and movies, Moses was always fully aware of his Jewish heritage (Exodus 2:1–10). His willingness to choose Israel, over Egypt, suggests that he was also aware of Israel’s history and the promises God had made to that nation. Unfortunately, the first action the book of Exodus records by Moses in that regard is the killing of an abusive Egyptian slaver (Exodus 2:11–12), an event which forced him to flee the country (Exodus 2:13–14).

Verse 26. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

According to this part of the book of Hebrews, the Old Testament is filled with examples of true, godly faith. That faith is not blind, but is instead based on knowledge of God (Hebrews 11:1–3). That knowledge should lead us to obedient, trusting, forward-looking faith, even when we do not see all of the details. The examples given in this most recent section include moments of extreme, personal, immediate choice. Among these are Abraham’s obedience to God regarding Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19), and Moses’ parents’ disobedience of an evil law (Hebrews 11:23). Moses also exhibited this kind of faith, by choosing to be counted among the people of Israel, instead of among his adoptive family in the Egyptian palace (Hebrews 11:23–25).

Earlier verses credited men like Abraham with a faith which looked ahead, not merely into their own lives, but to God’s ultimate plan for humanity (Hebrews 11:10–16). Moses, as recorded here, seems to have had this same perspective. Popular depictions of Moses often suggest that he did not know about his Jewish heritage—the Bible says otherwise. On the contrary, as a well-educated member of Pharaoh’s household, Moses likely knew more about Israel’s history and the promises of God than many of his peers.

That knowledge seems to have led Moses to prefer his Hebrew people over the culture of Egypt. Instead of remaining in his palace, taking on the lavish lifestyle of an Egyptian noble, Moses considered the promises God had made to Israel more valuable, and chose to identify with them, instead (Exodus 2:1–10).

This verse also makes reference to Moses bearing the “reproach of Christ.” Christ is a title, derived from the Greek christos, which is used to translate the Hebrew word meshiach, from which we also get the term messiah. Moses’ identification with the people of Israel, then, is tied to the same faith spoken of in the rest of this passage. Namely, a faith in God’s overall, eternal plan, including His Promised One. Moses chose to favor the “reproach of Christ,” by identifying with God’s chosen people before the earthly birth Jesus Christ, foreshadowing those who would bear the “reproach of Christ,” after Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Verse 27. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

This verse represents a transition with respect to Moses, one easily missed when the verse is taken out of its immediate context. Earlier, the book of Hebrews defined godly faith as a trusting, forward-looking reliance on God, in spite of our own ignorance, producing obedience (Hebrews 11:1–3). Moses’ story was held up as one such example of that kind of faith. Specifically, Moses chose to identify with his birth people, the persecuted nation of Israel, instead of his adoptive people, the rich but wicked Egyptians (Hebrews 11:24–26). That willingness to value God’s promises more than earthly wealth is credited to Moses as the kind of forward-looking faith God requires (Hebrews 11:10–16).

Here, the text mentions Moses “leaving” Egypt. This could be taken one of two ways—the first being a reference to Moses’ initial departure from Egypt, fleeing after killing an abusive slaver who was beating a fellow Israeli (Exodus 2:11–15). That, however, is not what this verse references. Instead, the “leaving” mentioned here is that of the Exodus itself. Moses’ role in leading Israel out of slavery in Egypt required him to face the wrath of the Pharaoh. Instead of shrinking from this duty, Moses obeyed God (Exodus 5:1; 12:40–41). Future verses will help to clarify that the writer of Hebrews is now speaking of this event in particular.

Prior passages mentioned that God makes visible things out of invisible things—He works in ways we cannot always see, now, but will see, later on. Moses “endured” the struggles and doubts involved in challenging the king of Egypt because he placed trusting faith in God.

Verse 28. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

Moses is credited with demonstrating exactly the kind of “faith” God requires of us. This faith is not mere belief, and it is certainly not blind. Instead, it is based on what we know of God, trusting in Him for those things in the future we do not know and do not understand (Hebrews 11:1–3). This leads to obedience, even when we’re unable to see all of the details. Abraham is held up as a prime example of this kind of faith (Hebrews 11:17–19), as is Moses himself (Hebrews 11:24–27). Moses, for his part, was willing to be identified with the people of Israel, though he could have remained in his adoptive Egyptian palace, instead (Exodus 2:1–10). Later in life, Moses would again demonstrate godly faith by taking Israel out of Egypt, risking the wrath of Pharaoh, but trusting in God to make good on His word.

Moses’ actions during the first Passover also serve to demonstrate trusting obedience to God. Once again, God presented a scenario with consequences, and instructions, but no absolute proof or deep details. All Moses and the people really knew was that God wanted them to follow His commands. Moses had seen more than enough of God’s goodness to trust Him, and so Moses obeyed by following the Passover instructions: sprinkling blood on the doorways of Israel. This obedience led to exactly the results God had promised: those homes were spared from the death of the firstborn, the last and worst of Egypt’s plagues (Exodus 12:21–30).

Verse 29. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

The key point in this passage of Hebrews is the necessity of faith. In particular, godly faith is not merely “belief,” nor is it merely “obedience.” Rather, biblical faith is a trust in God, based on what we know of Him, and in spite of what we do not know of the future (Hebrews 11:1–3). Most of the emphasis in prior verses has been on the fact that godly people demonstrate this kind of trust by their actions. Abraham obeyed God’s seemingly impossible command regarding Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19). Moses’ parents defied a king, instead trusting God with the life of their child (Hebrews 11:23). Moses rejected his adoptive Egyptian family and identified with his persecuted Hebrew people instead (Hebrews 11:24–26). He also challenged the Pharaoh in order to rescue Israel from slavery and obeyed God’s Passover commands to save them from the plague on the firstborn (Hebrews 11:27–28).

Here, the example given highlights a point made in verse 6. Namely, that those who do not have this kind of trusting, godly faith cannot please God. In particular, this means that obedience, without faith, is useless. The people of Israel were able to cross the Red Sea thanks to a miraculous parting of the waters by God (Exodus 14:21–22). When the Egyptian army, sent by a vengeful Pharaoh, attempted to follow them, they were obliterated by those same waves (Exodus 14:23–29).

In the context of this part of Hebrews, this example serves two purposes. First, it underscores the fact that robotically acting in a mimicry of faith, without an attitude of faith, is not going to result in God’s favor. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea because they trusted God. The Egyptian army tried to cross the Red Sea because they saw Israel doing it, and wanted to follow them for revenge, but failed.

Secondly, this is an example of how obedience to God, driven by trusting faith, results in victory. The next example given is of another unlikely triumph of Israel, during their later conquest of the land of Canaan.

Verse 30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

In this part of the book of Hebrews, the writer is explaining how trusting faith in God was demonstrated in the Old Testament. Abraham (Hebrews 11:17–19) and Moses (Hebrews 11:24–28) were held up as particular examples of this kind of faith in action. These men showed that they were willing to rely on God, based on prior knowledge of Him, and to obey even when they could not see every detail of the future. Moses not only rejected a lavish Egyptian lifestyle in order to be with his persecuted people (Exodus 2:1–15), he also defied Pharaoh in order to lead Israel out of slavery (Exodus 5:1).

This passage also echoed a point made earlier, which is that this kind of trusting, godly faith is required in order to please God. Israel crossed the Red Sea, in faith, and was saved. The Egyptian army attempted to cross the Red Sea behind them, but not in faith, and were annihilated (Hebrews 11:29). Rote obedience—cooperation without trust—does not demonstrate legitimate faith. This same incident also speaks to the victory available when we obey God as a result of our trust.

The moment mentioned here is another example of victory, enabled entirely by trusting faith. Jericho was surrounded by impenetrable walls when God commanded Israel to take the city. To do this, God gave what would have seemed like an absurd command: to spend seven days walking in circles around the city (Joshua 6:1–5). And yet, because Israel obeyed, they obtained victory when those walls collapsed and allowed the Hebrews to invade (Joshua 6:20–21).

Verse 31. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

True faith in God is not merely agreement, or belief. Nor is it simple obedience, without the right attitude. According to the book of Hebrews, godly faith means trust—relying on God, based on what we know, and depending on Him to fulfill His promises in the future (Hebrews 11:1–3). This kind of reliance leads to obedience, even when we’re not clear on all of the details. Abraham (Hebrews 11:17–19) and Moses (Hebrews 11:24–28) demonstrated this kind of faith. The nation of Israel did, as well, at both the Red Sea (Hebrews 11:29) and at Jericho (Hebrews 11:30), resulting in victory.

The example given here is fascinating for several reasons. Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho—the site of an Israeli victory just mentioned in the book of Hebrews (Joshua 2:1–2). Rahab’s obedience to God exemplifies godly faith: she relied on what she knew of God (Joshua 2:9–10), and trusted God’s control of the future (Joshua 2:11–13), causing her to obey God (Joshua 2:15–16), instead of living in fear of other men (Joshua 2:3–6). It’s important to remember that God’s actions in Jericho were a judgment on that people for their outrageous wickedness (Deuteronomy 9:4–5)—and Rahab was spared from this very judgment (Joshua 2:14–15). This presents a unique contrast, showing that God can legitimately judge sin, and rescue the righteous, even when we can’t see how He could do both at once.

Further, it should be noted that Rahab was not Jewish—she was a Gentile. At the time this letter of Hebrews was written, not all of the Christians experiencing persecution were Jews. And, there was a lingering sense in which some Gentile believers would have felt a certain distance from their Hebrew brothers (Acts 15:1–21). The reference to Rahab helps reinforce the idea that God’s promises, in the new covenant, are for all people, Jew and Gentile alike (Galatians 3:7–8). Rahab is also interesting, as she is eventually listed in the genealogy of the Messiah. Rahab’s great-great-grandson was Israel’s king David (Matthew 1:5).

Verse 32. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets —

Prior verses gave a certain level of detail, pointing to various Old Testament examples. These were given to show how godly faith—which really means trust—was exemplified by the actions of these figures. This trusting obedience not only proved their reliance on God, it also resulted in victory (Hebrews 11:17–31). That sense of victory, driven by obedience, itself inspired by godly faith, is the theme of these next few verses. In this passage, the writer will present a reminder of just how much God has proven His power, through the faithful obedience of His people.

Instead of detail, however, the writer makes this point through volume. Multiple heroes of Israeli history are mentioned here, as are numerous examples of divine intervention, leading up to the ultimate sign of divine victory: resurrection from death (Hebrews 11:35).

While these figures are all linked by their success, they are also notable for imperfections. Scripture describes people as they truly are, and even these heroes of the faith are linked to personal failures. That only serves to further emphasize God’s ability to use sinful, error-prone people to complete His will. It should also help to encourage those who have struggled with sin not to give up. They, too, can “hold fast” to their faith, seeing how God was able to give victory even to those who made mistakes.

Gideon started off as a coward, hiding from the enemy (Judges 6:11), and hesitant to believe God’s promises (Judges 6:36–40). Eventually, he obeyed God, even in a seemingly-impossible fight (Judges 7:8), and obtained victory for Israel (Judges 7:22–23). Barak was so plagued by doubt and insecurity that he could not fight God’s enemies without the overt spiritual support of a woman, Deborah (Judges 4:4–9). In that culture, this would have been seen as unthinkable, even shameful. And yet, by acting on God’s promises, he was successful in spite of great opposition (Judges 4:15–16).

It would be fair to say that Samson’s personal flaws are not merely part of his story, they are his story (Judges 14—16). Yet it was God who enabled Samson such stunning success against the Philistines (Judges 14:4; 15:14–15), even in his own death (Judges 16:28–30).

Jephthah obtained victory (Judges 11:32–33), due to his faith in God (Judges 11:29), and in spite of his shameful birth (Judges 11:1–2), but proved he lacked common sense by making a rash vow (Judges 11:30–31). The emphasis here, of course, is on his success due to his obedience to God.

David, the greatest of Israel’s kings, achieved all of his success as a direct result of honoring and obeying God (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 17:37). Even David, however, was linked to sin and error (2 Samuel 11:2–5), some of which led to the destruction of his own family (2 Samuel 12:10–15).

Samuel and the prophets, likewise, are credited with amazing miracles and feats of evangelism. Upcoming verses will summarize a few of these accomplishments.

Verse 33. who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

The prior verse rapidly listed a series of Old Testament heroes who exemplified godly faith. As defined earlier, this “faith” means a forward-looking trust in God, naturally leading to obedience (Hebrews 11:1–3). Each of the figures listed was celebrated for his victory over Israel’s enemies, mostly described in the book of Judges. At the same time, these men also suffered from sins and failures, which are also recorded in the Bible. God’s interest in these men was not due to their perfection, and their success was not a result of their own flawless lives. Rather, they overcame their enemies through a trust in God, which led them to obey (Hebrews 11:32).

The prior verse ended with a mention of “Samuel and the prophets,” referring more or less to the entire line of Old Testament prophets. Just as the former verse rapidly listed the names of Old Testament heroes, verses 33, 34, and 35 summarize the stunning successes gained by these men who lived by faith. The feats named here are meant to include all of the faithful from the Old Testament, not merely the prophets. The accomplishments seem to build, climaxing with a reference to the greatest possible victory: resurrection from death. The text then transitions to describe the kind of hardships these believers endured.

As seen in the lives of heroes already listed in this chapter, those who obediently lived out faith in God were able to achieve military success (Joshua 3:7; 6:20), turn back those who oppressed Israel (Judges 8:28), and see God fulfill His promises (Exodus 13:8–9). Some, like Daniel, even miraculously survived in the presence of lions (Daniel 6:19–23).

Verse 34. quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

This verse continues a list of feats achieved by the faithful heroes of the Old Testament. According to this passage in Hebrews, these accomplishments were the result of faith in God. That “faith” was defined as trust, looking forward, and despite doubts or fears (Hebrews 11:1–3). Legendary names such as Gideon and Samson were listed here for their success—not resulting from their moral perfection, but because they were enabled by faith in God (Hebrews 11:32–33). The prior verse began a list of deeds which become more and more impressive, peaking in verse 35 with a reference to resurrection from death.

The prior verse ended with a reference to rescue from the jaws of lions, as in the incident where Daniel survived a night in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:19–23). This verse opens with another reference from Daniel, where three faithful believers were saved from death in a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:24–30).

Other incidents mentioned here echo events which happened in the Old Testament, all given to prove that God’s people could count on Him to be faithful to His promises (Genesis 17:6–8). These include rescue from certain death (Jeremiah 39:16–18), victory against impossible odds (2 Kings 19:32–35), success in conquest over a wicked Canaanite people (Joshua 6:20–21), and victory over foreign invaders (Judges 7:19–23).

Verse 35 will cap off this list of incredible occurrences, then transition into an important part of the writer’s intent: to encourage believers not to give up in the face of hardships.

Verse 35. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

The first phrase in this verse completes a list begun in verse 33. This catalog of feats was given to remind the reader of God’s incredible blessing on the faith of Old Testament believers. Heroes were listed, such as Gideon and Samson (Hebrews 11:32). Accomplishments such as military success and miraculous survival were also given to support the writer’s main point (Hebrews 11:33–34). That general idea is that God rewards true faith—which means trust. The sign given at the start of this verse is the most potent of all: resurrection from death.

Prior verses mentioned “Samuel and the prophets,” and the miracle of resurrection occurred in the ministries of two of the Old Testament’s greatest prophets, Elijah and Elisha. Both were credited with raising a dead person back to life. Elijah did so for a widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24) and Elisha for a Shunammite woman’s child (2 Kings 4:18–37). This, of course, represents the ultimate victory: a conquering of death itself!

This verse also transitions into a list which is less positive, but equally important. The purpose of this entire letter has been to encourage persecuted Christians to “hold fast” to their faith (Hebrews 3:6; 10:23). After describing the faithful, trusting, steadfast examples of heroes of the Old Testament, the writer of Hebrews begins to remind his readers just what those earlier figures had to endure in order to achieve those results. The point, as intended here, is that God was faithful to these believers, and they trusted Him despite their suffering. Since they were able to endure, and we have all the more reasons to believe, we ought to be faithful, as well.

Verse 36. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

The book of Hebrews is really a letter, written to encourage persecuted Christians. Over the last few verses, the writer has listed dramatic examples of godly faith. This faith really means “trust,” and the lives of people such as Abel, Noah, and Sarah exemplified that trust (Hebrews 11:4–12). At the same time, we see examples of faith in God despite hardship in the examples of men like Abraham (Hebrews 11:17–19). Scripture is full of stories about men and women who lived out a true faith in God, and achieved great things as a result (Hebrews 11:32). This included victories up to and including the resurrection of those who were dead (Hebrews 11:33–35)! At the same time, those who achieved success often did so in the face of great personal hardship.

The prior verse began to list the kinds of persecution faced by those who were faithful to God. The purpose of listing these atrocities is a combination of encouragement and conviction. Encouragement comes from knowing that, even when the world is against those who are faithful, God is going to obtain victory in the end. Conviction comes from knowing that these earlier believers experienced truly horrific circumstances, but were able to “hold fast” to their faith (Hebrews 3:6; 10:23; Philippians 4:12–13). This ought to encourage us to maintain a forward-looking, trusting faith, even during hardships.

Verse 37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated —

Verses 35 through 38 list some of the many hardships inflicted on those who remained faithful to God. These difficulties were experienced by the same people who obtained the amazing successes recently described (Hebrews 11:32–35). The point being made in this particular part of the book of Hebrews is that true faith—meaning trust—involves the intent to “hold fast” when we are under pressure to despair, or to abandon our faith (Hebrews 3:6; 10:23; Philippians 4:12–13).

Listing the atrocities suffered by faithful believers is meant to accomplish two major purposes. First, this serves to remind the reader that God can and will “work together for good” everything that happens in the life of those who trust in Him (Romans 8:28). Those who maintained faith in God, despite these terrible situations, were the same who saw God respond with the victories listed in this same passage. All the while, though, we are encouraged to remember that the trusting faith which pleases God is set on His ultimate plan, not our immediate circumstances (Hebrews 11:10–16).

As the end of this chapter will show, these hardships are also listed to convict the reader. This letter was originally written to persecuted Christians. By describing the truly awful experiences of some who held faith in God, those who are in less-dire circumstances should feel conviction. Other believers have endured outright torture, imprisonment, and beatings for the sake of their faith; is our “hard time” really too much for us to bear? Instead of despairing or withering under our struggles, we should be motivated to “hold fast,” in no small part due to the examples of these earlier believers.

Even more convicting, these believers are still awaiting the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises, for a very humbling reason. God is extending the opportunity for salvation to us—here, now, today—delaying the rewards of those earlier believers for our sake (Hebrews 11:40)!

Verse 38. of whom the world was not worthy — wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

The opening phrase of this verse is especially poignant, given the list of atrocities which led up to it. The writer of Hebrews has cataloged some of the horrible evils inflicted on those who “held fast” (Hebrews 10:23) to their faith in God (Hebrews 11:35–37). The purpose of listing these evils is to point out that those with a godly faith—a forward-looking trust in God—can endure these kinds of persecutions. And, that God will honor those who maintain their faith even when the world makes it hard to be faithful.

Further, as the last two verses of this chapter will explain, knowing how much earlier believers have suffered ought to convict those who hear the gospel today. Those prior heroes were looking forward to God’s ultimate, final fulfillment of His promises (Hebrews 11:10–16). Not only did these believers die before God had brought about that end, they are still waiting for God to complete His plan (Hebrews 11:39). This means that we, those who are alive and hearing the gospel today, are especially blessed by God. He is waiting to judge the world—even waiting to give His promised rewards to heroes of old—for our sake!

This verse also references the earthly poverty often experienced by those who are faithful to God. Moses, in an earlier example, was said to have turned away from the riches of his adoptive Egyptian home, in order to faithfully identify with his Hebrew family (Hebrews 11:24–26).

Verse 39. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

Verses 39 and 40 provide a stunning climax to the writer’s overall point, a conclusion made complete over the first two verses of the next chapter. Early chapters of this letter explained in great detail why we ought to have the greatest possible confidence in the new covenant, through Jesus Christ. Given that confidence, we should look back on the example of those in the Old Testament who exhibited faith. This “faith”—godly faith—is defined as trust. It means relying on God, despite doubts and fears, because of what He has already done (Hebrews 11:1–3). Heroes of the faith succeeded specifically because they had that kind of trust in God (Hebrews 11:32), and their feats were legendary (Hebrews 11:33–35). At the same time, these faithful ones often suffered persecution and hardship for their faith (Hebrews 11:35–38), but they remained faithful.

These hardships are listed both to encourage Christians to “hold fast” during persecution (Hebrews 3:6; 10:23), as well as to keep their own sufferings in perspective.

Earlier in this chapter, the writer pointed out that those who exhibit truly godly faith are looking to the future—the ultimate future. The hope of a believer in God is ultimately in His promise to “work together for good” all things (Romans 8:28) from an eternal perspective (Hebrews 11:10–16). For this reason, it’s not uncommon to see that some of these Old Testament heroes died without seeing an earthly fulfillment of God’s promises (Hebrews 11:13).

And yet, even now, these faithful ones have not yet obtained the ultimate reward, which is to see God’s final victory over sin and death (Hebrews 11:10). The reason for this delay is given in the next verse. The humbling, awesome truth is that God has granted us, those who are alive and hearing the gospel today, an even clearer presentation of the truth, so that we’ll be able to believe and join in that ultimate reward.

Verse 40. since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Verse 40 is the last statement associated with chapter 11, but chapter and verse divisions were not originally part of the Bible. The statements given in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12 are critical. Those upcoming verses provide the application for what’s been stated over the prior passage. In those verses, the writer of Hebrews held up vivid examples (Hebrews 11:17–32) of godly faith—meaning a trust in God and His promises leading to obedience (Hebrews 11:1–3)—as well as the achievements of those faithful ones (Hebrews 11:33–35).

At the same time, these believers who “held fast” to their faith often suffered as a result. Some endured pain, suffering, and torture. Others were murdered for their faith. And, in many cases, they died without seeing God’s earthly fulfillment of those promises (Hebrews 11:35–39). These points were made, in part, to remind persecuted Christians that God is still faithful, and can still “work together for good” our experiences, even when we can’t understand how that can be possible (Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:12–13). It also convicts us to keep a proper perspective on our hardships, which are often far less extreme.

This verse drives home an even more humbling and convicting point. The ultimate reward promised to believers in God has not yet been delivered—God has not yet completed His ultimate victory over evil and suffering. The “city with foundations,” used to symbolize that ultimate hope (Hebrews 11:10), has not yet appeared (Revelation 21:9–14). Why hasn’t God delivered this, yet? According to this verse, the answer is: us! We are that reason.

Those who are alive and able to hear the gospel today have access to even more evidence of God’s faithfulness than those who went before. God has delayed the end of His plan (2 Peter 3:9), for our sake, allowing those of us who believe today to share in the rewards of those former heroes. That, in and of itself, speaks to the love God has for us, even if we don’t see ourselves in the same spiritual league as men like Moses and Abraham.

End of Chapter 11.

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