The Hall of Faith

Hebrews 11:1-40

2 Understanding Faith Hebrews 11:1-3

It appears the King James translators got the full meaning of the word “substance” from the
rest of the chapter, that is, it is like something which can be grasped
The American Standard translators similarly saw “conviction” as something based on firm
evidence
People of older times, or elders like Abel, Noah, etc., received a good report from God by
exhibiting faith
Through faith, men who trust God know how this earth came into existence
The world was made from nothing, spoken into existence by God

3 Abel’s Faith
Abel’s faith is seen in his actions (Hebrews 11:4; Genesis 4:3-5; 1 John 3:11-12)
Through that faith, Abel obtained his witness and God acknowledged his faith
Abel still speaks today through his example of faithful obedience
Since faith comes by hearing God’s word (Rom. 10:17), we conclude Abel was obedient to
God’s command
Milligan believes it was this obedient attitude which made Abel’s sacrifice a better one (1
Samuel 15:22), causing him to act “strictly in compliance with the will of God.”

4 Enoch’s Faith
It appears Enoch was translated to heaven in much the same was a Elijah (Hebrews 11:5;
Genesis 5:21-24; Jude 14-16; 2 Kings 2:1-12)
God testified that Enoch “pleased” him before he took him up
Such pleasing can only be achieved by having faith in, or believing, God and diligently
seeking to do his will (Hebrews 11:6)
Further, the one who really trusts in God knows he will be rewarded for such faithful service

5 Noah’s Faith
Because of his faith, Noah acted as directed by God and built an ark (Hebrews 11:7; Genesis
5:32-8:22)
This despite the fact that there was no evidence of a coming flood at the time he began to
build
By his actions of trust, or faith, in God, Noah saved his household
By those same actions, he condemned the world that did not believe in God’s word
Those actions also resulted in Noah becoming the “heir of righteousness” (Genesis 9:8-17)

6 Abraham’s Faith
Abraham went out when called (Hebrews 11:8-10; Genesis 12:1-7; Romans 4; Galatians 3:6-
9)
He was promised the land as an inheritance
He lived in a land that would not become his people’s homeland for generations (Genesis
15:12-21; Acts 7:5)
Isaac, his son, and Jacob, his grandson, also lived in tents, rather than cities
They accepted a semi-nomadic existence so they could receive a better city built by God

7 The Son of Promise Both Abraham and Sarah doubted

Despite God’s promise, Abraham questioned whether a servant would be his heir and
laughed at having a child with Sarah (Genesis 15:1-4; 17:15-21)
They tried to help God through Hagar (Genesis 16)
Sarah’s doubts were overcome by her faith and she bore the son of promise, Isaac (Hebrews
11:11; Genesis 18:12-15)
Though dead in the reproductive sense, they had a child (Hebrews 11:12)
His descendants (multitudes) would inherit the land of promise (Genesis 22:17)

8 The Hope of Heaven

These all died as they lived, in faith (Hebrews 11:13-16, Milligan)
Abraham only saw the fulfillment of the promises through the eye of faith
Their actions said they did not seek a country of their own, though they desired a place to
call home
They never exhibited a desire to go back to an earthly home, but sought a better place,
heaven
Because of the things they sacrificed by faith, God prepared a home for them and was not
ashamed to be identified as their God (Exodus 3:15; Matthew 22:32; Revelation 21:3)

9 Ready to Offer
God asked Abraham to take the son of promise, Isaac, and offer him up as a sacrifice
(Hebrews 11:17; Genesis 22:1-14)
Thus his faith was tested to the fullest since Isaac was the only one of his kind (Genesis
17:14-21)
Only through Isaac could the promises be kept
“The word translated offered is in the perfect tense…. The perfect tense expresses the idea
that the demands in the sacrifice were fully met, and that, from an ideal standpoint and as
far as Abraham was concerned, the offering was a completed action” (Lightfoot).

10 Received Isaac in a Parable

Isaac was the only child in Abraham’s line of descent (Hebrews 11:18-19; Genesis 21:12;
25:4-5)
Abraham believed God could raise him from the dead
The word “figure” is from “parabole,” or parable
“Abraham received Isaac alive from the altar of sacrifice and death, it was as if he received
him from the dead! Receiving Isaac from the altar of sacrifice was a placing of that
experience beside what God would have done in raising Isaac from the dead” (Basil Overton)
11 Isaac, Jacob and Joseph Had Faith
Hebrews 11:20-22
Isaac blessed his sons in faith unable to see how their lives would be lived (Genesis 27:27-40)
Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, setting Ephraim before Manasseh (Genesis 48:1-20)
Jacob worshiped believing Joseph would bury him as promised (Genesis 47:29-31)
Joseph believed God would deliver his people as promised (Genesis 50:22-26
He made his relatives promise to carry out his bones

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12 Moses and His Parents Hebrews 11:23-25

Moses’ parents had faith (Exodus 1:22-2:3)
They knew all male children were to be thrown in the river but hid him 3 months
God rewarded their faith by allowing their son to be spared
Moses rejected the Egyptians in favor of his Hebrew brethren (Exodus 2:11-12)
Rather than turn away and let the Egyptian beat the Hebrew slave, Moses chose to throw off
the pleasures of the sinful Egyptians and risk the suffering of the Hebrews

13 Suffering the Reproach of Christ

Moses chose the reproach of Christ over the luxuries of Egypt (Hebrews 11:26-27)
Because he looked to heaven, he could endure the same reproach Christ bore while on earth
and bears in his body, the church
Moses left Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king because he could see the invisible One
who keeps his promises (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:14-16)
First fled in fear because he had slain the Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-15), but left on Exodus fully
trusting in God

14 Israel’s Faith Hebrews 11:28-31

The Passover kept by faith (Exodus 12:1-36)
Firstborn spared, Egyptian firstborn died
Israel passed through the Red Sea and the Egyptians were drowned (Exodus 14:28-29)
Faith at Jericho (Joshua 6:1-21; 2:1-21)
City defeated in a way only accomplished by faith
Rahab spared because she believed in God’s power and hid the spies
Rahab became the wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz, both of whom are in the lineage of
Christ (Matthew 1:5)

15 A List of Other Faithful

For lack of time, the author listed several men of faith (Hebrews 11:32)
Barak conquered the Canaanites (Judges 4:4-24)
Gideon defeated the Midianites (Judges 7:1-23)
Jephthah subdued the Ammonites (Judges 11:1-33)
Samson slew the Philistines (Judges 13:24-16:31)
David trusted God to keep him safe from Saul and did not harm God’s anointed
Samuel served God faithfully, anointing two kings
Various prophets, like Elijah and Jeremiah, served, though threatened and abused

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16 Rewards of Faith Hebrews 11:33-35

Samuel and David “wrought righteousness by public administration of divine justice” (Fudge)
Canaan was received because of faith
Lions’ mouths were shut for Daniel and fire’s violence quenched for Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego
Elijah, Elisha and Jeremiah all escaped the sword
Gideon was made strong, became valiant and put armies of enemies to flight
The widow of Zarephath and the Shunamite woman received their dead raised
Many refused to deny God looking forward to heaven

17 Hardships Endured Hebrews 11:36-37

Samson was mocked, while Jeremiah endured beatings, bonds and imprisonment
Other prophets were stoned, sawn in two, tempted and slain by the sword
They wandered in poverty, destitute, afflicted and tormented
Their lives set them above those around them, like Noah

18 Something Better for Us

Though all these lived lives of good report and were known for their acts of faith, none of
them saw the promised Messiah (Hebrews 11:39)
The Hebrew Christians who read the book had a better thing provided for them (Heb. 11:40)
Their sins could not be completely removed without Christ, but neither could the men of
faith reach perfection until Christ had died
Men of faith were faithful to the end, yet we have something better
So, the author called for his readers to be at least as faithful as those previously listed

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