By Faith – Learning by Example from the Old Testament Saints
Hebrews chapter 11 begins with these words: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for” (Hebrews 11:1-2).
But immediately preceding these words, in the last verses of the previous chapter we read, “‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Hebrews 10:38-39).
Then, in chapter 11 we then find a long list of “heroes of the faith,” men and women who “walked by faith, not by sight,” as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7. By my count, in the NIV, there are 22 occurrences of the phrase “by faith” in the 40 verses of this chapter, plus a few more references to faith, bringing the “faith” total to 27. According to the website ZA Blog, this chapter resembles a literary device called an “example list,” which “worked by impressing the audience with the extensive evidence that the desired course of action is indeed the best one to take.”[1]
So, faith, specifically faith in God, is clearly the focus here, but what exactly is faith? The dictionary defines faith as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something” (Oxford), “belief and trust in and loyalty to God…. Faith almost always implies certitude even where there is no evidence or proof; an unshakable faith in God” (Merriam-Webster).
Matthew Harmon, writing for Grace Theological Seminary says,
“From [Hebrews 1:1] we see that the central feature of faith is confidence or trust. In the Bible, the object of faith is God and his promises. A clear example of this is Abram’s encounter with God in Genesis 15. In response to God’s promise of countless descendants, Abram ‘believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness’ (Gen. 15:6). Commenting on this, the Apostle Paul writes, ‘No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised’ (Rom. 4:20-21). Thus faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises.”[2]
Then, let’s consider this example of faith given by William Newell in his Hebrews Verse by Verse:
“The ark is the test of faith. When Noah entered the ark, there was the same conviction of the fact of the coming flood that he had during the years of building the ark. God had spoken! That was all that was before his mind. He never looked at the sky.”[3]
In Zondervan’s Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament, we read a bit about the background and purpose of the author as he compiles this list of faith heroes:
“The author sets before the reader a panoramic view of Old Testament history, highlighting significant events of that history involving faith. Much more than simply reminding his readers of interesting stories, he has a specific aim in the way he packages these narratives. For Hebrews 11 has the form of an ancient ‘example list,’ a rhetorical and preaching tool used to exhort listeners to take a specific course of action.…
“The aim is to give example after example of people who have taken the desired course of behavior, impressing the hearers with the positive outcome of their actions. Specifically in Hebrews 11, by providing those addressed with copious examples, the author challenges them to grasp that God’s people must live by faith, and having grasped that truth, to live a life of persevering faith.”[4]
Remember that the Old Testament saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 had nothing more to go on than the promises of God. As time went on, each of the heroes could look back at the victories of those who came before them, but they were forging new ground with their own journey of faith. As F. F. Bruce put it, “Their faith consisted simply in taking God at His word and directing their lives accordingly; things yet future so far as their experience went were thus present to faith, and things outwardly unseen were visible to the inward eye.”[5]
Again, this list of faith heroes is not just an academic exercise. There’s a very powerful reason why we need to look at these faith examples in Hebrews 11 and learn to live our own lives with the same kind of faith. Here’s why:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Yes, God intends for you to live the same kind of faith life that these heroes lived. He intends us to build our own faith so that we will not grow weary and lose heart. He intends that we will stand firm in our faith so we can resist the enemy (1 Peter 5:9), be productive members of God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:58), conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27), and be alert, remaining strong in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13).
When all is said and done, faith is simply trusting God and acting upon what He has told you to do. Of course, that’s very easy to say, but much harder to do! Faith, says William MacDonald, is “confidence in the trustworthiness of God. It is the conviction that what God says is true and that what He promises will come to pass.”[6]
In subsequent articles we will look at the examples of faith given by the author of Hebrews for our edification and encouragement.
Go Deeper
- Exploring the Hope of Jesus in the Book of Revelation Collection
- Inspiring Faith in Your Children and Grandchildren – Package Offer
- Women of Faith Book Collection
- ZA Blog, “What Does the Bible Say About Faith? A Look at Hebrews 11,” https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/what-does-the-bible-say-about-faith-hebrews-11. ↑
- Matthew S. Harmon, “What does faith mean?” https://seminary.grace.edu/what-does-faith-mean/ ↑
- William R. Newell, Hebrews Verse by Verse (Chicago: Moody Press, 1949), p. 372, emphasis his. ↑
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament, © 2002, accessed at biblegateway.com. ↑
- F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964), p. 277. ↑
- William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016, accessed at biblegateway.com, emphasis mine. ↑
