The Letter to the Hebrews
Faith Works Miracles, And Suffers, In Hope
Hebrews 11:29-40
Some people think the Christian life is all about miracles. They think that if you really have strong faith you will see miracle after miracle. You will be protected from trials and delivered from trials and won’t have to suffer. They know God works miracles, and so always expect miracles. They think that if you have suffering and sickness and problems then you have weak faith. So some Christians think the Christian life is all about miracles.
But others think the Christian life is all about suffering. They think that if you have strong faith, you won’t need miracles. Instead you’ll be content with suffering. They know God uses suffering to draw us closer to Him, so they don’t expect or pray for miracles, but instead expect suffering. So some Christians think the Christian life is al about suffering.
So which group is right? Or are either of them right? To answer that let’s turn to Hebrews 11. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Hebrews 11 is on page 1107 in the Bibles we are passing out.
But before we dig into today’s passage, let’s get the big picture of what the author has been saying in this book.
In chapters one through the first half of chapter ten he has told us that Jesus Christ is the very Son of God who conquered death, paid for our sins, destroyed Satan’s power, sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, and is the perfect priest with the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Then in 10:19 through v.39 he says therefore we should
· draw near to God;
· cling to God’s promises;
· encourage each other so no one falls away;
· and stir up our faith in Christ as our better and lasting possession.
And then, because faith is so crucial, the author takes an entire chapter – chapter 11 -- to help us understand what faith is.
· Vv.1-2 – Faith assures us that God keeps His promises
· V.3 – Faith believes in God as Creator
· V.4 – Faith believes in God as our all-satisfying Treasure
· Vv.5-6 – Faith conquers death
· V.7 – Faith gives us perfect righteousness and helps us resist the world.
· V.8 – Faith is how we obey
· Vv.9-16 – Faith looks ahead to heaven
· Vv.17-22 – Faith obeys when it feels impossible
· Vv.23-28 – Faith overcomes temptations
And now we come to this last section – vv.29-40. In these verses the author gives us four crucial truths about faith.
First, by faith people work miracles and avoid suffering. In vv.29-35 the author gives an astonishing list of miracles people were enabled to work by faith in God. Let’s go through them one by one –
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 Red Sea had just parted. And God told Israel to go across. But that would have been risky – what if the Red Sea closed back on them midway? But they had faith – and crossed the Red Sea as on dry ground. But when the Egyptians came after then, and tried to cross, God had the Red Sea close back up on them – and they were drowned. So notice -- by faith Israel experienced a miracle – and crossed the Red Sea as on dry land. Then v.30 --
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
Jericho had thick walls – too thick for Israel’s army to break through. But God told them to march around Jericho for seven days and on the seventh day to raise a shout and blow the trumpets. And Israel had faith in God – so on the seventh day shouted and blew the trumpets – and Jericho’s walls fell down. So notice – by faith the walls of Jericho fell down. Then v.31 --
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Rahab had been a prostitute. But she had heard how God had delivered Israel from Egypt and parted the Red Sea and so she turned from her sin and trusted God to forgive her, change her, and satisfy her. And he did. And so when Israelite men came into Jericho to spy it out, she had faith in God, sided with them, and helped them. And by faith she was not killed when Jericho was destroyed.
Then in vv.32-35 the author makes a long list of miracles that people worked by faith in God --
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—
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
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.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection ...
I want to highlight a couple of these. Notice at the end of v.33 – “stopped the mouths of lions.” That’s the story of Daniel. He was in Babylon, where the king had made a decree that no one could pray to anyone but him. But Daniel continued to pray to God, so the king threw him into a den full of hungry lions. And by faith Daniel stopped the mouths of lions.
Then notice the beginning of v.34 – “quenched the power of fire.” Later, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the statue of the king of Babylon. So they were thrown into a fiery furnace, which was burning so hot that the guards who threw them in were themselves killed. But by faith in God they quenched the power of fire.
So by faith people work miracles and avoid suffering. But that’s only half of the story. Starting in the second half of v.35 and going through v.38 he gives us a second truth – that by faith people endure trials and suffering.
Let’s read starting with the second half of v.35 --
35b Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
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—
38 of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
This is shocking. Because in these verses we read about people who experienced terrible suffering. So we have to ask – did these people have faith?
And the answer is – YES. It’s clear that everyone listed here in Hebrews 11 does what they do by faith. So let’s read vv.35-38 and add in the phrase “by faith” so we will feel the power of what the author is saying –
35b [by faith] some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 [By faith] others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 [by faith] they were stoned, [by faith] they were sawn in two, [by faith] they were killed with the sword. [By faith] they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
38 of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
This is crucial to understand. The same faith, the same strong faith, the same strong biblical faith – sometimes delivers us from trials, and other times calls us and enables us to endure trials.
And the author wants us to make this comparison. You can see that – because in v.34 he talks about those who by faith escaped the edge of the sword. And then in v.37 he talks about those who by faith were killed with the sword.
Think of it. By faith – by strong, biblical faith some escaped the edge of the sword. And by faith, by that same strong, biblical faith some were killed with the sword.
The same faith sometimes delivers us from trials – and at other times enables us to endure trials. So what would faith have looked like in these different situations?
Let’s take the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were thrown into the fiery furnace – and as v.34 says by faith they quenched the power of fire. So how did that work? God had not told them they would be delivered. For all they knew they would be burned alive. But they had faith in God.
So they prayed – God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- save us! And they trusted God’s promise – He will either deliver us or strengthen us to endure. But whatever He does – it will bring us the greatest joy in Him.
And then – we’re being carried up the ramp to the furnace, we’re being thrown in, we trust you, God, But wait! We’re not burning up! We’re feeling no pain! We’re delivered!
So by faith they quenched the power of fire. But in v.35 we read that by the exact same faith others were tortured and killed. So how did that work? God had also not told them they would be delivered. But they had faith in God.
So they prayed – God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, save us. And they trusted God’s promise – He will either deliver us or strengthen us to endure. But whatever He does – it will bring us the greatest joy in Him.
And then – we’re being tortured. God has chosen not to deliver us. Father, help us. Strengthen us. We trust you to raise us from the dead to a better life.
Same faith. Different results. So why were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego delivered, and these others not delivered? It’s because God has different plans for some than others. His miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was a wise and loving plan – that’s how they would have the greatest joy in God. And His allowing others to be tortured to death was also a wise and loving plan – that’s how they would have the greatest joy in God.
So the same faith in God through Jesus Christ can have two profoundly different results. And that can leave us feeling insecure. As you look ahead to your future – it could be a future of miraculous deliverances from suffering – or a future full of suffering. That can seem unsettling. That can feel insecure. So is there anything you can be sure of? So what can I rest my hope in? What can give you security?
And to answer that the author gives us a third and fourth truth about faith in vv.39-40. The third truth is that everyone who has faith will be commended by God in this life. That’s in v.39 --
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised …
So all of these – both those who experienced miracles, and those who experienced suffering – were commended through their faith. Which means all of us will be commended by our faith. So what does that mean?
It means that as we live by faith in Jesus Christ, as we have times when we turn our hearts to Him and trust Him, He will commend us. He will pour His love into our hearts so we feel His embrace, we are assured that we are saved, we know His pleasure, and we experience His nearness.
In this life you will have times when God commends you. And when He does – you will be filled, satisfied, strengthened, and content.
Then the fourth truth is that in the life to come everyone who has faith will receive what is promised. To see that read vv.39-40 together --
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Notice – none of these listed in ch.11 received what was promised. Even those who experienced amazing miracles did not receive what was promised. Because the main promise is not miracles in this life.
So what is the main promise? It was described in v.16 – it’s the better country. The final resurrection. The city which is to come. The new heavens and earth.
No Old Testament saint received what was promised. They did go to heaven, but they are still awaiting the final resurrection and the new heavens and earth. And the reason they did not receive the final resurrection is because if they had, then history would have come to a close back then, and none of us would have been created to experience the wonders of salvation and the glory of God.
So they have not yet received what was promised – and we have not yet received what was promised. But at the end of history we will all receive what was promised – as we enter the new heavens and earth.
So the fourth truth is that by faith everyone will receive what is promised in the life to come.
So the author’s point is – don’t put your hope in miracles. And don’t be discouraged by suffering. Instead – understand that as you trust Jesus you will have times when God commends you – pouring His love into your heart. And as you trust Jesus you can be certain that at the end of history God will bring you into the heavenly city where His presence will be worth it all. So keep trusting Jesus Christ.