Faith That Endures

 Hebrews 11:24-40

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

We all love the victorious stories in the “Hall of Faith” of Hebrews 11—enemies are defeated, people are rescued, lions’ mouths are shut, and the dead are raised. But what about those who pleased God with their faith yet suffered and died? The last entries in this beloved chapter convey a spiritual reality many people today are reluctant to embrace—that faith is not a means by which we get God to do what we want.

We who belong to Jesus Christ have God’s promise that He will heal all our diseases, rescue us from every trouble, and give us great riches—not now, but in eternity. The Lord said, however, that in the meantime we can expect tribulation, persecution, and suffering (John 15:18-21). So it’s important to remember that faith doesn’t rescue us from all this but will get us through it.

God wants us to remain steadfast in the face of affliction and temptation. Like Moses, we may be called on to endure “as seeing Him who is unseen” (Heb. 11:27). So let’s place our hope in God and hold fast to Him in faith through good times and bad.