Hebrews 11:32-40

(Hebrews 11:32-40)

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 

The book of Hebrews is aimed at "saints of the Jews who converted to Christianity who would apostate because of the persecution of their own people and the persecution of the Roman Empire." The book of Hebrews encourages "to prove the supremacy of Christ logically in connection with the Old Testament, and to strengthen our faith in Christ Jesus by means of exhortation, warning, consolation, and assurance, and triumph over suffering." From chapters 7 to 10:18, the book of Hebrews describes Christ's high priesthood and sacrifice, and then holds on to the words of exhortation based on this, the hope given to us through Christ, and does not step back in the midst of persecution. After exhorting the victory of faith through 10:19-39, the specific example is given in Chapter 11.

 

Faith is the hope that the promises of God will be fulfilled (faith is the reality of things we hope for), and at the same time, this "substance that has hope" (evidence of things not seen). The leaders of the faith who possessed this faith remained faithful in the midst of persecution and suffering. As a result, they were recognized by God. The book of Hebrews can further explain the great triumphs of the faith listed so far, but quickly regretting the lack of time to tell all the features of the Old Testament faiths Explain. The text can be divided into three parts.

 

First, it is a victory of faith. Barak defeated Jabin king of Canaan, Gideon defeated Midian with three hundred warriors, Jephthah defeated Ammon, Samson defeated Philistines, and David defeated the nations by faith. In addition, Samuel ruled Israel with complete righteousness, and David also did all the people with justice and righteousness when he ruled over Israel. Daniel closed the lion's mouth, and Daniel's three friends overcame the threat of fire. In addition, the book of Hebrews gives an example of avoiding the blade and strengthening by faith in weakness, defeating the foreign army. In addition, the book of Hebrews predicts the eschatological resurrection by reminding the son of the widow of Sarbat, whom Elijah saved, and the son of the woman of Shunem, who was saved by Elisha.

Second, it is the suffering of faith. The book of Hebrews describes the faith of others as opposed to the victors of faith. These are those who overcome suffering through faith in an eschatological resurrection, who were martyred and did not betray faith to escape suffering. These people are those who have kept their faith until the end, despite the harsh persecution of the world. Hebrews emphasize that they seem to have failed in this world, but in reality they have been victorious by faith.

 

Third, it is the completeness of faith. The book of Hebrews goes back to the faith described in verses 1-2, after explaining the great advances of faith, starting with Abel in Genesis and going through the Old Testament and the Middle Ages to the New Testament.『 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.』

 

All of the advanced nations mentioned in chapter 11 were acknowledged by God by faith, but the Hebrews testify that they did not receive the promised. However, many of the people mentioned in chapter 11, such as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Rahab, actually testify to what they have been promised, and verse 33. Nevertheless, in verse 39, why do they overturn the story that they did not receive the promised?

 

It is easy to understand if we consider the meaning of what is promised in verse 33 and what is promised in verse 39. What was promised in verse 33, 『Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Advances in faith receive the specific promises God has made to individuals from God in their lifetime. On the other hand, what is promised in verse 39 is "and these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:". In other words, the promised verse 39 means the fulfillment of the promise, the eschatological achievement through Christ, the realization of the eternal kingdom of God.

 

The basis for interpreting the promised in verse 39 as a redemptive history through Christ is 『God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. The focus of the Old Testament is focused on Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of God's promise. In other words, the word that God has prepared something better for us is the fulfillment of a perfect promise in Jesus Christ.

 

The fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham and his descendants began in the New Testament era after Jesus came into the world. Previous advances were acknowledged by God by faith, but the promises they received are not fulfilled, but merely a taste of perfect fulfillment in Christ. However, not all of them have experienced the fulfillment of the promise, but they can well know through Jesus Christ that they lived in faith in the promise of God, and that their faith was never in vain.