Devos With Davis: A Steadfast Faith
Whenever I read Hebrews 11 — otherwise known as the “Hall of Faith” — I always envision a long corridor, decked out with cabinets displaying trophies and awards of excellence that highlight the incredible faithful acts that Old Testament figures like Abel, Noah, Abraham and Rahab committed to the Lord many years ago.
When opening the doors of this metaphorical cabinet, the casual onlooker would be able to admire a line of trophies dedicated to memorializing the brave deeds of these ancient heroes. Placed in the very heart of this cabinet would be an intricately engraved plaque showcasing the biblical definition of faith.
This centerpiece would be inscribed with the words of Hebrews 11:1-2 which states, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.”
With this clear description of faith, the onlooker would be able to better understand the significance of Abel’s trophy, which honors his righteous sacrifice that gave God glory despite his brother’s murderous actions, as it says in Hebrews 11:4.
In the second half of verse four, it states that despite Abel’s death, his act of faith “still speaks,” which demonstrates how heroic acts of faith are enduring and timeless.
According to EnduringWord.com, “The writer reminds us that faith is not necessarily rewarded on earth. But God Himself testifies to the righteousness of the faithful. Abel’s blood still speaks to us, reminding us of the value of eternity.”
Next to Abel’s trophy would be Noah’s, paying tribute to his act of blind courage. Hebrews 11:7 states that Noah was “warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.”
Noah had to fully trust in God’s promise to protect his family after God announced that he would send a great flood to cleanse the earth from humanity’s evil acts as detailed in Genesis 6:17-18. By faith, Noah did as God had instructed him and put his reliance on the Lord into action by abiding by his commands.
It was Noah’s respect for God and his reverence for his directives that protected him from encountering a fatal calamity. “Real faith will always do something” and requires a call to action, noted EnduringWord.com.
The actions of these heroes of faith demonstrate how their lives were completely committed to God’s will. These individuals knew their hope was founded in God alone and rested in the assurance that God would keep his promises to them.
Footnotes in the ESV Student Study Bible define faith as being a “settled confidence” in the Lord, because it requires humans to let go of their desire for self-sufficiency and place all their burdens into the Lord’s hands, trusting that he will provide.
However, of all the lessons to take away from this invaluable chapter of the Bible, what is most astonishing is that the persons of Abel, Noah and countless others acted boldly in righteousness and yet did not receive the full reward of their faith during their lifetime. These heroes knew of their Heavenly Father, but they did not get to witness the coming of Jesus Christ and the hope he brought to the world by paying the ultimate price on the cross.
Hebrews 11:39-40 states, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
God’s gift of sending his son to be the atoning sacrifice for man’s sinful nature is what has been “promised” to all believers, and we “therefore have much more reason to hold on to faith, and to not let discouragement and tough times defeat us,” according to EnduringWord.com. Although the Old Testament heroes of the faith did not get to experience the coming of the Messiah, they did not let this stop them from completing the work God had called them to do.
Their faith was not merely circumstantial or contingent on worldly things, instead, these individuals put their lives in God’s hands and had confidence that he would guide them even with the threat of death lurking around the corner.
Worldly affliction did not deter or define their faith because these heroes knew their reward; what they would receive in heaven would outlast any prize that any man could have presented to them on the earth. These individuals were not seeking after a worldly trophy of gold, but rather one that would glorify God and serve his plan.
With these exceptional examples in mind, Christians today have all the more reason to be inspired by their courageous examples and to step out in faith. God will surely reward those who put their trust in him wholeheartedly. A.W. Tozer once said, “We can be in our day what the heroes of faith were in their day — but remember at the time they didn’t know they were heroes.”
Davis is the Editor-in-Chief for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X.
