Hebrews 11 - A Long One, but Worth the Read

I have never heard a preacher preach from this passage correctly. Never. Maybe some have, but I've never heard them.

The pastors I've heard invariably use chapter 1 as a definition of faith for us. It is not. Is that arrogant? Oh Well, it is nonetheless true.

The Bible is not stream of consciousness. It does not begin dealing with one subject and abruptly interrupt its train of thought for a few verses and then return to what it was talking about in earlier verses. It just doesn't. It might seem to, if you don’t know how to read above a second grade level, but it does not.

For instance, “and by his stripes we are healed” is used to “prove” that Jesus has already provided healing for whatever physical ailments we endure. That is just plain stupid reading of the Scripture. To draw that conclusion, we have to believe that God instructed Isaiah to write like this: Spiritual, spiritual, spiritual, spiritual, spiritual, physical, spiritual, spiritual. He did no such thing! God is consistent. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is not willy-nilly.

Another example is Romans 8:12. Paul writes that we have an obligation but does not tell us what the obligation is! Actually he does, but not in verse 13, 14 or any other verse from there through chapter 11. What’s going on here? What happened to the obligation? The answer is that Roman 8:13- Romans 11:36 is parenthetical, explaining why we have the obligation that he reveals in Romans 12:1, that is, that we present our bodies as living sacrifices. Take out the parentheses and you have: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation to present our bodies as living sacrifices.”

When will we EVER learn to read Scripture? When will we ever learn to read what it is really about: God’s character; His love of His creation and His plan for its redemption.

Now let’s look at Hebrews chapter 11.

To begin with, it is written to Jews. The whole book is written to Jews.

Secondly, it is about Jesus. The whole book is about Jesus.

So let’s examine verse 1

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Paul was defining faith to his Jewish readers. He is about to explain to them in terms Jews would understand how the “elders,” that is, Jewish leaders of old trusted in God for salvation through a Savior, to whom they referred as Messiah.

What Paul was saying in verse 1 is: The faith I’m about to speak about is the substance of things hoped for (salvation), the evidence of things unseen. The Jews hoped for salvation and knew it would come through Messiah.

 ² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

That is, the elders gained favor with God by their faith in the substance of their salvation (something real) and the evidence of something they have not seen: Jesus.

³ Through the substance of what we hope for and the evidence of what we have not seen, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

⁴ By the substance of what he hopped  for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah),Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

⁵ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

⁶ But without the substance of things hopped for and the evidence of thngs unseen, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

⁷ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

⁸ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

⁹ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ Through the substance of what she hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what she did not see (Messiah),  also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

¹² Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

¹³ These all died in the substance of what they hopped for and the evidence of what they did not see,, 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.

¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸ Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

²⁰ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By the substance of what he hopped  for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

²² By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

²³ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah),  Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

²⁴ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), Moses, when he was come to years, 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 pleasures of sin for a season;

²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

²⁷ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah),  he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

²⁸ Through the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

³⁰ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

³¹ By the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

³² 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:

³³ Who through the substance of what he hopped for (salvation) and the evidence of what he did not see (Messiah), subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

³⁵ Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

³⁶ And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

³⁷ 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;

³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Can you see it? The WHOLE CHAPTER IS ABOUT THE ELDERS’ FAITH IN THE COMING MESSIAH!

We treat it as though it was written about US! But it is NOT! We treat it as though it is written about “faith” in some ethereal God or faith in faith. It is NOT! It is written about JESUS, whom we saw in chapters 1-10 is greater than them all. He is greater than the High Priest, Melchizedek. He is greater than the greatest and greater than all of the greatest put together and about whose greatness we will continue to read about in chapters 12-13!