These all died in faith

These words are found in the New Testament book of Hebrews in the Holy Bible. Chapter 11 is often referred to as 'the roll call of faith'. The writer of Hebrews gives us a list of Old Testament saints who believed in the true and living God and walked by faith before Him.

Verse 6 brings into focus God's requirements and the outcome of personal faith in Him.

Hebrews 11:6
 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

You cannot please God without personal faith in Himself! It is necessary to believe in the true and living God in order to please Him. If you by faith are diligent in seeking to follow Him then our God will reward us in His own way and in His own time.

Now let's look at some of the people in Hebrews chapter 11.

Verse 4
"By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks."
Abel believed in God and through his faith he believed that the animal sacrifice he offered to God would be accepted. It was, and his older brother Cain was enraged by God's acceptance of Abel's sacrifice; and by the non acceptance of Cain's offering from his crops. The result was that he murdered Abel.

Verse 5
"By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God."
The account of Enoch's life in Genesis chapter 5 shows that Enoch walked with God for 300 years and that God was so pleased with Enoch that He took him straight to heaven without passing through death.

Verse 7
"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."
The story of Noah's Ark is well known even to non Christians. The account given to us in Genesis chapter 6 reveals that the wickedness of mankind at that time was so great that God decided to send a universal flood on the world to slay them all. Only Noah found grace in God's eyes and he was instructed by God to build the ark to preserve the human race and the animal kingdom. The consequence of which means that you and I are descendants of Noah and his wife!

Verses 8-10
"(8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
(9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
(10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
Abraham was called by God to leave Ur of the Chaldee's and go to a land that God had chosen for him and his descendants. However he got as far as Haran and stayed there many years until his father Terah died. Only then did Abraham continue the journey to the land of Canaan. By faith he dwelt in the land of Canaan as a stranger. Abraham traversed the length and breadth of the land of Canaan yet he was unable to take possession of the land. He knew it would belong to his descendants at a future time. Verse 10 above tells us that he was waiting for a city that God has constructed (a city in heaven).

Verses 11-12
"(11) By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
(12) Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore."
Abraham's wife Sarah is also mentioned because she was childless, yet at 90 years of age gave birth to a son. Abraham was about 100 years old when Isaac (the son of promise) was born. The Holy Scriptures inform us that Abraham and Sarah's descendants cannot be numbered. This man and his wife by their strong faith in the true and living God have made an enormous impact on human history.

Verses 13-16
"(13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
(14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
(15) And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
(16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

They died in faith with the assurance that their God had prepared a place for them in His city in heaven.

Hebrews chapter 11 continues on with more people who had a strong faith in God. People such as - Isaac - Jacob - Joseph - Moses - Rahab - Gideon - Barack - Samson - Jepthah - David - Samuel - and the prophets.

What about you and me? If these Old Testament believers had this hope before them - surely we can expect the same?

Philippians 3:20-21
"(20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
(21) who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

John 14:1-3
(1) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
(2) In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." These are words from the lips of the Son of God Himself. In the book of Revelation chapter 21 the heavenly city is described in detail. The actual proportions of the city are mind boggling. The city is cubed shaped, 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles wide and 1,500 miles high. (1,500 miles is equivalent to 2,414 kilometres). For those of us who live in Australia, 1,500 miles is equivalent to the distance from Sydney NSW to Cairns in Far North QLD. There is plenty of room for all of God's people.

Now let's have a look at the verses at the beginning of Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11:1-3 (WEY) Weymouth translation
"(1) Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
(2) For by it the saints of old won God's approval.
(3) Through faith we understand that the worlds came into being, and still exist, at the command of God, so that what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible."

These verses really highlight the necessity of believing in our Creator God. These saints of old had a well grounded assurance of the reality of the true and living God and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see. In other words they believed in God and His words to them. Creation itself was proof to them of the power and majesty of the Creator God.

Now how about you and me are we looking forward in faith to being in God's heavenly city at the end of our days on Earth? Keep looking up, keep going on in faith.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com
Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

[If you have any questions or comments you are invited to contact me via the comments section below.]