Hebrews 11 is the listing of the faithful down through the ages who clung strong to promises of God. These were our forerunners in the faith, a great cloud of witnesses, a proverbial Hall of Faith. And what did these receive? Not all, yet everything.
They looked forward to the promise of God - a coming kingdom, a new age of the Spirit, an inheritance with God which will not pass away with this present broken age. They were banking on a promise; no, they were banking on the faithful word of a promiser.
Did they receive it in their lifetime? No, they did not. But of such people - those who held firm to God even in the midst of the most difficult of times, God says of them in verse Hebrews 11:38. These were people of whom the world was not worthy.
God had a different plan, one which did not give them the promise right away, but rather the people of God past, would be made perfect together with the people of God present and future. All will come into the promise by faith, by the work of Christ in the fullness of time. All will be changed and perfected when God fulfills all his promises and the new Kingdom dawns.
So the faith is one of great solidarity. Women and men from all ages, all tribes and peoples, standing as one before a great and faithful promise keeping God.
For of Abraham it is said:
So we look and expect together. Another city, another King, a different reality of peace, love and joy in the Holy Spirit. For He may not realize all the promises now in my life, yet many more are yet to be born who will partake in the promises. And the fulfillment we shall meet as one people. For together he has provided something better, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
ESV Bible Online: Passage: Heb 11
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.Hebrews chapter eleven ends with this incredible statement. The people that verse 39 is referring to as "all these" are the looming towers of biblical history; women and men who trusted God in faith throughout the ages looking forward to the coming of the Christ.
They looked forward to the promise of God - a coming kingdom, a new age of the Spirit, an inheritance with God which will not pass away with this present broken age. They were banking on a promise; no, they were banking on the faithful word of a promiser.
Did they receive it in their lifetime? No, they did not. But of such people - those who held firm to God even in the midst of the most difficult of times, God says of them in verse Hebrews 11:38. These were people of whom the world was not worthy.
God had a different plan, one which did not give them the promise right away, but rather the people of God past, would be made perfect together with the people of God present and future. All will come into the promise by faith, by the work of Christ in the fullness of time. All will be changed and perfected when God fulfills all his promises and the new Kingdom dawns.
So the faith is one of great solidarity. Women and men from all ages, all tribes and peoples, standing as one before a great and faithful promise keeping God.
For of Abraham it is said:
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
So we look and expect together. Another city, another King, a different reality of peace, love and joy in the Holy Spirit. For He may not realize all the promises now in my life, yet many more are yet to be born who will partake in the promises. And the fulfillment we shall meet as one people. For together he has provided something better, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
ESV Bible Online: Passage: Heb 11