Faith's Vision Of The Unseen (Chapter 11)

by R.B. Fullarton | Category: Themes From Hebrews | Aug 1980

Faith - Necessity

The Lord Jesus Christ, in saying to the disciples "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see", was not referring to physical objects perceived by natural sight but to what was the subject of divine revelation; spiritual truths seen by the eye of faith. As natural sight is precious so is faith's vision of the realm of the spiritual. When this vision dims, the life of faith will suffer. The sublime operations of the ways and works of God are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14). Most often 'believing' is 'seeing', not vice versa. The spiritual landscape brought into view by the focus of the eye of faith is rich and breathtaking. A believer's progress is not maintained with reference to the visible landmarks of this passing world. Faith guarantees perseverance. Without faith, ever present and sinister forces pitted against the Christian would prove too powerful. It is not easy to fulfil the exhortation "Walk by faith" (2 Cor. 5:7) in a hostile, material world, largely atheistic and scornful of faith. Yet all has been foreseen by a merciful God who has "granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3). Men and women of faith are sustained and spurred on by looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith.

The Wider Context

Repeatedly in this epistle the importance of faith is emphasized as being the principle which should govern a life well-pleasing to God. Attention has been drawn in the preceding chapters to the perils of unbelief. Spiritual disaster will result from the abandonment of faith. By the command of God the visible creation was brought into existence. It can be accounted for in no other way. Scientific research deals with what exists; the question of discovery of ultimate origin must be the quest of faith. The inspired writer regards faith as spiritual apprehension of divine truth. It produces inward conviction and certainty of the reality of the unseen, does not seek full explanations but accepts unquestionably the revelation of God. Eternal things become factual and real.

Quotation has already been made of Habakkuk's profound statement, "My righteous one shall live by faith" (Heb. 10:38). In the first six verses of chapter 11 the writer now describes vividly the effects of faith, and this description is followed by a series of wonderfully depicted profiles of

outstanding personalities of Bible history, whose lives were marked by this virtue. The heroes of faith are not chosen at random. They are carefully selected as appropriate to the main theme of the epistle, namely the supremacy and excellence of Christ over all others; selected also to encourage the saints of these early days to avert the danger of deserting their new Leader and reverting to their old life.

The men and women of Heb. 11 acted and lived in the light of revelation from God which altered the course of their lives. They perceived by faith the unseen and eternal. Seven men and one woman of faith are mentioned by name in the period from the beginning of God's work with the human race until the Law (vv. 4-23). The same number are connected with the kingdom and nation of Israel (vv. 23-32). In all these individuals faith was tested under the most severe conditions. Faith was the salient feature and nothing seemed impossible where it existed.

From Abel to Abraham (vv. 1-12)

Remarkable light is thrown upon the faith of many, faith which is sometimes not readily observed from the record in Genesis and Exodus. God alone sees faith where men often attribute failure. In some lives, of course, failure gives place to faith.

In Abel, the first martyr, faith led to sacrifice spiritually then physically. Accepted by God, he was hated by his brother. Today, Cain's error is repeated in the attachment of men to their works, seeking justification before God. In rejecting the way to God through the virtue of Christ's offering of Himself they stain their hands with blood exceedingly more precious than Abel's (cf. Heb. 10:29). Faith is the initial and continual condition of approach to God. Testimony was borne by God to Abel's faith. That faith is still speaking today.

Enoch's faith led to fellowship, walking with God in the midst of increasing perversity (Jude 14,15). He suffered mocking and reproach. The occasion would come later when there would be the visible token of God's presence and dwelling with men in the cloud of glory. The absence of this gave more opportunity for the fuller exercise of faith in acknowledging the reality of God's Person and Presence.

Noah is next cited. His life of faith produced witness, for in action and word he was a preacher of righteousness. His godly fear and devout life, emphasized by references in Ezekiel (14:14) and Peter (2 Pet. 2:5) enabled him with patient endurance to live by faith. The consideration of Him who patiently endured the gainsaying of sinners in His pathway will prevent fainting in our souls and waxing weary in the road of conflict (12:3).

Abraham trusted God, believed His promise and obeyed His word. He was willing to live as an alien in the country given to him in promise and viewed his accommodation as temporary. As through a telescope, his faith could see the eternal city planned and prepared by God in reward to faith. His faith and implicit obedience had a profound effect upon his progeny. Sarah, his wife, turned from disbelief to faith. Laughter at the idea of conceiving a son in advanced years betrayed scepticism and brought rebuke from the Lord. Faith finally soared above doubt in acceptance of God's promise.

Strangers and Pilgrims (vv. 13-16)

The lovely epitome of these verses shows stamina being produced by faith when it is accompanied by witness - "they that say such things" (v.14). In faith they lived, in faith they died. The call of God was heard and obeyed. Eagerly they sought the fulfilment of the promises, having greeted them, yet they did not receive them in the fuller sense (v.40). As pilgrims in this world they started on the long trek of faith, distant prospects appearing just over the horizon, courageous travellers longing for their permanent home. Their native soil held no attraction for them; they could have returned had they so desired. Their ambitions and aspirations were independent of this age, scavengers of this world's paltry fare they would not be. They moved out in faith's expedition, "wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God" (v.16).

From Abraham to Joshua (vv. 17-31)

The writer resumes the story of Abraham in relating the event of Gen. 22 and draws out faith's triumph when tried. Isaac's death would nullify God's promises of the Seed, the land and the nation but Abraham's faith was equal to the test. He knew the truth of resurrection and acted through faith in believing God would raise his son from the dead. This typified the work of God at a later date in full accomplishment through the death and resurrection of the Only-begotten from the Father.

Isaac by faith blessed Jacob and Esau. From the Genesis record a very different conclusion could be drawn by the casual observer. The younger son deceived his father. Isaac had preferred the first-born, Esau, but realized that the purposes of God must stand (Gen. 25:23), and so did not cancel the blessing given to Jacob (27:33). Esau was given a subsidiary blessing (27: 39,40). Notice is made of Jacob's bright faith at the end of a tumultuous and sometimes dangerous career, not the disturbing episodes of his varied experiences. With clear perspective he saw the meaning of the past and the future in the prophetic benediction upon Joseph's two boys. The brief reference to Joseph highlights the sovereign divine insight which selected his dying request as evidence of his faith. Where men might have expected the historical landmarks of his trials, humiliation, exaltation and magnificence, the inspired commentator speaks of Joseph's faith in the exodus of his people and the disposal of Joseph's bones. Egypt had no place in Joseph's heart. He desired no permanent epigraph of his stay there, no elaborate funeral, no ostentatious sepulchre or Egyptian pyramid. The land of promise would be the place of awakening on the resurrection morning.

Moses refused, chose, accounted, looked, forsook and endured. These are activities of faith to be pondered. God saw in his heart a deep-settled faith. Moses renounced earthly advantages and bound up his life with the people of God, choosing the reproach of Christ in suffering affliction rather than the sampling of fleeting pleasures. Comforts of a palace existence were shunned and deemed as dross. The status of being the son of Pharaoh's daughter held no appeal. Ill-treatment there was in the way of faith but greater riches and joys awaited him. Forsaking and enduring are the outcome of faith.

No mention is made of faith during Israel's wilderness wanderings. Failure characterized them. Refreshing it is to see the faith of the nation being the key to victory in the book of Joshua (v.30). The Red Sea crossing and capture of Jericho were examples of faith in God's word and promise. Rahab's background declares eloquently God's dealings in grace universally. She placed in Israel's God the faith which comes of hearing, repudiated nationalistic feelings and a profligate life to find a place among the people of God and in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1).

Judges, Kings and Prophets (vv. 32-40)

Any secular historian would have devoted more space to the names and events of these verses. The hearers and readers of this letter must have been profoundly touched when being reminded of these exploits of faith. The pathos deepens with the pace of the narrative. Reflecting upon these monuments to faith, all of whom clearly and firmly grasped the invisible and unseen, there is challenge. They stand as a line of witnesses against the inclination to unbelief.

The deeds and trials of faith enumerated in vv. 33-38 are not exclusive to certain known figures of the sacred record. The unending line of faithful witnesses had divested themselves of all impediments and every weight of the pressures and anxieties of this life and the sin of unbelief. Prospectively, they looked unto Christ - their Leader and Chief. He sustained them. They

say to us what the life of faith meant to them. The life of faith was a quest of love and humility, not a grudging duty. There was determination to share the glorious vision with others. The world is not worthy of such, but the coming world is! The present world is nonetheless the arena of conflict and the sphere for faith's work.

Christ above all

'These all' (v.39) had witness borne to them by God and His word. Only the

divine revelation of faith's Originator, the Son of God, could secure the better thing and provide the long-awaited realization of God's purpose. Faults and failures there were in their lives but these are omitted in line with the promise of the previous chapter, " their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (10:17). The Lord Jesus had no lapses from beginning to end of His life of faith. His circumstances were considerably more difficult. He won the highest honours by the way of faith through death to the goal of heavenly glory. Supreme He stands, not only over all creation, in redemption and resurrection but also in faith.

R.B. Fullarton | Aug 1980
Themes From Hebrews