CHAPTER 11

VS 1
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The word faith is a noun. It relates to POSSESSION!
When a person genuinely receives Jesus as Lord of their life, that person becomes
INDWELLED by the Holy Spirit of God.
He/she is SEALED in the Spirit of God!! (Eph. 1:13)
(Read my short book on that here: https://linktojesus.org/SealedInHisSpirit.pdf)

Now, the first spiritual gift God's Holy Spirit gives to a new believer is FAITH!

First, know that faith is SUBSTANCE -- something one can HOLD to!
Second, know that faith is EVIDENCE - evidence through a life lived in submission
to Christ.

If you read Hebrews 10, you saw the NEED for faith, and the endurance of faith.
(See Heb. 10:36-39)

Faith is the ability to see SPIRITUALLY.
Man does not have that ability NATURALLY!
It only comes as a gift from God through surrender to Christ.

VSS 2-3
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith 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.

BY faith the patriarchs of the Old Testament were a WITNESS and an honrable
testimony to having and living faith.

They were grounded in faith, and able to exhibit it in their lives.

THROUGH use of faith, we hold to the Scriptures which declare that God made
ALL things from NOTHING!
FIRST, God made the worlds, then God FRAMED them, or put them in order, and
arranged them perfectly.

Now...the Scripture is going to point to some of those patriarchs.

VSS 4-5
4 By faith 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 faith 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.

Here are two mentioned that exhibited faith.
First, Abel offered a sacrifice to God.
And, God ACCEPTED it because of the condition of Abel's heart!
Abel HONORED God by TRUSTING Him.

Now, his brother, Cain, also offered gifts to God.
But his gifts were REFUSED!
His heart was not RIGHT with God because he had spite for his brother!
(Stop and think about that for a moment. How often have you placed your offering
in the plate at church, while still harboring spite for someone?)

Second, Enoch, by faith walked CLOSELY with God.
He believed and trusted God SO MUCH that, one day, God simply said, "Enoch,
come on up here with me!"

How STRONG is my WALK with God?
Is it strong enough to PLEASE God?

6 But without faith 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.

If a person is to "come(th) to God," that person must first BELIEVE that God IS!
That word "believe" is from the Greek pisteuo, pronounced
pist yoo' o.
Literally that word means to place unlimited trust in someone.
It implies such trust as to LIVE with it.

And, the Scripture says, "without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please" God!

How about it?
Have you entrusted your living to God through Christ Jesus?
Are you BELIEVING that He will guide you through the darkness of life
to a place of ETERNAL LIGHT?

VS 7
7 By faith 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.

Noah had never SEEN rain!
All his life, God had caused a "mist" to rise upon the ground daily.
The mist was caused by water encircling the earth above the atmosphere.

But Noah BELIEVED God when He said it was going to RAIN!!!
And, Noah followed God's direction to build an ARK....HUGE BOAT/SHIP!!

For a hundred years Noah believed God while people jeered and harassed him! He BUILT that ark!!

And, when the flood came (because God DUMPED the water above the
atmosphere), Noah and his family were SAVED!!

And, the REST of the world were "condemned"!
WHY?
Because they did NOT BELIEVE!!!

1Peter 3, 5-9 says this:
"5 For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens
were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, PERISHED:
7 But the heaves and the earth, which are NOW, by the SAME WORD are kept in
store, reserved unto FIRE against the day of judment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as
a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day!
9 The Lord is NOT SLACK concerning His promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL
should come to repentance!"

God didn't WANT people to die in the flood!
So, He told Noah to build the ark, in the PRESENCE of all the people.
Noah told them it was going to RAIN because GOD SAID IT WOULD!
But they did NOT believe!!

In the SAME WORD OF GOD, Peter announces that ONE DAY, this ole earth
will perish by the FIRE of God!!
Then, God will close up the universe, and create a NEW heavens, a NEW earth,
and a NEW Jerusalem. (See Rev. 20 - 21:3)

Question: How MANY are NOT believing THAT?

The GOOD NEWS is: God STILL does NOT desire that men perish eternally!
He is being "longsuffering", patient toward mankind. (2Pet. 3:9)
He DESIRES that ALL men come to REPENTANCE!!

VSS 8-12
8 By faith 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 faith 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 faith 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.

Abraham, like Noah, LIVED in OBEDIENCE to God.
He lived in strange places, and in tents, NEVER having received the PROMISED LAND!
That's because Abraham BELIEVED God!
He looked for a place "not built with hands!"

In FAITH, Abraham was SEEING the UNSEEN!!!

He also saw the UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Sarah was without ability to have children at 90 years of age!
But, according to God's PROMISE -- it HAPPENED!!!

(((Jan Smith was preparing for her child to be born in 3 months.
She had a sonagram, and the child was declared to be a boy.
So, as she was walking home, she was thinking, "What shall I NAME Him?"
She passed a church and the doors were open.
On the first door to her left was printed "NoSmo," and on the second door was
printed "King."
So she thought, "Weird, but I like it "NoSmo King Smith!"
Later that week she passed the same church.
This time the doors were closed.
The two doors together spelled out "No SMOKING"!)))

Abraham means father of many.
Sarah means princess.
Together, they gave birth to Isaac!

WHAT can GOD do with YOUR faith?!?!

VSS 13-16
13 These all died in faith, 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.

ALL of those people Noah & his family, Abraham and his family were examples of LIVING
IN FAITH of GOD'S PROMISES.
But in all their LIVING, they TESTFIED of God's promises!

They called themselves PILGRIMS on a JOURNEY.
They REMEMBERED they land from which they came; but, they LIVED in FAITH of God!
And, NEVER RETURNED to the land from which they came!!

They were NOT ashamed to say they BELIEVED in God, and that they were journeying
to a place BEYOND - which God was PREPARING!

They SERVED where they WERE!

As we Christians journey in this wolrd, should we NOT be ASAMED to testify of the
goodness and promises of God?

VSS 17-19
17 By faith Abraham, 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.

Isaac was promised to Abraham and Sarah by God.
ALL of Abraham's SEED would be through ISAAC!

Yet God told Abraham to OFFER Isaac as a sacrifice!!

On the way up the mountain to make the sacrifice, Isaac asked a question.
"Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the LAMB for a burnt offering?"
Abraham answered, "My son, God will provide HIMSELF a lamb!"
((From Gen. 22:7-8)

Later, Abraham made an altar, laid Isaac on it, and took his knife in his hand.
Then, there was a rustling in the bushes.
A RAM was there, horns caught in the limbs!

THAT day, God provided a RAM!
LATER God would provide "THE Lamb of GOD!" (John 1:29)

What brought about Abraham's statement that God would PROVIDE??!!!
FAITH!!!
BELIEVING and TRUSTING implicitly in God!

VSS 20-21
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped,
leaning upon the top of his staff.

By this same FAITH, God enabled Isaac to prophecy to his sons about their future.
And, by this same faith, God enabled Jacob to prophecy over his sons and grandsons.

Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh who were sons of Joseph.
The Levite tribe received no territory of their own, because they were priests, and
lived scattered throughout the land.
In maps of ancient Israel, you will see Ephraim and Manasseh, but not Joseph.

VSS 22
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel;
and gave commandment concerning his bones.

Because of his faith in God, Joseph asked an "oath" of the nation of Israel
to carry His bones when they left for the "promised land."

He BELIEVED God would DELIVER them, and they would RECEIVE that
"promised land."
And, Joseph wanted to be buried there!

Such an occasion is a testimony to how Joseph had unlimited trust in God and
His promises!

VSS 23-27
23 By faith 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 faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter;
25 Choosing rath 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 faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him
who is invisible.

Moses, when he was born, was hidden 3 months by the faith of his parents.
Then, they placed him in a small ark and put it where Pharoah's daughter would come to bathe.

Later, when Moses was born, he preferred to identify with the Hebrews and not the Egyptians.
He chose rather to suffer than to enjoy the pleasures of sin.

Moses believed the "reproach" of God was BETTER and GREATER than
all the riches of Egypt because He KNEW the ETERNAL reward of living for God!!

In anger, Moses killed an Egyptian because that Egyptian was mistreating a Hebrew slave.
Then, Moses fled because he BELIEVED God would SAVE him!

He BELIEVED in the INVISIBLE God rather than the PHYSICAL power of Pharoah!

VS 28
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the
firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to
do were drowned.

Believing God's Word, Moses commanded the people to observe "Passover"
and observed it himself!
By FAITH Moses held his rod against the Red Sea upon God's command, and
the nation walked across the sea on DRY LAND!

VS 30
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

It was by faith that Joshua and the army of Israel marched according to God's
command for 7 days!!

Can you imagine them marching around for SEVEN days on FAITH of what God
had PROMISED would happen?!!!

((FAITH - remember - is the ability to CLING to God and be OBEDIENT to Him!))

VS 31
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received
the spies with peace.

Now listen closely, this is important about understanding faith.
Joshua, chapter 2, records how the spies met the harlot Rahab.
That's right, the Scripture said she was an harlot (Joshua 2:1).

She HID the 2 spies from the king of Jericho on the roof of her house.

She told the spies she had hears about their crossing of the Red Sea.
She knew that the inhabitants of the land feared becuse of the Israelites.
They had heard how Israel had overcome the 2 kings of the Amorites.

And, she TOLD (testified) the 2 spies that "the LORD your GOD, He is God
in heaven above, and in earth beneath."

WHO can God SAVE?
ANYONE who BELIEVES in Him, TRUSTS Him, and ACTS on that belief and trust!

VSS 32-40
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 faith 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.

ALL those mentioned LIVED BY FAITH IN GOD!
Yes, some of them were scoundrels; but they LOVED and LIVED for GOD'S PROMISES!

PROOF that God can save ANYONE if the love and live for Him!

ALL those endured hardships!
Some were scourged, put in chains, sawn in half, and wandered in deserts and caves.

BUT - by FAITH, they "subdued kingdoms. wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge
of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, .... and turned to flight the enemies."

Their history left a LEGACY of FAITH!

And, through the living of their lives they provided JESUS!! The SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE of FAITH!

Let us then, receive, believe, trust in God and LIVE IT!
For the Bible says, "The JUST shall LIVE by FAITH!" (Heb. 10:38)

Now.
One more thought or two I'd like to leave with you.

Reading the Bible is our LIFELINE to the historical characters of God's story.

The experiences of each Biblical character help to tell the enlightening story of God's
relationship with the people of His creation.
NO! It is NOT always a feel good story!

But if we consider the lessons of the historical characters we can LEARN!!

We can learn that, in the END, the Bible becomes a feel good story of
God's undending love in SPITE of man's sinfulness!