Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
Faith is the Substance
What is your greatest hope? Your eternal longing?
ἐλπίζω elpizō – to hope
How can you be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see?
Matthew used this same word for hope pointing back to the prophesy of Isaiah.
“And in His name the [nations] Gentiles will hope.”
Matthew 12:21 NASB
Previously the author of Hebrews has called on us to ‘draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.’How do we know that the new covenant in Christ now replaces the old?
In the same way that our forefathers had hope – by faith.
πίστις pistis – faith
Faith is the substance, faith is the reality, faith is the assurance – many descriptions, all showing it as evidence of our hope.
We may discuss and dissect the reasons for our hope in God, our confidence in Christ. And we may wander from the path of true faith from time to time. Yet its evidence remains as the light of our hope eternal.
faith – conviction of the truth of anything
- a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things
- the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things
- relating to Christ a strong and welcome conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
- belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
Our faith is the evidence of things hoped for. Yet some have faith in that which is not reality or truth, therefore the writer of Hebrews follows with evidence from history.
2 For by it our ancestors won God’s approval.
a genealogy of Jewish faith
אֱמֶת = Faith is real and true; faith is truthfulness
Hebrews 11:
Without elaboration on the author’s entire genealogy of faith, take a brief look at: the verse – person exemplifying faith – Old Testament verse equivalent.
- 4 – Abel – Genesis 4:
- 5 – Enoch – Genesis 5:
- 7 – Noah – Genesis 6-9
- 8-10 – Abraham, Isaac & Jacob – Genesis 17-49
- 11 – Sarah – Genesis 17-23
6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 CSB
13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.
The author of Hebrews takes this genealogy of faith and applies it as evidence that these jewish ancestors had not yet received the Lord’s certain promise. He continues with Moses, who of course recorded these genealogies along with the Law in five books.
Moses – Mosheh – מֹשֶׁה
23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months… reference to Exodus 2:2.
He proceeds with a more extended biography of Moses relating it to institutions of faith established for a later time, that is, fulfillment by the Messiah. Yes, Moses was a savior of the Hebrews, even when they resisted the Lord. But the Law and Covenants of Moses were imperfect forerunners of the Perfection to come.
By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.
Hebrews 11:28 CSB; מֹשֶׁה
From Moses to Christ
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down … 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.
32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith…
Familiar stories of faith follow (also worth your time in brief here). He races through the generations from the Judges, past King David and to the prophets. Then addition of a prophetic reminder of what these persecuted Hebrews, both Jews and Christians were beginning to experience.
Persecution by the world
… Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.
Are you familiar with the persecution of Jews and Christians by Roman rulers like Claudius, Nero, Domitian and later many others?
Those who received these letters to the church either needed or would need encouragement due to these cruelties for followers of Jesus. Even in this day Christians suffer and die for our faith.
According to Open Doors, every month:
- 255 Christians are killed
- 104 are abducted
- 180 Christian women are raped, sexually harassed or forced into marriage
- 66 churches are attacked
- 160 Christians are detained without trial and imprisoned
More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in the 1st, yet Christians living in a world of hatred have always suffered for the sake of Christ.
Christians martyred since the time of Jesus at 70 million
David B Barrett, researcher, Christian Today
Returning to the author of Hebrews’ argument for those suffering for Christ:
39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised…
And he assures us that God provided something better for us, in Christ.
To be continued...
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