“Through Faith”
Hebrews 11:33-38
In
Hebrews 11:33-38 the Holy Spirit shows us how that faith both performs the most
remarkable deeds and suffers the most astonishing hardships, looking to Christ,
believing Christ, seeking to honor Christ. There is no task too great for our
God, no task too great for one who believes God (vv. 33-34). There is no trial
to great for any of us to endure, as we believe God (Heb. 11:35-38; 1 Cor.
10:13; Phil. 4:12-13).
Faith’s
Pinnacle
As the
Holy Spirit directed Paul in giving us this great chapter on faith, all through
these forty verses, he seems to be moving in an upward direction, showing us
one great act of faith after another, each succeeding event a little greater
than the one before it. When chapter 12 begins, we are immediately confronted
with a great cloud of witnesses in heaven. But here, right at the end of
chapter 11, the Apostle is describing faith’s pinnacle, faith’s highest point,
faith’s greatest deeds: —“destitute, afflicted, tormented.”
These
men and women “of whom the world was not worthy,” “destitute,
afflicted, tormented,” by enduring their great trials even unto death,
displayed a faith that is completely subject to Christ, that bows submissively
to whatever God is pleased to send, a faith so completely welded to Christ and
one with him that imprisonment, torture, and death are deliberately chosen and
preferred to apostasy from him.
A "meek
and quiet spirit" is of "great price" in the sight of
God (1 Pet. 3:4). The meekness of faith is true meekness. It is that meekness
that comes from the realization that God is God indeed, and we are his
servants. Such meekness of faith bows to the will of God. It is faithful unto
death, because it arises from an unshakable confidence in God’s wisdom,
goodness, and power.
Faith’s
Strength
The
strength of faith is not in us, but in God our Savior, the Object of our faith.
Faith draws strength from him, believing his Word. Faith recognizes that "the
Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Rev. 19:6). Our God sits on his throne,
Sovereign over all the universe. "He doeth according to His will in the
army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His
hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Dan. 4:35).
The
believer understands that all the affairs of the universe are ordered by
his heavenly Father, and ordered
by God for his good.
We know that our
enemies
can do nothing whatever against us without his direct permission.—Satan could
not touch Job or sift Peter, until he first obtained permission from their
Redeemer to do so. Oh what a blessed, sure resting-place this is for the
troubled and trembling heart! This is “a nail in a sure place!”
Believing
God, we know all things work together for our good and his glory (Rom. 8:28).
Satan roars fiercely; but our God reigns supremely. His malicious designs are
always overruled to accomplish God’s good designs (Ps. 76:10).
Faith in
Christ causes and enables us to look beyond time to eternity. It anticipates
the heavenly glory with confident assurance that "the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18).
“Oh, gift of gifts! Oh, grace of faith!
My God, how can it be
That Thou, Who hast discerning love,
Shouldst give that gift to me!
How many hearts Thou might’st have had
More worthy, Lord, than mine!
How many souls more worthy far,
Of that pure touch of Thine!
Ah, Grace! Into the most unlikely hearts
It is Thy boast to come,
The glory of thy light to find
In darkest spots a home!
Thy choice, O God of goodness, then
I lovingly adore!
Oh, give me grace to keep Thy grace,
And grace to long for more!”