Hebrews Chapter Eleven Verses 7-16

HEBREWS CHAPTER ELEVEN VS 7-16 (USING ASV TEXT, STUDY BOOK WILL REFERENCE A DIFFERENT VERSION FOR READING)

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Heb 11:9  By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 

Heb 11:10  for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

Heb 11:11  By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 

Heb 11:12  wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. 

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 

Heb 11:15  And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 

Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. 

Main Point: Promises by God for much better things than this life is what the Christian walk is established on. These are examples of active faith, evidenced by trust and obedience.

4.    How was faith visible in the following people’s lives:

Noah: Was righteous during a time when every thought of mankind was evil. It also had to take many years of toiling to build the ark. Peter called Noah a “preacher of righteousness IIPet 2:5. It’s difficult to understand the depth of faith it took Noah to do what he did. Building an ark and preaching of the impending judgment to an audience that had no intention of ever listening must have been difficult.
We see the “Jesus” story in Noah’s story of deliverance (through water)….even if for a few.

Abraham: Imagine being told “go live over in this land where you are a stranger”. That is essentially what God directed Abraham to do and he just up and did it! Like Noah, Abraham exhibited his trust in God by just doing whatever he asked. Remember, God asked him to sacrifice his son, and was willing to do it….though God stayed his hand. Abraham was “rich”, but never had a plot of land with a house on it, yet understood that God’s promises to him were sure and steadfast.

Jesus in most definitely in the Abraham story.


Sarah: It’s interesting to read of Sarah’s faith. In Genesis, she laughs when she overhears that she will be bearing a child.

Gen 18:9  And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 

Gen 18:10  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 

Gen 18:11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 

Gen 18:12  And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 

Gen 18:13  And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? 

Gen 18:14  Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son. 

Gen 18:15  Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 

It’s obvious that Sarah was embarrassed over her reaction, but it seems that she believed in the promise….it just seemed so outlandish for someone her age.

Was it a miracle birth? Maybe not, but is certainly a foreshadow of the birth of Jesus.

Additional:

13) Persuaded- G3982 A primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false)

     Strangers and Pilgrims – Foreign/Alien

The Hebrew writer is bearing down to expel any argument that might call Jesus’ authority into question because he had not returned yet.

His previous statements of warning against sinning willfully are contrasted here with what they need to carry them through to God. Faith….and an understanding that this physical life is not where it ends.
These were looking forward to something much bigger than what can happen here. They considered themselves foreign/alien to this world within the context of eternity.