BY FAITH, THEY SAW GOD’S GREAT WORK

Passage: Hebrews 11:29-40

Key verse: 29

NIV

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.(A)

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.(B)

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[a](C)

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,(D) Barak,(E) Samson(F) and Jephthah,(G) about David(H) and Samuel(I) and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,(J) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,(K) 34 quenched the fury of the flames,(L) and escaped the edge of the sword;(M) whose weakness was turned to strength;(N) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.(O) 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.(P) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging,(Q) and even chains and imprisonment.(R) 37 They were put to death by stoning;[b](S) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.(T) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,(U) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves(V) and in holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended(W) for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,(X) 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us(Y) would they be made perfect.(Z)

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 11:31 Or unbelieving
  2. Hebrews 11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test;
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

29 By faith (A)the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith (B)the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith (C)Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she (D)had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of (E)Gideon, (F)Barak, (G)Samson, (H)Jephthah, of (I)David and (J)Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, (K)stopped the mouths of lions, 34 (L)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, (M)became mighty in war, (N)put foreign armies to flight. 35 (O)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even (P)chains and imprisonment. 37 (Q)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] (R)they were killed with the sword. (S)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—(T)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, (U)though commended through their faith, (V)did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, (W)that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Israelites crossed the Red Sea as on dry land by faith (29). They also saw the great walls of Jericho fall when they obeyed God and walked around the city for a week (3

). As a Gentile woman, Rahab helped the Israelite spies by faith in God. She and her family avoided perishing with the rest of the city (31).

There are many other people of faith the author could not mention by name. They were judges, kings, and prophets (32). They accomplished great things. They saw the great work of God when they kept their faith in God and obeyed his words. The victories they received in the world were answers to their prayer and assurance of God's faithfulness (33). However, ultimately, their hope was in God's kingdom and the promise of eternal life (35,38).

None of them received what was promised to them while living in the world. But they found the strength to persevere through the world's persecution by faith. God found their faith commendable (39). What God had planned for them was something that they had never imagined. It was completed through the Messiah, who carried out the salvation plan (4

).

Prayer: Father, I find my strength to overcome obstacles of the world when I come to you. Please help me to be strengthened by you today and fight a good spiritual battle.

One Word: Overcome the world by faith