Hebrews 12:1 It is for that reason since we also have such a large cloud of testifiers around us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the failure that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, Hebrews 12:2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. In exchange for the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, thinking little of the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
he chose the cross
Our Lord did not gain any standing with God by going to the cross. He was already God’s Beloved Son. He chose the cross in exchange for the joy that was already his. In the same way, we should run our difficult race not with a mind of achieving something for ourselves, but so that others might know his forgiveness and resurrection.
Hebrews 11:36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as chains and imprisonment. Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. Hebrews 11:38 The universe was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. Hebrews 11:39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, Hebrews 11:40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
not worthy of them
Our Lord promises a special blessing for those who choose to trust him even if they don’t see miracles and have lots of victory stories. Those are the kind of people the author of Hebrews lists in today’s text.
These people are heroes of faith even though the world did not notice (38-39). Their names are not written in this text, in fact, many of them don’t even show up in the historical records. The author of Hebrews merely calls them “other people”, “others” and “they.” God knows their names. They were “approved through their faith” (38). We are going to meet these special people at the marriage feast of the Lamb. They will have a special place in that celebration. For many of them, it will be their first celebration ever.
Let us not think that these people were second-class citizens in Christ’s coming kingdom. No, God approved them through their faith. They saw the invisible God like Moses did. The fact that they were never rescued from the avenging angel by blood on their doorposts does not make them losers. The fact that they never passed through the parted waters did not make them losers. They were winners who ran the race well. They just have not yet crossed the finish line.
Hebrews 11:32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, Hebrews 11:33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, Hebrews 11:34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release so that they might gain a better resurrection.
There were people of faith who overcame their obstacles and there were other people of faith who gained a better resurrection instead. They were all winners. If you don’t seem to be winning over your troubles right now, stay focused on your faith. Your vindication is on its way.
Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.
expecting him to overcome
The Israelites knew the wall of Jericho was a formidable obstacle, but they also knew that it was not an obstacle to their God. Rahab knew the danger she was putting herself in by helping the Israelite spies. She had heard about the Israelite God so expected him to prevail over the city.
Our task as believers is to recognize all the obstacles and powers that must be overcome and to expect our God to overcome them.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger because Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:28 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 11:29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.
seeing the invisible
There was an invisible power walking through the houses in Egypt. By faith, Moses saw that power and learned what his people needed to do to keep it from destroying their firstborn.
There was a very visible obstacle to the Israelites getting away from Pharaoh’s army. It was called the Red Sea. But Moses saw an invisible power that could hold back its waters so that the Israelites could pass through the Sea.
Seeing the invisible is a possibility for us as well. It takes faith — trust in an invisible God who wants to prove Himself to us.
Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter Hebrews 11:25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of failure. Hebrews 11:26 You see, he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the payment.
the first lesson in faith
Amram and Jochebed were the parents of Moses, and his story of living by faith began with them. Before Moses could make any decisions for himself, they decided by faith to protect him.
Folks, we need to be parents like that. Our children and grandchildren will face dangerous things in this life, and they will be unaware of the danger. So, we need to step in and be brave enough to shield them from the danger that they do not see.
You know the story. You’ve seen the movies, and I hope you’ve read the book. Moses “was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict.” In other words, they were moved to act by two things: their love for their child, and their loyalty to someone higher in rank than the king. They saw two things. They saw a beautiful child who needed to be protected, and they saw an invisible almighty God who they needed to obey.
Jesus told his disciples “do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5). Amram and Jochebed’s fear of God was stronger than their fear of Pharaoh’s sword.
Because they trusted God to protect their son, he enabled them to teach their son about that trust. So, Moses’ first lesson in seeing the invisible came from those two faithful parents.
Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.
comma, not a period
These three men had the opportunity to express their faith-inspired confidence about the future, even as they faced their own deaths. They died. Their confidence was not the ridiculous notion that death is an illusion. No, their confidence was that death is not the end. It is a comma, not a period. They could see the future, and they could remain confident because God would be there.
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, Hebrews 11:18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be called through Isaac. Hebrews 11:19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.
resolve to be ridiculous
If you are a follower of Christ, you will be tested. Your test may be something like Abraham’s — where you are prompted to do something that seems ridiculous. Trust your Father in the sky and do what he wants. You know that you cannot create a problem that He cannot solve.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the promised things. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the land. Hebrews 11:14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. Hebrews 11:15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. Hebrews 11:16 But they now desire a better place – one from the sky. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
the better place
The better place the author of Hebrews mentions is not heaven. It will come down from the sky when our king returns. Daniel saw a vision of the Son of Man coming with the clouds of the sky (Daniel 7:13). John saw a vision of the holy city of Jerusalem descending from the sky (Revelation 21:10).
Neither of these visions describes what happens at death. Our blessed hope is the glorious appearance of Christ (Titus 2:13). That is when we will experience the better place.
Hebrews 11:11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. Hebrews 11:12 Therefore, from one man – in fact, from one as good as dead – came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.
beyond our personal limits
The First thing we need to know about Sarah was that her conceiving and giving birth to Isaac was a miracle. The text says that “she was unable” to conceive. Some women are fertile later in life, but Sarah was not one of them. In fact, Sarah had never conceived. But even if she had been able to conceive when she was young, our text says that she was unable to do so at that point because “she was past the age”. Her time had passed by. She missed the window of opportunity.
God challenges all of us to look beyond our personal limits because that is exactly where he wants to work. Paul told the Ephesians: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NET).
God starts at the limits of our workmanship, and then he adds his workmanship. When we get to the point where we realize that we can’t, then we are ready to start living by faith and receiving God’s power.
Devotions 