Hebrews 11:39-40 "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
I glanced forward yesterday to read these two verses that conclude this great
"Hall of Faith," the 11th chapter of Hebrews. I wanted to use these
verses as a text today so as we read portions of the previous verses, we might
have in our hearts and minds the great blessing that you and I have that even
these dear saints of God were not able to enjoy. So, before I go back and share
some of the thoughts in the concluding verses, let this sink into our hearts:
"that they without us should not be made perfect."
Who are the "they" under consideration? We have seen just a few of
them. Let's think of some others and the things they endured. The writer of
Hebrews shares a few more names with us in verse 32: "... for the
time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of
Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets." Let's think of
some of the accomplishments of these and other saints.
Let us look at the faithful works of some of these dear saints listed in verses
33-35. Most of them are unnamed. We would say of them: "Well done
thou good and faithful servant." Think about it, they "subdued
kingdoms." They worked "the righteousness of God, stopped the mouths
of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the sword, out of weakness
were made strong." They "were valiant in fight" and turned
opposing armies to flee away. There were women who literally received their dead
back from the dead. Weren't these wonderful feats of faith? We
rejoice in them and take great comfort and encouragement from them.
But.... yes, there is a "but" to this devotion. Let us look at
some others who were mentioned in verses 35-38. What were the feats of some
of the others? They were "tortured, not accepting deliverance." Some
had "trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, bonds and imprisonment."
"They were stoned, sawn asunder, slain with the sword, they wandered
about" in the crudest of clothing because they were "destitute,
afflicted, and tormented." What would we say about these? Did
they gain the victory even as those who were delivered even from death?
The answer is a resounding, YES! They also, no doubt, heard the words,
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant." The final
pronouncement in chapter 11 concerning these faithful people who followed God
even to death was this: "Of whom the world was not worthy".
Yet, we read concerning them: "they without us should not be made
perfect." For me, this is a very humbling statement. How is it
that our faith mixed with their faith becomes perfect? They all died
without having received the promise. What was that promise? I will use
the New Testament words of the Apostle John. "In this was manifested the
love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9) Every one of
the Old Testament saints died without seeing that promise being fulfilled
through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, everyone of
them trusted the promise of God to the degree they were willing to be stoned,
cut in two, thrown in the fire, thrown in the den of lions, and so forth. We
look back at them through the empty tomb, the empty cross, and the blessed word
of hope and assurance given to us through Jesus Christ.
So, this morning, as I write these words, my heart is saying, "How deep do
I trust, not only the promise that was given, but the assurance that was
obtained through my Lord Jesus?" How deeply do I trust Him? Am
I willing to be cast out from the popular society because my love for Jesus
overrides anything and everything of which the world tries to convince me? May
I stand strong in the power and grace of my precious Lord. I do not want my
name listed in the Hall of Faith, but I am thankful my name is written in
heaven.