Things To See in Hebrews 11
PART TWO
This remarkable chapter spotlights many individuals who lived by believing the information God revealed to them. They also had an unwavering hope in the things to come that were promised by God. These individuals are described as “the elders” in verse two, and it says that they “obtained a good report”. The one giving this good report was God, and the chapter details the specific things deserving of His good report.
Now believing is the foundation of things hoped for, the demonstration of things not seen.
For by it [by believing] the elders obtained a good report. HEBREWS 11:1-2
Along with identifying those who received a good report from God, several verses also give instruction from God with additional light on the greatness of believing. Also in the chapter are two sections which summarize and instruct us how these individuals lived and died in light of all that God had promised. If we were to structure an outline of chapter eleven, it would look like this:
A. = Instruction (from God)
B. = Those Who Received a Good Report (from God)
C. = Summary and Instruction
Verse Verse
1. A. Instruction 17-19. B. Abraham
2. B. The Elders 20. B. Isaac
3. A. Instruction 21. B. Jacob
4. B. Abel 22. B. Joseph
5. B. Enoch 23-29. B. Moses
6. A. Instruction 30. B. Joshua at Jericho
7. B. Noah 31. B. Rahab
8-12. B. Abraham and Sarah 32-38. B. Many Others
13-16. C. Summary and Instruction: 39-40. C. Summary and Instruction:
“These all…not having received the promises….” “These all…received not the promise….”
Let’s read the verses of ‘Summary and Instruction’:
These all died in believing, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city. HEBREWS 11:13-16
And these all, having obtained a good report through believing, received not the promise. HEBREWS 11:39
Although “these all” did obtain a good report from God, they did not receive certain things He had promised. Why? Because those things had not yet come to pass, they were still future.
While living, all of these individuals saw (eidō #2) “afar off” the things promised. They “saw” by perceiving with a clear understanding in their “mind’s eye” the promised things from God. They embraced and were persuaded of those things for which they hoped. So much so that they boldly stated that they were journeying travelers, like a guest from another country. Those who describe themselves that way are plainly declaring that they “seek a country”. The word ‘country’ means one’s own country, or his true homeland! Their soul’s sincere desire was that “better” homeland. Why better? Because it is “a heavenly” homeland! God has prepared “a city” – the heavenly Jerusalem. He was happy and proud to be called their God because they knew what He promised, they believed and hoped for what He promised and boldly lived in light of His promises.
Look how Abraham believed:
By believing Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after [in a future time] receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By believing he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles [tents] with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. HEBREWS 11:8-10
God promised Abraham that he would inherit a land that would be his after the resurrections of the dead. Abraham didn’t scoff at or ridicule this promise. He believed God and was fully persuaded that God would perform exactly as He had stated. When God asked him to move to and live in the land that he would inherit in that future time, he obeyed. He lived there as a foreigner for generations, teaching his son Isaac and grandson Jacob to believe God just as he did. Abraham “looked for a city”. “Looked for” is ekdechomai (#3) ‘to expect to receive from another source’. He looked for and waited with eager anticipation. What was he anticipating? The city whose Builder and Maker is God – the “heavenly Jerusalem”. How did he know to look for this? He had no Scriptures to read like we do. God told him. He made known to Abraham and to others His plan of redemption for man, which includes the resurrections and the heavenly Jerusalem.
Each of the individuals mentioned in this chapter both believed God in their lifetimes and also looked forward to the fulfillment of His promises in the future time of the resurrections of the dead. Here is the great record about Moses:
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect [apoblepō #4] unto the recompense of the reward. HEBREWS 11:26
The phrase “had respect” is the word apoblepō (#4) which means “to look away towards anything, to fix the eyes intently upon." Moses turned from the worldly treasures that were his as the adopted son of the Pharaoh’s daughter, and ‘looked away toward’ the greater riches from God. He fixed his eyes intently upon the promised reward from God. How else could he have put up with the rebellious acts from the children of Israel? His exceptional and unparalleled believing accomplished great things for God’s people, and the fundamental principle that motivated him day by day was “the recompense of the reward”.
Moses, Abraham and each these noteworthy individuals received a good report from God because they steadfastly believed God’s instructions and assuredly hoped in God’s promises for the future. They are examples and an inspiration to us today to take God at His Word. His promises are unchanging and unfailing. Just as they fixed their eyes intently upon His revealed Word and staked their lives, we can believe and hope also.
