Depending on God

 

The Bible gives many examples of the benefits of depending on God. He is completely dependable. Learning to fully rely on God is a vital aspect of faith.

There are times when you just can’t possibly do anything more.

King Hezekiah was at that point. Surrounded and besieged by the powerful Assyrian army of Sennacherib, Hezekiah had dug a tunnel to protect the city’s water supply, fortified the walls and prepared the army. He had done everything that could physically be done to preserve Israel—and it still wasn’t enough.

Sennacherib sent one of his chief officers to threaten Hezekiah and to warn the kingdom of Judah of its impending doom (Isaiah 36).

Upon hearing the words of Sennacherib’s officer, Hezekiah knew what he needed to do: he fell to his knees and prayed to God in faith (Isaiah 37:14-20). He fully depended on God. In doing so, he turned to a power that Assyria could not rival or comprehend.

In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God wiped out 185,000 enemy soldiers in a single night and turned back the mighty Assyrian army (Isaiah 37:36-38).

God is great!

Hezekiah’s most important action in the entire affair was not fortifying the walls, securing his water source or arming his city. The action that made the difference was Hezekiah’s prayer and that he was depending on God for the victory. This was based on a powerful realization: God is much greater than man.

What Hezekiah could never have accomplished in a million lifetimes, God did in a single night. Although God obviously has no literal weaknesses, Paul expressed in human terms that God, at His weakest, is far greater than mankind at his very best (1 Corinthians 1:25). All of the nations, with their power and splendor, are no more significant than a drop of water in a bucket compared to God (Isaiah 40:15).

We can depend on God

When we consider the power of God, it should only seem natural that we depend on Him as Hezekiah did. Instead, mankind often avoids looking to Him and instead finds something inferior to trust in.

Ancient Israel was a nation that should have known that they could depend on God. They had seen the mighty Egyptian empire destroyed by a series of 10 supernatural plagues. They had watched God annihilate the feared army of Egypt in a spectacular miracle at the Red Sea. The Israelites had even been through numerous battles that demonstrated God’s power and faithfulness.

When the time came to take a leap of faith, however, they failed. Instead of depending on God for help to conquer their new lands, they cried and declared it hopeless. They listened to 10 faithless spies and ignored God’s specific promises to help them as they fought (Numbers 14).

Bible verses about relying on God not man

The Bible makes clear that instead of relying on people, we’re much better off depending on God.

Psalm 118:8-9 says, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”

Psalm 146:3-6 adds, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.

“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever.”

In the book of Jeremiah, God is even more explicit: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes. …

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

The dangers of relying on others, ourselves or things

Yet often it seems easier to depend on other people for help instead of going to God. Humans, whether good or bad, are visible, while God is invisible and often works behind the scenes.

Even if we know how powerful God is and have experienced His wonderful deliverance before, it can be easy to turn back to people during our next hardship.

This was what happened in the tragic life of King Asa.

Asa, a powerful king of Judah, had watched God perform a mighty military victory for him against Ethiopia (2 Chronicles 14). Years later, a similar challenge came from neighboring Israel. But instead of turning to God, this time Asa chose to ally himself with Syria, an enemy of God (2 Chronicles 16:1-6).

One of the most common mistakes made throughout human history is depending on our own strength. It can be easy to see ourselves as invincible and able to do anything, but the sad reality is that we’re frail, limited humans. Even at our best, we can be one moment away from irreparable tragedy.

The only sure thing that we can fully depend on—that we know will never let us down—is our unfailing God!For this reason, the Bible sees those who rely on their own strength instead of God as laughable (Psalm 52:6-7).

Even more foolish than depending on ourselves is depending on physical things. Many depend on money, which represents wealth and security. Others depend on hoarding and stockpiling physical supplies that will eventually run out or decay. Some even depend on physical images that people have shaped and formed. These idols are not capable of helping us, and to depend on them is the height of folly (Psalm 135:15-18).

The only sure thing that we can fully depend on—that we know will never let us down—is our unfailing God!

Benefits of depending on God

There’s no doubt about the power and might of God and His ability to help us, regardless of our situation. We can depend on God in our hard times and severe trials. Other times, our circumstances might seem trivial—too trivial to bother a God who “removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21).

Yet the Bible tells us to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). It actively encourages us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). God is powerful enough to handle our hard times as well as our small problems.

When we go to God in prayer and place a matter in His hands, God can handle it in any number of ways. Sometimes those ways are obvious and clearly miraculous. Other times, they are more subtle, but just as wonderful.

Here are three ways God helps when we depend on Him.

1. God fights our battles for us.

Sometimes God decides to take the matter completely out of our hands, particularly if the trouble is too great for us to handle. There are many examples throughout Israel’s history when God did this. The nation of Israel started out with such a miracle at the Red Sea, where God miraculously destroyed the army of Egypt (despite Israel’s lack of faith) in order to deliver His people (Exodus 14).

During the time of the judges, Israel again needed a miraculous deliverance. Working with a man named Gideon, God made sure that Israel knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was God who had delivered them by having only 300 men go against an innumerable army (Judges 7).

God caused fear and confusion to strike the enemy army before Gideon even had a chance to raise His sword, and He enabled Israel to gain the victory that day.

2. God helps those who help themselves.

Depending on God isn’t always a matter of washing our hands of all responsibility. Many times we still have to do our part, and then God blesses our efforts. Acknowledging that the final outcome is in God’s capable hands, we still do all that we can toward that outcome.

If we have done nothing to prepare for an exam or job interview, for example, we can’t assume God will miraculously make up for our lack of preparation. God does expect us to do our part. Once we do, God can bless our efforts in ways that we cannot imagine, as He did with the widowed Ruth. (For more on Ruth, read our article “Ruth” in the “Women of Faith” section.)

3. God provides the strength we need.

There are also times when depending on God doesn’t seem to work. There are times when we ask God for help on our job, and then we’re fired. Or we pray for a loved one, but the loved one remains ill or dies.

Situations like these don’t mean that God has let us down or dropped out of our lives. He’s still there, but He is working things out differently than we had expected or desired.

Times like these hurt. There can be moments when we think we’re going to break because the pain is so great. Like Job, we can feel completely abandoned by God and wonder where He’s at. It can be all too easy to give up, to decide that depending on God doesn’t work.

The truth is that these are the times when we must depend on God the most. He’s still there, still working with us. Instead of preventing the trial, however, He has decided in His extraordinary wisdom to take us through it.

God doesn’t promise that it’ll be easy, but if you humbly and obediently depend on Him, He promises that He’ll get you through it.In times like these, there are a number of encouraging scriptures that we can study (see our section on “Encouraging Bible Verses”).

One of the most encouraging scriptures to consider when we’re tempted to give up is 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

God doesn’t promise that it’ll be easy, but if you humbly and obediently depend on Him, He promises that He’ll get you through it.

Depending on God day by day

We generally think of depending on God in hard times and in trials—which we certainly should do. But relying on our Creator isn’t limited only to times of hardship. Instead, God wants us to depend on Him for all of our needs day by day.

When Israel was in the wilderness and worried about starving to death, God provided the people with manna from heaven to keep them going. He didn’t give them all the manna they would ever need in one batch, or even a week’s worth. Instead, God provided Israel with the manna on a day-by-day basis for 40 years (Exodus 16).

Spiritually, the lesson is the same. Jesus Christ talked about the manna God gave Israel and then said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:32, 35). Just as ancient Israel had to rely on God for their daily bread, we need to go to God every single day.

We are to depend on God at all times, not just during our times of dire need (Psalm 62:8).

Dependent, not complacent

One of the greatest dangers that we face is becoming complacent—not recognizing our complete and utter need for God. It is all too easy to become comfortable with God’s blessings and forget that He is the source of all the good we have (Isaiah 17:10).

If we forget God, we can end up assuming that we—frail, helpless, dependent human beings—accomplished all of the good in our lives and that we’re worthy of the credit (Deuteronomy 8:11-17).

When we become complacent, we make foolish mistakes. Instead of depending on God, we start to make decisions without Him, pursuing our own will and doing things on our own. Often, this leads us deeper into sin and away from God’s will.

We have to remember that God is our Creator and the source of all of our blessings. It’s our responsibility to thank Him, praise Him and depend on Him every day.

What Is Living Faith?

 

Living faith is the kind of faith God wants us to have. What is living faith? How do we receive faith, and how do we demonstrate and grow in living faith? How do we avoid having a dead faith?

In the midst of trials many people wonder if they have enough faith or feel their faith is failing. Our world seems designed to undermine faith and to promote doubt. Can your faith withstand this onslaught?

It can if it is a living faith. The Bible describes both a dead faith and a living faith. The living faith can grow and be active in good times and bad times.

Do you have enough faith? Do you have the right type of faith? How can you know what faith is, and how do you show it and increase it?

What faith is

The book of Hebrews gives us vital background about faith.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Biblical faith is based on the sure, unchanging promises of the faithful God. He always fulfills His promises. He is completely trustworthy.

Faith means recognizing God’s faithfulness and believing Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is [that the Creator God exists], and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (verse 6).

We grow in faith by studying the Bible and seeing what God has done in the past and what He promises for the future. It also requires that we “diligently seek Him” and strive to be like Him.

But can we just work up faith or will ourselves to have faith? Where does faith first come from according to the Bible? How does it save us?

Saving faith is a living faith

The apostle Paul wrote about the awesome gifts God has given to those who follow in Jesus’ steps:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, King James Version).

Though some translations render it “faith in the Son of God,” understanding it as “the faith of the Son of God” helps us recognize the source of saving faith.

Even the seed of faith is God’s gift. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

The next verse, though, has caused some confusion: “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (verse 9).

Certainly no amount of works can earn us forgiveness or any of the gifts of God. They come from His grace and mercy. But does that mean good works are not an important part of the Christian life?

Not at all. Consider verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

God works through Christians, producing a life full of good works. Jesus stressed the importance of remaining connected to Him and thus bearing good fruit and obeying His commandments:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. …

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:5, 10).

James also emphasized this point, clarifying the close, symbiotic relationship between a living faith and works.

Dead faith vs. living faith

The book of James includes an extended section comparing what James calls a dead faith with living faith. He wanted to clear up any misunderstanding of the subject.

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

“If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

A living faith is an active faith. We show our belief in God and His way of life by striving to live like our loving God and follow the laws and wise principles He gives us in the Bible.“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

“Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

“Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:14-26).

A living faith is an active faith. We show our belief in God and His way of life by striving to live like our loving God and follow the laws and wise principles He gives us in the Bible.

How do you show faith?

As we saw in James 2, we should show faith by caring for the needy (verses 15-16). James also addressed the importance of caring for orphans and widows in the previous chapter:

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

James also gave the examples of Abraham, who demonstrated his faith by obeying God (2:21), and Rahab, who showed faith by protecting the Israelite spies she knew were on a mission from God (2:25). Doing what God commands and supporting God’s work are essential ways of showing living faith.

James also gives instructions about the attitude with which we should do these good works. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom” (3:13). Study more about meekness and wisdom in our articles “Blessed Are the Meek” and “The Importance of Wisdom and How to Become Wiser.”

How do you live by faith?

To live by faith, first we must avoid pride.

“Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).

Pride is a root of many sins, and in Habakkuk 2 God associates pride with greed, violence, substance abuse and much more. All of these self-centered actions are in opposition to the humble obedience and steadfastness of the faithful.

This passage is quoted three times in the New Testament, adding to our understanding of God’s part and our part in living by faith. In Romans 1:16-17 Paul explains the good news that people of all backgrounds can take part in the “righteousness of God.” God is the source and gives us the definition of righteousness—His commandments (Psalm 119:172).

Paul again quotes “the just shall live by faith” in Galatians 3:11 to make the point that future obedience can never pay for past sins. Only Jesus Christ’s sacrifice can justify us—wipe the slate clean of our sins and give us a new start.

But then what does God want us to do with that clean slate? He definitely does not want us to return to sin (Romans 6:1-2).

Living by faith also means continually and faithfully enduring to the end.Faith allows us to see the faithfulness of God. He is love and always acts according to His laws that help define love (Romans 13:9-10). And so faith motivates us to also become faithful and obedient. Living faith means to strive to live as Jesus lived. This means to diligently do what the apostle John wrote:

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. …

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 2:6; 5:3).

Living by faith also means continually and faithfully enduring to the end.

“Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38).

That’s a scary thought when we are tempted to draw back or give up. But the author of Hebrews didn’t leave it there. In the last verse of chapter 10 he encouraged his readers, “But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (verse 39). This leads into Hebrews 11, the Faith Chapter.

In summary, living faith leads us to:

• Live like Jesus Christ.
• Obey God’s laws.
• Care for our families, Church members and others in need.
• Trust in God in good times and in fiery trials.
• Resist Satan.
• Endure to the end and receive the gift of eternal life.

There is much more to the vital subject of living faith in the Bible. We encourage you to study more about how to increase in living faith in our article “How to Grow in Faith.”

Hebrews 11: The Faith Chapter

 

Hebrews 11 has been called the Faith Chapter. It lists many of the biblical heroes of faith, and it shows what living faith looks like and what it will produce.

One of the most famous chapters in the Bible gives memorable summaries of Old Testament heroes of faith and shows what these men and women did that so pleased God. These brief vignettes of faithful and faith-filled people of God demonstrate the power of trust in God and how to grow in it.

This Hebrews 11 Bible study will explore the chapter to find what God wants us to learn about faith today.

The context of Hebrews 11, the Faith Chapter

The book of Hebrews contains exhortations, warnings and encouragement to Jewish Christians facing trials and was probably written not long before the Romans destroyed God’s temple and its worship system in A.D. 70. The book gives reminders of how Jesus Christ superseded the Old Covenant priesthood and sacrifices.

In chapter 10, the author reminds the readers that God is faithful (verse 23) and that the just shall live by faith (verse 38). This is especially important as the time of Jesus Christ’s return approaches (verses 25 and 37).

This leads into a discussion of what faith is and what it looks like.

Faith: the evidence of things not seen

The Faith Chapter begins with this key summary:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). “Substance” can mean essence or reality, and “evidence” can mean proof or conviction. Faith gives us solid assurance that God’s promises will be fulfilled and a clear vision of the invisible spiritual reality.

The author of Hebrews “is particularly interested in the opposition of faith to sight. Faith is ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen’ (Heb. 11:1). He emphasizes the point that men who had nothing in the way of outward evidence to support them nevertheless retained a firm hold on the promises of God. In other words, they walked by faith, not by sight” (New Bible Dictionary, “Faith,” 1982, p. 368).

Faith provides spiritual vision

This spiritual vision is demonstrated in an example recounted in 2 Kings 6:14-17. In this chapter, the king of Syria was making war against Israel. When he heard rumors that God’s prophet Elisha was supernaturally aware of the Syrian battle plans, the king of Syria “sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

“And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’

“So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’

“And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Elisha’s servant was encouraged by seeing with own his eyes the powerful spiritual reality that Elisha already saw by the spiritual vision of faith.

The kind of faith that pleases God

Hebrews 11:6 gives another foundational summary statement about faith: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Coming to know that God exists is a starting point. We know the universe exists—we can see it, hear it, touch it, measure it. But how did it come to be? How could anything come out of nothing?

It physically can’t happen. However, “by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (verse 3). Read Romans 1:20 and study more about God as the Creator in our section “Is There a God?”

He is a loving, giving God—“a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”But believing God exists is not enough—even the evil demons “believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19).

To please God and to be motivated to faithfully follow God’s commands, we must also believe that His awesome promises for the future are true. He can foresee the future because He is all-knowing and all-powerful. And He can control the future. He is a loving, giving God—“a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Assured and motivated by faith

Hebrews 11:13-16 demonstrates how these heroes of faith were motivated by their spiritual vision and steadfast belief in God’s promises:

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

“For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

“And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

That wonderful country is elsewhere described as the Kingdom of God that Jesus will bring to this earth at His return. The amazing city He has prepared is called the New Jerusalem, which comes to the new earth in Revelation 21 and 22.

Study more about His amazing promises in our free booklet God’s Purpose for You: Discovering Why You Were Born.

Heroes of faith

The bulk of the Faith Chapter involves stories of faithful men and women from the Old Testament. Altogether 16 heroes of faith are named, and the stories of many others are summarized.

Hebrews 11:4-7 lists three faithful men from the time before the Flood:

• Abel (Hebrews 11:4; his story is told in Genesis 4:2-10).
• Enoch (Hebrews 11:5; his story is found in Genesis 5:21-24).
• Noah (Hebrews 11:7; his story fills Genesis chapters 6-9).

Hebrews 11:20-22 lists three more men who acted on faith:

• Isaac (Hebrews 11:20; this event is recorded in Genesis 27:26-40).
• Jacob (Hebrews 11:21; this story is in Genesis 48:1-20).
• Joseph (Hebrews 11:22; this story is found in Genesis 50:24-25).

“With all three the significant thing was their firm conviction that death cannot frustrate God’s purposes” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, note on Hebrews 11:20-22).

Rahab also is given a verse to herself in Hebrews 11:31. Her story is recounted in Joshua 2 and 6.

In addition, six more men are listed in one verse, Hebrews 11:32:

• Gideon (see Judges 6:11-40; 7:1-25).
• Barak (Judges 4:6-24).
• Samson (Judges 13:24–16:31).
• Jephthah (Judges 11; 12:1-7).
• David (see especially 1 Samuel 16 and 17).
• Samuel (see especially 1 Samuel 7:3-17).

This summary takes stock of the final outcome and the faith shown by these men. The Old Testament stories are not sanitized or stories of perfect people. Sometimes their flaws are as memorable as their faith. But in the end, the writer of Hebrews focuses on their examples of faith, which we can learn from.

After listing these six, he adds “and the prophets,” evoking dozens more stories told throughout the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament. Learn more in our section on the “Prophets of the Bible.”

Abraham’s faith

Abraham is mentioned 10 times in the book of Hebrews, and his example of faith is a major one in Hebrews 11. Abraham and Sarah’s story is told in verses 8-12 and 17-19.

His story began with God’s command to leave his homeland (Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1-4). “To leave the certainties one knows and go out into what is quite unknown—relying on nothing other than the Word of God—is the essence of faith” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, note on Hebrews 11:8).

Sarah’s faith is highlighted in verse 11. She and Abraham waited a quarter century—long past Sarah’s childbearing years—to have the promised son, Isaac (Genesis 12:1-4; 17:19; 18:10-14; 21:1-2, 5).

Then Abraham’s greatest test came as God asked him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22). After 25 years of waiting for this promised son, and after seeing the miracle of his birth to a woman past childbearing age, Abraham would have been shocked and confused. But He knew God, the giver of life, “was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19).

Though God did not require faithful Abraham to follow through, this incident was preserved as an object lesson in the tremendous sacrifice God the Father and Jesus Christ actually made for us. Read more about this in our article “The Faith of Abraham.”

Faith of Moses

Moses’ story of faith also received longer treatment in Hebrews 11:23-29. The story begins with Moses’ parents hiding him to protect him from Pharaoh’s command to kill all Israelite baby boys (verse 23; Exodus 2:1-10). Their faith was rewarded as he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the royal court.

But when the time came, Moses himself chose to give up the “passing pleasures of sin” that Egypt pictured and to suffer “the reproach of Christ”—the affliction faced by God’s people (Hebrews 11:24-26; Exodus 2:11-15).

“Moses looked forward to the ‘reward.’ … He was not deceived by the glitter of the Egyptian court and the security of worldly safety” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, note on Hebrews 11:26).

Faith allowed Moses to leave Egypt twice (Exodus 2:15; 12:31-42). It allowed the Israelites to be spared from the death of the firstborn on the Passover night (Exodus 12:21-28). And faith allowed them to walk between walls of water through the Red Sea, while the Egyptian army chasing them was destroyed (Exodus 14).

Women of faith in the Bible

In addition to Sarah and Rahab mentioned above, Hebrews 11 summarizes many other stories of faith, including women who “received their dead raised to life again.”In addition to Sarah and Rahab mentioned above, Hebrews 11 summarizes many other stories of faith, including women who “received their dead raised to life again” (verse 35). Prominent Old Testament examples of this include the raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24) and the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37).

Read more about faith-filled women in our “Women of Faith” section.

Faith and God’s timing

Hebrews 11:33-38 summarizes what these named and unnamed heroes of faith did and what they endured. The examples of God’s miraculous interventions (verses 33-35a) can help build our faith, as we recognize that no problem is too hard for God.

But God reminds us that His ultimate promises are not in this life, and that faith is also a gift to help us endure the terrible trials of this evil age. God’s people have not always been spared from trials, tortures and martyrdom (verses 35b-38). Their faith and endurance prepared them for the awesome future God has planned.

Though we know God can protect and heal us in any circumstance, we do not know if He will in each situation. Faith means “we’re not sure what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. … It is the response of obedience that qualifies the characters in ch. 11 as people of great faith” (NKJV Study Bible, p. 2095, “Heroes of Faith”).

Amazingly, God has waited to add “us”—New Testament Christians—to the rolls of the faithful before any “receive the promise” (Hebrews 11:39-40). The ultimate promise is resurrection to eternal life as a child of God at Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 John 3:2; see our article “Purpose of Life”).

After studying the Faith Chapter

What should these lessons and examples of faith do in our lives? Chapter 12 continues with an exhortation to overcome sin and to endure:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

The author and finisher of our faith

Then comes the encouragement to look to greatest example of faith and endurance:

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (verse 2).

Jesus is the author of our faith because faith itself begins as a gift to those who are called to follow Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). It is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Jesus is the finisher of our faith because “He is our example and model, for He focused on the joy that was set before Him. His attention was not on the agonies of the Cross, but on the crown; not on the suffering, but the reward” (NKJV Study Bible, note on Hebrews 12:2).

With Jesus Christ’s example and help, we don’t need to succumb to weariness and discouragement (verse 3). We will learn that even chastening shows God’s love (verses 5-11).

Chapter 13 powerfully sums up the foundation of our faith and the source of our encouragement: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (verses 5-6).

God is faithful, and He wants us to believe in Him and believe Him. He gives faith and wants us to grow in faith. Study more about this vital subject in these articles:

• What Is Faith?
• God’s Promises: Rock-Solid Hope and Assurance
• How to Grow in Faith
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