24 Hall of Faith – Part 4

In this final section of the chapter, the author continued providing examples of individuals who walked by faith in times past.

1 Faith of Moses and His Parents

Not only did the author discuss the faith of Moses, but he began by addressing the faith his parents had displayed:

Hebrews 11:23-29

Moses’ parents were both Levites. The text states that they considered him to be “beautiful”. The particular Greek word used here, is <asteion> which means, special, delightful, and precious.

So, Moses’ parents sensed that there was indeed something special about him.

They were living at the time when Israel was in bondage to Egypt, and with his desire to control the Hebrews, Pharaoh had ordered that all male Hebrew babies were to be killed.

So, when Moses’ parents hid him, they were exhibiting great faith, by expressing the belief that God could and preserve their child:

Exodus 2:3

They were willing to trust God, even when it meant disobeying Pharaoh who was the most powerful man in the world.

In verse 24, after discussing the faith of Moses’ parents, he then turned to the faith of Moses himself.

After Moses’ mother (providentially) had hidden him in reeds at the edge of the Nile, he was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, who then took him, to raise him as her own son.

Showing how God’s providence was at work, Pharaoh’s daughter looked for a Hebrew woman to care for the baby, and in God’s providence, it would turn out to be Moses’ own mother Jochebed.

So, while it would be her job to raise the young child, she also obviously told him about his Hebrew heritage, and therefore connection to the true God.

That identification even grew, when on one occasion he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave:

Exodus 2:11-12

While Moses was indeed a sinner, having taken someone’s life, he still understood the difference between the worldliness of Egypt, and God’s requirements for His people.

Scripture frequently portrays Egypt as a “type” for the world.

Moses, therefore, decided he would rather be associated with the Lord (and His people) rather than Egypt and the world.

By forsaking Egypt, and because Moses had been raised by the king’s daughter as her own son, he would then face Pharoah’s wrath.

In verse 28, the author then showed how it was Moses’ faith in the Lord, which enabled him to keep the first Passover.

It was his faith, which enabled him to believe that the blood of a lamb applied to a doorpost, would save those within a home from the angel of death.

This did not only require Moses’ personal faith, but it would also require him to instruct the people in what would take place.

Then, in verse 29, the author shows the faith it took to lead the people to cross the Red Sea, with the Egyptian army in pursuit.

2 Faith that Overcomes

Hebrews 11:30-40

After discussing the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, the author then spoke of another great familiar miracle, that of the Lord bringing down the walls of Jericho.

Great faith was required, as the people were to march around the wall for seven days, without seeing any results. Yet, they had to trust that the Lord would destroy the seemingly impregnable, well-fortified walls of the city.

One commentator described the faith required, as “patient” and “anticipating” faith.

In verse 31, the author mentioned an unbelieving prostitute Rahab, who hid two Hebrew spies from the armies of Jericho. Even though Rahab did not know the God of the Israelites, she saw the faith of the two Hebrews, and she came to believe in their God through them.

Verse 32 marks a departure, by speaking of several of Israel’s judges, Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, in addition to both David and Samuel, all men who displayed varying degrees of faith in carrying out God’s work.

One of the reason the author simply grouped these men, was most likely because his primary Jewish audience would be fully aware of the exploits of each man.

In verse 33, he mentioned well know incidents in Israel’s history, in which faith was a major factor.

• The first was when Elijah challenged the faith of a widow in Zarephath to believe that God would provide food for her and her son, even though they had very limited resources. While the Lord did so, the woman would require even greater faith, as her son died, and the Lord would use Elijah to bring him back to life:

1 Kings 17

• A similar account took place when the Lord used the prophet Elisha to raise a Shunamite’s son from the dead:

2 Kings 4

In verse 39, the author reiterates something he’d discussed previously, that these individuals did not experience the fulfillment during their lifetimes.

Yet, in the closing verse, the author shifted to the blessing which all believers have, because of the finished work of Christ:

Hebrews 11:40

The believer has the wonderful knowledge, that God will continue that which He has begun in us:

Philippians 1:6