Hall of Faith
Many modern commentators and teachers refer to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews as the “Hall of Faith”. Like a typical Hall of Fame, this chapter lists the names of many of the “greats” of the faith. It lists of people of God who remained faithful to God in spite of adversity.
These men and women were willing to press through the pressures and cares of their life toward the prize of eternal life. Even more impressive, the people listed in this chapter did so without even having the full revelation of Christ to understand God’s plan of redemption fully!
Those Honored
After the more explicit list of accolades (names we recognize like Abraham and Moses), the chapter recognizes still more who lived in faith in a summarized way to wrap it up.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection.
Hebrews 11:32-35a
This chapter is full of names we recognize because history is a record of their successes. These were kings, warriors, those who saw miracles, those who were the end of wicked nations. We can remember Gideon going from a boy hiding in the winepresses to a great judge who defeated the enemies of Israel. They received glory in this life and the next, because ultimately they gave their temporary glory in this life to God.
Rather than claim that it was their might that accomplished these worldly successes, they acknowledge that it was God’s might that made them anything more than someone hiding away, hoping not to be noticed.
Those Despised
However, there is another set of believers that this chapter gives recognition to. It is those who never conquered kingdoms and yet who still faithfully lived their lives for God. They aren’t typically people who’s names we remember, because they aren’t the sort acknowledged for changing history.
Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Hebrews 11:35b-38
From the 7,000 who would be the consolation of Elijah because they never bowed to Baal(1 Kings 19:18) to the martyrs of the church throughout our history who suffered imprisonment and worse for refusing to deny our faith, we do not know most of their names. They weren’t men who conquered nations or received back double what they had lost like Job (Job 42:10).
Yet this verse counts them as men and women “of whom the world was not worthy”. While the world looks on such people as those who gave up everything, the creator of the universe sees them as those whom the world was foolish to surrender. Rather than acts of debasement, their mistreatment is how the world heaps up it’s own shame and unworthiness.
Undefeated
While it is right to recognize the faithfulness of those through whom God has used to change the world. We must be careful not to forget that great honor is reserved for those who do not change the world because the world didn’t deserve them.
Throughout history, how many great men and women have stood for Christ when the world would not listen? How many locked shields with faithful brothers and sisters to stand firm against a wicked world and were imprisoned or executed? How many cowards pointed to that as evidence that God was not with such a bold stand for the faith?
It is never a wrong time to be unyielding in the faith. You may change the world or perhaps the world is not worthy. Either way, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. When the world rejects Christ, it is not an indictment of the methods of believers but of the world itself.
Christ has already overcome the world. Whether it remains for us to see revival or persecution, those who are faithful to him remain undefeated! It is the world that is lesser for having not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Luke 10:13-16
