Heaven’s Unsung Heroes
It seems that as the writer to the Hebrews considers the numerous examples of heroes in the faith that he is simply overwhelmed with awe and amazement.
So for the first time in his letter to the Hebrew Christians he speaks personally {he uses the first person singular pronoun "I"} in verse 32 of Hebrews 11 he says "What more shall I say". He could have went on and on giving detailed example after example, but the thoughts of his heart may have been "if you haven’t got the point by now what more can I say.
The Holy Spirit has been making the point clear; faith Isa continual trust, dependence and confidence in God to bring to pass His eternal and temporal plans, purposes and promises for His people. Therefore it is only through active faith in our lives that we will possess what God has in store for His people in this life and in the life to come.
FAITH BRINGS TRIUMPH
Faith brings triumph to our lives, because when faith is put into operation it is paramount to having almighty God acting on our behalf. Faith in God will always prevail because God cannot fail.
Heaven’s heroes triumphed because by faith; they conquered kingdoms {see Due 1:7-8}, they triumphed by administering justice {see 1Kings 3:28, 2Chor 19:6-7} and they also gained what was promised {see Heb 6:15, Jous 23:14}. They triumphed because by faith; they shut the mouths of lions {see Judg 14:6, 1Sam 17:34-37, Dan 6:21-22}, they were not overcome by fire {see Dan 3:25-28}, they escaped the sword {see 1Kings 19:8-10}. They triumphed because by faith they turned their weakness into strength and overcome armies in battle {see Jud 16:29-30, 1Sam 17:50}. Women triumphed over death by faith, because they believed they would receive their loved ones back from the dead {see 1Kings 7:24, 2Kings 4:8-37, Lk 7:11-15, Jh 11:1-44, Acts 9:36-41}.
As Christians in the world today we may not face the sword or be placed in the fire or fed to the lions. However, scripture reveals we will face the sword of evil tongues that seek to destroy our Christian character {see Ps 57:4, 59:7}. We must face the flaming arrows of the evil one that seek to attack our thoughts with doubts {see Eph 6:16}. We must always be on our guard because the evil one is on the prowl like a roaring lions seek to devour our lives {see 1Pet 5:8}.
In comparison to the ungodly of this world the Church and the Christian are weak, the world has greater wealth, greater technology and greater numbers. However we must remember that scripture does not compare the Church or the Christian with the people of this world because the Church and the Christian are not of this world and what the Church and the Christian has is of greater value than what the world has to offer.
The people of God in the world today have spiritual a armour that is not of this world, they have weapons and a power that is from above, they have a deliverer who will deliver them as Paul put it "from the mouth of the lion". The weakness of the Church and the Christian is its strength, because the greater you natural weakness the greater your trust will be in God {see 2Cor 12:10, 2Tim 4:17, 2Cor 10:4, Eph 6:11-17}.
FAITH BRINGS TRIALS
Faith brings trials to our lives, because if we chose to take the road that leads to triumph then it is inevitable that we will face trials in the Christian life.
Heaven’s heroes suffered trails that put the problems we face today into perspective.
Because of their faith some were tortured and beaten to death, some were mocked and flogged, some were put in prison because of their faith. Others were stoned to death, sawed in two while others were put to death by the sword {see 2Chor 11:23, 1Kings 19:10, 21:10-15, 22:24-28, tradition teaches that the prophet Isaiah was sawed in two}. Because of the faith of heaven’s heroes the world was not worthy of them it was only because of God’s grace and mercy towards the world that they remained in the world to carry God’s message to those who persecuted and mistreated them, because of their faith had to wander in deserts and hid in caves {see 2Kings 1:8, 18:13, 19:4, 1Sam 13:6, Zec 13:14}.
However small a persons problem is to you the pain they feel may be like "the edge of the sword" to them. However minor our problems in comparison to others and there is always someone worse off than you, God still cares for you and no problem is to small for God to deal with.
Trails that we suffer because of our faith are what make us what we are in the Christian life, "winners or looser".
The winner in the Christian life gets closer and closer to the finishing line whatever the trial while the looser falls and gives up at the first problem {see Jam 1:2-18, 1Pet 1:3-9}.
As God’s people we must seek to remember trails that are suffered because of our faith will lead us to triumph in the Christian life even those who were martyred for Christ will triumph in the end {see Rom 8:17}.
FAITH BRINGS TRIBUTE
Heaven’s heroes were not commended for their appearance or their intellect, the only quality in them that brought a tribute from heaven was their faith that continually trusted in God against all the odds.
For God to pay a tribute or honour some one simply means that God values or considers that person precious to Him. The greatest tribute we can receive from heaven has to be "well done my good and faithful servant", Jesus said "that his Father in heaven would honour those who service Him".
If we will serve the Lord through the trials of the Christian life the end result will be the triumph of a tribute from the throne of grace saying "this is my child with whom I am well pleased" {see Jh 12:26, 1Pet 1:7}.
The writer to the Hebrews concludes this roll of honour with the all embracing collective noun "us" because they were waiting to share with us in the fulfilment of God’s greatest promised which is salvation through the atoning work of Christ {see Heb 2:10, 8:6-7, 10:14, 12:23}.
