Hebrews:11

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* Verse 1-3 - Faith always has been the mark of God 's servants , from the beginning of the world . Where the principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God , it will cause the truth to be received , concerning justification by the sufferings and merits of Christ . And the same things that are the object of our hope , are the object of our faith . It is a firm persuasion and expectation , that God will perform all he has promised to us in Christ . This persuasion gives the soul to enjoy those things now ; it gives them a subsistence or reality in the soul , by the first-fruits and foretastes of them . Faith proves to the mind , the reality of things that cannot be seen by the bodily eye . It is a full approval of all God has revealed , as holy , just , and good . This view of faith is explained by many examples of persons in former times , who obtained a good report , or an honourable character in the word of God . Faith was the principle of their holy obedience , remarkable services , and patient sufferings . The Bible gives the most true and exact account of the origin of all things , and we are to believe it , and not to wrest the Scripture account of the creation , because it does not suit with the differing fancies of men . All that we see of the works of creation , were brought into being by the command of God . * Verse 4-7 - Here follow some illustrious examples of faith from the Old Testament . Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement from the firstlings of the flock , acknowledging himself a sinner who deserved to die , and only hoping for mercy through the great Sacrifice . Cain 's proud rage and enmity against the accepted worshipper of God , led to the awful effects the same principles have produced in every age ; the cruel persecution , and even murder of believers . By faith Abel , being dead , yet speaketh ; he left an instructive and speaking example . Enoch was translated , or removed , that he should not see death ; God took him into heaven , as Christ will do the saints who shall be alive at his second coming . We cannot come to God , unless we believe that he is what he has revealed himself to be in the Scripture . Those who would find God , must seek him with all their heart . Noah 's faith influenced his practice ; it moved him to prepare an ark . His faith condemned the unbelief of others ; and his obedience condemned their contempt and rebellion . Good examples either convert sinners or condemn them . This shows how believers , being warned of God to flee from the wrath to come , are moved with fear , take refuge in Christ , and become heirs of the righteousness of faith . * Verse 8-19 - We are often called to leave worldly connexions , interests , and comforts . If heirs of Abraham 's faith , we shall obey and go forth , though not knowing what may befall us ; and we shall be found in the way of duty , looking for the performance of God 's promises . The trial of Abraham 's faith was , that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God . Sarah received the promise as the promise of God ; being convinced of that , she truly judged that he both could and would perform it . Many , who have a part in the promises , do not soon receive the things promised . Faith can lay hold of blessings at a great distance ; can make them present ; can love them and rejoice in them , though strangers ; as saints , whose home is heaven ; as pilgrims , travelling toward their home . By faith , they overcome the terrors of death , and bid a cheerful farewell to this world , and to all the comforts and crosses of it . And those once truly and savingly called out of a sinful state , have no mind to return into it . All true believers desire the heavenly inheritance ; and the stronger faith is , the more fervent those desires will be . Notwithstanding their meanness by nature , their vileness by sin , and the poverty of their outward condition , God is not ashamed to be called the God of all true believers ; such is his mercy , such is his love to them . Let them never be ashamed of being called his people , nor of any of those who are truly so , how much soever despised in the world . Above all , let them take care that they are not a shame and reproach to their God . The greatest trial and act of faith upon record is , Abraham 's offering up Isaac , Genesis strkjv @22:2 . There , every word shows a trial . It is our duty to reason down our doubts and fears , by looking , as Abraham did , to the Almighty power of God . The best way to enjoy our comforts is , to give them up to God ; he will then again give them as shall be the best for us . Let us look how far our faith has caused the like obedience , when we have been called to lesser acts of self-denial , or to make smaller sacrifices to our duty . Have we given up what was called for , fully believing that the Lord would make up all our losses , and even bless us by the most afflicting dispensations ? * Verse 20-31 - Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau , concerning things to come . Things present are not the best things ; no man knoweth love or hatred by having them or wanting them . Jacob lived by faith , and he died by faith , and in faith . Though the grace of faith is of use always through our whole lives , it is especially so when we come to die . Faith has a great work to do at last , to help the believer to die to the Lord , so as to honour him , by patience , hope , and joy . Joseph was tried by temptations to sin , by persecution for keeping his integrity ; and he was tried by honours and power in the court of Pharaoh , yet his faith carried him through . It is a great mercy to be free from wicked laws and edicts ; but when we are not so , we must use all lawful means for our security . In this faith of Moses ' parents there was a mixture of unbelief , but God was pleased to overlook it . Faith gives strength against the sinful , slavish fear of men ; it sets God before the soul , shows the vanity of the creature , and that all must give way to the will and power of God . The pleasures of sin are , and will be , but short ; they must end either in speedy repentance or in speedy ruin . The pleasures of this world are for the most part the pleasures of sin ; they are always so when we cannot enjoy them without deserting God and his people . Suffering is to be chosen rather than sin ; there being more evil in the least sin , than there can be in the greatest suffering . God 's people are , and always have been , a reproached people . Christ accounts himself reproached in their reproaches ; and thus they become greater riches than the treasures of the richest empire in the world . Moses made his choice when ripe for judgment and enjoyment , able to know what he did , and why he did it . It is needful for persons to be seriously religious ; to despise the world , when most capable of relishing and enjoying it . Believers may and ought to have respect to the recompence of reward . By faith we may be fully sure of God 's providence , and of his gracious and powerful presence with us . Such a sight of God will enable believers to keep on to the end , whatever they may meet in the way . It is not owing to our own righteousness , or best performances , that we are saved from the wrath of God ; but to the blood of Christ , and his imputed righteousness . True faith makes sin bitter to the soul , even while it receives the pardon and atonement . All our spiritual privileges on earth , should quicken us in our way to heaven . The Lord will make even Babylon fall before the faith of his people , and when he has some great thing to do for them , he raises up great and strong faith in them . A true believer is desirous , not only to be in covenant with God , but in communion with the people of God ; and is willing to fare as they fare . By her works Rahab declared herself to be just . That she was not justified by her works appears plainly ; because the work she did was faulty in the manner , and not perfectly good , therefore it could not be answerable to the perfect justice or righteousness of God . * Verse 32-38 - After all our searches into the Scriptures , there is more to be learned from them . We should be pleased to think , how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament , and how strong their faith , though the objects of it were not then so fully made known as now . And we should lament that now , in gospel times , when the rule of faith is more clear and perfect , the number of believers should be so small , and their faith so weak . It is the excellence of the grace of faith , that , while it helps men to do great things , like Gideon , it keeps from high and great thoughts of themselves . Faith , like Barak 's , has recourse unto God in all dangers and difficulties , and then makes grateful returns to God for all mercies and deliverances . By faith , the servants of God shall overcome even the roaring lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour . The believer 's faith endures to the end , and , in dying , gives him victory over death and all his deadly enemies , like Samson . The grace of God often fixes upon very undeserving and ill-deserving persons , to do great things for them and by them . But the grace of faith , wherever it is , will put men upon acknowledging God in all their ways , as Jephthah . It will make men bold and courageous in a good cause . Few ever met with greater trials , few ever showed more lively faith , than David , and he has left a testimony as to the trials and acts of faith , in the book of Psalms , which has been , and ever will be , of great value to the people of God . Those are likely to grow up to be distinguished for faith , who begin betimes , like Samuel , to exercise it . And faith will enable a man to serve God and his generation , in whatever way he may be employed . The interests and powers of kings and kingdoms , are often opposed to God and his people ; but God can easily subdue all that set themselves against him . It is a greater honour and happiness to work righteousness than to work miracles . By faith we have comfort of the promises ; and by faith we are prepared to wait for the promises , and in due time to receive them . And though we do not hope to have our dead relatives or friends restored to life in this world , yet faith will support under the loss of them , and direct to the hope of a better resurrection . Shall we be most amazed at the wickedness of human nature , that it is capable of such awful cruelties to fellow-creatures , or at the excellence of Divine grace , that is able to bear up the faithful under such cruelties , and to carry them safely through all ? What a difference between God 's judgement of a saint , and man 's judgment ! The world is not worthy of those scorned , persecuted saints , whom their persecutors reckon unworthy to live . They are not worthy of their company , example , counsel , or other benefits . For they know not what a saint is , nor the worth of a saint , nor how to use him ; they hate , and drive such away , as they do the offer of Christ and his grace . mhcc @Hebrews:11:39 ,40 @ Verse 39 ,40 - The world considers that the righteous are not worthy to live in the world , and God declares the world is not worthy of them . Though the righteous and the worldlings widely differ in their judgment , they agree in this , it is not fit that good men should have their rest in this world . Therefore God receives them out of it . The apostle tells the Hebrews , that God had provided some better things for them , therefore they might be sure that he expected as good things from them . As our advantages , with the better things God has provided for us , are so much beyond theirs , so should our obedience of faith , patience of hope , and labour of love , be greater . And unless we get true faith as these believers had , they will rise up to condemn us at the last day . Let us then pray continually for the increase of our faith , that we may follow these bright examples , and be , with them , at length made perfect in holiness and happiness , and shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father for evermore . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

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