Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Leviticus 15-16; Hebrews 11:20-40
Heros in the faith – Hebrews 11:20-40 (NIV)
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[a]
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[b] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
What does this passage mean to me/us? Contributed by Eric Anderson
Verse after verse we read of people that let their faith lead them to do God-sized things. These are remarkable stories especially when you look at them in the light of the fact that the outcome was not certain when these men and women stepped out in faith. What was certain was that in their hearts they knew they were following God.
I am moved by the fact that their faithfulness called them to act even though the couldn’t see the end result. I pray that my faith would lead me to do the same. These were no heroes in their own time but ordinary people who believed that God would do what he said he would do.
I am reminded of the Chorus to “Do it Again” by Elevation Worship that speaks powerfully to this kind of faith.
“Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed me yet”
And then further in the song the bridge reinforces this message with these words.
“I’ve seen You move, come move the mountains
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again”
God is in the way making business. He asks us only to be faithful and trust in him for the outcome.
Prayer
God of Promise, I pray that you would give me the ability of faith. The kind of faith that can move mountains. The kind of faith that helped these heroes of the faith to step out into uncharted waters and dangerous places. Grant me the peace from knowing that you meant it when you told them “I will be with you” and the confidence in believing you will do it again for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Click to subscribe to our Daily Devotion.
You will receive a devotion in your inbox every morning.