And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
These all are Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful patriarchs, apostles and heroes of faith from age to age who form the cloud of witnesses surrounding believers. They obtained commendation and approval through faith although subject to human weakness, frailty and struggles with temptation, yet they did not receive the promised reward and fulfillment in their lifetime. They held to the promise with patience and faith, looking beyond what is seen toward the unseen heavenly city built by God, pleasing Him by confidence, communion and obedience and proving their faith by works, while some endured torture, mockery, imprisonment, violent deaths, poverty and wandering in hope of a better resurrection. God provided something better so that those earlier believers would not be made perfect apart from the later faithful. The same faith that worked in them can work in believers today to meet trials, brace against evil and conquer in the Lord's strength, letting their light shine to those in darkness and maintaining steadfast integrity against great odds.
The Faithful and Promise
These all are Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful men of old, including the patriarchs and apostles and the heroes of faith from age to age. They are the cloud of witnesses surrounding believers.
They obtained a good report through faith, being commended and approved by God. This commendation came although they were subject to human weakness and frailty, to discouragement, and to struggles with temptation. They struggled through discouragement, at times fell under temptation, then recovered their ground and were blessed of God.
They did not receive the promise in their lifetime, not the promised reward and fulfillment. Some endured torture rather than accept release, hoping for a better resurrection, while others suffered mockery, imprisonment, violent deaths, poverty, and wandering.
They held to the promise with patience and faith rather than turning back, and faith leads to the saving of the soul. They looked beyond discouraging things that are seen toward the unseen, and sought a better country, the heavenly city built by God. They walked with God and pleased Him by confidence, communion, and godly fear believing His Word, reached greater and still greater heights of faith, honored Him by faith and proved their faith by works, so God was not ashamed to be called their God. God provided something better for the later faithful as well, so that those earlier believers would not be made perfect apart from them.
Encouragement for Believers Today
The heroes of faith were marked from age to age by fidelity to God, and by fidelity joined with obedience. They were brought conspicuously before the world so that their light might shine to those in darkness. Their approved, faithful lives lead others to glorify God.
The record of what faith did in God's servants in the past stands so that the same faith may work in believers today. That faith helps meet trials and carry burdens. God works through hearts of faith, making them channels of His power.
The cloud of witnesses are those who met evils and difficulties in their way and in the Lord's name braced themselves against opposing forces of evil and overcame them successfully. Patriarchs and apostles, though subject to human weakness, frailty, and struggles with temptation, fought their battles in the Lord's strength and conquered gloriously. They were sustained and strengthened, held by God's hand and blessed of God, even when they fell under temptation, passed through discouragement, then recovered their ground. Their example stays the fainting heart with hope of God's mercy, encouraging desponding believers facing discouragement, failure, and despair not to despair but to trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and overcome through faith in Jesus, as overcomers in His name.
Their experience gives instruction for workers serving God, who are to go forward in faith, do their best, watch, work, and pray, trusting God to hear and answer. In doing so they gain valuable experience for future service. The same faith is seen in those who live with self-denial, submit their will to God, and make doing good and saving souls their highest aim.
Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful men of old maintained integrity against great odds in a time no more favorable to righteous character than the present. Their example of steadfast integrity remains till the end of time as an encouragement to all who follow the Lord.
These all are Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful patriarchs, apostles and heroes of faith from age to age who form the cloud of witnesses surrounding believers. They obtained commendation and approval through faith although subject to human weakness, frailty and struggles with temptation, yet they did not receive the promised reward and fulfillment in their lifetime. They held to the promise with patience and faith, looking beyond what is seen toward the unseen heavenly city built by God, pleasing Him by confidence, communion and obedience and proving their faith by works, while some endured torture, mockery, imprisonment, violent deaths, poverty and wandering in hope of a better resurrection. God provided something better so that those earlier believers would not be made perfect apart from the later faithful. The same faith that worked in them can work in believers today to meet trials, brace against evil and conquer in the Lord's strength, letting their light shine to those in darkness and maintaining steadfast integrity against great odds.
The Faithful and Promise
These all are Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful men of old, including the patriarchs and apostles and the heroes of faith from age to age. They are the cloud of witnesses surrounding believers.
They obtained a good report through faith, being commended and approved by God. This commendation came although they were subject to human weakness and frailty, to discouragement, and to struggles with temptation. They struggled through discouragement, at times fell under temptation, then recovered their ground and were blessed of God.
They did not receive the promise in their lifetime, not the promised reward and fulfillment. Some endured torture rather than accept release, hoping for a better resurrection, while others suffered mockery, imprisonment, violent deaths, poverty, and wandering.
They held to the promise with patience and faith rather than turning back, and faith leads to the saving of the soul. They looked beyond discouraging things that are seen toward the unseen, and sought a better country, the heavenly city built by God. They walked with God and pleased Him by confidence, communion, and godly fear believing His Word, reached greater and still greater heights of faith, honored Him by faith and proved their faith by works, so God was not ashamed to be called their God. God provided something better for the later faithful as well, so that those earlier believers would not be made perfect apart from them.
Encouragement for Believers Today
The heroes of faith were marked from age to age by fidelity to God, and by fidelity joined with obedience. They were brought conspicuously before the world so that their light might shine to those in darkness. Their approved, faithful lives lead others to glorify God.
The record of what faith did in God's servants in the past stands so that the same faith may work in believers today. That faith helps meet trials and carry burdens. God works through hearts of faith, making them channels of His power.
The cloud of witnesses are those who met evils and difficulties in their way and in the Lord's name braced themselves against opposing forces of evil and overcame them successfully. Patriarchs and apostles, though subject to human weakness, frailty, and struggles with temptation, fought their battles in the Lord's strength and conquered gloriously. They were sustained and strengthened, held by God's hand and blessed of God, even when they fell under temptation, passed through discouragement, then recovered their ground. Their example stays the fainting heart with hope of God's mercy, encouraging desponding believers facing discouragement, failure, and despair not to despair but to trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and overcome through faith in Jesus, as overcomers in His name.
Their experience gives instruction for workers serving God, who are to go forward in faith, do their best, watch, work, and pray, trusting God to hear and answer. In doing so they gain valuable experience for future service. The same faith is seen in those who live with self-denial, submit their will to God, and make doing good and saving souls their highest aim.
Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the other faithful men of old maintained integrity against great odds in a time no more favorable to righteous character than the present. Their example of steadfast integrity remains till the end of time as an encouragement to all who follow the Lord.