What is the meaning of Hebrews 11:39? These were all - “These” points back to every man and woman named in Hebrews 11:4-38—Abel through the prophets. From many centuries and walks of life, they form one family of faith (Romans 4:16–17). - None were perfect, yet each responded to God’s revelation with trust. Their shared obedience ties together stories as different as Noah’s ark (Genesis 6:22) and Rahab’s scarlet cord (Joshua 2:18; James 2:25). - The word “all” stresses that faith, not lineage or era, is the common denominator. Whether king (David, v. 32) or exile (Moses, v. 27), every believer stands before God on the same footing (Galatians 3:6-9). commended for their faith - God Himself “commended” them, echoing Hebrews 11:2, where “the elders obtained a good testimony.” - Commendation flows from God’s verdict, not human applause (1 Corinthians 4:5). - We see this divine approval in: • Enoch, who “pleased God” before being taken up (Hebrews 11:5; Genesis 5:24). • Abraham, whose belief was “credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3). • The martyrs who “conquered through faith” even in death (Hebrews 11:37; Revelation 12:11). - Faith draws God’s smile because it embraces His character and submits to His word (Hebrews 11:6). yet they did not receive - Though applauded, these believers died “in faith, not having received the things promised” (Hebrews 11:13). - Abraham saw only Isaac, not the countless heirs (Genesis 22:17; Acts 7:5). - Moses viewed Canaan from a distance (Deuteronomy 34:4). - The prophets foretold Messiah but never witnessed His advent (1 Peter 1:10-12). - This delay highlights: • God’s sovereign timetable (Habakkuk 2:3; Hebrews 10:36). • The forward-looking nature of faith, anchoring hope beyond present sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). what was promised - The ultimate promise is the Messiah and the perfected salvation He brings (Genesis 12:3 fulfilled in Galatians 3:16; Acts 13:32-33). - Hebrews 11:40 adds, “God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.” - That “better” includes: • Complete atonement through Christ’s cross (Hebrews 9:26-28). • The indwelling Spirit (John 14:16-17; Galatians 3:14). • The resurrection and eternal city (Hebrews 11:16; Philippians 3:20-21). - The earlier saints waited; we now live in the dawn of fulfillment, yet still anticipate final glory (Romans 8:23-25). summary Hebrews 11:39 gathers every Old Testament hero into one sweeping statement: God praised their faith, even though they died before the promise’s full arrival. Their stories remind us that faith rests on God’s character, not on immediate results, and that every believer—past and present—shares in one grand narrative culminating in Christ and our future perfection with Him. |
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