‘These All Died In Faith’

‘These All Died In Faith’

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Hebrews 11:13

We continue today to dwell upon the hope of the believer in the hour of death.  Our text for today lies in the middle of the ‘Faith’ chapter in Hebrews.  Here we find the recounting of the faith of the heroes of holy history who looked forward to Christ, and who, ‘all died in faith.’  The text goes on to say, ‘not having received the promises.’  They died with the full assurance that God would be as good as His word, and fulfill all that He had promised.  If we follow the narrative into the next chapter, we see that the promises of God led them, and lead us to faith in Christ, Who is, ‘the author and finisher of our faith.’  For our part, we also die in faith.  We have a more defined and articulated revelation than they did.  We have the historical record of what Christ said and did.  We have the theology of the New Testament.  Having said that, we are still depending upon the promises of God.  We have not ourselves seen Christ in person.  We are depending upon His guidance of those whom we would consider to be ‘holy men of God, (who) spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’  Therefore, when we come to face our own death, or that of our loved ones, we do so by faith.  We believe that God is as good as His Word.  We believe that Christ gives to His sheep eternal life.  We believe that He will come again to receive us unto Himself.  Like those of old, we live by faith, and die in faith.

Our Never-failing God,
we rejoice that You are worthy of our faith and trust.
We praise You that we, who wait for You,
will not be ashamed.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning