This Life Of Faith

And these, all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.

Hebrews 11:39

How did the faith of the ancient saints cause them to live?  The writer of Hebrews catalogues some of the outstanding acts of faith of these believers.  He speaks of Abel, and his sacrifice which pointed to Christ the Lamb of God.  He speaks of Enoch who walked with God; Noah who prepared the ark (a type of Christ); Abraham, who left his homeland at God’s command; and Sarah who bore Isaac, who would be the forbearer of the Messiah.  He writes of Jacob who would speak on his deathbed of Christ as the coming King, and Moses, who would prophesy of Christ as the Prophet.  Rahab, Gideon, Samson, Jepthah, David, Samuel and the prophets all hold their place as those who lived by faith.  The Christ to Whom they looked, is the Christ to Whom we look.  We have connection with them through the ‘blood of the everlasting covenant.’  We are all one people, one family, one Body, and one Church.  Today, we look back upon the life of faith they lived and pray, as they occupy the place of the great cloud of witnesses, that we will live as faithfully as they did.  We are all part of that great multitude which no man can number who live by faith.

Our Glorious, Living God,
we rejoice that we have the heritage
of those that fear Your Name.
We praise You, that even though they came from
various backgrounds, yet, they all looked to Christ
and became one in Him.