The Halls of Faith - Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11:6 - But without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God MUST believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek Him.


In this teaching I want to highlight all of the people mentioned in the Halls of Faith. I wanted to write a short synopsis of who they are and what they did.


Faith at the dawn of history- 


1. Abel- By FAITH Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. (His gift proved he was RIGHTEOUS) God testifying of his gifts, and through it he being dead still speaks.


2. Enoch - By FAITH Enoch Was taken away so that he did not see death. Before he was taken he had this testimony that he PLEASED God. Heb. 11:5


3. Noah - By FAITH Noah Being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with GODLY FEAR, prepared an ark for the saving of his household. He became HEIR of the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is according to faith. (God preserved a covenant family, to restore the earth)


After the flood-


God's Covenant Couple is birthed, which precedes the Nation of Israel.


Abraham- The Father of many Nations - 


4. Abraham- By FAITH Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the HEIRS with him of the same promise. Heb. 11:8 -9


(Abraham) waited for the city which has foundations, whose BUILDER and MAKER is GOD. (Made not with human hands!) Heb. 11: 10


From one man, Abraham, as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude- innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Heb. 11: 12


The First Covenant Woman- (After the flood)


The Mother of many nations -


5. Sarah- By FAITH Sarah received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him FAITHFUL who had promised. Heb. 11:11


6. Isaac - By FAITH Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb. 11:20


7. Jacob - By FAITH Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and WORSHIPED, leaning on the top of his staff. Heb. 11:21


8. Joseph - By FAITH Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. (This meant that Joseph wanted his bones taken out of Egypt, along with the Exodus of the Nation of Israel). Heb. 11:22


9. Moses - By FAITH Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents... When he became of age, refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; (The world) for he looked to the reward! Heb. 11:23- 26


A) He kept the Passover.
B) they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians were drowned.
C). By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for 7 days. (Joshua and Caleb). Heb. 28- 30


The second Woman mentioned in the Halls of Faith- 


10. Rahab- By FAITH, the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. (She was in the land of Canaan before the Israelites came and received their promise land). Heb. 11: 31


11. Gideon - Heb. 11:32 - Judges 6:11- 15. Vs. 15. So he (Gideon) said to Him, "O Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the WEAKEST in Manasseh, and I am the LEAST in my Father's house."


12. Barak - Heb. 11:32 - Judges 4: 6- 24. Deborah, the prophetess, called for Barak to "go and deploy troops at Tabor in order to deliver Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army (King of Canaan) into his hand. To make a long story short, Barak didn't want to go to into battle without Deborah.


Because of Barak's refusal to go alone, the Lord had Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, kill Sisera, the commander of the army of King Jabin of Canaan. How is this significant? From the time of Moses, the Kenites were allied with Israel. Heber, Jael's husband, however, was an ally of King Jabin. Jael honored their alliance with Israel, even though her husband did not. Brave woman! She gets the credit for defeating King Jabin, when it was prophesied for Barak to accomplish this.


13. Samson - Heb. 11:32 - Judges 13: 16- 31 Vs. 24 - So the woman bore a son and called him Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. Vs. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneth Dan...


Samson's mother was barren until she was visited by an Angel after 40 years in bondage to the philistines. This bondage came after Israel did evil in the Lord's sight. The Angel prophesied of her giving birth to a son for the purpose of delivering Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. Judges 13: 5


14. Jephthah - Heb. 11:32- Judges 11: 1-29
Vs. 29 - Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Mizpah of Gilead. 


Jephthah made a vow to God that if He delivered the people of Ammon into his hands, Jephthah would give to the Lord whatever came out of the doors of his house. Judges 11: 31


It ended up being Jephthah's only child, a daughter who came out of the house. This vow required her to remain a virgin the rest of her life.


15. David - Heb. 11:32 - 1 Sam. 16: 7- 18 (A man after God's own heart)


The Lord told Samuel to go to Jesse the Bethlehemite's house. God had provided a king from among Jesse's sons. Jesse had 8 sons but only had the 7 oldest pass before Samuel the prophet. David was in essence rejected by his own Father because he was the youngest.


1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his (Eliab, older brother of David) stature, because I have refused him. (All seven of Jesse's sons) For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the OUTWARD appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART."


David was called out of the field where he was keeping the sheep and came before the prophet Samuel.


1 Samuel 16: 12- And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; (David) for this is the one!"


16. Samuel- Heb. 11: 32 - 1 Samuel 3: 20- Samuel was established as the prophet of the Lord.


1 Sam. 2: 18 - But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. 


1 Samuel 3: 1 & 19- And the word of the Lord was rare in those days: there was no widespread revelation. Vs. 19 So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.


17. The Prophets - Heb. 11: 32


Heb. 11: 33 - 34 - Who through FAITH subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.


The woman with no name-


18. Woman received their dead raised to life again.
Elijah and the widow of Zarephath....(The third woman mentioned in the Halls of Faith) Heb. 11: 35
1 Kings 17: 22 (See my Mothers Day teaching for more details)


All these having obtained a good TESTIMONY through FAITH, did not receive the PROMISE (The Messiah Christ Jesus, the hope of glory) God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us! (In the new covenant dispensation). Heb. 11: 39- 40


In conclusion- 


God did not choose the strong, the proud, the most qualified, or the most intelligent in doing some of His greatest works for humanity. God chose those who looked and depended on Him to bring about His promises, imperfect as they all were.


1 Cor. 1: 26- 29- For you see your calling, brethren, that not many WISE according to the flesh, not many MIGHTY, not many NOBLE are called. Vs. 27 but God has chosen the FOOLISH things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the WEAK things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. Vs. 28. And the BASE things of the world and the things which are DESPISED God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, Vs. 29. That NO FLESH should glory in His PRESENCE.