A Teaching on Faith
Faith and Faithfulness Are Better Than Refusing and Rejecting (11:1-13:25)
We come now, at last, to the final section of the sermon where the author explained faith (11) and the essence of following Jesus' example (12) and then gave some additional instructions (13).
In this faith chapter, the author listed, with enthusiasm, some examples of faith and demonstrated how the faith-filled followers’ anticipation of reward motivated them to act and behave in certain ways.
Faith Described (1-3)
As eyesight creates certainty in this visible world, faith creates certainty in things unseen, yet God made promises in a world we cannot see (1-2). Faith is created similarly to eyesight expectation. In the way a habit or routine creates confidence, faith is created as God provides certain assurances along the way that what He has said is true and will come to pass.
Further, faith is created as God gives us insight into the world we cannot see, the invisible one (3). These insights into God and His power, whom we cannot see, become an additional source of faith-building.
Faith Illustrated (4-38)
The author next listed 11-14 examples, depending on how the list is divided. Notice in the list of examples, the emphasis is on how they showed their faith through action, not just that they believed.
Abel offered a sacrifice (4).
Enoch sought God (5-6).
Noah built a boat (7).
Abraham went out from his home and lived in tents, waiting for another city (8-10).
Sarah conceived a son, despite being past the age and natural ability (11-12).
All these (those mentioned or those to be mentioned) did not receive the promise but lived as though they had (13-16).
Abraham offered up Isaac (14-19).
Isaac invoked future blessing on his sons (20).
Jacob blessed his sons (21).
Joseph mentioned the exodus and then told his sons what to do with his bones (22).
Moses chose God’s people and promise over the wealth and power of Egypt (23-28).
The people crossed the Red Sea and conquered Jericho (29-30).
Rahab welcomed the spies as being from Yahweh (31).
The author took time to mention others who did heroic, mind-boggling feats (32-35a) and then more “others” who were completely defeated in this life but endured in faith to receive the next world (35b-38).
Faith’s Conclusion (39-40)
All of these persecuted ones endured with faith but did not receive the fulfillment of their promise because the ultimate fulfillment of promise was impossible apart from “perfection,” or all of creation’s fulfillment of its God-given destiny (39-40). His point was clear: those who rejected faith risked rejecting the ultimate reward of faith.
Piecemeal Proverbs (22:17-31:9)
We come now to another group of proverbs in this piecemeal section. They, by internal identification, are Solomon's proverbs collected by the scribes of King Hezekiah (1).
In verses 2 through 5, Solomon tells future kings (leaders) how to make policy.
In verses 6 through 8, Solomon gives instruction on how one should act before a leader.
In verses 9 and 10, Solomon warns the king to be cautious not to reveal a secret and be named a gossip.
In verses 11 through 16, Solomon gives qualifications for those whom a king would use to speak for him.
A messenger must be:
timely in his communication (11)
able to take criticism (12)
trustworthy (13)
one who makes good on his word (14)
soft of speech (15)
Solomon warns future kings to be:
moderate (16-17)
honest (18)
good discerners of character (19)
The future king should be careful not to celebrate personally when others are hurting (20) and careful to be a lover of his enemies (21-22).
Solomon finally ends with an array of subjects and facts such as:
Gossip creates anger (23)
Loneliness is preferred to contention (24)
Good news is always refreshing no matter how far removed it might be from those who hear it (25)
Giving into the wicked pollutes the heart of the king (26)
Too much honey and too much self-honor are not good (27)
The king without self-control leaves his home unguarded (28).