The writer of Hebrews provides many examples of faith in Hebrews 11:4-40, a chapter well-known as the "Hall of Faith." For now we will consider the first three, all of whom lived before the flood. All of them stand as great examples as to what it means to truly trust God by faith. Trust is shown in how we live our lives. These three men, Abel, Enoch, and Noah, have shown us how to live for God by faith.
"By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks" (v. 4). That last phrase points out something significant—though Abel died a long, long time ago, he "still speaks" to us today concerning faith in God and living by that faith.
Adam and Eve saw God from a different vantage point than any of their descendents. They walked with God and saw Him face-to-face. They talked with God and had fellowship with Him, living with Him in the garden of paradise every day, until they sinned. But even then they had the memory of their unique relationship with the Creator. Not so for anyone since—not even Cain, their firstborn, or his brother Abel. Beginning with these brothers, all of us have need of faith in the fullest sense—trusting in Him whom we have not seen. In that full sense, Abel might be called the first man of faith. And understand, his faith had to do with his personal salvation.
Genesis 4:2-7 is the reference to which verse 4 speaks. There we are told that "Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground" (v. 2). After some time they brought their offerings before the Lord. Naturally "Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground," while "Abel…brought of the firstborn of his flock” (vs. 3-4a). Then it is said, "The LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering" (vs. 4b-5a). Why?
Some have pointed out that Cain "brought an offering" that may not have been of the firstfruits of the land and it was certainly not a blood offering for sin. But, even so, that is only a symptom of a deeper underlying problem—faith, or the lack thereof. In verse 7 God told Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" And Hebrews 11:4a adds by inspiration of the Spirit, "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Faith is the key!
Because he believed, because of heartfelt faith in God, Abel offered a better sacrifice. Because he offered a better sacrifice, he obtained righteousness, that "good testimony" spoken of in Hebrews 11:2. Because he obtained righteousness, he is for us a living voice saying, "righteousness is by faith." That is his witness.
"By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (v. 5). While Abel worshiped by faith, Enoch walked by faith. We are told "he pleased God" (v. 5b), and verse 6 adds that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." So Enoch waked by faith, pleasing God. And he too "obtained a good testimony" (v. 2) from God—he "was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'" (v. 5a).
The reference is to Genesis 5:21-24. "And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
Enoch stands as an example to all of us of what it means to be in fellowship with God. It means coming to God by faith and accepting the salvation He offers. It means walking with God by faith every day, doing what God wants you to do and going where God wants you to go. It means spending time with God in prayer and the reading of His Word. It means fellowshiping with others who believe and sharing Christ with those who don't. It means living for God by faith. When you have true faith, you will live for Him and you will one day be ushered into heaven to spend eternity with Him.
"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7). When you truly believe in God, it will show itself in the way you live, in the things you say, and in the things you do. That is Noah. He took God at His Word and acted accordingly. He is an example of the work of faith—obedience. As Noah shows us, faith can only be seen by the things it does.
Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God" (NASB). He was a man who responded to God's Word. "By faith Noah…moved with godly fear" (Heb. 11:7a). He was warned by God "of things not yet seen" (v. 7a) and he responded with faith and obedience. Being warned about the flood he dropped everything and started building "an ark for the saving of his household" (v. 7b). He had been faithful over many small things, now the Lord gave him something great to do. He had never seen rain or a flood, yet he didn't question; he only obeyed.
By his unwavering faith Noah "condemned the world" (v. 7b). His example of faithfulness stood in contrast with the rest of the people, and 2 Peter 2:5 calls him "a preacher of righteousness." Through Noah the world was rebuked for their sin and disobedience. For 120 years as the ark was being built people were given time to repent and come to God, but they did not. But Noah was vindicated because he "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7b). He was the first man in Scripture to be called righteous. God looked at Noah and saw His Son Jesus Christ. He looks at you the same way when you trust God by faith and live for God by faith. Amen.
Some have pointed out that Cain "brought an offering" that may not have been of the firstfruits of the land and it was certainly not a blood offering for sin. But, even so, that is only a symptom of a deeper underlying problem—faith, or the lack thereof. In verse 7 God told Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" And Hebrews 11:4a adds by inspiration of the Spirit, "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Faith is the key!
Because he believed, because of heartfelt faith in God, Abel offered a better sacrifice. Because he offered a better sacrifice, he obtained righteousness, that "good testimony" spoken of in Hebrews 11:2. Because he obtained righteousness, he is for us a living voice saying, "righteousness is by faith." That is his witness.
"By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (v. 5). While Abel worshiped by faith, Enoch walked by faith. We are told "he pleased God" (v. 5b), and verse 6 adds that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." So Enoch waked by faith, pleasing God. And he too "obtained a good testimony" (v. 2) from God—he "was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'" (v. 5a).
The reference is to Genesis 5:21-24. "And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
Enoch stands as an example to all of us of what it means to be in fellowship with God. It means coming to God by faith and accepting the salvation He offers. It means walking with God by faith every day, doing what God wants you to do and going where God wants you to go. It means spending time with God in prayer and the reading of His Word. It means fellowshiping with others who believe and sharing Christ with those who don't. It means living for God by faith. When you have true faith, you will live for Him and you will one day be ushered into heaven to spend eternity with Him.
"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7). When you truly believe in God, it will show itself in the way you live, in the things you say, and in the things you do. That is Noah. He took God at His Word and acted accordingly. He is an example of the work of faith—obedience. As Noah shows us, faith can only be seen by the things it does.
Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God" (NASB). He was a man who responded to God's Word. "By faith Noah…moved with godly fear" (Heb. 11:7a). He was warned by God "of things not yet seen" (v. 7a) and he responded with faith and obedience. Being warned about the flood he dropped everything and started building "an ark for the saving of his household" (v. 7b). He had been faithful over many small things, now the Lord gave him something great to do. He had never seen rain or a flood, yet he didn't question; he only obeyed.
By his unwavering faith Noah "condemned the world" (v. 7b). His example of faithfulness stood in contrast with the rest of the people, and 2 Peter 2:5 calls him "a preacher of righteousness." Through Noah the world was rebuked for their sin and disobedience. For 120 years as the ark was being built people were given time to repent and come to God, but they did not. But Noah was vindicated because he "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7b). He was the first man in Scripture to be called righteous. God looked at Noah and saw His Son Jesus Christ. He looks at you the same way when you trust God by faith and live for God by faith. Amen.
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