Old Testament Faithful
Abel (Genesis 4:1 – 9) is applauded in the Bible as a notable faithful person. Abel met his untimely end because his brother was jealous (1 John 3:12). Nevertheless, he “still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4) through his story. We might think Abel the unfortunate one. Yet, he was declared righteous by God and avoided perhaps eight or so centuries of finding pasture on cursed soil (Genesis 3:17 – 19). Quality, not quantity, of life is the important factor. An early out also was preferred by Paul (Philippians 1:21 – 24). The faithful need to hear Abel speak.
Enoch (Genesis 5:21 – 24) was one of two people recorded in the Bible who did not die (Hebrews 11:5), but rather were just “taken” by God. He was known for talking about God’s Judgment which was to take place at the end of time (Jude 14 – 15). As indicated by the Flood 669 years later, few if any took his message to heart. God’s appreciation for Enoch was not based on his number of converts, but on the quality of his life and message. Today’s faithful need to remember God’s measurement method for success.
Noah (Genesis 5:28 – 9:29) lived in the worst time in human history, the world being populated almost entirely by irretrievably evil people. Only eight were preserved on the Ark. Noah listened to God and took action even though the people of his time would have thought him insane. He tried to warn them (2 Peter 2:5) to no avail. God rescued him from a corrupt world and used that as an illustration of how God preserves the faithful from the broken world in which they live (1 Peter 3:20 – 21).
Abraham grew up and was married in Ur (Genesis 11:29 – 12:6), a well-planned city with great art, science, and engineering. Then he lived in another great city of the time, Haran. But, God told him to move to a new place which was to be his inheritance without telling him exactly where that was. Abraham went anyway, letting God direct him to the right place (Hebrews 11:8). The faithful today may not be moving to new geographies, but they often must traverse changes in society, not knowing how their faith will manage. Follow God’s directions.
God promised Abraham an inheritance in Canaan, but in his lifetime he was never more than a visitor, living in tents. The same was true for his son and grandson (Hebrews 11:9 – 16). “He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The modern faithful need the same attitude. The comforts of an advanced civilization are deceptive and short-lived whereas their future home is real and permanent. The faithful use the world; outsiders are used by it.
Sarah was about 90 and had had no children when God promised that she would have a son within the year. Abraham was nearly 100. Both were considered well beyond child-bearing age. Yet, Sarah believed the humanly impossible promise because she considered God to be truthful (Hebrews 11:11 – 12). God has published hundreds of humanly impossible promises specifically for Christians. The nature of Biblical faith demands that we trust the promises and do our part in making them happen. God expects us to start so that He can finish.
Abraham and Sarah’s only son, Isaac was conceived by miracle, not nature (Galatians 4:23). Yet, God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac even though God had identified Isaac as the inheritor of the promises made to Abraham. He set out immediately to accomplish it. Even the faithful today, let alone the outsider, find this level of trust unimaginable. But Abraham had thought it through. Abraham reasoned that God could raise Isaac from the dead if necessary (Hebrews 11:17 – 19). That’s why Abraham faith is the standard (Romans 4:16).
Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Neither were good examples of faithfulness, but God used that situation to demonstrate that He can choose whomever He wants to accomplish His earthly purposes (Romans 4:11). Isaac passed the inheritance of the promises made to Abraham on to Jacob (Genesis 28:3 – 4) not as the lesser of two evils, but by God’s choice (Hebrews 11:20). As a modern example, we may not approve of various governments, but “the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1). Great faith is required to accept that.
The Old Testament contains Law, history, wisdom literature, and the writings of prophets. Some prophets wrote about morality problems in Israelite society. Some issued predictions of the demise of surrounding governments. Some added details to the description of the future Messiah. Separating the fake from the true was difficult. A class of priests examined all credentials before accepting proposed prophetic messages for publication. The books we have were all in place four centuries before Jesus. All predictions were 100% successful.
Joseph, despite the treachery of his brothers and his own powerful position, clung to the more-than-a-century-old family tradition of a Promised Land and made arrangements to be transported there after his death (Hebrews 11:22, Genesis 50:24 – 25, Exodus 13:19). Neither his adversities nor his accomplishments clouded his faith in that promise. The history of Joseph repeatedly shows the long-term success resulting from making decisions and basing ethics on the promises of God.
Moses’ parents defied the command to dispose of all male infants, instead hiding Moses for three months (Hebrews 11:23) Nothing in the context suggests that God had spoken to those parents specifically, although they had the example of the midwives who deceived the Pharaoh to avoid killing the male newborns themselves (Exodus 1:15 – 2:2). Sometimes, doing the right thing has governmental penalties. Heads of governments are established by God (Romans 13:1), but the faithful are expected to be creative and be prepared for negative consequences.
Moses enjoyed all the privileges of royalty, including education, good food, and spectacular housing. Yet, when he was of age, he declined to remain a member of the royal household, preferring to rejoin his currently-persecuted ethnic group. Moses must have learned of the promises handed down from Abraham, because he made his choice based on the promise of a Messiah for the whole world (Hebrews 11:24 – 26). In a figurative way, the faithful, especially in America, have to make the same choice.
Moses rescued a fellow Israelite from a beating, killing the attacker and hiding the body. Although it may have seemed like an heroic act at the time, the news leaked and Moses had to flee (Exodus 2:11 – 15). Hebrews 11:27 adds that he fled not out of fear of consequences, but out of desire to serve God. Sometimes the faithful must choose between action and the paralysis of analysis. In hindsight, not every decision will seem to be best. But, second-guessing is not productive. Instead, God is pleased with even somewhat misguided faith, and can work with it.
By the time of Moses’ last plague on Egypt (Exodus 11 – 12), the Israelites and many of the Egyptians accepted that, when Moses predicted something, it was going to happen. Preparing a meal of roast lamb, matzos, bitter herbs, and wine was not too troublesome, although putting blood on the doorposts may have raised eyebrows among the uninitiated. Hebrews 11:28 asserts that Moses did this by faith, but by this point in history, how much faith would that take? The faithful should remember that even no-brainers like this need to be followed through.
After the last plague on Egypt, the Pharaoh finally released the Israelites. But God gave them a circuitous route so that the Pharaoh would think them confused and vulnerable. The Pharaoh decided to recapture them, finally cornering them against the shore of the Red Sea. While a miraculous cloud kept the army at bay, despite the panic among the people, God told Moses to raise his staff. The sea parted and several million Israelites crossed the sea on dry land in one night. How much faith would it take to step out between the walls of water?
One of the strangest battle plans of all time was Joshua’s assault on Jericho (Joshua 6). Imagine circling a securely walled city for seven days, in plain view of the defenders. Imagine being ordered to charge those mammoth stone walls. Hebrews 11:30 implies that those walls fell because the Israelites trusted God’s promise. Similarly, Romans 8:11 – 13 promises that the same power that raised Jesus is in the faithful and enables them to overcome themselves.
A woman of ill-repute, Rahab, had heard many stories from travelers about the exploits of the Israelites in the Wilderness. When presented with the chance to side with the God of Israel rather than her society, she jumped at the chance (Joshua 2). As a result of her faith (Hebrews 11:31), she and her family were the only survivors of Jericho, and she eventually married into the tribe of Judah and is in the lineage of Jesus. The faithful come from all walks of life and ethnicities, many with checkered pasts. Their faith yields opportunities for greatness.
Gideon (Judges 6:11 – 8:35) is listed in Hebrews 11:32 as an example of faith despite starting out with doubts. After witnessing a miracle, he set out to do whatever God told him without further hesitation. The faithful today often have the same problem. Many bolster their faith with sham miracles and unprovable assertions. But John wrote that we know that God is in us when we display superhuman selflessness (1 John 3:18 – 19. 4:12 – 13, 4:17). When outsiders conclude that our love is beyond human ability, we prove the value of the gospel.
Barak (Judges 4:6 – 24) was called by the judge Deborah to lead the armies of Zebulun and Naphtali against the armies of Jabin, king of Hazor (north of the Sea of Galilee). Jabin had dominated the northern part of Israel 20 years. Deborah asked Barak to go against him with the men from only two tribes, although several more were in the same region. Barak agreed to go if Deborah went also, knowing that she had been appointed a judge by God. The faithful sometimes get their marching orders second hand, following the proven faith of another.
Samson (Judges 13:1 – 16:31) was much more than a long-haired strongman with a questionable history. His exploits certainly fed his fame, but he also was a judge over Israel 20 years. He understood that he could accomplish the impossible using power from God. The faithful today need the same understanding, that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in the faithful (Romans 8:11 – 13). We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the power may be of God and not of us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Jephthah (Judges 11:1 – 12:7), through no fault of his own, was driven out of polite society because of his unacceptable parentage. But, when adversity came, polite society came to him to lead the army of Gilead (a sub-tribe of Manasseh in Israel). In that capacity, Jephthah displayed not only military skill but also considerable knowledge of Israelite history. Many of the faithful are like Jephthah, of dubious beginnings but full of faith, knowledge, and skill. When an important job needs to be done, the church should find whoever can get the job done.
David (1 Samuel 16 – 1 Kings 2) had times when he displayed great faith, and times when he totally succumbed to his culture. He helped a lot of people, but he was a lousy father. Nonetheless, God called David, “A man after My own heart.” (Acts 13:22) The faithful may take encouragement from this example in that God, while not condoning our bad choices, understands them and evaluates us not on success rate but on heart, as the One who knows the real me, which also means that there is nothing that I can hide.
Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1 – 25:1) served God all his life as a judge, priest, and prophet. Yet, when he appointed his sons as judges, they were so corrupt that the elders of Israel decided to ask for a king instead. Things went downhill from there. This is yet another caution to the faithful to live with balance. If parts of life are seemingly in conflict, one must step back and re-evaluate; something went wrong. The goal of faith is to be consistent from principle to application, from belief to action. When all the parts are working together, life is successful.
Thomas Theology Hub 