CONTEXT: Hebrews 11 is the great faith chapter of the Bible, first defining faith (v. 1) and then using well-known Hebrew people to show faith in action. These people heard God's promises and believed them in spite of waiting a very long time to see the promises fulfilled-some promises never having been fulfilled in their lifetime. For instance, Abraham didn't live long enough to see the nation that sprang from his seed. The author introduces this faith chapter with the last two verses of chapter 10, which say that "the righteous will live by faith" (10:38, quoting Habakkuk 2:4) and links faith to the salvation of the soul (10:39).
HEBREWS 11:1-3. THE ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
"Now faith is assurance (hupostasis) of things hoped for" (v. 1a). The Greek word hupostasis has various meanings. The one most appropriate here is not assurance, but reality. For believers, faith is knowing the reality of things for which they can only hope now. For believers that reality, though only a matter of hope today, is so real that they can almost reach out and touch it.
"proof (elegchos) of things not seen" (v. 1b). Some translations use the word conviction for elegchos. However, a better translation would be proof or certainty. For believers, faith leads to certainty of things not yet seen. Faith is the certainty that they will be seen.
"For by this, the elders (Greek: presbyteros) obtained testimony" (Greek: martureo) (v. 2). The word presbyteros is where we get our word Presbyterian. A presbyteros is an older person whose maturity and experience fit him/her for leadership. In this verse a better translation would be ancestors, because the author will go on to speak of Abraham and other luminaries from ancient Israel's history.
"By faith, we understand that the universe (Greek: aionas-ages) has been framed by the word of God" (v. 3a). In this context, universe is a good translation for aionas, because aionas encompasses all that is-both time and space.
"has been framed by the word of God" (v. 3a). In this Genesis tells the story. "God said, 'Let there be light," and there was light'" (Genesis 1:3, see also 1:6, 9, 11, 14-15, 20, 24, 26). In each instance, it was the word of God that initiated the creative process.
"so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible" (v. 3b). Those who believe in God sometimes speak of creation ex nihilo-creation out of nothing. Genesis says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1), which leads us to believe that the first step in creation was God making something out of nothing-ex nihilo.
HEBREWS 11:4-7. THE FAITH OF ABEL AND ENOCH,
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And 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 seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
These verses are not part of the lectionary reading, perhaps because Able, Enoch, and Noah were less seminal people than Abraham-but the preacher needs to be aware of these skipped verses. When I say that these three were less seminal than Abraham, I am referring to the fact that Abraham was the father or Israel, the chosen people of God. It was God's call to Abram (and Abram's obedience to that call) that made him and Sarah the beginning of the chosen people.
Heb. 11:1-7 - T. CONSITABLE EXPOSITION
A. Perseverance in Faith: The writer encouraged his readers in chapter 11 by reminding them of the faithful perseverance of selected Old Testament saints. The only other historical characters beside Jesus that the writer mentioned so far were Abraham, Melchizedek, Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. Of these the only one mentioned in connection with faith was Abraham (Hebrews 6:13-15). The section is expository in form but parenetic in function, inviting the readers to emulate the example of the heroes listed. The linking word that ties this section to what precedes is "faith" or "faithfulness," which the Habakkuk 2:4 quotation introduced (Hebrews 10:38-39; cf. Hebrews 10:20). The Habakkuk quotation gives "faith" the nuance of "faithfulness." The writer repeated this word (Gr. pistis) 24 times in chapter 11. It occurs in the first and last sentences of the section forming an inclusio. Classical orators and authors frequently used lists of examples to motivated their hearers and readers to strive for virtue. [Note: See M. R. Cosby, "The Rhetorical Composition and Function of Hebrews 11 in Light of Example-lists in Antiquity". These lists also appear in Jewish and early Christian literature indicating that this was a distinctive literary form.
Faith in the Antediluvian Era 11:1-7: The writer began by stating three facts about faith. These are general observations on the nature of faith, some of its significant features. He then illustrated God's approval of faith with examples from the era before the Flood.
Note: Some writers do not acknowledge this connection in the flow of the writer's argument. They view chapter 11 as a revelation of what faith will inevitably do rather than what faith should do. Having introduced "faith" and "endurance" in Hebrews 10:39, the writer proceeded to develop these concepts further. He celebrated the character of faith in chapter 11 and then summoned the readers to endurance in Hebrews 12:1-13. The first of these sections is exposition and the second exhortation.
v. 1: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - Essentially faith is confidence that things yet future and unseen will happen as God has revealed they will. This is the basic nature of faith. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith rather than defining it.
▪ This word hypostasis ["assurance," NASB] has appeared twice already in the epistle. In Ch. Hebrews 1:3 the Son was stated to be the very image of God's hypostasis; in Ch. Hebrews 3:14 believers are said to be Christ's associates if they hold fast the beginning of their hypostasis firm to the end. In the former place it has the objective sense of 'substance' or 'real essence' (as opposed to what merely seems to be so). In the latter place it has the subjective sense of 'confidence' or 'assurance.' Here it is natural to take it in the same subjective sense as it bears in Ch. Hebrews 3:14, and so ARV and RSV render it 'assurance.'"
▪ Faith is the basis, the substructure (hypostasis means lit. 'that which stands under') of all that the Christian life means, all that the Christian hopes for." [Note: Morris, p. 113.]
▪ Faith celebrates now the reality of the future blessings that constitute the objective content of hope.
▪ Someone else described faith as the spiritual organ that enables a person to see the invisible realities of life.
v. 2: For by it the men of old gained approval. - God has approved such confidence, as is clear from His commendations of Old Testament men and women who walked by faith. The story of God's people includes a succession of examples of persistent, forward-looking faith. The story is not complete without us. We, in our turn, must submit to God's fatherly discipline and stand firm together in the faith.
v. 3: By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. - However, faith is a way of viewing all of life, what lies ahead as well as what is in the past. It involves accepting God's viewpoint as He has revealed it in His Word. This extends to how the universe came into being (cf. Hebrews 1:2-3) as well as how it will end.
▪ Belief in the existence of the world is not faith, nor is it faith when men hold that the world was made out of some preexisting 'stuff.' (In the first century there were people who did not believe in God but who held to some kind of 'creation.') But when we understand that it was the Word of God ('God's command,' NIV) that produced all things, that is faith." [Note: Morris, p. 114.]
▪ Notice that the writer did not say that God created the universe out of nothing (creation ex nihilo), an idea that the Greeks rejected. [Note: Guthrie, p. 227.] He simply said that the universe did not originate from primal material or anything observable. His description does not rule out creation ex nihilo, but neither does it affirm it. Genesis 1:1-3 and logic seem to indicate that God did indeed create the universe, something visible, out of His word, something invisible.
v. 4: By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. - The readers could identify with Abel because he, too, had a better sacrifice. Those who based their hope of God's acceptance on an inferior sacrifice, as in Judaism, would experience disappointment, as Cain did.
▪ By the way, what made Abel's offering superior to Cain's was evidently its being an offering of the "firstlings" (first-born) and its including the "fat" (Genesis 4:4). Ancient Near Easterners commonly held that a deity deserved the first of whatever man, beast, or crop brought forth. The fat likewise represented the best part of an animal offering. Abel's offering shows the respect he gave God as worthy of the best whereas Cain's offering, as Moses described it in Genesis 4, indicates that he did not so reverence God.
▪ The general tenor of Scripture indicates that the superior quality of Abel's offering derived from the integrity of his heart rather than from the nature of the offering itself. This is the clear implication of Genesis 4:7, where the Lord says to Cain, 'If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?'"
▪ What gave Abel's offering greater value was his faith, not the fact that it was an animal sacrifice.
▪ Faith must inspire any worship that God will accept. Even though Abel died long ago, he still speaks to us, through the scriptural record, and so challenges us to continue to worship (show reverence for) God by believing His promises.
v. 5: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. - Whereas Abel suffered murder, Enoch never died, and both demonstrated faith. Enoch set an example of walking by faith all his life that readers would do well to follow. The Lord may return at any time to take modern Enoch's into His presence just as He took that great saint.
v. 6: And 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 seek Him. - Walking by faith involves not only believing that God exists but also believing that he will reward the faithful. The original readers faced temptation to abandon that hope, as we do. Note that those He will reward are those who "are seeking after Him" (present tense in Greek), not believers who have stopped seeking after Him. Ultimately we know God's will by faith.
▪ In almost all of the following exemplars of faith that the writer cited, there is a clear and direct relationship between faith and reward. ▪ "The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful." [W. Wiersbe]
v. 7: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. - Noah prepared for things to come. He did not live for the present. By continuing to believe the promises of God, even when everyone else disbelieved them, Noah inherited a new world after the Flood. This writer promises readers "the world to come" (Heb 2:5-8). Noah's faith led to the preservation of his family. Likewise as we continue to trust God we will encourage others to do so and they will also enter
into their inheritance if they follow our example of faithful perseverance.
Heb. 11:1-7 - EXEGESIS (Richison)
FAITH HALL OF FAME - BACKGROUND: True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith. Ultimately, that means trusting God's intent to make good on His promises from an eternal perspective. The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith. Hebrews 11:1-3 defines faith using words which are frequently quoted, and also frequently misunderstood. As with the rest of the book of Hebrews, context is critical. In this passage, the writer demonstrates that godly faith is really ''trust.'' What we have seen of God's nature and character should lead us to trust Him, and trust naturally leads to obedience. This is not an endorsement of ''blind faith,'' especially since it comes after a lengthy discourse full of evidence and logic. Instead, the writer presents the idea of ''faith'' as a confident look to the future, based on reliance on God's promises. The next two sections of Hebrews will present God's acceptance of faith and actions which prove it. Hebrews 11:4-16 gives examples of figures from the Old Testament who demonstrated faith in God and were blessed as a result. Persons such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah are commended for their trust in God's promises. In particular, this segment of the book of Hebrews focuses on those who heard from God, obeyed, and were blessed. While their actions are important, the common theme of these early references is obedience to God when fulfillment of His promises seems distant. The following passage will explore a similar idea, but in the context of those who demonstrated faith in the face of more immediate hardship.
v. 1: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - It is crucial to see this chapter in relation to the argument of the book and the previous immediate context. Our prior study in Hebrews 10:38-39 on living daily by faith introduces this chapter, which deals in its entirety with those who lived by faith. The argument of the book of Hebrews is that the believer must develop tenacious endurance by faith. That faith must be in the "better" things of the New Testament as over against the Old. This chapter and the beginning of chapter 12 demonstrate those in the Old Testament who lived by faith and how Jesus lived by faith and applied the promises by faith.
Now faith -The word "now" connects chapter 11 to the preceding immediate context in the latter part of chapter 10. The Greek does not use the definite article before the word "faith," indicating that the author is speaking of a principle. Faith deals with the future, things not yet realized by the believer.
Is the substance [confidence, assurance] - The emphatic "is" in the Greek places emphasis on the reality of faith. It is active and powerful. It can overcome difficulties. Faith is a living and continuing reality.
The papyri use the word "substance" for a title deed or the certification of ownership. Faith does not create the title deed, but it accepts what is anticipated. Objective reality does not rest on faith. Belief cannot create and neither can it make something true. Faith does, however, give assurance or confidence. It gives certainty about what one believes (2 Co 9:4; 11:17; He 3:14). Faith is the foundation or title deed of our hope.
"Substance" is the underlying structure of something that stands in contrast to what only seems to be. It is the objective guarantee of what God promises. His promises are certain. They are the title deed for the believer. "Substance" is the essence, the reality of something. It is no appearance but the genuine thing. Faith rests its case on firm ground. The ground or structure of faith is the promises in the Word of God. The issue is not the sincerity of belief, but the truth believed.
PRINCIPLE: Faith is taking God at His Word.
APPLICATION: Faith is the foundation of Christian living. Faith is a matter of taking God at his Word and directing our lives accordingly. We find the content of our faith in the Bible. Revelation gives us information beyond the material, physical universe. All promises rest on revelation. There can be no confidence or conviction about things not seen without the Bible. Otherwise, faith is just credulity or conjecture. Faith, then, is taking God at His Word. It accepts what the Bible says and its promises as true. It is the believer's answer to what God says. Faith is not passive but active conviction. Assurance rests on God's promises. It accepts the truth of those promises. Confidence in God comes from this trust. The reliability of God's being true to what He promises deepens our convictions. God holds a high and persistent record of being true to His Word (1 Jn 5:9, 10). Non-Christians do not believe the "record that God gave of His Son." Salvation comes down to believing the Bible. Confidence has to do with truth beyond the material. Faith is the ground upon which we build our hope.
of things hoped for, - Genuine faith sees the reality of the objects believed as already present (He 11:6). There is a difference between faith and hope. Faith makes us sure of eternal things, whereas hope shows confidence in what we believe. All hope presupposes faith (Ro 8:25). Faith in God's Word gives substance to our hope.
the evidence [proof, persuasion] - The word "evidence" means to prove or convince. Faith in God's promises proves things that are outside of the material, physical universe. It is proof whereby we test something. This faith enables the Christian to claim the promises of the future supported by God's Word.
of things not seen - "Things not seen" are both the future of the believer and truth that God gives in the present. This person shows by his decisions, commitments, and choices that he believes what God says is true.
Faith can anticipate the future; it does not restrict its view of reality to present experience or empirical evidence. There is far more to reality than what we personally experience. There is a greater and apex future ahead for the Christian.
PRINCIPLE: Faith gives reality to the things for which Christians hope.
APPLICATION: Faith has a demonstrating function. It makes invisible things visible, intangible things extant. It accepts what God says as true then acts on that word. Faith is active conviction that moves a Christian to put what he believes into action. Faith is not blind belief but intelligent persuasion that God's Word is true. Faith is no mere sentiment or speculation; it always shows itself to be something, to do something. Neither is biblical faith positive thinking but trusting God and His Word as the object. We believe God by trusting His Word and promises. Faith is not a leap into the dark with the hope of finding truth. Faith is "substance" or evidence of what is true. The non-Christian does not have faith as a means of perception, because he is spiritually dead. All men have faith, but it is the nature of faith that makes the difference. Hope is no wish or fantasy. It is settled assurance that comes from confidence in what God has said or promised.
v. 2: For by it the men of old [elders] gained approval.
For - The "for" here explains the implication of being sure about reality through faith. Faith is a worthy approach to reality. This verse gives a summary of what will follow in the chapter.
by it [faith] - "By it" means the kind of faith found in verse 1.
the elders obtained a good testimony - The "elders" here are Old Testament believers. The Holy Spirit commends them throughout chapter 11. Faith was no novelty in the New Testament, because it was seen everywhere in the Old Testament. These were people by whom God bore witness that their faith overcame obstacles. We see this faith throughout chapter 11. Those who operate by absolute faith in what God says always show that conviction in how they live their lives. People in the past obtained approval from God as the right way to live a believing life.
PRINCIPLE: God commends people who exercise faith in His Word.
APPLICATION: Faith shows itself in practicality. True biblical faith holds steady confidence in God's plan for them in time regardless of reversals or problems in life. Pleasing God is one of the highest aims of the Christian life. To receive His commendation for pleasing Him is a great reward. It was the kind of faith that believers had in the Old Testament that believers are to have in the church age. The Holy Spirit will delineate the record of believers of old in the remaining of the chapter. He will do this in historical sequence. Biblical faith is not faith in faith; it is faith in an object or content revealed by God. This faith is not primarily subjective. We place our faith in God's promises. It is a faith based on meaning; it goes beyond the meaninglessness of relativism. Judeo-Christian faith rests on the objective, logic, and reason. Today's society has rejected the objective and reason, escaping into skepticism with no hope and no answer.
v. 3: By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
By faith - This chapter uses the words "by faith" 21 times. We will see outstanding examples of people who lived their lives by faith during difficulties.
we understand [exercise of the mind to discern] - Christians perceive by faith that God created the universe. It is not something they can see for themselves by empirical evidence. Verse 3 illustrates verses 1 and 2. "Understand" is intellectual perception, not sense perception. Intellectual perception is clearly a part of faith. We can "understand" God's creation "by faith" (Ro 1:20). Discernment allows us to apply the principles of God's Word to a given situation.
that the worlds [ages] were framed [equipped] - God created the world or ages by speaking a word. The ages are all that exists in time and space; whether visible or invisible, "ages" implies purpose behind creation. God operates with divine continuity in history. Nothing in history is random, but it is all by divine design. Not only did God create the universe, but He administered each phase of time during the course of history. God is working a process of fulfilling His will. The words "were framed" is from a Greek word meaning to equip. God equipped each age to meet His purpose for that time.
by the word [spoken] of God - The "word of God" here is not the written but the spoken word of God when He created the world by speech (He 1:2; Ps 33:6-9). God spoke into existence the entire universe; there was no material universe before God brought it into existence.
so that the things which are seen - The "things which are seen" refers to the material or physical universe. All human cosmological arguments for the beginning of the universe are speculation. That is why we must turn to revelation to understand how the universe originated.
were not made of things which are visible. - Understanding the natural world is not adequate to comprehend the supernatural. It can confirm that God created it (Ro 1:20), but it cannot through its own system come to that knowledge. Human beings were not spectators at creation; we understand how it came into existence by faith. God created the universe ex nihilo; He created time and space out of nothing.
PRINCIPLE: True faith is undivided confidence in God.
APPLICATION: Belief in God's majestic power in creating the world by something non-material is an exercise in faith. Faith is the system for viewing reality or the universe; that is, it was a creation of God. The origin of the universe is a dilemma for natural scientists. Their view of cosmology can take them only so far. A few years ago, someone came up with the theory of the "big bang" origin of the universe, but later others rejected this theory because it did not adequately explain what was before the big bang. Theories of creation operate like a pendulum; one theory gains the predominance, and another speculation countervails the prevailing concept. The problem with science is that it is delimited to the observable or the material universe. If there is anything beyond the material, science has no answer. Once a scientist speculates beyond the material, he is no longer a scientist but a philosopher.
v. 4: By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. - Beginning with Abel, Hebrews 11 gives a series of examples of those who accomplished something by faith. The original readers of Hebrews who wanted to go back to the Old Testament view of things now had instances of people who operated by faith; they could see what God was doing in the New Covenant.
By faith Abel - Abel was the second son of Adam. He was a shepherd (Ge 4:2). No one ever offered a sacrifice before Abel. He was the first to offer a sacrifice by faith. He had no precedent to follow.
offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain - Cain was the older brother of Abel. God rejected Cain's offering but accepted Abel's (Ge 4:3-5). Abel's sacrifice was superior to Cain's because he offered it by faith.
Cain killed Abel (Ge 4:8,9). He was no atheist for he brought a sacrifice to God, albeit it was unacceptable to God. The "way of Cain" (Jude 11) was to approach God by operation bootstraps; it was a system of works.
through which [faith] he obtained witness that he was righteous - Abel's sacrifice met with God's approval because it was a blood sacrifice and not a vegetable sacrifice like Cain's. Abel was righteous because he believed God's method of salvation. God viewed him as righteous not because he lived righteously but because God accredited him as righteous by faith. Jesus called Abel righteous (Mt 23:35; Lu 11:51). Abel was in right relation to God.
God testifying of his gifts - The "gifts" here are the offerings of Abel's sacrifice. God as witness to faith is the ultimate affirmation of one's belief. God did not leave Abel in the dark about the acceptableness of his sacrifice. God had "regard" for Abel's offering (Ge 4:4).
and through it [sacrifice] - The "it" here is Abel's faith exhibited by offering an animal sacrifice (Ge 4:4).
he being dead still speaks. - Abel's testimony of walking by faith continued to speak during the writing of the New Testament times long after he was dead (He 12:24).
PRINCIPLE: We cannot come to God on our own terms.
APPLICATION: We cannot come to God by our own methods. It is possible to be religious but lost. We come by a more excellent sacrifice-the blood of the Lamb of God. Faith is the foundation of worship. It is always a response to revelation. All faith requires an object (Ro 10:17). Faith rests in what God says or promises (He 11:3). God said something to Abel, and he believed it. A blood sacrifice was needed to pay for sin. Cain's sacrifice was the work of his hands. Abel's sacrifice was the life of another. There are two representative groups on earth. Cain and Abel represent two representative groups on earth. One approaches God on his own terms and the other on God's terms. Cain was of "that Wicked one" (1 Jn 3:12). As Abel's sacrifice was superior to Cain's, so the New Covenant sacrifice is superior to the Old Covenant symbols of sacrifice. The life of faith begins with blood sacrifice. It is by this means that we receive forgiveness for our sins. If anyone attempts to gain access to God by any way other than blood sacrifice, he will get the same response as Cain did-rejection. There is no alternative to God's way to heaven; it is by His provision or none at all. Those who think they have another way than God's have gone the "way of Cain" (Jude 11; 1 Jn 3:12). These people are religious but lost, like Cain.
v. 5: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
By faith Enoch - Enoch was a descendant of Abraham (Ge 5:1-31). He was another person who walked by faith (Ge 5:21-24). He walked by faith for 300 years.
was taken away so that he did not see [experience] death - Enoch did not experience death; he was suddenly translated supernaturally and directly to heaven (Ge 5:24).
"and was not found, because God [emphatic] had taken him [carried across]" - People in Enoch's day searched for him repeatedly but did not find him (imperfect tense).
for before he was taken he had this testimony - Genesis 5:24 clearly indicates that Enoch was translated to heaven because he pleased God.
that he pleased God - Enoch pleased God by his walk by faith. The word "pleased" implies permanent testimony in Scripture (perfect indicative).
PRINCIPLE: God's primary purpose for us is to be faithful and not necessarily successful.
APPLICATION: Enoch's primary purpose was to be faithful, not necessarily effective. He left the results to God (Jude 14-15). Jude indicates that Enoch lived among false teachers. His life was difficult, for he had to confront those who distorted the truth. His faith was active and productive. Christians one day will suddenly be trans-lated to heaven at the Rapture of the church. Death does not get the last word among God's people.
v. 6: And 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 seek Him. - Verse 6 is an interpretation of verse 5.
But without [apart from] faith it is impossible to please Him - The word "without" means apart from faith. No one can please God apart from faith. The Greek of "to please" means that no one can please God at all without faith (aorist). No one can please God apart from exercising his or her faith.
for he who comes to God must believe that He is - The word "must" indicates compulsion. There are two compulsory dimensions to pleasing God: (1) believe "that He is" and (2) believe "that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." The word "must" is binding. Faith is necessary for a walk with God.
and that He is [becomes] a rewarder - The Greek word for "rewarder" is found only here in the New Testament. The idea is one who pays wages. The word "is" means becomes. God becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him; that is, He will prove that He will reward people with positive volition.
of those who diligently seek Him. - The seeking here is by one who seeks God by faith.
PRINCIPLE: God exists, and He is generous.
APPLICATION: The God who exists is a God of grace (1 Pe 5:10-11). It is the nature of God to give, to reward. In His sovereignty He will graciously provide for those who follow Him. God is faithful in rewarding those who seek Him. Man and God have corresponding natures. That gives them the capacity for fellowship on a personal level. We can walk with God in fellowship with Him (1 Jn 1:6-7). The finite person must yield to the infinite Person. Cain murdered Abel, but Enoch never died. God has a different plan for each believer.
v. 7: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith Noah - Noah lived his life by faith because he took God at His word by building the ark in the desert with no indication of a flood (Ge 6-10). Noah walked with God (Ge 6:9).
being divinely warned of things not yet seen - God spoke a warning to Noah about things unseen (He 11:1). The flood was not apparent to Noah yet or to anyone else.
moved with godly fear [reverence] - "Fear" here is not slavish fear but reverential awe. Noah moved on what God said with respect for His word.
prepared an ark for the saving of his household - Noah took God at His word by building an ark. He had no other basis for his actions than what God said.
by which [faith] he condemned the world - Noah's salvation by the ark condemned the skepticism of the world at that time.
and became heir of the righteousness - He was right in God's eyes (Ge 6:9; 7:1; Ezek 14:14, 20). Noah's deliverance showed that he was a just man who lived by faith. Noah inherited "righteousness."
which is according to faith. - Heirship is a consequence of walking by faith.
PRINCIPLE: Genuine faith always produces something.
APPLICATION: It is important to note that work is a product of faith (Eph 2:10; James 2). Faith is not a product of work. No one had built such a massive ark as Noah's before him. It was a great step of faith for him to undertake such a project, to build an ocean-going vessel in the desert. It took 100 years to construct this ship. We can imagine the number of skeptics who ridiculed him during this time. For a person with no shipbuilding experience, this was quite a step of faith. This vessel was 438 feet long, 73 feet wide, and 44 feet high. Noah believed God's covenant with him (Ge 6:18). Noah was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Pe 2:5). His building the ark by faith was a great sermon.
