Advent: God With Us
Hebrews 11:32-40
And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; hey were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.
Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.
The title of this chapter in my NRSV reads “The Meaning of Faith.” The chapter begins with this opening sentence in verse 1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The author of Hebrews then proceeds to list in eloquent and dramatic fashion, the “heroes of the faith” throughout Biblical history. They begin with Abel, proceed to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and even go on to include Rahab. When we finally arrive at the passage for today (verses 32-40) the author goes on to speak more broadly and generically about the people who exhibited faith in Israel’s history. It is the author’s thesis that these people were tested in innumerable ways, yet although they could not foresee the outcome of their testing, all of them stood strong in their conviction and trusted God.
This is meant, of course, to be an encouragement to us, as we too navigate a world that is unpredictable– a world where, as Christ promised, there will be many “troubles.” As I write this, I personally am feeling overwhelmed and weary by the weight of the world’s troubles. There are on-going protests and political unrest in Iran after a young woman, Masha Amini, died while in police custody. A suicide bombing occurred at a school in Afghanistan, killing over 50 female students preparing to apply to college. Vladimir Putin has unleashed new and unrelenting air strikes on Ukraine. Pakistan, Puerto Rico, and Florida are dealing with the aftermath of the untamable forces of nature. Our own country has midterm elections on the horizon, and the Supreme Court has resumed session, deciding on numerous critical cases that will affect many of those on the margins. When we look at the world around us, it is easy and understandable to despair. Things are broken beyond repair.
Yet the heroes of the faith listed in chapter 11 lived during a time where things were equally confusing, broken, and hopeless. We are to look to them as an example as to how to face unfathomable circumstances, especially when we are not sure of the outcome. That is what faith means; having assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It means being steadfast in what is right, true, and just, even if we cannot see the outcome. It means working for the good of others for the flourishing of the world, even when our efforts do not matter. The Hebrews writer says in verse 39 “Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised.” Many of them died before ever seeing the fruits of their efforts come to full bloom.
And yet we have a hope that our efforts are not in vain, because we have placed our faith in the One who has come to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found; Immanuel, God with us. The faith of the saints of old was a conviction of things that they could not see or foresee. Yet from Moses to Deborah, they had a profound impact on the world in which they inhabited. How much more profound of an impact can we have, for those of us who have seen– who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good? Who have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, full of grace and truth. We have seen the One who has come to defeat all the powers of evil, oppression, and injustice by living as one who was disinherited, who was executed like a criminal. We have placed our faith in Him, and it is that faith that fuels us to continue His work of healing the world and bringing shalom to broken places. As we take on the suffering in the world, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. For we have a hope in the One who has come to make all things news. Therefore, we continue to fight for equality. Therefore, we continue to stand for justice. Therefore, we work to bring flourishing to those who are on the margins. Because unlike the saints of old, we have seen the One who our souls have longed for. Our efforts are not in vain. Immanuel, Christ our God, is with us.
Sarah Lewis
Sarah was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Temple University and a Master of Theology from the University of Glasgow. She is currently a third-year Master of Divinity student at McAfee School of Theology. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys sitting in local Atlanta cafes, drinking delicious coffee, and writing about the intersection of religion, race, and politics. She is recently married, and enjoys binge-watching her favorite series with her husband, including Stranger Things and The Boys. Sarah is a devoted Philly-sports fan, not minding the reputation that goes with it!