In real life these heroes had their ups and downs. Commended for their faith, at times this faith was not as strong as it could have been. Yet despite their weaknesses
through faith they conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped 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 back their dead by resurrection. Some, not accepting release, were tortured, in order that they might attain a better resurrection. Others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and prison. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in sheep skins, in goat skins, destitute, afflicted, mistreated … wandering about in deserts and mountains and caves and the crevices of the earth (Heb 11:33–38).Through faith these heroes of faith experienced a mixture of things: victory as well as suffering. Through faith some “obtained promises” in the sense that they saw the fulfillment of some of God’s promises to them. Yet it is clear from Heb 11:39 that none of them experienced “the promise.”
But what is meant by the promise at this point? The phrase the promise (allowing for different grammatical case) also occurs in Heb 11:9, whereas the plural form the promises appears in Heb 11:13, 17. All of these have an Abrahamic connection. Abraham was promised nationhood (Gen 12:2), fame (Gen 12:2), blessing (Gen 12:2), land (Gen 12:7), and offspring (Gen 12:7). All in all, this would seem to be the promise of life in the heavenly land, the eternal city of God (Heb 11:10, 16).
The use of the phrase the promise elsewhere in Hebrews also supports the idea that the promise in Heb 11:39 is the promise of eternal life. Hebrews 4:1 speaks of the promise of entering an eschatological Sabbath rest. In Heb 6:15, 17 the promise is the promise of blessing and many offspring that God made to Abraham (and specifically the promise in Gen 22:17). The idea of the new covenant legally established on “better promises” (Heb 8:6), and talk of “the promise of eternal inheritance” in Heb 9:15, strengthens the idea of the promise in Heb 11:39 as being related to the promises of the eternal (i.e., the new) covenant. This is the promise which is the object of the Christian’s hope (Heb 10:23), which centers on entering into the presence of God in the heavenly temple (Heb 10:19–20). It is the promise that is fulfilled for believers after endurance in doing the will of God until “the coming one” comes (Heb 11:36–37). According to Heb 12:26, it is the promise of Hag 2:6 concerning the unshakeable eschatological kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem (see Heb 12:22, 27–28).
We can conclude, therefore, that the ancient heroes of faith saw the fulfillment of some of God’s promises; but despite their faith testifying that they were people of faith, “they did not receive the promise” of eternal life in their lifetime (Heb 11:39). Faith is prepared to accept that there may no reward for the faithful in this world; and that if this be the case, then the reward will come in full in the heavenly country (Heb 11:6, 13–16).
In the plan of God, “God foresaw something better for us” (Heb 11:40), i.e., God had in mind that the full realization of his promise of blessing and life would be experienced by us, the new covenant believers. Hebrews 11:40 acknowledges that God’s plan of salvation is worked out in stages that lead to an eschatological climax. Believers under the old covenant by definition could not receive the fullness of blessing and salvation, because the fullness of blessing and salvation is something that was going to be achieved as part of the new covenant. It is for this reason that the ancient heroes of faith did not receive in full the promise of eternal life in their lifetime, “lest they be perfected without us” (Heb 11:40).
Through faith, and ultimately by way of resurrection, old covenant believers and new covenant believers alike will experience together the reward of faith, the fullness of the blessing of eternal life.
2 comments:
So, how do you explain Enoch (v5, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death")? I've heard some suggest that the bad guys were trying to kill him and that God simply translated (i.e., moved) him someplace (on earth, not to heaven) where the bad guys couldn't find him.
Hi Mike,
Good question! I’m not sure we have much evidence to the effect that bad guys were after Enoch. Hebrews 11:5 is fairly clear that his removal was in order that “he might not see [i.e., experience] death.” I assume he was taken up into heaven as an indication of what the destiny of the godly (i.e., those who please God) is, namely, living in the presence of God. Note how the author takes Enoch as being an example of faith in the sense that (from what is implied in v. 6) he believed in God’s existence, and in the doctrine of divine reward, and pleased God as a result.
If Enoch is in heaven, how does this fit in with Heb 11:39? Following this verse, my assumption is that this implies that even Enoch has not yet received the fullness of everything that has been promised. There is a corporate dimension to the new covenant that will only be fully revealed on the final day (Heb 11:40); but on an individual level, perhaps we need to take it that Enoch has not yet received his glorified “resurrection” body. The people of Israel enjoyed some kind of access into the presence of God in the old covenant age through the temple priesthood; but this access was nonetheless limited or restricted. There must be some kind of analogous restriction involved for Enoch, a bit like Moses upon Mount Sinai. Moses stood in the presence of God, but he was still a mere mortal. Enoch has gone further than Moses ever did (back then), but perhaps there’s more in store for him in the future (just like for us).
Post a Comment