The writer of the letter to the Hebrews declares,
“32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak,
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” Hebrews 11:32-34
As we continue in this study of Hebrews 11, we hear about several of God’s faithful people from the Old Testament who experienced God’s mercy when He vindicated them in this life. These types of vindication do not always happen to God’s people in this life, but when God acts in this way, we need to remember and give thanks for His acts of deliverance. God’s people saw the Lord’s answers to particular promises within their lives along the way. Many of the accounts in this passage included the military victories of Israel as they entered the land promised to them by God. The passage also includes the miracles of God’s deliverance in the book of Daniel first as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego escaped the power of the blazing fire of the furnace into which they had been cast (Daniel 3:19-27) and then as Daniel was delivered from the lion’s den (Daniel 6:16-28).
Both of these examples of God preserving the lives of His faithful people and Israel entering the promised land are demonstrations that God is faithful to His Words of promise and that He will continue to keep His covenant even when the outward circumstances of His people look challenging and harsh. God’s people stepped out in obedience to Him in the midst of trying situations. In the cases of Daniel and his three friends, they did so by going against the king’s decrees. Foremost, they acted with reverence for God and yet also likely with trepidation concerning their probable punishment from the king.
Even though God’s people witnessed a partial fulfillment of God’s promises in history, they still awaited the coming of the Messiah (Hebrews 11:26) and the new heavens and the new earth (Hebrews 11:13-16). The Old Testament saints therefore looked forward in hope, as Hebrews 11:10 says about Abraham,
“For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
God not only lays out the plan of salvation for all who would believe in Him, but He also establishes and brings to fulfillment His kingdom. As we look back to these amazing stories of God rescuing, answering, and strengthening His people in the Old Testament, it informs us that He will keep the rest of His promises in the future. The summary of the pinnacle of God’s promises to His people is spoken of in Hebrews 11:16b,
“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
God has created us for Himself that we might be in right relationship with Him and find rest and joy in serving Him. We can have joy knowing that the God who fulfilled promises and vindicated His people in the past is the same God who will vindicate His people and save them in the present and future.
