Hebrews 11:1-7

Hebrews 11:1

Abel, Enoch, Noah.

Before the flood and the Abrahamic covenant God had a people on earth who lived by faith. Abel, the first martyr, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, and Noah, the preacher of righteousness, are the three witnesses of the period whose lives are recorded.

I. Abel, the first man who had to descend into the grave, was carried through it on the arms of redeeming love. Abel, believing the word, approached God through the bitter sacrifice. Every one who believes in Jesus Christ is an accepted worshipper. There is no other true and spiritual worship but the worship of a believer in Jesus, and this worship is alwaysaccepted. Of this, the only worship, Abel, though dead, yet speaketh.

II. The sinner who through faith in the sacrifice is righteous before God, belongs now to God, and is an heir of eternal life. Sin and death have no more dominion over him. Thus Enoch, the seventh from Adam, walks with God. In this simple familiar expression we have the description of the new life; it brings before us communion with God, dependence on His guidance, submission to His authority, confidence in His love and favour, continuous, habitual fellowship, and a mind conformed to God's mind, and delighting itself in the Lord.

III. Abel testifies of faith's sacrifice and worship always accepted. Enoch of faith's walk and triumph, lifted above sin and death into fellowship with the holy God, the Lord of Life. Noah's faith has again another testimony. He found grace the first time the word is used in Scripture in the eyes of the Lord. His faith, rooted in the contrite heart, and evidenced in his daily work and obedience, was tested by the opposition and mockery of the world to whom he testified of sin, of judgment, and saving grace; declaring what he possessed himself, righteousness by faith. And by his faith he not merely saved himself, but his household.

A. Saphir, Lectures on Hebrews,vol. ii., p. 289.

References: Hebrews 11:5. J. Vaughan, Sermons,7th series, p. 176; Homiletic Magazine,vol. i., p. 112.Hebrews 11:5; Hebrews 11:6. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxii., No. 1307; Homiletic Magazine,vol. viii., p. 235.Hebrews 11:6. E. M. Goulburn, Thoughts on Personal Religion,p. 41; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. iii., No. 107; J. Kennedy, Christian World Pulpit,vol. iii., p. 102; H. W. Beecher, Ibid.,vol. xx., p. 317; Clergyman's Magazine,vol. viii., p. 98. Hebrews 11:7. S. Mitchell, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxviii., p. 419; H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit,No. 3303.