Hebrews 11:32-35

DISCOURSE: 2331
POWER OF FAITH

Hebrews 11:32. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.

THIS is a surprising chapter altogether. Respecting faith, as a principle, the generality of men think but little. Indeed, a considerable degree of prejudice exists against it in the minds of many; as though it were a mere conceit, which tended to discourage all human efforts, and to generate delusions in all who give themselves up to its influence. But the account here given of it is truly surprising. The Apostle himself seems to have been at a loss for utterance on so vast a subject. The instances of it which he had enumerated, and those which crowded upon his mind, almost overwhelmed him: “What shall I more say? for the time would fail me to declare” all that my recollection suggests to me.
That we may enter in some little measure into the Apostle’s views of this divine principle, let us consider,

I. How marvellous are its records—

We will not go to the instances above recited; for then indeed the time would fail us: nor will we enter at all minutely into those which are heaped together in my text; for then also it would be impossible for us to do justice to them in one discourse. I will only, and as briefly as possible, call your attention to,

1. The persons enumerated—

[These are not placed in the order of time in which they lived; for Barak was before Gedeon, and Jephthae before Samson, and Samuel before David: the Apostle mentions them just as they occurred to his thoughts: as he did also the facts to which he afterwards refers: for they also are promiscuously specified, without any reference to the persons whom he had mentioned, or the times at which the events themselves occurred. But they all afford most astonishing instances of the power of faith. Gedeon, with only three hundred men, and with no other weapons than trumpets, and pitchers with lamps concealed in them, and these broken, with a shout, “The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon,” with no other weapons, I say, than these, prevailed over all the hosts of Midian [Note: Judges 7:7; Judges 7:19. with 8:10.]. Barak, with no more than ten thousand men, subdued an immense army, of whom not so much as one was left alive [Note: Judges 4:6.]. Samson also, when the Spirit of God came upon him, slew thirty Philistines, and one thousand more with the jaw-bone of an ass, and three thousand more at his death [Note: Judges 14:19; Judges 15:15; Judges 16:27.]. Jephthae, too, under the same divine influence, subdued the Ammonites [Note: Judges 11:23.]. As for David, his victories were numberless. And Samuel, though not a warrior, shewed himself strongly under the influence of faith [Note: 1 Samuel 12:16.]; as did Elijah, and Elisha, and many other prophets in their season. If it be asked, in what respect were these examples of faith? I answer, All these exploits were done in obedience to a divine impulse, and in dependence on God’s promised aid.

But, without dwelling on the acts of these individual worthies, let us notice, rather, what my text leads us to,]

2. The acts specified—

[Who would imagine that faith should ever possess such powers as are here ascribed to it? Who would suppose that by it men should “put to flight mighty armies,” and “subdue whole kingdoms?” Yet this has been done, and done by faith also: for all the kingdoms of Canaan were subdued by Joshua’s faith; as were the surrounding kingdoms of Moab, and Syria, and Edom, with many others, by the faith of David. And who would think that this principle should prevail to shut the mouths of lions; yes, and to quench the violence of fire, so that a furnace heated to the utmost extent of man’s ability, should not be able to singe a hair of a person’s head? Yet was the former of these done by the faith of Daniel; as was the latter, by the faith of his three companions, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abed-nego. Even to the raising of the dead has this availed: for, through the exercise of it, Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath [Note: 1 Kings 17:17.], and Elisha the son of the Shunamitish woman [Note: 2 Kings 4:18.].

Now of these things I say, they are utterly incredible: and, in declaring them, I seem to demand an assent that is perfectly unreasonable. For, how should it be that such a hidden principle of the mind should ever enable a man to work such miracles as these? Verily, the whole account seems to be nothing but “a cunningly-devised fable,” that yet can impose on none who give to it one moment’s consideration. But it is true, and the very truth of God. Nor will it appear incredible, if we duly consider the way in which it operates. It is God himself who engages to do the thing: and faith calls into action his Almighty arm (and with him all things are possible). So that, inasmuch as faith, insures his effectual aid, it may be truly said, that “all things are possible to him that believeth.”]
But let us further notice,

II.

How diversified its operations—

There is nothing to which it may not be applied, and nothing for which it will not equally avail. It will alike enable us,

1. To do any thing—

[By it has “righteousness been wrought,” in its utmost extent. Not only has political righteousness been given for the government of kingdoms, as to Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah, but moral righteousness, in a degree never produced by any other principle under heaven. Where do we find such characters as those recorded in the Scriptures? Yet it was faith which made them what they were: and faith, in proportion as it exists in the soul, enables every child of God to resemble them. The weakest of the human race shall “out of weakness be made strong;” and prevail, not only over men, but over all the powers of darkness also [Note: Romans 8:37; Ephesians 6:16; James 4:7.], if only he rely on the promise of a faithful God. His faith, though it were only small as a grain of mustard-seed, would be abundantly sufficient for all the powers that the occasion called for [Note: Matthew 17:20.]

2. To obtain any thing—

[By it “have promises been obtained;” even such as, according to human expectation, could never have been fulfilled. To Abraham and Sarah was the birth of a son delayed, till there remained not the smallest probability of its accomplishment, nor a possibility, according to the course of nature. And David’s establishment on the throne of Israel was as unlikely, according to man’s estimate of things, as any event that could be conceived. But never, in any single instance, did a promise, apprehended by faith, fail him who relied upon it [Note: Joshua 23:14.]. Take, then, the promises of God (no matter how great they are, or how small); and only rely on them, and plead them before God in prayer; and sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than you be disappointed of your hope. “Ye may ask what ye will,” provided only it be contained in a promise, and “it shall assuredly be done unto you.”]

3. To suffer any thing—

[It is scarcely to be conceived what sufferings men have inflicted on the people of God. Of these we have many instances mentioned in the verses after my text [Note: ver. 36, 37.]. But, perhaps, the instance more immediately referred to in my text is one recorded in the book of Maccabees, respecting a woman and her seven sons, who endured all that the cruel tyrant Antiochus could inflict upon them; and refused all his offers of deliverance; having an assured prospect of a recompence from God, even an eternal recompence, which would infinitely outweigh all that it was in the power of man to grant [Note: 2 Macc. ver. 7.]. Similar instances we have had in our own favoured land, in the days of popish persecution: and God alone knows to what any of us may yet be called, before we die. But, if faith will enable men to bear up under such sufferings as we read of in the Scriptures of truth, how much more will it qualify us for sustaining the common evils of life; yea, and enable us to “glory in tribulation,” so far as God shall see fit to subject us to its assaults.]

To all this I may add,

III.

How extensive its benefits—

There is not a blessing to the body or the soul, for time or for eternity, which faith will not secure. Do we not want,

1. Pardon?

[There is not a sin of which we may not obtain forgiveness, if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, “whose blood cleanseth from all sin.” The declaration of an inspired Apostle is, “All that believe are justified from all things [Note: Acts 13:39.].”]

2. Peace?

[“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ [Note: Romans 5:1.];” yea, by “believing in this unseen Saviour, we may rejoice in him with a joy that is unspeakable and glorified [Note: 1 Peter 1:8.].”]

3. Holiness?

[Every part of holiness will faith supply. It will “work by love,” and “overcome the world,” and “purify the heart [Note: Acts 15:9.].” It is by faith only that we can “behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ:” and by that shall we be “changed into his image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.].”]

4. Glory?

[Never shall the believer die; never perish; never come into condemnation [Note: John 3:16; John 11:25.]. Eternal life is his, both in title and in the actual commencement; and it shall be his in the great day of Christ’s appearing. Then shall that be said to you, as it was to blind Bartimeus, and to her who washed her Saviour’s feet with her tears; not, ‘Thine importunity, or thy penitence, hath saved thee;’ but, “Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace.”]

Now, let me press upon you a due improvement of this subject. Concerning faith, I would say, strive,
1.

To ascertain its existence—

[True is that declaration of the Apostle, “All men have not faith [Note: 2 Thessalonians 3:2.].” Nor is it true of those only who professedly reject the Gospel, but of multitudes also who profess to have received it. It was to such that St. Paul addressed those words: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves [Note: 2 Corinthians 13:5.].” “You are not to imagine that a mere assent to the Gospel is the faith that is required of you. Saving faith is a divine principle in the soul—a principle productive of such fruits as were brought forth by the worthies enumerated in this chapter. In order to ascertain whether your faith be genuine, read the chapter carefully; and, after every successive instance of faith, inquire how far it has operated the same change in you. In truth, if we compare our experience with that of the saints of old, the best amongst us, instead of valuing himself upon his faith, will find reason to doubt whether he has yet attained any faith at all.]

2. To appreciate its importance—

[Lightly as men in general think of faith, there is no principle whatever that is of such importance to the soul as that. Love, indeed, is in some respects greater than faith; but it must be remembered, that faith is the root from which alone true love can spring. Where faith is wanting, there can be no union with Christ, and consequently no Christian grace: for “without Christ we can do nothing.” “Without faith, whatever we may do, it is impossible to please God [Note: ver. 6.]:” and, consequently, without faith we can have no hope of eternal life. How terrific are those words which our blessed Lord commissioned his Disciples to proclaim throughout the world! “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believeth not, shall be damned [Note: Mark 16:15.].” Know ye then, that, in this subject, life and death are set before you: and that, as in this world, so to all eternity, “According to your faith it will be unto you.”]

3. To obtain its increase—

[Very remarkable is the answer given by the Disciples to an injunction which they had received relative to the forgiving an offending brother. When he told them, that if a brother should offend seven times in a day, and as often repeat his acknowledgments, they should renew to him their pardoning grace, they said, “Lord, increase our faith [Note: Luke 17:5.].” But what had faith to do with this? One would rather suppose that they would have said, “Lord, increase our love.” But their request argued a juster view of divine truth. They did indeed stand in need of love; but it could spring from nothing but faith; and would infallibly be produced by faith: and hence they presented the fittest petition that it was possible for them to offer. Let the same petition, then, proceed continually from your lips. Unbounded are your calls for this divine principle; and the more you excel in that, the more will you excel in every Christian grace.]

4. To have it as the one governing principle of your life—

[It is “by faith you are to walk,” “by faith to stand,” by faith to live continually: as the Apostle says, “The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me [Note: Galatians 2:20.].” You have seen how wholly the saints of old gave themselves up to its influence: do ye go and do likewise; that, having lived by faith, and “died in faith,” you may receive “the promise which God has promised you, even eternal life [Note: ver. 39.].”]