Heroes of Faith Part 18 - Others

Finale

Beyond the known seventeen heroes of faith that are specifically mentioned, Hebrews 11 have also given indications as to the others that have not been named. From the five verses from 11:33 to 11:37, there are evident clues for us to reveal who they are likely to be:

Heroes of Faith Part 17 - Samuel

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As they said, “Last but not least.” This phrase could easily be used to describe Samuel, the last of the judges but by no means, the littlest for here is a prophet and judge who served the Lord with remarkable integrity and unstinting faith, demonstrating exemplary piety to God in ways that prove his love for Him.

Heroes of Faith Part 16 - David

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Among the many heroes the Bible talks of, David looms large as a giant of Scripture. Well known throughout the world as the one after God’s heart, David rose from humble underpinnings, as a shepherd boy, to become the most illustrious king of Israel and more importantly, set the lineage that led all the way to the Messiah Himself, Lord Jesus Christ.

Heroes of Faith Part 15 - Jephthah

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While there are many sad and tragic stories in the Bible, there aren’t many that are as gut-wrenching as Jephthah’s. Amidst his obedience as a warrior who trusted God’s judgement, he delivered victories none more profound than the one against the Ammonites where he made a vow that would forever change his life, a vow that would backfire so tragically because his one and only little daughter had to die as a result (Judges 11-12).

Heroes of Faith Part 14 - Samson

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Of all the twelve judges to have graced Israel, we had one woman by the name of Deborah but we also had one mighty man of God. And his name was Samson the Nazirite, making him yet another judge who had made it to the Hall of Faith. For him was God’s calling; that he would deliver Israel from the Philistines.

Heroes of Faith Part 13 - Barak

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Not one of the heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11 ever exhibited foolproof faith. Every one of them would, at some point, waver but eventually all of them would pick up on God’s calling to complete the work. In light of all these, Barak (also spelt Barach) remains an interesting case because he was a courageous warrior who struggled with his faith and was besieged in doubt and in the end, his accomplishments would be forever overshadowed by a woman.

Heroes of Faith Part 12 - Gideon

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Like how we ourselves struggle constantly with our faith, Gideon is not much different. While we have some towering heroes in Hebrews 11 that are immensely difficult to relate to for the enormity of their achievements, here is a judge of Israel whose weaknesses match the manner in which he is constantly clouded by doubts. His is an inconsistent brand of faith – aren’t we all the same? – but he offers us an important lesson in how God can work in us only if we learn not to depend on the self but on Him.

Heroes of Faith Part 11 - Rahab

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Other than Sarah, Rahab is the second and only other woman in a pantheon of patriarchs that make up the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. That may be astounding on its own but what is even more amazing is that the God is Israel is not fazed by her less-than-decent background in Jericho before she and her family was rescued by Israel’s advancing army. As such her inclusion in this much haloed list contains a humbling lesson for all of us in terms of how we view people.

Heroes of Faith Part 10 - Joshua

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For someone who stood against the odds and was prepared to stake his belief in trust of God, there’s not likely to be a better example that Joshua. Inducted into the Hebrews Hall of Fame, here is a young soldier whom we knew so little of until he became part of the team that returned from spying the Promised Land.

Heroes of Faith Part 9 - Moses

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Of the giants of the Hebrews pantheon, none match the stature of someone like Abraham except Moses. While Joseph is well depicted in a musical, Moses had a huge cinemascope motion picture directed by Cecil deMille that still ranks among the greatest ever filmed today.

Heroes of Faith Part 8 - Joseph

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Very few patriarchs ever made it to the stage and screen where they celebrate him in a glitzy musical showcase…all, that is, except Joseph who had a hugely successful one made of him called ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.’ If that isn’t big enough, consider that the music and lyrics were the works of none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

Heroes of Faith Part 7 - Jacob

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Up till now the most colourful patriarch the Bible has yet to record is Jacob. With a story worthy of a Hollywood script, Jacob’s rise to prominence began with an act of shrewdness and deception. With trickery and help from his mother, Rebekah, Jacob stole his twin brother Esau’s birthright, right under the nose of a near-blind Isaac, his father.

Heroes of Faith Part 6 - Isaac

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The child who was not to be but God made it possible – Isaac. The miracle child, the boy of the apple of Abraham’s eyes. The son so dearly loved by his mother, Sarah. A hero of faith who joins his father and mother in the pantheon of Biblical giants.

Are You A Hero in the Making?

“They didn’t have the details of the Saviour’s birth…yet they still followed Him with courage”

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By David D Sternhagen

As we know, all the heroes of Hebrews 11 encourage us to be faithful as we run our race of faith.

I want to be a hero. I think most people would like to be one. But I want to be one of those heroes who don’t have to do much to get there. I don’t want to be a hero because I was able to suffer a lot of pain for a long time without complaint.

Don’t make me a hero like Abraham, who was told to sacrifice his son. Don’t make me a hero like Jacob who struggled most of his life learning to trust God. Isn’t there some simple thing I can do this afternoon that will make me a hero? Well, maybe. 

Heroes of Faith Part 5 - Sarah

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In a line-up of predominant patriarchs, only two women would feature but none taller than Sarah, wife of Abraham. Even so, it is evident that in some translations, Abraham is made out to receive the credit that perhaps, arguably, Sarah should be deserving of it.

The cornerstone of Sarah’s prominence among the heroes of faith lies in this verse:

“It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep His promise.” (Hebrews 11:11)

There's A Bit of Rahab in All of Us

As soon as we heard these things of God, our hearts melted…

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By Khen Lim

The story of Rahab is a familiar one for many of us in church and does not require a full retelling here, at least not in terms of the famous story that the Bible covers.

And if we ever need any assurances of Rahab’s towering reputation, we merely refer to the heroes of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. Among the greatness of the seventeen names, only two were women – one was Abraham’s wife Sarah and the other was… Rahab, a prostitute or a harlot no less.

While We're Visiting, Let's Exemplify God

We may not belong to this world but our time here has a purpose that echoes the Great Commission

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By Khen Lim

Let’s face it. Some of us are really having a great time. Our favourite food is dirt cheap and easily accessible. We’ve got great movies on DVD anytime. There’s the World Cup every four years. And we can go holidaying on the cheap since Air Asia has made flying very affordable. Life’s a holler and we don’t really need to be anywhere else. How about heaven?

Heroes of Faith Part 4 - Abraham

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Known without dispute as the Father of the Jewish Nation, Abraham is not just a hero of faith but a truly towering example of one. In all the patriarchs mentioned in Hebrews 11, Abraham is more than just a few lines long (vv8-19). We are looking at a biblical giant who provided the roots for a Jewish nation.

Heroes of Faith Part 3 - Noah

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In a world overrun by ignominious evil, indifferent violence and soul-destroying corruption, Noah stood out like a tall poppy. Unlike the rest of the world, it seemed there would only be one man whom God deemed righteous. His name was Noah.

Heroes of Faith Part 2 - Enoch

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As the only man known in the Bible to have walked with God and then was “taken away” without meeting death, Enoch is a unique patriarch for he so pleased the Lord that his experience is not shared with others. Thereby he holds a most unusual Biblical distinction of not having died.