Highlight:
(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: (33) who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promisees, stopped the mouths of lions, (34) 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.
Hebrews 11:32-34
Explanation:
The preacher continues to make the case for the faith exhibited by those who walked before. He mentions more names of Old Testament saints who would have been familiar to the Hebrew audience.
- Gideon- This was a one of the judges that believed God enough to go into battle for the nation of Israel with a mere 300 men, torches and pots. God gave them the victory! You can read about his life and ministry in Judges 6-9
- Barak- Worked for the Lord with Deborah to defeat Sisera and his armies in Judges 4-5.
- Samson- Though Samson did much in his life that was not honorable, he demonstrated faith in God at the end of His life. It may have been Samson and his ending that the preacher had in mind when he said in verse 34, “out of weakness were made strong”. You can read about Samson in Judges 13-16.
- Jephthae- God used Jephthae to lead the Israelites to freedom from the eighteen years of oppression that they experienced. You can read about him in Judges 11 and 12.
- David- David is listed among these men because all of them were military warriors with a heart of faith in God. David was a warrior-poet-king. He was used by God to protect His people and is in the line of the Messiah.
They were used to do quite a list:
- subdued kingdoms- There was military conquest
- wrought righteousness- Through this conquest they established righteousness against enemies that were pursuing immorality.
- obtained promises- Gideon, Samson, David…
- Stopped the mouths of lions- For sure Samson and David did this.
- Quenced the violence of fire- I think of Samson defeating the Philistines, Barak defeating Sisera…
- Escaped the edge of the sword- David did in regards to Saul and others.
- Out of weakness were made strong- Samson, ironically
- Waxed valient in fight- all of them
- Turned to flight the armies of the aliens- Gideon, David (after Goliath)
Application:
Every one of these instances were not from people who had no need for God, or saw their strength as exclusively in their physical abilities or military prowess. Certainly they were gifted and developed their gifts. But to a person, they learned that the battle belonged to the Lord, and that without him there was no victory.
We must see that as well. Faith is the victory!
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
1 Samuel 17:43-47
When I work on strategy, methodology, and execution in ministry, but then I do not spend time with the Lord, do not confess sin, give in to temptation and sin, I express the idea that I believe in the mission of God, and the strategy of God, but believe that I can divorce those things from God Himself. This is stupid! “…the Lord saveth not with the sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S”!