Hebrews 11 English Standard Version

By Faith

⁷ By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith God warned Noah of events never seen before on earth. How was information passed from God to Noah? It does not say here that God spoke to Noah as we might expect. In Genesis 6:9 it says; These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 

This statement puts Noah on the same footing with Enoch, his grandfather. Noah walked by faith, pleased God and was chosen by God. Rather than taking Noah as He did with Enoch, God laid out His plans with Noah. God spoke to Noah. Since God is spirit and is not seen, where did the voice come from and how did Noah know that it was God speaking? Prior experience by Noah’s faith walk with God and the relationship that was formed between the two.

Within the opening passage is one important comment that should not be ignored. Noah had a reverential fear of God. Noah pleased God, had a righteousness that became his birthright and yet held God as being the highest authority in the world that has the right to do His will.

Now comes the greater issue about faith. Noah obeyed God even though it made no sense to Noah. Why build the Ark of such magnitude when Noah did not even know about floods? The events unseen in all Noah’s history was rain and floods.

The process of faith is now forming. Have faith in God. Walk by faith with God. Trust God by faith. Hear God by faith. Believe God by faith. Obey God by faith. Faith is active in every part of our experience. Faith is not a separate entity unto itself, it is involved in every aspect of our life.

Hebrews 11 English Standard Version

By Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the people of old received their commendation. ³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter of the bible. From the beginning of this chapter it addresses our issue of creation but that is not all. It declares that faith itself is the proof we need. The second comment relates to the reputation of the individuals that use their faith, they become commendable.

This would indicate the first result of using faith in the right way. Let us continue.

⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

God is the one commending Abel for his act of faith. God accounted Abel’s act of faith as righteousness. This issue of sacrifice shows up early in the bible and the driving force behind Abel’s sacrifice was faith. Reading Genesis 4 we will discover that Abel was a shepherd. He kept sheep, he cared for them. Abel sacrificed something he cared about.

Cain on the other hand sacrificed his crops, the labor of his hands. It was work produced, not faith produced. We will find other comparisons within the bible pitting works against faith. Those things we will explore later. For now we must associate faith to God’s reaction to the correct use of faith.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

The common link between Abel and Enoch is an unseen force driving their actions, faith.