Yesterday, we learned that faith involves trusting God’s promises, even when we don’t yet see any evidence that He will keep them. Today, we see that faith often involves something even harder – the willingness to suffer in order to hold on to the hope of things we don’t yet see.

The biggest part of today’s passage reminds us of how the people who lived through the Exodus from Egypt had to demonstrate this kind of faith. Moses’ parents had to risk the wrath of Pharaoh just to keep him alive (11:23). Moses himself had to give up a life of power and luxury in order to lead his people out of slavery (11:24-25). And all the people lived through those ten terrifying plagues – trusting God to save their firstborn children from the last of them by putting the blood of a sacrificial lamb on the doorposts of their houses (11:28).

But perhaps the most poignant example of how faith often leads us into suffering is that of Abraham. For when, after 25 years, God finally delivered on His promise that Abraham and Sarah would give birth to Isaac, God asked Abraham to do a terrible thing – to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice to God (11:17). But so great was Abraham’s trust in God that he was willing to do what God asked. After all, since God had made good on His promise, allowing Isaac to be born to parents who were as good as dead (11:12), Abraham was sure that God could raise him up from the dead (11:19). How else could God keep His promise?

Well, God didn’t make Abraham go through with the sacrifice of Isaac, but God did go through with the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus. So, when we look at the cross, when we see the suffering Jesus endured in order to fulfill the promises God had made to Him and to us, how can we doubt that those who follow Him might have to go through the same thing?

Now, in order to follow Jesus, we may not be called to endure the sorts of violence our author describes in verses 35-38. We may not be faced with the choice of renouncing Jesus or facing persecution from the government, as the first readers of this letter did. We may not ever have to hide in fear from the ignorance and violence of Islam, as many of our Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan are having to do today. But make no mistake: pain and confusion, waiting and longing are part of the package called faith. And they always have been.

Hebrews 11:17-40 (ESV)

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets–
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated–
38 of whom the world was not worthy– wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.