“Considering Him Faithful”

Hebrews 11:11-22

¹¹ By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

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.

– Heb. 11:6-12

These are real people, now gone but their faith speaks, as described in this chapter of Hebrews. And I want to begin with this phrase that is used to describe Sarah’s faith: “she considered him faithful who had promised.” Her focus was not on the promise and her analysis of the details. At this point, she was not concerned about her age and her husband’s age, or the prospect of raising a boy at this age. Her mind is fixed on one thing: “She considered Him faithful who had promised.” God, of course, is worthy of such consideration; worthy of this deep trust that produces obedience.

Now, about Abraham – read this as a parent, and it is alarming. What if someone told you to harm your child, or just offered a suggested that contained the prospect of some bad outcome for your child. You would immediately resist. But when God told Abraham to offer up Isaac, it wasn’t just someone. It was God, toward whom Abraham had already expressed trust. So, he considered God faithful and acted on what God said.

Which is what we ought to be doing with our lives. Earlier in Hebrews the affirmation is, it is impossible for God to lie. If you believe what the Bible says about God, you should consider Him faithful, embrace the promises of the gospel of Christ and walk by faith. The activity of faith in Christ will have good outcome here and after death.