Hebrews 11:32-40

“What More Shall I Say”

Hebrews 11:32-40

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,^[a] 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.

– Heb. 11:32-40

This is the final section of Hebrews chapter eleven. This might be called the writer’s “wrap-up” introduced by his question, “what more shall I say?” He acknowledges there isn’t sufficient time or space to document all those occasions where people acted on faith: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets. The point is not that all these people were sinless or perfect. But there were occasions, events and responses where these people illustrated the good activity of faith.

And, as to activity of the and victory granted by God to the faithful, listen again to this:

“…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….”  This adds emphasis to the knowledge we’ve already acquired from the chapter, concerning the activity, the obedience faith produces – and God’s response of commending and giving victory to the faithful.

Christians have something even better. Verse 40 affirms that God “has provided something better for us.” We have the full reality of what those people had only in prospect. We have Jesus Christ. We can fix our eyes of Him, as we run the race God has set before us.