We finish our journey through the “Hall of Faith” with a profound passage that highlights some essential truths about faith in the believer’s life. The reality is, faith empowers us to endure suffering and also gives us the power to taste great victory in life. Whether you’re in a season of victory, or walking through a hard season of suffering, faith in God makes all the difference. In the highs and lows of life, placing our trust in Jesus will always be worth it!

Hebrews 11:31 highlights the surprising faith of Rahab. Rahab was a gentile woman from enemy territory in Jericho, had grown up worshipping canaanite idols, and was a prostitute by trade. And yet, she placed her faith in God in such a bold way, that she risked her life to advance His purpose and plan in the world. She not only saved the life of her entire family by her faith, she would go on to become the great-great grandmother of King David, and become a part of the family line that led to the messiah - Jesus Christ. She teaches us that faith transcends our past, faith moves and takes risks, and that God uses unexpected people to do extraordinary things in His kingdom! 

The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and the landmark turning point in all of human history. The empty tomb reverses the sorrow of death and inaugurates a new beginning where sadness is replaced by joy, tears are wiped away, and hope abounds! The empty tomb is not just a historical fact - it’s the foundation for hope, and a new beginning in a kingdom of light ruled by a Savior who conquered death and offers eternal life to all who believe! 

As we continue our march through the Hall of Faith, we come to one of the most surprising stories in the chapter. After Moses dies, God raises Joshua up to lead His people into the promised land. Upon crossing the river, they encounter one huge problem: a fortified city called Jericho full of ferocious, intimidating warriors. God asks Joshua to engage in battle in a super unconventional way, to which he responds in faith by obeying even at the risk of looking foolish to all those around him. God shows up, the walls come tumbling down, and the Hebrew people inherit the promised land. It’s amazing that the God of the universe is moved by the faith of His people then and now! 

Moses is a central figure in the biblical narrative, and an example of radical faith in God. The author of Hebrews points us to several powerful truths when it comes to Moses’ faith. Beginning with his parent’s faith, we see the importance of letting your faith lead your fear. We also see that faith requires us to choose long-term riches in Christ over fleeting comforts and temptations of the world. Finally, we see that making a decision to live a life that pleases God instead of being a people-pleaser is absolutely key to a vibrant faith walk with God. See, faith gives us power to endure hardships, make decisions that please God, and obey God even when the stakes are high. 

This section of the “hall of faith” is rich in truths we can apply to our lives in impactful ways. Verses 13-16 teach us that we live in this world for the one to come. Even when we don’t “see” the promises of God, faith tethers us to those promises. We then learn that God stretches (tests) those whom He loves and uses. Dynamic faith learns to say “yes” to God above all other things our hearts treasure in this world. This allows us to trust God in the details of our lives. In the end, dynamic faith leads to trusting obedience, which pleases God and unleashes us into the sort of faithful life we were designed to experience. 

God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah. Though she was far beyond child bearing age, and though she wrestled with doubt at times, she trusted God’s promise because she believed in His faithfulness. This passage emphasizes that faith in God’s power is never in vain even when our circumstances seem insurmountable. Our new God-given identity empowers us to step into radical promises. See, faith in a really big and really good God believes against all odds!