The World was Not Worthy of Them

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11:35-38)

 

Pastor Michael referred to the first half of this long paragraph yesterday—the part where everything goes really pretty well.  Kingdoms are conquered, justice is administered, swords are sheathed, women receive back their dead, resurrected.  Faith gives witness to God’s strength in the midst of our weakness, and what incredible things he can do!

But now the paragraph turns.  The story of faith is not always a story of triumph in the near term.  Sometimes it looks a lot more like God’s silence or human sadness, hardship, and death. 

We heard yesterday of women who received back their dead: like the widow at Zarephath whose son was raised by Elijah (1 Kgs 17:17–24), or the Shunemite woman, whose son was raised by Elisha (2 Kgs 4:18–37).  Now we hear of those who were tortured and refused release--those who ultimately died a martyrs death so that they might receive “an even better resurrection” (2 Maccabees 7).  Not a resurrection within this life, like the sons of the women mentioned above received.  Those young men would die again at the end of their natural lives.  But a better resurrection—the resurrection from the dead when Jesus returns and death is no more.  A resurrection after the end of our mortal lives.  This is the better resurrection. 

We desire and often think the life of faith should be one of fighting and winning our battles in the strength of the Lord right here and now.  Despite all the well marketed books, podcasts, social media content, and lovely contemporary Christian Music anthems to that effect—the Bible simply doesn’t substantiate a faith that finds its victory in this life.  The victory is a faith that holds on to God, even if it doesn’t come with a shred of earthly benefit.  Faith holds on to God, trusting that God alone is enough. The victory is his business, not ours.  He himself will bring the final victory over sin, death and evil—in his time—whether in this life or the next.

As CS Lewis once put it in The Screwtape Letters on the pen of a senior demon writing to a younger one: “Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”   

These people of faith in God alone who trust and obey despite all else—they, the ones who go about “in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated,” they are the ones of whom it is said: “the world was not worthy of them.”  By the grace of God, may we be found in their number. 

  

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:  

 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.

May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.

May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.

May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.