Chapter 20: The Roll Call of the Faithful
Q1 - What does living by faith look like in your life? Is there a particular Bible character that you can relate to, someone whose life speaks to you and gives you hope?
A1 - Living by faith means looking for God’s guidance and trusting in Him, no matter the circumstances. The Bible provides many examples of those who lived by faith, but one of my favorites comes from chapter 3 of the book of Daniel. This book tells about the Jewish people living during the time of Babylonian captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had erected an enormous image made of gold on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then he summoned everybody who was anybody to its dedication. When the music was played, everyone was to fall down and worship this image. The consequences for not doing so were dire: “Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace” (Daniel 3:6, NIV).
Three Jews—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—had been set over the affairs of the province of Babylon. When some of the others present at the dedication noticed these men refused to worship the idol, they reported them to the king. Upon hearing of their defiance, the king was furious and gave them an ultimatum—either they worshipped the idol or they would be thrown into the fiery furnace.
Facing certain death, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego still refused to worship the idol and made this declaration to the king: “‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up’” (Daniel 3:16–18, NIV).
You probably know the rest of the story: God protected them from the fire such that they were totally unharmed, and King Nebuchadnezzar ended up giving them a promotion. But did you notice in their declaration of faith that even though they were confident their God would deliver them, they said “but even if he does not” they would still not worship the king’s idol! Even if things didn’t go the way they desired, they would still be faithful to their God. What a powerful statement of faith!
People often think their prayers are answered whenever they receive their desired outcome. Perhaps you’ve heard someone who has asked for prayers later say something like—your prayers are working!—when their health improves or things turn out the way they want. Does that mean the prayers didn’t work for someone else who died from their illness? Certainly not!
Just because you pray for a certain outcome doesn’t mean that you always know what’s best. God may have something else in mind. Recall that Jesus on the night that He was betrayed prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me” (Luke 22:42a, NIV). Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him, and He prayed to God that He not have to go through the suffering. Yet, He did have to go through the suffering. Does that mean God didn’t hear His prayer? Of course not, and in verse 43 we are told an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. God heard Jesus’s prayer, but He could not grant what He asked for—yet He provided Him comfort to face the ordeal which lay ahead.
Notice that Jesus also prayed, “… yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42b, NIV). Jesus acknowledged that God’s will should always supersede His will, and that should be our prayer as well. Rest assured God hears the prayers His children offer up in faith. Sometimes things turn out the way we desire, but sometimes they don’t. Yet, either way, God is faithful. While He does’t promise that we won’t have trials and tribulations in life, He does promise that He will be with us.
Q2 - What motivated the ancients to remain faithful to God? What motivates you today?
A2 - Until God presented the Law to Moses at Mount Sinai, His followers had no written instructions. So prior to that time, God communicated directly with certain people. Sometimes He or an angel spoke to them, or sometimes He appeared to them in a dream or a vision. The Bible records His communication with various of the patriarchs, but do you wonder if perhaps He also communicated with others that are not recorded?
Communication with God made an impression, and these people often passed their knowledge of God on to others, particularly to their families and close friends. God knew that would be true for Abraham: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19, KJV).
Beyond direct communications, the ancients, for the most part, lived much closer to the earth than many of us do today. They observed nature day and night and saw the wonders of the world, a world which they knew could not have happened without a Divine Creator. As David declared in Psalm 19:1–4 (NLT):
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God created humans, so it stands to reason we bear within us the mark of our Creator. Paul stated in Romans 2 that even those who were not Jews (that is, Gentiles) instinctively know right from wrong:
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them” (Romans 2:14–15, NIV).
Our Creator, who made humans in His own image, built within us a conscience, a meter that indicates right from wrong. While we can suppress our conscience and override it, we can also use it to seek Him. As God told His people long ago through the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV). That message is as true today as it was back then. The ancients could sense they were divinely created, and the ones who listened to their inner voices, their consciences, sought Him out and worshipped Him.
Our Creator loves us beyond what we are capable of understanding. His great love draws His created to Him, if only we pay heed to the inner longings within us. So it would seem the ancients who were His followers, like us today, innately know there is a God or at least that there is something or someone greater than us mortals. When they turned their hearts to find Him, God made Himself known, somehow or someway. He did that long ago, and He still does that today. Truly, wise men do still seek Him, and once they find Him, His great love compels them to learn more about Him, to worship Him, and to remain faithful and true to Him.
Q3 - Who is someone that has passed on who continues to encourage you today?
A3 - Answers will vary. Perhaps certain Bible characters offer you encouragement or perhaps you have friends or loved ones who made a strong impression on your life. Share your story with your study group.