No other chapter in Scripture highlights the importance and nature of faith the way Hebrews 11 does. This morning, I understood something about how this marvelous chapter underscores the importance of the Pentateuch for Christians in a way that I do not remember seeing before today.
Of the 40 verses in Hebrews 11, 37 verses either directly or indirectly concern named individuals who were exemplary for their faith in God. Of those 37 verses, Hebrews 11:4-29 comprises the largest unit because all of the people named in this unit are people whose primary accounts are all in the Pentateuch.
| Named People in Hebrews 11:4-29 | ||
| Name | Verse(s) in Hebrews 11 | Primary Accounts |
| Abel | Heb. 11:4 | Gen. 4 |
| Enoch | Heb. 11:5 | Gen. 5 |
| Noah | Heb. 11:7 | Gen. 6-9 |
| Abraham | Heb. 11:8-19 | Gen. 11-25 |
| Sarah | Heb. 11:11 | Gen. 11-23 |
| Isaac | Heb. 11:20 | Gen. 21-35 |
| Jacob | Heb. 11:21 | Gen. 25-50 |
| Joseph | Heb. 11:22 | Gen. 30-50 |
| Moses | Heb. 11:23-29 | Exod. 2 – Deut. 34 |
Based on this feature of Hebrews 11, we learn that Hebrews 11:4-29 distinctively underscores the importance of the Pentateuch for a believer’s having a right understanding of their having faith in God! Feeding on the Pentateuch is vital for our having the faith in God that He wants us as Christians to have!
Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.
