Hebrews 11:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

NIV: By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

NASB: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

CSB: By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

NLT: It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

KJV: By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

NKJV: By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faith, according to the writer of Hebrews, is what gives us confidence in an unseen future (Hebrews 11:1). When we trust God, based on what we know of Him, we act according to His will. That is the "faith" which God commends, and which is required in order to please Him. Prior examples of this kind of faith were Abel and Enoch.

Noah, listed here, also exemplifies trusting obedience. God's communication with Noah was relatively detailed—he was told about the upcoming flood and how the ark would serve to rescue mankind (Genesis 6:13–18). All Noah had to do was obey, which he did (Genesis 6:22). Of course, Noah would have grappled with his own unanswered questions, which is what the writer means by referring to "events as yet unseen." At the time God gave His command for Noah to build the ark, Noah had never seen anything like the flood before. He could see no physical evidence that the flood was imminent. But Noah chose to trust God.

This trust, sufficient to produce obedience, is what the writer of Hebrews extolls as the "faith" we ought to live by. Noah's trust proved the wickedness of those who rejected God, and his obedience saved his family (Genesis 7:11–13, 22–23). Noah is also referred to here as an "heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." Obedience to God, in the book of Hebrews, is often tied to the concept of an "inheritance," usually meaning the victorious rewards God intends us to obtain by following His will (Hebrews 6:11–12). Noah's behavior should be contrasted with the actions of the nation of Israel as described earlier in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–15).

Hebrews 11:4–16 gives examples of figures from the Old Testament who demonstrated faith in God and were blessed as a result. Persons such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah are commended for their trust in God's promises. In particular, this segment of the book of Hebrews focuses on those who heard from God, obeyed, and were blessed. While their actions are important, the common theme of these early references is obedience to God when fulfillment of His promises seems distant. The following passage will explore a similar idea, but in the context of those who demonstrated faith in the face of more immediate hardship.

True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith. Ultimately, that means trusting God's intent to make good on His promises from an eternal perspective. The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith.

Up to this point, the book of Hebrews has given extensive evidence proving that Jesus Christ, and the new covenant He brought about, is God's ultimate plan for mankind's salvation. Chapter 10 provided an additional warning about the danger of falling away from this truth. Chapter 11 begins by clarifying the meaning of the word ''faith,'' primarily by listing examples of Old Testament figures who exemplify it. The ultimate application of this knowledge should be a motivation to ''hold fast'' to the gospel, despite hardships. That encouragement is a major theme of chapter 12.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.