Hebrews 11:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

NIV: And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

NASB: Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead at that, there were born descendants who were just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.

CSB: Therefore, from one man--in fact, from one as good as dead--came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

NLT: And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead — a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

KJV: Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

NKJV: Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The general pattern of biblical faith is to trust our future to God, despite not having perfect knowledge of what will happen next (Hebrews 11:1). This part of the book of Hebrews describes examples from the Old Testament, showing that God rewards those who trust Him, even though they cannot see all of the details in how God plans to make good on His promises (Hebrews 11:2). Among these examples were Abel, Enoch, and Noah, as well as Sarah and Abraham.

Here, the reference to Abraham is especially important. Abraham was promised a son by God, despite being more than seventy years old when God first called him out of his homeland (Genesis 12:1–4). Later, God vowed to give Abraham a natural-born child despite his old age, and his elderly wife's lifelong barrenness (Genesis 17:15–16). Both Abraham and Sarah laughed, at first, in response to this prediction (Genesis 17:17; 18:12). Given that Abraham was already well past the average human lifespan (Psalm 90:10), he was "as good as dead," from a worldly perspective.

And yet, just as He said, God delivered on His word. Abraham, a man a full 100 years old, was blessed with a son of his own (Genesis 21:5). Descendants of that son, Isaac, became the nations of Edom and Israel, a massive and uncountable host of people.

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.