Consider Him!

Scripture provides so much comfort and instruction by way of example that we would do ourselves a great injustice not to give our attention to the examples provided. When Christians are put through trials, or called to suffer, they are not alone. This is one of the primary reasons the writer of Hebrews wrote about the cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11. We so often think about Hebrews 11 as the chapter that commends faith that leads to obedience. And while this is certainly true, the entire context is one of testing and trials and obstacles in which faith is to be exercised. After reminding his readers of all the great men and women of faith, who exercised faith in the midst of these extreme trials and situations (trials so great that it appeared as though everything was against them and the fulfillment of God’s promises–as in the case of Abraham offering up Isaac), the author of Hebrews adds:

“the time would fail to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets–who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.”

Here is a list of several OT saints who were tested, tried or persecuted, and yet, who persevered in faith:

Abel was killed by his brother because he worshiped God in truth.

Jacob spent half his life fleeing from his brother, and then had his favorite son taken from him.

Joseph was thrown in a well and sold into slavery by his own brothers.

Moses chose the reproach of Christ rather than the passing treasures of Egypt. He faced the anger of the most powerful man in the world without fear. He was also put to the test by a complaining church of 2 million people in the wilderness for forty years.

Hannah was mocked by her husband’s other wife because she was barren.

David stayed alive by fleeing from Saul for many, many years. David also fled from his own son, Absalom, who spent many years trying to kill him.

Daniel was thrown into a lions den for his faithfulness to the LORD.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Adednego were thrown into a fiery furnace for their faithful to the LORD.

Jeremiah was put in a pit for preaching the truth.

Zechariah was killed by the alter of God.

But the greatest example of righteous suffering was, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ. He, unlike all the men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11, was sinless. This is precisely why they are commended for looking to Him by faith. This is why they were righteous sufferers. And, contrary to the idea that the life of Jesus was simply an example to follow, we learn that we are to look to Him by faith in the midst of our trials and temptations–because He has redeemed us. There is, however, a very real sense in which He is the supreme example of suffering and endurance. We see this as we transition from Hebrews 11 to Hebrews 12. There, at the beginning of chapter 12 were are reminded that Jesus “for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” It was all the wrong He suffered at the hands of sinners (even from sinners in the OT church), and for our salvation, that provides us with the strength to follow Him. We are to remember Him when we are wronged and spitefully treated. We are to look to Him who will one day judge the living and the dead.

There are many helpful books on suffering, trials and temptations but I would simply like to mention a few here:

John Piper and Justin Taylor’s Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. A free PDF version of this book can be found here.

James W. Bruce III’s From Grief to Glory. James Bruce also has a nice blog here.

Sinclair Ferguson’s Deserted By God.

William Henry Green’s Conflict and Triumph.