The Elder's Good Report Hebrews 11:2

“Faith is the substance” or “firm foundation” “of things hoped for”, and it is the “evidence” or “proof” “of things unseen” according to the writer of Hebrews. In chapter eleven and verse two of Hebrews, the writer shares how “the elders obtained a good report” by their “faith” where we read:

For by it the elders obtained a good report.

The verse begins, “For by it the elders ...”. The writer began with the word, “For” which means “evan as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “by it” or “through and on account of faith” “the elders” which refers to “the advanced in life and age who were seniors”. “Faith” was relied upon by those who preceded the writer of Hebrews and his readers.

The verse continues, “...obtained a good report.”. The writer added the word, “obtained” or “received, gained and bore witness of” “a good report” which means “an honorable witness, testimony and record”. The “elders” who preceded the writer of Hebrews and his readers lived by “faith” and “received” an “honorable report” for doing so.

When we meditate upon these words in Hebrews, we see the benefit that was awarded to the “elders” for their “faith”. They believed that it was the “firm foundation” upon which they could rely, and upon this basis they received an honorable report. Jesus desires that we have “faith” in Him and His sacrifice for the penalty of our sins, and when we “believe in” Him, we shall “obtain” a “good report” as well. May we desire the “good report” of God and believe in the same manner in which He commissioned us.

Next time the writer shares how “through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.