Hebrews 11 & 12:1-2
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.... By faith we understand ... that what is seen was not make out of what is visible.... By faith Abel ... by faith Enoch ... by faith Noah ... by faith Abraham.... All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.... They were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham ... by faith Isaac ... by faith Jacob ... by faith Joseph ... by faith Moses' parents ... by faith Moses ... by faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land ... by faith the walls of Jericho fell ... by faith the prostitute Rahab ... Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel and the prophets ... the world was not worthy of them. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses ...
The writer sums up the whole Old Testament, naming all the people he can, then tells us that they are all watching us! All who have died in faith throughout all the ages past are watching to see how we are doing in our faith. That is a great incentive to:
Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus ....
