Of whom the world was not worthy

Today’s title expresses the divine estimate. The world treated them as unworthy to live in it. Actually the world was not worthy of them, though it treated them as worthless. All they had in it was the bare hillside, the desert, or a den, a cave. What are the characteristics of this world? It is godless, having no consciousness of things not seen; it is hopeless, having no conviction of things hoped for. The true wealth of the world resided in these people who were despised and suffered, yet who won through. In terms of value, the world could not compare with them.

Prominent amongst them was Moses, vv. 24-28. He gave up all earthly glory for the people of God. Do not underestimate the choice he made. On the one hand there was a servile, abject, downtrodden race, and on the other the pleasures and treasures of Pharaoh’s court. He had every opportunity that a great civilisation could give. Humanly speaking there was no limit to his prospects. He calmly estimated, and he chose. He accounted, balancing things in order to come to a decision. Great was Egypt’s power, its pleasures manifold, and its treasures immense, but it all was‘for a season’, v. 25. He ‘refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter’, v. 24, and forsook Egypt, looking away from its treasures and fixing his eye on the heavenly reward. He endured with tenacity of purpose, seeing the Invisible. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. He saw One whose presence dwarfed all else to its true level of insignificance.

Moses was not alone in the writer’s mind. Names of some are mentioned, others are anonymous. Where their histories can be found the writer expects us to read them to see their faith in action, v. 32. God knows and rejoices in them all. In conflict with their enemies they subdued kingdoms. In ruling the people and opposing evil, they wrought righteousness. In their dealing with God, they obtained promises. Who would not think of Daniel when the lions’ mouths were stopped, Dan. 6, or of his three friends who were flung into the furnace but came out unharmed, Dan. 3. So the exploits of these heroes of faith goes on. Their faith amidst extraordinary sufferings is given to strengthen ours in the ordinary.