The “Hall of faith” in Hebrews 11 is full of people who are renowned for their courage, perseverance, and commitment to the way of God. Heroes you have heard of – Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc.

But the hall of faith is not just about these famous persons. The last several verses list a variety of different persons who are not famous, indeed they are not even named by name. They are people who have been persecuted, but held firm to their faith. People who struggled but remained courageous.

These are “commended for their faith” even though their circumstances don’t work out the way they would have liked. Their reward is something better than anything that can be revealed in this life. 

Whether you are a hero recognized the world over or someone who does not receive the promises of blessing in this life, the true and ultimate reward is something better than this life – The Kingdom of Heaven. Something we experience in joy together, beyond the parameters of this imperfect life and imperfect world.

Faith is not about trusting our circumstances to be redeemed. It is about remaining faithful to The One who transcends circumstances. Our reward is not temporal material prosperity but the true riches of eternity on The Kingdom of God.

“…the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
– Hebrews 11:38-40