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Thursday 18th & Friday 19th November 2004
 Heb 11:32-38
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae;
of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins
and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Barnes comments:
Of whom the world was not worthy. The world was so wicked that it had no claim that such holy men should live in it. These
poor, despised, and persecuted men, living as outcasts and wanderers, were of a character far elevated above the world. This
is a most beautiful expression. It is at once a statement of their eminent holiness, and of the wickedness of the rest of
mankind.
There is a beauty in the death of a saint. The suffering endured by the followers of Jesus are a testimony to the truth of
the Gospel and also to the reality of their life in Christ.
Mt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me,
they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
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