30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who THROUGH FAITH subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Heb 11:30-40
Q & A：
- What did Gideon respond and complain about when he’s called by God to save the Israelites from the Midianites? Discuss how you can relate to the fact that “God does not call the equipped and perfect, but He equips those who are called”. (Heb 11:32-34; Jud 6:12-15)
- How did Gideon become a mighty man of valor and Abraham the father of many nations when their situations seemed impossible to overcome? Discuss how God sees and believes in us as more than conquerors in the midst of crisis, despite the fact that we are not perfect. (Gen 17:5; Eph 1:3-6; Rom 8:37; Heb 11:33-34)
- Discuss why you lose trust in people or struggle to have faith in God? Why did God ask Gideon to reduce the soldiers to only 300 to fight against an enormous Midianite army? How would you respond when God gives you an idea or strategy that may come across as illogical or ridiculous in the natural world to implement? (Heb 11:1,6; Jud 7:2)