Hebrews 11: 39-40
Verse 39 has a translation problem. All translations agree that the verse is about those great men and women of the Old Testament who God had commended for their faith. All translations agree that the writer of Hebrews is saying, “That none of them received something.” Then the problem arises. What did they not receive? Some translations say they did not receive “what had been promised.” Reading chapter 11 alone tells us this cannot be the best translation, because many of them did receive a fulfillment of what God had promised them. The Hebrews did return Joseph’s bones to Canaan, Abraham did father a great nation, Noah survived the flood and the list of God’s fulfilled promises goes on. Some translators attempt to solve the problem by saying they did not receive “the promise.” I like this way of translating the verse, but I would capitalize “The Promise.”

I would paraphrase verse 39 liked this, “They were all commended for their faith, yet none of them lived long enough to see the fulfillment of God’s ultimate promise.” Christ sacrificed on the cross was God’s ultimate gift to humanity. It did not happen by accident, and it did not happen by coincidence. God put his plan for man’s salvation into action at the perfect time. It brought to us a hope and a salvation that is better than what the men and women of the Old Testament had. Yet God did not leave them out of his plan, together with us he will make them perfect. We are not yet perfect, but God is perfecting us. Because of God’s mercy and grace, his Holy Spirit works in our lives daily. He is renewing and transforming us into the likeness of Christ. He is sanctifying us. We are on a journey that leads to perfection. The journey will end in the resurrection. On that day, God will fulfill The Promise; we will enter his presence, and He will make us perfect. There is nothing better than this.