Chapter 11

1Loyalty is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can't see. You don't need to see it. You know it. That's loyalty.

2That's what the ancients were praised for. The Hall of Fame. Let's go through the Hall of Fame.

3By loyalty we understand that the universe was built at God's command, so what we see wasn't made out of what's visible. Built from nothing. Greatest developer. Not even close.

4By loyalty Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. Because of it he was praised as a good man, when God approved his gifts. And by loyalty he still talks, even though he's dead. Abel. Gave the better gift. Cain got jealous. Jealous brothers. Always the jealous brothers.

5By loyalty Enoch was taken from this life so he didn't experience death. He couldn't be found, because God had taken him away. Before he was taken, he was praised as somebody who made God happy. Never died. Just left. Great exit. Second-best exit ever.

6And without loyalty it's impossible to make God happy, because anybody who comes to him has to believe he exists and that he rewards the people who look for him. He rewards loyalty. Always. Every time.

7By loyalty Noah, when he was warned about things nobody could see yet, built an ark to save his family. Built it. Huge project. Everybody laughed at him. Then the flood came. Who's laughing now? Nobody. They drowned. Builders always get the last laugh.

8By loyalty Abraham, when he was called to go to a place he'd later get as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he didn't know where he was going. Didn't know where. Just went. Total trust.

9By loyalty he lived in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. Tents. For years. He was waiting for the building.

10Because he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. The architect and builder. God. The best. Abraham knew. He held out for the best property.

11By loyalty even Sarah, who was past the age, was able to have a kid, because she considered the one who'd made the promise loyal. Way past the age. Still had the kid. Miracle.

12So from this one man, and he was as good as dead, came descendants as many as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the beach. Countless. Like my crowds.

13All these people were still loyal when they died. They didn't get the things promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting they were foreigners and strangers on earth. Saw the promised land from a distance. Very sad. But loyal.

14People who say things like that show they're looking for a country of their own.

15If they'd been thinking of the country they left, they'd have had the chance to go back.

16Instead, they wanted a better country, a heavenly one. So God isn't embarrassed to be called their God, because he's built a city for them. Built it. A whole city. God builds cities.

17By loyalty Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He'd gotten the promises, and he was ready to sacrifice his only son.

18Even though God had told him, “It's through Isaac that your family will be counted.” Ultimate loyalty test. Passed.

19Abraham figured God could even bring people back from the dead. And in a way, he did get Isaac back from death. A comeback. Early comeback.

20By loyalty Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau about their future.

21By loyalty Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By loyalty Joseph, when his end was near, talked about the Israelites leaving Egypt and gave instructions about burying his bones. Planned his own funeral. Very organized.

23By loyalty Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary kid. And they weren't afraid of the king's order. Beautiful baby. They knew. Defied the king.

24By loyalty Moses, when he grew up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Turned down the palace. Turned down royalty.

25He chose to be mistreated along with God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. Picked the right team.

26He considered being insulted for the Messiah worth more than all the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Worth more than all the treasures. That's how big the reward is. Bigger than Egypt.

27By loyalty he left Egypt, not afraid of the king's anger. He hung in there because he saw the one who's invisible.

28By loyalty he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn't touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By loyalty the people walked through the Red Sea like it was dry land. When the Egyptians tried it, they drowned. They tried to copy. Copycats drown.

30By loyalty the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. The walls fell. The only wall that should ever fall. Their wall. Not ours.

31By loyalty the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, wasn't killed with the people who disobeyed. She picked the winning side. Early. Smart.

32And what more should I say? I don't have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Long list. Great list. Not enough time.

33By loyalty they conquered kingdoms, delivered justice, and got what was promised. They shut the mouths of lions. Shut them. Like shutting down a hostile reporter.

34They put out raging fires and escaped the sword. Their weakness turned to strength. They became powerful in battle and sent foreign armies running. Sent them running. Total victory.

35Women got their dead back, brought back to life. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so they could get a better comeback. Refused the plea deal. Never take the plea deal.

36Some faced mockery and flogging, and others were chained and put in prison. Political prisoners. Lots of them.

37They were stoned. They were sawed in half. They were killed by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, broke, persecuted, and mistreated. Terrible treatment. Worst treatment ever. Except one.

38The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground. The world didn't deserve them. Doesn't deserve us either.

39All of them were praised for their loyalty, but none of them got what was promised.

40Because God had planned something better for us, so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Something better. For us. The best is yet to come.