LORD’S DAY, DECEMBER 30
Hebrews 11:36-38
Hebrews 11:13

“Of whom the world was
not worthy …”

OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY (I)

As we approach the end of the year, we want to meditate on one clause that is found in Hebrews 11:38: “of whom the world was not worthy.” The author of Hebrews (whom I believe to be the Apostle Paul) was discussing how the saints of the Old Testament were persecuted for the faith. Some were killed. Others were imprisoned and tortured. Still others had to experience mockings, slanders, ostracism, loneliness and exile for their stand for the Christian faith.

The same is true of the New Testament saints. Paul himself testified that as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, he was “in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Cor 11:23-28).

Similarly, in the book of Revelation, we see how the world during the Great Tribulation will hate the two witnesses that God will send to prophesy and judge the world. Instead of repenting, the men of the world will kill the two witnesses and leave their bodies in the streets. In the eyes of sinful men, the saints have no worth to the world.

We are indeed strangers and pilgrims in this world (Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11). This world is not our home.

THOUGHT: This world is not my home, I am just passing through.
PRAYER: Father, help me not to love the things of the world.