Hebrews 11: 34, 35
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host; and yet he "obtained the promise," in their destruction. And it is known how long and by what various ways the faith of David was tried and exercised, before the promise made to him was fulfilled.
Obs. I. There is nothing that can lie in the way of the accomplishment of any of God's purposes, but it is conquerable by faith.—Or, whatever difficulties any one may have to conflict withal in the discharge of his duty, if he abide in faith, he shall in the issue obtain the promises; that is, the things promised which he doth believe.
4. It is ascribed unto them, that they "stopped the mouths of lions." Stopping the mouths of lions, may intend the preventing them from destroying and devouring, by any means whatever. It is with their mouths that they devour, and he that hinders them from devouring may well be said to stop their mouths. In this sense it may be ascribed unto Samson, who, when a young lion roared against him in an approach to devour him, stopped his mouth by rending him to pieces, Judges 14:5, 6. In like manner David stopped the mouth of a lion, when he slew him, 1 Sam. 17:34, 35. But if the word be to be taken in its proper signification, to put a bridle or stop to the mouth of a lion, so as he shall neither hurt nor devour though he be kept alive and at liberty, then it is applied unto Daniel only; for so it is said of him expressly, when he was cast into the den of lions, that God had sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, that they did not hurt him. He "stopped the mouths of lions," Dan. 6:22. And he did it by faith; for although the ministry of angels was used therein, yet it was done
"because he believed in his God," verse 23. And,— Obs. II. That faith that hath thus stopped the mouths of lions, can restrain, disappoint, and stop the rage of the most savage oppressors and persecutors of the church.
Hebrews 11: 34, 35 Ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρὸς, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας·, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων· ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὑτῶν.
Ver. 34, 35.—Quenched the violence [the power] of fire; escaped [fled from] the edge [edges] of the sword; out of weakness were made strong; waxed [were made] valiant [powerful, strong] in fight; turned to flight the armies of the aliens, [or, overthrew the tents or camps of the aliens.] Women received their dead [by a resurrection] raised to life again.
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Six more instances of the power of faith are added unto those foregoing; and these taken from things of all sorts, to let us know that there is nothing of any kind whatever, wherein we may be concerned, but that faith will be useful and helpful in it.
Ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός. 1. The first instance is, that they "quenched the violence of fire." He doth not say they quenched the fire, which may be done by natural means; but they took off, abated, restrained the power of fire, as if the fire itself had been utterly quenched. This, therefore, belongs unto the three companions of Daniel, who were cast into "the burning fiery furnace," Dan. 3:23.
The fire continued still, and had its burning power in it, for it slew the men that cast them into the furnace; but by faith they "quenched" or restrained the power and violence of it towards themselves, so as that "not an hair of their head was singed," verse 27.
And the faith of these men was considerable, in that it did not consist in an assurance that they should be so miraculously delivered, but only in committing themselves unto the omnipotency and sovereignty of God in the discharge of their duty; as it is declared, verses 16–18. A resolution to perform their duty, whatever was the event, committing the disposal of themselves unto the sovereignty of God, with a full persuasion of his power to do whatever he pleased, and that he would do whatever was for his own glory, was the faith whereby they "quenched the violence of fire." And,—
As this faith is imitable in us (for though a miracle ensued on it, yet was it not the faith of miracles), so it will never fail of those blessed effects which tend unto the glory of God and good of the church.
Ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας. 2. They "escaped the edge of the sword;" the edges of it,—swords with two edges. In the Greek it is, "the mouths of the sword;" from the Hebrew, :৶ִּד י חֶרֶבand a two-edged sword they call "a sword of mouths;" as in the Greek μάχαιρα δίστομος, Heb. 4:12. "They escaped:" Vulg. Lat.,
"effugaverunt," by an escape, for "effugerunt." The way of their escape from death, when in danger of it by the sword, is intimated, namely, by flight from the danger; wherein God was present with them for their deliverance and preservation. So was it frequently with David when he fled from the sword of Saul, which was at his throat several times, and he escaped by flight; wherein
God was with him. So did Elijah, when he was threatened to be slain by Jezebel, 1 Kings 19:3.
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Now, this should seem rather to be the effect of fear than of faith; however, it had good success. But,— Obs. I. It is the wisdom and duty of faith to apply itself unto all lawful ways and means of deliverance from danger.—Not to use means, when God affords them unto us, is not to trust in him, but to tempt him. Fear will be in all cases of danger, and yet faith may have the principal conduct of the soul. And a victory is sometimes obtained by flight.
Ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας. 3. Some of them "out of weakness were made strong." Ἀσθενεόα is any kind of weakness or infirmity, moral or corporeal. In each of these senses it is used in the Scripture;—to be without or to want strength in any kind. Frequently it is applied to bodily distempers, Luke 13:11, 12;
John 5:5, 11:4; Acts 28:9. And so it is here used. For the conjecture of Chrysostom and others of the Greek scholiasts, that respect is had herein unto the Jews in the Babylonish captivity, who were weakened therein, and afterwards restored unto strength and power, hath no probability in it. They are the words in Isaiah that the apostle doth almost express: "The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness," chap. 38:9. For this was through faith, as is evident in the story, and was in part miraculous.
Obs. II. We ought to exercise faith about temporal mercies; as they are ofttimes received by it, and given in on the account of it.—In the miraculous cure of many diseases by our Saviour himself, there was a concurrence of the faith of them that were healed: "Thy faith hath made thee whole."
Ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ. 4. Some of them through faith "waxed," were made "valiant," strong "in fight," or battle. As this may be applied unto many of them, as Joshua, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, so David affirms of himself, that "God taught his hands to war, so as that a bow of steel was broken by his arms;" and, that "he did gird him with strength unto battle," Ps. 18:34, 39;—the same thing which is here affirmed.
Παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων. 5. Of the same kind is that which followeth: they "turned to flight the armies of the aliens." Erasmus renders these words,
"incursiones averterunt exterorum,"—they "turned away the incursions of the aliens;" mistaking both the words, as many have observed. Παρεμβολαί are the "camps," the fortified tents of an army: but the word is used for an army itself; as Gen. 32:7; 1 Sam. 4:16;—a host encamped, like that of the Midianites when
Gideon went down unto it, Judg. 7:10. And his overthrow of that host is here principally intended; for so it was signified in the dream, that the tents should