Examples of Faith in the Old Testament

There are so many wonderful examples of faith in the Old Testament.  Here they are:

Abel - By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of this gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks" (Hebrews 11:4).

Enoch - By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death, "and was not found because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5).

Genesis 5:21-24 tell us about Enoch and how he walked with God three hundred years.

Noah - By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7).

1 Peter 3:20 - "...who formerly were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water."

Abraham - in Romans 4:16-20, Paul illustrates Abraham's righteousness apart from the law.  It was by faith. Verse 16 says, "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, se that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."

God made Abraham the father of many nations.  Abraham believed in Him who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.  Abraham, who contrary to hope, in hope believed so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.  He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.

Sarah - By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised (Hebrews 11:11).

Jacob - By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff (Hebrews 11:21).

Joseph - By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones (Hebrews 11:22).  Joseph believed that God would fulfill His Word (promise) to Abraham, Isaac and his father, Jacob that He will bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  Moses did as Joseph instructed and took his bones with him. Exodus 13:19 says:  And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely [a]visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”

Moses - When he was born, he was hidden three months by his parents because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's command.  By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing (temporary) pleasures of sin.  He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he looked to the reward.  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.  By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned (Hebrews 11:23-29).  

Caleb - Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal.  And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him:  "You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea.  I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.  Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.  So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’  And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”

And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.  Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.  For eighty-five years Caleb has waited in faith for God to fulfill His promise that he would see the land of which He swore to give the fathers and that "he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord" (Deuteronomy 1:35-36).  

Rahab - By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace (Hebrews 11:31).

Jonathan - Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be that the LORD will work for us.  For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).

David - Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."  And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you" (1 Samuel 17:37).

Jehoshaphat - Then Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court.  "O our God, will You not judge them?  For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (2 Chronicles 20:5, 12).

Three Hebrew captives - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If that is the case, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from your hand, O King" (Daniel 3:16, 17).

Job - "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth" (Job 19:25).

Others - Among the heroes of faith, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets are mentioned.  Those who subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fired, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of aliens.

Women received the dead raised to life again.  Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection.  Others had trials of mockings and scourgings, of chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, sawn in two, tempted, slain with the sword.  They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.  And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise (Hebrews 11:32-39).

All of these people exhibited the kind of faith which pleases God.  They were courageous, strong and patient. We too can live in faith despite what is happening around us.  

Abraham