Prior to each event celebrities and entertainment notables, wearing lavish and sometimes garish attire from renowned designers, parade across literal red carpets, reveling in the attention they receive. Representatives from the entertainment media – some of them celebs in their own right – fawn over these lovely and handsome folks, eager to capture their excitement over what another celebratory evening might hold. These are the crème de la crème, the “Who’s Who” of the silver and TV screens, stage, concert halls and arenas.
Watching them strut in all their glamour and sartorial splendor, we could easily conclude this is the ultimate in success. We can almost imagine these A-list characters wearing signs on their backs reading, “Betcha wanna be me!”
Did you know God has His own “red carpet”? He does, but with decidedly very different qualifications. We find numerous examples in both the Old and New Testaments, most of whom wouldn’t have been voted “most likely to succeed” in their high school yearbooks, let alone candidates for ‘starring roles’ in the Scriptures. For a closeup look at God’s version of the red carpet, we can turn to the 11thchapter of Hebrews, often referred to as the “Hall of Faith.
It starts with a couple of logical choices, Abel, Adam and Eve’s second son who offered a more faithful sacrifice to God than his vindictive, murderous brother, Cain. There’s also another of the first couple’s sons, Enoch, who “was commended as one who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5) – to the degree that the Lord took him straight to heaven without experiencing death.
But then we find a parade of virtual nobodies. Noah was happily minding his own business when God commanded him to construct a vessel to protect himself and his family from the global flood that would consume the rest of mankind. We’re told, “when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear [he] built an ark to save his family…and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
Next comes Abraham, who obediently left a comfortable lifestyle for an unfamiliar place of the Lord’s choosing because “he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). However, in the process he twice lied about his wife Sarah, claiming she was his sister because he feared foreign kings would kill him because of her beauty. So, he was hardly Mr. Perfect. Nevertheless, “Abe” was singled out because, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The listing goes on to include Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, all of whom had checkered backstories but again were accorded special recognition solely because of their faith. Or as theologians would call it, “sola fide.” They’re followed by Moses, who flexed his faith muscles countless times while carrying out the dubious assignment of leading to headstrong, prone-to-wander Israelites. Not that he didn’t get sideways with God himself at times, but the Lord wasn’t looking for perfection, just genuine faith.
Perhaps most surprising in this ‘role call’ of biblical characters is a prostitute named Rahab. What?! She was the person who shielded the Israelite advance men when they came to scope out Jericho. You know, the city whose walls came tumbling down? “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31).
Rahab is one of three women singled out in the earthly genealogy of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 1. Turns out she was the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth and became the father of Obed, who became the father of Jesse, whose son David would become king of Israel. She was David’s great-great-grandma.
Others cited in Hebrews 11 include flawed but faith-filled people like Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel, the prophets, mighty warriors and martyrs not identified by name. What’s most important is these were individuals very much like us, commended not because they graced the magazine covers and walked crimson carpets but because they had hearts for God and were willing to be used by Him.
Their lives – and deaths – were not in vain. Because as the chapter concludes, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39).
In our most dubious, faith-wavering moments, we can find encouragement from these men and women in the Hebrews “hall of faith.” If they could persevere, remaining true to the Lord until the end, there’s no reason we can’t do so as well.
We might never stroll one of Hollywood’s red carpets, but as the verse above promises, “God has planned something better for us.” He’s preparing a red carpet for us that we can’t even imagine. And it’s not because of our acting, singing, or performing abilities. Anything we’ve done, for that matter. Solely because of our faith in the Lord and what He’s done for us.
