Look to Christ

1 Kings 19: 1-8         Hebrews 12: 1-13

   "A word about incentive for Gospel service"
 
"And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon (Judges 6.11), Barak, (Judges 4.6),Samson (Judges 13.24),Jepthah (Judges 11.1), David (1 Samuel 16.1), Samuel (1 Samuel 1.20) and the prophets:

Who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises (1 Samuel 17.34),  shut the mouths of lions (Daniel 6.22), quenched the raging of fire (Daniel 3.25), escaped the edge of the sword (1 Kings 19.3, 2 Kings 6.16), gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle  (2 Kings 20.7), and put foreign armies to flight (1 Samuel 14.13).

Women received their dead- they were raised to life again (1 Kings 17.22, 2 Kings 4.35).

Some men were tortured, not accepting release , so they might gain a better resurrection, and others experienced mockings and scourgings as well as bonds and imprisonment (Jeremiah 20.2) .

They were stoned (1 Kings 21.13, 2 Chronicles 24.21), they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins (2 Kings 1.8), in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them.

They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves (1 Kings 18.4) and holes in the ground.

All these were approved through their faith, but they did  not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

THEREFORE, since we also have such a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne."

(Hebrews 11.32- 12.2,   Holman Christian Standard Bible)