40 Days of Faith: Day 34

Hebrews 11:33-34a – who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword…

During World War II, one of the most unlikely heroes wore no weapon on his side. His name was Desmond Doss, a devout Christian who, because of his faith, refused to carry a gun. A conscientious objector, he enlisted not to take life but to save it—as a combat medic.

The ridicule was relentless. Fellow soldiers mocked him, branded him a coward, and even threatened his life. Yet Doss kept showing up—through training, through abuse, through the long stretches of isolation. Quietly, he held to his conviction: “While others are taking life, I’ll be saving it.”

That conviction was tested at the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. As bullets ripped through the air and men fell by the dozens, Doss didn’t retreat. Instead, he scaled the sheer cliffs of “Hacksaw Ridge,” and then—repeatedly—he went back into the fire to pull the wounded out.

By nightfall, he had lowered 75 men to safety, one at a time. With each rescue, he prayed the same simple prayer: “Lord, let me get one more.”

Doss’s devotion was not loud or glamorous. It was steady, unseen, and costly. But when it mattered most, he kept showing up. His courage earned him the Medal of Honor—the first ever awarded to a conscientious objector.[1]

 In Doss, we have the example of faith that enabled one to both take a stand and advance a mission forward. As we look at the group of leaders like Gideon, Barak, Samson, David and the others noted in verse 32, we see that it was this same faith that enabled them to both advance God’s purposes and endure severe persecution.

 Notice those whose faith helped them advance God’s purposes. These are Joshua, the Judges, and King David, as they conquered kingdoms. David and Solomon who ruled in a way to enforce justice. Abraham walked forward and obtained God’s promise of Isaac. But there is another who conquered kingdoms, who is worthy of our attention. He too, scaled some hills. That man is Caleb.

 At 85 years old, Caleb boldly claimed the hill country of Hebron, the very land where the dreaded Anakim giants lived. While others shrank back at their size and strength, Caleb’s faith in God’s promise never wavered. Look at his declaration in Joshua 14:10–12:
 “And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses… And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the LORD said.” (ESV)

 With God’s help, Caleb drove out the giants Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, securing Hebron as his inheritance—a lasting testimony that wholehearted faith can conquer even the most intimidating obstacles (Joshua 14:6–15; 15:13–14).

 Now let’s spend a minute talking about how faith served to help these persevere and endure. These are those who, “…stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword…” Faith not only allows us to move forward, but it also helps us stand and remain.

 It was Daniel in the den of lions, and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the fiery furnace, that all escaped certain deaths because they were willing to take a stand for the glory of God. God honored their faith and delivered them. Elijah, Elisha, and David escaped the edge of the sword, escaping evil leaders who sought to take their lives.

 All of these placed together could be put on display as a team picture in the hall of faith, where some were playing offense and some defense. It is in this picture that the writer of Hebrews is stacking together a gallery of faith-heroes to show that God delivered His people in miraculous ways when they trusted Him.

 Remember, faith is not passive—it compels us both to advance when God calls and to stand firm when trials come. Sometimes faith looks like Caleb charging the hills at 85, or Desmond Doss crawling back into the fire to save one more life. Other times, it looks like Daniel kneeling in prayer despite a decree, or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego standing tall before a furnace. Whether advancing or enduring, faith fixes its eyes on God and trusts Him for the outcome. Where is God calling you to move forward today? And where is He asking you to stand fast in quiet trust?

 Prayer:
Father, give me the faith to discern when to march forward and when to stand firm. Strengthen me to face the “giants” before me and the “fires” around me with confidence in Your power. Teach me to trust Your timing, Your promises, and Your deliverance. May my faith not shrink back but instead be a testimony to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
[1] Booton Herndon, The Unlikeliest Hero: The Story of Desmond T. Doss, Conscientious Objector Who Won His Nation’s Highest Military Honor (Pacific Press Publishing, 1967); Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “Desmond T. Doss,” cmohs.org.