By Faith We Understand that the Universe was Formed at God’s Command (Hebrews 11:3)
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” ( Hebrews 11:3 )
By faith we understand that the universe was made by the spoken Word of God. However, faith also had an incredible role in the creation of the world. God spoke creation into existence when nothing was. This took faith on His part, He believed His Words would form the physical and it did.
Faith is a key element in how the kingdom of God works. God himself operates in this way. This is an important lesson for us, by it we see two amazing truths. First, as in our example from creation, faith has the power to bring what does not exist into existence. Secondly, we see that speaking in faith is what unlocks that power to bring it to pass ( Romans 4:17 ). We can speak the Word of God with authority to any situation, being confident that it will change the circumstances and the outcome. It may seem odd, but that is why faith is required.
The previous verse describes faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” ( Hebrews 11:1 ). Meaning the substance behind faith cannot be seen or understood with the five senses, but there is a certainty to it. Just as in our example from creation, the substance supporting faith is the Word of God. When we have a Word, we have the means to get us to where our hope is realized.
God spoke the universe into existence by faith. He instructed His Word to go and produce, believing that it would happen and the rest is history. In the same way, we can have such confidence in the Word of God because we also have a wonderful promise concerning it, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” ( Isaiah 55:10-11 ).