Surrounded by a cloud

Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses….

 

In his play As You Like It, William Shakespeare wrote one of the most enduring lines in English literature: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

For more than 400 years this monologue has been quoted in classrooms, theatres, leadership seminars, boardrooms, and even sermons. It captures the drama, the transitions, and the roles we play in the journey of life.

 

But as brilliant as Shakespeare was, his description does not fully capture the truth of the Christian life.

• We are not merely actors reading lines someone else wrote.
• We are not passive performers waiting for the curtain to fall.
• We are not characters swept along by fate or circumstances.

The Bible offers a far richer, truer picture. In Hebrews 12, Scripture tells us that life is not a stage. It is a race.

 

A race marked out intentionally by God. A race that requires endurance, focus, and faith. A race surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who cheer us on. A race with a finishing line where Jesus Himself waits, the “Author and Perfecter of our faith.”

 

Shakespeare gave the world a metaphor of performance. But Hebrews gives the believer a vision of purpose.

 

The writer begins Chapter 12 with the word “Therefore”. Whenever Scripture uses therefore,” it signals an important truth. The writer is referring to what he said previously and is drawing an inference. 

 

In this case, Hebrews 12 is drawing a direct conclusion from Hebrews 11, the great Hall of Faith. That chapter is a gallery of men and women who trusted God in impossible situations, ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives because of their faith. It was not an easy journey for them. Yet in the midst of all their challenges and difficult circumstances, they came through because God was with them.

 

When the writer says, “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,” he is not saying they are passive onlookers or spectators in heaven watching us as many preachers would like us to believe. What he is really saying is, their lives testify. Their stories speak. Their faith still echoes.

 

They are “witnesses” not because they see us but because we can see them, through the pages of Scripture. Their lives witness to us, not just watch us.

 

They all ran their race.  Every name in Hebrews 11 had a race marked out for them, just as we do.

 

• Abraham ran the race of obedience.
• Moses ran the race of leadership in hardship.
• Rahab ran the race of courageous faith.
• Gideon ran the race of weakness turned to strength.
• David ran the race of worship and warfare.

 

Each one ran a different race, but all ran faithfully. Thus, the writer is saying: “If they could run their race, we can run ours.”

 

They were faithful, not flawless Hebrews 11 is filled with imperfect people:

• Abraham lied.
• Moses had anger issues.
• Jacob deceived.
• Rahab had a sinful past.
• David failed morally.

 

Yet Scripture honours them not for perfection, but for faith. So the inference is: It is not flawless people who finish the race, but faithful people. Faithfulness, not perfection, is what God is looking for. We all have our flaws and weaknesses. God does not look at our past.  When He forgives, He doesn’t merely cover our sin, He removes it completely. The psalmist captures this beautifully: 

 

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” - Psalm 103:12

 

East and west never meet. They go on endlessly in opposite directions. Which means when  God forgives you, He doesn’t keep our sins nearby. He doesn’t store them in a box. He doesn’t bring them back to shame us or disqualify us.

 

Their faith had a forward look. Every one of them believed in something they did not yet see. They embraced promises that were not fulfilled in their lifetime. Their eyes were on a heavenly city, on something eternal.

 

Therefore the writer of Hebrews is saying this: Because so many have gone before us, ordinary men and women with real struggles, real weaknesses, and real failures, yet they finished their race, we can finish ours too. Their lives remind us that God does not require perfection, He honours faith, perseverance, and a heart that keeps getting up. So he urges us: “Run with endurance the race marked out for you, fixing your eyes on Jesus…”

 

Prayer 

 

Lord, help us to remember that we are not alone on this journey. When we feel weak, remind us of those who have walked this road before us, people who stumbled, yet rose again;
people who doubted, yet chose to believe; people who struggled, yet finished well.

Teach us to run our race with endurance, not in our strength, but in Yours. Lift our eyes from our failures and fix them on Jesus, our perfect example, our unfailing Shepherd,
and the Author and Finisher of our faith.

 

May we run faithfully, steadily, joyfully, until we cross the line and hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In Jesus Name,

 

Amen