“They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated–of whom the world was not worthy–wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:37-38).
The best-known Old Testament example of a God-honoring person who “went about in skins of sheep and goats” is undoubtedly Elijah, the famous Biblical prophet. In fact, it appears that Elijah’s clothing made him instantly recognizable to others of his era. For instance, the Biblical book of 2 Kings relates the account of an injury suffered by Israel’s king Ahaziah. When Ahaziah sent messengers to “… inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron”(2 Kings 1:2) regarding his recovery, they were stopped by a man who gave them the following message…
“…’Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Now therefore, thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die’” (2 Kings 1:3-4).
When the king’s messengers returned with this report, Ahaziah asked where they had gotten their information. While these emissaries could not identify the source of their information, the king knew exactly who was involved…
“Then he said to them, ‘What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?’ So they answered him, ‘A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.’ And he said, ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite'” (2 Kings 1:7-8).
Although Ahaziah later attempted to arrest Elijah (a decision that cost the lives of two army captains and one hundred soldiers), he eventually “…died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken” (see 2 Kings 1:9-17). Nevertheless, we should remember that it was inherently dangerous to confront an influential leader in this manner- and others who did so were not so fortunate. (1) Therefore, we should not be surprised to learn that some among God’s followers were “destitute, afflicted, [and] mistreated” as mentioned here in Hebrews 11:37.
Then there were others (like Israel’s king David) who were forced to hide in caves from those who sought to arrest them. The same was true of those who lived during Gideon’s era, for that was a time when “…the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains” to protect themselves from the destruction inflicted upon them by the neighboring people of Midian (Judges 6:1-6).
So, unlike those who sought to find their place in this world, these “heroes of the faith” ultimately found that this world was unworthy of their place within it.
(1) As illustrated by Elijah’s New Testament counterpart, John the Baptist.