This chapter is known as the faith hall of fame. It lists people who persevered through difficult circumstances because they had the faith to believe God would do what he said. The writer points out that they all died without seeing the promised Jesus.
The issue of obeying or disobeying God always comes down to immediate vs. long-term outcomes. Today, disobedience could lead to temporary pleasure, but could also lead to later problems. It also means disappointing Jesus, with whom we will spend eternity. Do we have the faith to obey even when the positive, long-term outcomes cannot be seen?