Heb 11:13-14 | KingComments | STEP | . When Abraham comes to the place where God has led him, he doesn’t receive anything ( ). That is a new exercise of faith. That same exercise you have too. You have been converted and know that it implies that you belong to the Lord Jesus Who has all power in heaven and on earth. But what do you see of that at this moment? At this moment you are a stranger on earth without civil rights. This is not your home. An English song we often have sung with young people says it well: ‘This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.’ However, you may look forward to soon, when the Lord Jesus will take possession of the world. Then you will possess the world together with Him. Until that time the promise of that possession gives you the strength to live here as a stranger. The sojourning of Abraham is underlined by the fact that he dwelt in tents. A house is the symbol of a permanent residence, while a tent indicates the temporary character of a dwelling place. Also his son Isaac and his grandchild Jacob were living like that. They also, as fellow heirs of the same promise, have not received what was promised. In case Abraham expected that they would then at least receive the fulfillment, it would then be a new exercise of faith. . Abraham is not discouraged by that. He remains focused on what the Lord has promised. Although he has nothing, his affections have a firm character. He longs for a better land and clings directly and completely to God. If you trust in God and give up everything for His sake you will always gain more and you will learn more from the ways of His might. Abraham has learnt by faith to look for something beyond a fulfillment in his days that is better than a possession on earth. Hadn’t he seen the God of glory ( )? That caused an unprecedented, and in the Old Testament not revealed, extent to his faith. That’s what you see here. Abraham looked higher than an earthly people and an earthly land. He saw a heavenly city, that is the heavenly center of the future age, the millennial kingdom of peace. It is a “city which has foundations”. This stands opposite to dwelling in tents on earth. Of that city God is both the “architect” – or technician, artist, designer, someone who designs building plans – and the “builder”. Then it must be a perfect city. This cannot be other than that every grandiosity of nowadays cities, designed by imperfect people, pales in comparison and loses any appeal. It must be a joy too to live in God’s city. Every citizen will feel at home there. All things of and in that city bears the character of its Architect and Builder. . Here the question is whether it is about the faith of Abraham or about that of Sarah. For a long time there has been the thought that it is about Sarah, though it seems not impossible that it is about Abraham. Because I find it difficult to make a well-founded choice, I would like to say something of both. When Sarah heard the message that she was going to give birth to a child, she did not immediately prove to have faith in the promise ( ). After all, she was ninety years old ( ) and therefore too old to even be able to become pregnant. But in the description of the birth of Isaac you read that is was Yahweh Who took care of Sarah and He did for her as He had promised ( ). It therefore also looks like Sarah after all indeed had faith in the promise of God. In his first letter Peter supports that thought by presenting her as a woman who trusted in God ( ). Her faith drew its strength from the faithfulness of God to His promise. Therefore she gained ability to become pregnant. But from this occasion also the faith of Abraham becomes apparent. Of him you don’t read that he had any doubt about God’s promise. In fact you read that he did not doubt the promise of God ( ). He himself was well aware that conceiving a child was impossible. After all, he was a hundred years old ( ). However, for his faith it was not a hindrance at all to trust God that He was able to provide him with descendants. No, on the contrary, because the fulfillment of the promise of descendants was physically impossible, he focused himself on God alone. Abraham considered God faithful and able, for He had promised it. . Therefore this one man received innumerable descendants. Of this one man it is also underlined that he was “as good as dead”. That emphasizes that God gives life from death. The son of Abraham, the son of the promise, comes, as it were, from the death and by that therefore also all his descendants. This points forward to what God has done with the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is the beginning of an entirely new situation, the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promises altogether that will find their accomplishment in the millennial kingdom of peace. Then the descendants that are in the heavens, “the stars”, and on earth, “the sand”, will enjoy God’s blessings in full measure. . As it is said, the writer interrupts his argument in to continue that in . In this interruption he makes some remarks about the faith of life of the patriarchs. They not only lived in faith, they died in faith too. During their life they did not receive what was promised to them. Nevertheless they did not lose what was promised when they died. They took that along with them into their graves. “Having seen them … from a distance.” Their faith saw forward and they embraced in faith what they saw in faith. They also witnessed to that. They “confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth”, which means that they openly testified to this faith; they did not keep it for themselves ( ; ). In their way of life you see that they had no home on earth, but that they were strangers and exiles on it. They did not demand their rights, for they didn’t have any and they neither pretend to have any. This is different with many Christians. . The confession of those who died in faith was not a lip confession which was contradicted by their practice. In their practice you saw what they confessed with their mouth. They clearly showed what they were looking for, which means that they were longing for, a country of their own. You only do that if you’re sure that you haven’t come there yet. . Their pursuit did not make them think of returning to the country they had left. The lusts of the flesh, the attractions of the world, the obligations of family relationships, the daily business worries of life, could have altogether been in different ways and on different times enough reason for them to return, but they did not. The difference between Lot and Abraham is a good example of this. Lot went on the journey with Abraham to the land that was promised by God. But he had no desire for it. Once he has come there and then sees another beautiful area, he chooses that one ( ). Abraham could have returned, for he was not thrown off his country. He freely departed from there. Nevertheless, Abraham remains longing for the city of God. . The patriarchs did not desire to go back to their old country, but they were looking forward to a heavenly country, that is a better country. By longing for that, they honored God. He offered them a better prospect and they believed what He said. Their faith was that great that they became aware that His promises meant more than the literal description indicated. Behind the description of the wonderful promises they saw Him Who will fulfill them and Who is at the same time the center of it. Many things in Christendom are ‘better’ than in Judaism, to which now also ‘a better country’ is added. This country is not heaven. It is about the resurrection. It is the place where the risen and glorified saints will live forever and ever. Within the framework of this letter this heavenly country is the ‘future world’, or ‘the future age’, and then the heavenly side of it. This is the millennial kingdom of peace, the day of the Lord Jesus, to which the patriarchs have been looking forward ( ). The faith of the patriarchs saw the reality, not just something vague. God is not ashamed of such believers. He joyfully bears their name as ‘family name’, so to speak. It is after all true when you read that He is the ‘God of Abraham’. Do you think that He would joyfully bear your name as ‘family name’ also? He surely would if you also see the reality of that heavenly country and heavenly city and if you live up to that. His city is ready to welcome you. God took care of that. It is the inheritance that is prepared in the heavens and that is well reserved for you there ( ). Now read Hebrews 11:9-16 again. Reflection: Which characteristics of faith are reflected in Abraham’s life and what can you learn from that?

‏ Hebrews 11:13-14

Living by Faith (III)

Heb 11:9. When Abraham comes to the place where God has led him, he doesn’t receive anything (Acts 7:5). That is a new exercise of faith. That same exercise you have too. You have been converted and know that it implies that you belong to the Lord Jesus Who has all power in heaven and on earth. But what do you see of that at this moment? At this moment you are a stranger on earth without civil rights. This is not your home. An English song we often have sung with young people says it well: ‘This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.’ However, you may look forward to soon, when the Lord Jesus will take possession of the world. Then you will possess the world together with Him.

Until that time the promise of that possession gives you the strength to live here as a stranger. The sojourning of Abraham is underlined by the fact that he dwelt in tents. A house is the symbol of a permanent residence, while a tent indicates the temporary character of a dwelling place. Also his son Isaac and his grandchild Jacob were living like that. They also, as fellow heirs of the same promise, have not received what was promised. In case Abraham expected that they would then at least receive the fulfillment, it would then be a new exercise of faith.

Heb 11:10. Abraham is not discouraged by that. He remains focused on what the Lord has promised. Although he has nothing, his affections have a firm character. He longs for a better land and clings directly and completely to God. If you trust in God and give up everything for His sake you will always gain more and you will learn more from the ways of His might. Abraham has learnt by faith to look for something beyond a fulfillment in his days that is better than a possession on earth. Hadn’t he seen the God of glory (Acts 7:2)? That caused an unprecedented, and in the Old Testament not revealed, extent to his faith. That’s what you see here. Abraham looked higher than an earthly people and an earthly land. He saw a heavenly city, that is the heavenly center of the future age, the millennial kingdom of peace.

It is a “city which has foundations”. This stands opposite to dwelling in tents on earth. Of that city God is both the “architect” – or technician, artist, designer, someone who designs building plans – and the “builder”. Then it must be a perfect city. This cannot be other than that every grandiosity of nowadays cities, designed by imperfect people, pales in comparison and loses any appeal. It must be a joy too to live in God’s city. Every citizen will feel at home there. All things of and in that city bears the character of its Architect and Builder.

Heb 11:11. Here the question is whether it is about the faith of Abraham or about that of Sarah. For a long time there has been the thought that it is about Sarah, though it seems not impossible that it is about Abraham. Because I find it difficult to make a well-founded choice, I would like to say something of both.

When Sarah heard the message that she was going to give birth to a child, she did not immediately prove to have faith in the promise (Gen 18:12). After all, she was ninety years old (Gen 17:17) and therefore too old to even be able to become pregnant. But in the description of the birth of Isaac you read that is was Yahweh Who took care of Sarah and He did for her as He had promised (Gen 21:1-2). It therefore also looks like Sarah after all indeed had faith in the promise of God. In his first letter Peter supports that thought by presenting her as a woman who trusted in God (1Pet 3:5-6). Her faith drew its strength from the faithfulness of God to His promise. Therefore she gained ability to become pregnant.

But from this occasion also the faith of Abraham becomes apparent. Of him you don’t read that he had any doubt about God’s promise. In fact you read that he did not doubt the promise of God (Rom 4:19-21). He himself was well aware that conceiving a child was impossible. After all, he was a hundred years old (Gen 17:17 ; Gen 21:5). However, for his faith it was not a hindrance at all to trust God that He was able to provide him with descendants. No, on the contrary, because the fulfillment of the promise of descendants was physically impossible, he focused himself on God alone. Abraham considered God faithful and able, for He had promised it.

Heb 11:12. Therefore this one man received innumerable descendants. Of this one man it is also underlined that he was “as good as dead”. That emphasizes that God gives life from death. The son of Abraham, the son of the promise, comes, as it were, from the death and by that therefore also all his descendants.

This points forward to what God has done with the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is the beginning of an entirely new situation, the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promises altogether that will find their accomplishment in the millennial kingdom of peace. Then the descendants that are in the heavens, “the stars”, and on earth, “the sand”, will enjoy God’s blessings in full measure.

Heb 11:13. As it is said, the writer interrupts his argument in Heb 11:13 to continue that in Heb 11:17. In this interruption he makes some remarks about the faith of life of the patriarchs. They not only lived in faith, they died in faith too. During their life they did not receive what was promised to them. Nevertheless they did not lose what was promised when they died. They took that along with them into their graves. “Having seen them … from a distance.” Their faith saw forward and they embraced in faith what they saw in faith. They also witnessed to that. They “confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth”, which means that they openly testified to this faith; they did not keep it for themselves (Gen 23:4; Psa 119:19).

In their way of life you see that they had no home on earth, but that they were strangers and exiles on it. They did not demand their rights, for they didn’t have any and they neither pretend to have any. This is different with many Christians.

Heb 11:14. The confession of those who died in faith was not a lip confession which was contradicted by their practice. In their practice you saw what they confessed with their mouth. They clearly showed what they were looking for, which means that they were longing for, a country of their own. You only do that if you’re sure that you haven’t come there yet.

Heb 11:15. Their pursuit did not make them think of returning to the country they had left. The lusts of the flesh, the attractions of the world, the obligations of family relationships, the daily business worries of life, could have altogether been in different ways and on different times enough reason for them to return, but they did not.

The difference between Lot and Abraham is a good example of this. Lot went on the journey with Abraham to the land that was promised by God. But he had no desire for it. Once he has come there and then sees another beautiful area, he chooses that one (Gen 13:10-11). Abraham could have returned, for he was not thrown off his country. He freely departed from there. Nevertheless, Abraham remains longing for the city of God.

Heb 11:16. The patriarchs did not desire to go back to their old country, but they were looking forward to a heavenly country, that is a better country. By longing for that, they honored God. He offered them a better prospect and they believed what He said. Their faith was that great that they became aware that His promises meant more than the literal description indicated. Behind the description of the wonderful promises they saw Him Who will fulfill them and Who is at the same time the center of it.

Many things in Christendom are ‘better’ than in Judaism, to which now also ‘a better country’ is added. This country is not heaven. It is about the resurrection. It is the place where the risen and glorified saints will live forever and ever. Within the framework of this letter this heavenly country is the ‘future world’, or ‘the future age’, and then the heavenly side of it. This is the millennial kingdom of peace, the day of the Lord Jesus, to which the patriarchs have been looking forward (Jn 8:56). The faith of the patriarchs saw the reality, not just something vague.

God is not ashamed of such believers. He joyfully bears their name as ‘family name’, so to speak. It is after all true when you read that He is the ‘God of Abraham’. Do you think that He would joyfully bear your name as ‘family name’ also? He surely would if you also see the reality of that heavenly country and heavenly city and if you live up to that. His city is ready to welcome you. God took care of that. It is the inheritance that is prepared in the heavens and that is well reserved for you there (1Pet 1:4).

Now read Hebrews 11:9-16 again.

Reflection: Which characteristics of faith are reflected in Abraham’s life and what can you learn from that?