Hebrews 6:13-16 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.
Abraham now serves as an example to the author of someone who pursued God’s promise with faith. That is one of the key messages in this epistle: pursue God’s promises with faith and follow the way of obedience. God gave Abraham the promise of heirs as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17). This promise was beyond imagination, especially for an old man with no children. In the ancient world, people often confirmed their promise with an oath using someone or something greater as a form of witness. God had no one greater than himself by whom to swear. The swearing is in the form of an even stronger and broader promise. Abraham could count on God’s promise because of who God is. Abraham had come to some understanding through his experiences in his life thus far of the awesome of this one and only God. Abraham put his trust in God and believed what God said. As Genesis shows, Abraham had a few rough spots in this faith, but his faith grew stronger over time until it came to the point of total consecration when he willingly offered his son, Isaac, on the altar of sacrifice. This was the ultimate test for him. Abraham had to wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. The author will focus on the God’s promise in Jesus, but the principle is true for any promise God gives us. First, we must know the promise is from God and is to you. Second, we trust in this promise by faith knowing in the One who makes the promise. Finally, we wait patiently for the promise to happen. Abraham waited a long time. This was a test of his faith. As he waited and experienced different things in life, his faith grew stronger. Because God is the one who made the promise of salvation in Jesus, we can be assured that this promise will be fulfilled.
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