Hebrews 11:13-16 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
These verses generalize and apply some of the key ideas from the experiences of Abraham and Sarah just mentioned in the previous verses. Abraham did not experience all that God promised him in his life. He did not see the numerous descendants or possession of the all the land. These things took many generations and centuries. Yet, Abraham did not give up on the promises. He experienced a small part of the fulfillment through the birth of Isaac and the purchase of a burial plot for Sarah (Genesis 23). This land was a form of downpayment for the whole promise which would come some day to Abraham’s descendants as they entered the promised land. In the same way, we get a foretaste and downpayment now of God’s promises in Jesus through the Holy Spirit who is with us now (see 2 Timothy 1). The land God promised Abraham seemed impossible to comprehend. But over time, God’s promises always come true.
Abraham’s experiences are a type for what we experience in Jesus. God has made a promise of eternal life through Jesus. We can be assured that this promise is true. But we must participate in this promise by faith. We must take steps forward through following through in our faith. The country we seek to inherit is heaven and we can become citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. These images draw upon the Old Testament story which was a prelude and prophecy about the coming of Jesus. Because God was faithful in the Old Testament stories, we can be assured that the story of Jesus is also true.
For older posts, click here.