Faith’s Persective Series

HEBREWS 11: 13-16

FAITH’S PERSECTIVE / SEEKING A BETTER HOMELAND

[Revelations 21: 1-7]

There is a story about an extremely RICH MAN who was determined to take it all with him when he died. He prayed and prayed until finally the Lord gave in to his prayer request. The only condition was that he could only take one suitcase of his wealth with him. The rich man therefore filled his suitcase with gold bullion.

The day came when God called him home. St. Peter greeted him at the gate and told him he could come in but he would have to leave his suitcase outside. The man replied, “It's okay because I have an agreement with God to allow me one suitcase in heaven.”

“That’s very unusual,” replied St. Peter. “Would you allow me to take a look inside?”

The man opened the suitcase to reveal the shining gold bullion bars. St. Peter was taken back and asked, “Why in the world would you want to bring pavement to heaven? Heaven is a far better place than earth, isn’t it?

Faith in the God of the Future is the theme of this passage. Faith in God is demonstrated through faith in the promises of God. People of faith place their hope for the future in the promises of God. Faith in the promises of God provides hope, direction, and motivation for the life of the true believer. The things hoped for, though not yet seen, control the life of a person of faith (CIT).

The people of faith in Hebrews 11, had not received what had been promised to them, yet they continued to live in light of the promises because, in faith, they saw the fulfillment of the promises from afar. These believers looked into the future with the eyes of faith and had some glimpse of the fulfilled promises God had for them and for their children.

Instead of craving immediate satisfaction of their desires, they lived by faith in God’s promises. They denied themselves short-term pleasures because they sought long-term fulfillments. They made the sacrifice of quick gratification in order to possess the greater satisfaction of God’s eternal promises. They lived their life by faith in these promises they would not receive in their lifetime. But because they lived by faith, they set an example for all those who would come after them. May our life of faith do the same for those who follow after us. [Song: Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah]

I. LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S PROMISES, 13-14.

II. SEEKING A BETTER HOMELAND, 15-16.

Verse 13 states that faith directed their life even as they faced death. “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”

“All these” refers to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob [and perhaps the others that follow this passage]. These people “died in faith,” [kat? p?st?? lit., “according to faith”] in that they trusted in God’s promises. When they died they were still living their life under the controlling direction of a reality not yet experienced. They faced death still living by the faith that guided their life. They were faithful even unto death.

How or why did they face life and death based on an unseen reality? They could because they had “seen them” as our passage states. They could not literally see the promises (Heb. 11:1, 7), but they saw them in that they believed and saw them through the eyes of faith. [The Greek verb translated “not having received” indicates not having the promise in one’s possession or pocket, as it were.] By faith these saints of old saw the promised realities from a distance and this vision caused them to persist in their pilgrimage, looking for a country not of this world. By faith they saw the heavenly realities and believed that the promises would eventually be theirs (11:1). They lived by faith and died in expectation or hope.

They therefore welcomed [?spas?µe???] or “greeted them” (Gen. 49:18) meaning the promises. These saints embracing the vision of faith to their hearts, realizing they were merely pilgrims and strangers in the here and now. Their faith in God’s promises enabled them to regard their present life as only temporary and preparatory. The desire for their true home was intense, yet they sensed this was not God’s timing. They placed their lives on the foundation stones of faith in their reliable God who would build the future (verse 10). [Evans, L. H., Jr, & Ogilvie, L. J. (1985). The Preacher’s Commentary Series: Hebrews (Vol. 33, p. 199). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.]

The pilgrimage of the patriarchs was characterized by two objects: a tent and an altar. They were wanderers and worshipers, pilgrims and priests. So, too, as I look around this world, I feel like I fit in less and less. Like the patriarchs, we are strangers because it’s strange around here. And, like them, we realize that what we’re looking and longing for is not to be found here. [Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1496). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.] [Do you remember Jesus saying….“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56, emphasis added).]