THE FAITH OF FATHER ABRAHAM
Hebrews 11:8-22
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8).
One of the greatest examples of faith is seen in the life of Abraham. In fact, Abraham is known as the “father of the faithful.” The story of Abraham and his family covers much of the book of Genesis. In Hebrews 11:8-22, the writer cites the life of Abraham as an example of the life of faith. As we examine the faith of Abraham, we will discover how faith can relate to us.
I. FAITH GIVES DIRECTION TO LIFE: (11:8).
Abraham was born in what is now the country of Iraq. God called Abraham to leave his country, his home, and his livelihood. God did not tell him where he was to go. All Abraham knew was that God was leading him.
It takes faith to go when God calls us to go. It also takes faith to stay where God wants us to stay. Abraham followed God to a land that was not his own but that would one day become his inheritance. Yet when Abraham died, the only property he owned was a cave that would be used as a family burial place. Years later, his descendents would realize the promise and possess the land. As we trust in God, He will give direction to our lives as well.
II. FAITH CLINGS TO THE PROMISES OF GOD (11:9-10).
God had promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation, and that he would be the father of a great number of people. His descendants would be like the sands of the sea. In fact, the name “Abraham” means “father of a multitude.”
Though Abraham’s faith swayed for a time, and though he often ran ahead of God, he clung to God’s promises. When he entered the land of promise, he had no property or children, but he kept clinging to the promises of God that he would one day become a great nation. We learn from Abraham that we too must cling to the promises of God.
III. FAITH REALIZES THE IMPOSSIBLE (11:11-12).
Abraham, and his wife, Sara were both well beyond the child bearing years. Abraham was 100 and Sara was 90 when their son was born.
It was humanly impossible for them to have children. Yet, 25 years after the promise was given, Abraham’s wife Sara gave birth to their son, Isaac. At this point the writer of Hebrews commends the faith of Sara as well as Abraham.
“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” We too must remember that our God is faithful and that we can trust His promises.
IV. FAITH EMBRACES THE FUTURE (11:10, 13-16)
Faith by its very nature is future oriented. By Faith Abraham saw beyond time and into the future and even into eternity. Abraham embraced the promises of God and confessed that he and his descendents were strangers and pilgrims on earth.
Even, Abraham’s descendent Joseph saw the promises being fulfilled in the future when he spoke of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and requested that his bones be transported there. “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones” (11:22). Hundreds of years later, when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, Joseph’s bones were transported and buried in the promised land.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all learned by faith that their existence was temporary. By faith, the saw beyond the years to the fulfillment of God’s promises. The desire of Abraham as well as all the people of faith was for a “better country” something beyond even promised Canaan: Heaven itself.
We too must keep on looking beyond this life to that “better country“, that “heavenly” home.
Jesus proclaimed that wonderful truth in John 14:1-6. “Let anot your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many 1mansions; if it were not so, 2I would have told you. bI go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, cI will come again and receive you to Myself; that dwhere I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.
Paul saw that coming day in Phil 3:20-21. “For lour citizenship is in heaven, mfrom which we also neagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 owho will transform our lowly body that it may be pconformed to His glorious body, qaccording to the working by which He is able even to rsubdue all things to Himself.”
John the Revelator saw that city in Rev 21:1-8: “ Now aI saw a new heaven and a new earth, bfor the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, 1John, saw cthe holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared das a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, ethe tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 fAnd God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; gthere shall be no more death, hnor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then iHe who sat on the throne said, j“Behold, I make all things new.” And He said 2to me, “Write, for kthese words are true and faithful.”
6 And He said to me, l“It 3is done! mI am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. nI will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes 4shall inherit all things, and oI will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 pBut the cowardly, 5unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in qthe lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Remember the song, “This world is not my home. I’m just a passing through.” We are pilgrims on earth on business for our King. Yet some people live only for the present moment and forget all about eternity. Are you looking for that wonderful City?
V. FAITH PASSES THE SUPREME TEST (11:17-19)
By faith Abraham passed the supreme test. Isaac, the son of God’s promise had been born and was growing into a fine young man. Then the day came when God told Abraham to go to Mt. Moriah and there offer his son as a sacrifice. By faith in God, Abraham was willing to give the nearest and dearest thing he had - his son Isaac.
Of course we know the rest of the story. An angel of the Lord stopped the sacrifice and there in a bush was a ram, caught by his horns. Abraham offered the Ram in the stead of Isaac. That is a reminder that Christ is our substitute.
What are you willing to give up in order to follow Jesus. A career, a hobby, a position? One of my college roommates gave up a career to play professional baseball in order to preach the gospel.
Note that Abraham believed God could raise even Isaac from the dead. Instead God provided a substitute so in a figurative sense God raised Isaac from the dead. All this points forward to Jesus Christ. God spared Isaac by offering a substitute. But God did not spare His only Son who went to the cross to die for your sins and mine. He shed his blood for you and me but praise God, on the third day He rose again.
All of us will go through trials, testing and temptations. Job’s faith was severely tested but he said, “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as Gold.” James wrote, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial: for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
God will test us to prove the validity of our faith but he never tempts us to sin. Satan tempts us to prove us false, to tear us down, and to destroy our witness. James said, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:13-16).
The faith of Abraham and Sara was not a “blind leap into the dark.” Nor was their faith a faith in faith itself. I once hear a preacher preach on the theme, “Have Faith in your Faith.“ I disagree with that. The Bible says, “Have faith in God.” The faith of Abraham and Sara clearly rested in the promises of God. Likewise, our faith must rest in the promises that God has given to us in His precious Word.
In seeking to validate the role of faith in the Christian life, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians. “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?- Just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
All the blessing promised to Abraham have passed to all those who have received Jesus Christ by faith. We, who are of faith, are indeed blessed along with our Father Abraham.
