BY FAITH ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD

Hebrews 11:8-10

September 6,13, 2026 – SUN a.m.

     There are some details that the book of Genesis did not tells us:

     We don’t learn in book of Genesis about the background of Abraham that book of Joshua tells us something. 

Joshua 24:2 “And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.”

     It states that Abraham's father, Terah (idol worshipper), and his ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River and served other gods. This passage reveals the polytheistic background of Abraham's family before God called him out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Polytheistic means believing in or worshiping more than one god. (Poly – a Greek prefix meaning “many”; Theistic – coming from the Greek word “theos” meaning god). 

     Genesis focuses on the migration and genealogy, but Joshua 24:2 explicitly notes that Terah practiced idol worship. Abraham was brought up in a sinful, pagan, idolatrous nation, he was brought to serve false gods. God's choice of Abraham did not stem from a righteous background, but from His sovereign call of Grace to break away from that idolatrous heritage. But, in spite of that idolatrous background, we learn from Hebrews 11 that Abraham becomes one of the heroes of the faith.

     There is also something that the book of Genesis does not tell us that we don’t learn until we read in the book of Acts. 

Acts 7:2-3 “And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, ³ And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.”

     We discover in Stephen’s speech about the Abraham’s original call as he rehearsed the history of Israel, he adds a detail not mentioned in the Old Testament. Stephen adding a visionary detail not explicitly stated in Genesis 12:1 or Genesis 12.

     Stephen reveals about God’s call in Ur that God appeared to Abraham before he moved to Haran that Abrahm saw a manifestation of God’s glory which moved him to leave his pagan home. This speech said that the “God of glory” appeared to Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia before living in Haran (given a vision of the God of glory. Not all the glory of God, no man can see God and live, but here Abrahm got a glimpse of the glory of God), and that glimpse of the glory of God transformed Abraham and set him on a lifelong journey of faith. 

     God originally calls Abram as his name. Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: ² And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: ³ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

I – ABRAHAM’S CALLING

Hebrews 11:8 “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.”

A. Calling with Promise of Blessing

God calls Abram to leave his homeland, family and father’s house for an unspecified land, pledging to make him a great nation (national promise), bless him and make his name great (personal promise), bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him (protection), and use his lineage to bless all families on earth, means all peoples on earth will be blessed through him (universal scope). 

B. Calling of Total Separation

     Abraham called for total separation: God asked Abrahm to leave his country and everything he was familiar with, his family, his fathers’ house, and his kindred. So, Abrahm had to leave all of his earthly ties behind, everything that his heart had been attached to all of these seventy plus years, and he was to go into unknown destination. God did not provide an itinerary or a description of the land’s quality upfront; God simply said He would show it. God did not promise an easy path or name it a land of milk and honey right away. God only promised to show him what this land is like.

     What was the response of Abraham? How Abraham obeyed God’s call? Abraham obeyed God by faith. 

     His name being changed from Abram to Abraham (father of nations), when God made with him and his seed a covenant, sealed by circumcision, many years after his call out of Ur.

II – ABRAHAM’S OBEDIENCE

Hebrews 11:8 “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.”

1. Action of Abraham Obedience
   1. Obeyed Partially

      The book of Hebrews does not give us the whole story. The book of Hebrews just simply says that God called Abram and he obeyed the command of God by faith and he went (Hebrews 11:8). 

     What the book of Hebrews does not tells us? Abram stopped his journey in Haran and brought his father Terah and nephew Lot along, delaying his arrival in Canaan. Genesis 11:31 “And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.” 

     Now look at the delay. Terah, the father of Abraham, started on the journey with them, but died in Haran (Genesis 11:31). Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran, meaning Abraham waited until his father’s death to finally freed to progress on, moved and fully obeyed the Lord. The original call was made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1; Acts 17:2), but Abraham appears to have induced his father and his nephew to accompany him. 

     At this time, he had no children (Genesis 11:30), though it seems probable that Lot had (Genesis 12:5). Some, however, understand the expression in Genesis 12:5 “the souls that they had gotten in Haran” as referring to the servants or domestics that they had in various ways procured, and to the fact Abraham and lot gradually drew around them a train of dependents and followers who were disposed to unite with them, and accompany them wherever they went.

     Abraham at that time took with him Sarai, and Lot the son of his brother, and “the souls that they had gotten in Haran.” (Genesis 12:5 “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran.”). 

     Did you see the partial obedience of Abraham? Abraham actually never went into the promised land as God promised him because he left the Chaldees in partial obedience to the Lord until his father’s death. Why? Because Abraham’s ties to his father and to his dear family and love ones were so strong that hindered Abrahm from completely obeying the call of God. The same is true for many of us, the earthly ties strongly hinder all of us from fully obeying the call of God in our lives.

     So, Abram did not obey, he did not follow God’s call fully. Although he did leave Ur of the Chaldees his original home but Abram didn’t go into the land that God called him to, the promised land. That is partial leaving and taking family meant Abram did not fully separate from his past household yet. Abram and his family traveled north and settled in Haran instead of pushing straight into Canaan. 

Genesis 12:4 “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.” 

     Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran to follow God's call. Abraham was there for about five years or so, therefore Abraham was about 70 when he left Ur of the Chaldees, his original home. Leaving at that 75 old age meant giving up safety and comfort for a promise. Abraham left his home and his family behind. This shows difficult this obedience was with a deep and difficult act of trust, because he did not know where he was going. Abraham’s Lot went with him on this journey into the unknown. 

     God spoke and Abraham obeyed by faith. Abraham obedience is the expression and fruit of his faith. The fruit of that genuine faith is obedience.  Abraham's life shows that true faith and obedience always go together. 

     It was not easy for Abraham to obey God’s call:

In Abraham’s day, 70 years old man was an old man. Abraham was about 70 years when he finally left Ur of the Chaldees. 

     The life Abraham left in Ur are: 

1. The comfort of the City of Ur that he grew up, in the region of Chaldea, near Babylon. Ur was a major, advanced center of trade and culture in ancient Mesopotamia; 
2. The Family and religion in which Abram walked away from the comfort of his ancestral home, local community customs, and the traditional moon-good worship of his region; 
3. The Security, on which Abraham abandoned stable roots and a settled business that he left behind to step into total uncertainty.

But Abraham obeyed the leading of the Lord and became a hero of faith and the father of the faithful (Genesis 12:1-3)     

     Following God’s leading is never easy for the disciples:

1. To walk away from stable livelihood, working fishing family businesses.
2. To give up safety for staying with fishing meant security and a quiet life

But the disciples followed the leading of the Lord and were great used in serving Christ and leads thousands to Christ (Matthew 4:19). 

Hebrews 11:8 “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.”

     When it is said that Abraham “went out, not knowing whither he went,” it must be understood as meaning that he was ignorant to what country he would in fact be led. If it be supposed that he had some general intimation of the nature of that country, and of the direction in which it was situated, yet it must be remembered that the knowledge of geography was then exceedingly imperfect; that this was a distant country; that it lay beyond a pathless desert, and that probably no traveler had ever come from that land to inform him what it was. All this serves to show what was the strength of the faith of Abraham. 

2. Active faith of Abraham Obedience
   1. Cost of faith in following the Lord

     The writer of Hebrews addressed the first century Christians to consider the faith of Abram and the high cost of following the Lord. The life of Abram is a perfect illustration of the kind of faith that the original readers of the book of Hebrews needed. Like Abraham these early Christians followed the Lord, they are happy being identified with Jesus and they joined and worshipped together with other believers.

     As they follow Christ, they suddenly face persecution, so they have a hard choice to make especially their countrymen rejected and angry with them up to the point that these first century believers were pushed out of their city and own country. There is a great struggle within their heart if they would turn away from following Christ and go back to Judaism and go back to their comfortable homes in Jerusalem of if they would stand for Christ and continue following Jesus and be willing to pay the price, even if they would have to leave their families, their country, even if it would cost their lives. These early first century Christians were challenged and confronted by a very difficult choice.  

     Probably some of those first century Hebrew Christ asking why are they facing all of this difficulty? Jesus challenges us to follow Him and bear up a cross (Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”). Cross is an image of suffering and cruel death. Remember, Jesus promised trials, not a trouble-free life. A cross means dying to self, sin and worldly desires. Believers accept hardship as part of walking with Christ. By faith, enables us to be genuinely willing to forsake all our earthly ties. Like what Stephen tells us in Acts that Abraham had a glimpse of God’s glory and move him by faith to obey God’s call and went to promised land, the same is true by Faith enables us to see the future inheritance and make us willing to follow the Lord no matter what.

3. Application of Abraham Obedience
   1. Decision by faith to follow Christ

      As an application of this in our Christian life, our first decision is the step of faith when we trusted Christ as our Savior and we got saved. Now, the next decision we have to make is if we are going to follow Christ for the rest of our lives: by leaving behind and forsake all earthly ties, by pick up a cross, willing to suffer in following Christ, by getting away, and love not and separate from the ways of the world and never turn back (compromise). 

      Following the Lord by faith is not limited decision has to make by all called missionaries but by all believer in Christ. Each single believer has been called of God to separate from the world and follow the Lord leading and willing to pay the price for every giant’s obstacle we may encounter on the journey of life. Why is it that many Christians today want to the blessings of God but unwilling to pay the cost in following the Lord.

Numbers 13:33 “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

Numbers 14:1- 4 “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. ² And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! ³ And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? ⁴ And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”

     We can see the exact the same scenario when the forefathers of these first century Christians left Egypt behind and followed their earthly redeemer Moses as they were brought up to the edge of the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea. The faith of these forefathers was tested as they saw giants. They have to make a choice if they will still continue to follow the Lord even there are giants, and battle with the Canaanites that lay ahead just by trusting the power of God. Or would they decide to run away and go back to Egypt on which some wanted to go back to Egypt where they are being beaten, whipped being slave, on which many of these forefathers assume that they have better living than following the leading of the Lord and face big challenges.

      Choosing to trust God instead of returning to the familiar pain of slavery is one of the hardest tests of faith.

     Facing the Giants is the big obstacles: The giants in Canaan looked too strong for human power.

We see the loss of perspective: The people looked at the size of their problems instead of the power of God.

The forefather’s choice: Real faith means walking forward into the unknown because you trust who is leading you.

As an application of this in our Christian life, our first decision is the step of faith when we trusted Christ as our Savior and we got saved and the chains of sin have been broken. As we travel this Christian journey of life, we face a test everyday so we are tempted to go back to the world (Hebrews 11:15 “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.” - As the journey continues, daily life brings tests, and the enemy tempts us to look backward. The Bible notes that the heroes of faith faced this exact mental battle but chose to keep moving forward.)    . But after we got saved and follow the Lord, we started walking with God, at first leaving behind our old life is not count as such sacrifice because we are so caught up with who Christ is (Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” - When we first get saved, we are so captivated by who Christ is that leaving our old life behind doesn't feel like a loss.). But as the time goes by, it is a different thing to leave the world we know, for we know what the world is like, that is why when we got saved leaving the world behind may not be such a problem because following the Lord is much better and cannot be compared to our life being slave of sin and of the world.

     At times, we feel good and wearied of this earthly realm, yet we have to face the unknown that looms ahead. Uncertain where the Divine shall guide us, this day, tomorrow and five or ten years hence.

     We have to deal with the unknown at all times, today, tomorrow and forever. 

Example: Peter and the Apostles

     Peter boldly promised Jesus that he would never fall away every if everyone else did, but Jesus correctly warned him that he would deny Him three times before dawn.

Matthew 26:33-35 “Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. ³⁴ Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. ³⁵ Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”

     Jesus told Peter that a rooster would crow before the night was over, after three denials. Later that night (Matthew 26:69-75), while Jesus was on trial, people in the courtyard recognized Peter. Fear made Peter lie three separate times, saying he did not even know Jesus. Peter was willing to forsake his everything and follow the Lord but knowing not what really lay ahead for him. What is the lesson here? Right after the third denial, a rooster crowed just as Jesus said. Peter heard it, remembered Jesus's words, and went outside to weep bitterly. This moment taught Peter a hard lesson about human weakness and pride.

     What the disciple needed? The grace and strength for now, for today and not for their entire journey of life.

Deuteronomy 33:25 “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.”

God is not going to tell us every little detail about our pathway of life, but God wants our heart willing to follow Him no matter what might be the price. We need grace and strength to walk by faith on each day. 

     How does a believer patiently endure for a whole life? Abraham teaches us we can patiently endure for our entire life by trusting God right now, each day, then for the next day, then for every moment by moment. Abraham walked by faith each difficulty along the way.  So, there are two choices we have to make whenever we face the uncertainty of our future: We can face the uncertainty the way Abraham trusts God and God give him the victory or we can face the uncertainty with fear, worry which will cause us to want to quit and retreat.

     Did Demas know what lay ahead when he begun following the Lord? No, Demas did not know.

Paul certainly does give some questions to prove if Demas genuinely saved, evidently Demas was walking with the Lord. As the time goes by, Demas was wearied, and probably because he had no idea how much suffering as he follows the Lord on his missionary journey. So, Demas wanted to quick and return to the world. The lesson that warns us here is that it is impossible to live and following the Lord as a Christian if we do not have strong faith.

4. Availability of Strong faith in Obedience
   1. By equipping

     How does living and following the Lord with strong faith happen? By being equipped.

God designed the local church with teachers and pastors

Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”

     Why God gave pastors and teachers in the local church?

Ephesians 4:12-13 “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

Notice the words “perfecting of the saints”. The term "perfecting" in this context refers to the maturing, equipping, and training of the believers to fulfill their calling and serve in the ministry. The Greek word used here is "katartismos," which denotes the idea of restoration, preparation, and completion. The goal is for every believer to reach a level of spiritual maturity and completeness in Christ, so that they may be effective and fruitful in their service to God and to others. 

The Greek word “katartismos” is from “Katartizo” conveys the sense here not of adding something that is lacking, but of putting things in order, of adjusting things that are out of adjustment as for example in describing fisherman mending their nets. Paul was commanding the Corinthian saints to mend their ways, to straighten themselves out, and restore harmony among themselves. Spiritual wholeness comes when the church, both collectively and individually, is in complete conformity to God’s Word. To equip the saints to do so is the responsibility of the church’s leaders.

     Our passage is in the book of Hebrews; the main trust of Hebrews is perfection or maturity in Hebrews 6:1

Hebrews 6:1 “let us go on unto perfection;” Spiritual growth does not always involve learning something new. Our most important growth often is in regard to truth we have already heard but have not fully applied.

      What is God’s plan for us in the body of Christ? God’s plan for us is that we must be functioning in the body of Christ. God's plan is for every believer to serve and actively function within the body of Christ.

Every single believer is a distinct part of the church with a specific functional role to play (Romans 12:4-5 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”)

     If not functioning, your faith is not going to be strengthened, you are not going to be edified spiritually. 

     The local church is the center of God’s will for us. In order to patiently endure all the struggles and trials of life like Abraham, we need to be in the middle of God’s will, we have to be serving and functioning in the local church not just bringing our physical body in the church building. That is the way the members and body of Christ are strengthened.

III – ABRAHAM’S POSSESSION 

     Hebrews 11:9 “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:”

1. Abraham living presently in Canaan (earthly) – v.9a
   1. Living without Citizenship

     Abraham Sojourned (Greek “paraoikeo” or “paraikeo”). It means to dwell near, reside as a foreigner, be a stranger. But actually, Canaan was not a foreign country because God promised to give Canaan to Abram so it was his country. There were Canaanites in the land living in large. Canaanites were not his people and Abraham was not accustomed to live in. Paroikeo describes living in a place without holding citizenship as an alien, live as a stranger, dwell temporarily.  In short, it means to dwell at a place only for a short time. Paroikeo speaks of a foreigner dwelling in a state without rights of citizenship. 

     This is the only verse in the Bible that refers to Canaan as the promised land. Abraham, the heir to the promised land, never owned a foot of ground in it (Acts 7:5 “And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on:.”)   , Abraham had a temporary possession because he only ever legally buys and owned one piece of land in Canaan, a little cave of Machpelah in Hebron used as a burial site for his wife, Sarah. 

      Abraham demonstrates his faith to be willing and content to dwell in a tent as a stranger or sojourner in the land of promise as in a strange country. Abraham lived as an alien (“paraoikeo”) means that Abraham settled down alongside the inhabitants (geographically), but not among them (spiritually or socially), living as a neighbor, but not as a native. You might say Abraham share their soil but not their soul, for Abraham was near them, but not one of them. Abraham, the alien, was involved with his neighbors in Canaan, but he always remained distinct.  Abraham was only a sojourner in the land of promise; Like the patriarchs, we also should confess that we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13 “they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”; Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: . .for he hath prepared for them a city.”), not allowing ourselves to grow deep roots here on earth.

     The verb dwelling (katoikeo) normally speaks of permanent residence, but here is used paradoxically to describe Abraham dwelling permanently as a pilgrim!  As pilgrims, we need to adopt the mindset of pilgrims. When you travel in a foreign country, you stand out as different. They can spot you! They know that you are not one of them. You may temporarily adopt some of their local customs, so as not to be offensive, but on most things, you think and live differently, according to the customs of your homeland. 

     As God’s people, our homeland is heaven. We’re just passing through this earth. Our mindset toward success, possessions, and purpose in life should be radically different than the mindset of the natives whose hope center in this life only. In John 17 Jesus in His great prayer said the same thing of believers, describing them as "IN the world" (John 17:11 “these are in the world”) but "not OF the word." (John 17:14 “they are not of the world”). As believers we are to engage the lost without embracing their losing values (Romans 12:2 “be not conformed to this world”). We are to live close enough to witness ("distinct but not distant", John 17:18 “I also sent them into the world”, Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men” , Philippians 2:15 “ye shine as lights in the world”), yet distant enough to remain holy (2 Corinthians 6:7 “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; “, James 1:27 “keep himself unspotted from the world”, 1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”, Jamess 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”). 

      Abraham was able to live in a land saturated with idolatry and not fall prey to its seductive snares. What a testimony to the transforming power of his faith! As a believer I am deeply convicted—because of Abraham's example, I take heart that genuine faith can sustain a soul even in the midst of moral corruption and spiritual compromise that is growing daily in this world. What sustained Abraham can sustain us, for we worship the same God, who gives the same grace by His Spirit. The faith that turned an idol-worshiper from Ur into a pilgrim of promise is the same faith that upholds believers who walk by sightless trust today. Amen

Hebrews 11:9 “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:”

     The phrase “with Isaac and Jacob” highlights their unified and generational faith of three patriarchs sharing one promise, one life, and one God. We suppose that Abraham lived with Isaac about seventy-five years. Did Abraham live with Jacob? Yes, he must have lived at the same time as Jacob for about fifteen years. Abraham saw his dear son Isaac married, and twin children born, and Abraham knew their life long enough to see that Jacob was a man dwelling in tents; and Abraham found the sweetest company with his own dear family. This also reminds us that faith is not meant to die with one generation but to be passed on, their heart devotion to one God and one promise in Christ. Abraham’s tent became their tent; his God became their God; and the promise that sustained him sustained them. 

Again, notice the phrase “the heirs with him of the same promise:” This refers to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who lived as pilgrims because they trusted the same promise (epaggelia). The patriarchs had the title to the land but not the possession, for the deed was theirs by promise, not by sight. They all lived as pilgrims, all received the same promise, and all died without its earthly fulfillment, because they were looking for a greater inheritance in heaven. Each received the same promise, showing the unity and perpetuity of God’s covenant. The promise of land, seed, and blessing was passed on to Isaac and Jacob, who, though heirs, lived as pilgrims just as Abraham did (Genesis 12:1-3, 7, Genesis 13:14-17, Genesis 15:18-21, Genesis 17:7-8, Exodus 2:24, Exodus 6:4-8, Deuteronomy 9:5, Psalm 105:8-11). 

      Notice the words in verse 9, “dwelling in tabernacles,”

Notice the words “dwelling in tabernacles”. Tabernacle is a tent, a temporary abode. And the word “dwelling” means a permanent abode. So, Abraham and his sons, Isaac and Jacob were willingly chosen to permanently abode in a temporary status in this world. 

     Dwelling in tents was the way the travelers and nomads used to do. Tents were not considered permanent residences during the time of Abraham. Not only Abraham but also his son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob, lived out their lives in tents. 

     They were in the land God had promised, but they did not settle down in it. Those great patriarchs, in fact, would never possess the land, except by faith. The land was in sight but not in hand. Near as it was, the land was still only a promise. Abraham did not build any houses or cities.

     Abraham endured patiently in faith, knowing that God would fulfill His promise that he and his seed would possess the land forever.  Abraham was 175 when he died and did not possess the land (Genesis 25:7, the age of Abraham testified to enduring faith that waited without wavering on the unchanging word of God.).

     Was God unfaithful to His promise?

     Of course not. God will one day raise Abraham from the dead to possess this land in the yet future millennial kingdom.  Abraham died in faith without receiving the promise, but one day he will receive it because God is faithful. 

     The ultimate fulfillment of the land promise awaits the resurrection of Abraham and the establishment of Christ’s millennial kingdom on earth. The covenant with Abraham was handed down by divine reaffirmation. God remembered it, and God still remembers it.

Hebrews 11:10 “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

      Notice the words “For he looked” (looking in Greek “ekdechomai”) demonstrated how Abraham’s faith expectant looking (waiting). Abraham absolutely confident that God would fulfill His word of promise in the future. This is not simply “looking” but “expectantly waiting” which speaks of his personal interest, he was looking beyond temporal which enabled him to see the eternal. Abraham’s belief in the eternal, enabled him to consider circumstances in his life were not always the most pleasant. 

     Abraham’s trusted God who both plans and complete the purpose of His redemption (Hebrews 6:19 “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”). Abraham’s hope was sure because it rested not on geography but on the promise of the God who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”).

     May all of us, as Abraham’s descendants (Galatians 3:29 “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”), live with a similar future focus, so that the words of Paul in II Corinthians 4:16-18 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; ¹⁸ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” are our daily bread (Matthew 4:4).

Notice again in verse 10, “for a city.”

      Through faith, Abraham saw and knew that eternal city in heaven clearly was much better than anything on earth. 

      Abraham’s eye range of perception in life were not dominated the things of this earth even what the land of Canaan offers. Abraham thoroughly understood that God promises would all have their ultimate fulfillment in heaven’s spiritual realities. This is a great challenge to the Hebrew readers of the book of Hebrews who were being urged to see beyond the earthly Temple and the Levitical priesthood, that is only dominated by the sights and sounds of a ritual that they are doing, compared to the eternal, heavenly realities in Christ!

     Lot pitched his tent by Sodom, that wicked city. We read Abram pitched his tent in Bethel, the house of God. What a difference. Abram lived the life of a sojourner because his affections were on things above, on a heavenly city. But if he never saw that city, if he never entered into the inheritance, if his children never inherited the land of Canaan in his lifetime, which they didn't, then so what? Abram understood how great was the value of his calling and understood the value of his future inheritance, and it motivated him and moved him the rest of his days. How could Abram possibly have stayed in Ur if his heart was captured by the eternal city? 

      Abraham lived two thousand years before Christ, and we live two thousand years after Christ. Yet Abraham, believing that what God had said would certainly happen, looked beyond to the day when God would bring to earth a city with eternal foundations. Abraham saw that city that John saw coming down from heaven unto earth (Revelation 21:2 “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven”). That is the city that Abraham longed for, it is an earth where people dwell together in peace, harmony, blessing, beauty and liberty. 

     Faith gives purpose to life and to reach final destination. Even today we hold out that hope of achieving a city of peace and universal blessing as we pray in Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

           Have you had the expectation of faith? Faith will not be disappointed. Like Abraham, we are looking for a home prepared for us by the Lord Himself. Jesus said in John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

     Notice again in verse 10, “which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

     The city has foundations (themelios) which laid by God. God is the maker (technites – architect, designer, planner) who both conceived and completed or built (demiourgos) the city. Since God is the designer and the builder this emphasizes that is all God’s initiative, He planned it and will complete it (Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”). Hence, our confidence is not in human effort but in the faithfulness of God (Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”). Unlike earthly cities which decay and are built by sinful hands, the heavenly city is eternal, holy, and indestructible (our inheritance – I Peter 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”). 

      There is nothing on earth that really has a foundation. Even those buildings that seem most firm will be dissolved, and burned up in the last general fire. All things here pass away. Everything in this world is without foundation, but is just a mere tent that might come down at any moment; a gust of wind and earthquake might blow it over.

     Abraham knew that even the promised land was only a tenting ground for him and his descendants. Abraham also knew that he was on his way to a divinely planned and divinely built city, not like the temporary cities of earth, which shall all perish and pass away, but a city with everlasting foundations, a city that will last as long as God Himself exists. 

     One day Abrahm would inherit that land, but not during his lifetime. The patriarch faith that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died without seeing the full promise realized on earth. Jesus said about the coming kingdom that many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in that kingdom (Matthew 8:11 “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.”). But Abraham would inherit that land, that kingdom of heaven but not receiving an earthly inheritance during his lifetime (Acts 7:5 “And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.”), and living as stranger, pilgrim and sojourner during his earthly existence as he was a stranger, a pilgrim, and sojourner in Canaan (Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”).

     Believers shall inherit all things. I Corinthians 3:21-23 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; ²² Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; ²³ And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”

       Paul tells the church in Corinth to stop dividing themselves by arguing over which human leaders like Paul, Apollos, or Cephas/Peter they follow because believers belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. Everything in creation, life, death, the present, and the future ultimately serves their spiritual good as an inheritance. 

5. Abraham living by faith is the life that Christian should follow
   1. Believer’s position in the world     

     Abraham illustrates the believer’s position in the world.     

This world is not our home (Philippians 3:20), not our friend but our enemy (James 4:4). We are living in this hostile territory which is the system (I John 2:15-17) of this world (not the people). It takes faith to spend the rest of our days in this world, in this foreign land (I John 5:4).  

     It takes faith to live in a land that is not our home:

1. Because we want to be comfortable and to make this world our home (as if we have no future inheritance)
2. Because we want to entangled in the affairs of this world (no time for spiritual things)
3. Because we want to love the world and things that are in the world.
4. Because we want to be more conformed to this world (philosophy, lifestyle, ways and music) 

       How the world lives? The world lives a life for here, for now only, for self only, for pleasure only. 

      How the Christian should live in this world? The Christian lives where self is not the center (but God), where pleasure is not our goal (but the glory of God), where we expend our energy and our time, our money, our resources, our talent, as we hope that we may receive future reward on the judgement day. It takes faith to enable us to do all these things. Obedience is always the fruit of faith. If our faith is real, like the faith of Abraham, it is going to be evident in our lives. As we walk by faith, we will obey whenever the Lord Jesus says Romans 12:2 “be ye not conformed unto this world”; II Corinthians 6:17 “be ye separate”; James 4:4 “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”. 

     The genuinely saved born again walks with the Lord, he/she will remain separated from the worldly system. The devil is seeking whom he may devour by entangling us, but we have to walk the way God wants us to walk, to live happily as pilgrims. In our study, Abraham demonstrates for us the life of a pilgrim, willing to leave everything behind, his family, his own country, and be willing to live in a tent the rest of his life with his sons, just to obey the leading of God. Faith results in obedience.

     Stephen tells us in Acts 7 that Abraham got a glimpse of the God of glory when God called him. Abraham was no longer going to live for this life on this earth. Abraham’s heart and mind were captured by that heavenly vision. 

     In Hebrews 11 and also in Genesis we learned that God never drove Abram out of Ur with a whip. Rather, the Lord attracted him with something that was far better. A better city. God motivated him to live the rest of his days as a pilgrim, and Abraham did so willingly. 

     Faith. Will attach our hearts to the invisible things from above. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith fixes our focus on eternal things. With our physical eyes, we’ll be focusing on physical things, and that’s going to cause our heart to be attached to them. But the eyes of faith will keep our focus on heavenly things, and our heart will be attached to that as well. 

      Abram’s nephew Lot lived for this temporary world and he saw everything is gone. But Abram was never disappointed, Abram waited his whole life and never saw his sons enter into that inheritance. Abram never seen the New Jerusalem. Abram had to ever wait patiently no matter what. Are you willing to wait for God to work out some difficulty in life? Are you willing to wait for some promise to be fulfilled? Are you willing to wait for some answer to prayer? But faith is the confidence.

4. Believer’s heavenly calling
   1. To seek those spiritual things     

     Colossians 3:1-3 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

God wants us to live for Him without forcing us. But God commanded us to read continually and consistently His Words so that our minds would be saturated with spiritual things and would have an appetite for spiritual things, and so that our affections are set on things above. Because if we are not saturated with spiritual things, we will never be motivated to live for the Lord, instead we want to live for self, but the bible says, our self is dead.

      When God called Abram out of Chaldees, to go into the promised land and should not bring with him his family, his father’s kindred. But at first Abram did not enter into Canaan but stop into Haran. Until his father died, Abram separated from strong ties of his family, and started to obey God fully by faith. 

      Same is true with us believers. Until we realize that we died with Christ, we have no victory until we renounce our old ties with this world. The old man is dead.  Now we live in faith with the new man, we have new heart, new mind and a new nature that loves spiritual things, loves the Lord and loves to follow God. Paul said in Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”; Romans 6:11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”; Philippians 3:8 “I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ”.

Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called”. Religion forces people to obey pretentiously. However, God wants our hearts and minds captured by our calling in Christ that is why we want to obey.

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”

     God did not promise that all our struggles, trials would go away and our lives is bed of roses. God wants His believer’s eyes and hearts to be enlightened that we might see how high and heavenly and essential our Christian calling in Christ. If God’s calling captured our mind and heart, we will want to walk with the Lord an be motivated to obey faithfully.

Ending:      

     As the book of Hebrews ends, we are told that we are running a race, looking unto Jesus. So, our focus of our eyes must be right, so we will follow what is right. By faith, God is changing our hearts to avoid conforming with this world, but transformed our hearts captured with a vision of who Christ is. We want to live our life for Jesus. That is how to run the Christian life, focus on the finish line.

     How’s your focus today? Is your focus, right? Maybe God is convicting you to readjust your priorities. Maybe something else has captivated your time, heart and mind, with divided attention. Look unto Jesus.

     If you are not saved, not sure of eternal heaven, look to Jesus by faith. Jesus died for all your sins, buried, and the third day rose again. Trust that Jesus paid all your sins completely. Jesus redemptive work is finished. Have faith on the Savior Jesus Christ and He will give you the gift of eternal life.