Pilgrims & Promises

In our previous message we mentioned that Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation. Obviously, he needed a wife to do this. Sarah is often overlooked in the story, but she plays an integral part as well. It was not only Abraham who exercised great faith in God, his wife did as well. Before the writer gives of a summary of all he has mentioned so far in chapter 11 he reminds us of the important part Sarah played in God’s plan.

v. 11 If you know the story of Abraham and Sarah, you remember that they had a child at an old age. God promised them they would have a child but in the beginning they both doubted that would happen by natural means. Our focus is on Sarah so let’s consider how she initially reacted.

She said the Lord prevented her from having children (Gen. 16:2).

She decided to have Abraham impregnate her handmaid, Hagar (Gen. 16:2). This was a disaster and continues to be even to this day as war continues between the Jews and Arabs.

She laughed when the Lord said she would become pregnant (10-15).

Sarah doubted for a few reasons I can see in Genesis 18:9-15.

She was old. Close to 90 when she was told she would have a child.

The way of women had ceased to be with her. When a female is born they have all the eggs they will ever have. When a young lady matures those eggs have the capacity to be fertilized. Once all of those eggs pass through her body she reaches what is called menopause. That is probably what is meant by “the way of women”. While they did not have the advancement in technology that we do, ancient people still recognized once a woman stopped menstruating they no longer could get pregnant.

Her husband was old. He was about 100. Sarah said “After I am worn out and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” She laughed as she said that. But it was the truth. What she probably meant was the Lord would have to help her husband a little too.

The writer of Hebrews seems to poke a little fun at Abraham as well. Look at verse 12. It describes Abraham “as good as dead”.

Eventually Sarah came around. She believed God. Verse 11 says “She considered Him faithful who promised.”

She didn’t trust herself.

She didn’t trust Abraham.

She trusted God.

God working through her faith accomplished what He promised.

v. 12 As a result of Sarah believing God, God did a great thing. He gave the couple innumerable descendants. “As many as the stars of heaven” and as the innumerable grains of sand” is the same language used when God promised Abraham he would have descendants (Gen. 22:17). These descendants include the Jewish people and all who come to faith in Christ (Galatians 3:7).

We considered Sarah before she conceived. What was her response after she gave birth to Isaac? That response is found in Genesis 21:1-7:

She said God has given me joy.

She said God will give others joy.

She said God allowed me to give my husband what I had never been able to give him.

This couple, who had all odds against them, saw God move in a great way in their lives. But they had a part to play too. They were not stagnant. They believed God. They also had to act. We may not like to think about what I’m about to say. Even the intimacy of Abraham and Sarah was an act of faith.

Abraham was called as good as dead. Sarah laughed because she said Abraham was too old to have a kid. They engaged in intimacy as an act of faith. Isaac was conceived in the regular way children are conceived. It wasn’t enough to just believe God was going to give them a child. They had to do their part. Sarah doubted Abraham could. Abraham doubted Sarah could. They both believed God could. God did.

Sarah was 90.

Abraham was 100.

They conceived a child.

Sarah was able to carry the child and deliver him as well.

The child was healthy.

When we think of faithful people let’s not forget Sarah. What woman is willing to carry a child at 90? She not only believed God, she suffered through the pains of motherhood as well.

v.13 “These all” This is a reference to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah. They all died in faith. In other words, when they died, they still believed all God said. I want to point something out. Those who have faith still die. God doesn’t deliver us from pain because we have faith. There are many trials believers will face. We will even face the greatest trial, death. It is not that we die, but how we die that matters. Will we die in faith or unbelief?

The writer tells us more about them.

They had not yet received the things promised. They had been given the Abrahamic Covenant. It was filled with wonderful promises. Those promises had not yet come to pass.

“they saw them and greeted them from afar”

What does that mean? Do you remember when Jesus told the religious leaders “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56)

These men and women of faith pondered the promises of God. They believed God so much they could almost see God’s promises coming to pass. We can relate this to ourselves. Do we not find ourselves thinking of the return of Christ?

I love to think of heaven.

I love to think of a glorified body.

I love to think of seeing God.

I see these things from afar off. This is a great way to encourage yourself to be faithful. Meditate on the promises of God. Think of how it will be when all God’s promises are fulfilled.

They acknowledged they were strangers and exiles on the earth. In other words, they knew they would not see all God promised come to pass. They were in a world they did not belong to.

v.14 If a person says “I am a stranger and an exile on this earth” they obviously are looking for another homeland. They are not satisfied in this world. Those words are a type of a confession of faith. What were these people saying?

I don’t belong here!

I don’t want to stay here!

I know of a better place than here!

My family does not reside here!

v. 15 Some might think the writer is talking about Mesopotamia. If Abraham was a stranger in Canaan maybe he desired to go back to his homeland. That’s not the case. Abraham did not feel at home anywhere on this earth.

The writer says if Abraham wanted to go back to his homeland he could have. In fact, he would have. Mesopotamia was no longer Abraham’s home. He didn’t even think of it as home anymore. He had no homeland on this earth.

I’m from Douglas Ga, but that’s not my home.

I lived in Florida a while, but that’s not my home.

I have a couple of acres off Jasmine Road, but that’s not my home.

My home is heaven. My home is with the Lord. I will feel out of place until I am with Him.

As a word of warning, don’t think about that old life you used to live. Don’t start missing that place God called you out of. Think about the place He is taking you.

v. 16 Let’s look at a description of the faithful in this verse.

They desire a better country. Heaven was described as a city in verse 10. Now it is described as a country. The point is it is better. Better than what? Better than everything.

Notice also they desire it. Christians desire heaven. We desire heaven because it is our home. We want something better than this world offers.

We want better morals

We want better weather.

We want better people.

We want better health.

More than anything we want God because God makes everything better.

God is not ashamed to be called their God.

What a surprise! He should be ashamed of us! He is not. Why is He not ashamed of the faithful?

Because they believed in a land they could not see. They held on to promises that were yet fulfilled. They believed God and were often shamed for it by the world. Therefore, God will not be ashamed of them.

Is God ashamed of you?

Answer a question for me. Are you ashamed of God. You will find your answer there. If you are ashamed of Him, He is ashamed of you. If you hold fast to His promises, He will never be ashamed to be called your God.

He has prepared them a city. Jesus said this in John 14. He has gone to prepare us a place. His promises make us long for a city that will be eternally ours.

Have you ever smelled bead baking? Or perhaps a cake, or something that smells really good? You sit in your chair in the living room. The house is filled with the aroma of what’s cooking. The more you smell it the hungrier you get. Your desire for wat is being prepared grows stronger and stronger.

That aroma is like the promises of God. The promises of God create within us a desire to enjoy what God has prepared for us. The longer that aroma drifts the stronger our desire gets. The good news is one of these days the oven will open and what God has caused us to desire through His promises will be experienced in its fullness.

Thoughts to Consider

1. The evidence of true faith is works.

2. What we doubt today God can enable us to believe tomorrow.

3. Perseverance is strengthened by mediating on the promises of God.

4. Every Christian should feel out of place in this world.