the dead. When the child of God can receive the daily supply, the opportunity to earn a living, the gift of health and

strength, as directly flowing from the risen Lord, then he is experiencing something of the true nature of faith.

Those who died, not having received the promises, `saw them afar off'. This principle runs throughout the

Word. Heavy trials may be called `light afflictions that are but for a moment', if it can be added, `while we look not

at the things which are seen' (2 Cor. 4:17,18). While Abraham is not mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4, we have but to

read on into chapter 5:1,2 to find the `tent' contrasted with the `building of God in the heavens', exactly as we have

the `tent' and `the city' of God in Hebrews 11. Without resurrection, Hebrews 11:13 would surely read, `These all

died in despair, not having received the promises'. When one hears children of God `claiming' here and now all

sorts of blessings because of the victory of Calvary, one wonders what the effect of this passage suddenly brought

home by the Spirit of God would be. Do we not see that faith can contentedly go without rather than `claim' all

now, simply because faith has to do with resurrection and new life? How many children of God press the question

of bodily healing on these lines! They teach and believe that, had we all sufficient faith, sickness among saints

would be unknown. Why they do not pursue this to its logical conclusion and say that, were there Sufficient faith

among saints, death would be unknown, we cannot tell, except it be that facts are too stubborn. Christ has not

purchased for the saint either immunity from sickness or from death; He does give `the power of His resurrection'

now, and He will give incorruptible life after this present life has been laid down.

These saints of God, who according to faith died not having received the promises were not thereby rendered

miserable; they `embraced' or `saluted' these far-off promises, and patiently waited that good time when their

inheritance could be enjoyed unspoiled by sin and death.

The outward symbol of the pilgrim is the tent. Before this epistle closes the apostle presses this fact upon the

Hebrews in very solemn terms:

`Wherefore Jesus also ... suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His

reproach. For here have we NO CONTINUING CITY, but we SEEK one to come' (Heb. 13:12-14).

Christ Himself is a stranger in this world. The only dwelling place of God that Hebrews mentions is a `tent' or

`tabernacle'. Not until the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwells righteousness, shall come, will it be right for

`tent' and `city' to come together (Rev. 21:2,3). Hebrews 12:27,28 stresses this same truth. The unshaken kingdom

`abides', and is closely connected with the `heavenly Jerusalem' (12:22). This `prepared' city that `abides' is seen

in John 14:2,3 `In My Father's house are many abiding places ... I go to prepare a place for you'. And just as the

Lord reveals Himself in John 14:6 as `the true and living Way', so in Hebrews 10:20 He is revealed as `the new and

living way', while John 1:14 tells us that `the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us'.

Are the saints of God alone to exercise patience? Is not God Himself called `the God of patience' and `the God

of hope' in Romans 15:5 and 13? Is not Christ spoken of as `henceforth expecting' (Heb. 10:13)? and shall we

therefore murmur that our inheritance is not yet here? Members of the Body of Christ would do well to remember

that, though `blessed with all spiritual blessings', those blessings are `in the heavenlies in Christ', and the selfsame

chapter of Ephesians tells us that what we have here and now is `the earnest of the inheritance until the redemption

of the purchased possession'. Is it not truer faith to bear the reproach of Christ, and be a mere tentdweller with this

`earnest', than to look upon the city and the plain of Jordan, making oneself believe that it is like the `garden of the

Lord' (Gen. 13:10)? Since the events of Genesis 3, should we not view any appearance of Eden with suspicion? A

paradise this side of resurrection is but the devil's millennium that has captivated preacher and politician throughout

the ages. The dwelling in tents was a `confession':

They `confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth' (verse Heb. 11:13).

`They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country' (verse 14).

Here we have two sides of the story. Merely to become strangers and pilgrims may indicate that we are but

moral Ishmaels, and prefer the desert to human society, but to be strangers and pilgrims because we seek that city

and country of God is the true thing. For the member of the Body of Christ, all this teaching of Hebrews 11 is found

in doctrinal language in Philippians. The Hebrews were exhorted concerning the things that accompany salvation