out of heaven shall say: `Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be

His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God' (Rev. 21:3). Among those who will have no part

in that city are `the fearful'. Throughout the epistle to the Hebrews the apostle's eye seems to be upon that word.

These saints were in danger of `drawing back unto perdition', of failing to hold fast the confidence of their hope to

the end. Such could not be renewed again unto repentance. Such drawing back could only end in loss.

Hebrews 11 does not minimize the pilgrim journey or its accompanying reproach, but it does point to a way to

the better things, the city which has the foundations, for which Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were content to be labelled

strangers and pilgrims in the land of promise. If you do not presume, as some would have you do, and `claim'

blessings now that belong to the `far off' city, remember that it is a part of faith now to `not receive' the promises,

and that the earnest of the inheritance is all that the tent-dweller may legitimately hope to enjoy.

The faith of Sarah and Abraham in relation to Israel comes centrally in the set of seven pairs that occupy the bulk

of Hebrews 11. Its great theme is resurrection. This is true not only by reason of its pre-eminent place in their faith,

but resurrection, in some phase or other, appears closely connected with all the examples of this chapter; so much

so, that it brings forward the challenging inquiry, Is there any faith recognized in Scripture that is not actively or

passively associated with resurrection? Both Sarah and Abraham exhibited a faith in `God Who quickeneth the

dead' (Rom. 4:17), in relation to Isaac; Sarah at his birth, and Abraham at his great trial. The faith of Abraham

concerning the birth of Isaac is omitted in chapter 11 of Hebrews.

Whether it be Abraham and Sarah respecting the birth of Isaac, or Abraham alone at the offering of Isaac,

standing out as a beacon of light through all the darkness of human doubt and incredulity, one feature is emphasized:

the promise and the Promiser. Taking the testimony of Romans 4 to Abraham's faith we read:

`Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed'.

`He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief ... being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was

able also to perform'.

`Now it was not written for his sake alone ... but for us also ... if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from

the dead' (Rom. 4:16-25).

Here we have Abraham's faith concerning the birth of Isaac most intimately connected with the promise and the

resurrection. Now let us consider the testimony concerning Sarah:

`Through faith also Sarah 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' (Heb. 11:11).

The words `as good as dead' of Romans 4:19 are parallel with `past age' of this passage, and stress the figure of

resurrection. Abraham's trial of faith recorded in Hebrews 11:17-19 revolves around these same features of faith

and promise and resurrection:

`By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only

begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise

him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure' (Heb. 11:17-19).

As at the beginning, so here in a greater degree, Abraham:

`against (natural) hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was

spoken, So shall thy seed be' (Rom. 4:18).

It is very evident that the faith of Abraham and Sarah in the Promiser was such that they believed He was the

One Who quickeneth the dead. Therefore Abraham could believe this when all human hope had long passed. Sarah

could receive strength when she was as good as dead, and Abraham, without knowing exactly how it would be

accomplished, was confident that He Who had vested the promises in Isaac would, if needs be, raise him from the

dead in order that His promise might be fulfilled. This appears to be an essential element of faith. It is surely

significant that we do not read the word `promise' (epangelia) in the Gospels, until after the resurrection of the Lord

(Luke 24:49). This has reference to the Holy Spirit which came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The

shedding forth of the Holy Spirit and His miraculous gifts was directly connected with the resurrection of Christ, as

Acts 2:29-33 will show: