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Heb. 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 labeled 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 Heb. 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 Rom. 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 Rom. 4: 19 are parallel with "past age" of this
passage, and stress the figure of resurrection. Abraham's trial of faith recorded in
Heb. 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: