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"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:
"He . . . . . spake of the resurrection of Christ . . . . . therefore being by the right hand
of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath
shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."
The noun "promise" is an important word in Hebrews, occurring as it does 14 times,
as follows:
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you
should seem to come short of it" (4: 1).
"Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises" (6: 12).
"After he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise" (6: 15).
"To shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel" (6: 17).
"He (Melchisedec) . . . . . blessed him that had the promises" (7: 6).
"A better covenant . . . . . established upon better promises" (8: 6).
"The new testament (covenant) . . . . . receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (9: 15).
"Ye have need of patience, that . . . . . ye might receive the promise" (10: 36).
"By faith he sojourned in the land of promise" (11: 9).
"Heirs with him of the same promise" (11: 9).
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises" (11: 13).
"He that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son" (11: 17).
"Through faith . . . . . obtained promises" (11: 33).
"Received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they
without us should not be made perfect" (11: 39, 40).
It will be seen that the example of Abraham would clinch, as it were, the exhortations
dealing with the promise that had been given earlier in the epistle. Some of these Hebrew
believers were shrinking back under a great trial of faith. Abraham's trial and triumph
would encourage them to persevere. Perhaps the fact that these blessings were reserved
for resurrection had not been fully grasped by them. Abraham's confidence would tend
to reassure them.
The miracle and the marvel of resurrection.
Sarah's unbelief was rebuked by the word: "Is anything too hard for the Lord"? (Gen.
18: 14), and these words have a fuller message than the English translation supplies.