"These all died in faith", implies resurrection. "Having seen them afar off" implies

"having foreseen some better thing".

The better resurrection is something distinct. Because of it and its excellence some

endured torture and refused deliverance. Now it was the hope of the whole twelve tribes

that there should be a resurrection (Acts 26: 7, 8) quite apart from torture or endurance,

quite apart from "giving up" and acting like Abraham or Moses. We are here facing a

parallel with the "out-resurrection" of Phil. 3:, which is not the hope but the prize of

our high calling, and closely involved with "perfecting", "perdition" and the heavenly

citizenship of Phil. 3: 12, 19 and 20; "destruction" being the same word as "perdition"

in Heb. 10: 39, and "conversation" being literally "citizenship". The long waiting, the

far-off promises, the dying without receiving, are all explained by the fact that God had

planned that all these overcomers should enter their reward together. Abel and Noah,

Abraham and Moses, the suffering saints of the apostle's day, and the last one to endure

under the economy of grace pertaining to the Hebrews, shall not "prevent" one another,

but "together with them" shall enter into this better thing, this better country, by way of

this better resurrection.

We have seen the relation between the better resurrection and the better thing, we have

seen their relation with Heb. 11:; there remains only the general theme of the epistle to

be considered. In this epistle we have Christ as a Captain, leading faithful Joshuas and

Calebs unto their promised possessions. In this epistle He is seen as Melchisedec the

Priest Who blessed the overcoming Abraham. The historic background is the failure of

Israel to go on by faith, and the warning is the possibility of drawing back to perdition.

The Hebrew believers are exhorted to run with patience, and reminded of Esau. Their

position is to be one of rejection now, "without the camp", for theirs is soon to be the

added glory of the overcomer, because though they have no continuing city, they seek

one to come.

Ponder the double line of endurance (verses 32-38) and set your mind on things above

where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

We believe it will be of service to repeat the structure already given.

A | Faith in connection with DEATH--Abel and Enoch.

B | Faith in connection with INHERITANCE--Noah and Abraham.

C | Faith in connection with PILGRIMAGE--Isaac and Jacob.

D | Faith in connection with RESURRECTION--Sarah and Abraham.

C | Faith in connection with BLESSING--Isaac and Jacob.

B | Faith in connection with EGYPT--Joseph and Moses.

A | Faith in connection with DELIVERANCE--Israel and Rahab.