The Sojourner
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11.8-10
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11.8-10
It’s not easy to imagine the relationship Abraham had with God. I suppose we could conjecture that there has never been another with so great of a foothold in this world; yet, also such a strong pull toward eternity. Through great and lofty promises God offered Abraham something He had not offered to anyone else; yet, Abraham had to embrace God’s offer by faith – never seeing (while on earth) the fruition of those promises.
Although God had promised Abraham a land, which God would show him, Abraham was never able to settle on that land. As a matter of fact, Abraham never owned any of the promised land except for a small plot – the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron – where he buried his wife, Sarah, and was later buried there himself.
Abraham became a powerful, wealthy man with a small standing army of men who had been born in his own household. Abraham (then Abram) led that private army of 318 trained men to rescue his nephew Lot from four Mesopotamian kings (Genesis 14.14-16). Known for his strategic night attack, he defeated the superior forces, pursuing them to Hobah, north of Damascus, recovering all stolen goods and people.
Throughout his life, Abraham lived by faith in the promises of God. I’m sure that quite often his faith grew thin as the years rolled by. While his body aged and the thought of Sarah giving birth to an heir in her old age assuaged, the possibility of a substitute heir crossed his mind. He considered several options; however, none fit the plan God had in mind.
I suppose the view God offered him of eternity was so compelling that, while he kept his physical feet on earth, his spiritual feet traveled on higher ground. God, indeed, called him from Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land that God would show him. Most Bible students see the journey ending when Abraham sets his feet on the solid ground of Canaan; however, that stops short of God’s intent.
Abraham understood that God would build, through him, a great nation to occupy the earth, but, Abraham’s real home was not of this earth. “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11.10) When Abraham stood on top of the mountain gazing into the Land of Promise, his eyes must have looked beyond the landscape that lay before him. He looked into eternity and saw the eternal blessings prepared for him by God.
Followers of Christ have been called out of this world. We should never make things of this world so important that our feet are stuck in the muck and mire of temporal things. We should concentrate our gaze upon those things eternal – those things in heaven, eternally secured by the One who has promised us a new and better land.
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” Isaiah 64.4
Although God had promised Abraham a land, which God would show him, Abraham was never able to settle on that land. As a matter of fact, Abraham never owned any of the promised land except for a small plot – the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron – where he buried his wife, Sarah, and was later buried there himself.
Abraham became a powerful, wealthy man with a small standing army of men who had been born in his own household. Abraham (then Abram) led that private army of 318 trained men to rescue his nephew Lot from four Mesopotamian kings (Genesis 14.14-16). Known for his strategic night attack, he defeated the superior forces, pursuing them to Hobah, north of Damascus, recovering all stolen goods and people.
Throughout his life, Abraham lived by faith in the promises of God. I’m sure that quite often his faith grew thin as the years rolled by. While his body aged and the thought of Sarah giving birth to an heir in her old age assuaged, the possibility of a substitute heir crossed his mind. He considered several options; however, none fit the plan God had in mind.
I suppose the view God offered him of eternity was so compelling that, while he kept his physical feet on earth, his spiritual feet traveled on higher ground. God, indeed, called him from Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land that God would show him. Most Bible students see the journey ending when Abraham sets his feet on the solid ground of Canaan; however, that stops short of God’s intent.
Abraham understood that God would build, through him, a great nation to occupy the earth, but, Abraham’s real home was not of this earth. “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11.10) When Abraham stood on top of the mountain gazing into the Land of Promise, his eyes must have looked beyond the landscape that lay before him. He looked into eternity and saw the eternal blessings prepared for him by God.
Followers of Christ have been called out of this world. We should never make things of this world so important that our feet are stuck in the muck and mire of temporal things. We should concentrate our gaze upon those things eternal – those things in heaven, eternally secured by the One who has promised us a new and better land.
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” Isaiah 64.4
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