Declaring Plainly Seeking a Country Hebrews 11:14

The writer of Hebrews shared how each of his previous examples “all died in faith” even though they had not “received the promises” of God. Though they only “saw” the promises “afar off”, they were “persuaded of, embraced and confessed” them even while they were “strangers and pilgrims on the earth”. In chapter eleven and verse fourteen of Hebrews, the writer shared how these people of “faith” “declare plainly that they seek a country” where we read:

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

The verse begins, “For they that say such things...”. The writer began with the word, “For” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, verily and therefore” “they that say” or “the people who affirm, maintain, teach, exhort, command and direct” “such things” which refers to “this kind or sort of ideas”. The writer referred to people who believed God's promises even as they were “strangers and pilgrims on the earth”.

The verse goes on to say, “...declare plainly that they seek a country.”. The writer continued with the word, “declare plainly” which means “manifest, exhibit to view, show one's self, come to view and appear” “that they seek” or “they desire, wish, crave, demand and clamor for” “a country” which refers to “one's fatherland and own native place, fixed abode or home”. Those who deemed themselves as “strangers and pilgrims” “declared” that they “craved for and desired” a “fixed home and abode”.

When we meditate upon these words in Hebrews, we see the passion people who saw themselves as “strangers and pilgrims” on earth had for a permanent and eternal “abode”. The promise of God was for an eternal home that would never fade away nor be destroyed, and even though they did not realize that “promise” while on the earth, these people “declared” their desire and intentions to see them fulfilled. Jesus desires to give us “everlasting life”, and those who believe in Him shall inherit this “promise”, and until they do, they may “declare” it “plainly” as though it shall be indeed.

Next time the writer shares how those who sought for the country “might have had opportunity to have returned”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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