These All Died in Faith Hebrews 11:13

Because Abraham and Sara believed the promise of God, they received an offspring than is “more in number than the stars and the sands of the sea”. In chapter eleven and verse thirteen of Hebrews the writer shares how his examples “all died in faith” where we read:

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The verse begins, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off,...”. The writer began with the words, “These all died” which means “each and every one of the examples given thus far by the writer perished by natural or violent means” “in faith” or “in the conviction of the truth of anything and belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ which springs from trust in the same”, “having not received” which means “not taking hold of, claiming, procuring or taking possession of” “the promises” or “the announcements of good or blessing”, “but having seen them” which means “nevertheless and notwithstanding perceiving, noticing, discerning and discovering” “afar off” or “at a distance or from far away”. Each of the examples previously mentioned by the writer “died” while “believing” the “promises” of God for their lives even though they were a great distance away.

The verse continues, “...and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”. The writer added the words, “and were persuaded” or “were induced by words to believe” “of them” which refers to “the promises of God”, “and embrace them” which means “draw near to, welcome and receive joyfully”, “and confessed” or “profession, thanks and acknowledgment” “that they were strangers” which means “foreigners, guests or aliens” “and pilgrims” or “ones who come from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives” “on the earth” which refers to “the arable land, ground and world as a whole”. The examples provided by the Hebrew writer were “convinced of, embraced and professed” God's “promises”, and they lived their lives as “aliens” in this world.

When we consider these words in Hebrews, we realize the extent to which these early believers in God trusted what God promised them. They knew this world was not their final home and destination, but they were “citizens” of God's “eternal world” where not even “death” would be able to defeat them. They trusted God even when the fulfillment of their “promise” was a great deal away in time. Jesus gave this promise, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16), and He will keep His word. Though we do not see the fulfillment of our “everlasting life” at this point, Jesus promised those who “believe in him” shall “not perish” or “die eternally” but shall live with Him forever. Oh that our faith might be like these examples employed by the writer of Hebrews, and may we not faint even if God's “promises” are not fulfilled right away.

Next time the writer shares how people who say these things “declare plainly that they seek a country”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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