Hebrews 11:13-16: A Better Country
2023-08-19
Hebrews 11:13
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. (Hebrews 11:13)
The previously mentioned elders of the faith all died without the promises. So far we discussed:
- Abel. This son of Adam clung to the promise of the sacrifice patterned of what Christ would do. Blood sacrifices foreshadow Jesus’ sacrifice, which would end all alienation between God and man.
- Enoch. Well, he did not actually die. But he was removed from the earth. He preached against the ungodliness on the eve of the Flood and foretold the coming of the Lord, namely Christ.
- Noah. By building the ark, this one who would bring rest trusted God against what he knew of the world, and he brought salvation to his family as a result.
- Abraham. The patriarch never realized the promise of a land that would be his. He lived in tents, not a permanent home, waiting for the land that God would provide.
- Sara. The matriarch likewise trusted that her body that was past age would provide the son that would fulfill the promise to Abraham.
They did not see Christ, His kingdom, or the righteousness that He would bring. However, they saw these things in oracles from God and in figures in their lifetimes.
Afar Off
They saw “them afar off.” They did not know the epochs and eons that would succeed them. Abraham knew that the sojourning in another land and the destruction of the Amorites would be over 400 years later. “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13). But Abraham did not know it would be nearly 2,000 years until Christ. Abel did not know it would be about 4,000 years for him. And while we know about Christ and His kingdom and have the New Testament that explicitly explains many of these things, we still have no idea how much longer there will be until Christ comes in the splendor of His kingdom. They only received a taste of things thousands of years in the future.
Persuaded
They saw, and then they “were persuaded of them.” Because God showed them, they accepted them as true. They did not doubt. Because God had said those promises and swore on His own character, they were persuaded. This word for persuaded is used elsewhere.
Here it is used in a generic sense. “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus” (Matthew 27:20). The multitude was not sure if they should choose Barabbas or Jesus, as Pilate offered. The chief priests and elders persuaded them of what to choose.
It can also be translated “trust.” “And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24). Rich people will struggle more with faith because they trust in it. They do not worry about what the average person worries about. They have far more than the bare necessities of life. The people that have less to trust in this life will look to God more easily because there is nothing tangible here in this life for them.
It can also be translated “obey” and “agree.” Consider Acts 5:35-40. Gamaliel used infamous zealots and their followers as examples on how to handle the apostles. He reasoned that if their cause were not from God, it would fizzle out on its own. If it were from God, there is nothing you can do anyway.
The followers of the zealous Theudas and Judas obeyed them (Acts 5:36, 37). They were persuaded of their causes, whatever they may be, and they obeyed their commands. The word for each time is the same word.
The word for “agree” in Acts 5:40 is also the same word. The religious leaders agreed with Gamaliel’s reasoning, and instead of killing the apostles, they beat and intimidated them.
It can also be translated “make a friend.” “And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country” (Acts 12:20). After Herod killed James and imprisoned Peter, ultimately, we see the king’s demise. The people of these cities tried to appease Herod by befriending his chamberlain, and it worked. The word for “made a friend” is our word. They won over the chamberlain, and as a result, they won over the king.
It can also be translated “believed.” “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few” (Acts 17:3-4). Paul preached to the Thessalonians in the synagogue. Some of them believed the message. Many were persuaded that Jesus was raised from the dead and followed Paul and Silas.
It can be translated “yield.” “And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee” (Acts 23:20-21). Paul’s nephew told Lysias that Jews were going to try to persuade this chief captain to bring Paul in for questioning, but that he should not yield to them. To not yield is to not cede your position. Therefore, to yield is to cede your ground.
It can be translated “have confidence.” “I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be” (Galatians 5:10). Paul had confidence that the Galatians would not have confidence in the flesh and in their own works. He believed that only some person or faction of weirdos were to blame, and the rest were just confused because of their lies.
It can be translated “assure.” “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him” (1 John 3:18-19). Our hearts are assured when we love others in action. Words encourage to a degree, but if concrete action is not taken, how can we be sure that our hearts are right with God?
The promises of God, the Word of God, persuaded the Old Testament elders, caused them to trust in Him, caused them to obey Him, they were made friends of God, they believed Him, they yielded to God and forsook their previous ambitions, placing their confidence in God’s promises.
Embraced
These elders were not just persuaded; they embraced the promises of God. The word “embrace” means to salute or greet by embracing, as we see here: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3). All those greetings in Romans are the same word.
When Paul left Ephesus, he embraced the believers there. “And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia” (Acts 20:1).
These salutations were personal. There was a bond between the people. Likewise, our heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 had a bond with these promises. They were personal to these men and women. They were a part of their identity.
Confessed
Because of this persuasion and embracing, they “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Christ and His kingdom are completely disparate from anything found here. While everyone on earth was trying to make life work with false religion and lived in fear of death, these people of faith lived for something that God had promised but they had never seen before.
This is the lesson for us all, that we are sojourners in this world. To find hope in this world is to be estranged from God. To hope in Christ’s coming is everything.
Hebrews 11:14
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. (Hebrews 11:14)
“...say such things...” These things they said were the “confessions” of the previous verse. These heroes of the faith remained separate from the lands they lived. Abraham, for example, though the land was promised to him, refused to receive any blessing from the people that dwelt there.
Consider the purchase of the cave of Machpelah, for example. Consider the discussion here.
Abraham did not consider himself a citizen of Canaan among these Hittites. He knew there was something else that the Lord had in store for him.
Hebrews 11:15
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (Hebrews 11:15)
To seek God’s country is to put away the country you came from. These are mutually exclusive. For us, this does not mean that we have disdain for the country from where we were, but rather it increases our desire for it, for how much more do we want our fellow countrymen from this land to be with us in the heavenly country to come?
However, we keep our eyes on the coming kingdom and its King, for all other kingdoms and kings will come and go. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). And again, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). And of course, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). And again, “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26).
Abraham could have saw how prosperous it was to live in Ur of the Chaldees, or how comfortable it would have been to be near family in Haran. However, he put full attention on God’s promise and did not look back. Concerning his son, he kept his own family from going back, saying, “Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again” (Genesis 24:6). He did not want his son to get distracted from those promises. Jacob went back and spent 20 or so years there and he served his father-in-law all that time. To go back is slavery. But he eventually heard the call of God to go back to Canaan. Others were not like-minded. “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). And again, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32).
Hebrews 11:16
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)
This better country is from heaven. We cannot find the like down here. As we saw before, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). It is better because God made it in the pure heavens where His throne is.
Jesus tells us, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3). I have heard it said that mansion does not really mean mansion, it is just a dwelling place, etc. Whatever it is, it is better than anything we can find here, because the Lord is there.
Jesus tells us again, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” (Revelation 3:12). The city, New Jerusalem, comes down from heaven to earth. There is literally no portion of it built by the world’s material.
This New Jerusalem is where God will be. “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:2-3). All the effects of the fallen world will not exist there. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
It is a holy place. “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). New Jerusalem is Holy Jerusalem. It is comprised of gold, pearls, and precious stones. But above all, it is holy because God is there, and therefore nothing sinful or evil is there. This is the real difference between this holy city and anything in human history.
Not Ashamed
Because these people of faith chose the words of God’s promises over anything they knew from experience, “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” We can think of this because “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6). They pleased God by trusting Him. Therefore, in this new city, He will dwell with Him. They will no longer see Him afar off. Everything that was promised will be materialized there.
Jesus the Son is also not ashamed of people of faith, as we saw earlier, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:11-12).
Of whom is God ashamed? “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). He is ashamed of those who are ashamed of Him and His promises.
Can a saved person be ashamed of God and His word? Paul thought so, for he said to Timothy, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:8-9). We can see that they were saved (past tense) but could be ashamed. Why be ashamed? By implication, we could hide our faith to escape persecution.
What are ways to not be ashamed? Some potential opposites are proposed. One is to be bold in faith. “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Philippians 1:20).
Another way is to glorify God. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). Suffering is a badge of honor in the faith, though we forget that it is.
Another way is to have confidence in the Lord and His coming. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).