Hebrews 11:8

The Patriarchs.

I. The period of the patriarchs has a very peaceful and lovely character. God appeared and spoke to them. There was as yet no law. What is the real peculiarity of the patriarchal life? What else but faith; that they lived before and with God, waiting for the promise, the heavenly country? They were not worldly; they were other-worldly. God was a very present God to them; while the future, the tabernacle of God on earth with man, was their constant hope.

II. Abraham's faith was the substance of future things hoped for, and a conviction of things not seen. It triumphed over reason; it laughed at impossibilities; it looked beyond death and the long night of the intermediate state; and in all this it gave glory to God; for this is the only glory we can give to God, believing that He can and will do what He has promised. The fathers, realising the fulfilment of the promise, treated the future possession as if it was theirs already, and disposed of it, as the Spirit directed them, by their last will and blessing.

III. We should learn from Abraham to believe in God that raised up Jesus from the dead. Reason sees your guilt, faith sees your acquittal, for Christ is risen; reason sees your sinfulness and infirmity, faith sees your power and strength in newness of life, for Christ is risen. Live in tents; set not your affection on things below. Live in the tents the patriarchal life of prayer, and a reverent, filial walk with God. When the soul is cast down and disquieted within you, when the heart is heavy, when Isaac, in whom you delight, faith's child, is to be sacrificed, then believe, hope in God, and know that you shall yet praise Him. Thus we give glory to God.

A. Saphir, Lectures on Hebrews,vol. ii., p. 304.

References: Hebrews 11:9; Hebrews 11:10. C. Kingsley, Village Sermons,p. 89. Hebrews 11:9; Hebrews 11:13. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. iii., p. 533.Hebrews 11:10. H. J. Wilmot Buxton, Waterside Mission Sermons,2nd series, No. 3; Homiletic Magazine,vol. vi., p. 268. Hebrews 11:11. Expositor,1st series, vol. xii, p. 345.

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