[Read] Abraham’s Faith as a Sojourner Who Seeks a Country of His Own (HEBREWS 11:8-16)

A Sojourner

A Sojourner is a person who leaves his homeland and transiently dwells in another place. Likewise those who are living away from their homeland are believers and our citizenship is in the Kingdom of Heaven; we are living on this earth as sojourners (1 Chronicles 29:15; Philippians 3:20). We must set our minds on things above and we must keep seeking the things above where Christ is; our homeland (Colossians 3:1-3). As believers and sojourners we are to conduct ourselves in fear during our stay on earth and follow in the path of a great role model; our Father Abraham (1 Peter 1:17).

Abraham obeyed God’s calling

When God called, Abraham obeyed and left his homeland twice to become a sojourner and stranger. First, he left the Ur of Chaldeans and secondly his homeland of Haran at the age of seventy five (Genesis 11:31, Acts 7:2-3). Abraham obeyed the calling of God and crossed the river Euphrates twice; separating himself away from worldly possessions, wealth and prosperity. Abraham was able to confess, I am a stranger and sojourner among you (Genesis 23:4). Others referred to Abraham as a Hebrew (Genesis 14:13). God appeared to Abraham and ratifies the covenant of torch; making him the forefather of all the descendants of the covenant who will come after him (Genesis 15). Therefore, descendants of Abraham represent covenantal people. The God of Abraham is the God of a stranger, God of a sojourner, God of Hebrews and the God of covenantal people; and those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer (Galatians 3:9).

Abraham sought a country of his own

At the age of 75, Abraham went into the land of Canaan and for the next 100 years never once did he go back to his homeland. While living in the land of Canaan he never had his own home but dwelt in tents his entire life. The reason for this is because Abraham firmly believed in God’s covenant and desired a better country through the eyes of faith and was completely focus on seeking that country of his own (Hebrews 11:13-16). Therefore the faith of a sojourner is referring to a faith that advances toward the real homeland, the heavenly one. As the saints of God, you and I must hold unto the Word of Redemptive History and move forward toward our real homeland and never look back.

Abraham passed on his faith

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt in tents together and Abraham passed on his faith. He taught the Word and was very engaged in this very important task (Hebrews 11:9). God called Abraham and made him a stranger in this world so that he can transmit his faith to his future descendants (Genesis 18:18-19). These three generations of faith Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed one God and desired the same country; a country of their own. They were all engaged and occupied with seeking the Kingdom of God; the true homeland and God prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:16). Dear saints our Lord has already crossed the river of sin and death by His atonement on the cross and has restored this heavenly homeland for us. He has made us into sojourners who can actually seek and go to that homeland. He created us for His own possession for good works (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14). Therefore, until we enter into the homeland, the most important good work that we must continuously do wherever we may be is to transform that place as a spiritual tent of the Word so that we can diligently teach God’s redemptive history.

Conclusion: Our Senior Pastor lived the life of a sojourner and authored the History of Redemption series and testified the Word. He dedicated His entire life as a sojourner and likewise we should dedicate our lives as such seeking the Word and our real homeland so that we can truly meet our Father God and transmit our faith to our friends and families so that we can truly please our Father God.

 

 

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