Page 87 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

its characters. Here Uttly makes an interesting observation, “Abraham was a strange mixture of fear and
faith:

1. Fear
a. God said leave your family; he took his father and Lot
b. God promised a child; he tried to produce a child through Sarah's servant and later tried to
give Sarah away to both an Egyptian and a Philistine king in order to save his own life

2. Faith
a. He did leave Ur
b. He did believe God would give him descendants
c. He was willing to offer Isaac (cf. Gen. 22)”
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God is not looking for "super-saints," but for flawed humans who will respond to Him in repentance and
faith and live for Him regardless of the circumstances.

"the city" This is a common biblical metaphor (cf. 11:16; 12:22; 13:14; John 14:2; Gal. 4:26; Rev. 3:12;
21:2), which refers to the place of God's dwelling with humans again, as in Eden.

Abraham lived his life by faith looking not at current reality, but promised reality. Faith says "this world
is not my home"; faith says "God's promises are sure"; faith says "reality is not what I see, but what God
says"!

11:11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she
considered him faithful who had promised.

"Sarah" Here Uttly notes that, “Some ancient Greek manuscripts (P , D) add "barren." It is significant
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that none of the patriarch's wives (except Leah) could conceive without the help of God. Also, none of
the first born children were the heirs of promise. God acted to show that He was in charge!”
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Sarah, like Abraham, was a mixture of fear and faith. She gave Abraham her servant; she also laughed at
God's promise (cf. Gen. 18:12).

11:12 "AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE", “Stars of
heaven could represent Abraham’s Spiritual children (the Church including Gentiles), Sand by the
seashore represent Abraham’s physical children (Ultimately Israel). This was part of God's promise to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12). Remember all of their wives (except Leah) were
barren.

11:13 "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises" This is the heart of the comparison of
the OT people of faith in chapter 11 to the believing Jewish recipients who were on the verge of
"shrinking back" (cf. 10:38; also 2 Pet. 2:20-22).

11:15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had

opportunity to return.

59 Uttly (11:8)

60 Ibid (11:11)
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