Aloha Dearest Family,
The other day I started singing the words of an old hymn we used to sing in our Bible fellowships back home. Maybe some of you know it.
“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
I love this old song. This got me thinking about Abraham. God told him to pack up, leave his home and go into the land of Canaan. Here he would be a sojourner, a wanderer in this land; to live life as a nomad. God promised him that He would greatly prosper him and make him the father of many nations. God further told him that, although the land that he was passing through was not his, God promised it to Abraham’s descendants after him. This is why they called it the Promised Land.
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)
God showed Abraham a vision of a city that God would build. A heavenly city. This is what gave him the strength and courage to keep going; the hope that one day he would see this city. After him his children and grandchildren also shared this vision.
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
Not only were they looking forward to God’s promise that one day they would inherit the land, but that one day they would see this heavenly city.
“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16)
God not only showed Abraham a vision of a heavenly kingdom, but He also taught him about the coming Messiah who would rule this kingdom forever. This hope brought Abraham great joy through his life. The Messiah himself, Jesus Christ said of Abraham,
“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56 NIV)
Abraham didn’t live to see the days of the Messiah but he looked forward to seeing it and rejoiced in it. Furthermore, all of the great men in the Old Testament had the same hope living in them. For they looked forward to seeing the days of the Messiah and that great city, but this promise was never fulfilled in their lifetime.
“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (Hebrews 11:39)
For us, Jesus the Messiah has come more than 2,000 years ago. This part of God’s promise has come to pass. Now we all are waiting for God’s promise of a heavenly city where there awaits for us a wonderful celebration.
“Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,..” (Hebrews 12:22 and 23 Christian Standard Bible)
This is our future and we will certainly see it. This will be a day of great joy and celebration. But until that day, we patiently wait for it for we see it afar off. This is our hope and this is why we can sing,
This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.
Love Always, Ray
“For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” (Hebrews 13:14)
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