亚伯拉罕被称为信心之父。他因着信，遵从神的呼召，离开了本地，住在应许之地作寄居的（8～9）。亚伯拉罕顺从神，出迦勒底的时候，”还不知道往那里去。”这使他经常有机会运用他的信，信靠神即时的引导，以神的同在为他旅行的地图。十节说，亚伯拉罕因着信，”等候那座有根基的城，其设计者并建筑者乃是神。”这就是活神的城，属天的耶路撒冷（十二22），在上的耶路撒冷（加四26），圣城新耶路撒冷（启二一2，三12），是神为祂子民所豫备的；（来十一16）；也是神的帐幕，神要在其中与人同住，直到永远（启二一3）。列祖怎样等候这座城，我们也照样寻求她（来十三14）。
亚伯拉罕也因着信而行动，把以撒献上，”他算定神甚至能叫人从死人中复活；就表样说，他也实在从死人中得回了他的儿子。”（十一17～19）。十二节论到亚伯拉罕，说，”所以从一个仿佛已死的人，生出子孙来，如同天上的星那样众多，海边的沙那样无数。”天上的星象征亚伯拉罕属天的子孙，信心的子孙；（加三7，29）；海边的沙象征他属地的子孙，肉身的子孙。
希伯来十一章十三节，指着亚伯拉罕和别的列祖，说，”这些人都是存着信心死的，并没有得着所应许的，却从远处望见，且欢喜迎接，又承认自己在地上是客旅，是寄居的。”寄居的，也可译为旅客，放逐者，亡命国外者。亚伯拉罕是第一个希伯来人（创十四13），一个过河的人，离开迦勒底被咒诅的拜偶像之地，过了大河，就是伯拉（幼发拉底）河（书二四2～3），到了迦南这蒙福的美地。然而，他没有在此定居，反倒像旅客，甚至像放逐者，亡命国外者，寄居在应许之地，羡慕一个更美、属天的家乡（来十一16），寻找一个自己的家乡（14）。这也许含示他已豫备好，过另一道河，从属地的一边过到属天的一边。以撒和雅各同样跟随他的脚踪，在地上生活如同客旅和寄居的，等候神所建筑，那座有根基的城（10）。九至十六节的话，也许含示本书作者要希伯来的信徒铭记，他们是真希伯来人，应当跟随列祖，看自己在地上也是客旅和寄居的，并且盼望那比属地家乡更美的属天家乡。
信息重点：亚伯拉罕因信离开本地，在应许之地作客旅、寄居的，甚至献上以撒，因他算定神能叫人从死人中复活。他们羡慕更美、属天的家乡，所以神称为他们的神，并不以为耻。我们也当看自己在地上是客旅，盼望属天的家乡。
应用祷告：主耶稣，你是列祖所等候的那座城。叫我今天也承认自己在地上是客旅、是寄居的，不把心安在属地的家乡。当我为前途打算、为安居筹划时，提醒我举目望见你为我预备的更美家乡，欢喜迎接。阿们。
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Waiting by Faith for a Better Homeland — Heb. 11:16
Abraham is known as the father of faith. By faith he obeyed God’s calling, left his homeland, and lived as a sojourner in the promised land (Heb. 11:8-9). When Abraham obeyed God and went out from Chaldea, he went out “not knowing where he was going.” This gave him frequent opportunities to exercise his faith, trusting in God’s immediate guidance and taking God’s presence as the map for his journey. Verse 10 says that by faith Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” This is the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (12:22), the Jerusalem above (Gal. 4:26), the holy city, New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2; 3:12), which God has prepared for His people (Heb. 11:16); it is also the tabernacle of God, in which God will dwell with man forever (Rev. 21:3). Just as the forefathers waited for this city, so we also seek it (Heb. 13:14).
Abraham also acted by faith when he offered up Isaac: “He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type” (11:17-19). Verse 12 says concerning Abraham, “Therefore, even from one man, and one who was as good as dead at that, there were born descendants who were just as the stars of heaven in number, and as innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.” The stars of heaven signify Abraham’s heavenly seed, the seed of faith (Gal. 3:7, 29); the sand by the seashore signifies his earthly seed, his seed according to the flesh.
Hebrews 11:13 says concerning Abraham and the other forefathers, “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” The word translated “exiles” may also be rendered “sojourners”, “travelers”, “banished ones” or “fugitives abroad”. Abraham was the first Hebrew (Gen. 14:13), a man who crossed over the river. He left Chaldea, the cursed land of idol worship, crossed the great river, the Euphrates (Josh. 24:2-3), and came to Canaan, the blessed good land. Yet he did not settle there; rather, like a traveler, even like an exile, a fugitive abroad, he sojourned in the land of promise, longing for a better, heavenly country (Heb. 11:16), seeking a homeland of his own (v. 14). This perhaps implies that he was prepared to cross another river, from the earthly side to the heavenly side. Isaac and Jacob likewise followed his footsteps, living on earth as strangers and sojourners, waiting for the city with foundations, which God built (v. 10). The words in verses 9 through 16 perhaps imply that the writer of this book wanted the Hebrew believers to remember that they were true Hebrews, that they should follow the forefathers, regard themselves as strangers and sojourners on earth, and hope for a heavenly homeland better than any earthly one.
Message Main Points: Abraham left his homeland by faith and lived as a stranger and sojourner in the promise land; he even offered up Isaac, for he considered that God is able to raise people from the dead. They longed for a better, heavenly homeland, so God is not ashamed to be called their God. We also should regard ourselves as strangers on earth and hope for a heavenly homeland.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the City for which the forefathers waited. Grant that I, too, may acknowledge today that I am a stranger and a sojourner on earth, and not set my heart upon an earthly home. When I plan for my future or make arrangements for a place to dwell, remind me to lift my eyes to the better homeland You have prepared for me, and to welcome it with joy. Amen.