Hebrews 11:17

"But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Key Reflection

Hebrews 11:17 speaks to the faith of Abraham and his son Isaac, highlighting their longing for a heavenly, eternal homeland rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world. This concept would have resonated deeply with the original audience, many of whom were Jewish believers living in a Diaspora context, experiencing persecution and longing for deliverance and restoration. The idea that God is not ashamed to call them his people because he has prepared an unshakeable city for them underscores both their present hope and future inheritance, drawing parallels between the faithfulness of Abraham and the enduring promise extended to all believers.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 17. By faith Abraham. The apostle had stated one strong instance of the faith of Abraham, and he now refers to one still more remarkable--the strongest illustration of faith, undoubtedly, which has ever been evinced in our world. When he was tried. The word here used is rendered tempted in Mt 4:1,3; 16:1; 19:3; 22:18,35, and in twenty-two other places in the New Testament; prove, in Joh 6:6; hath gone about, in Ac 24:6; examine, 2 Co 13:6; and tried, in Re 2:2,10; 3:10. It does not mean here, as it often does, to place inducements before one to lead him to do wrong, but to subject his faith to a trial in order to test its genuineness and strength.

Related Verses

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