“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God…These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-19).
The record of Abraham’s life of faith began at the age of 75 (Genesis 12:4) and ended at age 175 (Genesis 25:7). This century of faith contains several noteworthy highlights which illustrate the way a righteous person lives.
Abraham’s abiding conviction that God is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him compelled him to obey God’s command to leave his homeland (v. 8), sojourn in the land of promise (v. 9), embrace a life of living as a stranger and pilgrim (v. 13), desire a heavenly city (v. 16), and demonstrate his willingness to offer up Isaac when God tested him (v. 17).
His century of tenacious faith deserves our admiration and imitation.
