Understanding Hebrews 11:10: Faith Sees Eternity

Abraham's Journey of Faith in Hebrews 11

Abraham's faith becomes even more remarkable when we see it in the context of his uncertain journey and temporary life.

Hebrews 11:8 says, 'By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.' Then verse 9 adds that he lived in the promised land like a foreigner, staying in tents with Isaac and Jacob, all of whom shared the same promise. These verses show that Abraham never settled into a permanent home or saw the full fulfillment of God’s promise in his lifetime.

His hope wasn't in a piece of land or a strong city built by human hands, but in a future city 'whose designer and builder is God' - a secure, lasting dwelling that only God could create.

The Eternal City: Foundations Built by God

This verse describes faith's ability to see what God is building beyond human construction. It shows how faith perceives God's work, not merely a future home.

The Greek word for 'foundations' (themeliois) implies stability, permanence, and divine engineering - unlike the shifting tents Abraham lived in. The terms technitēs (craftsman) and dēmiourgos (creator or builder) highlight God as both the designer and the one who brings the plan to life, setting His city apart from any human-made society. In the ancient world, cities represented security, identity, and civilization, but the author of Hebrews says even Jerusalem - great as it was - was temporary, a shadow of what’s to come. This eternal city reflects God’s perfect order, where faith finds its final fulfillment.

The contrast between the 'already' of God’s promises and the 'not yet' of their fulfillment runs through the whole chapter. Believers like Abraham lived with the promise in hand but not the inheritance in sight - this tension shapes Christian hope today. The author is not simply discussing heaven after death. He points to a future, physical reality where God dwells with His people, as later described in Revelation 21:2: 'I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.' This city is the true homeland the faithful sought, as Hebrews 11:14-16 says, 'they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.'

Abraham wasn’t just waiting for a better place - he was trusting in a Builder who never fails.

That future hope redefines how we live now - our loyalty isn’t to any earthly system, culture, or achievement. The closing verses of the chapter remind us that many never saw the promises in life, yet were commended for faith (Hebrews 11:39). Their confidence was in God’s character, not immediate results.

Living as Pilgrims with a Promise

This hope in God's future city is not only for Abraham. It is meant to shape how we live today, as people who do not fully belong to this world.

Back then, most people tied their identity to their city or nation, but Hebrews says believers are 'strangers and exiles on the earth' (Hebrews 11:13), living by a different hope. That doesn't mean we withdraw from life, but that we live lightly in it, holding loosely to temporary things while trusting God's lasting promises.

Our hope isn't in what we can build, but in what God has promised to make new.

And this fits perfectly with the good news of Jesus, who said, 'In my Father's house are many rooms... I go to prepare a place for you' (John 14:2) - He's the one building that eternal home, and He invites us to trust Him now.

The City That Shapes Our Lives: Faith in Light of Galatians and Revelation

This promised city is not merely a future hope. It is a present reality that reshapes how we live now, as seen in how Scripture connects Abraham’s faith to the church’s future.

Galatians 4:26 says, 'But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother,' showing that believers are already citizens of that divine city, not by birth or nation but by faith. And Revelation 21:2-22:5 paints a vivid picture of this city coming down from heaven, with God dwelling among His people, no temple needed because He is the light and life of it all - this is the fulfillment of what Abraham looked forward to.

We live today with our hearts set on the city God is building, not the ones we try to build ourselves.

When we live as if that city is real, we stop chasing status, security, or success in this world’s systems. Instead, we build relationships, justice, and grace in our churches and communities, because we are pilgrims here, but already part of something eternal.

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