Courtney Gilmore God called Abraham to step out in faith and follow Him. Though he did not know where he was going, if he did this, God would bless him and give his descendants this new land.
Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see, I give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land, through its length and its width, for I give it to you.
Genesis 13:14-17
Ironically, the only piece of land that Abraham actually owned was his death plot. Abraham lived as a stranger in the land all his life.
Faith
But he did not have to see the promise fulfilled to believe in it. The Lord had proven His faithfulness to him over and over. He promised to bless Abraham and make him a great nation of people when he was already old and had no children. Then he promised Abraham a son in his old age when his wife was well past child-bearing age herself. Then, their promised son, Isaac, was born shortly after. If the Lord could miraculously give them a son when he was 100 and Sarah was 90, He could certainly multiply his descendants and provide them with the land.
Not only did God give him a son in his old age, but He allowed Abraham to live long enough to see his grandsons, Esau and Jacob. Later, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, and he was the father of the 12 tribes that made up the nation of Israel. This nation was in the land that God promised to Abraham almost 500 years before.
A Heavenly Promised Land
Five hundred years is a long time to wait for a promise to come true. But Abraham knew he would never see this promise come to fruition anyway. So, he passed it to his descendants and looked ahead towards a more permanent promised land.
He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:10
His desire was for a better, heavenly country. This is the inheritance that Abraham knew he would receive and the one he wanted the most.
Father Abraham Had Many Sons
But God’s promises did not end with Abraham or his physical descendants. Abraham is the father of all who have his same faith in the Lord. Therefore, we are all promised the same heavenly country that he received.
The promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or his seed through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect… It is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those of the law but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…
God gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead,,, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what He had promised, He was also able to perform. Therefore, “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Now, it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, delivered up because of our offenses, and raised because of our justification.
Romans 4:13-25
Step Out in Faith
To be children of Abraham and inherit the same promise God gave to him, we have only to step out in faith. Believe in the One who calls us and follow Him all of our lives, just like Abraham.
If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now, to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 4:2-5
So, we do not have to keep all God’s laws to be righteous and inherit this heavenly promised land. We must only believe in the One who is righteous.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
A Child of God
When we place our faith in Him, we not only become children of Abraham, but of God.
If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you will put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8:13-17
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He sends us the Holy Spirit. This Spirit lives within us and testifies that we are now God’s children. We were born first through a sinful man. But God adopted us into His righteousness. He is a better Father than any earthly father we could ever have.
Joint Heirs With Jesus
Then, as God’s children, we are joint heirs with Jesus, who said:
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:2-3
We have a mansion in heaven waiting for us. After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father. He is in that heavenly land preparing a place for each one of us today. We have a mansion waiting for us in heaven! Jesus built it for us Himself.
So, step out in faith. Believe in the unbelievable. Trust that He is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. Then, follow Him to all the unknown places He wants to take you. Your destination will ultimately be a Heavenly Promised Land, whose Builder and Maker is God.
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