1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2: For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5: By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7: By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9: By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11: Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12: Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14: For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15: And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16: But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 17: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18: Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 20: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21: By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22: By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 24: By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25: Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26: Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28: Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29: By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 30: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. 31: By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. 32: And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34: Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35: Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38: (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39: And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

What about Hebrews chapter 3 and the heavenly calling? Hebrew chapter 3 verse 1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2: Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house...... Here we have a heavenly calling. And the word heavenly is distributed in this epistle to the Hebrews in such a way as to make it worth while connecting the passages together. So we have here, first of all, chapter 3 verse 1 where we have the heavenly calling. Chapter 6 verse 4 we read For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,..... So the gifts of the early church were anticipations of the day that was coming. The heavenly gifts were called powers of the world to come. verse 5 and the powers of the world to come,.... And then we have in chapter 8 verse 5 of Hebrews a speaking about the heavenly priesthood in contrast with an earthly verse 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,.... So here we have a hint that those things which were ordained by God and put in to operation under the law were after all shadows. Shadows of heavenly things. The heavenly things being the reality. And chapter 9 verse 23 verse 22 And almost all things are by the law.... That is the shadow  purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23: It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24: For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:.... And then chapter 11 verse 16 which you should have read already above, which we must include But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city..... And finally in chapter 12 verse 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, .... So that you see that there is an insistence in this epistle to the Hebrews of the heavenly realities, which were fore shadowed in old testament times. But now are opened in their perfect ness to those who were believers at this time.

The next thing is we must distinguish between the earthly calling, which we find in the old testament, and the calling which places us, who are believers in Christ, far above all heavens, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. This one is in the middle. It is heavenly in relationship to the promises of the earth. But it is not super heavenly, it is not far above all heavens. So before you ever start dealing with details just discover first of all what calling is in view. And then when you got that, your half way toward understanding the rest of it.

It would be wise, seeing that we want to help one another the best we can, if we first of all realize something on the insistence on the earthly calling. If you look at Hebrews 11 where it emphasizes the heavenly calling, it first of all introduces us to the earthly. Hebrews 11 verse 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.... Now that refers to a place. And that place was here upon earth. The heavenly calling has to do with something that was subsequence to that. If we ask, how did Abraham know about the heavenly Jerusalem. Well don't ask me, I don't know. How did Noah know about the coming of the flood? Well it said, I was warned of God. When there is no bible for a person to read God doesn't have His hands tide. He can speak to the hearts and consciences of His people. And He did so in those early days. We are not so placed. We have the written scriptures and although God may speak to our hearts and consciences, as He may do at different times, we find out basis in here which is recorded.

So here we have Abraham coming out of the Ur of the Chaldees and being given an inheritance. It would be worth while if we take a look at it for a moment and get this before us in the book of Genesis. Chapter 12 is where we get the second movement, the first was in chapter 11 where Terah took Abraham. Terah was rather a interfering person and until he died Abraham was rather tied, and couldn't move. Verse 1 of chapter 12, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:.... There is no possibility of making that land being all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or even the heavenly Jerusalem. Abraham went out to land called Canaan. It says in verse 5 and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came..... There was a hold up which gave the devil an opportunity to get the Canaanites in the land. But they went out to go to the land of Canaan, and in to the land of Canaan they went. Now, if we turn our attention a little further to chapter 13 of Genesis we shall read this words verse 14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, .... You see, God has conditions. And you can not play fast and loose with those conditions. God said, leave your fathers house, leave your relatives, come out and I will show thee the land. And God didn't show it to him. Until he obeyed. He partly obeyed. But the moment he left Lot and the Lord said on to Abraham  after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever...... That is the earthly calling. There is no possibility of making it mean anything else parallel to a spiritual calling for the church. It means what it says. And so it says verse 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee......

So it was a literal land that he walked through, and if that is not sufficient for us, we find at the end of chapter 15 verse 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land,..... And now you have the title deeds. If you have a deed to a house or property, you will find that it is bounded on the north by Mr. So and So's house, and on the west by a road that is called So and So. It's got its boundaries in the deed. This is a deed just as surely as the one you may possess. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land,..... Now it is not left undefined.Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20: And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21: And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites...... And if you couldn't find that land after that definition, well you wouldn't be able to find your way around at all, would you. This is specific. So that is the earthly calling. Now, Abraham had stepped out and it says in chapter 15 verse 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness...... That gift of the land was Abraham's. He couldn't lose it. There was no other responsibilities. He had believed God and God said, I have called you, I committed this to you, that's yours. But there is something about God which is very wonderful. He will never give you less than He promised. But He may always have some thing reserved to give you more. If only you will believe him.

Abraham had got this calling. But lets go back to the epistle to the Hebrews. And on our way, lets go a bit further and take a look at the book of James. Now there is some folks who say that James is in opposition to the Apostle Paul. Because the Apostle Paul emphasizes that the just will live by faith. Justification by faith with out works. But James comes along and says Abraham was justified by works. And they say he is contradicting. Well my friend, if folks would stop criticizing the bible and exercise a bit of gumption, they would have discovered or will discover that Paul preaches from Genesis 15 and James preaches from Genesis 22. And you say, what is the difference. My friend, what is the difference? Genesis 15, a man stands before God and God says can you count the stars. And the man says, no Lord, well so shall thy seed be, and he believed it. That was wonderful enough. But Genesis 22, He said to that same man Abraham, Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest and offer him up to me. And the man did it. The angel stayed it of course, but in his heart he was ready now to go the whole length. So when you read James, do what it says, Chapter 2 verse 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22: Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:..... It was fulfilled. It wasn't an empty statement. You couldn't doubt that man believed God after all that, could you. So, there is no contradiction. James is only speaking about a profession which is on the surface. And he says you show me your faith and I will show you my works. And he gives the illustration if some body comes to your door and is destitute and wanting food and you say very politely, Oh be ye warmed and be ye fed, and give them nothing, well what is the good in that? So you see, the word is perfecting. If you will look at James 1, he says verse 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4: But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing...... And you know we had it some many times. The word perfect here doesn't mean getting better and better as some assume. It means taking a thing to its logical end. Going right on to the end. And its the word that we get in to Hebrews, which is in contrast to a babe, it is translated as those who are full grown. Their perfect. That doesn't mean to say that I am more perfect than some body who is only half grown in age. But it means to say you attained some goal.

Now we come back to Hebrews 11. And it might be of interest to drop a suggestion, which I can not develop in this study, that there is a wonderful pattern in this Hebrews 11. If you will notice there are seven that are mentioned by name. The last one being a woman, Sarah. Then there is a stop, a comment. Then there are seven more mentioned by name. The last one being the harlot Rahab. Then there is a stop. And then he says I haven't got time to tell you more and sure enough he gives you another seven. So you have three sets of seven who give this exhibition of faith. And when you come to chapter 12 it says verse 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,..... And that refers to these witness of chapter 11 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ..... not merely looking, but looking away. Looking away from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, and all those shadows to the reality. Here we have perfection. And you may know the composition of light. You know that we have the seven colors of the rainbow. And they all together make up white light. But your attracted to the red and the blue and the green first. And then you wake up to the fact that all the wonder of Abraham's faith, all the wonder of Joseph's faith. all the wonder of Isaac's offering, all gathered up in perfection in Christ. But that is just in passing.

In Hebrews 11 we notice that it says verse 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...... And there is a strong emphasis on this element of faith here. Of enduring as seeing Him that is invisible. Some thing which is beyond the mere walking through a land. The breadth of it and the length of it, and all the boundaries of it. Which any body could see physically. This is some thing that might be challenged by people who hadn't got their eyes opened. That's the character of this new move. Now some know, but I must make sure that you know, that this word substance was a natural use, in the days of the Apostle Paul, and that has been found in the papyrus, and it was used for the titled deeds of a property. Now a property is in view. There is a man whom has given up everything. And he even has given up the land of promise because he had respect to a higher and a heavenly city. What was his guarantee? Faith is the title deeds of things hoped for. If you would have said to Abraham, well this is a bit of a come down to you. You had a fine house in the Ur of the Chaldees. And the ruins of the Ur of the Chaldees have struck the archeologist as being very up to date in many of their things. Abraham would have given a little smile and he says, yes, I've got the title deeds to a heavenly city. I am quite content to live in a tent. The word tabernacle is misleading. To speak about a tabernacle in an ordinary way we think of that marvelous structure in the wilderness with its golden furniture, with its tapestries, and so on. Well don't thing Abraham was living in that. He was living in just a tent. But he was content. Because he had that in view.

The higher thing. So if you will look at verse 6 it says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, ..... Well that is obvious. If you don't believe that there is a God, then you can't do anything about it. And it has been said about the man who was an atheist, when at last he did feel thankful he didn't know who to thank. It says here for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,..... And he answered it and that he is a rewarder..... Now that belongs to Hebrews. That is not merely a character of God that you lift out and say to anyone. Because reward is in this chapter. If we glance over to verse 24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;..... Well he must have had an offer. I've never refused to be adopted by any royal family. I can't boast about that. It simply is not possible. But Moses was brought up by an Egyptian princess. And by the process of adoption he may have become heir to the throne. Quite a number of the Pharaohs and quite a number of the Roman Emperors were adopted in to the family. Because they poison one another and beheaded one another, and what not. Here was Moses, and he had a great name in Egypt. So what does he do about it. He refused. Why? Choosing, he chose. Rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Don't think he gave any thing up my friend. He had his eye on the real thing. Esteeming, this is his estimate. verse 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ ..... And that doesn't mean the reproach of Christ to him, it is a reproach that is connected with Christ. Esteeming the reproach associated with Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:for he had respect unto the recompense ..... The recompense, the thing that balanced of the reward...... So this man, Paul, could write to the Corinthians in the 2nd book chapter 4 verse 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. ..... You see it has come out again. If Moses had is eyes glued on the things that were seen he would have been ensnared. But he had a faith that listed him beyond, and he had endured. And it says as seeing him who is invisible......

Well now the next thing that is said about him, we go back in our story to verse 9 By faith he sojourned ..... He sojourned and this word means to be a stranger or foreigner and the word is followed by the word strange, as in a strange country. It would have been quite right if Abraham would have taken the attitude, he says God has called me to this land, He has given me by oath, well if I believe Him surely I except it. So he puts a fence around so many acres or miles of it. And then he says, when my son grows up he'll have the next to inherit this, and that would have been an act of faith. But apparently, just as God could warn Noah, God could reveal something to Abraham that changed the whole point of view. So now we are discovering that the heavenly calling is not the basic thing. It is the added thing. I feel that I should put in this study Revelation chapter 2 and 3, but it is very long. So I will let you read it. If you read chapters 2 and 3, it is addressed to each church, to him that overcomeths. To him that overcomeths will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I over came and then sit down with my Father in His throne. To him that overcomeths will I grant right to the paradise of God. To him that overcomeths will I write upon him the name of the New Jerusalem which comes down from heaven. And each church have these words, I know thy works. Seven times over. You see, this is going beyond faith that just believes. This is where James comes in. He says, Yes and his works manifested and his faith was a reality. So my friend, while we stand absolutely four square on the scriptures that our salvation is not of works, it would not be a bad plan if when we quote Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 if we casually looked at 9 and 10. Because it says in Ephesians 2 its not of works, but it is unto works. So we don't have to be afraid of good works. So long as we don't make them the basis of our salvation. Its like, first of all, having the root in the ground. Which is absolutely necessary at first. And then fruit on the tree.

So now we have this emphasis in Hebrews 11 of some thing over and above the first step of faith. You remember in 2Timothy that he says if we died with Him, we shall live with Him. Well you know when Christ died you were reckoned to have died with Him. The price is paid. The ransom excepted. God can justify you with out compromising Himself. That is unalterable. You can not be lost for you salvation doesn't depend on any thing you have done. It depends on the finished work of Christ. All you've done is to except it. But 2 Timothy adds if we died with Him we shall live. If we suffer, or better still, if we endure, we shall reign with Him. But reigning with Him is just the added thing. Reigning with Him is just the reward. Ohh, he said if you deny Him, He will deny you of that reward. But He can not deny Himself. Your saved and that is completely finished. Or to have it all over again. 1 Corinthians says in chapter 3 verse 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ..... That is finished. But take heed on how you build on it. So your building, not your foundation, it is your building that is going to be tested. And your works, subsequent to salvation, may go up in smoke. You may be building gold, silver, costly stones, or you may be building wood or stubble. And the fire is going to test it. Your fire is not going to test your salvation. That is yours. It is going to test to see if their is any reward for your work. So it says, you your self shall be saved yet so as by fire. So there is no doubt salvation is secure. So when you here people joyfully singing and dancing about that they are all going to wear a crown, you say to your self hmmm, I wonder. It is one thing to have joy of our salvation, the perfect gift of God, it is another thing to say as the Apostle Paul, not as though I am already perfect. Ohhhh no he says, oh no, I am conscience there is many a slip. But by the time he reached this last epistle he said, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith hence forth a crown. He got the assurance at last. But when he wrote Philippians, its not as though I am already perfect. He says, I am running. But there is always that possibility of slipping.

Did you notice, that chapter 12 is the only reference to the cross of Christ in the epistle to the Hebrews. And it has to do with, strangely enough, a race and a crown. You see, it is the death of Christ, and His blood that is stressed for the basis in with regard to our salvation. And the cross is introduced even in the early chapters of Matthew of enduring shame. Taking up your cross and following Him. And the cross is the added indignity the world piled on to the freely offered Son of God. So, this is something that you may be up against. So he says in chapter 12 verse 1 let us run with patience the race that is set before us,..... That is the same word that is translated in 2 Timothy chapter 4, I have fought a good fight. I have contested a good contest. This is the race. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 Looking unto Jesus the author ..... Or captain and finisher..... Or Perfecter. One who took it right to the end. of faith..... It is one thing to be a beginner, that is the author, but the Apostle thing says it is another thing to be a finisher, that is the perfecter. It is one thing to have started, it is another thing to have touched the tape at the end. Your salvation doesn't depend on whether run and touch the tape at the end. But your reward does. So all the time, you see, we are differentiating the hope of our calling and the prize of the calling. And so we emphasize it here. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, ..... That is where the cross comes in Hebrews.  for the joy that was set before Him..... in connection with running a race and receiving the reward at the end verse 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds...... So I am trying to bring in for you as for as I can the fact that we are dealing not with the primary basic gift of eternal life. We are dealing with a subsequent calling and the possibility of receiving a reward. Now there are some people of course who are so very, very holy and so very very high minded that they sniff at the idea of doing anything for a reward. But you watch out for them my friend. They some times change their mind in a inconvenient moment. But Moses, he didn't hide the fact that he was willing to let every thing go in Egypt for he had respect on to the recompense of the reward. And God has make it known that He is not only God, He is, but He is also a rewarder. So while we say we are not going to do any thing to earn our salvation, for we can not, let us rejoice that God has said, and you will not give a cup of cold water in my name with out it being recognized. That is what God says. I think we better believe that. Don't you to. But He doesn't let these thing pass. It is all known and recorded by Him.

And so we've got this emphasis in the fact that Abraham came out and was willing to be a stranger in the very land of promise, and Isaac and Jacob together with him. And then it tells you the reason why, which we read just now, For he looked for a city which has foundations..... And this means that he already came to a conclusion that there were no other cities on the earth that had foundations. Oh, they have been built on granite, or rock, or concrete, or Iron, or what not. But he didn't mean that. Oh he said there is one city that God has emphasized the foundations on which it rests. 12 layers of costly stones with the name of the 12 Apostles of the Lamb engraved upon them. Oh he says, let me have an access to that city. That aught to stand like that with 12 foundations shouldn't it. So this man knew what he was out for. Hebrews 11 verse 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God..... Then if you notice it says in verse 13 that there is a very strange thing about this faith. In the first case, faith is a receiver. You can even say, if you believe you will receive. Faith is the hand that is opened for God to fill it. But that is only one side. There is an aspect of faith where it is now willing to go with out. That is a bit of a test, isn't it. That is the next step. verse 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises,..... You say that if they died in faith they got them. Oh no. They saw that they were far off. They were persuaded of them. And they even embraced them. This lead them to confess that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And a worldly minded man could have said, well you are a strange person, you say that you believe God and your worse of now than when you were living in the Ur of the Chaldees. Abrahams says, alright, you carry on. Don't forget my little title deeds will you. You can put up with the taunts of the enemy. You can pity him or her. For they that say such things,. they declare plainly. They don't talk about it if of course, this means their actions. As one put it, the things you do makes such a noise that I can't here what you say. You know that don't you.

So it says that they declare plainly that they seek a country. You couldn't help knowing Abraham in those days with out knowing he had a far off look sometimes. He was already there in spirit. And all the rest of it would have worried him badly, he forgot. And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to return. Goodness, might have had. They had all the opportunity in the world. When Jonah ran away from God he found a ship going to Tarshish and he paid the fare there of. When Paul walking in the fear of the Lord, he found a ship and the Lord paid the fare there of, that's all. Jonah paid his own fare. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country of whence they came out, they would of had an opportunity right enough. The evil one will see to it that you have plenty of arguments, plenty of opportunities to show that you were a little bit fanatical. You took it a bit to far. Your forgetting all your obligations to ect. Ah yes, it is there. It is around us all the time. So you have to be a bit deaf like the adder. You have to have an eye that is focused on things above. But now they desire a better country. That is a heavenly.

Now another point is that if you look further down this chapter verse 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:..... So there is a resurrection which belongs to every redeemed child of God. And there is a better resurrection to those who are looking for a better country. The things harmonize and walk together, you see. The better things. And before this part of the study ends, one more thing that is comforting. God is not ashamed to be called their God. For He hath prepared for them a city. Fancy being a citizen of a city, and every citizen will be there, and of whom God will not be ashamed. What a prospect before Abraham. Now, of course we are not dealing with our own calling. Our calling is higher still. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things...... And we are reckoned to be together with Him where He sits at the right hand of God. We are not mixing the callings. We are only trying to show that Abraham had an earthly calling that he couldn't forfeit if he wanted to. But he had an heavenly addition that he aspired on to by grace. And will receive one day when the Lord returns.