A Sojourner's Quest

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Strangers and Aliens on the Way: Church of Jesus Christ The book of Hebrews takes up this powerful motif of sojourn and connects it directly to the longings and lifestyle of believers in Christ today. Beginning with commentary about Abraham’s personal quest of obedience and faith, the writer extends his adventure of faith to all those who believe who, like their spiritual father Abraham, seek a city whose builder and maker is God: 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. [9] By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. [10] For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Indeed, Abraham left his original dwelling place and hometown and went out to a place which God promised him as an inheritance. Amazingly, he went out, not having a clue where he was going or would finally land, but instead went to live “in the land of promise” as in a foreign land, living in tents with his sons, who too were heirs of the same promise. The writer makes clear that Abraham’s heart motive for his journeying was the pursuit of a city designed and built by God himself. It truly was the initial and determinative sojourner’s quest. The writer of the Hebrews links Abraham’s quest to that of all the faithful, who, like Abraham, died in faith without having received all the inheritance promised, but, having beheld them by faith on the horizons of time, “greeted them from afar,” acknowledging that they indeed were “strangers and exiles on the earth.” Look at how the author of Hebrews discussed the motif of journey and the faithful’s pursuit of a new, heavenly homeland: Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. [13] These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. [15] If ~ Hebrews 11.8-10