What Old Testament examples illustrate the principle found in Hebrews 11:15? Setting the Stage: Hebrews 11:15 “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.” (Hebrews 11:15) Faith keeps its focus forward. The moment hearts wander back to the old homeland, the door to retreat stands wide open. Scripture offers vivid Old Testament portraits of people who either embraced this forward-looking faith or faltered by glancing back. Abraham: Leaving Ur and Refusing Reverse Gear • Genesis 12:1-4: “Leave your country … go to the land I will show you.” • Hebrews 11:8-9 links directly: Abraham obeyed “without knowing where he was going.” • He purchased burial property in Canaan (Genesis 23), signaling permanent residence. • No record shows him even visiting Ur again; his heart was anchored in God’s promise. Isaac: Staying Put in a Famine • Genesis 26:2-3: “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I will tell you.” • Egypt lay close and alluring, yet Isaac remained, sowed, and reaped a hundredfold (Genesis 26:12). • He demonstrated that faith trusts God’s provision rather than retreating to easier circumstances. Moses: Turning His Back on Egyptian Privilege • Hebrews 11:24-26 summarizes the choice: Moses “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter … because he was looking ahead to his reward.” • Exodus 2:11-15 shows him leaving the palace to stand with his oppressed people. • Though Israel later begged for Egypt, Moses pressed on, eyes fixed on the Promised Land. The Exodus Generation: A Mixed Lesson Positive glimpse • Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:6-9) “followed the LORD fully,” urging progress into Canaan. Negative glimpse • Numbers 14:3-4: “Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” • Their yearning backward led to forty years of wandering and graves in the wilderness (Numbers 14:28-29). Lot’s Wife: One Look Too Many • Genesis 19:26: “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” • The physical glance revealed a heart still tethered to Sodom—an unforgettable warning against nostalgia for a condemned past. Ruth: A Forward-Facing Commitment • Ruth 1:16: “Wherever you go, I will go … Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.” • Moab offered familiarity; Ruth chose Bethlehem, God’s people, and ultimately found a place in Messiah’s lineage (Ruth 4:13-22). Elisha: Burning the Plows • 1 Kings 19:21: Elisha slaughtered his oxen and burned the plowing equipment before following Elijah. • By destroying the tools of his former life, he removed every path of retreat. Pulling It Together Old Testament voices echo the Hebrews 11:15 principle: true faith unhooks from the old country, rejects every escape route, and stakes everything on God’s future. Abraham’s tent, Isaac’s sowing, Moses’ exodus, Joshua and Caleb’s courage, Ruth’s loyalty, and Elisha’s burned plows all invite believers to the same single-direction journey—forward with God. |
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