“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” – Hebrews 11:8-10
I think that verse has much to teach us in regard to how we as Christians view America. Even though Abraham lived in the land of promise it was only in tents because he knew that there was more to the story. That land was not as sacred as what God really had in store for him and his descendants (eternal life). I am not saying that America is a second promised land (I grew up hearing that in church). I am saying that even though Abraham lived right where God promised him and blessed him with it wasn’t really it. It wasn’t really about land at all. It was about his relationship with God and putting his faith in God.
Israel has gone through tremendous turmoil from that time to this. America will certainly go through tough times as well. There may be a day when America is a shadow of what it used to be. If we put all our hopes in this country then that is a very upsetting thought. But if our hope, citizenship and allegiance is with God that thought isn’t so troublesome. So where is our allegiance? Where is our real citizenship? Do we wrap up our hopes and our future in the shakiness of the nations? Or do we wrap our identity up in the One who has seen great nations come and go a million times over and yet still has sovereignty over it all?
I am still proud to be an American but I am even prouder to be a Christian.
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yep, vs 13-16 are pretty good, too. a nice reminder
And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. “
Amen, brother!
Our citizenship is in heaven. Here we are strangers and pilgrims in a foreign land. Like Judah in exile, we can pray for our exile hosts and seek the prosperity of this country. But we must never forget where our true homeland is – the new heaven and the new earth where righteousness dwells.
Jerry
God created the Nations and God’s promise to Abraham will be totally fulfilled . It is a non-conditional Covenant that God alone promises to Abraham. The land promises to Israel is a central theme thru out scripture. I am blessed that Christ made Himself a sacrifice for sin and He drew me to Him so that I know He is my Lord and my Savior but I am proud to be an American. Both are true for me.
https://www.spreadinglight.com/biblestudy/covenants/abraham.html
God established the Abrahamic Covenant with Abraham (Abram), Genesis 15:18 states, “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, ‘to your descendants have I given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.” In Genesis 17:4, 6-7 God said to Abraham, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your descendants after you.” In Genesis 17:19-21 God said to Abraham, “Sarah, your wife, shall bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” When Isaac became an adult God established the Abrahamic Covenant with him (Genesis 26:1-4). Later God established the covenant with Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Genesis 28:10-14; 35:9-12; 48:3-4). The instructions which Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson, gave at the end of his life clearly indicate that he understood the Abrahamic Covenant to have been made with Abraham and his descendants, the people of Israel (Genesis 50:24-25).
Although God in Genesis 12:2-3 and 13:14-17, gave some of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant the covenant was not formally established until Genesis 15:7-21. Genesis 15:18 specifically states “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.” God formally established the covenant in the following manner: while Abraham slept a deep sleep, God, represented by a smoking oven and a flaming torch, moved between the pieces of animals that He had commanded Abraham to cut into two halves. Jeremiah 34:18 indicates that this procedure of passing between the halves of animals was a common way of establishing covenants in Old Testament times.
Please read this short but accurate article that centers around just the land promises. It is again addressed in the NT as “literal land”
It’s sad to see so many people embrace “replacement” theology. The Lord’s Church does not replace God’s literal promises to Israel. The land promises are a vital part of God’s plan and they will be literally fulflilled in the future. All prophecies that we know to be fulfilled were fulfilled literally . Archeology confirms this.
That is a huge can of worms that I am not even going to touch. That would take forever to really dig into. If the post was about that maybe I would give it a go but I had no intention of taking this post that direction. Glad you have conviction about God’s promises.
Good thoughts here, Matt. We really are blessed to be Americans and even more blessed to be Christians. God has been better to us than we deserve.
Well said, Matt. Proud to be a part of the Kingdom, wherever my part of the Kingdom is physically located.
Great thoughts. My citizenship is in heaven and my hope is in Christ alone!