Scripture: Hebrews 11:9-10 “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: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

1. Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we are presently pilgrims. To ‘sojourn’ means ‘to live as a stranger.’ He lived in a tent, not a permanent house! He didn’t even have a grave, “And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight,” Gen 23:4.

“And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child,” Acts 7:5.

2. However, Abraham was looking for a city. The word ‘looked’, V10, means ‘waiting in expectation’.

Note its permanence – ‘foundations’! Note its architect and builder – ‘God’! A great city built by God.

“For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come,” Hebs 13:14 (‘continuing’ = that which lasts);  See Revelation 21:2-8 – Eternal state.

3. We must never set our eyes on the things of this earth. But like Abraham, look for that which God has promised to us. Col 3:1-2; Rom 8:6; 1 John 2:15-17; Psalm 49:11-17.

4. When we consider the beauties and splendours of this earth, how glorious will be this city, our future eternal home! Nothing in time truly compares to it!