Good morning,
What is taking so long? Why are we still waiting for Jesus to keep the promises that he made? It really helps us to remember that these questions are not new and they are not part of a failure on God’s part to take care of his family. The writer of Hebrews takes us back to Abraham and Sarah when he writes, All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.(Heb.11:13) Actually, God started making promises to people who loved him as far back as Adam and Eve (Gen.3:15) and has continued to keep on making promises and keeping some of those promises ever since. The mark of someone who has genuine faith in God is the attitude that people have had when God didn’t make everything happen during their lifetime. Genuine faith in God is marked by They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.(v.13) Faith filled people are willing to accept that they are people who are not in charge of their lives, and that while they are here on earth, this place is not their real home. The writer continues to point out, But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.(v.16) If this is true , what is taking him so long?
The writer of Hebrews then goes on to mention the names of some of the faith filled people that followed over the next 2,000 years. Wow, all these folks did a lot of waiting, but All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.(v.39) Then when we read what the Apostles wrote about what Jesus promised them and what the Apostles wrote about what the Lord had revealed to them, it seemed to them that many of these promises could start to happen even in their lifetimes. That’s been 2,000 years ago. So what’s the hold up? The writer of Hebrews explains, For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.(v.40) When God spoke our universe into reality, He already had a finished plan for what would happen in the time it would be in existence. He planned that we would have the responsibility of making choices about trusting and obeying him, or rebelling against his loving guidelines. The Bible tells us about the end of time as well as the beginning of time. What he hasn’t told us is how long each section of time will last until the tribulation, 7 years, and the millennium, 1,000 years, at the very end of time. In the mean time, the Lord is allowing as many people as he has planned to be given life and a choice to every one in his plan. Our loving Heavenly Father has already allowed us to be a part of this plan. I am so glad that he has waited this long so that I, and we, and all of us humans who are yet to come, can look forward to the perfection of Heaven and Eternity that will be a part of our eternal life. Thank you, Father, for your perfect timing and perfect promises.
Hebrews 11:13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
Roy Wisner
