Page 4 - April 2025 - Truth & Tidings

od had promised the land of Philippians that “our conversation
Canaan to Abraham and to his [citizenship] is in heaven” (3:20). Peter
Gseed for a possession when He appealed to the believers to live as
called him out from Ur of the Chaldees strangers and pilgrims, and to abstain
(Gen 12:7). When Sarah died, Abraham from fleshly lusts that war against the soul
went to the sons of Heth, the inhabitants (1Pe 2:11). While we live in this world, we
of the land, and pleaded with them that he ought not to love the world or the things
might buy a parcel of ground from them of this world (1Jn 2:15) or be conformed to
for a burying place (23:3-4). the ways of this world (Rom 12:2).
The story that develops around this We should, then, set our affection on
request is a very interesting one and pro- things above, not on things on the earth
vides us with a number of pictures and (Col 3:2). The apostle Paul also urged,
types concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. quoting from the prophecy of Isaiah
Here also we will see something of the (52:11), “Wherefore come out from among
uprightness and integrity of Abraham’s them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
character, providing an example for be- and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
lievers today to follow. receive you” (2Co 6:17). The writer of the
Perspective epistle to the Hebrews exhorts us, “Let
The first thing that we notice is Abra- us go forth therefore unto him without
the camp, bearing his reproach. For here
ham’s perspective of his living among have we no continuing city, but we seek
the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. He one to come” (13:13-14).
recognized that he was only a stranger
and a sojourner among them. The idea of Position
sojourn is to dwell as a stranger. By Abra-
ham’s confession that he was a sojourner, It is evident that Abraham was highly
or a pilgrim and a stranger, he was, in esteemed by the children of Heth, because
effect, declaring that he was looking for they refer to him as “a mighty prince”
a better and a heavenly country (Heb (Gen 23:6). Interestingly, the Lord Jesus
11:14-16). The writer of the epistle to the is referred to as “a Prince and a Saviour”
Hebrews said concerning Abraham that (Act 5:31) and “the Prince of life” (3:15).
he “looked for a city which hath founda- In Isaiah’s prophecy, He is called “the
tions, whose builder and maker is God” Prince of Peace” (9:6). The last mention
(11:10). of the Lord Jesus as a Prince is found
1
We, too, as those who belong to in the book of Revelation, where He is
Christ, are strangers and pilgrims in this appropriately called “the prince of the
world. Paul reminds us in the book of kings of the earth” (1:5).
Purchase
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the
KJV. Abraham paid the full purchase price

100 TRUTH kTidings April 2025