11.13
The writer now points out that none of these people actually received the fulness of the things promised to them. Obviously they received something. Noah and his family survived, abraham had a son etc, but they did not receive anything like the complete fulfilment of the promise, see especially Gen 12:2,3. Moreover, the Jews knew that Abraham, Noah etc had not received the fulness. So why does the writer make this point? I think it is because he is making the point that the Old Testament never envisaged that it was the end point. So the Hebrews should not hark back to the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, and if they did hark back to them they would actually be going against the Old Testament.
11:14
They lived as strangers and aliens, so should we. In doing so we admit that this world is not our true home. We are also saying that we are looking for something better. “A country of our own”. We want to live in God’s kingdom. Jesus told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them. We are looking for what God has for us, for what He can do for us, for what He can enable us to do. We are not looking for a land that man himself can make.
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