Continuing with the same passage as the previous article, let’s consider the results of Abraham’s patience and his faith in God.
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Hebrews 6:13-15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.6.13-15.NIV
To set the stage here, let’s go back to Genesis 22, where Abraham proved his trust in God by getting ready to sacrifice his son Isaac. As you probably know, God spared Isaac by providing a ram to be sacrificed instead. Read some of what happened after that in Genesis 22:15-18.
Because Abraham demonstrated his faith by obeying God, God swore to bless Abraham with three things related to Abraham’s descendants:
- Abraham would have many, many descendants (which wouldn’t be expected for a man who had recently prepared to sacrifice his only son of the promise).
- Abraham’s descendants would be successful, described as taking over their enemies’ cities.
- Through Abraham’s descendants, the world would be blessed (or “…will use the name of your offspring in blessings”, or “bless themselves” [NIV & NASB footnotes]).
Now, let’s ask a question: Did Abraham live to see these things happen?
- Yes, in the sense that Abraham died with children, including the son of the promise, who would go forth and start nations. And, since Hebrews 6:15 says that Abraham did receive God’s promises, then Abraham must have received them in some sense.
- Maybe, in the sense that Abraham probably saw his children meet with some success and bless others during his lifetime.
- No, in the sense that (even though we can look to Jesus as the cornerstone of the blessings that resulted from Abraham’s line), the ultimate number, success, and blessings of Abraham’s descendants continues to grow and grow. In that sense (ref. Girdwood & Verkruyse, p.216), Abraham “saw” more through his faith of what God would do in the future, compared to what Abraham “saw” with his eyes. This faith was supported by what God had done for Abraham during his lifetime.
Next question: Have these promises of God fulfilled completely, today?
- Yes, in the sense that the descendants of Abraham were many and were successful, and because great blessings were given to the world through Abraham’s line, including Jesus Christ, the author of our salvation.
- Maybe no, in the sense that portions of ultimate victory and blessing are being deferred until Jesus returns.
Having said that, let’s remember that Abraham didn’t go down the mountain after receiving these promises of God and immediately see all of the promised results. He had to wait in faith for a while. However, while Hebrews 6:15 makes it clear that Abraham had to wait to see God’s promises fulfilled; apparently Abraham chose to patiently wait for them.
That is, waiting itself is often mandatory, especially when we’re not in control of the situation (which is usually the case). On the other hand, waiting patiently is our choice. This patient waiting that Abraham demonstrated was exactly the kind of example that first century Jewish Christians needed to follow, as they, too, were waiting for God’s promises to be completed. And, it’s still a good example for us, today.
Now, if your faith is shaky, don’t panic or feel like you’re the only one. Doubts seem to be part of the human condition, even for those who follow Jesus. As pointed out by Girdwood & Verkruyse, p.216, although Abraham is credited with waiting patiently in Hebrews 6:15 (after God had provided a substitute for his son Isaac as a sacrifice), Abraham hadn’t always managed to wait patiently before Isaac was born, resulting in conflict (like what resulted from how Abraham and Sarah treated Hagar and Ishmael).
However, when evil forces try to sow seeds of doubt or tempt you with lies, hold strong to the anchor that will never be moved: not only the demonstrated faithfulness of God (which is pretty amazing), but also the very nature of God serving as the security for us receiving exactly what He has promised us, including salvation and an eternity with Him!
From Sunday School lesson prepared for February 22, 2026
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Hebrews, by Jim Girdwood and Peter Verkruyse. © 1997 College Press Publishing Co.
