Faith Replaces Tangible Sight - Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews 11:10 (ESV)
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

What are we looking for?   In Hebrews 11 we have a number of Old Testament believers who are all “looking” for something different that what they see in front of them.   The chapter is about faith.  The author gives us a several statements about faith.  Here is one of them:

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

As believers, we are to be focusing on something different.   Note some of the other ways this is said for other people of faith in this chapter:

1. Hebrews 11:8 (ESV)
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

2. Hebrews 11:13 (ESV)
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

3. Hebrews 11:14-16 (ESV)
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

4. (Moses) Hebrews 11:27 (ESV)
By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

We are always looking for something that is tangible.  And, God does give us tangible evidence of His power and existence (Psalms 19).   But, we are to be looking forward to things that we can’t see.  Faith is the “evidence” we need for what we are wanting to see.