Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?

Unseen Things - Part 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2022-10-09

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his series on 'Unseen Things' by examining the faith of Abraham from Hebrews 11:8-10. He emphasizes that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and that believers, like Abraham, are called to live by faith, not by sight. Abraham's journey from Ur to Canaan serves as a picture of the Christian's journey from this temporal world to the eternal heavenly city. The sermon highlights that while heaven, God, and future judgments are unseen, they are real and eternal, and believers perceive them only by faith. The promise given to Abraham is also given to believers through Christ, and our hope is anchored in the finished work of Jesus, who has entered the heavenly sanctuary as our forerunner. The message concludes with an exhortation to set our affections on things above and to trust God completely, as Abraham did.

[John Weaver] And today to Hebrews chapter 11 and the main text is verses 8 through 10. This is the second part of the message of unseen things. So notice if you would Hebrews chapter 11 beginning there with verse 8. The Scripture says, By faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. By faith, Abraham did this now, and he went out not knowing whether he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

[John Weaver] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. You'll remember last week I told you that faith is a substance. Hupostasis is the Greek word. It means that which is substantial. It is usually translated as a foundation. And the scripture tells us that faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And of course, it is actually used as a title deed as well. So the scripture tells us that we live by faith and not by sight. And we're to see eternal and real things by faith and by faith alone. You remember the passage that I quoted from second Corinthians chapter four, where the apostle Paul said, the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. And so not only did I tell you last week that faith is unseen, you cannot see it As an essence, you may see the manifestation of it, the fruit of it, which this chapter is all about. But you cannot see faith in and of itself.

[John Weaver] That's why even James said, show me thy faith and I'll show you my faith by my works. But you remember also that we covered verse seven, where the Bible says, by faith, Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet. And so most of the message actually dealt with the fact that Future judgments are unseen, and we see those things coming only by faith, because we understand that God is not mocked. We understand that God is righteous. We understand that God is holy. And we understand that God cannot condone sin or look upon sin condoningly whatsoever. So faith sees and understands the future judgments of God. And faith not only sees and understands the future judgments of God, but faith sees and understands present judgments It's interesting how so many times that present judgments, although they are viewed as judgments, particularly or catastrophes or disasters, they're not necessarily viewed as judgments from God.

[John Weaver] So consider, if you would, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, the droughts, the floods, the tsunamis, and all of these things. And they're the result of mother nature or climate change. In other words, We do not view these things as coming from the hand of God, which the scripture does indeed tell us that they are, which should help you to recall Amos chapter four, where God sent all of the drought, all the floods and all the famine and all the pestilence.

[John Weaver] And after each one, he said, yet you have not returned it to me. So usually if some of these natural disasters, as the world calls them, were seen as judgments of God and coming from the hand of God, it would be also a call for repentance. But the Bible also tells us in Proverbs 22 and verse 3, that a prudent man foresees the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. Also in Hebrews 2 and verse 3, the question is asked, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Now, everything in the Word of God is important.

[John Weaver] And the truth of the matter is this, We not only need to take very serious consideration, not only the promises of God, but the threatenings and the warnings of God as well. So today I want to just really hammer down on a promise that was given to Abraham. And since this promise was given to Abraham, it was also given to us as well. So before I go back and read verses 8 through 10 again, I want to show you the connection between Abraham and Christians. So if you will turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Romans chapter 4, and look, if you would please, at verse 11. Romans chapter 4. Note, if you would please, verse 11. I want you to see that there is a link between Abraham and Christians. The Bible tells you in Romans 4 and verse 11, And he, that is Abraham, received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed

[John Weaver] unto them also. So the Bible tells us that Abraham is the father of all of those who believe. So there should be a likeness between Abraham and Christians in the fact that He is our Father. The children should act like the Father, and certainly should look like the Father as well. But there's a second reason why children should act like Abraham, that is, live by faith. And that is because the true seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ. So as Christians then, we are to be like Christ, because Christ is indeed our Redeemer.

[John Weaver] If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Look if you would first of all at verse 16. Galatians 3 and verse 16. Note if you would the certainty of this passage. The Bible says, Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ." So all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were promises given to Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ is the true Son and the true seed of Abraham. That's why Matthew 1.1 begins the beginning of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham. So, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the true seed. Now, please keep in mind that Romans 4 and verse 17 told us that Abraham is the father of all them that believe. Now skip down to verse 29 in Galatians chapter 3, and look at this. Galatians 3 verse 29, and if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

[John Weaver] So everything that God gave in promised Abraham, he gave to his seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, now, since we're in the Lord Jesus Christ, all of those promises are ours. We are heirs according to the promise. So that is why the Bible says in 1 John 4 and verse 17, herein is love made perfect. Here is our love made perfect. that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. So as the children of Abraham, we live by faith like Abraham did as the children of Jesus Christ, then we live and act and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. So Abraham walked by faith and so must we. So we do not live or walk by sight, we walk by faith. Now the physical illustration of Abraham leaving his home and traveling into Canaan land is in reality a picture. It is a picture of our leaving our earthly home and traveling to our heavenly home.

[John Weaver] Now you're going to ask, how can I say that? Well, look back in Hebrews 11, and let's begin with verse 8 again. I want you to watch this, because there's a connection here that's very plain. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive forth inheritance, obeyed. And he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Now look at verse 10.

[John Weaver] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and Maker is God." Now, before I get to this passage, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 12, and look at verses 1 and 2, because this is where God came to Abram when he was in Ur of the Chaldees. And I want you to note what God said to him specifically. Note, if you would, Genesis 12, verse 1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. But note, God said, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I would show thee. So we should take note of the fact that Abram was to leave his country. He was to leave his kindred, those of his father's house.

[John Weaver] He was to leave everything that he knew, everything that he had experienced, everything that he could see, everything that he could feel, everything that had a hold on him, and everything on which he had a hold. He was to leave all of that and travel to a land that was totally, completely unknown to him. I want to give you a couple of quotes. This first one is from Albert Barnes. He's going to make six points, and I want you to listen to each one of these so that you can see the complexity that was involved when God told Abram to get out of his country. Barnes says this. Number one, the journey which he undertook was then a long and dangerous one.

[John Weaver] The distance from Haran to Palestine by direct route was not less than 400 miles, probably more than that, but not less than 400 miles. And this journey lay across the vast desert, the Arabian Desert. That journey has always been tedious and perilous, but to see its real difficulty, we must put ourselves into the position into which the world was 4,000 years ago.

[John Weaver] Now listen, there was no knowledge of the way, no frequent path, no facility for traveling, no turnpike or railway, and such a journey then must have appeared incomparably more perilous than almost anything which could now be undertaken." So you have to remember, there were no travel brochures. There were no travel bureaus. There were no directions. Number two, he was going among strangers. Who they were, he knew not. But the impression could not be but have been made on his mind that they were strangers to religion and that a residence among them would be anything but desirable. Number three, he was leaving country and home and friends, the place of his birth and the graves of his fathers with a moral certainty that he would never see them again. Number four, he had no right to the country which he went to receive, that is, except by God's promise.

[John Weaver] He could urge no claim on the ground of discovery or inheritance or conquest at any form or period, but though he went into a peaceful manner and with no power to take it, and could urge no claim to it whatsoever, yet he went with the utmost confidence that it would be his. He did not even expect to buy it. For he had no means to do this, and it seems never to have entered in his mind to bargain for it in any way except for the small portion that he needed for a burying ground. Number five, he had no means of obtaining possession. He had no wealth to purchase it, no armies to conquer it, no title to it which could be enforced before the tribunals of the land. The prospect of obtaining it must have been distant, And probably he saw no means by which it was to be done.

[John Weaver] In such a case, listen carefully, his only hope could be found in God. And here's his last one, number six. It is not impossible that the enterprise of that age might have been treated by the friends of the patriarch as perfectly wild and visionary. In other words, they would call him a fanatic. They would call him insane. The prevailing religion evidently was idolatry, and the claim which Abraham set up to a special call from the Most High might have been deemed utterly and entirely fanatical.

[John Weaver] To start off on a journey through a pathless desert, to leave his country and home and all that he held dear when he himself knew not whether he went, to go with no means of conquest, and with the expectation that the distance and unknown land would be given him, could not have been but have regarded as a singular instance of the visionary hope."

[John Weaver] Now listen to this, one last sentence here, actually two. The whole transaction, therefore, was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation and were all the principles on which men commonly act would have led him to pursue just the contrary course. It is therefore not without reason that the faith of Abraham is so commended." When you stop and consider those six things, the average man, the average intelligent man, would never ever have accomplished such a trip because he would have said, it's insane, it cannot be done.

[John Weaver] Now, here's another quote from Andrew Murray, and Andrew hits this from a different perspective because he's trying to teach us the purpose of God in calling Abram like this. And Murray says this. What was the object of God's thus dealing with Abraham? And what in real truth, the worth and the blessing of his obedience? The call of God was no arbitrary one. As we see into its divine meaning, we shall understand what God asks of us and what our faith must lay hold on.

[John Weaver] Man stands between the visible and the invisible. His sin and fall consisted in his having turned from God to the world. His redemption from the power of sin could only be found in giving up the world and setting his whole heart upon God. It was to train him to this, to teach him to find his life and his happiness in God Himself that the call came, get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred unto the land that I will show thee. God wanted to have him alone with himself, separated from all he could cling to or trust in, that he might teach him to find his all in all in himself.

[John Weaver] And it was by faith. Faith that not only saw the land and the promise connected with it afar off, but saw the living God near to fulfill the promise that Abraham obeyed. The call of God is ever accompanied by the promise. Now listen to this. True faith in the promise is ever joined to obedience to the call. Obedience is of the very essence of faith. Faith is always the power by which a man gives himself up to an unseen object and receives it unto himself. It is of the very nature of things impossible to receive God without receiving His will. Wow. So Abraham then believed God.

[John Weaver] He went out not knowing where he went. He placed himself in the hand of God for God to send him wherever God pleased to send him. He subscribed to God's wisdom as the fittest to direct him and submitted himself to his will as the fittest to determine everything concerning himself. Implicit faith and obedience are due to God and to him alone. So God called him, and if you look back in Hebrews chapter 11, God called him, and the Bible tells us in verse 9, by faith, He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Now, God had promised Abram the land of Canaan. Yet he lived in that land as in a strange country, and he lived as a stranger there himself. Abraham did not move to Canaan and immediately serve an eviction notice upon all the Canaanites. He did not say, get out, this land is mine.

[John Weaver] No, he did not do that. He lived with them. And here's the thing. The land was his by promise. But he had not yet taken possession of it. He was in it. It was promised to him, but he did not have possession of it. He was just simply living in it as a stranger and as a sojourner. Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this.

[John Weaver] Although Canaan was real, literal, and visible, you could see it, Canaan was also a picture. Canaan was just simply the picture of what you and I would call a heavenly reality. It was a picture of that which could not be seen with the visible eyes. So if you look at verse 9, and then we're going to go to verse 10, because you're going to ask, how can I say that Canaan was a picture of the heavenly country? Here's how. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

[John Weaver] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder maker is God." So verse 10 then seems to indicate in reality that most cities do not have foundations, or certainly at least they do not have divine and eternal foundations. So while sojourning in Canaan, which was seen, which that means it was also temporary, Abram then was looking for the Eternal City, the heavenly Canaan, which was built by God alone.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got two other quotes I want to give you. I want you to look at verse 10 again, because both of these quotes come from verse 10. One is by Matthew Henry. The other is by Arthur W. Pink. So verse 10, For he looked for a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God. Matthew Henry writes, The description given of heaven, it is a city, a regular society, well established, well defended, and well supplied. It is a city that has foundations, even the immutable purpose and the almighty power of God, the infinite merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the promise of an everlasting covenant, its own purity, and the perfection of its inhabitants, and it is a city whose builder and maker is God."

[John Weaver] Now listen, He contrived the model. He accordingly made it. And He has laid open a new and living way into it and prepared it for His people. He puts them into possession of it, prefers them in it, and is Himself the substance and felicity of it. Observe the due regard that Abraham had to this heavenly city. He looked for it. He believed that there was such a state. He waited for it.

[John Weaver] And in the meantime, he conversed in it by faith. He had exalted and rejoicing hopes that in God's time and way, he should be brought safely into it. The influence this had upon his present conversation, it was a support to him under all the trials of his sojourning state. helped him to patiently bear all the inconveniences of it, and to actively discharge all the duties of it, persevering therein unto the end." Wow.

[John Weaver] Now, one more quick one, and this is by Arthur W. Pink, and then I'm going to ask you a very important question. Here's what Pink said. "'That for which Abraham looked was heaven itself. Here, like into a city with foundations, and manifest antithesis from the tits, which have no foundations. Various figures are used to express the saint's everlasting portion. It is called an inheritance in 1 Peter 1 and verse 4, to signify the freeness of its tenure.

[John Weaver] It is denominated as many mansions in the father's house, John 14. It is styled a heavenly country, Hebrews 11 verse 16, to signify spaciousness. There are various resemblances between heaven and a city. A city is a civil society that is under government. So in heaven, there is a society of angels and saints ruled by God, Hebrews 12. In Bible days, a city was a place of safety, being surrounded by strong and high walls. So in heaven, we shall be eternally secure from sin, satan, death, and every enemy. A city is well stocked with provisions. So in heaven, nothing will be lacking, which is good and blessed. The foundations of the heavenly city or eternal or the eternal decree and love of God, the unalterable covenant of grace and Christ Jesus, the rock of ages on which stands, it stands firm and immovable. So. Hebrews chapter 11 is a chapter on faith. And we have read particularly, not just in the faith of Noah now, but the faith of Abraham.

[John Weaver] So here is my question. How are we as Christians like unto Abraham? Abraham was in Canaan. He lived there as a stranger and a sojourner. He could see it. But he could not see the city for which he was really looking. He had to see it by faith and faith alone. So while he was in Canaan, he had the promise, but he did not have the possession. And so it's like us today. We have the promise of heaven, but we're not yet in possession of it.

[John Weaver] So let me ask you some questions. And I know the answers, but I'm asking specifically for a reason. Number one, have you ever been to heaven? And the answer is no. Number two, have you ever seen heaven? And the answer is no. Do you know anyone personally that has been there in return? And the answer is no.

[John Weaver] Now you could say, well, I know Moses and Elijah did on the Mount of Transfiguration. Yes. And I know Paul was caught up in third heaven. Yes. But you and I do not know them personally. Neither have we talked to them personally. And you can buy any large number of books on deathbed experiences. And there will be people who will tell you they died and went to heaven in return. And they will tell you about things being beautiful. They'll tell you about a lot of things.

[John Weaver] And let me tell you, as long as their experience might fit with scripture, it might be valuable just to listen to them, but it's not going to add to scripture and it's not going to be anything any truer than what we already find in scripture. So the average person has never seen anything about heaven.

[John Weaver] Now, the question is this. Since heaven is unseen, how do we know it's real? And the answer is we know it's real by faith.

[John Weaver] Now, if you'll skip down to verse 16, because now we're still talking about this wonderful faith of Abraham, The Bible says that now they desire a better country that isn't heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. And yes. The truth of the matter is we do indeed have a description of the eternal state. The Word of God gives us plenty of truth concerning heaven, yet it's still only by faith and faith alone that we believe and see that eternal glory that's given to us by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that our position in heaven is real, genuine, and secure. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 13. Here is one reason that I can be absolutely assured of the reality of heaven and the reality of my reservation there. Okay? Look at it in Hebrews chapter 6, beginning there with verse 13. For when God made promise to Abraham," oh, here we go again,"...because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." That is the fulfillment of the promise. Hmm."'For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife.

[John Weaver] wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in the which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us." The hope that is set before us. What hope is that? Well, back in verse 15, Abraham patiently endured and finally he obtained the fulfillment of the promise. So we have a hope that we too will find the fulfillment of the promise. Now watch what he says about this hope in verse 19.

[John Weaver] Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, that is, into the most holy place, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." So here's what he's saying. We can be absolutely sure of the eternality of heaven because not only God has confirmed it by an oath, and it's impossible for God to lie, but also because the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the forerunner, has entered into the holiest of all, and He is there reserving our place.

[John Weaver] Remember, He is our head, we are His body. Where He is, is where we're going to be.

[John Weaver] Now, everybody understands this simple principle. Many times, Alice and I have traveled, and Stephen, Lorraine as well, And we might get on the air line and, uh, and, uh, Alice would say, well, I'm going to go to the bathroom before everybody sits down. Fine. And so there I am sitting and there's that empty space by me. And usually someone's going to stop. Is that seat taken? Yes.

[John Weaver] It's reserved for my wife. I'm waiting for her. I'm holding her place. Nobody can have it because it's hers. And so this is what our Lord is doing in the most holy place. He's the forerunner. He's gone there. He's secured it for us. He's reserved that place for us. And therefore, the author of the book of Hebrews says, we now have an anchor of the soul, which is both sure and steadfast. It's not going to change. Now, look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12.

[John Weaver] Here's another picture that's given to us. Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 22. The Bible says, and you are coming to Mount Zion and into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly in church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to God, the judge of all and the spirits of just men

[John Weaver] made perfect and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Note, if you would, he says, you're coming to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. And of course, he tells us there's a innumerable company of angels. There's a general assembly in church of the firstborn. There's a judge of all the earth. There's the spirits of just men made perfect, and there's Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. So we have a city, we have a country, we have a kingdom, and we have the Lord Jesus Christ who guarantees our possession.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21. And I want to take the time to read this entire chapter, because I want you to see that here is indeed a description. And I'm going to come back to verse 1 just a little bit later, but I want you to look at this. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.

[John Weaver] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, For these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain, the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

[John Weaver] But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials, full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.

[John Weaver] And her light was likened to the stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and the names written therein, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And on these three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

[John Weaver] And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold likened to clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was Jasper, the second, Sapphire, the third, a Chalcedony, the fourth, an Emerald, the fifth, a Sardex, the sixth, a Sardius, the seventh, a Chrysostomite, the eighth, a Beryl, the ninth, a Topaz, the tenth, a Chrysosporus, and the eleventh, a Jacinthe, and the twelfth, an Amethyst.

[John Weaver] And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Every several gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold. as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And there shall be no wise enter in anything that defile it, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, nor maketh the lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

[John Weaver] So notice if you would, we have a description of heaven. So I ask this question again, have you seen it? Have you seen the eternal city? And the answer is no. But how do we see it? We see it by faith, because we believe that which God has promised. Although we may not be in possession of it at this particular point in our lives, that possession is just as real, because you remember one of the definitions I gave you of faith, it is not only a substance, it is not only the foundation upon which something is built, It is actually used

[John Weaver] oftentimes as a title deed. So we have a title deed to heaven because our place has been secured by the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Hebrews chapter 11, because I'm still talking about things that are unseen. Remember, the Apostle Paul said, those things which are seen are temporal, but those which are unseen are eternal. So we know that faith is unseen. We know that future judgments are unseen. We know that heaven is unseen, and yet these things are real, they are genuine. But I want you to notice Hebrews 11 verse 27. So if you want to deny that which is unseen is not real, then you've got yourself a problem. Because in Hebrews 11 verse 27, talking about Moses, the Bible says, By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible. So God is clearly invisible. The Bible says that no man has seen and no man can see His face and live.

[John Weaver] Now you say, Elijah saw Him. Yes, Elijah saw His backward parts and God hid Him in the cleft of that rock as He passed by. And God said, You can't see My face. You can see My backward parts. And the same would be of Moses. God spoke to him face to face, but that does not mean that Moses saw God Himself. He certainly saw the presence of God, and obviously the manifestation of God's presence, but the Bible tells us that God is invisible. In 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, the Bible says, Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, The only wise God, the honor and glory, both now and forever. Amen.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to First Timothy and look in chapter 6. First Timothy chapter 6. Having quoted First Timothy 1 in verse 17, let's now begin reading in First Timothy chapter 6 and verse 14. First Timothy 6 and verse 14. So Paul writes Timothy and he says this, that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." Now, how does one see that which is invisible? Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible. The answer is, we have to see by faith. I want you to turn to two passages. I want you to turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3. And then if you would, go ahead and find John chapter 14.

[John Weaver] John chapter 14. And hold that passage if you would. John 14. And look now if you would first, to 1 Timothy chapter 3. Look if you would please at verse 16 1st Timothy 3 verse 16 and without controversy No arguing over this without controversy Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Justified in the spirit seen of angels priests unto the Gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory Now let me emphasize this word again in this passage. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. Watch, God was manifest in the flesh.

[John Weaver] This refers to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Without controversy, no arguing about it. Want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 14 and let's begin reading their verse 6 John 14 and verse 6 In fact, let's begin with verse 5 In verse 5 Thomas said in him Lord We know not whether thou goest how can we know the way? Jesus said in him. I am the way the truth in life.

[John Weaver] No man cometh in father, but by me If you had known me, you should have known my Father also. And from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him." Well, how could they have seen the Father? Because Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Now watch verse 8,"...Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long with you? And yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?

[John Weaver] The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself. But the Father which dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. or else believe me, for the very work's sake."

[John Weaver] Now, notice what our Lord said to Philip. He said, How long have I been with thee so long a time, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip? Do you not know that I am God incarnate? If you've seen me, you have seen the Father.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. How many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically? I have it. Where is the Lord Jesus Christ seated right now? The answer is at the right hand of God the Father. Well, how can we see Jesus Christ now? And the answer is by faith alone. Jesus Christ is indeed God in the flesh. That is for sure. And our Lord said, He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. I want you to put this together. I want you to watch this. Look in 1 Peter chapter 1, and we're going to read the first nine verses, but I'm going to give you a special emphasis on one verse. So watch this. 1 Peter chapter 1, Verse 1, so I've asked how many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically, and none of you have. So watch verse 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope or a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Here's our inheritance.

[John Weaver] To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. So we do have a reservation. Who are kept by the power of God through faith into salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you're in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than a gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found in the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Are you looking? Here it is.

[John Weaver] Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. So what does the Bible say? Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see him not, yet believing. And finally in verse 9, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." So how do we see Jesus Christ? By faith.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 19. I will give you a New Testament quote just momentarily. But I want you to look in Job chapter 19. And what Job said, beginning there in verse 25, Job 19, verse 25. Right before the book of Psalms, you have the book of Job. Job, Psalms, Proverbs. Notice even with Job 19, beginning there, verse 25, look what Job said.

[John Weaver] For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me." Note what he said. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh, that it would be a resurrected flesh, I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold him and not another. You know what our Lord said in Matthew five in verse eight, he said, blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Theologically seeing God is called the beatific vision.

[John Weaver] There's all kinds of gospel songs. abounding. And there's all kinds of talk. Well, when I get to heaven, I'm going to sit down and have a talk with the apostle Paul, or I'm going to talk to Peter, James and John, and I want to see my family and I want to see this and I want to see that. I got news for you. I believe that when we see God, everything else will just about fade in the background. When we see the splendor and the glory and the greatness and the purity.

[John Weaver] It's kind of like Isaiah and Isaiah six, he said in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord high and lifted up his train, fill the temple. You remember the seraphim with six wings with twain, they covered their face with twain, they covered their feet with twain. They did fly and they ceased not saying, holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty. Hmm. Yeah. Job said, mine eyes will behold him.

[John Weaver] So there will be a time. In eternity, when our faith will become sight, so we will see not only heaven itself, but we will see God as he is. Now. I've got one other verse, I'm going to quote it, then I'm going to give you a quote. this verse by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The verse is found in Isaiah 33 and verse 17. The verse says this, Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty.

[John Weaver] They shall behold the land that is very far off. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty. Then Spurgeon said this, As I pause over this verse, I would like to ask every hearer here whether he expects to see the King with joy. You never will, unless you see Him here on earth as your Savior. You may see Him by faith in His sufferings, or else you will never see Him by sight in His beauty.

[John Weaver] Let the question go along these seats. Shall mine eyes see the King in His beauty? Or must I say with Balaam, I shall see him, but not nigh, I shall behold him, but not now. I shall see him as a judge, but his beauty shall increase my alarm. I shall flee from him and say to the rocks and to the hills, hide me from the face of him that sitteth on the throne.

[John Weaver] Dear hearer, I hope that you will not be, I hope that that will not be your dreadful lot, but you will look to him this morning by faith. For still he is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him. So he's commenting on, thine eye shall see the king in his beauty.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I believe Hebrews chapter 11 verifies the fact in reality and the truth of what the apostle Paul said But the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal. When you stop and consider this simple truth that everything that you and I see is temporal. Even the heavens and the earth are temporal.

[John Weaver] How can I say that? Well, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Peter, 2 Peter, 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 7, 2 Peter 3 and verse 7. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, that's what we've got right now, the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved under the fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. So the Bible talks about this earth being purged by fire, and if you will skip down to verse 10, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved or loosed, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation in godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, where the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat."

[John Weaver] Are you looking? Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. That is why I said that I would comment just one more time on Revelation 21 and verse 1 when He said, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heavens and the first earth were passed away, and there is no more sea." So everything that we see is basically temporal. It will pass away. It will fade away.

[John Weaver] So only that which is unseen is eternal. That is why the Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3, set your affection on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. and not on things below. It's by faith that we see the future judgments coming down the road. It's by faith that we see the reality of heaven. It's by faith that we see the reality of God. That is why you cannot convince anyone who is an atheist or anyone who is an unbeliever that God is. because God can only be perceived by faith. You remember Hebrews 11, verse six, he that cometh to God must what?

[John Weaver] First, believe that he is. And secondly, that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. So it's those things that are unseen that are real and genuine. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Lord, we pray that you would enable us to look upon things that are unseen. Help us to see the invisible by faith. Help us to believe, prepare our hearts. And may we trust in thee as Abraham did. Giving ourselves up totally and completely unto thee.

[John Weaver] Knowing that thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. We love thee this day and acknowledge thy promise and thy son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and whose name we give thee praise and thanks and whose name we ask these things. Amen. Amen.

[John Weaver] ♪

Unseen Things - Part 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	LUDX8kX2wdk
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2022-10-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 124: Unseen Things — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	79

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review of Faith

Weaver reviews the concept of faith as substance and evidence, and recaps the previous message on unseen future judgments, emphasizing that faith perceives both future and present judgments from God.

And today to Hebrews chapter 11, and the main text is verses 8 through 10. This is the second part of the message of unseen things. So notice, if you would, Hebrews chapter 11, beginning there with verse 8. The Scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:8-10

"By faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. By faith, Abraham did this now, and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

You'll remember last week I told you that faith is a substance. Hupostasis is the Greek word. It means that which is substantial. It is usually translated as a foundation. And the Scripture tells us that faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And of course, it is actually used as a title deed as well. So the Scripture tells us that we live by faith and not by sight. And we're to see eternal and real things by faith and by faith alone. You remember the passage that I quoted from 2 Corinthians chapter 4, where the apostle Paul said, "The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." And so not only did I tell you last week that faith is unseen—you cannot see it as an essence, you may see the manifestation of it, the fruit of it, which this chapter is all about—but you cannot see faith in and of itself.

That's why even James said, "Show me thy faith and I'll show you my faith by my works." But you remember also that we covered verse 7, where the Bible says, "By faith, Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet." And so most of the message actually dealt with the fact that future judgments are unseen, and we see those things coming only by faith, because we understand that God is not mocked. We understand that God is righteous. We understand that God is holy. And we understand that God cannot condone sin or look upon sin condoningly whatsoever. So faith sees and understands the future judgments of God. And faith not only sees and understands the future judgments of God, but faith sees and understands present judgments. It's interesting how so many times that present judgments, although they are viewed as judgments, particularly or catastrophes or disasters, they're not necessarily viewed as judgments from God.

Scripture Reading — Amos 4

So consider, if you would, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, the droughts, the floods, the tsunamis, and all of these things. And they're the result of mother nature or climate change. In other words, we do not view these things as coming from the hand of God, which the Scripture does indeed tell us that they are, which should help you to recall Amos chapter 4, where God sent all of the drought, all the floods and all the famine and all the pestilence. And after each one, He said, "Yet you have not returned unto Me." So usually if some of these natural disasters, as the world calls them, were seen as judgments of God and coming from the hand of God, it would be also a call for repentance. But the Bible also tells us in Proverbs 22 and verse 3, that a prudent man foresees the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. Also in Hebrews 2 and verse 3, the question is asked, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Now, everything in the Word of God is important.

Abraham as the Father of Believers

Weaver establishes the link between Abraham and Christians through Romans 4:11 and Galatians 3:16,29, showing that believers are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise through Christ.

And the truth of the matter is this: we not only need to take very serious consideration, not only the promises of God, but the threatenings and the warnings of God as well. So today I want to just really hammer down on a promise that was given to Abraham. And since this promise was given to Abraham, it was also given to us as well. So before I go back and read verses 8 through 10 again, I want to show you the connection between Abraham and Christians. So if you will turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Romans chapter 4, and look, if you would please, at verse 11. Romans chapter 4. Note, if you would please, verse 11. I want you to see that there is a link between Abraham and Christians. The Bible tells you in Romans 4 and verse 11, "And he, that is Abraham, received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed

unto them also." So the Bible tells us that Abraham is the father of all of those who believe. So there should be a likeness between Abraham and Christians in the fact that He is our Father. The children should act like the Father, and certainly should look like the Father as well. But there's a second reason why children should act like Abraham, that is, live by faith. And that is because the true seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ. So as Christians then, we are to be like Christ, because Christ is indeed our Redeemer. If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Look if you would first of all at verse 16. Galatians 3 and verse 16. Note if you would the certainty of this passage. The Bible says, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

" So all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were promises given to Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ is the true Son and the true seed of Abraham. That's why Matthew 1:1 begins "

the beginning of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham." So, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the true seed. Now, please keep in mind that Romans 4 and verse 17 told us that Abraham is the father of all them that believe. Now skip down to verse 29 in Galatians chapter 3, and look at this. Galatians 3 verse 29, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise."

So everything that God gave in promise to Abraham, He gave to his seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, now, since we're in the Lord Jesus Christ, all of those promises are ours. We are heirs according to the promise. So that is why the Bible says in 1 John 4 and verse 17, "Herein is love made perfect. Here is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world." So as the children of Abraham, we live by faith like Abraham did; as the children of Jesus Christ, then we live and act and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. So Abraham walked by faith and so must we. So we do not live or walk by sight, we walk by faith. Now the physical illustration of Abraham leaving his home and traveling into Canaan land is in reality a picture. It is a picture of our leaving our earthly home and traveling to our heavenly home.

Abraham's Call and Obedience

Weaver reads Hebrews 11:8-10 and Genesis 12:1-2, highlighting that Abraham left everything familiar to go to an unknown land, illustrating the call to leave the visible for the invisible.

Now you're going to ask, how can I say that? Well, look back in Hebrews 11, and let's begin with verse 8 again. I want you to watch this, because there's a connection here that's very plain. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Now look at verse 10. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and Maker is God." Now, before I get to this passage, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 12, and look at verses 1 and 2, because this is where God came to Abram when he was in Ur of the Chaldees. And I want you to note what God said to him specifically. Note, if you would, Genesis 12, verse 1. "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing." But note, God said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." So we should take note of the fact that Abram was to leave his country. He was to leave his kindred, those of his father's house.

He was to leave everything that he knew, everything that he had experienced, everything that he could see, everything that he could feel, everything that had a hold on him, and everything on which he had a hold. He was to leave all of that and travel to a land that was totally, completely unknown to him. I want to give you a couple of quotes. This first one is from Albert Barnes. He's going to make six points, and I want you to listen to each one of these so that you can see the complexity that was involved when God told Abram to get out of his country. Barnes says this. Number one, "The journey which he undertook was then a long and dangerous one.

The Difficulty and Faith of Abraham's Journey

Weaver quotes Albert Barnes and Andrew Murray to emphasize the human impossibility of Abraham's journey and the divine purpose of training him to trust God alone.

The distance from Haran to Palestine by direct route was not less than 400 miles, probably more than that, but not less than 400 miles. And this journey lay across the vast desert, the Arabian Desert. That journey has always been tedious and perilous, but to see its real difficulty, we must put ourselves into the position into which the world was 4,000 years ago. Now listen, there was no knowledge of the way, no frequent path, no facility for traveling, no turnpike or railway, and such a journey then must have appeared incomparably more perilous than almost anything which could now be undertaken." So you have to remember, there were no travel brochures. There were no travel bureaus. There were no directions. Number two, he was going among strangers. Who they were, he knew not. But the impression could not be but have been made on his mind that they were strangers to religion and that a residence among them would be anything but desirable. Number three, he was leaving country and home and friends, the place of his birth and the graves of his fathers with a moral certainty that he would never see them again. Number four, he had no right to the country which he went to receive, that is, except by God's promise.

He could urge no claim on the ground of discovery or inheritance or conquest at any form or period, but though he went in a peaceful manner and with no power to take it, and could urge no claim to it whatsoever, yet he went with the utmost confidence that it would be his. He did not even expect to buy it. For he had no means to do this, and it seems never to have entered in his mind to bargain for it in any way except for the small portion that he needed for a burying ground. Number five, he had no means of obtaining possession. He had no wealth to purchase it, no armies to conquer it, no title to it which could be enforced before the tribunals of the land. The prospect of obtaining it must have been distant, and probably he saw no means by which it was to be done.

In such a case, listen carefully, his only hope could be found in God. And here's his last one, number six. It is not impossible that the enterprise of that age might have been treated by the friends of the patriarch as perfectly wild and visionary. In other words, they would call him a fanatic. They would call him insane. The prevailing religion evidently was idolatry, and the claim which Abraham set up to a special call from the Most High might have been deemed utterly and entirely fanatical. To start off on a journey through a pathless desert, to leave his country and home and all that he held dear when he himself knew not whither he went, to go with no means of conquest, and with the expectation that the distant and unknown land would be given him, could not have been but have regarded as a singular instance of the visionary hope."

Now listen to this, one last sentence here, actually two. "The whole transaction, therefore, was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation and where all the principles on which men commonly act would have led him to pursue just the contrary course. It is therefore not without reason that the faith of Abraham is so commended." When you stop and consider those six things, the average man, the average intelligent man, would never ever have accomplished such a trip because he would have said, "It's insane, it cannot be done." Now, here's another quote from Andrew Murray, and Andrew hits this from a different perspective because he's trying to teach us the purpose of God in calling Abram like this. And Murray says this. "What was the object of God's thus dealing with Abraham? And what in real truth, the worth and the blessing of his obedience? The call of God was no arbitrary one. As we see into its divine meaning, we shall understand what God asks of us and what our faith must lay hold on.

Man stands between the visible and the invisible. His sin and fall consisted in his having turned from God to the world. His redemption from the power of sin could only be found in giving up the world and setting his whole heart upon God. It was to train him to this, to teach him to find his life and his happiness in God Himself that the call came, 'Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred unto the land that I will show thee.' God wanted to have him alone with himself, separated from all he could cling to or trust in, that he might teach him to find his all in all in himself. And it was by faith. Faith that not only saw the land and the promise connected with it afar off, but saw the living God near to fulfill the promise that Abraham obeyed. The call of God is ever accompanied by the promise. Now listen to this. True faith in the promise is ever joined to obedience to the call. Obedience is of the very essence of faith. Faith is always the power by which a man gives himself up to an unseen object and receives it unto himself. It is of the very nature of things impossible to receive God without receiving His will." Wow. So Abraham then believed God.

He went out not knowing where he went. He placed himself in the hand of God for God to send him wherever God pleased to send him. He subscribed to God's wisdom as the fittest to direct him and submitted himself to His will as the fittest to determine everything concerning himself. Implicit faith and obedience are due to God and to Him alone. So God called him, and if you look back in Hebrews chapter 11, God called him, and the Bible tells us in verse 9, "By faith, He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Now, God had promised Abram the land of Canaan. Yet he lived in that land as in a strange country, and he lived as a stranger there himself. Abraham did not move to Canaan and immediately serve an eviction notice upon all the Canaanites. He did not say, "Get out, this land is mine."

Canaan as a Picture of the Heavenly Country

Weaver explains that Abraham sojourned in Canaan as a stranger, looking for the eternal city built by God, showing that the physical land was a type of the heavenly reality.

No, he did not do that. He lived with them. And here's the thing. The land was his by promise. But he had not yet taken possession of it. He was in it. It was promised to him, but he did not have possession of it. He was just simply living in it as a stranger and as a sojourner. Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this.

Although Canaan was real, literal, and visible—you could see it—Canaan was also a picture. Canaan was just simply the picture of what you and I would call a heavenly reality. It was a picture of that which could not be seen with the visible eyes. So if you look at verse 9, and then we're going to go to verse 10, because you're going to ask, "How can I say that Canaan was a picture of the heavenly country?" Here's how. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." So verse 10 then seems to indicate in reality that most cities do not have foundations, or certainly at least they do not have divine and eternal foundations. So while sojourning in Canaan, which was seen, which that means it was also temporary, Abram then was looking for the Eternal City, the heavenly Canaan, which was built by God alone.

The Heavenly City Described

Weaver quotes Matthew Henry and Arthur Pink on the foundations and nature of the heavenly city, emphasizing its eternal security and divine origin.

Now, I've got two other quotes I want to give you. I want you to look at verse 10 again, because both of these quotes come from verse 10. One is by Matthew Henry. The other is by Arthur W. Pink. So verse 10, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Matthew Henry writes, "The description given of heaven, it is a city, a regular society, well established, well defended, and well supplied. It is a city that has foundations, even the immutable purpose and the almighty power of God, the infinite merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the promise of an everlasting covenant, its own purity, and the perfection of its inhabitants, and it is a city whose builder and maker is God."

Now listen, "He contrived the model. He accordingly made it. And He has laid open a new and living way into it and prepared it for His people. He puts them into possession of it, prefers them in it, and is Himself the substance and felicity of it. Observe the due regard that Abraham had to this heavenly city. He looked for it. He believed that there was such a state. He waited for it.

And in the meantime, he conversed in it by faith. He had exalted and rejoicing hopes that in God's time and way, he should be brought safely into it. The influence this had upon his present conversation, it was a support to him under all the trials of his sojourning state, helped him to patiently bear all the inconveniences of it, and to actively discharge all the duties of it, persevering therein unto the end." Wow. Now, one more quick one, and this is by Arthur W. Pink, and then I'm going to ask you a very important question. Here's what Pink said. "That for which Abraham looked was heaven itself. Here, likened to a city with foundations, in manifest antithesis from the tents, which have no foundations. Various figures are used to express the saint's everlasting portion. It is called an inheritance in 1 Peter 1 and verse 4, to signify the freeness of its tenure.

It is denominated as many mansions in the Father's house, John 14. It is styled a heavenly country, Hebrews 11 verse 16, to signify spaciousness. There are various resemblances between heaven and a city. A city is a civil society that is under government. So in heaven, there is a society of angels and saints ruled by God, Hebrews 12. In Bible days, a city was a place of safety, being surrounded by strong and high walls. So in heaven, we shall be eternally secure from sin, Satan, death, and every enemy. A city is well stocked with provisions. So in heaven, nothing will be lacking, which is good and blessed. The foundations of the heavenly city are eternal—the eternal decree and love of God, the unalterable covenant of grace and Christ Jesus, the rock of ages on which it stands firm and immovable." So, Hebrews chapter 11 is a chapter on faith. And we have read particularly, not just in the faith of Noah now, but the faith of Abraham.

Seeing the Unseen by Faith

Weaver asks how we know heaven is real if we have never seen it, and answers that we know by faith, supported by Hebrews 6:13-19 and 12:22-24, which assure our hope is anchored in Christ.

So here is my question. How are we as Christians like unto Abraham? Abraham was in Canaan. He lived there as a stranger and a sojourner. He could see it. But he could not see the city for which he was really looking. He had to see it by faith and faith alone. So while he was in Canaan, he had the promise, but he did not have the possession. And so it's like us today. We have the promise of heaven, but we're not yet in possession of it.

So let me ask you some questions. And I know the answers, but I'm asking specifically for a reason. Number one, have you ever been to heaven? And the answer is no. Number two, have you ever seen heaven? And the answer is no. Do you know anyone personally that has been there and returned? And the answer is no.

Now you could say, "Well, I know Moses and Elijah did on the Mount of Transfiguration." Yes. And I know Paul was caught up in the third heaven. Yes. But you and I do not know them personally. Neither have we talked to them personally. And you can buy any large number of books on deathbed experiences. And there will be people who will tell you they died and went to heaven and returned. And they will tell you about things being beautiful. They'll tell you about a lot of things.

And let me tell you, as long as their experience might fit with Scripture, it might be valuable just to listen to them, but it's not going to add to Scripture and it's not going to be anything any truer than what we already find in Scripture. So the average person has never seen anything about heaven. Now, the question is this. Since heaven is unseen, how do we know it's real? And the answer is we know it's real by faith.

Now, if you'll skip down to verse 16, because now we're still talking about this wonderful faith of Abraham, the Bible says that

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:16

"now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city."

And yes. The truth of the matter is we do indeed have a description of the eternal state. The Word of God gives us plenty of truth concerning heaven, yet it's still only by faith and faith alone that we believe and see that eternal glory that's given to us by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that our position in heaven is real, genuine, and secure. Let me show you. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 13. Here is one reason that I can be absolutely assured of the reality of heaven and the reality of my reservation there. Okay? Look at it in Hebrews chapter 6, beginning there with verse 13. "For when God made promise to Abraham," oh, here we go again, "...because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." That is the fulfillment of the promise. Hmm. "For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in the which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us." The hope that is set before us. What hope is that? Well, back in verse 15, Abraham patiently endured and finally he obtained the fulfillment of the promise. So we have a hope that we too will find the fulfillment of the promise. Now watch what he says about this hope in verse 19. "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, that is, into the most holy place, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." So here's what he's saying. We can be absolutely sure of the eternality of heaven because not only has God confirmed it by an oath, and it's impossible for God to lie, but also because the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the forerunner, has entered into the holiest of all, and He is there reserving our place.

Remember, He is our head, we are His body. Where He is, is where we're going to be. Now, everybody understands this simple principle. Many times, Alice and I have traveled, and Stephen, Lorraine as well, and we might get on the airline and, uh, Alice would say, "Well, I'm going to go to the bathroom before everybody sits down." Fine. And so there I am sitting and there's that empty space by me. And usually someone's going to stop. "Is that seat taken?" "Yes.

It's reserved for my wife. I'm waiting for her. I'm holding her place. Nobody can have it because it's hers." And so this is what our Lord is doing in the most holy place. He's the forerunner. He's gone there. He's secured it for us. He's reserved that place for us. And therefore, the author of the book of Hebrews says, we now have an anchor of the soul, which is both sure and steadfast. It's not going to change. Now, look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12.

Here's another picture that's given to us. Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 22. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22-24

"And you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

Note, if you would, he says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22-24

"You're come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

And of course, he tells us there's an innumerable company of angels. There's a general assembly and church of the firstborn. There's a judge of all the earth. There's the spirits of just men made perfect, and there's Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. So we have a city, we have a country, we have a kingdom, and we have the Lord Jesus Christ who guarantees our possession.

The Description of the New Jerusalem

Weaver reads Revelation 21 to provide a biblical description of the eternal city, reinforcing that though unseen, it is real and our title deed is secured by Christ.

Scripture Reading — Revelation 21

Now, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21. And I want to take the time to read this entire chapter, because I want you to see that here is indeed a description. And I'm going to come back to verse 1 just a little bit later, but I want you to look at this. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.

And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, For these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials, full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was likened to the stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and the names written therein, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And on the east three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold likened to clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was Jasper, the second, Sapphire, the third, a Chalcedony, the fourth, an Emerald, the fifth, a Sardonyx, the sixth, a Sardius, the seventh, a Chrysolite, the eighth, a Beryl, the ninth, a Topaz, the tenth, a Chrysoprasus, and the eleventh, a Jacinth, and the twelfth, an Amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Every several gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, nor maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

So notice if you would, we have a description of heaven. So I ask this question again, have you seen it? Have you seen the eternal city? And the answer is no. But how do we see it? We see it by faith, because we believe that which God has promised. Although we may not be in possession of it at this particular point in our lives, that possession is just as real, because you remember one of the definitions I gave you of faith, it is not only a substance, it is not only the foundation upon which something is built, it is actually used

oftentimes as a title deed. So we have a title deed to heaven because our place has been secured by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Seeing the Invisible God

Weaver discusses how Moses endured by seeing the invisible God, and how believers see Jesus Christ by faith, citing 1 Peter 1:8 and Job 19:25-27, with a future hope of the beatific vision.

Now, I want you to go back to Hebrews chapter 11, because I'm still talking about things that are unseen. Remember, the Apostle Paul said, "Those things which are seen are temporal, but those which are unseen are eternal." So we know that faith is unseen. We know that future judgments are unseen. We know that heaven is unseen, and yet these things are real, they are genuine. But I want you to notice Hebrews 11 verse 27. So if you want to deny that which is unseen is not real, then you've got yourself a problem. Because in Hebrews 11 verse 27, talking about Moses, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:27

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

So God is clearly invisible. The Bible says that no man has seen and no man can see His face and live.

Now you say, "Elijah saw Him." Yes, Elijah saw His backward parts and God hid him in the cleft of that rock as He passed by. And God said, "You can't see My face. You can see My backward parts." And the same would be of Moses. God spoke to him face to face, but that does not mean that Moses saw God Himself. He certainly saw the presence of God, and obviously the manifestation of God's presence, but the Bible tells us that God is invisible. In 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, the Bible says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory, both now and forever. Amen."

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:17

Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy and look in chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. Having quoted 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, let's now begin reading in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 14. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 14. So Paul writes Timothy and he says this, "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His times He shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." Now, how does one see that which is invisible? Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible. The answer is, we have to see by faith. I want you to turn to two passages. I want you to turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3. And then if you would, go ahead and find John chapter 14.

John chapter 14. And hold that passage if you would. John 14. And look now if you would first, to 1 Timothy chapter 3. Look if you would please at verse 16. 1 Timothy 3 verse 16, "And without controversy"—no arguing over this—"without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory." Now let me emphasize this word again in this passage. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness." Watch, "God was manifest in the flesh."

This refers to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Without controversy, no arguing about it. Want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 14 and let's begin reading there verse 6. John 14 and verse 6. In fact, let's begin with verse 5. In verse 5 Thomas said unto Him, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; how can we know the way?" Jesus said unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also. And from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him." Well, how could they have seen the Father? Because Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Now watch verse 8, "Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long with you? And yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?

The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself. But the Father which dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, or else believe Me, for the very works' sake." Now, notice what our Lord said to Philip. He said, "How long have I been with thee so long a time, and yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? Do you not know that I am God incarnate? If you've seen Me, you have seen the Father."

Now, let me ask you a question. How many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically? I haven't. Where is the Lord Jesus Christ seated right now? The answer is at the right hand of God the Father. Well, how can we see Jesus Christ now? And the answer is by faith alone. Jesus Christ is indeed God in the flesh. That is for sure. And our Lord said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."

Now, I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. I want you to put this together. I want you to watch this. Look in 1 Peter chapter 1, and we're going to read the first nine verses, but I'm going to give you a special emphasis on one verse. So watch this. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 1, so I've asked how many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically, and none of you have. So watch verse 1. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope"—or a living hope—"by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Here's our inheritance.

"To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." So we do have a reservation. "Who are kept by the power of God through faith into salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you're in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than a gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found in the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." Are you looking? Here it is. "Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." So what does the Bible say? "Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing." And finally in verse 9, "receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." So how do we see Jesus Christ? By faith.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 19. I will give you a New Testament quote just momentarily. But I want you to look in Job chapter 19. And what Job said, beginning there in verse 25, Job 19, verse 25. Right before the book of Psalms, you have the book of Job. Job, Psalms, Proverbs. Notice even with Job 19, beginning there, verse 25, look what Job said.

"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me." Note what he said. "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh"—that it would be a resurrected flesh—"I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold Him and not another." You know what our Lord said in Matthew 5 and verse 8, He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Theologically seeing God is called the beatific vision. There's all kinds of gospel songs abounding. And there's all kinds of talk. "Well, when I get to heaven, I'm going to sit down and have a talk with the apostle Paul, or I'm going to talk to Peter, James and John, and I want to see my family and I want to see this and I want to see that." I got news for you. I believe that when we see God, everything else will just about fade in the background. When we see the splendor and the glory and the greatness and the purity.

It's kind of like Isaiah in Isaiah 6, he said, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord high and lifted up, His train filled the temple." You remember the seraphim with six wings, with twain they covered their face, with twain they covered their feet, with twain they did fly. And they ceased not saying, "Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty." Hmm. Yeah. Job said, "Mine eyes will behold Him."

So there will be a time. In eternity, when our faith will become sight, so we will see not only heaven itself, but we will see God as He is. Now, I've got one other verse, I'm going to quote it, then I'm going to give you a quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The verse is found in Isaiah 33 and verse 17. The verse says this, "Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty. They shall behold the land that is very far off. Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty." Then Spurgeon said this, "As I pause over this verse, I would like to ask every hearer here whether he expects to see the King with joy. You never will, unless you see Him here on earth as your Savior. You may see Him by faith in His sufferings, or else you will never see Him by sight in His beauty.

Application: Living for the Eternal

Weaver concludes that everything seen is temporal and will be dissolved, so believers must set their affections on things above and live by faith, trusting God as Abraham did.

Let the question go along these seats. 'Shall mine eyes see the King in His beauty?' Or must I say with Balaam, 'I shall see Him, but not nigh, I shall behold Him, but not now.' I shall see Him as a judge, but His beauty shall increase my alarm. I shall flee from Him and say to the rocks and to the hills, 'Hide me from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne.' Dear hearer, I hope that you will not be—I hope that that will not be your dreadful lot, but you will look to Him this morning by faith. For still He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him." So he's commenting on, "Thine eye shall see the King in His beauty."

Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I believe Hebrews chapter 11 verifies the fact in reality and the truth of what the apostle Paul said, "But the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." When you stop and consider this simple truth that everything that you and I see is temporal. Even the heavens and the earth are temporal. How can I say that? Well, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Peter, 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 7, 2 Peter 3 and verse 7. "But the heavens and the earth, which are now"—that's what we've got right now—"the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." So the Bible talks about this earth being purged by fire, and if you will skip down to verse 10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved"—or loosed—"what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation in godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, where the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat."

Are you looking? "Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." That is why I said that I would comment just one more time on Revelation 21 and verse 1 when He said, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heavens and the first earth were passed away, and there is no more sea." So everything that we see is basically temporal. It will pass away. It will fade away.

So only that which is unseen is eternal. That is why the Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3, "Set your affection on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, and not on things below." It's by faith that we see the future judgments coming down the road. It's by faith that we see the reality of heaven. It's by faith that we see the reality of God. That is why you cannot convince anyone who is an atheist or anyone who is an unbeliever that God is. Because God can only be perceived by faith. You remember Hebrews 11, verse 6, "He that cometh to God must what?

First, believe that He is. And secondly, that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." So it's those things that are unseen that are real and genuine. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And Lord, we pray that You would enable us to look upon things that are unseen. Help us to see the invisible by faith. Help us to believe, prepare our hearts. And may we trust in Thee as Abraham did. Giving ourselves up totally and completely unto Thee.

Knowing that Thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. We love Thee this day and acknowledge Thy promise and Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in whose name we give Thee praise and thanks and in whose name we ask these things. Amen. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Faith as the Substance of Unseen Realities

Summary: Faith is the foundation and title deed for things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, enabling believers to perceive eternal realities.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen' and 'we live by faith and not by sight.'

The Temporal vs. the Eternal

Summary: Everything visible is temporary and will pass away, while the unseen things—God, heaven, and future judgments—are eternal.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 2 Corinthians 4: 'The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal,' and later cites 2 Peter 3 on the dissolution of the heavens and earth.

Abraham as the Model of Faith

Summary: Abraham's obedience in leaving his homeland without knowing his destination exemplifies the life of faith that believers are called to imitate.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Abraham walked by faith and so must we. So we do not live or walk by sight, we walk by faith.'

The Heavenly City as the Believer's Hope

Summary: The eternal city built by God is the true inheritance of believers, and Abraham's sojourn in Canaan pictures the Christian's journey toward heaven.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God,' and 'Canaan was just simply the picture of what you and I would call a heavenly reality.'

Seeing the Invisible by Faith

Summary: Believers perceive God, Christ, and heaven only through faith, not physical sight, and this faith is the means of enduring present trials.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'How does one see that which is invisible? Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible. The answer is, we have to see by faith.'

The Security of the Believer's Hope

Summary: The believer's hope is anchored in the immutable promise and oath of God, and in Christ who has entered heaven as the forerunner.

Evidence: Weaver cites Hebrews 6: 'that by two immutable things... we might have a strong consolation' and 'the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the forerunner, has entered into the holiest of all.'

Key Arguments

Faith perceives unseen judgments

Summary: Faith enables believers to see both future and present judgments of God, which the world attributes to natural causes.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'faith sees and understands the future judgments of God... present judgments... are not necessarily viewed as judgments from God' but Scripture says they are.

Believers are Abraham's seed and heirs

Summary: Through faith in Christ, believers become Abraham's spiritual descendants and inherit the promises given to him.

Evidence: Weaver reads Galatians 3:29: 'And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.'

Abraham's journey was humanly impossible

Summary: The call to leave everything familiar and travel to an unknown land required complete trust in God, as human reasoning would have deemed it insane.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Barnes: 'The whole transaction... was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation.'

Canaan was a type of heaven

Summary: Abraham lived in the promised land as a stranger because he was looking for the eternal city, showing that the physical land pointed to a heavenly reality.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Canaan was also a picture... of that which could not be seen with the visible eyes.'

Heaven is real though unseen

Summary: The reality of heaven is known only by faith, but it is assured by God's promise and Christ's presence there as our forerunner.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Since heaven is unseen, how do we know it's real? And the answer is we know it's real by faith.'

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God

Summary: Jesus Christ is God incarnate, and seeing Him by faith is equivalent to seeing the Father, though physically unseen.

Evidence: Weaver quotes John 14:9: 'He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,' and 1 Peter 1:8: 'Whom having not seen, you love.'

The temporal must give way to the eternal

Summary: Since everything visible will be dissolved, believers must set their affections on the eternal, unseen realities.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Peter 3: 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved... what manner of persons ought you to be.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 11:8-10

Context: Main text describing Abraham's faith in leaving his home and looking for the heavenly city.

2 Corinthians 4:18

Context: Quoted to contrast temporal seen things with eternal unseen things.

James 2:18

Context: Referenced to show that faith is demonstrated by works.

Hebrews 11:7

Context: Noah's faith in unseen future judgment, reviewed from previous sermon.

Amos 4

Context: God sent drought, floods, famine, and pestilence as judgments, yet Israel did not return to Him.

Proverbs 22:3

Context: A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself.

Hebrews 2:3

Context: How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?

Romans 4:11

Context: Abraham is the father of all who believe, linking him to Christians.

Galatians 3:16

Context: The promises were made to Abraham and his seed, which is Christ.

Galatians 3:29

Context: If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

1 John 4:17

Context: As He is, so are we in this world, connecting believers to Christ.

Genesis 12:1-2

Context: God's call to Abram to leave his country and go to a land He would show him.

Hebrews 11:9-10

Context: Abraham sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, looking for the city built by God.

Hebrews 11:16

Context: They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one; God has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 6:13-19

Context: God's promise and oath provide strong consolation; hope is an anchor of the soul, entering within the veil where Jesus has gone as forerunner.

Hebrews 12:22-24

Context: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to Jesus the mediator.

Revelation 21

Context: Description of the new heaven, new earth, and the New Jerusalem.

Hebrews 11:27

Context: Moses endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

1 Timothy 1:17

Context: God is the King eternal, immortal, invisible.

1 Timothy 6:14-16

Context: God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.

Historical References

Albert Barnes

Context: Quoted extensively on the six difficulties of Abraham's journey, emphasizing the human impossibility and the faith required.

Andrew Murray

Context: Quoted on the purpose of God's call to Abraham: to separate him from the visible world and teach him to find his all in God.

Matthew Henry

Context: Quoted on the description of heaven as a city with foundations, built by God, and Abraham's regard for it.

Arthur W. Pink

Context: Quoted on the heavenly city's foundations and its antithesis to tents, and the various figures for the saint's everlasting portion.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Context: Quoted on Isaiah 33:17, urging hearers to see Christ by faith now in order to see Him in His beauty later.

Important Quotes

The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Significance: This is the foundational verse for the entire sermon, contrasting the temporary visible world with the eternal unseen realities.

The whole transaction, therefore, was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation and where all the principles on which men commonly act would have led him to pursue just the contrary course.

Significance: Barnes' summary of Abraham's faith highlights the radical trust required to obey God's call against all human reasoning.

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Significance: This verse is the key to understanding that Abraham's hope was not in the earthly Canaan but in the eternal city built by God.

Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Significance: This verse encapsulates the believer's present relationship with Christ—loving and rejoicing in Him by faith without physical sight.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Significance: Moses' example shows that faith enables endurance by perceiving the invisible God.

Set your affection on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, and not on things below.

Significance: The practical application of the sermon: believers must prioritize eternal, unseen realities over temporal, visible things.

Discussion Questions

How does Abraham's willingness to leave everything familiar challenge our own attachment to the visible and temporal?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that Abraham left his country, kindred, and father's house for an unknown land, trusting God completely.

In what ways do we, like Abraham, live as strangers and sojourners in this world while looking for the heavenly city?

Context: Weaver explains that Abraham dwelt in Canaan as a stranger because his true hope was the eternal city.

How can we cultivate a faith that sees the invisible God and eternal realities more clearly than the visible world?

Context: Weaver discusses Moses enduring by seeing the invisible God and believers seeing Christ by faith.

What does it mean that our hope is an 'anchor of the soul' and how does this anchor sustain us in trials?

Context: Weaver cites Hebrews 6:19, explaining that our hope is sure and steadfast because it is anchored in Christ within the veil.

How should the certainty of the coming dissolution of the heavens and earth affect our daily priorities and decisions?

Context: Weaver reads 2 Peter 3 and urges believers to live in holy conduct and godliness in light of the coming judgment.

Why is it impossible to convince an unbeliever of God's existence through human reasoning alone, and what does this teach us about evangelism?

Context: Weaver states that God can only be perceived by faith, referencing Hebrews 11:6.

Applications

Trust God completely as Abraham did

Summary: Believers are called to give themselves up totally to God, trusting His wisdom and love even when the path is unknown.

Evidence: Weaver prays, 'Help us to believe, prepare our hearts. And may we trust in Thee as Abraham did. Giving ourselves up totally and completely unto Thee.'

Set affections on things above

Summary: Since everything visible is temporary, believers must prioritize eternal, unseen realities over earthly concerns.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Colossians 3: 'Set your affection on things above... and not on things below.'

Live by faith, not by sight

Summary: The Christian life is to be patterned after Abraham's example of walking by faith in God's promises rather than by what is seen.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Abraham walked by faith and so must we. So we do not live or walk by sight, we walk by faith.'

See present calamities as calls to repentance

Summary: Natural disasters should be viewed as judgments from God that call people to return to Him, not merely as random events.

Evidence: Weaver references Amos 4 and says, 'if some of these natural disasters... were seen as judgments of God... it would be also a call for repentance.'

Rejoice in Christ though unseen

Summary: Believers are to love and rejoice in Jesus Christ with joy unspeakable, even without physical sight, because they believe.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Peter 1:8: 'Whom having not seen, you love... yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T21:18:04Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:21:55Z

Clean Transcript

Unseen Things - Part 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

And today to Hebrews chapter 11, and the main text is verses 8 through 10. This is the second part of the message of unseen things. So notice, if you would, Hebrews chapter 11, beginning there with verse 8. The Scripture says, "By faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. By faith, Abraham did this now, and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise."
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"For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." You'll remember last week I told you that faith is a substance. Hupostasis is the Greek word. It means that which is substantial. It is usually translated as a foundation. And the Scripture tells us that faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And of course, it is actually used as a title deed as well. So the Scripture tells us that we live by faith and not by sight. And we're to see eternal and real things by faith and by faith alone. You remember the passage that I quoted from 2 Corinthians chapter 4, where the apostle Paul said, "The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." And so not only did I tell you last week that faith is unseen—you cannot see it as an essence, you may see the manifestation of it, the fruit of it, which this chapter is all about—but you cannot see faith in and of itself.
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That's why even James said, "Show me thy faith and I'll show you my faith by my works." But you remember also that we covered verse 7, where the Bible says, "By faith, Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet." And so most of the message actually dealt with the fact that future judgments are unseen, and we see those things coming only by faith, because we understand that God is not mocked. We understand that God is righteous. We understand that God is holy. And we understand that God cannot condone sin or look upon sin condoningly whatsoever. So faith sees and understands the future judgments of God. And faith not only sees and understands the future judgments of God, but faith sees and understands present judgments. It's interesting how so many times that present judgments, although they are viewed as judgments, particularly or catastrophes or disasters, they're not necessarily viewed as judgments from God.
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So consider, if you would, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, the droughts, the floods, the tsunamis, and all of these things. And they're the result of mother nature or climate change. In other words, we do not view these things as coming from the hand of God, which the Scripture does indeed tell us that they are, which should help you to recall Amos chapter 4, where God sent all of the drought, all the floods and all the famine and all the pestilence.
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And after each one, He said, "Yet you have not returned unto Me." So usually if some of these natural disasters, as the world calls them, were seen as judgments of God and coming from the hand of God, it would be also a call for repentance. But the Bible also tells us in Proverbs 22 and verse 3, that a prudent man foresees the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. Also in Hebrews 2 and verse 3, the question is asked, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Now, everything in the Word of God is important.
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And the truth of the matter is this: we not only need to take very serious consideration, not only the promises of God, but the threatenings and the warnings of God as well. So today I want to just really hammer down on a promise that was given to Abraham. And since this promise was given to Abraham, it was also given to us as well. So before I go back and read verses 8 through 10 again, I want to show you the connection between Abraham and Christians. So if you will turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Romans chapter 4, and look, if you would please, at verse 11. Romans chapter 4. Note, if you would please, verse 11. I want you to see that there is a link between Abraham and Christians. The Bible tells you in Romans 4 and verse 11, "And he, that is Abraham, received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed
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unto them also." So the Bible tells us that Abraham is the father of all of those who believe. So there should be a likeness between Abraham and Christians in the fact that He is our Father. The children should act like the Father, and certainly should look like the Father as well. But there's a second reason why children should act like Abraham, that is, live by faith. And that is because the true seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ. So as Christians then, we are to be like Christ, because Christ is indeed our Redeemer.
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If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Look if you would first of all at verse 16. Galatians 3 and verse 16. Note if you would the certainty of this passage. The Bible says, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ." So all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were promises given to Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ is the true Son and the true seed of Abraham. That's why Matthew 1:1 begins "the beginning of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham." So, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the true seed. Now, please keep in mind that Romans 4 and verse 17 told us that Abraham is the father of all them that believe. Now skip down to verse 29 in Galatians chapter 3, and look at this. Galatians 3 verse 29, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise."
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So everything that God gave in promise to Abraham, He gave to his seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, now, since we're in the Lord Jesus Christ, all of those promises are ours. We are heirs according to the promise. So that is why the Bible says in 1 John 4 and verse 17, "Herein is love made perfect. Here is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world." So as the children of Abraham, we live by faith like Abraham did; as the children of Jesus Christ, then we live and act and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. So Abraham walked by faith and so must we. So we do not live or walk by sight, we walk by faith. Now the physical illustration of Abraham leaving his home and traveling into Canaan land is in reality a picture. It is a picture of our leaving our earthly home and traveling to our heavenly home.
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Now you're going to ask, how can I say that? Well, look back in Hebrews 11, and let's begin with verse 8 again. I want you to watch this, because there's a connection here that's very plain. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Now look at verse 10.
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"For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and Maker is God." Now, before I get to this passage, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 12, and look at verses 1 and 2, because this is where God came to Abram when he was in Ur of the Chaldees. And I want you to note what God said to him specifically. Note, if you would, Genesis 12, verse 1. "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing." But note, God said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." So we should take note of the fact that Abram was to leave his country. He was to leave his kindred, those of his father's house.
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He was to leave everything that he knew, everything that he had experienced, everything that he could see, everything that he could feel, everything that had a hold on him, and everything on which he had a hold. He was to leave all of that and travel to a land that was totally, completely unknown to him. I want to give you a couple of quotes. This first one is from Albert Barnes. He's going to make six points, and I want you to listen to each one of these so that you can see the complexity that was involved when God told Abram to get out of his country. Barnes says this. Number one, "The journey which he undertook was then a long and dangerous one.
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The distance from Haran to Palestine by direct route was not less than 400 miles, probably more than that, but not less than 400 miles. And this journey lay across the vast desert, the Arabian Desert. That journey has always been tedious and perilous, but to see its real difficulty, we must put ourselves into the position into which the world was 4,000 years ago.
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Now listen, there was no knowledge of the way, no frequent path, no facility for traveling, no turnpike or railway, and such a journey then must have appeared incomparably more perilous than almost anything which could now be undertaken." So you have to remember, there were no travel brochures. There were no travel bureaus. There were no directions. Number two, he was going among strangers. Who they were, he knew not. But the impression could not be but have been made on his mind that they were strangers to religion and that a residence among them would be anything but desirable. Number three, he was leaving country and home and friends, the place of his birth and the graves of his fathers with a moral certainty that he would never see them again. Number four, he had no right to the country which he went to receive, that is, except by God's promise.
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He could urge no claim on the ground of discovery or inheritance or conquest at any form or period, but though he went in a peaceful manner and with no power to take it, and could urge no claim to it whatsoever, yet he went with the utmost confidence that it would be his. He did not even expect to buy it. For he had no means to do this, and it seems never to have entered in his mind to bargain for it in any way except for the small portion that he needed for a burying ground. Number five, he had no means of obtaining possession. He had no wealth to purchase it, no armies to conquer it, no title to it which could be enforced before the tribunals of the land. The prospect of obtaining it must have been distant, and probably he saw no means by which it was to be done.
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In such a case, listen carefully, his only hope could be found in God. And here's his last one, number six. It is not impossible that the enterprise of that age might have been treated by the friends of the patriarch as perfectly wild and visionary. In other words, they would call him a fanatic. They would call him insane. The prevailing religion evidently was idolatry, and the claim which Abraham set up to a special call from the Most High might have been deemed utterly and entirely fanatical.
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To start off on a journey through a pathless desert, to leave his country and home and all that he held dear when he himself knew not whither he went, to go with no means of conquest, and with the expectation that the distant and unknown land would be given him, could not have been but have regarded as a singular instance of the visionary hope."
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Now listen to this, one last sentence here, actually two. "The whole transaction, therefore, was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation and where all the principles on which men commonly act would have led him to pursue just the contrary course. It is therefore not without reason that the faith of Abraham is so commended." When you stop and consider those six things, the average man, the average intelligent man, would never ever have accomplished such a trip because he would have said, "It's insane, it cannot be done."
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Now, here's another quote from Andrew Murray, and Andrew hits this from a different perspective because he's trying to teach us the purpose of God in calling Abram like this. And Murray says this. "What was the object of God's thus dealing with Abraham? And what in real truth, the worth and the blessing of his obedience? The call of God was no arbitrary one. As we see into its divine meaning, we shall understand what God asks of us and what our faith must lay hold on.
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Man stands between the visible and the invisible. His sin and fall consisted in his having turned from God to the world. His redemption from the power of sin could only be found in giving up the world and setting his whole heart upon God. It was to train him to this, to teach him to find his life and his happiness in God Himself that the call came, 'Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred unto the land that I will show thee.' God wanted to have him alone with himself, separated from all he could cling to or trust in, that he might teach him to find his all in all in himself.
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And it was by faith. Faith that not only saw the land and the promise connected with it afar off, but saw the living God near to fulfill the promise that Abraham obeyed. The call of God is ever accompanied by the promise. Now listen to this. True faith in the promise is ever joined to obedience to the call. Obedience is of the very essence of faith. Faith is always the power by which a man gives himself up to an unseen object and receives it unto himself. It is of the very nature of things impossible to receive God without receiving His will." Wow. So Abraham then believed God.
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He went out not knowing where he went. He placed himself in the hand of God for God to send him wherever God pleased to send him. He subscribed to God's wisdom as the fittest to direct him and submitted himself to His will as the fittest to determine everything concerning himself. Implicit faith and obedience are due to God and to Him alone. So God called him, and if you look back in Hebrews chapter 11, God called him, and the Bible tells us in verse 9, "By faith, He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Now, God had promised Abram the land of Canaan. Yet he lived in that land as in a strange country, and he lived as a stranger there himself. Abraham did not move to Canaan and immediately serve an eviction notice upon all the Canaanites. He did not say, "Get out, this land is mine."
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No, he did not do that. He lived with them. And here's the thing. The land was his by promise. But he had not yet taken possession of it. He was in it. It was promised to him, but he did not have possession of it. He was just simply living in it as a stranger and as a sojourner. Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this.
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Although Canaan was real, literal, and visible—you could see it—Canaan was also a picture. Canaan was just simply the picture of what you and I would call a heavenly reality. It was a picture of that which could not be seen with the visible eyes. So if you look at verse 9, and then we're going to go to verse 10, because you're going to ask, "How can I say that Canaan was a picture of the heavenly country?" Here's how. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
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For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." So verse 10 then seems to indicate in reality that most cities do not have foundations, or certainly at least they do not have divine and eternal foundations. So while sojourning in Canaan, which was seen, which that means it was also temporary, Abram then was looking for the Eternal City, the heavenly Canaan, which was built by God alone.
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Now, I've got two other quotes I want to give you. I want you to look at verse 10 again, because both of these quotes come from verse 10. One is by Matthew Henry. The other is by Arthur W. Pink. So verse 10, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Matthew Henry writes, "The description given of heaven, it is a city, a regular society, well established, well defended, and well supplied. It is a city that has foundations, even the immutable purpose and the almighty power of God, the infinite merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the promise of an everlasting covenant, its own purity, and the perfection of its inhabitants, and it is a city whose builder and maker is God."
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Now listen, "He contrived the model. He accordingly made it. And He has laid open a new and living way into it and prepared it for His people. He puts them into possession of it, prefers them in it, and is Himself the substance and felicity of it. Observe the due regard that Abraham had to this heavenly city. He looked for it. He believed that there was such a state. He waited for it.
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And in the meantime, he conversed in it by faith. He had exalted and rejoicing hopes that in God's time and way, he should be brought safely into it. The influence this had upon his present conversation, it was a support to him under all the trials of his sojourning state, helped him to patiently bear all the inconveniences of it, and to actively discharge all the duties of it, persevering therein unto the end." Wow.
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Now, one more quick one, and this is by Arthur W. Pink, and then I'm going to ask you a very important question. Here's what Pink said. "That for which Abraham looked was heaven itself. Here, likened to a city with foundations, in manifest antithesis from the tents, which have no foundations. Various figures are used to express the saint's everlasting portion. It is called an inheritance in 1 Peter 1 and verse 4, to signify the freeness of its tenure.
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It is denominated as many mansions in the Father's house, John 14. It is styled a heavenly country, Hebrews 11 verse 16, to signify spaciousness. There are various resemblances between heaven and a city. A city is a civil society that is under government. So in heaven, there is a society of angels and saints ruled by God, Hebrews 12. In Bible days, a city was a place of safety, being surrounded by strong and high walls. So in heaven, we shall be eternally secure from sin, Satan, death, and every enemy. A city is well stocked with provisions. So in heaven, nothing will be lacking, which is good and blessed. The foundations of the heavenly city are eternal—the eternal decree and love of God, the unalterable covenant of grace and Christ Jesus, the rock of ages on which it stands firm and immovable." So, Hebrews chapter 11 is a chapter on faith. And we have read particularly, not just in the faith of Noah now, but the faith of Abraham.
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So here is my question. How are we as Christians like unto Abraham? Abraham was in Canaan. He lived there as a stranger and a sojourner. He could see it. But he could not see the city for which he was really looking. He had to see it by faith and faith alone. So while he was in Canaan, he had the promise, but he did not have the possession. And so it's like us today. We have the promise of heaven, but we're not yet in possession of it.
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So let me ask you some questions. And I know the answers, but I'm asking specifically for a reason. Number one, have you ever been to heaven? And the answer is no. Number two, have you ever seen heaven? And the answer is no. Do you know anyone personally that has been there and returned? And the answer is no.
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Now you could say, "Well, I know Moses and Elijah did on the Mount of Transfiguration." Yes. And I know Paul was caught up in the third heaven. Yes. But you and I do not know them personally. Neither have we talked to them personally. And you can buy any large number of books on deathbed experiences. And there will be people who will tell you they died and went to heaven and returned. And they will tell you about things being beautiful. They'll tell you about a lot of things.
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And let me tell you, as long as their experience might fit with Scripture, it might be valuable just to listen to them, but it's not going to add to Scripture and it's not going to be anything any truer than what we already find in Scripture. So the average person has never seen anything about heaven.
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Now, the question is this. Since heaven is unseen, how do we know it's real? And the answer is we know it's real by faith.
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Now, if you'll skip down to verse 16, because now we're still talking about this wonderful faith of Abraham, the Bible says that "now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city." And yes. The truth of the matter is we do indeed have a description of the eternal state. The Word of God gives us plenty of truth concerning heaven, yet it's still only by faith and faith alone that we believe and see that eternal glory that's given to us by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that our position in heaven is real, genuine, and secure. Let me show you.
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I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 13. Here is one reason that I can be absolutely assured of the reality of heaven and the reality of my reservation there. Okay? Look at it in Hebrews chapter 6, beginning there with verse 13. "For when God made promise to Abraham," oh, here we go again, "...because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." That is the fulfillment of the promise. Hmm. "For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife.
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Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in the which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us." The hope that is set before us. What hope is that? Well, back in verse 15, Abraham patiently endured and finally he obtained the fulfillment of the promise. So we have a hope that we too will find the fulfillment of the promise. Now watch what he says about this hope in verse 19.
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"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, that is, into the most holy place, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." So here's what he's saying. We can be absolutely sure of the eternality of heaven because not only has God confirmed it by an oath, and it's impossible for God to lie, but also because the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the forerunner, has entered into the holiest of all, and He is there reserving our place.
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Remember, He is our head, we are His body. Where He is, is where we're going to be.
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Now, everybody understands this simple principle. Many times, Alice and I have traveled, and Stephen, Lorraine as well, and we might get on the airline and, uh, Alice would say, "Well, I'm going to go to the bathroom before everybody sits down." Fine. And so there I am sitting and there's that empty space by me. And usually someone's going to stop. "Is that seat taken?" "Yes.
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It's reserved for my wife. I'm waiting for her. I'm holding her place. Nobody can have it because it's hers." And so this is what our Lord is doing in the most holy place. He's the forerunner. He's gone there. He's secured it for us. He's reserved that place for us. And therefore, the author of the book of Hebrews says, we now have an anchor of the soul, which is both sure and steadfast. It's not going to change. Now, look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12.
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Here's another picture that's given to us. Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 22. The Bible says, "And you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and the spirits of just men
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made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel." Note, if you would, he says, "You're come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." And of course, he tells us there's an innumerable company of angels. There's a general assembly and church of the firstborn. There's a judge of all the earth. There's the spirits of just men made perfect, and there's Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. So we have a city, we have a country, we have a kingdom, and we have the Lord Jesus Christ who guarantees our possession.
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Now, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21. And I want to take the time to read this entire chapter, because I want you to see that here is indeed a description. And I'm going to come back to verse 1 just a little bit later, but I want you to look at this. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.
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And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, For these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
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But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials, full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.
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And her light was likened to the stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and the names written therein, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And on the east three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
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And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold likened to clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was Jasper, the second, Sapphire, the third, a Chalcedony, the fourth, an Emerald, the fifth, a Sardonyx, the sixth, a Sardius, the seventh, a Chrysolite, the eighth, a Beryl, the ninth, a Topaz, the tenth, a Chrysoprasus, and the eleventh, a Jacinth, and the twelfth, an Amethyst.
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And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Every several gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, nor maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."
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So notice if you would, we have a description of heaven. So I ask this question again, have you seen it? Have you seen the eternal city? And the answer is no. But how do we see it? We see it by faith, because we believe that which God has promised. Although we may not be in possession of it at this particular point in our lives, that possession is just as real, because you remember one of the definitions I gave you of faith, it is not only a substance, it is not only the foundation upon which something is built, it is actually used
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oftentimes as a title deed. So we have a title deed to heaven because our place has been secured by the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now, I want you to go back to Hebrews chapter 11, because I'm still talking about things that are unseen. Remember, the Apostle Paul said, "Those things which are seen are temporal, but those which are unseen are eternal." So we know that faith is unseen. We know that future judgments are unseen. We know that heaven is unseen, and yet these things are real, they are genuine. But I want you to notice Hebrews 11 verse 27. So if you want to deny that which is unseen is not real, then you've got yourself a problem. Because in Hebrews 11 verse 27, talking about Moses, the Bible says, "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible." So God is clearly invisible. The Bible says that no man has seen and no man can see His face and live.
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Now you say, "Elijah saw Him." Yes, Elijah saw His backward parts and God hid him in the cleft of that rock as He passed by. And God said, "You can't see My face. You can see My backward parts." And the same would be of Moses. God spoke to him face to face, but that does not mean that Moses saw God Himself. He certainly saw the presence of God, and obviously the manifestation of God's presence, but the Bible tells us that God is invisible. In 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, the Bible says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory, both now and forever. Amen."
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Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy and look in chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. Having quoted 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, let's now begin reading in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 14. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 14. So Paul writes Timothy and he says this, "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His times He shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." Now, how does one see that which is invisible? Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible. The answer is, we have to see by faith. I want you to turn to two passages. I want you to turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3. And then if you would, go ahead and find John chapter 14.
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John chapter 14. And hold that passage if you would. John 14. And look now if you would first, to 1 Timothy chapter 3. Look if you would please at verse 16. 1 Timothy 3 verse 16, "And without controversy"—no arguing over this—"without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory." Now let me emphasize this word again in this passage. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness." Watch, "God was manifest in the flesh."
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This refers to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Without controversy, no arguing about it. Want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 14 and let's begin reading there verse 6. John 14 and verse 6. In fact, let's begin with verse 5. In verse 5 Thomas said unto Him, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; how can we know the way?" Jesus said unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.
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No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also. And from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him." Well, how could they have seen the Father? Because Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Now watch verse 8, "Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long with you? And yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?
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The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself. But the Father which dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, or else believe Me, for the very works' sake."
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Now, notice what our Lord said to Philip. He said, "How long have I been with thee so long a time, and yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? Do you not know that I am God incarnate? If you've seen Me, you have seen the Father."
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Now, let me ask you a question. How many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically? I haven't. Where is the Lord Jesus Christ seated right now? The answer is at the right hand of God the Father. Well, how can we see Jesus Christ now? And the answer is by faith alone. Jesus Christ is indeed God in the flesh. That is for sure. And our Lord said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."
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Now, I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. I want you to put this together. I want you to watch this. Look in 1 Peter chapter 1, and we're going to read the first nine verses, but I'm going to give you a special emphasis on one verse. So watch this. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 1, so I've asked how many of you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically, and none of you have. So watch verse 1. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope"—or a living hope—"by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Here's our inheritance.
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"To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." So we do have a reservation. "Who are kept by the power of God through faith into salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you're in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than a gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found in the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." Are you looking? Here it is.
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"Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." So what does the Bible say? "Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing." And finally in verse 9, "receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." So how do we see Jesus Christ? By faith.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 19. I will give you a New Testament quote just momentarily. But I want you to look in Job chapter 19. And what Job said, beginning there in verse 25, Job 19, verse 25. Right before the book of Psalms, you have the book of Job. Job, Psalms, Proverbs. Notice even with Job 19, beginning there, verse 25, look what Job said.
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"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me." Note what he said. "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh"—that it would be a resurrected flesh—"I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold Him and not another." You know what our Lord said in Matthew 5 and verse 8, He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Theologically seeing God is called the beatific vision.
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There's all kinds of gospel songs abounding. And there's all kinds of talk. "Well, when I get to heaven, I'm going to sit down and have a talk with the apostle Paul, or I'm going to talk to Peter, James and John, and I want to see my family and I want to see this and I want to see that." I got news for you. I believe that when we see God, everything else will just about fade in the background. When we see the splendor and the glory and the greatness and the purity.
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It's kind of like Isaiah in Isaiah 6, he said, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord high and lifted up, His train filled the temple." You remember the seraphim with six wings, with twain they covered their face, with twain they covered their feet, with twain they did fly. And they ceased not saying, "Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty." Hmm. Yeah. Job said, "Mine eyes will behold Him."
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So there will be a time. In eternity, when our faith will become sight, so we will see not only heaven itself, but we will see God as He is. Now, I've got one other verse, I'm going to quote it, then I'm going to give you a quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The verse is found in Isaiah 33 and verse 17. The verse says this, "Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty.
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They shall behold the land that is very far off. Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty." Then Spurgeon said this, "As I pause over this verse, I would like to ask every hearer here whether he expects to see the King with joy. You never will, unless you see Him here on earth as your Savior. You may see Him by faith in His sufferings, or else you will never see Him by sight in His beauty.
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Let the question go along these seats. 'Shall mine eyes see the King in His beauty?' Or must I say with Balaam, 'I shall see Him, but not nigh, I shall behold Him, but not now.' I shall see Him as a judge, but His beauty shall increase my alarm. I shall flee from Him and say to the rocks and to the hills, 'Hide me from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne.'
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Dear hearer, I hope that you will not be—I hope that that will not be your dreadful lot, but you will look to Him this morning by faith. For still He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him." So he's commenting on, "Thine eye shall see the King in His beauty."
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Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I believe Hebrews chapter 11 verifies the fact in reality and the truth of what the apostle Paul said, "But the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." When you stop and consider this simple truth that everything that you and I see is temporal. Even the heavens and the earth are temporal.
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How can I say that? Well, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Peter, 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 7, 2 Peter 3 and verse 7. "But the heavens and the earth, which are now"—that's what we've got right now—"the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." So the Bible talks about this earth being purged by fire, and if you will skip down to verse 10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved"—or loosed—"what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation in godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, where the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat."
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Are you looking? "Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." That is why I said that I would comment just one more time on Revelation 21 and verse 1 when He said, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heavens and the first earth were passed away, and there is no more sea." So everything that we see is basically temporal. It will pass away. It will fade away.
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So only that which is unseen is eternal. That is why the Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3, "Set your affection on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, and not on things below." It's by faith that we see the future judgments coming down the road. It's by faith that we see the reality of heaven. It's by faith that we see the reality of God. That is why you cannot convince anyone who is an atheist or anyone who is an unbeliever that God is. Because God can only be perceived by faith. You remember Hebrews 11, verse 6, "He that cometh to God must what?
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First, believe that He is. And secondly, that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." So it's those things that are unseen that are real and genuine. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And Lord, we pray that You would enable us to look upon things that are unseen. Help us to see the invisible by faith. Help us to believe, prepare our hearts. And may we trust in Thee as Abraham did. Giving ourselves up totally and completely unto Thee.
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Knowing that Thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. We love Thee this day and acknowledge Thy promise and Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in whose name we give Thee praise and thanks and in whose name we ask these things. Amen. Amen.
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♪
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T21:18:04Z

Unseen Things - Part 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his series on 'Unseen Things' by examining the faith of Abraham from Hebrews 11:8-10. He emphasizes that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and that believers, like Abraham, are called to live by faith, not by sight. Abraham's journey from Ur to Canaan serves as a picture of the Christian's journey from this temporal world to the eternal heavenly city. The sermon highlights that while heaven, God, and future judgments are unseen, they are real and eternal, and believers perceive them only by faith. The promise given to Abraham is also given to believers through Christ, and our hope is anchored in the finished work of Jesus, who has entered the heavenly sanctuary as our forerunner. The message concludes with an exhortation to set our affections on things above and to trust God completely, as Abraham did.

Introduction and Review of Faith

Weaver reviews the concept of faith as substance and evidence, and recaps the previous message on unseen future judgments, emphasizing that faith perceives both future and present judgments from God.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:8-10

"By faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. By faith, Abraham did this now, and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Scripture Reading — Amos 4

So consider, if you would, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, the droughts, the floods, the tsunamis, and all of these things. And they're the result of mother nature or climate change. In other words, we do not view these things as coming from the hand of God, which the Scripture does indeed tell us that they are, which should help you to recall Amos chapter 4, where God sent all of the drought, all the floods and all the famine and all the pestilence. And after each one, He said, "Yet you have not returned unto Me." So usually if some of these natural disasters, as the world calls them, were seen as judgments of God and coming from the hand of God, it would be also a call for repentance. But the Bible also tells us in Proverbs 22 and verse 3, that a prudent man foresees the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. Also in Hebrews 2 and verse 3, the question is asked, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Now, everything in the Word of God is important.

Abraham as the Father of Believers

Weaver establishes the link between Abraham and Christians through Romans 4:11 and Galatians 3:16,29, showing that believers are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise through Christ.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

" So all of the promises that God gave to Abraham and his seed were promises given to Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ is the true Son and the true seed of Abraham. That's why Matthew 1:1 begins "

Abraham's Call and Obedience

Weaver reads Hebrews 11:8-10 and Genesis 12:1-2, highlighting that Abraham left everything familiar to go to an unknown land, illustrating the call to leave the visible for the invisible.

The Difficulty and Faith of Abraham's Journey

Weaver quotes Albert Barnes and Andrew Murray to emphasize the human impossibility of Abraham's journey and the divine purpose of training him to trust God alone.

Canaan as a Picture of the Heavenly Country

Weaver explains that Abraham sojourned in Canaan as a stranger, looking for the eternal city built by God, showing that the physical land was a type of the heavenly reality.

The Heavenly City Described

Weaver quotes Matthew Henry and Arthur Pink on the foundations and nature of the heavenly city, emphasizing its eternal security and divine origin.

Seeing the Unseen by Faith

Weaver asks how we know heaven is real if we have never seen it, and answers that we know by faith, supported by Hebrews 6:13-19 and 12:22-24, which assure our hope is anchored in Christ.

Now, if you'll skip down to verse 16, because now we're still talking about this wonderful faith of Abraham, the Bible says that

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:16

"now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city."

Here's another picture that's given to us. Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 22. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22-24

"And you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

Note, if you would, he says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22-24

"You're come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

The Description of the New Jerusalem

Weaver reads Revelation 21 to provide a biblical description of the eternal city, reinforcing that though unseen, it is real and our title deed is secured by Christ.

Scripture Reading — Revelation 21

Now, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21. And I want to take the time to read this entire chapter, because I want you to see that here is indeed a description. And I'm going to come back to verse 1 just a little bit later, but I want you to look at this. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.

oftentimes as a title deed. So we have a title deed to heaven because our place has been secured by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Seeing the Invisible God

Weaver discusses how Moses endured by seeing the invisible God, and how believers see Jesus Christ by faith, citing 1 Peter 1:8 and Job 19:25-27, with a future hope of the beatific vision.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:27

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

So God is clearly invisible. The Bible says that no man has seen and no man can see His face and live.

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:17

Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy and look in chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. Having quoted 1 Timothy 1 and verse 17, let's now begin reading in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 14. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 14. So Paul writes Timothy and he says this, "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His times He shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." Now, how does one see that which is invisible? Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible. The answer is, we have to see by faith. I want you to turn to two passages. I want you to turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3. And then if you would, go ahead and find John chapter 14.

Application: Living for the Eternal

Weaver concludes that everything seen is temporal and will be dissolved, so believers must set their affections on things above and live by faith, trusting God as Abraham did.

Unseen Things - Part 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	LUDX8kX2wdk
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2022-10-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 124: Unseen Things — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	79

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review of Faith: Weaver reviews the concept of faith as substance and evidence, and recaps the previous message on unseen future judgments, emphasizing that faith perceives both future and present judgments from God.
Abraham as the Father of Believers: Weaver establishes the link between Abraham and Christians through Romans 4:11 and Galatians 3:16,29, showing that believers are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise through Christ.
Abraham's Call and Obedience: Weaver reads Hebrews 11:8-10 and Genesis 12:1-2, highlighting that Abraham left everything familiar to go to an unknown land, illustrating the call to leave the visible for the invisible.
The Difficulty and Faith of Abraham's Journey: Weaver quotes Albert Barnes and Andrew Murray to emphasize the human impossibility of Abraham's journey and the divine purpose of training him to trust God alone.
Canaan as a Picture of the Heavenly Country: Weaver explains that Abraham sojourned in Canaan as a stranger, looking for the eternal city built by God, showing that the physical land was a type of the heavenly reality.
The Heavenly City Described: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry and Arthur Pink on the foundations and nature of the heavenly city, emphasizing its eternal security and divine origin.
Seeing the Unseen by Faith: Weaver asks how we know heaven is real if we have never seen it, and answers that we know by faith, supported by Hebrews 6:13-19 and 12:22-24, which assure our hope is anchored in Christ.
The Description of the New Jerusalem: Weaver reads Revelation 21 to provide a biblical description of the eternal city, reinforcing that though unseen, it is real and our title deed is secured by Christ.
Seeing the Invisible God: Weaver discusses how Moses endured by seeing the invisible God, and how believers see Jesus Christ by faith, citing 1 Peter 1:8 and Job 19:25-27, with a future hope of the beatific vision.
Application: Living for the Eternal: Weaver concludes that everything seen is temporal and will be dissolved, so believers must set their affections on things above and live by faith, trusting God as Abraham did.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Faith perceives unseen judgments

Faith enables believers to see both future and present judgments of God, which the world attributes to natural causes.

Weaver says, 'faith sees and understands the future judgments of God... present judgments... are not necessarily viewed as judgments from God' but Scripture says they are.

Believers are Abraham's seed and heirs

Through faith in Christ, believers become Abraham's spiritual descendants and inherit the promises given to him.

Weaver reads Galatians 3:29: 'And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.'

Abraham's journey was humanly impossible

The call to leave everything familiar and travel to an unknown land required complete trust in God, as human reasoning would have deemed it insane.

Weaver quotes Barnes: 'The whole transaction... was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation.'

Canaan was a type of heaven

Abraham lived in the promised land as a stranger because he was looking for the eternal city, showing that the physical land pointed to a heavenly reality.

Weaver states, 'Canaan was also a picture... of that which could not be seen with the visible eyes.'

Heaven is real though unseen

The reality of heaven is known only by faith, but it is assured by God's promise and Christ's presence there as our forerunner.

Weaver says, 'Since heaven is unseen, how do we know it's real? And the answer is we know it's real by faith.'

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God

Jesus Christ is God incarnate, and seeing Him by faith is equivalent to seeing the Father, though physically unseen.

Weaver quotes John 14:9: 'He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,' and 1 Peter 1:8: 'Whom having not seen, you love.'

The temporal must give way to the eternal

Since everything visible will be dissolved, believers must set their affections on the eternal, unseen realities.

Weaver cites 2 Peter 3: 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved... what manner of persons ought you to be.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 11:8-10: Main text describing Abraham's faith in leaving his home and looking for the heavenly city.
2 Corinthians 4:18: Quoted to contrast temporal seen things with eternal unseen things.
James 2:18: Referenced to show that faith is demonstrated by works.
Hebrews 11:7: Noah's faith in unseen future judgment, reviewed from previous sermon.
Amos 4: God sent drought, floods, famine, and pestilence as judgments, yet Israel did not return to Him.
Proverbs 22:3: A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself.
Hebrews 2:3: How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
Romans 4:11: Abraham is the father of all who believe, linking him to Christians.
Galatians 3:16: The promises were made to Abraham and his seed, which is Christ.
Galatians 3:29: If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
1 John 4:17: As He is, so are we in this world, connecting believers to Christ.
Genesis 12:1-2: God's call to Abram to leave his country and go to a land He would show him.
Hebrews 11:9-10: Abraham sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, looking for the city built by God.
Hebrews 11:16: They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one; God has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 6:13-19: God's promise and oath provide strong consolation; hope is an anchor of the soul, entering within the veil where Jesus has gone as forerunner.
Hebrews 12:22-24: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to Jesus the mediator.
Revelation 21: Description of the new heaven, new earth, and the New Jerusalem.
Hebrews 11:27: Moses endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
1 Timothy 1:17: God is the King eternal, immortal, invisible.
1 Timothy 6:14-16: God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.

Historical References

Albert Barnes: Quoted extensively on the six difficulties of Abraham's journey, emphasizing the human impossibility and the faith required.
Andrew Murray: Quoted on the purpose of God's call to Abraham: to separate him from the visible world and teach him to find his all in God.
Matthew Henry: Quoted on the description of heaven as a city with foundations, built by God, and Abraham's regard for it.
Arthur W. Pink: Quoted on the heavenly city's foundations and its antithesis to tents, and the various figures for the saint's everlasting portion.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Quoted on Isaiah 33:17, urging hearers to see Christ by faith now in order to see Him in His beauty later.

Important Quotes

The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

This is the foundational verse for the entire sermon, contrasting the temporary visible world with the eternal unseen realities.

The whole transaction, therefore, was in the highest degree an act of simple confidence in God, where there was no human basis or calculation and where all the principles on which men commonly act would have led him to pursue just the contrary course.

Barnes' summary of Abraham's faith highlights the radical trust required to obey God's call against all human reasoning.

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

This verse is the key to understanding that Abraham's hope was not in the earthly Canaan but in the eternal city built by God.

Whom having not seen, you love. And whom though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

This verse encapsulates the believer's present relationship with Christ—loving and rejoicing in Him by faith without physical sight.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Moses' example shows that faith enables endurance by perceiving the invisible God.

Set your affection on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, and not on things below.

The practical application of the sermon: believers must prioritize eternal, unseen realities over temporal, visible things.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does Abraham's willingness to leave everything familiar challenge our own attachment to the visible and temporal?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that Abraham left his country, kindred, and father's house for an unknown land, trusting God completely.

[Question]

In what ways do we, like Abraham, live as strangers and sojourners in this world while looking for the heavenly city?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Abraham dwelt in Canaan as a stranger because his true hope was the eternal city.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a faith that sees the invisible God and eternal realities more clearly than the visible world?

[Context]

Weaver discusses Moses enduring by seeing the invisible God and believers seeing Christ by faith.

[Question]

What does it mean that our hope is an 'anchor of the soul' and how does this anchor sustain us in trials?

[Context]

Weaver cites Hebrews 6:19, explaining that our hope is sure and steadfast because it is anchored in Christ within the veil.

[Question]

How should the certainty of the coming dissolution of the heavens and earth affect our daily priorities and decisions?

[Context]

Weaver reads 2 Peter 3 and urges believers to live in holy conduct and godliness in light of the coming judgment.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to convince an unbeliever of God's existence through human reasoning alone, and what does this teach us about evangelism?

[Context]

Weaver states that God can only be perceived by faith, referencing Hebrews 11:6.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:21:55Z