Norwegian 2018 (Bibelen - Guds Ord Hverdagsbibelen (Hermon Forlag))
Alle disse døde med troen i hjertet sitt uten å få se Guds løfter oppfylt. Lenge før det skjedde, ante de at det fantes et annet rike – Himmelens rike. De stolte på Gud og så fram til at dette riket skulle bli synlig, samtidig som de selv kjente seg som fremmede og utlendinger på jorden. De lengtet etter dette usynlige riket og kjente at de hadde et annet fedreland – Himmelens land. Hvis de hadde tenkt på det landet de var kommet ut fra, ville de hatt mulighet til å vende tilbake. Men de lengtet etter et bedre land, det landet som finnes i Himmelen. Derfor skammer ikke Gud seg over å bli kalt deres Gud, for Han har gjort i stand en by for dem.
What Does This Mean?
This verse from Hebrews tells us about faithful people who died without seeing the promises they believed in fulfilled, but they saw them coming and embraced their faith, knowing they were just passing through this world.
Explained for Children
Imagine you're on a long trip to see your favorite amusement park. You can't see it yet, but you know it's there. That's like these people who believed in something special that was far away, and even though they couldn’t stay for the fun part, they knew it would be amazing.
Historical Background
The Book of Hebrews was likely written by Paul or someone influenced by his teachings to Jewish Christians around AD 60-70. It addresses a community facing persecution who needed encouragement in their faith and perseverance.
Living It Out Today
Imagine you're working on a project at work that won't be completed until after you've moved to another department. You keep believing in its success even though you know you won’t see the final results, much like these faithful people.
'These all' refers to the faithful individuals mentioned earlier in chapter 11, such as Abraham and Sarah, who lived their lives believing in God's promises even though they did not see them fulfilled.
What were the 'promises' these people didn't receive?
The promises could refer to various blessings or outcomes that believers anticipated but wouldn’t experience themselves, such as the fulfillment of divine plans for God's people or the coming of Christ.
How can we see this verse apply in our daily lives?
We can apply this by holding onto faith and hope even when outcomes are delayed. Just like those faithful individuals, we trust that what we believe in will come true despite not seeing it right away.
What does 'strangers and pilgrims on the earth' mean?
'Strangers and pilgrims' means that these believers saw themselves as temporary residents on Earth. Their ultimate home was heaven, so they were always moving toward a greater destination beyond this world.