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Hebrews 11:16
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Hebrews 11:16 Meaning and Commentary
But now they desire a better country
Which is not to be understood of the then present time, in which the apostle wrote; for the patriarchs, of whom he speaks, were not then on earth, nor in any third place between heaven and earth; they were then in heaven; and though there are indeed in heaven desires after perfect happiness, in soul and body; yet this intends the desires of these saints when on earth, and which are common to all believers in the present state of things; who, as the patriarchs desired a better country than Chaldea, or even Canaan itself, so they desire a better country than this world; and such is heaven: it is on high; here are no noxious and pestilential vapours, no mists or fogs beclouding, no storms and tempests, but it is full of light and glory; having the delightful breezes of divine love, and the comfortable gales of the blessed Spirit; here is no heat of persecution, nor coldness, nor chills of affection; here is plenty of most delicious fruits, no hunger nor thirst; and here are riches, which are solid, satisfying, durable, safe and sure: many are the liberties and privileges here enjoyed; here is a freedom from a body subject to diseases and death, from a body of sin and death, from Satan's temptations, from all doubts, fears, and unbelief, and from all sorrows and afflictions; the inhabitants of it are the spirits of just men made perfect, angels, God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and Christ in human nature; upon all which accounts it is abundantly the better country, and as it is explained,
that is, an heavenly;
an inheritance in heaven, an house eternal in the heavens, the kingdom of heaven; and it is no wonder that it should be desired by such who know it, and the nature of it: the word denotes a vehement desire; and it is such, that the saints desire to depart from this world, and go unto it; which shows that they are weaned from this, and have seen something glorious in another. Remarkable is the saying of Anaxagoras F21 who, when one said to him, hast thou no regard to thy country? answered, I have, and that the greatest, pointing with his fingers towards heaven; and, says Philo the Jew F23, the soul of every wise man has heaven for his country, and the earth as a strange place:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;
their covenant God and Father; (See Gill on Hebrews 8:10), even though he is the God of the whole earth;
for he hath prepared for them a city;
in his council and covenant, and by his Son; (See Gill on Hebrews 11:10). This proves that he is not ashamed of the relation he stands in to them, since he has made a provision for them to dwell with him to all eternity.
F21 Laert. in Vit. Anaxag. p. 92.
F23 De Agricultura, p. 196. Vid. ib. de Confus. Ling. p. 331.