Hebrews 11:15 Study Bible: If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

◄ Hebrews 11:15 ►

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return
If they had been thinking
The phrase "If they had been thinking" suggests a deliberate and conscious reflection. The Greek word used here is "emnemoneuon," which implies a mindful remembrance or consideration. This indicates that the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were not preoccupied with their past or the land they left behind. Their focus was on the promises of God and the future He had set before them. This teaches us about the importance of where we set our minds and hearts, encouraging believers to focus on God's promises rather than past comforts or securities.

of the country they had left
The "country they had left" refers to the land of Ur of the Chaldeans, from which Abraham was called by God. Historically, Ur was a prosperous and advanced city, rich in culture and resources. Yet, Abraham and his descendants chose to leave it behind, demonstrating their faith and obedience to God's call. This highlights the theme of pilgrimage and the willingness to forsake earthly securities for the sake of a divine promise. It serves as a reminder that believers are called to be sojourners in this world, looking forward to a heavenly homeland.

they would have had opportunity to return
The phrase "they would have had opportunity to return" underscores the idea of free will and choice. The Greek word "kairos" for "opportunity" suggests a favorable or opportune time. The patriarchs had the chance to go back to their former life, yet they chose not to. This decision reflects their unwavering faith and commitment to God's promises. It serves as an inspiration for believers to remain steadfast in their faith journey, even when faced with the temptation to return to former ways of life. The verse encourages Christians to persevere, trusting in the greater promises of God rather than succumbing to the allure of past comforts.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Patriarchs
This verse refers to the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who left their homeland in obedience to God's call, seeking a better country—a heavenly one.

2. The Promised Land
The physical land promised to Abraham and his descendants, symbolizing the greater promise of a heavenly homeland.

3. Faith Journey
The journey of faith undertaken by the patriarchs, leaving behind their past and pressing forward to what God had promised.

Teaching Points

The Call to Forward Faith
Just as the patriarchs did not look back to their old country, Christians are called to focus on their heavenly citizenship and not be entangled by past worldly ties.

The Danger of Nostalgia
Longing for the past can hinder spiritual growth. Believers must guard against the temptation to return to old ways that are contrary to God's promises.

The Assurance of a Better Promise
The patriarchs' faith was anchored in the promise of a better country. Christians today have the assurance of eternal life and a heavenly home, which should motivate perseverance.

Living as Pilgrims
Like the patriarchs, believers are pilgrims on earth, called to live with a mindset focused on eternity, influencing how they prioritize their lives and decisions.

Faith in Action
True faith involves action—leaving behind the familiar and comfortable to pursue God's promises, trusting in His faithfulness.

Bible Study Questions

1. What does it mean to "think of the country they had left," and how can this apply to our spiritual journey today?

2. How does the example of the patriarchs' faith challenge you to live differently in your current circumstances?

3. In what ways might nostalgia for the past hinder your spiritual growth, and how can you overcome this?

4. How can the assurance of a "better country" (a heavenly home) influence your daily decisions and priorities?

5. Reflect on a time when you had to leave something behind to follow God's call. How did that experience strengthen your faith?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 12
The call of Abraham to leave his country and go to a land God would show him, illustrating the initial act of faith.

Philippians 3
Paul speaks of forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, paralleling the idea of not looking back to the old life.

Luke 9
Jesus' teaching on the cost of discipleship, emphasizing the need to not look back once one has committed to following Him.

Sermons

Go Back? Never!	Charles Haddon Spurgeon	Hebrews 11:15
The Pilgrim's Longings	Charles Haddon Spurgeon	Hebrews 11:15
The Two Fatherlands	D. Young	Hebrews 11:13-16
A Bright Change	New Cyclopaedia of Illustrations	Hebrews 11:15-16
Desiring Heaven	J. Cumming, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Detaching -- Attaching	F. R. Havergal.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Enlarged Abilities in Heaven	Lectures on Metaphysics.	Hebrews 11:15-16
For Whom Heaven is Prepared	New Cyclopaedia of Illustrations	Hebrews 11:15-16
God not Ashamed to be Called His People's God	T. Boston, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven a Better Country	J. Burns,D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven Better than Earth	J. Quarles.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven Desirable	H. W. Beecher.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven Prepared for the Righteous	A. Bonar.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven Purchased	Cawdray.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven the Country of the Christian's Desire	J. Burns, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven to be Desired		Hebrews 11:15-16
Heaven, What it Is	Baxendale's Anecdotes	Hebrews 11:15-16
Heavenly-Mindedness	R. Price, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Longing for Heaven	B. D. Johns.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Man's True Nobility	Dean Vaughan.	Hebrews 11:15-16
New Senses May be Developed in Heaven	C. Stanford, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
On the Hope of Heaven	John Drysdale, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Ready for Death	Gotthold.	Hebrews 11:15-16
Scripture Better Understood in Heaven	R. Baxter.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Better Country	W. M. Taylor, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Better Country	N. W. Taylor, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Better Country	Homilist	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Better Country	John Kelly.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Better Country	John Doggins.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Christian's Attitude in This World	W. Jones	Hebrews 11:15, 16
The Christian's Right to Heaven	J. Idrisyn Jones.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The City of God, the True Object of Faith Always and Everywhere	D. J. Vaughan, M. A.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The City of the Saints	C. H. Spurgeon.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Desire for a Better Country	R. S. Storrs, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Joy of the Better Country	Miss Marsh.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Law of Righteousness in God Governs His Will	D. D. Sheldon, . D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
The Past and the Future	H. Bonar, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16
What is Heaven	J. Clifford, D. D.	Hebrews 11:15-16

People

Abel, Barak, Cain, David, Egyptians, Enoch, Esau, Gedeon, Gideon, Hebrews, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Jephthae, Jephthah, Joseph, Noah, Pharaoh, Rahab, Samson, Samuel, Sara, Sarah

Places

Egypt, Jericho, Jerusalem, Red Sea

Topics

Chances, Cherished, Forth, Indeed, Kept, Mind, Mindful, Opportunity, Remembrance, Return, Returned, Thinking, Truly, Turning, Whence

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Hebrews 11:15

5191 thought
8723 doubt, results of

Hebrews 11:1-39

5763 attitudes, positive to God
8412 decisions

Hebrews 11:1-40

Hebrews 11:4-28

Hebrews 11:4-38

     4020   life, of faith
     5427   nomads
     5477   property, land
     6109   alienation
     7259   promised land, later history

Hebrews 11:14-15

7212 exile

Hebrews 11:15-16

5542 society, positive

Library

October 15. "Faith is the Evidence of Things not Seen" (Heb. xi. 1).
"Faith is the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. xi. 1). True faith drops its letter in the post-office box, and lets it go. Distrust holds on to a corner of it, and wonders that the answer never comes. I have some letters in my desk that have been written for weeks, but there was some slight uncertainty about the address or the contents, so they are yet unmailed. They have not done either me or anybody else any good yet. They will never accomplish anything until I let them go out of my hands and …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

April 26. "Strangers and Pilgrims" (Heb. xi. 13).
"Strangers and pilgrims" (Heb. xi. 13). If you have ever tried to plough a straight furrow in the country--we are sorry for the man that does not know how to plough and more sorry for the man that is too proud to want to know--you have found it necessary to have two stakes in a line and to drive your horses by these stakes. If you have only one stake before you, you will have no steadying point for your vision, but you can wiggle about without knowing it and make your furrows as crooked as a serpent's …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

February 3. "He Went Out, not Knowing Whither He Went" (Heb. xi. 8).
"He went out, not knowing whither He went" (Heb. xi. 8). It is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith but reasoning. In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw no path upon the sea nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a great chalk line upon the sea; and when we came within twenty miles of land we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three thousand miles …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

January the First the Unknown Journey
"He went out not knowing whither he went." --HEBREWS xi. 6-10. Abram began his journey without any knowledge of his ultimate destination. He obeyed a noble impulse without any discernment of its consequences. He took "one step," and he did not "ask to see the distant scene." And that is faith, to do God's will here and now, quietly leaving the results to Him. Faith is not concerned with the entire chain; its devoted attention is fixed upon the immediate link. Faith is not knowledge of a moral …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The Illusiveness of Life.
Preached June 9, 1850. THE ILLUSIVENESS OF LIFE. "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: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."--Hebrews xi. 8-10. Last Sunday we touched upon …
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

The Pilgrim's Longings
Now, our position is very similar to theirs. As many of us as have believed in Christ have been called out. The very meaning of a church is, "called out by Christ." We have been separated. I trust we know what it is to have gone without the camp, bearing Christ's reproach. Henceforth, in this world we have no home, no true home for our spirits; our home is beyond the flood; we are looking for it amongst the unseen things; we are strangers and sojourners as all our fathers were, dwellers in this wilderness, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 18: 1872

Rahab's Faith
I do think this triumph of faith over sin is not the least here recorded, but that if there be any superiority ascribable to any one of faith's exploits, this is, in some sense, the greatest of all. What! faith, didst thou fight with hideous lust? What! wouldst thou struggle with the fiery passion which sendeth forth flame from human breasts? What! wouldst thou touch with thy hallowed fingers foul and bestial debauchery? "Yea," says faith, "I did encounter this abomination of iniquity; I delivered …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Faith
This is an old law; it is as old as the first man. No sooner were Cain and Abel born into this world, and no sooner had they attained to manhood, than God gave a practical proclamation of this law, that "without faith it is impossible to please him." Cain and Abel, one bright day, erected an altar side by side with each other. Cain fetched of the fruits of the trees and of the abundance of the soil, and placed them upon his altar; Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock, and laid it upon his …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Noah's Faith, Fear, Obedience, and Salvation
We may take pleasure in thinking of Noah as a kind of contrast to Enoch. Enoch was taken away from the evil to come: he saw not the flood, nor heard the wailing of those who were swept away by the waterfloods. His was a delightful deliverance from the harvest of wrath which followed the universal godlessness of the race. It was not his to fight the battle of righteousness to the bitter end; but by a secret rapture he avoided death, and escaped those evil days in which his grandson's lot was cast. …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 36: 1890

The Best Strengthening Medicine
THOSE WHO OUT OF WEAKNESS were made strong are written among the heroes of faith, and are by no means the least of them. Believers "quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong." Who shall tell which of the three grand deeds of faith is the greatest? Many of us may never have to brave the fiery stake, nor to bow our necks upon the block, to die as Paul did; but if we have grace enough to be out of weakness made strong, we shall not be left out of …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Obedience of Faith
"Is there a heart that will not bend To thy divine control? Descend, O sovereign love, descend, And melt that stubborn soul! " Surely, though we have had to mourn our disobedience with many tears and sighs, we now find joy in yielding ourselves as servants of the Lord: our deepest desire is to do the Lord's will in all things. Oh, for obedience! It has been supposed by many ill-instructed people that the doctrine of justification by faith is opposed to the teaching of good works, or obedience. There …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Call of Abraham
I. First, let us LOOK AT ABRAHAM. Abraham's family was originally an idolatrous one; afterwards some beams of light shone in upon the household, and they became worshippers of the true God; but there was much ignorance mingled with their worship, and at least occasionally their old idolatrous habits returned. The Lord who had always fixed on Abraham to be his chosen servant and the father of his chosen people upon earth, made Abraham leave the society of his friends and relatives, and go out of Ur …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Go Back? Never!
"And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly...city."--Hebrews 11:15, 16. ABRAHAM left his country at God's command, and he never went back again. The proof of faith lies in perseverance. There is a sort of faith which doth run well for a while, but it is soon ended, and it doth not obey the truth. The Apostle tells us, however, that the people of God were …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 61: 1915

The Gaze of the Soul
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.--Heb. 12:2 Let us think of our intelligent plain man mentioned in chapter six coming for the first time to the reading of the Scriptures. He approaches the Bible without any previous knowledge of what it contains. He is wholly without prejudice; he has nothing to prove and nothing to defend. Such a man will not have read long until his mind begins to observe certain truths standing out from the page. They are the spiritual principles behind …
A. W. Tozer—The Pursuit of God

The Christian Faith
Scripture references: Hebrews 11; Matthew 9:29; 17:20; Mark 10:52; 11:22; Acts 2:38; 3:16; 10:43; 16:30,31; Romans 1:17; 5:1; 10:17; Galatians 2:20. FAITH AND PRACTICE Belief Controls Action.--"As the man is, so is his strength" (Judges 8:21), "For as he thinketh in his heart so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:28,29). "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). The Scriptures place stress upon the fact that …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

The Voices of the Dead
"And by it he being dead yet speaketh." Hebrews xi. 4. Much of the communion of this earth is not by speech or actual contact, and the holiest influences fall upon us in silence. A monument or symbol shall convey a meaning which cannot be expressed; and a token of some departed one is more eloquent than words. The mere presence of a good and holy personage will move us to reverence and admiration, though he may say and do but little. So is there an impersonal presence of such an one; and, though …
E. H. Chapin—The Crown of Thorns

The Practice of Piety; Directing a Christian How to Walk that He May Please God.
Whoever thou art that lookest into this book, never undertake to read it, unless thou first resolvest to become from thine heart an unfeigned Practitioner of Piety. Yet read it, and that speedily, lest, before thou hast read it over, God, by some unexpected death, cut thee off for thine inveterate impiety. The Practice of Piety consists-- First, In knowing the essence of God, and that in respect of, (I.) The diverse manner of being therein, which are three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (II.) …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Testimonies.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God."--Heb. xi. 6. In order to prevent the possibility of being led into paths of error, faith is directed, not to a Christ of the imagination, but to "the Christ in the garments of the Sacred Scripture," as Calvin expresses it. And therefore we must discriminate between (1) faith as a faculty implanted in the soul without our knowledge; (2) faith as a power whereby this implanted faculty begins to act; and (3) faith as a result,--since with this faith (1) …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Being of God
Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH? A: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q-IV: WHAT IS GOD? A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Here is, 1: Something implied. That there is a God. 2: Expressed. That he is a Spirit. 3: What kind of Spirit? I. Implied. That there is a God. The question, What is God? takes for granted that there …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Abraham and Isaac. Genesis xxii.
1.--"After these things." What things? See verse 33 in preceding chapter. After Abraham had given himself to prayer. It often happens that grace is given for grace. God prepares his own for trial and suffering by revealing Himself. "GOD DID TEMPT."--Like a workman who is conscious the work is well done, fears not the scrutiny which waits his labour. When the smith has put good work into the iron cable, he does not then fear the strain of the test put upon it, and God knew what He had done to …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

Enoch, the Deathless
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. Enoch was the bright particular star of the patriarchal epoch. His record is short, but eloquent. It is crowded into a few words, but every word, when placed under examination, expands indefinitely. Every virtue may be read into them; every eulogium possible to a human character shines from them. He was a devout man, a fearless preacher of righteousness, an intimate friend of God, and the only man of his dispensation who did not see death. He sheds a lustre on the …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

Faith an Assurance and a Proof.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen. For therein the elders had witness borne to them. By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which do appear."--HEB. xi. 1-3 (R.V.). It is often said that one of the greatest difficulties in the Epistle to the Hebrews is to discover any real connection of ideas between the author's general purpose in the previous discussion and the …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

A Cloud of Witnesses.
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Faith of Moses.
"By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to be evil entreated with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. By faith he forsook …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

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