Hebrew 11:8-12• This passage highlights and exemplifies the faith of vv.1,6

through the lives of Abraham and his wife, Sarah.• But this story has its origins back in Genesis with our

introduction to Terah, the father of Abram, Nahor, Haran, and Sarai, 11:26-27 (also 20:12).

• We learn of the families’ location in Ur, and the death of Lot’s father, Haran, from v.28. (Chaldee is the ancient name for Babylon.)

• In vv.28-29, Abram and Nahor (the remaining brother), took Sarai (half sister) and Milcah (1st cousin) as wives, respectively. Sarai “was barren; she had no child.”

• Then Terah took Abram & Sarai, and Lot, his grandson, and moved from Ur northward through the Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia to Haran, intending to eventually settle in Canaan, v.31.

• However, Terah died in Haran, thus leaving Abram, Sarai, and Lot there with the rest of the family and possessions, v.32.

• These things set the stage, so to speak, for the next section.

• Gen.12:1-3 contains The Call of Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house, to journey southward to Canaan, 12:1a.

• Three Promises were made to Abram by God. They contain the outline for the rest of the biblical story:1. The Land Promise- v.1b, Canaan;2. The Nation Promise- v.2, Israel;3. The Seed Promise- v.3, Savior.

Old Testament

New Testament

• But have you ever wondered why God wanted this man, Abraham, to leave his country, relatives, and father’s house behind?

• Though we are not told directly, and certainly the Fertile Crescent region of Mesopotamia was likely as “good” as Canaan in many ways, perhaps there is an indication given much later in Josh.24:2-3.

• Abraham’s family were evidently idolaters! While the Canaanites surely were also, God had plans for their judgment and destruction through Israel. But He wanted this faithful man away from his idolatrous kin.

• As to Abraham’s specific selection by God, see Gen.18:19. God saw in this man the making of a great nation to honor His name.

So, as we began in Heb.11:8ff, “By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out… not knowing where he was going…” cf. 2Cor.5:7.

• But have you ever really thought about…

Sarah’s Faith?• After all, Abraham was the one chosen by God- not her. • She had been given to and taken by her half-brother as

a wife, but had never been able to have children. To be barren was a loathsome condition at that time, so her life surely was not pleasant.

• We are not told whether or not she was an idolater with her father and her brother Nahor and their families (Josh.24:2), but such was certainly possible, if not probable!

• Then Terah, the patriarch of the family (her father & father-in-law), dies in Haran after leading them forth from their home and country in Ur. She is evidently left with raising Lot, her nephew.

Sarah’s Faith?Then, to top it all off, can you imagine this conversation?

Abraham: “Honey, God spoke to me.”Sarah: “Oh yeah, which god?”Abraham: “One Dad never worshipped.”Sarah: “So what did this new god say?”Abraham: “He said we need to move again.”Sarah: “Again? Why? We’ve just gotten settled here in

Haran, Lot is doing so well in school, and what about all my friends and the rest of the family?”

Abraham: “Nope, God said we need to leave this country, our relatives, and dad’s house (possessions & people) behind.”

Sarah: “Really? So where did this new god say ‘you’ were supposed to go?”

Sarah’s Faith?Abraham: “A place called ‘Canaan’- and He said “we”

were to go.”Sarah: “Maybe….where is this ‘Canaan’?”Abraham: “About 500 miles south of here.”Sarah: “You’ve got to be kidding! Who’s going to pack

up and carry all of this stuff 500 miles? Not me, I tell you! I may not have any children, but I’m no camel!”

Abraham: “But this God is going to give us a child from whom a nation will grow and will ultimately bless all nations of the earth….and He’s going to give us a whole country.”

Sarah: “Would you get out of the way? I’ve got packing to do!”

Sarah’s FaithNow, we’ve had some fun with this story, and taken way

too many liberties, but let’s make some serious observations:

• God did speak to Abraham, not Sarah- at least not at this point, Gen.12:1.

• So Sarah trusted and obeyed her husband regarding a spiritual decision he made based on faith, Gen.12:4-5 > 1Pet.3:6; 1Cor.14:35. Submission (hupotasso) is to order or arrange oneself under

the control of another. It is commanded of wives to their husbands, cf. 1Pet.3:1; Eph.5:22 (and of all Christians to one another, Eph.5:21).

Submission, and the obedience it requires, is not based on agreement. In fact, as long as there is agreement, there really is no submission, cp.Rom.13:1ff; Heb.13:17.

Sarah’s FaithI don’t know what Sarah’s initial reaction was to word

from her husband that they were packing up, leaving their family and everything they knew, and traveling 500 miles to a land they had never seen, because a “God” she had likely never heard of previously- let alone heard from, told them to do so.

I have no idea what Sarah might have thought to herself, but I know what she did- she packed up and went with her husband 500 miles to Canaan, Gen.12:6-9.

But folks, that’s faith, and that’s godly submission which stemmed from it!

Sarah’s (real) BeautyAs impressive as these things are, let’s make one more quick

point regarding Sarah’s faith. • From on down in text of Gen.12:10ff, we learn that Sarah was a very

beautiful woman- in the eyes of her husband, v.11; and the eyes of the Egyptians and Pharaoh, vv.14-15.

• Please remember that the Egyptian women were famous for their extravagant make-up, elaborate hair styles, excessive ornamentation with jewelry, scant clothing, and brashness.

• Now do you better understand the point being made in 1Pet.3:1-4 through the example of Sarah in vv.5-6?

• Her faith was sufficient for her to forgo excessive ornamentation and immodesty, and allow her submissive and respectful behavior, and her purity, gentleness, and quietness of spirit to adorn her!

• Because of these things, she did not have to be: excessively bejeweled, surgically enhanced, ‘primed and painted,’ squeezed in here and/or poked out there, or to show off her long legs, ample cleavage, or killer tan.

• Sarah’s faith made her beautiful by allowing her to be a godly woman- and men appreciated it!

Conclusions

We often speak of, and admire, Abraham’s faith- and well we should.

But make no mistake about it, Sarah was a great woman of faith also!

And we didn’t even get to Heb.11:11-12!We all need to learn the lessons of faith,

submission, and obedience from this great woman of faith!