The marvel is, how could people who lived before the time of the life and ministry of Christ, before His resurrection, before He poured the Holy Spirit on His saints, have had such a hunger for God, such an insight into the things of Heaven? They put us to shame. We have been given so much more Divine assistance! So much more knowledge! Surely our zeal for God should outstrip theirs! Our quest for God should be more single-minded.

Yet, the churches of today are made up of "believers" whose faith and spiritual life are weak compared with that of the heroes of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews. Something is terribly amiss in Christendom, in those who are supposed to be greater in authority, power, righteousness, and holiness than the Prophets!

The patriarchs "died in faith." They entered death still seeking God. Our vision and hope must extend to and beyond the grave.

We Christians view physical death in much the same way as the heathen in that we panic at the thought of death. We are at home in the world! This is because we are not on a quest for that which is invisible. Our talk about wanting to go to Heaven is often unrelated to how we actually feel about death.

The true Christian is a visionary. He lives in an eternal vision. He thinks of that which is not as yet a fact as though it already were in existence. God gives him many promises, some of which are for this world and some for the next—he cannot always tell; and then delays the fulfillment for many years. The believer either turns away in frustration and discouragement or else lives in a vision. He endures as seeing Him who is invisible. During this period of hope God teaches him to be a practical person.

The patriarchs are living in the Presence of God, waiting to be made perfect together with us. These are the spirits of righteous men made perfect. They with us constitute the Jerusalem that is above and that one day will be established on a high mountain of the new earth. They still are on their quest.

Even though the patriarchs are in Paradise in the Zion above, they have "received not the promise." For the promise of God includes more than eternal residence in the spirit realm. It includes the fullness of eternal life, the fullness of the indwelling of God and Christ through the Holy Spirit, in spirit, soul, and body.

The inheritance includes rulership over the nations of saved peoples of the earth. It includes eternal glory and eternal service, and the privilege of beholding the Face of God. It includes the commission to drive all the works of Satan from the heavens and the earth—total, complete vengeance on the enemy.

The heroes of faith are persuaded of the reality and worth of the heavenly treasures. To embrace such treasures by faith requires that we live as strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

To be continued.