Hebrews 11:8

My Notes

What Does Hebrews 11:8 Mean?

The writer of Hebrews describes Abraham's faith as obedience into the unknown: 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 Abraham — the phrase that structures the entire chapter. Each hero of faith is introduced the same way: by faith. The common denominator across every story is not ability, intelligence, or moral perfection. It is faith — trust in God that produces action.

When he was called to go out — the call (kaleo — to summon, to invite, to command) came from God (Genesis 12:1: get thee out of thy country). The call precedes the obedience. Abraham did not decide to leave on his own initiative. God summoned him. The faith is a response to a divine call, not a self-generated impulse.

Into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance — Abraham did not yet possess the land. He was going to a place he would receive later — after arriving, after waiting, after a lifetime of sojourning. The inheritance was promised but not yet delivered. The faith required trusting the promise before experiencing the fulfillment.

Obeyed (hupakouo — to listen under, to submit, to comply with authority) — the response to the call was obedience. Not understanding. Not seeing the full plan. Obedience — the act of submitting to a command you did not generate and a plan you do not fully comprehend. The obedience and the going are simultaneous: he obeyed; and he went out.

Not knowing whither he went — the most remarkable phrase. Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees without knowing the destination. He had a command (go). He had a promise (I will show thee). He did not have a map. The faith that moved Abraham was faith in a person, not faith in a plan. He trusted the one who called — not the clarity of the instructions.

The verse defines faith at its most radical: obeying a call to go somewhere you have never been, to receive something you do not yet have, without knowing where you are going. The only certainty is the one who called.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What does 'not knowing whither he went' reveal about the nature of Abraham's faith — and how does it challenge the desire for certainty before obedience?
• 2.How does faith in a person differ from faith in a plan — and which kind does God typically ask for?
• 3.What does the gap between the call (go) and the inheritance (receive after) teach about patience in the journey of faith?
• 4.What is God calling you to go out toward — and what would obedience look like even without knowing the destination?

Devotional

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out, obeyed. Called. He did not volunteer. God summoned him — out of his country, away from his family, toward a place he had never seen. And Abraham's response was obedience. Not perfect understanding. Not a detailed itinerary. Obedience — the simple act of doing what the voice said to do.

And he went out, not knowing whither he went. Not knowing. Abraham packed his household and left Ur without a destination on the map. No GPS coordinates. No address. No description of the promised land beyond: I will show thee. The faith that moved Abraham was not faith in a plan. It was faith in a person. He trusted the one who called — and trusted him enough to walk into complete uncertainty.

Into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance. After. The inheritance was not waiting at the door. It was future — promised but not delivered, guaranteed but not yet experienced. Abraham walked toward something he would receive later. The faith bridge between the call and the inheritance was the entire journey — years of sojourning, waiting, trusting, without possessing what was promised.

This is what faith looks like stripped to its essence: a call from God, obedience from you, and no idea where the road leads. The certainty is not in the destination. It is in the caller. Abraham did not know where he was going. He knew who told him to go. And that was enough.

What has God called you to that you cannot see the end of? What obedience is he asking for that does not come with a roadmap? Abraham's faith was not belief in a plan. It was trust in a person — and the trust produced the steps. One foot in front of the other. Not knowing whither. But knowing who.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture