What Does It Mean to Die in Faith Without Receiving the Promises?

Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

A Study of Hebrews 11:13 and the Enduring Nature of True Faith

In a chapter devoted to the heroes of faith, Hebrews 11:13 introduces a powerful truth about the kind of trust that pleases Jehovah—a faith that endures even when the fulfillment of divine promises is not seen in this life. The verse reads: “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” This verse describes the spiritual posture of the patriarchs, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and by extension all who live by faith in God’s revealed word. Their lives were shaped by the promises of God, yet they died before those promises were fulfilled. Still, they died in faith, not in disappointment or disillusionment.

The opening phrase—“These all died in faith”—is an astounding affirmation. The Greek phrase κατὰ πίστιν ἀπέθανον (kata pistin apethanon) communicates not just that they had faith at death, but that they died according to or by faith. Their whole life, right up to the point of death, was marked by trust in Jehovah’s word. They did not abandon their belief when fulfillment was delayed. They did not grow bitter when their expectations were not met in their lifetime. Instead, their entire existence remained rooted in the confidence that Jehovah is true, faithful, and sovereign—even when the evidence of his promises was distant.

The next phrase explains this further: “not having received the things promised.” This refers not to a failure of God to keep his word, but to the timing of his plan. The promises in view are those made to Abraham and his descendants regarding a land (Genesis 12:7), a great nation (Genesis 15:5), and the blessing of all nations through his seed (Genesis 22:18). While Abraham saw the birth of Isaac and Isaac saw the growth of a family, none of them saw the full realization of these covenantal promises. The land of Canaan was not theirs in their lifetimes. The great nation was not yet formed. The blessing to all nations, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, had not yet come to pass. Yet none of these faithful men and women turned away because of this delay.

Rather, the verse continues, “but having seen them and greeted them from afar.” The language here is drawn from the imagery of a traveler who sees a city on the horizon and waves a greeting even though he has not yet arrived. The word “greeted” (ἀσπασάμενοι, aspasamenoi) implies joy, acknowledgment, and recognition. These faithful believers saw the promises with the eyes of faith, not physical sight. As 2 Corinthians 5:7 teaches, “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” This kind of vision is not mystical—it is grounded in the confidence that what Jehovah has said, he will accomplish, even if the completion comes after one’s death. This is the same spirit found in Romans 4:20–21, where Paul says of Abraham, “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith… fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”

The final clause of the verse—“and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth”—demonstrates the worldview that undergirded this kind of enduring faith. These men and women did not view the earth as their permanent home. They recognized their status as temporary residents, pilgrims on a journey toward a greater, eternal inheritance. This aligns with what Abraham said in Genesis 23:4, when he told the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you.” Even when physically present in the land of promise, he knew the ultimate fulfillment was still future.

The term “strangers” refers to those living in a land not their own, while “exiles” or “sojourners” refers to those dwelling temporarily, without permanent roots. This self-identification reflects a heart that is detached from earthly possessions, status, or comfort. It is the acknowledgment that God’s people are never truly at home in this fallen world. As Peter later exhorted Christians in 1 Peter 2:11, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh…” Living as a stranger is not escapism—it is a conscious commitment to live by a different standard and for a different kingdom.

What makes Hebrews 11:13 so weighty is that it reveals the substance of biblical faith. Faith is not simply belief in something unseen—it is endurance in that belief when fulfillment is delayed. It is confidence in God’s Word despite hardship, opposition, and the absence of visible reward. This rebukes the modern distortion that treats faith as a tool to obtain blessings in this life. The heroes of Hebrews 11 were not celebrated because they gained worldly success, but because they remained loyal to Jehovah regardless of personal cost.

Their example calls today’s believers to the same kind of unwavering trust. The promises of eternal life, resurrection, and the return of Christ are still future. We do not see them with physical eyes, but we believe them with certainty because they have been revealed in God’s inspired Word. As Titus 1:2 reminds us, “in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” This is not blind faith—it is trust in the One who cannot lie and who always fulfills what he declares.

Furthermore, Hebrews 11:13 points to the reality that many faithful people will live and die without seeing their deepest longings fulfilled in this life. But they will not have hoped in vain. Hebrews 11:39–40 concludes this chapter by saying, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us…” Their lives were not incomplete; they were awaiting a greater consummation. God’s plan is not limited by lifespans. His covenant promises unfold across generations, and his ultimate fulfillment will come at the resurrection and the establishment of his eternal kingdom.

This reality gives profound meaning to perseverance. Every act of obedience, every moment of trust, every rejection of sin is an affirmation that we believe what God has said—even if we do not yet see it. It is what Paul expressed in Philippians 3:13–14, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…” The faithful do not retreat when things are unclear. They press forward, because their hope is not in temporal outcomes but in eternal truth.

In a world that demands instant gratification, Hebrews 11:13 teaches the value of waiting, hoping, and walking as strangers. The believer must accept that life in Christ is not measured by comfort or immediate results. The promises of God are certain—but they are fulfilled in his time, not ours. Our task is not to control the timing, but to remain faithful until the end. As Galatians 6:9 exhorts, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

In conclusion, Hebrews 11:13 stands as a monument to enduring faith. It testifies that the faithful may not see the completion of God’s promises in this life, but they will not be disappointed. Their hope is not anchored in the present, but in the God who transcends time and fulfills every word. They die in faith because they live by faith, and their journey is shaped not by what they possess on earth, but by what awaits them in eternity. The faithful are those who see the promise, greet it from afar, and walk as strangers in a world that is not their home—until the day they receive what was always theirs in the plan of God.

You May Also Enjoy

What Does Psalm 110:3 Reveal About the Willingness of God’s People in the Day of His Power?

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).