Daily Devotional for Wednesday, May 28, 2025

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Not Even a Footstep: A Devotional on Acts 7:5

Trusting the Promise Despite Present Absence

Acts 7:5 records a portion of Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin, in which he recounts the history of God’s dealings with Israel. He highlights the life of Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, as a man who followed Jehovah’s call despite not receiving the fullness of the promise in his own lifetime. The verse reads:
“And yet He did not give him an inheritance in it, no, not even enough for the sole of the foot; but He promised to give it to him as a possession, and after him to his offspring, though as yet he had no child.”

This verse, though simple in wording, reflects profound truths about faith, inheritance, divine timing, and trust in God’s promises. It demonstrates that Abraham’s confidence in Jehovah was not based on what he could immediately see or possess, but on the assurance of God’s spoken word. He believed in a future that was entirely dependent on God’s power, not human capacity.

The Background: Abraham’s Calling and Journey

This part of Stephen’s speech recounts events originally described in Genesis 12 through 25, where Abraham is called out of Ur of the Chaldeans around 1960 B.C.E., and later moves to Haran and then Canaan (Genesis 11:31–12:5). Jehovah commanded him to leave his homeland and family to journey to “a land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).

Despite this divine direction, Abraham never actually received ownership of Canaan in his lifetime. He lived as a nomad, dwelling in tents (Hebrews 11:9), purchasing only a burial plot for his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:17–20). Acts 7:5 emphasizes this with striking clarity: “not even enough for the sole of the foot”—that is, not even the smallest legal claim to the land.

This expression highlights the stark contrast between the promise and the experience. Jehovah had sworn to give Abraham and his descendants the land, yet in Abraham’s lifetime, not one portion belonged to him. He wandered as a foreigner in the very land promised to him.

“And yet He did not give him an inheritance in it…”

The Greek text uses the word κληρονομία (klēronomia), meaning a rightful inheritance or possession passed on by legal claim. Stephen affirms that Jehovah did not give Abraham this inheritance during his life. This denial was not a failure of promise, but a test of faith.

God’s purposes are often fulfilled across generations. Abraham’s role was to initiate the covenant journey, not to complete it. His faithfulness was measured not by possession, but by obedience and endurance.

This truth is echoed in Hebrews 11:13:
“In faith all of these died without receiving the fulfillment of the promises, but they saw them from a distance and welcomed them.”
Abraham died without receiving the land—but not without believing the promise.

“No, not even enough for the sole of the foot…”

This phrase is not poetic exaggeration; it is a legal and spatial description. In ancient land grants and property law, the act of stepping on land could symbolize possession (cf. Deuteronomy 11:24; Joshua 1:3). Here, Stephen uses this expression to emphasize that Abraham had no ownership stake at all—not even enough ground to place his foot.

This level of precision reminds us that faith is not built on appearances or physical indicators. Jehovah’s promises often begin without visible evidence, requiring trust beyond what is seen.

The believer today must learn this same lesson. Many of God’s promises—eternal life (Romans 2:7), a new earth (2 Peter 3:13), resurrection (John 5:28–29)—are not realized in the present, but are sure nonetheless. We, like Abraham, walk as sojourners with a future inheritance (1 Peter 1:4), not fully grasped now, but certain in God’s plan.

“But He promised to give it to him as a possession…”

Here Stephen shifts to the positive assurance of Jehovah’s word. Though Abraham owned nothing in Canaan during his life, God promised—and that promise held legal, covenantal weight. The Greek word for “promised” is ἐπηγγείλατο (epēngeilato), meaning a deliberate and binding commitment.

Jehovah’s promises are not vague or symbolic. They are specific, literal, and certain. He does not change His mind (Numbers 23:19). The promise to give the land to Abraham was reiterated several times:

Genesis 13:15: “All the land that you see, I will give to you and to your offspring forever.”
Genesis 15:18: “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.”

Though the full realization of that land grant would not come for centuries—under Joshua and later expanded under David and Solomon—the certainty of the promise was never in doubt. Abraham believed it, and his faith was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

“And after him to his offspring, though as yet he had no child”

The final clause intensifies the theme of faith in the face of impossibility. Not only did Abraham not own the land, he had no heir when the promise was first given. He was old, his wife barren, and humanly speaking, the promise was impossible.

This makes the statement in Acts 7:5 especially powerful. Abraham was promised:

Land: which he did not possess.
Offspring: whom he did not yet have.
A future inheritance: with no earthly indicators to confirm it.

Yet he believed—not because of natural hope, but because he trusted the One who made the promise. Romans 4:19–21 confirms this:

“Although he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as good as dead… he did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise, but became strong in faith, giving glory to God.”

This is the essence of faith: believing God’s word above circumstances, above delay, and above human limitations.

Application: Waiting Faithfully for the Fulfillment

Acts 7:5 teaches profound lessons for the believer today:

God’s promises are sure, even when delayed
The timeline of fulfillment belongs to God. Abraham waited decades for Isaac and never saw full possession of the land. Yet his faith never wavered.
Our inheritance is secured by covenant, not by present possession
Believers are heirs of eternal life, the kingdom, and a new earth (Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:7), but we are still waiting. Like Abraham, we are strangers and temporary residents (Hebrews 11:13).
Faith is tested when evidence is absent
The strength of faith is seen not when promises are fulfilled, but when nothing yet appears. True faith walks by what God has said—not what the eye can see.
God honors those who trust Him without reservation
Abraham’s example is not for admiration alone, but imitation. His trust in Jehovah was unwavering, and God fulfilled all He had promised in time—just as He will for all the faithful.

Conclusion: Trust the Promise, Even When the Ground Is Empty

Stephen’s statement in Acts 7:5 magnifies the glory of God’s covenant faithfulness. Abraham, though given no land and no child at the start, believed Jehovah. He never saw the fulfillment, but died in hope. And God, in His perfect time, brought it to pass—first through Isaac, then through Israel, and ultimately through Christ, the true heir (Galatians 3:16), through whom all faithful ones become heirs of the promise (Romans 8:17).

“And yet He did not give him an inheritance in it, no, not even enough for the sole of the foot…”
But Abraham believed—and that’s the faith we are called to imitate.

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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).