Hebrews Chapter Eleven, Possibility & Impossibility

Hebrews 11:12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

 

From the humble beginnings of Isaac, Abraham’s progeny were as numerous as three million during the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings. We do know that the men 20 years old or older that were conscripted into military service numbered 603,550, Numbers 1:46, 2:32. This number did not include the Levites (Numbers 2:33), nor women and children. The number of Israelites in this time was anticipated to be around three million by conservative estimate.

Even though longevity was still vast in Abraham’s time, being 100 without an heir was certainly a little unusual. Looking back on the genealogy leading to Abraham we see a variety of ages at which men begot their first child, or at least their first son. Though Shem was 102 before begetting Arphaxad, it could be reasoned that Shem was heavily involved in his father’s (and God’s) business until the Flood, and then very busy caring for the animals and each other on the ark. We read in Genesis that Shem did not have a son until a whole two years after the Flood, Genesis 11:10. After this, however, the times quickly change. Arphaxad begot Salah at 35. Salah begot Eber at 30. Reading down the list we come to Nahor, who was the youngest man to father a child at 29, Genesis 11:24. The oldest was Terah himself, who begot sons beginning at 70. Terah begot Abraham when he was 130, Genesis 11:32, 12:4.

 

Lifespans were diminishing. Terah lived 205 years, Abraham 175, Isaac 180, and Jacob 147. Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, lived to a paltry 110, Genesis 50:26. Furthermore, Paul’s assertion that Sarah’s womb was dead seemed to be an accurate one, since Abraham begot Ishmael through Hagar, and later he married Keturah and begot six more sons, Genesis 25:1, 2. Yet even by the standards of that time, Abraham’s contemporaries did not appear to live quite as long, as was the case of his own son Ishmael, who died at 137, Genesis 25:17. Quite old by the time his heir arrived, coupled with the deadness of Sarah’s womb, these details conspired to serve as the foil for God’s amazing grace, and the time-spanning plan He had for Israel as a whole.

 

The writer seizes on two metaphors to describe the prolific family Abraham began through Isaac, the seed of promise and the next link in the chain that led to Messiah. Plenteous as the stars in the sky and the sand of the sea, we are told. There is not only the Jewish people, physical heirs of Abraham, John 8:33, 37. There is also the family of faith, Galatians 3:7, 9. Those who believe, Paul writes, are sons of Abraham through faith. No, this is not Replacement Theology.

 

Replacement Theology, or Anglo-Israelism, is a repugnant teaching that perverts and warps Scripture to fit the corrupt teachings of men that would wrangle from the Jewish people all of God’s manifold promises to them. This doctrine is patently false, impossible to support through Scripture or history, and the result of irresponsible exegesis. Israel and the church are distinct entities; Israel and America and Britain are likewise distinct entities. Israel, formerly known as Canaan, is the Promised Land, and it was promised exclusively to the Jew. And they will return to their homeland, witness the One whom they pierced, and mourn and then rejoice that at last their King has come. David wrote, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle,” Psalm 24:7, 8. This celebratory finale to Psalm 24 describes a victorious God, mighty in battle and named the King of glory. This might well be the scene after Armageddon, when the Antichrist and his army are defeated by Jesus returning in glory, and once more riding through the gates of Jerusalem, only this time welcomed and hailed for who and what He is: God the Savior.

 

The number of stars in our universe, estimated of course, is 200 sextillion. That is 200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Can you fathom that number? I will admit very freely that I can’t. I believe that is why the author used the word “innumerable,” since even seeing a relevant number associated with sand or stars, we can’t really comprehend it’s totality. As for sand on the shores, or on Earth in general, the rough estimate is 7.5 sextillion. That is 7,500,000,000,000,000,000,000. Not as much by far as stars in the sky, but when the numbers reach such astronomical heights (no pun intended) is this even relevant any longer? Clearly, the author wanted the Hebrew Christians to understand how much of a blessing Abraham was, and in turn how blessed he was by God. During the Millennium, when Earth is restored to an Edenic paradise for 1000 years as Christ reigns from the throne of David, just imagine how many more heirs of Abraham will be born. Longevity will be restored as it was prior to the Flood (Isaiah 65:20, 22), the world will speak one language (Zephaniah 3:9), and the animals will revert to being docile herbivores, Isaiah 11:6-9. The Jews will have the kingdom God promised David, but the city whose builder and maker is God, the one that Abraham and his descendants await, won’t come until eternity swallows up time and the drama of our present universe is brought to a close. Sufficed to say, Abraham has many descendants, of which we should be humbled and appreciative to be in that number.