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But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: having deserted this world, as strangers in it, they sought, desired, and hoped for with the greatest earnestness and fervency, a city in the country of heaven, Heb_11:10, in comparison with which they contemned and despised all others; a country where there is perfection of life, and fulness of glory: it excelleth all others as far as heaven doth earth, 2Ti_4:18 1Pe_1:4. The state, society, enjoyments, and place, they longed for, were all heavenly, Phi_3:20,21; nothing lower than this world would satisfy them.
Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: faith having carried them thus estranged from this world to the grave, endearing to them the promises, and engaging of them for heaven only, therefore God did not disdain them, he did not think it any disrepute to him to own them his, but esteemed it an honour and reputation to him, took np his joy and delight in them: see him owning them when dead, Exo_3:6,15 Mt 22:31,32; surnaming himself by them, and adopting them as his own, as Jacob did Joseph’s sons, Gen_48:5,6; so that though they are dead as to their bodies, yet they are alive as to their souls, and are owned by God in his name and title, and are assured, as to their dust, of a resurrection; for he will do it, giving them that rest that they never had in their pilgrimage.
For he hath prepared for them a city; that heavenly state and place which they sought for, Heb_11:10, which infinitely transcended Cannan, and the Jerusalem in it, of which they were denizens while here, Eph_2:19 Phi_3:20; the pleasant, peaceful, rich, and glorious metropolis of the living God, Heb_12:22 13:14; which shall make abundant amends for all their sorrows, sufferings, and restless wanderings on earth, where they shall enjoy pleasures, riches, honours, and rest for evermore, 1Pe_1:4.