5. How do we know that Abraham was waiting for the city designed by God?

⁵ How did Abraham show that he was waiting for the city, or Kingdom, designed by God? First, Abraham did not join himself to any earthly kingdom. He remained a nomad, choosing not to settle down and give his support to a human king. In addition, Abraham did not try to set up his own kingdom. Instead, he kept obeying Jehovah and waited for Him to fulfill His promise. In doing so, Abraham showed extraordinary faith in Jehovah. Let us examine some of the challenges he faced and see what we can learn from his example.

7. Why did Abraham have to trust that Jehovah would protect him and his family?

⁷ Abraham had to trust that Jehovah would protect him and his family. Why? Recall that Abraham and Sarah left the safety and comfort of living in a house in the city of Ur to dwell in tents in the open fields of Canaan. No longer were he and his family protected by thick walls and deep moats. Instead, they were now vulnerable to attack by enemy forces.

8. At one time, what did Abraham have to deal with?

⁸ Abraham did God’s will, but at one time he struggled to feed his family. He had to deal with a severe famine that struck the very land to which Jehovah had sent him. That famine was so bad that Abraham decided to move his family to Egypt temporarily. However, while he was in Egypt, Pharaoh, the ruler of the country, took his wife from him. Imagine the anxiety that Abraham must have felt until Jehovah persuaded Pharaoh to return Sarah to Abraham.​—Gen. 12:10-19.

9. What family difficulties did Abraham have to cope with?

⁹ Abraham’s family life was difficult. His beloved wife, Sarah, could not have children. For decades they had to deal with that bitter disappointment. Eventually, Sarah gave her servant girl, Hagar, to Abraham so that she could bear children for Abraham and Sarah. But when Hagar became pregnant with Ishmael, she began to despise Sarah. The situation became so difficult that Sarah chased Hagar away from home.​—Gen. 16:1-6.

10. What incidents involving Ishmael and Isaac tested Abraham’s trust in Jehovah?

¹⁰ Sarah finally became pregnant and gave Abraham a son whom he named Isaac. Abraham loved both of his sons, Ishmael and Isaac. But because of the bad way that Ishmael treated Isaac, Abraham was forced to send Ishmael and Hagar away. (Gen. 21:9-14) Later, Jehovah asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. (Gen. 22:1, 2; Heb. 11:17-19) In both cases, Abraham had to trust that Jehovah would eventually make things turn out well for his sons.

11. Why did Abraham have to wait patiently on Jehovah?

¹¹ Throughout this time, Abraham had to learn to wait patiently on Jehovah. He was likely over 70 when he and his family left Ur. (Gen. 11:31–12:4) And for some one hundred years, he lived in tents, roaming the land of Canaan. Abraham died when he was 175. (Gen. 25:7) But he did not see Jehovah fulfill His promise to give the land he walked on to his descendants. And he did not live to see the city, God’s Kingdom, established. Even so, Abraham is described as dying “old and satisfied.” (Gen. 25:8) Despite all the challenges he had to deal with, Abraham maintained strong faith and was content to wait on Jehovah. Why was he able to endure? Because throughout Abraham’s life, Jehovah protected him and treated him as a friend.​—Gen. 15:1; Isa. 41:8; Jas. 2:22, 23.