Hebrews 11:12
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Hebrews 11 belongs to the chapter on faith that recounts people commended for living by faith, including Abraham among its witnesses, servants, heroes, and ancient worthies. It declares the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, that from a single man whose body was effectively dead came descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. That promised multitude and inheritance belong to a story in which the heritage God promised is heavenly, lasting, and immortal rather than earthly property in this world.
Abraham was called to leave his idolatrous countrymen with the promise of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and though he possessed great substance used for the glory of God and the good of others, he did not regard this world as home. He received no earthly possession, not even enough to set foot on, neither he nor his son nor his son's son. His only possession in the land of promise was the rock-hewn tomb in the cave of Machpelah bought from the Canaanites as a burial place. The chapter directs the mind away from visible and discouraging things toward unseen things and the heavenly country whose builder and maker is God.
As heirs to that immortal inheritance, God's people are to look beyond this world and turn their affections away from earthly gain to settle them on heavenly things. These witnesses of faith are presented as patterns for the Christian church and as examples of firm principle that later Christians can also exemplify. By fidelity to God they became examples, even conspicuous examples, whose light can reach people living in darkness.
The verse is part of the preceding chapter that supplies the great cloud of witnesses surrounding believers, showing a witness who confronted evils and difficulties in the way and successfully withstood opposing forces of evil in the name of the Lord, sustained and strengthened as the Lord held him by the hand. The faith shown in that sacred history of God's servants trusting Him can work in people today as they trust God, with God working through believing hearts as channels of His power.