“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance and he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Heb 11:8) He dwelled on the other side of the River [Ur] in old times; and served other gods. (Josh 24:2) “He lived his life after the same manner as his fellows—content with the ‘husks’ which the swine feed upon, with little or no serious thoughts of the hereafter... Then 'the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Harran’ (Acts 7:2).” (A. W. Pink)
The family left together and then dwelled in Haran. “And after Terah [his father] died, Yahweh again appeared and said: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ So Abram departed as Yahweh had spoken to him, and Lot went with him." (Gen 12:1-3) "There are three things there: ‘obeyed’ signifies the consent of his mind, ‘and went out’ tells of his actual performance. He obeyed not only in word, but in deed… Faith and obedience can never be severed; as the sun and the light, fire and heat. Therefore we read of the ‘obedience of faith’ (Rom. 1:5).” (Thomas Manton)
And, lastly, he didn't know his destination: "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah." "So to those who walk by faith now the future may be unknown or dim. ‘Lead Thou me on… I do not ask to see; the distant scene; one step enough for me.’" (The Pulpit Commentary)
“By faith he DWELT in the land of promise as in a foreign country” "If faith first obeys, faith also continues... God's promise of better things had laid hold of Abraham's soul...” (Joseph Sutcliffe) “It is remarkable that Abraham did not acquire any right in Canaan, except that of a burying place; nor did he build any house in it.” (Adam Clarke) —“dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.“ (Hebrews 11:9b) Their tent life speaks to us of "separation from the world’s allurements, politics, friendships, and religion.” (A. W. Pink) “There is singular comfort in the society of saints." (John Trapp) "God’s saints are all of the same spiritual disposition. They are members of the same family, united to the same Christ, indwelt by the same Spirit. ‘And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul’ (Acts 4:32). They are governed by the same Laws: ‘I will put My Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts’ (Heb. 8:10). They all have one aim, to please God and glorify Him while on earth.” (A. W. Pink) They dwelled as “a dew from Yahweh, Micah 5:7, and yet they dwell alone, and are not reckoned among the nations, Numbers 23:9. They sojourn in tabernacles which are moveable, liable, and expecting every moment to be taken down, Hebrews 13:14, and yet the eternal God is their refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms, Deuteronomy 33:27." (Robert Hawker)
"For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Heb 11:10) “There [the earthly land] he had his commoration, but in heaven [the heavenly Land] his conversation." (John Trapp) They ”expected their reward in another world." (Justin Edwards)
An illustration of the New Jerusalem—“In Bible days a city was a place of safety, being surrounded by strong and high walls: so in Heaven we shall be eternally secure from sin and Satan, death and every enemy. A city is well stocked with provisions: so in Heaven nothing will be lacking which is good and blessed. The ‘foundation’ of the Heavenly City... is Christ Jesus the Rock of Ages, on which it stands firm and immovable.” (A. W. Pink)