The word “hope” in our modern-day culture has lost its true biblical meaning as it often refers to wishful thinking as in the phrase “I hope it will not rain tomorrow.” Biblical hope is a reality and not a feeling and carries no doubt. Hope in the God of Hope is a sure foundation upon which we base our lives, believing that God always keeps His promises and therefore we have confident assurance when we trust in His Word. Even in some churches when asked if they think that they will go to heaven when they die, they say, “I hope so.” This is contrary to the verses in which we find the word “hope” in Hebrews 1 known as the faith chapter. According to Hebrews 1: 1 we read “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Then follows the actions of the heroes of the faith based on their confident assurance or hope in God. Hope or confident assurance can be ours when we trust the words, “He who believes on Me (Jesus) has everlasting life.” (John 6: 47) Accepting the gift of eternal life means our hope is no longer filled with doubt but, rather, has its sure foundation in the whole of God’s Word, the entirety of God’s character, and the finished work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For decades God has used the words of Jeremiah 29:11 as a reminder within our family that God is faithful and is continuing to work in our lives to fulfill His plan and purpose: “For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares the LORD, plans for peace and not calamity—to give you a future and a hope.” This hope is not passive but a powerful force that guides through life’s challenges, assuring that there is always light ahead, even in the darkest moments as we trust an unknown future to the God of Hope!
The Hebrew word for “hope” is Tikvah which is a strong, tangible truth that can be held onto, much like a rope or cord. It comes from the root kavah, which means to bind together, collect, or to expect. The word Tikvah is used in the Bible to signify a hopeful expectation of God’s deliverance and is often associated with a deep, enduring hope that anchors the soul in God’s promises and His character revealed in His Word. God has planted His hope not only in Israel, but in all of us who are His born- again children. His plans are for our good and His Glory! (Romans 8:28)
The question that I believe God is presenting to us today is: How is your Hope today? In order to fully examine our hope, we must realize that there is an interconnection between the words: faith, trust and hope in the Bible. Faith is a noun—it is something we have or is given. Trust is primarily a verb; it is something we do. The prophet Jonah had faith in God, but did not trust him according to Jonah 4:2. In the New Testament, the apostle James tells us that even demons believe in God according to James 2: 19. They believe that God exists, but they do not choose to trust and follow him. So, it is not enough to just have believe in God, we must also trust Him—and the connection between faith and trust is a two-way street. Trust is our response to what we already have faith in, but on the other hand, the more we develop our trust in God, the more our faith grows with it. Likewise, hope and trust are also directly related. If we do not really trust any person controlling a situation in which we are involved, we will have very little hope in the outcome. That is why our trust in God is so important for a life that is truly based on hope. We can see this principle in the book of Romans: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15: 13) Paul tells us that we will be filled with the joy and peace that come from hope as, or to the degree, that we trust in God—and he stresses that fact a second time in the same verse by telling us a result of trusting God is that we will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!
This is a principle found throughout the Bible—it is only to the extent that we trust God that we will really look forward with hope for this life and the next. In the apostle John’s description of his vision of the new heaven and earth he tells us “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21: 5) Paul in Romans 10: 17 says “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Therefore, faith, trust and hope are directly connected to the Word of God. Peter sheds more revelation on the message of Living Hope in 1 Peter 1: 3-5 “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. An incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance has been reserved in heaven for you. By trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” If we are to experience the abundant faith, trust and hope that God desires for us we must connect to Christ the Living Word and Christ the Written Word! John makes this clear to us in 1: 1-4 “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus made it clear to the disciples on the road to Emmaus when He said “Oh foolish ones, so slow of heart to put your trust in all that the prophets spoke! And then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the things written about Himself in all the Scriptures.
For years, I did not understand the significance of the Old Testament and was told that it was not relevant to the Church. God opened my eyes to the reality that He is a God that does not change and the principles recorded in the Old Testament for blessing and cursing are the same for today—as God’s truth or character does not change. The Old Testament is foundational; the New Testament builds on that foundation with further revelation from God. The Old Testament contains many prophecies that are fulfilled in the New. The Old Testament shows the wrath of God against sin (with glimpses of His grace); the New Testament shows the grace of God toward sinners (with glimpses of His wrath). The Old Testament predicts a Messiah (Isaiah 53), and the New Testament reveals who the Messiah is (Jn. 4: 25-26). The Old Testament records the giving of God’s Law, and the New Testament shows how Jesus the Messiah fulfilled that Law. Because God’s revelation in Scripture is progressive, the New Testament brings into sharper focus principles that were introduced in the Old Testament. The book of Hebrews describes how Jesus is the true High Priest and how His one sacrifice replaces all previous sacrifices, which foreshadowed His coming. The Passover Lamb of the Old Testament becomes the Lamb of God in the New Testament. The New Testament clarifies that the Law was meant to show men their need of salvation and was never intended to be the means of salvation. (Romans 3: 19) The Old Testament saw paradise lost for Adam; the New Testament shows how paradise is regained through the second Adam (Christ).
In summary, the Old Testament lays the foundation for the coming of the Messiah who would sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world. (1 John 2:2). The New Testament records the ministry of Jesus Christ and then looks back on what He did and how we are to respond. Both testaments reveal the same holy, merciful, and righteous God who condemns sin but desires to save sinners through an atoning sacrifice. Jesus Himself acknowledged that the scriptures bear witness about Him. (Jn. 5:39) In both testaments, God reveals Himself to us and shows us how we are to come to Him through faith. (Genesis 15:6, Ephesians 2:8) The relationship between the two testaments is emphasized by the statement that “the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” The whole 66 books of the Bible is the product of Divine Revelation, where God is the ultimate author, guiding human writers to pen down His message. Paul in 2 Timothy 3: 14-17 uses the Greek word “theopneustos” which means “God-breathed” to describe Scripture verifying the Bible’s authority and reliability from the God of Hope!
So, let’s return to our question: How is your Hope today? First, we determined that faith is the bases for hope. Hebrews 11:6 says “Now without faith it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” It is the Word of God that produces faith: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) Jesus said in Luke 11: 9-12 that we should ask for faith and in 17:5 that we should ask for our faith to increase. Second, trust is our response to what we already have faith in, but on the other hand, the more we develop our trust in God, the more our faith grows with it. Trust is developed by reading God’s Word and claiming His promises. Ps. 13:5 “But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.” Isaiah 26: 3-4 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Third, I go back to the words of the song “All Our Hope Is In Jesus” as Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith and our Blessed Hope. Ephesians 1:18 says “The eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints.” Romans 5:5 “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” And again, from Hebrews 10: 23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
The God of Hope does indeed have plans for each of us in mind for peace and not calamity—to give us a future and a hope. However, we must remember that the voice of the enemy wants to steal God’s promises and destroy our destiny. To overcome this, we should go to God, who is the author of hope, and let the Holy Spirit fill us with hope. Our unfulfilled desires and deferred hopes can lead us to rich encounters with our Savior: “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3: 25-26) We must continue to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, for without Him we can do nothing.
Steps to experiencing God plans, future and hope: 1. Learning the mind of God by reading and meditating on His Word. 2. As we read it, we must ask God to speak personally to us and listen for His voice. 3. We must focus our attention on Jesus and shut out everything else. 4. It must be a daily practice—drawing strength from Him and His Word. 5. Use a prayer journal to record prayers and what God speaks through the Holy Spirit and Scriptures. 6. Meditate on the Lord—His majesty, glory, goodness, faithfulness, and promises. 7. Pray and claim the Lord’s promises. This will align our will with His and allow Him to live His life through us! As we conform ourselves to God’s will, we will find His purpose and plan for our life unfolding before us! Let God be God when it comes to revealing His plan to give us a future and a hope!