MORE THAN HOPE

 

Saturday, December 3, 2022

 

MORE THAN HOPE

 

Heb 6:17-19

17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly [more convincingly and with greater proof] to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability [unchanging and unchangeable] of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

18 That by two immutable [again, unchangeable] things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; KJV

 

          The word HOPE is found 128 times in the KJV text. It is translated from several original language words with various meanings. Today, we generally use the word when we want to express a wish for something. But the writer of Hebrews shows us that HOPE is not a “wish for” but a “wait for” thing.

 

          Hebrews 6:15 explains that Abraham was given a promise of children when he was beyond the physical ability to produce any. Waiting was hard and Abraham allowed his impatience to frustrate the plan of God. “But after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”

 

          So, when God made a promise of redemption and salvation, He gave this promise with an oath! It was founded upon the evidence “within the veil.” Now, what do we fined there? Aaron’s rod that budded, the two tablets of stone that was written by the very finger of God, and a pot of manna. Each an impossible yet evidential proof of the existence and abilities of God.

 

          The book of Hebrews was written to Jews as was Matthew’s gospel. Matthew wrote his gospel to provide evidence to the Jewish community that the man they knew as Jesus was fully God and fully man. Gentiles commonly skim over the genealogy in the same way we treat Old Testament genealogies. We think “so-and-so begat so-and-so and had sons and daughters and died” but the Jews paid much greater attention to them. Matthew listed the genealogy of MESSIAH.

 

          The older I get the more I search for firmness and surety for my faith. One would think I might have already found that, but I am nearer the gates of that city than ever before. I need to be certain. The writer of Hebrews provides that. “So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, Heb 6:17-18 ESV

 

Dear Lord, today I snag my anchor in the veil of the Temple. Let all those who are anxious do the same. AMEN