The Distinctive Biblical Meaning Of Hope
All three of these uses are found in the Bible. But the most important feature of biblical hope is not present in any of these ordinary uses of the word hope. In fact, the distinctive meaning of hope in Scripture is almost the opposite of our ordinary usage.
I dont mean that in Scripture hope is a desire for something bad . And I dont mean that in Scripture hope is rejection of good . It is not the opposite in those senses. It is the opposite in this sense: ordinarily, when we use the word hope, we express uncertainty rather than certainty.
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I hope daddy gets home early, means, I dont have any certainty that daddy will get home on time, I only desire that he does.
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Our hope is that Jim will arrive safely, means, We dont know if he will or not, but that is our desire.
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A good tailwind is our only hope of arriving on time, means, A good tailwind would bring us to our desired goal, but we cant be sure we will get one.
Ordinarily, when we express hope, we are expressing uncertainty. But this is not the distinctive biblical meaning of hope. And the main thing I want to do this morning is show you from Scripture that biblical hope is not just a desire for something good in the future, but rather, biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.
The Bible Foretold Food Crises
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Jesus prophesied: Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages.Matthew 24:7.
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The Bible book of Revelation describes four symbolic horsemen. One of those horsemen represents warfare. He is followed by another who represents famine, a time when food would be rationed and sold at exorbitant prices. I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand. I heard what sounded like a voice . . . It said, A quart of wheat will cost you a whole days wages! Three quarts of barley will cost you a days wages too.Revelation 6:5, 6, Contemporary English Version.
These Bible prophecies about food crises are being fulfilled now in the time that the Bible calls the last days. To learn more about the last days and the ride of the four horsemen of Revelation, watch the video The World Has Changed Since 1914 and read the article The Four HorsemenWho Are They?
Bible Verses For Encouragement
Although you may struggle in the present, you will be blessed if you put your focus on the infinite hope you have. As Martin Luther King Jr said, We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.
You can keep up infinite hope by focusing on the encouraging scriptures that remind you that you have a reason to hope! What does the Bible say about hope in hard times? Read on to find out.
Hope in God gives you the strength to endure.
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not be faint .
In Jesus, you have hope for a future that cant be lost or spoiled.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by Gods power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials .
God knows about your struggles and He cares.
But God will never forget the needy the hope of the afflicted will never perish .
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! .
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Paul Shares This View Of Hope
Now briefly lets notice how Paul shares this same view of hope in Romans 4:18. He describes Abraham as the great example of faith, and in particular, of justification by faith. In Romans 4:22 he says, This is why Abrahams faith reckoned to him as righteousness. And the faith Paul is speaking about is the faith that God would fulfill his promise by giving him a son, Isaac.
So the faith which justified Abraham was faith in the future work of God. Verse 21 makes this crystal clear: he was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. In other words he had what Hebrews 6:11 called the full assurance of hope.
Verse 18 describes how faith and hope worked together: In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations.
Wherever there is full assurance of hope, there is faith. Faith is the full assurance of hope.
Against hope means that from the ordinary human standpoint there was no hope: Abraham was too old to have a child, and his wife was barren. But biblical hope is never based on what is possible with man. Biblical hope looks away from man to the promise of God. And when it does, it becomes the full assurance of hope the expectation of great things from God.
In other words, whenever faith in God looks to the future, it can be called hope. And whenever hope rests on the word of God, it can be called faith.
The Confidence Of Hope
As I meditate on these Bible verses about hope I cant help but remember what it felt like before I knew the Lord.
No where to go, no one to talk to. You feel utterly alone, and beyond the point of help, and all you have to hold on to is hope. Hope that you will survive another day. Hope that whatever it is that youre dealing with will be over soon. Hope that you can weather this storm. It may feel hopeless but these Bible verses about hope will encourage you.
We all have hopes and dreams. We have aspirations to get a better job, to travel around the world, to get a car that wont break down every other month, and, God forbid, a hope that an abusive or toxic relationship would abruptly end. The definition of hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Having this feeling alone without some faithful action taken will never bring your hope to reality.
What is there to do in times of darkness so deep that you cannot even imagine the spark of a flame in the vision of the future? When hope is a distant thought, you must act on your faith and take that proverbial leap. Faith, or acts of faithfulness are there to remind you that there is something worth hoping for even while you keep stumbling and falling in the darkness.
May these Bible verses about hope bring you vision and clarity. May you be strengthened to stand on the Rock of salvation. No matter how dark your darkness is, the light will always overcome it. May you be blessed abundantly!
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Through His Word God Makes One Thing Very Clearjesus Is Our Source Of Hope Here Are Some Of Our Favourite Verses To Encourage You To Have Faith In Every Circumstance
07 Apr, 2020
With an understanding of what Jesus has done for us, we are assured of God’s love in everything we do. Through Him, we can face every circumstance with hope in His greater plan for us.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Leaning on the hope we receive through Jesus helps us strengthen our faith, empowering us to bear fruit in every area of our lives.
The Bible is overflowing with verses to encourage us in our pursuit of hope and faith. Here are some of our favourites:
Bible Verses About Hope For Healing
When in this life we face trials, tribulations, sickness and pain, God is with us.
He helps us to renew our strength.
He heals our wounds, physical, emotional and spiritual.
He tells us to not let our hearts be troubled, and to not be afraid. He will meet our needs, both in sickness, and in healing.
Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 8:24-25 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
Jeremiah 30:17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord
Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
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We Hope These Bible Verses Give You The Hope You Seek
There is nothing in this world that can give us the hope Christ gives for all eternity. No money, no job, no stock market, no earthly promise of justice, no power, no President can give us the security that we have through Christ and what He has done for us on the cross.
But it is a free gift of grace! Hallelujah! We are so thankful for the hope in salvation and what God has given for now and all eternity, and we hope these scriptures lead you to the ultimate hope that will never disappoint us!
More Bible Verses To Equip Strengthen And Encourage
Hopefully, the verses in this article above have given you some hope for the future, a renewed faith in God, and an assurance that hes always with you. With him we always have hope!
Weve written quite a few articles over the years exploring what the Bible has to say on various topics. Here are a few to get you started.
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Scriptures About Hope: God Will Strengthen And Uphold Us
We who believe in Jesus dont have to do this thing in our own strength. The God of infinite power and might gives us HIS strength. He doesnt call us to live the Christian life on our own he helps us, and upholds us.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.
Fear not, for I am with you be not dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Praying For The Future
Philippians 4:6 tells us, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Essentially, we should pray for all things, from waking up to going to sleep and everything in between. The more we pray, the more we rely on God, and the more our plans and future align with His goals.
Additionally, pray for the person you would like to be tomorrow, next year, or five years from now, someone who follows the right path not just for a successful future but for an eternal future. Finally, pray for the habits you will break, the talents you will learn, and the blessings you will receive.
Every day, whether you realize it or not, you are making changes to yourself and your life. Your future prayers can guide those changes. So do not wait until the future to begin praying start now, picturing the future that your prayers can help to create. Keep in mind, we tend to pray as though God does not want to keep His promises and that we have to beg Him for our desires. His desires do not align with ours, and He will choose what is best for us even if its not what we want.
The difficult part of praying earnestly is trusting God to do for you what you can not do for yourself and at his own pace, even though we often want immediate answers or results. Of course, we expect our prayers to be answered right away, if not sooner. But, to dream large and pray hard, you must first think long.
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Resources To Give You Hope
Psalm 40:1-2
I waited patiently for the Lord he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Psalm 91:1-2
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 121:5-6
The Lord watches over you the Lord is your shade at your right hand the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Romans 8:25
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Isaiah 42:16
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Does God Know The Future
God knows the past, future, and everything in between, along with every possible change, because He is outside and above time. The creator is not subject to time, nor is He subject to matter or space like humans. God can see all things, including the future, because He is not restricted by linear time like we are. God has shown us eternity and time, but not beyond our own chronology. The future is unknown. God knows what is ahead .
Only God has the ability to stand at the beginning and properly predict the conclusion because He is omniscient. He is aware of all that is real and imaginable, and He has lived our yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows, the past, present, and future, as the everlasting, omniscient God. Therefore, God is the Beginning and End, the Alpha and Omega .
God is repeatedly shown in Scripture as knowing what will happen. God knows all that will be, not just selectively but exhaustively. Indeed, God presents his knowledge of the future as proof of His deity in Isaiah 46:8-10: I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and things not yet done from ancient times, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.
1. Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
4. Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for His purposeeven the wicked for the day of disaster.
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Does The Bible Say Not To Drink Alcohol
Is there a way to ethically consume alcohol without putting our faith in doubt? The Bible states, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31. The Bible mentions the consumption of wine on numerous occasions to be merry and joyful, but the Bible clarifies that being of a drunk heart or mind is not godly. 1 Corinthians also mentions, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor relievers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Believers must understand the seriousness of drinking to get drunk. The words in the Bible make it apparent that alcohol abuse will lead to making bad choices, poverty, and a lack of passion and desire. Staying sober-minded is more critical than constant self-pleasure since alcohol is seen as a temptation. The Bible does say not to get drunk, but is drinking a small amount of alcohol considered decent?
God Holds The Future In His Hands
God obviously knows the future since He can prophesy about things that have not happened yet. Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure,’ as stated in Isaiah 46:9-10.
The future can be frightening. We are sometimes pressured to figure things out by ourselves. In the middle of this pressure to arrange our lives perfectly, God reminds us that He is in charge and that we do not have to, and shouldnt, map out our destiny on our own. Gods plan for our life is far superior to anything we might devise on our own.
So do not fear, for I am with you do not be dismayed, for I am your God, God declares in Isaiah 41:10. I will strengthen and assist you with my righteous right hand, I will uphold you. We do not have to be afraid of the future as God holds our future and has a detailed map of our path and even paths for when we go astray. God is not finished with you yet, whatever He is doing in your life. This is even more proof that God has a wonderful plan for your future. God will not lead you for a short period of time and then abandon you to sort things out on your own.
77. Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
82. Psalm 63:8 I cling to you your right hand upholds me.
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