| “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Hebrews 6:19). |
| An anchor is very important to a ship, for it prevents the ship from being driven around by winds and storms. The anchor is normally very heavy, and is meant to hook into something solid on the bottom of the ocean, so that it can hold the ship when a storm comes. |
| In the days of sailing vessels, anchors were on long chains, and could be let down a long way. They would keep the ship in one place in a harbor, or keep it offshore, so that it would not be dashed on rocks. When the anchor needed to be pulled up, it was a big job. On the decks of sailing ships, they had a large round structure called a capstan, and it had holes in the sides of it. They would place large wooden poles, like posts, into these holes, and then a number of men would have to push these poles around and around for hours, hauling in the anchor. Turning the capstan would gradually wind up the chain on the anchor, and bring it in. They called this “weighing the anchor.” |
| Sometimes, when a ship was approaching a harbor, a small boat called a “runner” would come out, and they would place the anchor into it. Then the small boat would row to the shore, and the anchor would be placed on shore, and fixed securely. Then the big ship simply had to follow the anchor, and it would arrive safely in the harbor. |
| According to our verse, our hope in Christ is sure, like an anchor. With ships, sometimes an anchor would come loose, but if we are truly saved, Christ is our anchor, and He will never let us go. The phrase “within the veil” refers to the tabernacle or the temple in the Old Testament. In that tabernacle, the “holy of holies” was the place where the Lord’s presence was, and no one was allowed to go in there. Only the high priest could go in, once a year. But it is a picture of where our anchor is now — in the presence of God. Truly, as the hymn says, “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure, while the billows roll.” |
