Hope

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Hope enters the heart, so to speak, as a physician or as a conqueror, to heal in the day of sorrow and disappointment, or to be the ascendant in the day of prosperity.

It is seen in the antediluvian saints, in the Genesis—fathers, in Joseph in Gen. 1; in Israel, in Ex. 12; in Moses, in Num. 10:29²⁹And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. (Numbers 10:29); in David, in 1 Chron. 29:15,¹⁵For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. (1 Chronicles 29:15) in one or other of these.

The Lord had it as a conqueror in John 12:24,²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24) as a relief in Heb. 12:2²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2). We are called to it in each of these ways.

The Spirit forms it in the heart as necessarily as faith1, Ex. 12:1, 7-11 Thess. 1:9-10,⁹For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; ¹⁰And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9‑10) Rom. 5:12¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12).

Different objects it apprehends—rest after conflict (2 Thess. 1, 2 Tim. 4); a pure kingdom after a defiled world (2 Peter); Christ Himself (Luke 12:36,³⁶And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12:36) Matt. 25:4,⁴But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (Matthew 25:4) 1 John 3:2-3²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. ³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2‑3)); a harvest after a first-fruits (1 Cor. 15).

1. Accordingly, at the beginning, Adam had no promise given him as to the future and glory, but as soon as he had faith, he had hope, walking as a stranger here, as well as a saved sinner.

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