The book of Hebrews presents to us Christ in glory. It is not so much a question of where the Lord was (here in this world), but where He is (seated in heaven). It is not so much the subject of the work itself, but the results of the work. In this epistle He is not sitting on Sychar's well, but "on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (1:3). He is not the "Man of Sorrows," but the "Glorified Man." He is not crowned with a "crown of thorns", but a "crown of glory and honor." (2:7).
God often teaches by contrast. The book of Hebrews in particular is a book of contrasts, where the inspired writer contrasts the Old Testament, especially that which was instituted under the law, to what we now have in Christianity. By doing this, we see that what we have now is so much "better" than what Israel had under the old covenant and the law. It is edifying to search out the thirteen times that we find the word "better" in this epistle, i.e., "so much better." (1:4).
In the above verses we find three things that characterize the hope of the believer:
1. It is sure.
2. It is steadfast.
3. It entereth into that within the veil.
In the Old Testament the people of God had faith and hope, but there was always a shadow of uncertainty...it is never referred to in the way it is here, as being "sure and steadfast." They did not have "full assurance of faith." Hebrews 10:2222Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22).
The classical writers often used the anchor as a symbol of hope, which is the way it is presented here in this portion, as well as the only other time in Scripture that it appears in, Acts 27:29, 30, 4029Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, (Acts 27:29‑30)
40And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. (Acts 27:40). It is hope that gives stability, safety, security, and surety.
One great reason why it is secure, is because the Forerunner, Jesus, is already there, already in heaven. Our High Priest, the ascended Christ, is in the presence of God as our representative, and thus His presence there is the pledge that we will soon follow Him.
The word that has been translated, "foreigner" in our English Bible, is a nautical term that was used in ancient times to denote a small rowboat that was employed by sailors in the days when mariners plied the waters around the Greek harbors in sailing vessels. Many of these harbors were only accessible at high tide, due to the sandbars, rocks, and shoals at their mouths, and also because of the heavy loads of cargo on board. As a vessel approached the seaport, the anchor, attached firmly to the ship by a strong rope, was placed in the forerunner, and rowed across the bar, to be deposited safe in the quiet waters of the harbor. 'The anchor dropped safely within the security of the harbor, was the assurance to those on board, that although they themselves were not yet there, when the right moment carne they too would arrive safely to their desired destination.
Suppose you were able to step on the deck of one of those ships, and ask a sailor, "Are you quite certain that you are going to eventually make it safely into the harbor?" His response would have been to point to the rope tied to the ship, and with confidence affirm, "you see that rope? There is an anchor on the other end, and that anchor has been dropped inside the harbor, which is the pledge and assurance to all of us on board, that when the right moment comes, we are going to safely reach our destination. Yes, we will be there, because our forerunner has gone before and entered in."
With the believer's "sure and steadfast" hope, we too can ride out the storms on the sea of life, knowing that the anchorage is in a place where no storms can rise. That it is so secure that nothing can drag it, and that no tug or strain, either by man, Satan, or circumstance, no matter how strong, can ever snap the cable of eternal life, that secures us to Christ, the Man in the glory.
How wonderful to lay hold on the truth that we have a living person, interceding for us at the right hand of God. This gives us hope, strength, and confidence to press on amidst the tempests, because His presence there in intercession is the guarantee that we will be carried through. Another has said, "We are not promised a smooth passage, but we are promised a safe landing."
The fact that there is a "forerunner'' indicates that there are after-runners. So we read, "Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." 1 Corinthians 15:2323But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23). We, who are anchored safe in Christ, "within the veil" are going to follow him into glory at that moment when He comes to call us home to Himself in the Father's house. For us it will be, in application, the fulfillment of the verses in Psalm 107. "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven." Verses 29:30. How good to know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that we are going to make the harbor, and that we are going to be welcomed home, because Jesus, our Savior and High Priest, as a man, has already be welcomed there, accepted, glorified, and seated at the "right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Hebrews 8:11Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; (Hebrews 8:1).
Postscript
"Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship....And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore."
Acts 27:29, 30, 4029Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, (Acts 27:29‑30)
40And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. (Acts 27:40)
The hope of the Lord's coming is referred to in the following four ways:
1. "A living hope." I Peter 1:3 (JND Translation)
2. "Good hope." II Thessalonians 2:16
When they cast the four anchors out of the ship, which denote our hope in Christ, they drifted and became shipwrecked. If we lose sight of the glory, the hope of the Lord's coming, and all that is ahead in that future day, we become like a ship without a rudder. A ship without a rudder simply turns into the wind and drifts. There are many true believers drifting on the sea of life because they have failed to "lay hold on the hope set before them." They have become distracted, disillusioned, discouraged, disheartened, and ultimately they have made disastrous shipwreck. What a hope we have, "as an anchor of the soul," all secure in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." Hebrews 4:1414Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14).