There is one specialty of the church’s hope by reason of the Holy Ghost being the earnest of the inheritance, and that is, that the church even now knows, tastes and enjoys her own blessings. They are actually accomplished blessings. All spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ are already her portion, although not palpable to sight— “for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for; but if we see them not, then do we with patience wait for them” (Rom. 8:24-2524For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24‑25)). And the church is waiting to have her own blessings manifested, and to enjoy those blessings where sorrow and trial cannot enter; even where the wretched selfishness of our hearts can no longer hinder our full apprehension and enjoyment of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus—the Son of God and the Lamb of God.
It is now the portion of the church, while she cannot actually see Jesus, yet believing in Him, to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; what then must it be to see Him as He is, and to be like Him? That which the church knows, she enjoys even now, by the special relation of the Holy Ghost as the earnest. Her hope is to enjoy what she knows and tastes already, in the Lord’s immediate presence, where there shall be no slow heart or dull mind.
Israel waits for glory and blessing in their own land; but still being in blindness and unbelief, and in a strange land, Israel has no foretaste of the joys which await them; their harps must hang upon the willows; they cannot sing the song of Zion. Creation too awaits its jubilee; the groaning creation earnestly expects deliverance from the bondage of corruption (Rom. 8:20-2220For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:20‑22)); but it has no foretaste of that deliverance.
May we not say that the hope of Israel is as unintelligent as that of creation itself, the blessed agent by whom the blessing is to be accomplished, and the mighty work on which that accomplishment hangs being unknown; and the hope itself, as revealed in the Scripture of truth, is only seen at the end of the dark vista of the wrath of God. But God’s future to the church is all bright and glorious.
The tribulations are “manifold,” “now” and “for a season”: out from these tribulations the church looks for her rest and glory. There is a real present manifestation of Christ to the church now that He is unseen by the world.