H O P E
<tiqvah> an expectation; thing that I long for (Ruth 1:12; Job 4:6; Job 5:16; Job 7:6; Job 8:13; Job 11:8; Job 11:20; Job 14:7; Job 14:19; Job 17:15; Job 19:10; Job 27:8; Ps 71:5; Pr 19:18; Pr 26:12; Pr 29:20; Jer 31:17; La 3:29; Eze 19:5; Eze 37:11; Ho 2:15; Zec 9:12)
<miqveh> something waited for, confidence; abiding, gathering together, hope (Ezra 10:2; Jer 14:8; Jer 17:13; Jer 50:7)
<yachal> to wait, to be patient, hope, be pained, stay, tarry, trust (Job 6:11; Ps 31:24; Ps 33:18; Ps 38:15; Ps 42:5; Ps 42:11; Ps 43:5; Ps 71:14; Ps 119:49; Ps 119:81; Ps 119:114; Ps 130:5; Ps 130:7; Ps 131:3; Ps 147:11; La 3:21; Eze 13:6)
<kecel> trust, confidence (Job 8:14; Job 31:24; Ps 78:7)
<towcheleth> expectation, hope (Job 41:9; Ps 39:7; Pr 10:28; Pr 11:7; Pr 13:12; La 3:18)
<betach> <batach> a place of refuge, safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); assurance, care, confidence, secure, surely (Ps 16:9; Ps 22:9)
<seber> expectation, hope (Ps 119:116; Ps 146:5)
<chacah> to flee for protection; to confide in; have hope, make refuge, put trust (Pr 14:32)
<bittachown> trust, confidence, hope (Ecc 9:4)
<sabar> to scrutinize, to expect with hope and patience, tarry, view, wait (Isa 38:18)
<mibtach> a refuge, security, assurance, confidence, hope, sure, trust (Jer 17:7)
<machaceh> a shelter, hope, place of refuge, trust (Jer 17:17; Joel 3:16)
<yachiyl> expectant: should hope; + <chuwl> wait carefully and patiently (La 3:26)
<elpizo> to expect or confide: have, thing, hoped for, trust (Lu 6:34; Acts 26:7; Ro 8:24; Ro 8:25; 1 Cor 15:19; Php 2:23)
<elpis> to anticipate, usually with pleasure; expectation or confidence: faith, hope (Acts 2:26; Acts 16:19; Acts 23:6; Acts 24:15; Acts 26:6; Acts 26:7; Acts 27:20; Acts 28:20; Ro 4:18 – used twice; Ro 5:2; Ro 5:4; Ro 5:5; Ro 8:20; Ro 8:24 – used three times + <elpizo> once; Ro 12:12; Ro 15:4; Ro15:13; 1 Cor9:10; 1 Cor13:13; 2 Cor 1:7; 2 Cor 3:12; 2 Cor 10:15; Gal 5:5; Eph 1:18; Eph 2:12; Eph 4:4; Php 1:20; Col 1:5; Col 1:23; Col 1:27; 1 Th 1:3; 1 Th 2:19; 1 Th 4:13; 1 Th 5:8; 2 Th 2:16; 1 Tim 1:1; Tit 1:2; Tit 2:13; Tit 3:7; Heb 3:6; Heb 6:11; Heb 6:18 and 6:19 implied twice; Heb 7:19; 1 Pet 1:3; 1 Pet 1:13; 1 Pet 1:21; 1 Pet 3:15; 1 Joh 3:3)
It’s not difficult to see the repetition of words in the above definitions. There is an emphasis on confidence, trust and expectations along with patience. Let’s consider a definition of hope that combines these emphases.
Hope. To patiently and confidently trust in the expected result.
What is our hope based on? What makes the hope we have in Christ so definitive compared to the hope we speak of in the world?
The Gospel.
Hope we have in the world is uncertain. The hope we have in the gospel is assured. I like working with acronyms because my brain remembers association.
H – He has
O – Overcome our
P – Penalty of
E – Estrangement
He. God. Christ Jesus. Who is He?
God is love (1 John 4:8,16); eternal, immortal, invisible, the only (1 Tim 1:17); great (Ps 145:3); Creator of the ends of the earth (Isa 40:28); God’s wisdom, knowledge and judgments are unsearchable. (Ro 11:33); God has unlimited power (Gen 17:1); knows and understands all things (Ps 139:1-6; Pr 5:21); is always present everywhere (Ps 139:7); does not change (Ps 102:26-27; Ja 1:17); is majestic (Ex 15:11; Ps 145:5); is most high (Ac 7:48); is perfect (Mat 5:48); is holy (Ps 99:9); is just (De 32:4); is the true God (Jer 10:10); is upright (Ps 25:8; Ps 92:15); is righteous (Ezr 9:15; Ps 145:17); is good (Ps 119:65); is gracious and merciful (Ex 34:6-7); is faithful (1Cor 10:13); is long-suffering (Nu 14:18); jealous (Josh 24:19); compassionate (2 Ki 13:23); a consuming fire (Heb 12:29); there is none beside Him (De 4:35); none before Him (Isa 43:10); none like Him (Ex 9:14); no one good but Him alone (Mat 29:17); God fills heaven and earth (1 Ki 8:27);
Overcome. What has He overcome?
Sin. Sin is a violation of a law or a duty or moral principle according to WordWeb. According to the Bible, sin is lawlessness.
1Jo 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
Sin is of the devil.
1Jo 3:8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Everyone has sinned.
Ec 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
EXCEPT GOD – The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit
2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
1Jo 3:5 And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
God alone can forgive sin.
Ex 34:7a who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like Thee, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love.
PENALTY. What is the penalty of sin? Death: physical and spiritual.
Ro 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned–
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eph 4:18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
Jas 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Estrangement. Separation from God. Alienation from God.
Isa 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden [His] face from you, so that He does not hear.
Isa 1:15a “So when you spread out your hands [in prayer,] I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.
Ps 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear;
Jer 14:12 “When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence.”
Mic 3:4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time, because they have practiced evil deeds.
What’s the alternative to hope?
N O H O P E.
<ya’ash> to desist, to despond, despair, one that is desperate, be no hope (Isa 57:10; Jer 2:25; Jer 18:12)
It speaks for itself.
