The Gift of Hope

DBLR 2016
Mrs. Snowy Devkota

What is hope?

Some Biblical words:

Hebrew:

Tiqvah – cord, expectation, ground of hope (used of Rahab’s cord)
Yachal* – wait, hope, expect, implies being patient, trust
Batach – to trust, to have confidence, to be secure, to be bold
Tocheleth – hope, expectation
Seber – hope, expectation
Chasah – to seek refuge or protection, to put trust in God
Mibtach – trust, confidence, refuge, assurance
*Most commonly used

Greek:

Elpis/elpizo (noun/verb) – expectation of good; in the Christian sense: joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; the author of hope or He who is its foundation; the thing hoped for; also used for expectation of evil.These two are the only Greek words for hope in the New Testament. Elpis is also translated once as “faith” and elpizo is translated many times as “trust”. Note: All definitions from MySword Bible app.

What is hope?

It is a GIFT from the Lord.
It is given to ALL at the moment of salvation.
We are never told to increase or grow in hope.
However, Romans 5:3-4 says, “tribulation (pressure) worketh patience (endurance, constancy); and patience, experience (approved, tried character); and experience, hope.”

Without hope

Before salvation, Ephesians 2:12 says,

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

There is no hope without the Lord. However, a living Savior gives us living hope.

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (zao – to live, breathe, enjoy real life, active) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

What does the Bible tell us to hope in?

Hope in God – 17 times
Hope in God’s Word – 7 times
Hope in God’s mercy – 2 times
God is hope – 5 times
Hope of glory – 2 times
Hope of His calling – 2 times
Hope of eternal life – 2 times
Hope is part of the Gospel.

Colossians 1:5 – “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”

Colossians 1:23 – “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”

I Thessalonians 5:8 – “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

Titus 3:7 – “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

I Peter 1:3 – “…begotten us again unto a lively hope….”

How can we abound in hope?

Romans 15:13 – “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 15:4 – “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

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