“Remember Your Word
to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that
your promise gives me life.” -Psalm 119:49-50(ESV).
When
we discuss an intangible term like hope, there is a danger that, because hope
cannot be seen with the naked eye or touched with the hand, we will fail to see
its depth of meaning and the importance it holds for us. .The two verses cited
from Psalm 119:49-50 give a summary of the Old Testament idea of hope. Hope is generated by hearing God’s Word. Hope is proven, although we cannot see hope,
by the deeds and records of history.
Bert Dominy in writing on “Hope” in the Broadman Bible Dictionary
states: “Hope is the confidence that what God has done for us in the past
guarantees our participation in what God will do in the future. This contrasts to the world’s definition of
hope as ‘a feeling that what is wanted will happen’” (Nashville: Holman, 1991, p. 665). Let’s summarize briefly what God has
done in the past that guarantees that He will guide our future, provide the
foundation of hope and give us the anticipation of hope being fulfilled. Take the story of Abraham, for instance. God called him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and
told him to go to a land that he would show him. Abraham obeyed, and because he did so, God
promised that he would make of him a great nation with his descendants becoming
as numerous as “the sands of the seashore.”
When, because of famine, the people went to Egypt for help, after a
number of years, when the Pharaohs changed and no longer favored the
Israelites, they were in bondage and great was their oppression. But God raised up Moses as a mighty leader
and His people exited Egypt. Through
confusion and disobedience, they wandered forty years in the wilderness, but
finally came at last to the “land flowing with milk and honey,” kept all the time by God’s providence. Even when Israel was unfaithful, a remnant
kept hope alive. Forgiveness was granted
to those who repented of their erring ways and returned to God. Jeremiah spoke of this turning to God as “the hope of Israel, the savior thereof in
time of trouble” (Jeremiah 14:18).
Hope, then, looks forward to a favorable outcome but always under God’s
guidance.
How can what we learn from God’s
honoring the hope of a remnant in Old Testament times help us in our present national
and world crisis? It is futile for us to
place hope in wealth (Psalm 49:6-12). We
cannot hope in fine houses or strong cities (Isaiah 32:17-18), for God will
hail down His judgment upon them.
Neither can we expect strong leaders, princes and kings to save us
(Psalm 146:3-4) for their best-laid plans often perish and they die. Neither can we hope in strong armies and
military alliances with other nations, for they are subject to failure (Isaiah
31:1-3). Even the Temple (and our
churches) are subject to destruction (Jeremiah 7:1-7). The ultimate hope is that we “amend our words
and our deeds and do not go after other gods” (Jer. 7:5-7). Then and only then can God hear from heaven
and heal our land, thus giving credence to the hope that lies within us
Will you be willing to covenant with
others to pray for and exercise hope for a turning to God in our nation? God showed His faithfulness in the past to a
remnant who was willing, despite great odds, to believe Him and follow
Him. God’s
promise…gives life.’ God’s Word is truth
and gives us a basis for hope. It is
time for us to stand in the gap. Are we
willing?
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