That’s where we left off in part one of this section on hope. Today, we’ll consider Hebrews 6:12-20; I encourage you to go ahead and read it. The author of Hebrews offers us an example of someone from the Bible who lived out his hope, the changes in his life because of it, and what it means for us today. Let’s jump in!
The Certainty of Hope, Part 2
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Imitate Abraham (6:12-15)
Do you remember the story of my Royals’ fan friend from the last section? He attended the home opener covered completely in Royals’ attire; we compared his look to the idea of being completely clothed in hope. My husband is a pretty loyal Royals’ fan in his own right; however, he dresses a lot more conservatively at a game. If he decided he wants everyone to know about his love and dedication for the team, though, he could imitate our friend who goes fully decked out in royal blue and white. Our friend is an example of what it looks like to be a Royals’ fan.
The author of Hebrews gave us an example of hope as well. If we want to know what it looks like to live completely covered in hope, Abraham is the man for us to imitate. He's our example.
When we imitate him, we recognize the whole system hinges on faith. After all, before the Law was given and before Aaron was ordained as high priest, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (Romans 10:3, also Genesis 15:6). That’s why we read in Hebrews that Abraham was one “who inherit[ed] the promises through faith” (Hebrews 6:12).
That verse continues by saying Abraham was also one who inherited the promises of hope through perseverance. Permit me a brief summary of Abraham’s life so we might see how his ability to persevere played out. Hebrews 6:14 quotes Genesis 22:17-18, “I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command.” This may sound like a great offer but Abraham's life was a difficult journey before he reached this point of abundant blessing from God.
God called Abraham to separate from so much – his father, his home, his extended family, the desires of the world, the pride of self-sufficiency, and the misplaced hope he put in his son Ishmael. Even all of this wasn’t enough, though. In the hardest test of his life, God asked Abraham to separate from the son of promise, Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice him on an altar.
We may be familiar with this story from Genesis 22. In that moment, God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac. Only then did God make the final oath to confirm the hope and promise. By faith, Abraham persevered through some of the hardest trials God has placed upon any man. His perseverance is our example to imitate.
Abraham’s faith and perseverance realized his hope (6:15-18)
The darkest hour of Abraham’s life led to the fullest realization of his hope. He never would have arrived at that place if he had not persevered by faith. Long before Paul ever wrote it, Abraham knew this to be true – “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Hope may be hard to see in that dark hour. As Abraham raised the blade above Isaac’s young body, faith and hope were all that remained for Abraham. He had nothing else to cling to.
But it was in that darkest moment that God provided salvation. It was in that moment that God Himself provided a ram. Only then was Abraham able to declare, “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain” (Genesis 22:14).
For Abraham, that moment became his hope because he knew he now had the son of promise. He had separated from his own plan for his life and trusted fully in God’s plan. Now, for the rest of his life, every time his eyes rested on Isaac, he knew God had provided an heir through whom the blessing would come. He had hope because he knew that through Isaac the promise would come.
For all of us, that moment foreshadows an even greater hope. Centuries later, on that same mountain, the Lord did provide in a great and powerful way. God sacrificed His only Son, Jesus – Abraham’s descendant through Isaac – to bring salvation and hope to the world.
Abraham’s example is our encouragement (6:18)
Those dark hours thrust into our lives just as they did into Abraham’s. Hope may be hard to find at those times. God only needed to speak once to make His promise true but He offered the promise to Abraham in increasing measure three times – He brought it to a point of spiritual perfection. God didn’t speak once and leave Abraham to figure out the rest on his own. He allowed Abraham to go through some stuff so that God could do the work in him that He needed to do. When that growth process was complete, God sealed those promises with an oath – a final confirmation of His call, promise, and faithfulness to accomplish all that He said. Again, Abraham knew long before Paul that “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
God’s trio of promises followed by an oath of confirmation led to the full realization of Abraham’s hope. They do likewise for us, so that “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18).
Seize the hope. Don’t admire it from afar or tiptoe around it. Don’t pick at it in tidbits. Seize it. Grab onto that thing and wrap it around yourself over and over until you have completely covered yourself in the hope that only God offers.
This hope is our anchor (6:19-20)
Do you see that little word “this?” This hope isn’t just any hope. This hope is the one for which Abraham separated himself from all he knew. This hope is the one promised by God and sealed with an oath in which He cannot lie. This hope is the one that brought life to Isaac and through him life to the whole world. This hope is the hope which can completely cover us. This is the hope we have.
This hope is the anchor for our soul. Our soul is the very part of us that is able to connect with God. It is the part that can be taken from eternal darkness and death into eternal light and life. Hope latches on to our soul and says, “You cannot be shaken. You won’t be moved. I will hold you safe and secure while life’s darkest hour tries to buffet and toss you like a stick on a violent sea.”
This hope takes us behind the curtain into the inner sanctuary of the Most Holy Place where Jesus has already gone. This hope takes us into the very presence of God.
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