Hope is an Anchor
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Today, we’re going to talk about hope. One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 1:18, but let’s begin shortly before that.
Ephesians 1:16–18 KJV:
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
As a bonus that’s not in the audio, consider this translation:
Ephesians 1:18 NIrV1:
I pray that you may understand more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that what God will give his holy people is rich and glorious.
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened.” God wants us to be enlightened.
“That we may know what is the hope of his calling.” The word “know” is the Greek word oida. We get our English word “video” from it. I like to run the hope through my mind like a video. In many places throughout God’s Word, He gives us little pieces of what this movie is going to be like when Christ returns. Today, we’ll look at some highlights and I hope you’ll be inspired to learn more.
If I say, “I hope to see you tomorrow,” that’s just a common way that we have, in our culture, in a sense corrupted the biblical idea of hope. The biblical idea of “hope” is that it’s a firm expectation of something that will come to pass. It will come to pass.
When God’s Word says the trumpet shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise—it’s going to happen! It’s going to come to pass exactly as He describes in the Word.
Anticipation or expectation is something that gives us strength. When we are involved in day-to-day life with things coming at us, things don’t always work out the way we think they should. There’s a temptation to get discouraged, to throw our hands up and wonder what’s the use. There are times when we are tempted to be discouraged. But we have something that prevents them from being overwhelming—the hope.
Hebrews 6:18–20 KJV:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
When God made a promise to Abraham, He said, “I will surely bless you. I will make you a father of many nations.” God swore by himself because there was nothing greater that he could swear by. Everything that God is, stands behind that promise to Abraham.
It’s the same thing for us. When God promises that he will send His Son back for us, everything that God is stands behind that promise.
The two immutable (unchangeable) things, the promise and the oath, are the two things that don’t change, and God cannot lie. Hope is a firm expectation that something will come to pass. We have a consolation when we are tempted to get discouraged. Hope holds our souls so that we are not shaken.
Let’s look at a passage about David in Acts.
Acts 2:25–26 KJV:
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
This is one of the great things hope does, it enables us to rest.
The Hebrew portrays it more clearly, but when David says he foresaw the Lord always before my face, it includes the idea that he looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. David lived his life like that. “My tongue was glad.” He talked about it.
When we have that firm expectation, we can rest; we can rest in hope. Let’s go back to Hebrews for a moment.
Hebrews 6:19–20 KJV:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
It’s talking about the holy of holies in the temple. The high priest was the only one [with the exception of Moses] who could enter the holy of holies, but he could only do it once a year. When Jesus Christ died, the veil that separated out the holy of holies was rent in two. The tearing of the veil opened up the way into the holy of holies. Jesus Christ is our high priest, and He has made that way open for us, giving us access to God’s very presence. Any time, not just once a year.
The hope of Christ’s return has two parts. The first part of the “video” is described in Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 KJV:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [preceed] them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Ken Petty did a wonderful study on the word “meet” (to meet the Lord in the air). Culturally, when a king was coming to town, many people would travel miles outside of the city to greet the visiting king and escort him back into town with much fanfare.
An example is the record in Acts 28:15, where believers went outside of town, as far as Apii Forum and the three taverns, to meet Paul and escort him back to Rome.
We’re going to meet the Lord in the air, and we are going to escort Him back to the earth. That’s the time when he actually comes down to earth.
Let’s look at a record in Matthew that we should have as part of our mental “video” (so we don’t miss half of the movie). The disciples had asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming. He answered with some details, and in the middle of that, look at verse 29.
Matthew 24:29–30 KJV:
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
What a great part of the “video” that we can imagine. The word “sign” here in the Aramaic is nis. This might remind you of one of the Old Testament names for God, Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner. A banner is a flag. That’s the same word used for “sign” here in Matthew. Then shall appear the banner, or the standard, of the Son of Man in heaven. This was described more clearly back in verse 27.
Matthew 24:27 KJV:
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Like lightning spreads across the sky, that’s how it will be when Jesus Christ returns (and we’ll be with him). Then, the first thing people will see is the banner or standard of the Son of Man. Let’s look at this a little more.
In the Old Testament, each tribe of Israel had their own banner. The banner was an identifier and a call to war. In preparation for battle, they would bring all the banners together in one central location. The banners or flags each had a picture that represented its tribe. There, they would have a war planning session. When you read, “raise up a standard on high,” it’s a call to war.
The name Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my banner, appeared during the record of Amalek attacking Israel in Exodus 17. You probably remember the record. When Moses held his arms up, Israel prevailed; when Moses’s arms got tired, Amalek prevailed. So Aaron and Hur held up Moses’s arms. This is where Moses built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi; the Lord is my Banner (flag, standard). Exodus 17:16 “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord—that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
The record in Revelation includes many images from the Old Testament.
Revelation 19:11–14 KJV:
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
We will be part of that army. White represents righteousness. We will be wrapped in a robe of righteousness. We’ll have our new bodies.
Revelation 19:15–16 KJV:
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
This is a Hebrew or Semitic way of saying The Greatest King, The Greatest Lord. And we are going to be with him, following him.
Notice that it says the name is written on his vesture and on his thigh. How could people see it if it’s written on his thigh? Would the writing be small?
Whenever you see a disparity that doesn’t seem to make, pay attention. It might be a problem with our understanding or with the translation. In this case, the problem is with the traditional translation.
This is a good example of how Greek and Aramaic work together because the correct word for “vesture” you can see in a variant reading in Greek. With the word “thigh” you can trace through changes that occurred in Aramaic texts.
But you can understand vesture and thigh when you think of King James English in the early 1600s. The knights and feudal system had faded away but they were still very prominent in people’s minds. So, the image of a Coat of Arms, something written on your vesture, and the shield with symbols on it, were all common pictures people had in their minds when they read this in the early 1600s.
But when we read the Bible, we can’t bring our ideas into it. We have to consider the biblical culture and context instead. Nowhere else in the Bible does it talk about writing a name on a person’s thigh. That’s not a Hebrew idea at all. But there are many times when things are written on a banner or a flag. The symbols of each tribe were written on banners. Also, the high priest wore a soft linen headdress with a solid gold plate in the front that said “holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 28:36–38 and 39:30).
Bonus info. In The Scriptures translation from the Institute for Scripture Research in South Africa, the word “thigh” has a footnote that reads, “‘thigh’, but possibly flag. See Thigh in the Explanatory Notes.” In the entry, it reminds us that Leviticus forbid tattoos on their bodies and both Exodus and Leviticus said that if a person’s thigh was exposed, they were considered naked. Then it discusses Hebrew details that show how this mistranslation could have arisen.
So, in Greek, the word “vesture” is actually “forehead” (think of the gold plate in front of the high priest’s forehead). And the word “thigh” is actually “banner.” This gives you a much more vivid picture that lines up with everything else in the Word about this coming time.
The name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords is going to be engraved in gold on His forehead, like on the high priest’s forehead in the Old Testament, and on his banner or flag, also like in Old Testament accounts. Everyone will know who He is. The High Priest.
So, let’s review the mental “video.” The trumpet shall sound. The dead in Christ shall rise. We’re going to be gathered together for the meeting. Lightning will flash from east to west, and we are going to be escorting Him back to the earth. People will see the white horse with the banner, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. So, we’re going to be behind that white horse. We’re going to be following the banner. All the heavenly host will be behind Him. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword. He has a vesture that says The Word of God. We’re going to be with him!
In the Old Testament, one person was the high priest, and a different person was the king. Jesus Christ is both in one person. He is both the High Priest and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That will be the focus that everyone will see when He comes back.
If we can play this video, over and over, in our minds, it can help us to see the hope as an anchor that we can hold onto. What would we have to be discouraged about?
Satan and all his host will be thrown into the lake of fire, and we’ll be there. Death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed.
For us, “hope” is a lot bigger than just “I hope that will happen.” We know beyond a shadow of a doubt, we have a firm expectation that it will happen exactly the way God has described it.
Philippians 3:13–14 KJV:
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We press toward the mark. That is how we are to live day by day. We are running toward the finish line.
Here’s something amazing: that word “mark” is the same Aramaic word, nis! I press toward the standard, the banner, the flag. That’s the finish line. We can see it in our minds. We forget those things that are behind and reach forth unto those things which are before. We’re running toward that time that really will happen, and we really will be there when it does.
This teaching is also available from the Acts Now Fellowship website.
Footnote:
- Scripture marked (NIrV) The Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ↩︎
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