Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, June 19, 2021
Shabbat Shalom,
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 19 Jun-2021 9th of Tamuz, 5781 Parashat Chukat
Nu 21:21-221:1Jdg 11:1-33Joh 3:13-21
Hope 3 – “Distinguishing Faith From Hope” by David Harwood
These are the times that try men’s souls (Thomas Paine, Common Sense)
Today, let’s turn from the times in which we live and stress this verse:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. Hebrews 11:1 TLV)
Please review and then pray in accord with Romans 15:13. It is a powerful foundation for insightful intercession. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and shalom in trusting, so you may overflow with hope in the power of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. (Romans 15:13 TLV).
Please pray: O God in whom I have placed my hope, You are my Father from whom my expectation comes. Lord, fill me with all joy and peace, as I trust in who You really are, so that I will overflow in confident anticipation by the power of Your Ruach ha-Kodesh.
The goal of these meditations is to equip you to hope and help you encourage others to do the same. I expect that as you read them your capacity to hope will be empowered and you’ll receive insights that may help others on their journey. In addition, if you have lost legitimate hope I anticipate that your expectation will be revived and you will be further prepared to help others in the restoration and strengthening of their hope. Hope helps sustain us on this journey.
In the Bible’s record, possessing the promises, the actualizing of God’s purposes, is often seen as a process. Even instantaneous miracles are part of the outworking of God’s plan to completely reveal His kingdom. They are part of a long-term process.
In the inspired history of Israel, we find intimate portraits describing the hope pilgrimages of God’s people. The process of receiving promises, and realizing destiny, is described in disarmingly personal accounts. The narratives usually reveal a progression from the impossible to the manifestation of purpose. Hope in God nourished them along the way. Hope is a key ingredient that enables the fulfillment of promise. Hope helps provide the power to persevere. Hope is important.
This progression towards completion is mirrored in the lives of individuals, families, congregations, and movements today. I think we can agree that it can be easy to faint along the way. Perseverance is required. The fortitude necessary to maintain faithfulness to the One who promised must come from above. The fruit of faithfulness is holy and emanates from the Ruach ha-Kodesh who reveals the God who is worthy of our hope. We can grow in this revelation and our hope-filled response to who He is.
How? Thankfully, we are not left to our own devices. God has revealed the process of persevering in hope through the Scriptures. Let’s continue to define what the Scriptures intend when they testify of the power inherent in hope.
Here’s a simple picture that illustrates biblical anticipation. It’s almost dinner. See the child on tiptoe look through the window. He knows that any moment daddy will walk to the door. He must be patient, but he can’t wait.
That is hope. In fact, this child exemplifies faith, hope, and love. He loves his father, believes his dad is on the way home, and is anxiously anticipating his arrival. This illustration reminds me of what Yeshua said found in Mark 11:24. For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24 TLV)
It also brings to mind what Paul called the blessed hope. We wait for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua. (Titus 2:13 TLV)
Yeshua’s return is our ultimate hope. All other hopes are similar to this one. The greater includes the lesser. Let’s build our anticipation.
I’d like to continue to describe the clear distinction between faith and hope. Faith is the sure foundation of that which you anticipate. Faith is the title deed to that which you are expecting to receive.
Distinguishing Faith from Hope
We’ve pointed out that hope is in the same family as faith and love. Faith and hope look very similar. For those unfamiliar with this family they can look like twins. Well, if they are twins, they are fraternal, not identical twins. Let’s look at hope within the context of its older sibling, faith.
Here is the verse we emphasized in the beginning of this meditation:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. Hebrews 11:1 TLV)
Faith is settled fact. It operates in the present. Hope speaks of a certain future. Faith sees that which is not-seen. Hope looks for the visible, material manifestation of what is, as of yet, unseen. Faith owns what it does not yet possess. Hope seeks to take possession of what Faith owns.
Although not in this immediate verse, let’s not leave love out. We find that love believes (related to faith) all things, and hopes (expects) all things. Due to this faith and hope we find that love perseveres and as a result we find that love never gives up (1 Corinthians 13:7b-8a).
[Love] believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:7b-8a TLV)
Let’s return to Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. Hebrews 11:1 TLV)
Fair warning: I’m about to say the same thing four more times. Why? I want to make certain that we’re able to discern the difference, and synergy, between faith and hope.
Example 1:
Suppose you were interviewing faith and hope. You’re asking each of them, “How are you?” Here’s how the interaction might go:
Faith says, “I’m assured that my answer is coming.”
Hope joins in, “Yes, and I’m looking for its arrival.”
Example 2:
Here is a likely example of the internal dialogue of someone who is full of faith and hope. That one’s soul says, “I’m sure it’s coming.” That is the expression of his faith. The heart of the faith-filled person rejoices, saying, “Upon the basis of my assurance (it’s coming) I’m looking for its arrival.” That is biblical hope.
Kingdom Parallel
In this age, everything pertaining to the Kingdom of God is both present and not yet seen in its fullness. This is like the dynamic of faith and hope. What is hoped for is what one is looking to receive. It is future oriented. It is the longed for not-yet of the Kingdom which is already being experienced. That is why the word hope is often found in the New Testament within the context of end-time expectations.
So, in Hebrews 11:1 we find that faith immediately owns what it will possess. It is like the Kingdom. It is now (faith) and not yet, but on the horizon (hope). John instructs us along these lines pertaining to our identities. Take a look.
Loved ones, now we are God’s children; and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. But we do know that when it’s revealed, we shall be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. (1 John 3:2 TLV)
Let’s reiterate this reality.
Example 3:
When you have faith, your heart says,
“I’m sure of it although I do not see it yet.
“Although I don’t see it, I’ve got it, it’s coming.
“I’m certain.”
Hope is when you look forward to taking possession of what you already own through your faith. You experience hope when you thoroughly expect to do, or receive, something. Hope says,
“Is it here yet?
“Is it time, yet?
“Let me check and see.”
To reiterate: You own it by faith and possess it by expectation.
And finally, example 4:
Faith says,
“I’ve got this.”
Hope says,
“I’m looking for what I already own to appear, to have in my hands what I already own.”
Finally, please consider Hebrews 11:1 in the light of Mark 11:24.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. Hebrews 11:1 TLV)
For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24 TLV)
The Lord emphasized faith and hope-expectation.
Let’s pray.
Abba, it is written, “Faithful is the One who calls you—and He will make it happen! (1 Thessalonians 5:24 TLV)
Therefore, in the light of that confident expectation I pray,
O God in whom I have placed my hope, You are my Father from whom my expectation comes. Lord, fill me with all joy and peace, as I trust in who You really are, so that I will overflow in confident anticipation by the power of Your Ruach ha-Kodesh.
In the name of Yeshua, Amen.