Anchor for Our Soul

Anchor for our Soul

           God has given us an anchor for our soul not based on our subjective emotional

responses or changing feelings within ourselves, but on the objective reality outside of
ourselves of what God Himself has said and done. That “anchor,” that “confident expectation”  to which we so eagerly look forward is embodied in the English word "hope" which means so much more in Greek and Hebrew than in English. Our English word in this case is simply too weak to convey to us the confidence and strength of the God-breathed words which were given in Hebrew and in Greek.

       Let's begin with a passage from the book of Hebrews chapter six: “So when God

desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,  a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. . . ."  Hebrews 6:17-20 ESV

       The word translated hope here is the Greek word elpis (Strong's G1680) meaning

“confident expectation” or “solid assurance.” The primary root elpo means "to anticipate usually with pleasure, expectation or confidence."
(Mounce, Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, p. 340)

       We have “fled for refuge” to Jesus because without Him we were “without hope and without God in the world."  Eph. 2:12  lost and on our way to face God for the judgment of our sins.  When Christ brought us to Himself, He gave us an anchor for our soul that we would have the confident assurance that we belong to Him and are safe in Him and that “He will bring us safely into His heavenly kingdom."  2 Tim.4.18  
(ESV)
        We have both His Word and His oath, His absolute promise. And we have the evidence of God's faithfulness and immutability, His unchangeableness throughout all of human history confirmed in the history of our own lives. It is “strong consolation” or encouragement implying “indwelling strength” from God.

        Now all of that is to emphasize that when you see the word hope in scripture, read it as “confident expectation” or anticipation of that which most surely will come to pass. Let's take a few of the wonderful verses using hope in the New Testament and see how they sound with that as a translation instead of the English word hope which often implies a desire, but not a certainty.  The certainty is missing in English, but it's not missing in Greek or Hebrew.

 

Titus 1:2 (ESV) in [confident expectation] of eternal life, which God, who never lies,

promised before the ages began
 

Romans 5:2 (ESV) we rejoice in [confident expectation] of the glory of God.
Romans 15:4 (ESV) For whatever was written in former days was written for our

instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have [confident expectation]
Romans 15:13 (ESV) May the God of [confident expectation] fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in [confident expectation.]

 

Ephesians 1:18 (ESV) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know

what is the [confident expectation] to which he has called you,

Colossians 1:27 (ESV) Christ in you, the [confident expectation] of glory.

Titus 2:13 (ESV) waiting for our blessed hope, [[confident expectation] the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

        In the Old Testament Hebrew has more than one word translated into English by “hope.” (So does Greek.) Sometimes the same Hebrew word is translated hope in one
place and expectation in another. An example is Psalm 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only
upon God; for my expectation is from him.” The Hebrew is tiqvah, [8615] sometimes
translated hope. The literal meaning is “a cord (as an attachment; figuratively,
expectancy:” Or “thing that I long for.”

Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope.The Hebrew here is batach 982—Strong's meaning to trust, be confident or sure:

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope 3176  in the Lord. Strong's 3176 is yachal in Hebrew meaning to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope:

That marvelous verse Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he
shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord is sometimes translated “Hope in the  Lord.” The Hebrew is qavah Strong's 6960 meaning “to bind together (perhaps by twisting),  i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect:”

Look at Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. |6960 qavah is I do await , Hope here is towcheleth 8431

What is clear from both the Hebrew and Greek examples is that when scripture uses
the English word hope it is to have a certainty that is often missing in the popular and
common use of that English word.

       Obviously this is closely-related to faith which is simply believing that what God said in His Word is true and acting on that. Stepping out, trusting, depending on God and His Word. The Greek word is pistis 4102 meaning persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV Now faith is the substance [5287 hupostasis] of things hoped for, the evidence [or conviction] of things not seen.  "A setting under (support), i.e.

(figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively): KJV--confidence, confident, person, substance.

“Conviction of things not seen” mean “the deep inner certainty in your soul that God is on His throne and working His plan for your life. He will bring to pass what He has promised into reality.”

Faith is the “present assurance of future reality.” It is assurance–NOT anxiety, Faith– NOT fear. We have an Inner assurance in my soul that God will do all that He said He would.
        Do you build your life on what is seen or what is unseen? Live not for the temporal but for the eternal. Don’t focus on what is seen but focus on the Lord. We endure as seeing Him who is invisible.

2 Cor. 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far

more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

       We also have the inner certitude that the Holy Spirit is also our anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. “The Holy Spirit Himself, who is the “earnest of our inheritance,” “bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16 so He also gives us assurance in our heart. He is the “Anointing” explained in 1 John, the “testimonium” of the Holy Spirit whereby God intensifies the evidence and other reasons for knowing that God is real and the Bible is true. God Himself gives an awareness of His Presence in our hearts.