READ: Heb. 6:13-20: This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us … Jesus …
The following of verse 12 mainly concerns Abraham’s faith, trust, patience, and hope that he showed when he received God’s promises. God Himself had not only promised him His blessings (Christ) and a great offspring but had also confirmed them with an oath.
God wanted to abundantly demonstrate His promises with this oath. When God swears by Himself, our hope in the fulfillment of His promises is absolutely certain. This certainty applied to Abraham and also determines for us the firmness of the hope we may receive in this life.
For Abraham, this certainty manifested itself in his ability to patiently wait for the moment when God would fulfill His promises. The first fulfilment was in the birth of Isaac. He also already knew for sure that a great people would come from him, and that all the tribes of the earth would be blessed in Christ. He even knew that a city with foundations would come: the new Jerusalem (Heb. 11:10).
Abraham, too, was tested on holding fast to his hope. But the LORD made him endure unwaveringly (Heb. 11:17-19; Rom. 4:18ff). When we take refuge in the LORD, it is He who helps us hold onto the hope that lies before us and is not yet visible. It will likely refer to the hope of one day entering the Father’s house, the heavenly sanctuary (7:19). There, Christ is already our Forerunner (v.19, 20).
Our soul may be securely connected with Him, like the anchor of a ship that is firmly fastened and does not drift away. It reaches to where He, our High Priest, is, in the heavenly sanctuary. He Himself is our guarantee, our pledge.
Everything is firm and certain for us when we take refuge in Him with God’s promises. We then receive mercy from the eternal High Priest and Advocate, Jesus, and we are also comforted and strengthened in the sure hope of one day being with Him in glory when God’s promises are gloriously fulfilled.
What could give rise to doubts regarding God’s promises?
Singing: Hymn 30:3