318. WHY HOPE IN THE LORD GOD?

(The Faith Forum Series – Batch 11)

It is common to hear statements like, “We are hoping for the best” or “This is my only hope” or “We are hoping that this happens” or “I am hoping that he will do this” or “I hope you remembered” or in response to a question posed, “I hope so.”

Definitions of the word “hope”, whether used as a verb or noun are provided online as:

“a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen”;
“to want something to happen or be true”;
“grounds for believing that something good may happen”;
“a feeling of trust”;
“a person or thing that may help or save someone”;
“to trust in, wait for, look for or desire something or someone or to expect something beneficial in the future.”

In my view, these definitions all capture some measure of what the word “hope” means. To my understanding, when we say we are hoping for something or that we hope that something will happen or has happened or that we hope that it is true or that we are hoping in someone or something, we mean that we want things to work out a certain way or to be true or we are inclined to believe that things will work out how we desire it to work out or for the best or that the thing or person we have put our hope in, will come through for us, will not disappoint us and will not forget us. It is to have an optimistic or favourable outlook on some unknown future circumstance or event or some deliverance or safety from a situation, based on what or who we have put our trust in.

In this life, people hope for many things and put their trust in many things. The Bible teaches clearly though, that putting our trust in anyone or in anything other than in almighty God, the one who created us and all of heaven and earth, is a misplaced trust, a misguided trust, a trust that is bound to fail at some point or to disappoint. “…for vain is the help of man” (Psalm 60:11) and “There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.” (Psalm 33:16-17)

The Bible further tells us:

“Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me” (Micah 7:5-7).

In summary, irrespective of what it is we desire or long to see, the scriptures tell us that we are to put our hope in God, not in ourselves or anyone or anything else, as he knows best, is all-powerful and can never fail. Putting our trust in how much money we have, a love interest, a spouse, a child, a job, people’s high estimation of us, our looks, our physique, our health, the climate, the economy, the government, a political party, our friends, our affiliations or anything else is a waste of time. We are bound to get disappointed, as all of these things and people can fail.

On the other hand, those who put their HOPE and TRUST in Jesus, will NEVER be ashamed. “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth in him shall NOT be ashamed.” (Romans 10:11). “Therefore, In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me NEVER be ashamed: Deliver me in thy righteousness.” (Psalm 31:1).

Godly men in the Bible who experienced God’s wonderful saving grace when they hoped and trusted in him are recorded in Bible as stating:

“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:24-26)

“The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 147:11)

^“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” (Psalm 33:18-22)

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit”. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

“Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:4)

“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved…My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” (Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8)

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.” (Jeremiah 17:13)

“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.” (Psalm 130:5-7)

“Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.” (Jeremiah 17:17)

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you…”(1 Peter 1:3-4)

You may then ask, why do the scriptures make such a boast in almighty God? Why should we put our trust in him and none other? What can we expect to receive if we do?

The Lord answers beautifully in Hosea 14:8 and Revelation 1:8 where he states:

“I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found”;
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Everything good that we hope to obtain and every good outcome that we hope will occur in our lives therefore, comes from and is retained by God. He determines what will be bestowed. We can receive nothing good in our lives unless God in his sovereignty allows it, for his divine purposes.

In particular:

It is the Lord God alone that has the power and authority to FORGIVE OUR SINS and grant us pardon.

1 John 1:9 says of God “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

In Isaiah 1:18, it reads “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

The Psalmist stated in Psalm 130:1-4:

“Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”

In Jeremiah 31:33-34, God stated through his Prophet:

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

In Mark 2:8-12, it says of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God the Son and often referred to himself as “the Son of man”:

“And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”

In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus Christ stated, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Colossians 3:13 further tells us, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to SAVE OUR SOULS FROM HELL AND ETERNAL DAMNATION.

Outside of the Lord, there is no real hope, security or salvation, from sin and eternal damnation of the soul in hell. Hence the reason why in Isaiah 43:10-13 and 45:22, he stated through his servant:

“I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord; that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?…Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

In Acts 4:10-12, Peter and John told the people, after they had healed an impotent man through the power made available to them by the glorified Jesus Christ, God the Son, he who had been rejected by the people, killed but raised up from the dead and had returned to heaven:

“…by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole…Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

In Acts 16:31, it states, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Romans 10:9-13 declares as to how we can be saved and through whom:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to DELIVER, RELEASE and REDEEM us from bondage, captivity, trouble, danger, adversity, sterility, sickness, our enemies, hardship, the shackles of satan, diabolical influence and strongholds.

Psalm 103:4 says of God, that he “redeemeth thy life from destruction.”

In Deuteronomy 30:1-3, God stated through his prophet to his people:

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.”

In Jeremiah 29:14, God also stated to his people through his prophet:

“…And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.”

God again stated in Jeremiah 33:6-7 through his prophet:

“Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.”

Job 42:10 reads “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

Jeremiah 30:8 and 10 reads:

“For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him…Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.”

Isaiah 51:3,11, 14-15 and 21-22 reads:

“For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine… the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away…The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name…Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again…”

Psalm 126:1-4 reads:

“When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.”

In Joel 2:23-26, God stated through his Prophet:

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.”

In Ezekiel 36:30, God told his people through his Prophet, “And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.”

Jeremiah 31:11 states, “For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.”

The Word of God also states:

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

“Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” (Psalm 107:6)

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

It is the Lord God alone that has power to CLEANSE from sin, filthiness and unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 states ^“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

In Psalm 51:1-4, the Psalmist prayed:

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

Through his Prophet in Ezekiel 36:25,29 and 33, God told his people:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you…I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

In Jeremiah 33:8, he also stated through his Prophet “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to CHANGE OUR DISMAL CIRCUMSTANCES from bad to good.

Psalm 68:6 states, “God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”

Psalm 113:7-9 states, “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.”

In Jeremiah 31:25, God stated through his prophet, “For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”

Jeremiah 31:12-13 reads:

“Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”

Isaiah 61:1-4. It prophesied of Jesus and his purpose, highlighting his ability to change negative circumstances to positive:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to give us PEACE AND REST.

In Numbers 6:24-26, God told Moses to speak to Aaron and his sons that they bless the Israelites with these words, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

Psalm 29:11 declares, “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”

In John 14:27, Jesus stated, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

In Philippians 4:6-7, it states, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16 states, “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.”

In Isaiah 26:3, it says of God’s ability, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus stated, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

In Exodus 33:14, God told Moses, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to PROMOTE us.

In the Bible, he caused Joseph, David, Daniel, Esther, Mordecai and others to be promoted, while demoting others like Haman, Nebuchadnezzar and Uzziah.

Psalm 75: 4-7 rightly states, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” 1 Peter 5:6 also states, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”

Psalm 61:11 states, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to PROSPER us.

In Isaiah 48:17, the prophet stated, “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

In Deuteronomy 8;18, the Israelites were told, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

Of Joseph in Egypt, although he was a foreign Hebrew who entered as a slave and with nothing, it states, “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

1 Kings 2:3 warns, “And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.”

In Psalm 90:17, the Psalmist knowing that it was God that had the power to make efforts prosper stated, “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea the work of our hands establish thou it.”

Of the importance of paying heed to God’s Word and obeying it, so as to prosper in life, Joshua told the Israelites in Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

In Psalm 118:25, the Psalmist prayed, “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity…”

In Job 42:10, of Job, who had been rich but then stripped of everything, including his children and health, the Word of God states, “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to SATISFY US WITH GOOD THINGS.

Psalm 103:5 says of God that he “…satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

In Jeremiah 31:14, God stated through his prophet, “And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.”

It is the Lord God alone that has the power to BUILD UP AND SUSTAIN.

Is 25:2; unless the Lord build the house; Jeremiah 30:18; 31:4; 31:28:

“Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 36: 33-36)

And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:28)

It is the Lord God alone that gives CONCEPTION (even to women whose wombs were considered barren), forms children in the womb and allows them to be born.

He told Jeremiah the prophet, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5).

In Genesis 33:5, when Esau saw Jacob’s children and asked him who they were, Jacob stated, “The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.”

In Genesis 48:9, Joseph, when asked by his father who he had not seen for many years, who his two children were Joseph replied, “They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place.” (Genesis 48:9)

In 1 Chronicles 28:5, David stated “And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.”

In 1 Chronicles 25:5, it says of Heman, “And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.”

In chapter 26:4-5, it states of Obed-edom who had gotten eight (8) sons, “Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth.Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.”

The Bible further states:

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is HIS reward.” (Psalm 127:3);

“Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?…And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head…and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:1-11; 19-20)

“And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac… And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken, For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.” (Genesis 17:19; 21:1-2)

“And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (Genesis 25:21)

“And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.” (Genesis 29:31)

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 30:1-2)

“And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach. And she called his name Joseph: and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.” (Genesis 30:22-24)

“So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.” (Genesis 20:17-18)

“But thou art he that took me out of the womb: Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: Thou art my God from my mother’s belly. “ (Psalm 29:9-11)

THE SURETY OF A GOOD OUTCOME WHEN YOU HOPE AND TRUST IN GOD

There is surety of a good outcome when you hope and put your trust in none other but God. He will undoubtedly come through for you in his faithfulness. He never disappoints! His Word says it, I believe it and I shall surely live to give testimony of it!

In Psalm 22:6-11, the Psalmist stated:

“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He TRUSTED on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.”

In Job 5:8-16, Job stated:

“I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night. But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor hath HOPE, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.”

In Psalm 33:13-22, the Psalmist also stated:

“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that HOPE in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have TRUSTED in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we HOPE in thee.”

(Written on 8th April, 2025)

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