Hope in Hopelessness

There are seasons of life when we feel hopeless.  Loss of health, home, income, or family can come in pounding waves or together in a tsunami leaving our lives in desolation.  When these times come a natural reaction is to lay blame on the doctor, teacher, employer, family member, friend, and especially God.  While there are circumstances working beyond our control that work against us, sometimes we are to blame and must bear the consequences of our own sin.  During those low points, we also seek for antidotes to relieve the stress and pain.  Any glimmer of hope will do.  Some even seek out God, who providentially guides it all, to ask

Why, O Lᴏʀᴅ, do you stand far away?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  (Psa 10:1)

How long, O Lᴏʀᴅ?  Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?  (Psa 13:1)

Or to cry out

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.  (Psa 71:9)

As difficult as this is on an individual level, what happens when calamity strikes a nation or people group?  And worse yet, what if they willingly brought it on themselves?  A review of history shows that the fall of a nation usually comes from within.  Policies and practices necessary to maintain good order are neglected or abandoned for the sake of pragmatism, preference, or expediency.

Judah and Israel were both in a state of spiritual decay when Isaiah exercised his prophetic ministry, delivering a torrent of divine condemnation beginning with Jerusalem.  His earliest assignment after receiving the call to preach was of a forthcoming Assyrian invasion resulting in the destruction of Israel, though Judah would be preserved.  To the reader after the fact, this would not appear to be a hopeless situation, but in the denouncement to King Ahaz, the Lord had already made clear that they were on an identical path as their northern brethren and the surrounding nations that would receive due judgment.  Though the present brought uncertain conditions, the future discipline of a holy God was fixed.  They were in a hopeless position as much as a frog in gradually heated water.

In the face of doom, a ray of hope shines however.  As a promise of the Lord’s covenant with King David, Isaiah foretells of a king who would reign seemingly forever (Isa 9:6-7)—the ultimate golden age—describing it in terms of utter justice, righteousness, and peace as no other has accomplished or could better (Isa 11:3-10).  This could only be because of who this person is and of what stuff he is derived.  The prophet gives that:

And the Spirit of the Lᴏʀᴅ shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lᴏʀᴅ.  (Isa 11:2)

Here we see a complete package in this seven-fold description of the Spirit, and only God is sufficient as the source and enabling.  In this prophetic section, then, we see the fullness of the Godhead in action as Eusebius of Caesarea wrote:

For in these things the whole fullness of deity of the only-begotten God is signified, concerning whom the Evangelists say: “from His fullness we have all received,” and the apostle: “For in Him all the fullness of deity was pleased to dwell bodily.” … In Him the Spirit of God dwelt, and it is concerning Him that that the apostle said: “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” … One is not to understand these many spirits as entities separate from one another.  Rather just as we understand the same word of God to be “light” and “life and resurrection” and a myriad of other things according to one’s reflection on Him, so also we should understand … all these titles as referring to the one and the same Word who proceeds from God and rested on Him who descended from the root of Jesse and from David according to the flesh.  (Commentary on Isaiah 11)

What then is our hope in times of hopelessness?  It is better to ask who—our Lord Jesus.  We do not yet see the consummation of Isaiah’s vision.  The world, the flesh, and the devil still are at work.  The outward man still is dying.  Sin still works in our members.  Yet in spite of this, Messiah reigns in justice and righteousness.  He hears our cause and will judge rightly.  He binds up the broken-hearted, brings peace, and gives rest.

Hold fast to the promise: Surely, I am coming quickly (Rev 22:20).  Even so, come Lord Jesus.

We Draw Near by a Better Hope

For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.  (Heb 7:18-19)

The Law ceases to have effect, he is saying, and the hope of better things is introduced.  It ceases to have effect, not for being evil (the frenzied view of the heretics), but for being ineffective and incapable of providing the perfect benefit.  It must be noted, of course, that he refers to the obsolete prescriptions of the Law as ineffective and useless—circumcision, sabbath observance, and such like things.  The New Testament also bids us observe to a greater extent the commandments: You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, and such like things.  In place of the former, therefore, we receive the hope of good things to come: it relates us to God.  An oath, however, confirms God’s promise for us.

Theodoret of Cyrus, “The Epistle to the Hebrews”

Jesus’ Resurrection Brings Sweet Consolation

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  (1 Thess 4:13-14)

[Paul] proposes instruction on the resurrection to console those upset about the dead.  He does not completely oppose grieving, but rules out an excessive degree, and consoles them with hope in the resurrection.  Those without it have an excuse for uncontrolled grief.  This is the reason he did not say, “about the dead,” but “about those who have fallen asleep,” bringing consolation through the use of this term.  Then he offers a proof of the resurrection from what they had heard of the teaching of Christ the Lord.  If the resurrection of Christ seems to us worthy of belief, let us believe that we also will attain resurrection.  It was for our sake the the mystery of the incarnation was arranged.

Theodoret of Cyrus, “The First Letter to the Thessalonians”

I Hope So, Because I Know So

[God] saved us … by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

Thus we need the Spirit abundantly … again by grace and not by debt.  At the same time there is an incitement to humility, and a hope for the future.  For if when we were so abandoned, as to require to be born again, to be saved by grace, to have no good in us, if then He saved us, much more will He save us in the world to come.

John Chrysostom, Homilies on Titus 5

We Have Hope Because God So Greatly Loved

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ  (1 Thess 5:9)

Thus God has not inclined to this, that He might destroy us, but that He might save us.  And how is it manifest that this is His will?  He has given His own Son for us.  So does He desire that we should be saved, that He has given His Son, and not merely given, but given Him to death.  From these considerations hope is produced.  For do not despair of yourself, O man, in going to God, who has not spared even His Son for you.  Faint not at present evils.  He who gave His Only-Begotten, that He might save you and deliver you from hell, what will He spare henceforth for your salvation?  So that you ought to hope for all things kind.  For neither should we fear, if we were going to a judge who was about to judge us, and who had shown so much love for us, as to have sacrificed his son.  Let us hope therefore for kind and great things, for we have received the principal thing.  Let us believe, for we have seen an example.  Let us love, for it is the extreme of madness for one not to love who has been so treated.

John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Thessalonians 9