Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #51 - The Hope of the Resurrection

In our last study we found that the Messianic Hope was confirmed by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Our Lord's bodily resurrection was irrefutable evidence that He was indeed the Promised Messiah.  The Apostle Paul wrote that the Lord Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4).  And so as we pass from the Gospels into the Book of the Acts we find that the word "hope" is almost always associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In fact, seven out of ten times the word "hope" occurs in the Acts it is used in connection with the Resurrection of Christ and/or of those who believe in Him as their Savior.  We may list these occurrences as follows:

Acts 2:26,27 - "Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."  (The Messianic prophecy of Psalm 16 foretelling the Resurrection of the Christ.)

Acts 23:6 - "... of the hope and resurrection of the dead  I am called in question."  (The defense of the Apostle Paul before the Sanhedrin.)

Acts 24:14,15 - "... so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust."  (Paul's defense before Felix.)

Acts 26:6,7,8 - "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night hope to come.  For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"  (Paul's defense before Agrippa.)

Acts 28:20 - "For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."  (Paul's defense before the Jewish elders of Rome, the "hope" of which he spake being clearly defined by the previous references to it.)

We want to look at these passages in more detail in future posts, but for now even a casual reading of these verses reveals some very clear Scriptural claims regarding the hope of the resurrection:

1.  The hope of the believer's resurrection is anchored in the fact of the Resurrection of Christ.

2.  The hope of the believer is the hope of the resurrection of the dead.

3.  The hope of the resurrection was clearly taught in the Old Testament Scriptures (Law and Prophets).

4.  The event of the resurrection will include all men (both just and unjust), but only the believer can have hope toward God in that day.

5.  The hope of the resurrection is firmly established upon the promise and power of God and is therefore neither impossible nor unreasonable.

6.  The hope of the resurrection was a part of the ancient faith of Israel (believed by all the Jews except for the liberal sect of the Sadducees).  

It is certain that the central message of the Apostles and of the Early Church was the Hope of the Resurrection and that this hope was anchored in the fact of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.  All men will face death one day.  Whether we will approach that day with hope or with no hope all depends upon whether or not we believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the means of our soul's eternal salvation.  "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 whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:9,10,13).