Soul anchor

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hebrews 6:13-7:14

TO CHEW ON: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil." Hebrews 6:19

What hope is the writer talking about?

 Scanning back, we see that it is the hope of God's "immutability" (unchangeableness - Hebrews 6:17) and his "oath"—that promise He made to Abraham ("Surely I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you" - Hebrews 6:13 - quoting Genesis 22:17-18 where God goes on to say: "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed").

The grandeur of these two things sends the author on a hunt to express how valuable and important they are. He comes up with two word pictures.

1. A place of refuge -  "... fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us" (Hebrews 6:18). The writer's language would have brought to the Jewish mind the picture of a murderer fleeing to one of the cities of refuge (Joshua 20:1-7) or to the temple to lay hold of the horns of the altar (1 Kings 2:28) where they were assured safety from their accuser.

2. An anchor - "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul" - Hebrews 6:19.

In other words, their hope of salvation because of God's promise made to Abraham, together with the fact of His unchangeableness is like a city of refuge or the horns of the altar (a place of escape from certain retribution) and an anchor (the means of surviving life's storms).

To any of us fearful of losing salvation, the hope of Christ as our city of refuge or horns on the altar is a powerful picture. To those of us who feel like we'll certainly get dashed to pieces by life's storms of sickness, natural disaster, personal and family conflict, or whatever, this hope of salvation and an eternity with God is our anchor.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You don't change, and that the blessing of the promise made to Abraham is even now blessing me in that I have peace with You through Abraham's descendant Jesus, and can enjoy real life now and through eternity. Amen.

MORE: Soul Anchor by Michael Card

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