"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living."  (Psalm 27:13)

Because God's nature is good, and God is good to us, we do not need to despair or lose heart.  Even in the face of adversity and the challenges of life, God's goodness gives us hope.

This lesson discusses what David meant in Psalm 27:13 when he said that he would see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
  

     David begins the verse with the conditional phrase, "I would have despaired unless" (Psalm 27:13 NASB1995), or "I would have lost heart unless" (Psalm 27:13 NKJV).  The most important point of the phrase is that David believed.  And because he believed that he would see the goodness of the Lord, he did not despair or lose heart because of the adversities he was experiencing in his life (Psalm 27:2-3, 12). 

Here, the Hebrew word for "believed" is aman (pronounced ah-MAHN).  Aman means to trust and to have faith (Ref. 1).  In the Hebrew culture, believing was essential to God's covenant relationship with his people.  God was a reliable covenant partner.  The people in response to him were to believe in him and faithfully live in accordance with his commandments (Ref. 1).

In the context of Psalm 27:13, because we believe in God, we will see God's goodness.  We will not despair or lose heart when troubles come.

     For David, believing in [trusting in] God was the key for seeing God's goodness.  Here, the Hebrew word for "seeing" means to perceive, experience, and understand (Ref. 2).  Because David believed in God, David experienced and understood God's goodness.  Our faith in God will enable us to perceive, experience, and understand God's goodness in our lives.

     God's goodness includes God's nature (who God is) and God's benevolence (what God does).

Goodness is first a description of God's essential character (Ref. 3, Ref. 4).  God is good in the moral sense.  There is no evil or sin in him (Psalm 92:15, James 1:13).

God's goodness also means that God is benevolent to people, that is, he blesses people. 

a.  First, God's goodness extends to all people.

• "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."  (Matthew 5:45)
• "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)
  Be careful in your ministry not to exclude people that God has included in his ministry.
  
  

b.  Second, God's goodness extends to his people - people who revere him and love him.

• "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.  In the presence of everyone you have acted
  for those who take refuge in you." (Psalm 31:19 CSB)
• "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."  (Romans 8:28 ​NLT)
  ​
  

     God's blessings and goodness are for the here and now and for throughout all our lifetime on earth.  David was confident that he would see the goodness of the Lord "in the land of the living," as contrasted to the place of the dead.  Because we believe in God, we will see God's goodness "in the land of the living" -- during our lifetime on earth.  God's goodness to us blesses us and gives us hope us through the adversities and challenges of life.   

     Prayer.  Dear God, thank you for all of your goodness that you have given to us.  Thank you for blessing us and strengthening us each day so we can bless others who are going through adversity.  In Jesus' name, Amen.  

Related Lesson
"The Meaning of God's Favor" - Psalm 30:5

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/539.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7200.htm
3.  https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/goodness-of-god
4.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2898.htm

This article explains the meaning of Jesus' command, "Repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

     Consider.  Have you repented of your sins and turned to God?  Do you believe in God's Son, Jesus Christ?

     In his first public preaching message in the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus described the two requirements for entrance into God's kingdom.  Jesus said we must "repent and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

1.  The word "repent" means to "change our mind" (Ref. 1).  First, we are to change our mind about our sin, and turn from our sin to the ways of our heavenly Father.  Repentance includes confession of our sins to God (1 John 1:9).  Repentance goes beyond confession and is a commitment to change our behavior and align our life with God's will (Ref. 1).

2.  Then, by faith (which is God's gift to us), we are to believe in the gospel (Ephesians 2:8, Ref. 2 - believe).  The gospel is good news -- the good news of Jesus Christ, God's Son (Ref. 3 - gospel).  God, at God's initiative, has given us his Son, Jesus Christ.  Through the sacrificial death of Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins, we through faith in the resurrected Jesus receive forgiveness for our sins and receive God's gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9, Ref. 3).  That is good news indeed. 

3.  Repentance from our sins and belief in Jesus Christ go together.  Both are necessary (Mark 1:15).  Without repentance, Jesus said we will perish (Luke 13:3).  Without belief in him, Jesus said we will die in our sins (John 8:24).

     Apply.  Turn away from your sin today.  Tell God you are sorry for your sins, and ask God to help you live life that is pleasing to him and serves others.  Put your trust completely in God's Son, Jesus Christ.  Thank him for dying on the cross to forgive your sins.  Ask Jesus to help you follow him faithfully each day.

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3340.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2098.htm

Image source: Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org

"But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, 'Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.'  And at once the woman was made well."  (Matthew 9:22)

This lesson discusses the meaning of Jesus' words, "Take courage."  This lesson presents five examples where Jesus spoke the words, "Take courage," to his disciples and others.

     Consider.  What did Jesus mean when he said to his disciples and others, "Take courage"?

     Jesus often spoke the words, "Take courage," to his disciples and others to instill confidence and dispel fear (Ref. 1).  "Take courage" means to be strengthened from God, and to be confident and assured from God in the face of adversity or uncertainty.  "Taking courage" in the scriptural sense comes from God and is not merely human bravery that we muster on our own strength without God.  Instead, "Taking courage" points to divine assurance and peace that comes from faith in God (Ref. 1).

Bible translations frequently translate the Greek word for "take courage" [tharseó, pronounced thar-SEH-o] as "take heart," or "be of good cheer" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2 - John 16:33 example).

     Next, let's look at five examples where Jesus spoke the words, "Take courage," to encourage his disciples and others. 

Matthew 9:2 - "And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, 'Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.'"

Note that Jesus first forgave the paralytic's sins before Jesus healed the man physically (Matthew 9:2-8).  The minds of Jesus' Jewish listeners  connected sins being forgiven and physical diseases being healed as both being done by God (Psalm 103:2-3).  Being forgiven by God for his sins was the first and main reason for the man to be encouraged.

Before Jesus healed the paralytic, he forgave the man's sins.  If you are in Christ, take courage, Jesus has forgiven your sins (Ephesians 1:7 KJV, 1 John 1:9).

Matthew 9:22 - "But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, 'Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.' And at once the woman was made well."

The woman who came to Jesus had suffered 12 years from a hemorrhage (Matthew 9:20).  She had said to herself, "If I only touch His cloak, I will get well" (Matthew 9:21).  Mark tells us that as soon as she touched Jesus' garment, the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:28-29).  Jesus then kindly addressed her, not as a man to a woman, but as a father to a child.  "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well" (Matthew 9:22).  The woman's faith, which was a gift from God, was the channel by which she received healing and was made well by the Lord Jesus.

Note the word that Jesus used for "made well."  In Matthew 9:22 (and Mark 5:34) the word for "made well" is sózó (pronounced so'-zo).  In the New Testament sózó means to save, to rescue, to deliver, to heal, and to preserve (Strong's Lexicon - Ref. 3).  In Matthew 9:22, Jesus meant that she, who had been diseased for 12 years, was healed by her faith in him and made whole (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance - Ref. 3).  

We, too, can take courage.  Through faith in Christ, which is God's gift to us (Ephesians 2:8), Jesus saves us, heals us, restores us, and makes us whole.

Mark 6:49-50 - "But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, 'Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.'" 

Jesus' disciples were in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee at night (Mark 6:45-51).  The windstorm was against them.  Jesus came to them walking on the water.  Jesus' disciples were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost.  Jesus said his famous, calming words to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid" (Mark 6:50).  Jesus then got into the boat with them.  The wind stopped, and the disciples were astonished.

For the believer in Jesus Christ, we have nothing to fear.  We can take courage -- be encouraged -- because Jesus comes to be with us, to assure us in our storms, and to deliver us. 

John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Note as Christians we simultaneously live "in Jesus" and also live "in the world."  Jesus said that in him we have peace, and in the world, we have tribulation.  The peace that Jesus gives us is complete peace of mind, welfare, and safety (Ref. 4, John 14:27).  The world cannot take away this inner peace.  However, because we also live in the not-so-peaceful world, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ today experience tribulation -- severe stress, suffering, and persecution (Ref. 5) -- because of their faith in Christ. 

Into the world in which we live, Jesus steps in and says, "Take courage, I have overcome the world."  Through Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead, Jesus has won the victory over death and power of evil.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, we too, overcome the world.  "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith" (1 John 5:4).

Acts 23:11 - "But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, 'Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.'"

The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the Apostle Paul and stood at his side when Paul was in "protective custody" in Jerusalem (Acts 23:1-10).  The Lord commended Paul for how he had witnessed for the Lord in Jerusalem (Acts 23:11).  Then the Lord encouraged Paul.  Jesus encouraged Paul by telling Paul the next phase of his mission assignment - to witness for Christ in Rome.

When the Lord gives us a fresh update on our life's mission assignment, that gives us courage.  It encourages us because we know, like Paul, that the Lord will help us live that long so we can complete what he has assigned us to do.  And, we know that the Lord will be with us to help us when we encounter obstacles.

1.  Courage comes from God.  "Taking courage" means to be divinely assured and strengthened from God in the face of adversity or uncertainty (Ref. 1).
2.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we can take courage because:
a.  Jesus has forgiven our sins (Matthew 9:2, Ephesians 1:7 KJV, 1 John 1:9)
b.  Jesus saves, heals, and restores us (Matthew 9:22)
c.  Jesus is with us in the midst of our storms (Mark 6:49-50)
d.  Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33, 1 John 5:4)
e.  Jesus stands next to us to help us accomplish the mission he assigns us to do and to help us overcome obstacles (Acts 23:11)

     Apply.  Go in the peace of Christ.  Go, knowing that Jesus is with you. Jesus will give you the courage and strength to face adversity and obstacles as you trust him and serve him in the world.

Related Lessons
"The Authority of Jesus" - Matthew 28:18
"The Peace of Christ - Colossians 3:15 Meaning"
"15 Bible Verses About Courage"

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2293.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/john/16-33.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1515.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2347.htm

Image source: FreeBibleImages.org

"The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah."  (1 Kings 17:16)

This article presents 19 Bible verses about God's provision for our needs.  "Tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers" (Philippians 4:6).

The scripture quotations below are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless indicated otherwise (Ref. 1).

Genesis 1:29 - "And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food."

Genesis 41:53-54 - "The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread."

Exodus 16:4-5 - "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.'"

Note - The Lord daily provided manna for the Israelite's daily needs and taught them to trust the Lord one day at a time.   Recall Jesus' instruction for how we are to pray: "Give us this day our daily bread."  (Matthew 6:11)

Deuteronomy 29:5 NIV - "Yet the Lord says, 'During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.'"

1 Kings 17:14-16 - "For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.' 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.'"

Psalm 23:1-2 - "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."

Psalm 34:10 - "The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing."

Psalm 37:3-4 - "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:25 - "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread."

Isaiah 55:1-2 - "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food."

Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread."

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Note - Serve God as your first priority, and God promises to provide the things you need for daily living such as food, drink, and clothing (Matthew 6:11, Matthew 6:31).

Matthew 14:17-21 - "They said to him, 'We have only five loaves here and two fish.' 18 And he said, 'Bring them here to me.' 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

Luke 12:22-24 - "And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!'"

2 Corinthians 9:8 - "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Philippians 4:6 TLB - "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers."

Philippians 4:19 NASB 1995 - "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." 

Note - Be a person who generously shares with others and supports your brothers and sisters in Christ when there is a necessity, and God will supply [literally "fill up"] your needs as well (Ref. 2).  Paul is commending the generosity of the Christians at Philippi.  They generously sent Paul a gift (donation) more than once (Philippians 4:14-18 NASB 1995).

1 John 5:14-15 - "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

References
1.  https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/
2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4137.htm

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."  (Ephesians 5:18)

This lesson provides practical, scriptural steps pastors, teachers, and Christian workers can take to become filled (and refilled) with the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry. 

     Consider:  Why is it important for effective ministry to others for believers in Christ to be filled with the Holy Spirit?  Is being filled with the Holy Spirit a one-time event, or a repeated, continual action?

The scripture quotations in this article are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless noted otherwise (Ref. 1).

     God has already given us the gift of the Holy Spirit when we first believed in Christ.  The Apostle Peter spoke about this on Pentecost.  After Peter's Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:14-36), the people were "cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37).  Peter replied to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). 

God gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who put their faith and trust in God's Son, Jesus Christ.  God gives us the Holy Spirit:

• to be with us forever (John 14:16)
• to teach us (John 14:26)
• to empower us to witness effectively for Christ locally and throughout the world (Acts 1:8)
• to build up the body of Christ through a variety of ministries.*

* Example ministries include preaching, teaching, healing, contributing generously, singing songs, and waiting on tables.  References: 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11-12, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 5:18-19, Acts 6:2-3.

     When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit indwells us.  The Holy Spirit comes and lives inside us.

a.  On the evening before his death, Jesus told his disciples that the Spirit of truth "lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:17).  The Holy Spirit's "will be in you" (indwelling) was fulfilled beginning at Pentecost and is equally fulfilled when people believe in Christ today. 

b.  The Apostle Paul wrote that the mystery which was hidden for ages God had made known then among the Gentiles "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:26-27).  The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit was for all people -- Jews and Gentiles -- who put their faith in Christ (Acts 10:44-45).

c.  Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in us (1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT). 

     "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit."  (Ephesians 5:18)

     Paul's instruction to the Christians at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1) was that they be continually being filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).  The Greek verb for "be filled" is pléroó (pronounced play-ro'-o) (Ref. 2).  Pléroó is in the Greek present tense which is a continued, ongoing, repeated action over time, not a one-time ("one and done") event in the past (Ref. 3, Ref. 4).  The instruction, "be filled [continually, repeatedly]," is second person plural ("you all") (Ref. 3) addressed to the Ephesian church as a group and to all who are believers in Christ today.

     Since the Holy Spirit already indwells us (believers in Christ), why then does Paul instruct us to be filled [continually, repeatedly] with the Spirit?

Perhaps you will have different thoughts, but here are the thoughts that came to my mind in answer to this question:

(1). I am a "leaky" vessel.  Perhaps you are, too.
(2). Our human bodies and our automobiles (motorcycles, etc.) need repeated food and fuel to run.  Similarly, when our spiritual energy becomes depleted through continually ministering to others, we need to take time, and prayerfully seek to be spiritually refilled and renewed by the Holy Spirit.

     This is the most important part of this "lesson."  When we are ministering as a preacher, teacher, an elder or deacon, or in any role as a representative of Christ, we need to be clean (fully confessed) vessels and channels for the flow of God's Holy Spirit power to others.  We need to be yielded completely to God's will and guidance.  We need to be filled and refilled with God's Holy Spirit so God's power for ministry flows through us to others.

Let me give some examples where praying to be filled (or refilled) with the Holy Spirit is scriptural and wise preparation for effective ministry:

• Elders preparing to pray for and anoint others in a healing service (James 5:14)
• Evangelism teams preparing to go into the local community and the world to witness for Christ (Acts 1:8, Acts 13:2-3)
• Pastors preparing to preach sermons (Romans 10:14-15)
• Church school teachers preparing to teach lessons (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB)
• Mission teams preparing to help the less fortunate and engage in construction ministries (Matthew 10:42)
• Musicians preparing to play or sing for worship services to the glory of God (Ephesians 5:18-19)
  
  

     This section respectfully suggests three scriptural steps you can go through to become filled (or refilled) with God's Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry.  Before you begin your worship service, evangelistic outreach event, or daily mission work (or other ministry), pray through these steps beforehand.  You can pray either in private as individuals or together with your Christian ministry team members.
 
Confess - Yield - Ask

     "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:9 ESV)

     Confess your sins to God.  In prayer, silently ask God to bring to your mind any unconfessed sins in your life.  Take plenty of time to do this (10 or 15 minutes is better than 30 seconds).  Tell God you are sorry for your sins.  Thank God for forgiving you all your sins through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

Don't keep revisiting past sins that you have already confessed to God.  In Christ, God has already forgiven your sins, and God remembers them "no more."  (References: Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, Micah 7:19 ESV).

     "Submit yourselves, then, to God."  (James 4:7)

     Tell God, in prayer, that you yield your will, and your entire self to his direction and control.  Ask God to direct you, and to reveal his will to you during the ministry event that you are about to commence.   Ask God to help you and your team speak and act totally in accordance with his will, not your own.  (Reference: 1 John 5:14-15).

Recall that Jesus, before he completed his great sacrificial work (his voluntary death for us), had prayed to his Father, "Not my will, but yours be done."  (Reference: Luke 22:42).
                                                                                                                                      

     Peter and John and the other apostles and believers prayed.  "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus" (Acts 4:29-30).  "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (Acts 4:31).

In prayer, ask God to fill you (or refill you) and your team members with the Holy Spirit.   Ask God to enable the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through you and your team members for the specific ministry (such as a worship service or outreach event) you are about to begin.  God will honor your request and will fill you with the Holy Spirit.  Through the filling of the Holy Spirit, God will empower you for the purpose of effective ministry to others.  God will help you know what to say and what to do as you minister to others in Jesus' name.

     After these steps (confess - yield - ask), step out in faith.  Listen to God leading you, and then speak and act in the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit that God has given you.

     Apply.  Confess your sins to God.  Yield your will and yourself completely to God's will.  Ask God to fill you (or refill you) with the Holy Spirit to empower you in your ministry to others in Jesus' name.

References
1.  https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/
2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4137.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ephesians/5-18.htm
4.  https://ezraproject.com/greek-tenses-explained/

"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."  (Isaiah 46:4 KJV)

God promises to sustain us through all the years of our lives - even through the years of our old age and "gray hairs" or "hoar hairs" (Isaiah 46:4).

     Consider.   If you already are in your "graying years," how have you experienced God’s grace and care for you as you have aged?  If you are young, how does God's promise to carry you to "hoar hairs" (gray hairs) give you hope for the future?

The scriptures quoted in this article below are taken from the King James Version (KJV) on the BibleGateway site unless noted otherwise (Ref. 1).

      God encouraged the remnant of Israelites held in captivity in Babylon.  God said, "Even to your old age I am he" (Isaiah 46:4).  By the words, "I am he," God explained that he is the same God who had carried them from their birth, and that he had not abandoned them.  The scripture had a meaning for the Israelites both in the national sense and in the personal sense. 

a.  In the national sense, God had carried the Israelites since their birth as a nation, when God delivered them from Egypt.  For example, in Deuteronomy 1:31, God told the Israelites that in the wilderness he had "carried them, as a man carries his son" (Deuteronomy 1:31 NKJV). 

b.  In the personal sense, God was with them all the time from their own birth, and was carrying them throughout their lives into old age, and would never forsake them.  This same principle applies to us today who believe in God and trust him.  God takes care of us throughout our lives as children and adults, and we continue to experience God's grace and care in our years of old age and gray hair.

Notice in Isaiah 46:5, that God invited the remnant of Israel to compare himself to the idols of Babylon.  God has carried (and still carries) his people.  Idols need to be carried by the people who worship them (Isaiah 46:7).  Idols cannot deliver their worshipers from trouble (Isaiah 46:7).  God delivers his worshipers out of all their troubles (Psalm 34:17).

     The King James Version uses an interesting word to describe God's care for us through all of our life to advanced age -- "even to hoar hairs will I carry you" (Isaiah 46:4).  The old English word, "hoar" (spelled "h-o-a-r") dates to before the 12th century (Ref. 2) and refers to the grayish white color of hoarfrost (see picture).

In the Bible, God promises to carry us even to the time of our literal "hoary head" [gray hair, old age] (Ref. 3, Isaiah 46:4).  God's tender care for us lasts from our infancy, through our childhood and adulthood, to our old age and gray hairs.  God's care for us exceeds that even of our earthly parents.  Even when our earthly parents have passed away and we ourselves are reaching "old age," "the everlasting arms" of God "never weary" (Ref. 4).  "God's watchfulness, his providence, his protection, never fail" (Ref. 4).
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     The same God who has made us also walks with us as children and as adults.  God does not cast us off in the time of old age or when infirmities come.  God does not forsake us when our strength fails (Psalm 71:9 NIV, Ref. 5). 

As we age, we who believe and trust in God continue to learn more each day about God's grace (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV).  God continually "bears us" [lifts us up] (Ref. 6).  God delivers us through all of our trials (Psalm 34:17, 19).  And, when our physical life is completed, God will carry us to our heavenly home (Luke 16:22, Luke 23:43, John 14:2-3).

     Apply.  Give thanks to God for his care for you, and for how he has carried you through your life, especially through trials.  Be assured and know that God will be with you into your old age and gray hairs.

Related Resource
"Bible Verses About Old Age and Gray Hair" (Ref. 5)

References
1.  https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/King-James-Version-KJV-Bible/
2.  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoar
3.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7872.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/isaiah/46.htm
Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:4
5.  https://www.scriptureway.com/bible-verses-about-old-age-and-gray-hair
6.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5375.htm

Image source: Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org

"I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us ... for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below."  (Joshua 2:9-11 excerpts) 

"By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace."  (Hebrews 11:31)

This lesson explains how Rahab of Jericho demonstrated courageous faith in the Lord God.  Despite the idolatrous and sinful culture around her, she welcomed the two Israelite spies that Joshua sent, expressed her faith in the Lord to them, and followed their instructions resulting in her deliverance and the deliverance of her family from the destruction of Jericho.

     Read.  Please read the Bible story of Rahab, the two spies, Rahab's faith, and the deliverance of Rahab and her family in Joshua 2:1-21 and Joshua 6:15-25.

     Consider.  In what ways did Rahab demonstrate her courageous faith in the Lord by her actions and words?

The scripture quotations in this lesson are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB 1995 version) unless noted otherwise (Ref. 1).

     Rahab's choice to per her faith in the Lord resulted in her being protected and rescued through the coming destruction that the Lord was bringing upon sinful Jericho.  Recall that God had instructed Moses and the Israelites to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan because of their sin (Exodus 23:22-24, 27; Deuteronomy 7:1-4, 18:9-13).  The inhabitants of Jericho all had heard about the Lord's deliverance of the Israelites through the Red Sea about 40 years prior (Joshua 2:10, Exodus 14:21-22, Joshua 5:6).  However, only Rahab turned to faith in the Lord God.  Rahab courageously chose to put her faith in the Lord despite being surrounded by the culture of sin and "idol trusting" in which she lived.

Rahab not only turned to faith in the true God, but also put her faith into action.  Rahab welcomed in peace the two spies that Joshua had sent (Joshua 2:1, Hebrews 11:31).  She, at risk to herself, also hid the two spies from the king's men (Joshua 2:2-7).  James, the writer of the epistle that bears his name, commended Rahab for advising the two men to hide in the "hill country" for three days to avoid capture instead of attempting to cross the Jordan and return to Joshua immediately (Joshua 2:16, Joshua 2:22-24, James 2:25-26).

As a result of hearing about how the Lord "dried up the water" of the Red Sea before the Israelites, the hearts of Jericho's inhabitants "melted," and "no courage remained in any man" (Joshua 2:11).  Even though the scriptures say "no courage remained in any man" [literal male individual] in Jericho, Rahab was a woman of courage, and she turned to the Lord in faith (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance - Ref. 2).  Rahab said to the two Israelite spies, "I know that the Lord has given you the land" (Joshua 2:9), and, "the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (Joshua 2:11).

Rahab's faith also was commendable in her conversation with the two Israelite spies because she negotiated protection and deliverance not only for herself but also for her family.  Rahab requested, "spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death" (Joshua 2:13).  On the day of Jericho's destruction, Joshua spared the lives of Rahab's entire family including her father and mother, her brothers and sisters, and all who belonged to them (Joshua 6:22-25).

Rahab faithfully accepted and executed the three conditions set by the two spies:
a.  Condition 1 - That she tie "this cord of scarlet thread" in the window through which she had let them down (Joshua 2:15, 2:18, 2:21).  For more information about the literal and symbolic meaning of indelible scarlet dye, check the lesson, "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)" (Ref. 3).
b.  Condition 2 - That she would gather to herself into her house her father and mother and her brothers and her sisters and all her father's household (Joshua 2:12-13, 2:18, 6:22-23).
c.  Condition 3 - That she would not tell [inform] this business of the two spies (Joshua 2:14, 2:20, Brown-Driver-Briggs Ref. 4).

     The rest of the Bible story about Rahab has a very good outcome for Rahab.  After Rahab's deliverance from the destruction of Jericho, the Bible tells us that Rahab, a Gentile believer in the Lord God, "lived in the midst of Israel" (Joshua 6:25).  The Bible does not mention Rahab's marriage to Salmon of the tribe of Judah.  However, the Bible does say that Salmon and Rahab became the parents of Boaz (Matthew 1:5,  Ruth 2:1).  Subsequently, Rahab became the great-great-grandmother of king David (Ruth 4:21-22, Matthew 1:3-6).  The Bible refers to our Savior, Jesus Christ, both as the Son of God (Luke 1:34-35) and as the son of David (Matthew 1:1).  Since Rahab is in the ancestral lineage of king David, she also is in the ancestral lineage of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

"By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace" (Hebrews 11:31).

     In Hebrews chapter 11, the author includes Rahab in the honorable list of people who exemplified  great faith.  Rahab's inclusion in Hebrews 11 is exceptional in that she is only one of two women mentioned by name in this chapter along with the patriarchs, judges, and prophets that are included.  Hebrews 11:11 describes Sarah.

In the Greek in Hebrews 11:31, there is an interesting contrast in the words translated as "faith" and "disobedient."

     The Greek word translated as "faith" in Hebrews 11:31 is pistis (pronounced pis'-tis).  We think of faith as believing in, trusting in, having confidence in (Strong's Concordance - Ref. 5).  However, digging deeper, we see that the root meaning of faith is to be persuaded (HELPs Word-studies - Ref. 5).  Rahab was persuaded that the Lord was the true God (Joshua 2:11), and by courageously trusting in him instead of the local idols she and her family were delivered through the destruction of Jericho.  See Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."    

     And now, the surprise.  The Greek word for "disobedient" in Hebrews 11:31 is apeitheó [pronounced ap-i-theh'-o] and means refuse to be persuaded (HELPS Word-studies - Ref. 6).  Rahab had faith (she was persuaded that the Lord "He is God" - Joshua 2:11), and she was rescued from the destruction of Jericho.  Other than Rahab's family, the other residents of Jericho refused to be persuaded about (believe in) God, and they perished (Hebrews 11:31).

     Apply.  Are you persuaded that "God is" and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him? (Hebrews 11:6).  Turn away from trusting any idols in your life (religious idols or secular idols such as money). Put your faith and trust completely in the Lord God and his Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Exodus 20:3, Matthew 6:24).

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Related Lessons
"Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)"
This lesson explains the meaning of "scarlet."  Rahab tied a cord of scarlet thread in the window (Joshua 2:18).

"Faith Comes from Hearing" - Romans 10:17

References
1.  https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-American-Standard-Bible-NASB1995/
2.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/376.htm
3.  https://www.scriptureway.com/home/come-now-let-us-reason-together-isaiah-118
4.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5046.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4102.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/greek/544.htm