Hope Is an Anchor for the Soul

by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

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Camargue Cross - Faith, Hope, and Love - Saintes Maries de la Mer (St. Mary's of the Sea), France - Hebrews 6:19 - 123RF Photo - Used under license

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil."  (Hebrews 6:19)

"When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay." -- Edward Mote (1797-1874), writer of the hymn, "My Hope is Built" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2).

     Consider.  When the storms of life come, in whom or in what is your soul secure, even when tossed by waves of trouble, grief, or loss?  What is the anchor for your soul?

Hope Is an Anchor for the Soul

     "This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells]."  (Hebrews 6:19 AMP)

For believers in Jesus Christ, our hope -- our expectation for the future and our confident assurance for the present -- is an anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19).  Hope accomplishes for our soul the same thing an anchor does for a ship (Ref. 3).  In the same way that an anchor holds a ship sure and steadfast through a storm, our hope of heaven and eternal life with Christ holds us firmly and keeps us calm through the difficult storms of life.  Our hope of heaven and eternal life with Christ cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it (Hebrews 6:19 AMP).  Edward Mote referred to Christ and to hope when he wrote the hymn line, "When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2).

Which enters within the veil

     The writer of Hebrews adds that this hope set before us is "one which enters within the veil" (Hebrews 6:19).  The Amplified Bible describes the veil as "the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells" (Hebrews 6:19 AMP). 

Recall that under the Old Testament system, the Most Holy Place, the innermost and most sacred place in the tabernacle and later the temple, was separated from the Holy Place by a veil (a curtain) (Exodus 26:31-33, 1 Kings 6:14-19, Hebrews 9:3).  The Most Holy Place contained the ark of the covenant which was the symbol for the presence of God (1 Kings 8:6, 10-11).  Only one person, the high priest, entered the Most Holy Place one day a year taking blood to atone for the sins of himself and the people (Hebrews 9:3, 6-7).   

During Jesus' earthly life, he did not enter the Most Holy Place in the human-made temple in Jerusalem.  However, when Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God died sacrificially to atone for our sins, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:37-39).  Jesus Christ gained direct access for us to the holy place in heaven, the presence of God (Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 10:19-21).  Now, as believers in Christ, our hope has entered within the veil and is surely anchored in heaven, in the presence of God.

Edward Mote wrote the hymn line, "In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2).

A Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3)

     "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).  

Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there would be no anchor for our soul -- no hope, no eternal life.  However, because of God's great mercy, and because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we do have an anchor for our soul.  God has given us a secure living hope through believing in his Son and in his resurrection (John 11:25-26, 1 Peter 1:3).  Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.  Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26).

A Hope that Abounds (Romans 15:13)

     "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

The Apostle Paul prays for us as believers that God will fill us with joy and peace not just that we will have hope, but that we will abound in hope (Romans 15:13).  The Greek word for abound means to overflow beyond measure (Ref. 4).  The power of the Holy Spirit fills us with joy and peace, and our hope does abound -- a full assurance of hope until the end (Hebrews 6:11).  Our abounding hope in Christ and eternal life is the anchor for our soul that keeps us steady and calm through the storms and trials of life.  

     Apply.  Through whatever storm or trial you are going through, Jesus Christ and his gift of eternal life is your hope, the hope that is an anchor for your soul.  Trust him, believe him, have confidence in him.  Ask him to fill you with joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit so that your hope abounds, overflows without measure, and keeps you steady and calm, with full assurance of hope until the day you are with him in heaven.

Related Lessons
"What is Eternal Life?" (John 17:3)
"I Am the Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25-26)

References
1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Mote
2.  https://hymnary.org/text/my_hope_is_built_on_nothing_less
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/hebrews/6.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4052.htm