Keys to the Kingdom and the Apostle of Hope

Today is Tyloches to the Kingdom and the Apostle of Hope. In this message to the seven churches, the message that Christ received from the Father to give to the seven churches, the church at Philadelphia was promised protection from the Great Tribulation. So if you would, turn to Revelation 3 and verse 7. At the beginning of each message to the churches of Revelation, characteristics of Jesus Christ are given.

So we are at Revelation 3 and verse 7. Revelation 3 and verse 7. And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia, write, these things, as he that is holy, see characteristics of Jesus Christ. If you want to quickly look at Revelation 1 and 1, a lot of people say this is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Well, Jesus Christ gave it to his angel and his angel gave it to John, an angel being Angelo the messenger, but it initiated with the Father. So we'll read John 1.1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, see God gave Jesus Christ this revelation to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. And he's sent and signified by his angel unto his servant John. So at the beginning of each message are characteristics of Jesus Christ presented. These things says, he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David. So Jesus Christ has the key of David. He that comes, he that opens, no man shuts and shuts, and no man opens. I know your works, behold I've set before you an open door, no man can shut it for you have a little strength and you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. So as we note in these verses, characteristics of Christ is presented. And it says that he has the key of David. So what is the key of David? David was a king, and the key of David centers on how one might enter the kingdom of God and become a king and a priest, to become a member of the family of God and to live in eternity. So let us examine the key of David and the keys to the kingdom here this afternoon. So let's turn to Isaiah 22. There's what some might call an obscure prophecy in Isaiah chapter 22 that addresses this very question of who has the key of David and who will it be given to and what will happen.

Isaiah 22, and we talk about prophecy being dual. Of course Jerusalem is being addressed here. And in 604 down to 587 BC, some say 586, Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, and his general waves against Jerusalem, and God had appointed them to punish Judah for their sins. So in Isaiah 22, this prophecy really points to the time of the end of the age when the beast power is put away, of which Shepna is a type, which we'll see a little later. The burden of the valley of wisdom, of vision, the burden of the valley of vision. Many prophets had come and gone in Jerusalem. You know, Christ said in Matthew 23 that how often would I have gathered you together as a chick, as a mother hen gathered her chicks, but you would not. He sent them many prophets and they killed many of them. What ails you now that you are wholly gone to the housetops. So when trouble was about to happen, the Jews would go to the housetops. The housetops were flat. A lot of the housetops in Jerusalem at that time even had sleeping rugs and rolls up there because the weather is hot and they would go up there to cool off and some would take their meals on top of the housetops. And in a time of trouble, they would go to the housetops. They would beseech God. They could also see a lot farther than it would normally if they were in the house, of course. And then verse 5, For it is a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of Hosts in the valley of vision, the valley of vision being Jerusalem, that area, breaking down the walls and of crying to the mountains. Verse 10, And you have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have you broken down to fortify the wall. Of course, the nations of the world try to use physical means to protect themselves. They develop alliances. They build walls. They build forts. They do all kinds of things, none of which really protects them in the ultimate sense. Verse 12, And in that day, and as I explained in the Isaiah Bible study, in that day is a prophetic utterance, a prophetic utterance that means that a prophecy is about to follow. In that day, and in that day did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth. And that's going to be the way it is during the time of the Great Tribulation. And then when God begins to intervene and free Jerusalem and Israel and Zion, and for that matter free the whole world, and the knowledge of God will fill the earth as sand fills the seashores. And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxygen, killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.

And it was revealed in time in the ears by the Lord of Hosts, surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die, says the Lord God of Hosts. And so that is one of the mantras of the day, let us eat, drink, make merry, because tomorrow we might die. Who cares about tomorrow? And people continue to do what they have always done. Thus says the Lord of Hosts, go get you unto this treasurer, even to Shebna, which is over the house, and say, now Shebna was a treasurer. Back in the days of Worldwide Church of God, a lot of people would say the the Shebna represents the then treasurer of the Worldwide Church of God. I think one of the things maybe we have learned in the past decades is you don't write your name in the Bible. Not Herbert Armstrong, not Garner Ted, not Jodekotch, not anybody else writes their name in the Bible.

God has written the Bible through inspiration, and those who write their name in the Bible, it just doesn't work out. So go to Shebna in verse 16. What have you here? And what have you here? That you have hewn out a sepulcher here as he that hews out a sepulcher on high, and that it graves a habitation for himself in the rock. Well, the treasurer lived in the temple quarters, and he thought that was a very safe place to be, but no one could get to him there. And no matter who you are and who you think you are, God can get to you, and he will get to you. The hand of the Lord is not slack. Judgment is coming upon every person. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall confess. If you believe the Word of God, that's what it says. Behold, the Lord will carry you away with a mighty captivity and will surely cover you. He will surely violate and turn and toss you like a ball into a large country. There shall you die, and there shall the chariots of the glory shall be the shame of your Lord's house. And so those who are in authority are going to be removed. And I will drive you from your station, and from your state shall he pull you down, and it shall come to pass in that day, in that day that I will call my servant Eliakam. Eliakam is a word that means God at rest.

Eliakim is the correct pronunciation. We call it Eliakim, but it's Eliakim. Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, is going to be called. This Eliakim is representative of Jesus Christ, who will have the key of David. And we already read from Revelation chapter 3 that Jesus Christ possesses the key of David.

And it shall come to pass that in that day I will call my servant El at rest, El God at rest, the son of Hilkiah. And I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your girdle. I will commit your government into his hand. We'll read Isaiah 9.6 in just a moment. The government shall be upon the shoulders of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And I will commit your government into his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah, as one of the places in Isaiah 9 where Jesus Christ is called the Everlasting Father, because he holds the key to the kingdom. And the key of the house of David will lay on his shoulder. And we have read from Revelation 3.7 once again that Jesus Christ holds the key of David. So he shall open and none shall shut, and he shall shut and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. See, Shevna thought he was safe, that he will hew out his rock, he will live in temple quarters, that he will be safe from anything that comes along, but he will be displaced. Shevna is also a type of the beast, and they shall hang upon him, that is this El Gaud at rest, El Yachim, and they shall hang upon all the glory of his father's house, the offspring, the issue, all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flaggots. And we'll come back to verse 25 much later.

So what can we conclude from these scriptures?

In today's world, we say that let's unpack this. There's a lot here to unpack. So let's go to Isaiah 9 verse 6. It says that he will have the key of David, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And Isaiah 9 6, one of the great messianic prophecies, and of course when the Hallelujah Course was written, the government shall be upon his shoulders, handles great composition, the Messiah. For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And this Prince of Peace will have the key of David.

Now we look at Luke 1 30, and we see clearly here when the angel appeared to Mary before the birth of Jesus Christ, that the angel that appeared to her, the messenger angel Gabriel in Luke 1 30, made sure that she understood that this one, that she was to give birth to the Messiah, would be the one who would inherit the sure mercies of David.

So in Luke 1 and verse 30, and the angel said unto her, Gabriel, fear not Mary, for you have found favor with God, and behold you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus, which means salvation Savior. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

And of course, Mary was perplexed and said, how can this happen, seeing I have not known a man. Now, the day that on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent to the church in the New Testament church began in Acts 2 and verse 29, we see that the Apostle Peter speaks of this phenomenon and that of Jesus having the key of David. And he is the one that has inherited the cheer mercies of David that he says twice in the book of Acts, in Acts chapter 2 and verse 29.

Being in brethren, let me speak freely unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Where John 3 13 says, no man hath ascended into the heavens except the son of man who came down from heaven.

And so this notion about as soon as you die, you go to heaven is refuted by the scripture over and over again, but this is one of the main places. David has not ascended into heavens, yet we know that David will be in the kingdom of God. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.

He, seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul, and see this once again would show that there is no going to heaven as soon as you die, because soul represents your potential for life, your being. See, his soul was not left in Hades in the grave, neither his flesh did see corruption. Why so? Because he was resurrected after three days and three nights. So his being was in the grave. Before he died, Jesus Christ said, Father, into your hands, command I you my spirit. But at that very instant when Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world and he cried out, la ba la ba, something like that, Sebastian, I my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

That the Father could not rescue him because he had to die for the sins of the world. This Jesus has God raised up, where we're all witnesses. So time after time in the Bible, I could read other scriptures with regard to the sure mercies of David being inherited by Jesus Christ. I will go on. So what can we conclude from the above scriptures? We can conclude that Jesus Christ was given the keys to the kingdom.

And we notice that he opens and no man can shut and he shuts and no man can open. Now we go to Matthew 16, verse 16. That after Jesus Christ received the keys to the kingdom, Matthew 16, verse 16. What did Jesus Christ do with the keys of the kingdom after he inherited the sure mercies of David and the keys to the kingdom? In Matthew 16, 16, Christ had asked the question, who do men say that I am? And the apostles provided various answers. And then he asked Peter specifically. And when Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father, who is in heaven. And I say also unto you that you, Art Peter, and upon this rock, see upon Peter, Peter meaning Petros, little rock, but upon this rock, big rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Then verse 19, And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The keys of the kingdom have to do with how one enters into the kingdom of God. Of course, God the Father also plays a role in it because it says in John 644 that no man can come to me unless the Father draw him. How does the Father draw him? The Father draws him through the Word and through the Spirit. And so that is why God raised up the church to preach the Word. And under divine inspiration, the Word of God and the Spirit of God convicts the person of the truth. There is no other plausible explanation for the existence of the universe or any living creature, including, of course, man, other than what is given in Scripture.

I listened to a YouTube presentation just this past week with regard to world-famous mathematicians and biologists showing the flaws in Darwin's theory of evolution, yet at the same time, even though they present the case irrefutably, that according to the protein chain that is necessary and also the DNA links that are necessary to fall in place for a new species to come aboard, there is no way mathematically it's something to the 10th power, I think it's 10 times 77, that it could take place.

And so you have a fossil record sort of consistent for a little period of time. Then suddenly there's a quantum leap and a new and a series of new species appear, and there is no missing link, and yet it's still taught as fact. But that's another subject. Okay. Jesus Christ in John 10. Let's go there. John 10. In John 10, verse 7, Jesus Christ says that he is the door, and if he has the keys to the kingdom, he's the one that opens the door. And it says that in Revelation 3, that he opens the door and he shuts the door, and if he opens it, no man can shut it, and if he shuts it, no man can open it. So in John 10, verse 7, then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep, and that all that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. So Jesus Christ is the one who opens the door. He's the one that laid down his life for the sheep, as it says later in this chapter, and it is through Jesus Christ's sacrifice that we who were once enemies of God are now reconciled to God. And then Peter, as we have noted, was given the keys to the kingdom along with the apostles and the church of God. Peter and the apostles boldly proclaim the keys to the kingdom for entering the kingdom, and so the key of David is clearly a reference to how a person may enter into the kingdom of God. As we have noted from Scripture, Jesus was given the throne of his father, David. We read that from Luke chapter 1. We read from Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6, there will be no end to the increase of his government. The human future of mankind rests squarely upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ. And Isaiah 22, 23, 24, which we read, it talked about large nails.

You see, when they put up a tent, or anyone puts up a tent, they stake it to a nail, and when you remove the nail, it collapses. Shebna was removed, and another nail was replaced that, and that nail, the one that El Yauchim represented, the God of rest, was in its place. So we go back to Isaiah 22. Isaiah 22, I said we will come back, we'll read once again. Verse 23, I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place. This nail has to do with the peg that they use to secure a tent, and once that peg, especially if it's in the center, and all of the tent comes out around that center nail, when that is removed, the whole thing collapses. And he shall be a glorious throne to his house. And of course, the throne of Jesus Christ is a glorious throne. At the present time, as you read in Revelation 3, 21, 22, long and dear, that Jesus Christ has sat down on the throne of God on the Father's right hand. And he says, heated over comes will I grant to sit with me on my throne in the days of reconciliation. That's a paraphrase. And so, thrones will be cast, and kings and priests will rule from those thrones. In verse 24, and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father's house. Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus is a Christ. The offspring and the issue, all vessels, all of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to the vessels of flaggots. Then, what about Shebna? Verse 25 returns to Shebna. In that day, says the Lord of Hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, that is Shebna, and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was appointed shall be cut off, for the Lord has spoken it. So from the valley of vision in which Judah was in a helpless state, and the great tribulation was at hand, and many were taken into captivity, and severe hardship.

Along comes, first of all, the Deliverer when he was born and here on the earth, and was crucified, resurrected, and became our Savior, our Deliverer, and he is coming again in great glory and majesty, and he will sit upon his throne, and you will sit with him on his throne according to Scripture. So it is amazing the kind of abuse, lying, and twisting of Scripture that people will put on when they're deceived into believing that a man has aligned to God that they did not have. Now God, through his Spirit, did interface with the prophets, and God did interface at times with others. Some people are willing to go along with this kind of deception because it somehow appeals to their intellectual vanity, that they come to believe that they have insight into the future that they do not have. I believe the reason why so many people have left the Church of God over the past three decades is that the many prophecies that were given, the thing about the gun lab, and time is short, we're about to see the end of all things, didn't come to pass because that's not what it's all about. It's all about becoming as God is God, becoming as God is. No, you don't replace God. God has begotten sons and daughters.

It's amazing how the spiritual process parallels the physical process. Potential sons and daughters through the physical process, and spiritual sons and daughters through the spiritual process. There are two births spoken of in John chapter one, that which is of blood and water, and that which is of the Spirit. Of course, we want to be born as Spirit beings. The naive, spiritually immature person who is tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine is easily captured by these fables. Now, one of the hallmarks of the Laodicean is to believe that they know everything. Even the Apostle Paul said we see through a glass, darkly, dimly, and he was taught by Jesus Christ for three and a half years, or three years, in the Arabian wilderness. We don't know it all, and that's not what it's all about. You know what 1 Corinthians 13 says, though I understand all mysteries, have the gift of prophecy, have faith that I can remove mountains, and have not charity. In other words, if I'm not becoming as God is, it profits me nothing. Though I give my body to be burned, it profits me nothing.

So it's wonderful to have the knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, charity edifies. So we have nothing to boast of except that we know the purpose and plan of God, and He has graciously allowed us to be participants in that at this present critical juncture in human history. So, as we have noted, Christ gave the keys to the kingdom, to the Church of God, through Peter. I say, we read verse 19, Matthew 16. So let us examine what Peter emphasized during his ministry.

He was given the keys of the kingdom. The apostles were given the keys of the kingdom. The Church has been given the keys to the kingdom. We're, in a sense, in the role of Peter and the apostles in the Church, because we are spreading the word of the keys of the kingdom.

You know, sometimes we have said we're not a proselytizing Church. Yes, we are. We are a proselytizing. That's what it's all about. God raised up the Church. Go, therefore, into the world. Disciple all nations.

Bring them into relationship. Teach them to observe all the things whatsoever I've commanded you.

That's what it's about. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. So what about Peter? Peter plays far more emphasis on the hope of eternal life and the resurrection than on anything physical. Remember Jesus had told Peter, look at John 21 in verse 18, what did Christ tell Peter regarding how he would die? This is John 21 in verse 18.

In John 21, verse 18, Fairly, barely I say unto you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you and carry you, worse ever. You would not, this spoke, he signified by what death that Peter would glorify God. And when he had spoken to this, he said unto him, follow me. Follow me.

So how would you feel if you had to live your life and know that no matter how faithfully you lived, your death would be through crucifixion? That's what Peter lived with. Even though you were very zealous and quick to defend Jesus Christ, even saying, oh no, master, you won't have to die, and to which Jesus replied, get behind me, Satan, you don't know what you're talking about. Even though you were given the keys to the kingdom, even though you were an instrument used by God to explain how to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, repent you, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, even though in Acts 10 you were the one sent to the house of Cornelius to reveal to the Gentiles that they too would receive the Holy Spirit, an instrument in both, even though through your great miracles and through you great miracles were done, even though a deceitful man and woman would fall dead at your feet as a witness to the church to show in whom God had placed His authority, even though you were the apostle to the circumcision, to the Jews, the leading apostle and spokesman, even though you had done all of these things, God would permit you to live your lifetime knowing that your death would come through crucifixion.

The life of the apostle Peter dramatically proves that God has called us to eternal life and not to physical salvation alone. Yes, He is our protector in time of need. Peter is the epitome of the apostle of hope, yet he knew that no matter how he lived his life, the only way that he was going to get out of this life would be through crucifixion. Indeed, he was the apostle of hope. Let's define hope. The Greek word translated as hope in the New Testament is elpis. It is spelled E-L-P-I-S and it is pronounced L-P-C. It means earnest expectation. Several months ago, I guess this was before my retirement, I talked about, are you coming to church with earnest expectation that you're going to learn something here today? That you're filled with earnest expectation and prepared for participation and that you would be willing to undergo examination. I don't want to know when it went.

Hope means earnest expectation. It means that you're earnestly expecting something to happen and it stems from faith. Look at 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13. So important to understand this concept and now abides faith, hope, charity. These three, but the greatest of these is charity. I would write this in somewhat like an algebraic equation. Faith, hope, charity. Faith is a precursor to hope. Why do I have hope? Because I have faith in God. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God. So the promises are based on the promises of God. Hope is not wishing. It is as sure as the promises of God. Look at Titus chapter 1 verse 1. Titus 1 verse 1. Right after Timothy, I think.

In Titus 1.1, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after Godliness. In hope, in hope of eternal life, that's the bright picture that we talk about burning brightly in your heart and mind. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before time began. The Greek word therefore or world is chronos time. This plan of salvation, the purpose and plan of God, was all planned out before the creation of the universe and humankind or any kind. Peter's life dramatically shows that his hope was not set on this world. Peter set and internalized what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 19. If we have hope only in this life, we are of all men most miserable. But see, some people thought, oh, we'll hope and we'll stick with it as long as we have one up on everybody else. The end is near, just stick with it to them, in which they were no more prepared for the end than a goose was. A goose has enough sense to go south when it's cold.

So once again, we know that the apostle Peter was used powerfully by God to present the keys of the kingdom when the spirit was sent to the church on the day of Pentecost. A man who was used to show that the same door was open to the Gentiles. A man who was used in performing mighty miracles. A man through whom people were healed was just his shadow passing over them.

Where was his focus? What was his hope? Let's look at 1 Peter chapter 1. See what Peter writes. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6. Worrying we greatly rejoice though now for a season, if need be we are in heaveness through manifold trials. Oh, I'm rejoicing in trials. I know that I'm going to be crucified, but I'm really happy. I'm in the arabesque right there knowing what he knew.

That the trial of your faith being much more precious than a goal that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love and whom though now you see him not yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Who is your hope and what is your hope?

Now let's look at verse 17 in this same chapter, 1 Peter 1, 17. 1 Peter 1, 17. 1 Peter 1, 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. This is the wrong chapter.

Verse 17. And if you call on the Father who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things and silver and gold from your vain conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish, without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him to believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Jesus Christ and Peter and the apostles pointed people to God the Father. Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name. Our hope and trust must be in God and in Christ. We should place our emphasis upon the spiritual. Why? Because this world is passing away. If we're not aware of that now, when will we ever be aware of it?

So let's look at 1 John 2 and verse 14, one of the great prophecies here. 1 John 2, 14, I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because you are among, you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world passes away in the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides forever. So which one will you choose? Seventy, eighty, ninety years here? Or eternity in the kingdom of God? See, the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Our hope is rooted and is grounded in the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hope is a vital part of the armor of God. In Ephesians 6 and verse 17, it says, to put on the helmet of salvation. What is the helmet of salvation? As long as you've been in the church, you ought to know what is the helmet of salvation.

Well, in 1 Thessalonians 5, 8, the helmet of salvation is clearly stated. 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 8.

Verse Thessalonians 5, 8, but let us who are of the day be sober, which means watchful, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. What is the hope of salvation? That big picture. Burning brightly in your mind of the kingdom of God.

Hope is a vital part of the armor, as we see here. Peter knew that his physical life was going to end. Peter knew what trials were all about. More were Peter knew that hope, what hope was all about.

And who our hope should be in. Peter and the apostles hoped for the resurrection of the just. And being born in the family of God, we should focus on the pure words of God. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 33.4, this is a very important scripture, Psalm 33.4, all of God's works are done in truth. God allows people to go on in mistakes sometimes for years. But when all is said and done, be not deceived. God is not bought.

Because everything is going to be brought before him.

God's protection, even in this physical life, depends on your personal relationship with him. As good as Zephaniah, you probably haven't returned to Zephaniah today. In Zephaniah, a book we seldom turn to, in Zephaniah chapter 2, Zephaniah chapter 2 is one of the few places in the Bible that tells us how we can be hid during the day of the Lord. People talk about place of safety. Oh, I want to go to the place of safety. I want to be protected from the great tribulation. See, Zephaniah is a book about the day of the Lord.

Zephaniah 2.1, Gather yourselves together, O nation, not desired. Before the decree, bring forth. Before the day, pass as the chaff. Before the fierce anger of the Lord, come upon you. Before the day of the Lord's anger, come upon you. Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, and seek righteousness, seek meekness.

It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's wrath. That's the only direct verse in the Bible that you'll find that, coupled with Revelation 12, verse 11, I believe it is, it says that they overcame him by their word of their testimony, by the blood of the Lamb, and they loved not their lives, and to the death. See, faith and hope go together. So are you filled with hope? Faith and hope are the handmaidens of victory and overcoming. I must state that again. Faith and hope are the handmaidens of victory and overcoming. Look at Romans 8.23. Romans 8.23.

In Romans 8 and verse 23.

Romans 8, verse 23.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, waiting for the sonship, not adoption. We are, I've covered that many times, that we are sons and daughters. We're not just adopted to know the redemption of our body. The reason we are sons is because we are begotten of the same essence that is in God and born of the same Spirit that is in God. Therefore, we are of the same essence. For we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man sees, why does he get hope? We don't yet have it, but we hope for it, and in our mind's eye, we can see it. Once again, why do we have hope? Because we have faith. God who is promised is faithful. God who cannot lie as we have read.

So faith and hope are handmaidens of victory and overcoming. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. After conviction by the Word and Spirit, the next step is obedience. If faith is weak, hope will be weak. If hope is weak, faith will be weak. Faith and hope are reciprocals. It's like love and marriage. Go together like a horse and carriage. Just as conviction and commitment are the handmaidens of courage, hope and faith are inextricably linked together. How do you increase faith?

Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. But that's the input. You also have to have the output. You have to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. To the extent that you're convicted and committed, you will act courageously. So why are people willing to do what they do when the house is burning down or on the battlefield or in the Christian life? To the extent that you're focused on the big picture and living by faith, you will have courage.

So we can safely conclude that hope centers on believing God and keeping our eyes on the goal. Now, I remind people time after time of Hebrews 11.6. Hebrews 11.6 should be indelibly engraved upon our minds.

We don't want a mine of stone, but at the same time we want this engraved. You need to think of engraving something on stone, but let's engrave this on our fleshly parts, a heart of flesh that is soft, that is malleable.

How many times have we quoted this scripture? Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is. So you're going nowhere spiritually unless you believe that he is. That has been one of the great questions of the ages, will be one of the great questions until the day that Jesus Christ comes. It is what is under attack that is why Hubble and other telescopes are sent out trying to disprove that there is an eternal God, a creator, that there's some kind of life out there that we are all victims of, or that we are products of chance. Without faith it is impossible to believe God, he that comes to God must believe that he is. I mean that is the first requirement. You've got to believe that God exists, and there's something else that goes with this, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So hope requires single-mindedness. You have to diligently seek. It requires whole-heartedness. As one writer writes, hope, let's read this a couple of times, hope is kindled by tribulation.

Set on fire. I'm hoping for better days ahead. Nourished through patience, James writes, let us count it all joy when you fall into different trials. Then he says, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be whole and tired of wanting nothing. Why does he say that? Because you know and know that you know that if you remain faithful, that this too shall pass, if not in this life and the life to come. You cannot be filled with hope and be double-minded. As James writes, if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask God, but single-mindedness. So this author writes, hope is kindled by tribulation, nourished through patience, and confirmed through experience. Living life.

I was driving through neighborhoods in Tyler in recent times. I saw this sign in the yard. There's three words. And he just said, we love life. We love life. Do you love life? So we have the blessing of little children. We thank God for the precious gift of physical life. But we should thank him even more for the precious promise of eternal life.

So let's begin today with scriptural admonition. In Romans 15, we'll read a few verses and close. Romans 15 and verse 4. Romans 15 verse 4.

Romans 15 verse 4. For whatsoever things we have written a four-time, or written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have what? Hope. Patience and comfort of the scriptures. We might have hope. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. Faith is a precursor of hope. Faith and hope go together.

Now verse 5. Now that the God of patience and consolation grants you to be like-minded, one toward another according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one of mine and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherefore we receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God. In verse 13, now the God of hope, the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.