Indestructible Hope
THIRD QUARTER 2022
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #7
AUGUST 13, 2022
“INDESTRUCTIBLE HOPE” - REVISED 8/10/2022
As we study this week’s Sabbath school lesson, my “hope” is that we will see more of how wonderful God’s gift of salvation to the entire human race really is.
So, to start with, what is indestructible hope? or from another perspective, what makes hope indestructible?
When used as an adjective as it is here, the thesaurus definition of indestructible includes the following:
permanent, unbreakable, enduring, everlasting, imperishable, and incorruptible.
When we see these words, it seems clear that we are going beyond man’s ability to create or develop a hope that is indestructible and will last forever---it has to come from God!
As our Creator and Redeemer, God has already given us the eternal gift of salvation and thus the eternal or indestructible hope that we need.
God’s promises are sure, and before there was sin, there was a Saviour and the promise of everlasting life:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4.
Let us now look at some quotes that help us to see the power and hope in God’s promises:
Ellen G. White – God behind all His promises
“Promises are estimated by the truth of the one who makes them. Many men make promises only to break them, to mock the heart that trusted in them. Those who lean upon such men lean upon broken reeds. But God is behind the promises He makes. He is ever mindful of His covenant, and His truth endureth to all generations.” MS (Manuscript) 23, 1899.
Ellen G. White – One with God
“It is a knowledge of the perfection of the divine character, manifested to us in Jesus Christ, that opens up to us communion with God. It is by appropriating the great and precious promises that we are to become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. ….
The human agent who daily yields obedience to God, who becomes a partaker of the divine nature, finds pleasure daily in keeping the commandments of God for he is one with God. It is essential that he hold as vital a relation with God as does the Son to the Father. He understands the oneness that Christ prayed might exist between the Father and the Son. Letter 43, 1895.
A. T. Jones
“Therefore “the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” And the only way in which anybody can be concluded “under sin” is by the law of God—the law by which alone “is the knowledge of sin.” And since the Scripture hath thus concluded all under sin, that—so that, in order that—the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, it is perfectly plain that instead of the law being against the promises of God, it is the God-given means of men’s attaining to the perfect surety of the promises of God by faith of Jesus Christ, perfectly plain that instead of the law being against the promises of God, it is the God-given means of men’s attaining to the perfect surety of the promises of God by faith of Jesus Christ. ARSH (Adventist Review, and Sabbath Herald) March 20, 1900, page 185.10
Therefore, that law can no more be done away than the promises of God can be done away, and no more than the faith of Jesus Christ can be done away. And anyone who would in argument or in thought do away that law, does in argument or in thought do away the promises of God and the faith of Jesus Christ, and so destroys the way of God’s salvation to men. But that cannot in truth be destroyed—except in the individual experience of men. And to destroy the way of God’s salvation in individual experience, is to work eternal destruction to the soul. Therefore, the claim that the law of God—the ten commandments—is done away is the most stupendous and destructive error that could possibly be entertained by anybody anywhere. ARSH (Adventist Review, and Sabbath Herald) March 20, 1900, page 185.11.
A. T. Jones
“Therefore all His promises were to be fulfilled to them, and all His spiritual blessings were to be realized by them, by the Lord himself being in them and with them. And this could be only by a living, abiding faith. And when they had not His presence with them, by which alone the promises could be fulfilled, they could say truly that the promises had not been fulfilled to them. And this is true always. But let the people find Him, the living Christ, a living abiding presence in the heart by living faith, and they will find all the promises of God fulfilled always. “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20. O that all would find Him the living Saviour, with all the heart! The world then would see what the Lord has been longing all these ages that they should see. HOMI (The Home Missionary) December 1894, page 27.3
E.J. Waggoner
“Well, the Christian has a thousand-fold more ground for his faith in the promises of God. Faith is not blind credulity. Says the apostle: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence [ground, or confidence] of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. This is an inspired definition, and therefore we may conclude that the Lord does not expect us to exercise faith except on evidence. Now it can readily be shown that the Christian has the same ground for exercising faith in God, that the skeptic has for his confidence in the railroad and telegraph companies, or in the Government, and a great deal more. BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) June 1, 1890, page 170.10
- Others have trusted the promises of God and have found them to be sure. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews contains a long list of those who have verified the promises of God, who “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.” BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) June 1, 1890, page 170.11
- The God Whom we trust makes a business of answering prayers, and of protecting and caring for His subjects. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:22. And “He delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11. BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) June 1, 1890, page 170.12
- The existence of God’s government depends on the fulfillment of His promises. The Christian has the assurance of the government of the universe, that every lawful request that he makes will be granted. Government is especially for the protection of the weak. Suppose now that God should fail to fulfill one of His promises to the very weakest and most insignificant persons in the world; that single failure would destroy the entire government of God. BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) June 1, 1890, page 170.13.
E. J. Waggoner
“Genuine Christian experience is based on belief in the promises of God. You know, if you have taken GOD at His word, that He “is a Sun and a shield”; that JESUS CHRIST is the “Sun of righteousness,” and “the bright and morning Star,” that rises upon you and dispels your night; that “the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow;” that “the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace”; and that the psalmist spoke with no impropriety when he said, “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” You know the peace, and joy, and satisfaction that comes into the heart from believing and trusting GOD. You know the brightness of the hope that is set before you, that is always in sight to the eye of faith. Then do not allow Satan and his evil company to hold a meeting with you and pass a joint resolution on the gloominess of the Christian life. Keep these texts and others before your mind, and when the prince of darkness comes next time to discuss Christianity with you and begins his old story of “I move that the Christian life is one of gloom,” you say, “I move that we adjourn!” Angels will second that motion, and the devil and all his imps will have no power to prevent its being executed.” BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) December 1,1893, par. 3
Looking at the quotes above, it is clear that our source of indestructible hope is God’s promises to us. His promise to the entire human race of the gift of salvation was in place from the very beginning as Rev. 13:8 tell us that Jesus was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This was not because we deserved it, but because of God’s infinite agape love for each and every one of us, He provided the infinite sacrifice of His Son!
In closing, let us look at one more quote from A. T. Jones:
“Therefore, it is plainly proved that the hope which God has set before us in Christ and His blessed gospel, is the hope of the resurrection from the dead unto everlasting life and eternal glory. And as this resurrection all depends upon the glorious appearing of our Saviour, therefore the second coming of our Saviour is inseparably connected with this, the Christian’s “blessed hope.” Thus, saith the Lord, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:11-13. BEST ((Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) December 1, 1892, page 356.2
This is that for which Job looked. He says, “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14. This change is at the resurrection; for Paul says, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52. Again, says Job, “If I wait, the grave is mine house; I have made my bed in the darkness.... And where is now my hope?” Job 17:13-15. Here it is: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold and not a stranger. My reins within me are consumed with earnest desire for that day.” Job 19:25-27, margin. BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) December 1, 1892, page 356.3
Time and space would fail us to quote the words of this hope, expressed by David, and Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel, and Hosea, and Micah, and all the prophets and apostles. We can only cite again the words that this is the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers, unto which promise we instantly serving God day and night hope to come. Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead? The righteous dead shall live again at the coming of the Lord, and therefore we look and anxiously wait for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus. Like faithful Job, our reins within us are consumed with earnest desire for that glorious day. And as He assures us, “Surely I come quickly,” our hearts reply, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” BEST (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times) December 1, 1892, page 356.4
May our hearts also reply “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” as we trust in God and His promises with His gift to us of an incorruptible hope!
Blessings,
John Campbell