Is There Any Hope?
Our hope is built on the assurance of truth. Unlike the ‘hope of man’ which is built on the opposite: the uncertainty of doubt. Our hope is not in what might come to pass; this is the ‘hope of man’. For, this kind of hope is better defined as wishful thinking. An example can be found in Luke 23:8,
“when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.”
Knowing of the Lord’s reputation, Herod failed to realize who Jesus is: the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Had He known this, Herod would have hoped for salvation from the Lord, not just a miracle. Instead, the ‘hopes of man’ are built on guesses and personal desires. We discover that the final result of such wishful hope is futile, for we read in Job 14:18-20,
“as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place; 19As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man. 20You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.”
Herod’s countenance changed when Jesus would not perform a miracle before him, but offered him silence instead. His hope was dashed, so Herod turned against Jesus.
