Zechariah 9:12 Return to the stronghold you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
Two of the major words for “hope” in the New and Old testaments are:
Greek word: “Elpis” (New Testament) a positive, confident expectation of good.
Hebrew word: “Tiqvah” (Old Testament) cord or line, hope, expectation, what I long for.
Let me share a wonderful story that reveals the restorative power of hope.
The first time “Tiqvah” (Hope) is mentioned in the Bible is in association with the story of Israel preparing to take the first city of the Promised Land – Jericho. For 40 years Jericho knew that Israel was out there and they knew how Israel’s God had dealt with the Egyptian army. Consequently, they were all filled with fear that they were next.
Joshua 2:9 "I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us…”
How ironic is that? Israel was too afraid to take the Promised Land 40 years ago because they feared the inhabitants of Jericho when all along these people feared the God of Israel!
But the person who spoke these words in Joshua 2:9 was Rahab – a prostitute who lived in the city walls of Jericho. Her life was turned around because she put her hope in the God of Hope.
Joshua and Caleb sent spies into Jericho but they were discovered by Rahab. She helped hide the spies from the Jericho soldiers in return for a favor – her life and the lives of her family are spared from destruction.
She says in Joshua 2:12: “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign…"
Now here is the response of the spies and the sign in verse 17-18: “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down”.
Now the word “cord” here is “tiqvah” (hope). The scarlet (red) cord is a picture of the blood of Jesus. What is this story pointing you to? Jesus' blood is what offers us hope and restores lost things back to our lives.
Rahab went from being doubly disqualified (being both a Gentile and a prostitute) to restored with double. She was rescued from destruction but she also married a captain of the tribe of Judah becoming the great-grandmother of King David and also in the genealogy of Christ!
That’s not bad for a woman who would have been shunned and despised by society.
Jesus' blood is also your hope. It doesn’t matter what your past has been or what has been lost in your past, the blood of Jesus not only declares you are forgiven and righteous, but it restores double back to you!