Hope for the Future What Does the Bible Say About Hope?

Do you have hope for the future? Do you fear what your eternal future holds for you? If so, can I ask who or what have you placed your hope in? If you’re feeling hopeless and unsure where you can find a ” true living hope” I will tell you where and how to find it. Here is what the bible says about hope for the future.

Let me start by stating if you have put your hope in any individual or material thing in this world you are fighting a losing battle. Why? Things of this world are passing away and will not remain forever. However, in Jesus Christ, you have hope for the future!

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ONLY Heaven Is Hope For The Future

The example below is from one of your pastors at church and proves a much-needed point:

Florence Chadwick loved to swim. She began competitive swimming at the age of six, and she was the first woman to swim across the English Channel…both ways.

Chadwick was 34 years old when on July 4th, 1952, she attempted to be the first woman to swim across the Catalina Channel. That’s from Catalina Island to the California coast, which is about 21 miles. And the weather that day was particularly challenging.

The fog on this particular day was so thick that she could only see just a few feet in front of her. Not to mention that the current and the tides were against her, and to make matters worse, some sharks were reported in the area. But at daybreak, Chadwick decided to go for it anyway, expecting the fog to lift. 

Patrol boats were following her and rifles were being shot into the water to scare away the sharks while her mother and her trainer encouraged her to keep swimming.

But it was around the 15-hour mark that Chadwick began to doubt herself. She began to doubt her ability to finish the swim, and she told her mother that she didn’t think she could make it.  And after 16 hours of swimming, Chadwick stopped. 

The support crew took her out of the water. And what the fog had prevented her from seeing was that the coast was less than a mile away. And she later went on to say that if she had known how close the coastline was, she could have finished.

The story our pastor illustrated has a very simple and clear point. When we know what lies ahead, we’re better informed to make decisions in the present.

The following verses help us to think better about life because we, as Christians, look forward to the future. How much do we need that when every day seems to grow darker and darker in sin?

New Heaven and New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Revelation 21:1

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. Revelation 21:3

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. Revelation 21:6

The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:7

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

What Is Important About Christian Hope For The Future?

As a follower of Jesus Christ, your hope is not based on nor seen as the way the world sees and views hope. Christians trust in the promises of God and His word as truth. You may want to ask why right?

For Christians, when God’s word states something is going to happen you will put your complete faith and trust in His promise.

Christian hope is having the assurance and total confidence that what God says will pass will come to pass because God has promised it will.

The Presence of God will be Constant

Isn’t this amazing? Unlike anything you or I have ever seen or experienced in this life before in human history, the presence of our almighty God will be constant. The important thing above ALL else about heaven is…God will be there!

Being in the presence of God gives you hope for the future that you are so desperately longing for. There will be no more sorrow, suffering, sickness, loss, death, and thank you Jesus…no more COVID-19. Can I get an AMEN!!

Heaven is a place of perfect peace. How encouraging this is right? Think about it, With all the quarantine, separation, Zoom calls, and social distancing there will be no more distance of any kind.

No more separation!

Why?

It deserves repeating…no distance separating us from God, our Heavenly Father!

You have hope for the future as God’s bride

God refers to His children, His people, as His bride. Now, let’s take a tour of an imaginary wedding. Let’s say this wedding is at six p.m. The bride is getting ready hours ahead of time whereas the groom shows up thirty minutes before possibly missing a shoe. Lol

However, for the bride, it’s different!

In all honesty, the bride has her Starbucks, bags, curling irons or straighteners, and blow dryers. She has a crew with her, too, right? She’s got people on each side and they’re doing her makeup and doing her hair and flipping the dress.

All of the hours of preparation have been leading up to the single moment that the bride is presented to her husband. And it’s the most wonderful moment, right? The following verses about the parable of ten virgins are a warning to us all to be prepared!

Bible Verses About Hope To Be Prepared for Jesus’ Return

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:1

Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Matthew 25:2

For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them. Matthew 25:3

But the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. Matthew 25:4

As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. Matthew 25:5

But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. Matthew 25:6

Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. Matthew 25:7

And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. Matthew 25:8

But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. Matthew 25:9

And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Matthew 25:10

What Is The Message Of Hope

Heaven is God’s people presented to God in the place that God has prepared for them. Heaven is not a boring place. Satan wants everything in his power for you to think that Heaven is a boring place. It is not! Why? God is there! 

The glory, hope, and joy of Heaven are that God will be your God and you will be His people, and this makes the gospel so much more beautiful because you see the end.

As followers of Jesus, you know and understand that man’s greatest problem today is that you are separated from God.

Do you long for that day? Do you think about Heaven regularly? Can I ask what is your main reason for wanting to go to heaven? The correct answer should be that God is there. You can finally be together like you were created to be.

Do you want to see Jesus? Think about that, because if you don’t care about wanting to see him, then you should think about if you are truly saved.

If you’re looking forward to eating good food, rest, and peace, and by the way, Jesus is going to be there. This is not the heart of a Christian.

There’s A glorious homecoming and reward

What’s more glorious in heaven to you than Christ? Now, don’t misunderstand me, there is a great benefit to you and me as followers of Jesus.

Some gifts are waiting for you. There are great blessings for believers in Heaven, but you can’t say you want the gifts of Heaven and have little to do with the giver. The reward is your Heavenly Father!

Presence of Sin and its Effects will be Conquered

Look at verse four. And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And there will no longer be any death. There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain for the first things that have passed away. It is an understatement to say this verse is good news.

No more sick kids. No more traffic accidents. No more loneliness. No more anxiety. No depression, scary diagnoses, cancer, tumors, stillbirths, miscarriages, suicides, busted-up relationships, divorces, pain, lies, no more slander, or disappointment. We won’t get sick in heaven ever.

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heaven Is Eternal

Heaven is an infinite world that is beyond your human comprehension. You are left here trying to imagine what it could be like without ever having experienced such joy, rest, and peace ever before.

No more unemployment. No more poverty. No more quarantine. No more viruses.

God’s purpose for all of creation has been leading to this new Heaven and new earth. This is not, by the way, God’s Plan B. It’s God’s plan A. It has always been God’s plan A.

You cannot even begin to imagine what Heaven will be like! You are surrounded and immersed in sin and its effects that you don’t even realize it.

Think of sin like a fish in the water. A fish doesn’t realize that it’s in water because the water is in front of the fish, behind the fish, around the fish, under the fish, and it’s even in the fish. Do you see how the water has become a part of what the fish is?

You are deeply surrounded by the burdens of enslavement and the effects of sin. Just take a moment to sit back and think about the evidence of sin and its effects on you.

Think about the clothes that you’re wearing right now as nothing more than the effects of Adam and Eve sitting and being ashamed of their nakedness exposed before a holy and perfect God. And so we wear clothes today.

Do you regularly think about that day because all brides look forward to their wedding day if it is a good groom? And if the groom of Revelation 21 is Jesus, the son of God, who was slain for our sins, how much more should we look forward to and think about when we were presented before him holy and blameless? We have hope for the future and our hope is Heaven, friends.

Thanks to Jesus you have a living hope. A hope that can not be taken away. The Bible ends with people saying, Come now, Lord Jesus, longing, waiting, and hoping for this day.

When you realize as Christians, that Hell is the place that we rightfully deserve, it makes Heaven even sweeter.

presence of God’s People will be Continual

So is there any hope for the future for you? Verse 7 gives us hope for the future, which says that he who overcomes will inherit all of these things and I will be his God and he will be my son.

And it’s so interesting that John describes the one who will see and inherit these things, he calls them the one who overcomes. So what does that tell us?

Well, first, these things are not for the person who just attends church.

This isn’t for the person who acts one way on Sunday morning and another way in the locker room on Monday afternoon or another way with friends or family on Friday night.

This isn’t for the person who makes a profession of faith and then lives however they want. 

It’s talking about the faithful, Christian, the one who cares about the things of God, the one who has a truly loving relationship with Jesus.

And because of that, you overcome. So, yes, this is a warning for any who play church and go through the motions thinking that you have everyone fooled, some of you have been wearing a mask to church for years.

This is a warning because the truths about Heaven in this passage will never be seen by those people. But friends, this isn’t just a warning, isn’t it?

This is also an invitation because verse six has come…come drink from the water.  From the spring of the water of life without cost through Christ.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

A Christian is by nature a conqueror, champion, victor, and overcomer of sin because God has forgiven our sins because of Jesus.

And the Holy Spirit gives you the power and desire, none of which you had before, to now overcome sin.

And this is how it ends in the future for you Christian…you overcome it. This brings you the best hope for the future, doesn’t it?

Doesn’t the fact that you know that if you are a Christian you overcome sin, encourage you to strive to be holy now because you know that sin loses?

This has always been on John’s mind since the beginning of his ministry in John, 16:33, when Jesus said to John, These things I’ve spoken to you so that in me you will have peace in the world. In the world you have tribulation but take courage.

And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. So you know the end. And you, as a Christian, know that you overcome because of the power of God in you.

You are not an overcomer because of anything you have done. You overcome because God sent His son Jesus Christ and His blood was shed for us. What does the Bible say about hope?

Study God’s word and gain an understanding of hope for the future!

To begin with, you can’t enter heaven unless you understand that what you deserve is Hell and judgment.

Jesus let His blood cover your sin, and His death on the Rugged Roman Cross and His resurrection to satisfy God’s wrath. Jesus is the one who made a way for you to be seen as righteous before God. This is a message of hope to ALL!

And then God says, in verse 7 He who overcomes will inherit these things and I will be his God and he will be my son. Now, what would you expect there having just read the Bible?

It is God’s grace to save us but he didn’t stop there, friends, because he says I will be your God and you will be my what?…my son. God has adopted us. Whether you are a believer or not you need to know that God views believers as special to him. 

Not because believers are special but because of what God has done for them…God has adopted us and He takes pride in the fact that He calls us His Son and His Daughter.

It means something that God makes sure to say that God himself will be with you in heaven and that he calls you his sons, his daughters. 

Do you understand how we have hope for the future now? You have hope for what is waiting for you in heaven and what God has prepared for you there.

So, with that said, what you have or don’t have in this life is not such a big deal anymore. When you spend quality quiet time with Jesus you gain knowledge of what the Bible says about hope for the future.

Do you regularly look forward to heaven? Do you think about the hope that you have in heaven? If you don’t you must realize how easy it is to conform to the things of this world.

You can become way too invested in this life just like the world does. Then, you can become angry when things are taken away from you and get anxious that they might get taken away.

Bible Verses About Hope For The Future

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

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

What does the Bible say about not losing hope?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope. Jeremiah 29:11

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2

“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company… You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.”

– John Piper

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9

And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13

Psalms of Hope

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:7

Read more of our What Does the Bible Say About Series:

• What Does the Bible Say About God’s Love
• What Does the Bible Say About Unity
• What Does the Bible Say About Peace
• What Does the Bible Say About Laughter
• What Does the Bible Say About Friendship

Your Turn

As Christians, your trust is not in this world but in this hope for the future of heaven to come. This will be the beginning of an end that never ends! Sin and its effects will be gone forever! Evil and those who are not God’s people will not be there! Fellowship and the presence of believers will be continued, but the best part is that God is there. As Christians, we have hope for the future and we look forward to this! 

Lastly, as Christians, the hope for the future you have in Heaven has promised you that no matter how painful this life and this world is, this gives us joy, rest, and peace in the present knowledge about our future. Would you like to know more about the message of hope? There is eternal hope in a relationship with Jesus Christ through salvation.

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