Today in prayer and study, I just had a gripping reality over and over again of where the Word calls me to place my hope. The reality of the truth isn’t new because of the past months of revelation hitting my heart, but the Lord is rooting it deeper. 

Why?

Because that (hope) is what I believe God seeks to place at the forefront of His peoples’ eyes in this age, for endurance & motivation as they face everyday choices and the coming tribulation. 

Just stick with me for a second…it is in the depths of revelation in our hope, that we can walk out joy when all around us is being shaken. Why could those in the Word be facing jail, torture, etc, but still be singing in joy and walking in thanksgiving before the Lord?  Because they had the full gospel as a pumping reality inside the hearts of their inner man…and that gospel did not end at forgiveness unto escaping to an ethereal heaven, but encompassed a salvation firmly planted in the resurrection of their physical bodies unto Him dwelling with them forever on the earth (Ps. 78:69; 93:1; 104:5)! In that births a hunger for holiness and the fear of the Lord.

In gazing upon the throne of God, they saw the First Born From The Dead (Jesus Messiah-the first One to have His body resurrected), who was the deposit of that hope and gave faith for what they were seeking to take hold of when He returned.  That they might enter into salvation (through resurrection unto life).  It was in that hope that they then believed, lived their life unto, and cried out in prayer for the grace to endure (at a heart level) to that Day.

The Jews have always been awaiting the Messainic seed (Messiah in the form of a man, born through woman), to restore humanity back to the way it used to be back in the Garden, through destroying death from the equation. In fact, even before the nation of Israel was established. I believe Adam and Eve even looked for that same seed in their children, hoping one of them would be the one to restore things back to the way they were.  

Death is the enemy of God.  And the deposit of Jesus overcoming death and resurrecting, was the doorway for us all to then hope for that which He has already taken hold of.  The unbelieving Jews still await a messiah, but the mystery of the gospel has been revealed to us through Messiah Jesus, and as we take hold of it in our hearts, it grips our life and sets our focus on the age to come. 

So, just to clarify, what is the “it”?  What is the “hope” that I am referring to and have gave clues to in the above paragraphs?  RESURRECTION unto the age to come.  He is returning no matter what, but when He returns I want my heart to be set on the coming age, so that when the transition of ages comes, that there is no hiccup in my heart between now and then.  Where resurrection/fullness-of-salvation are realized in the twinkling of an eye because of the stance of my heart in this life (internship), was already operating in the government of God.

I just wanted to end this post by sharing a few Scriptures surrounding what I am talking about. There are many others, but here are just a few.

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, HAVING A HOPE IN GOD, which these men themselves accept, THAT THERE WILL BE A RESURRECTION of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.  Acts 24:14-16

Through him we have also obtained access by faith (in the Messiah) into this grace in which we stand (accessed through prayer to endure to that Day), and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (when Jesus is revealed at His coming and resurrection comes forth).  Rom. 5:2

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  Rom. 6:5

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body (resurrection). For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see (resurrection upon Messiah’s return), we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.  Rom. 8:22-25

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom (on earth) to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  1 Cor. 15:20-26

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ (faith in Messiah) is it taken away.  2 Cor. 3:12-14

…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (Holy Spirit is given for the much needed grace to endure to that day) until the redemption of the purchased possession (resurrection/overcoming death by getting our bodies back just as Jesus did through His purchase on the cross and resurrection), to the praise of His glory.  Eph. 1:13b,14

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called (invited) you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, ACCORDING TO the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead (resurrection) and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  Eph. 1:17-20

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him (upon His return), not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith–THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (overcome death by resurrected body “then”, through dieing to self “now”). Not that I have already obtained this (resurrected body) or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own (endure to the end w/my heart set on “the goal for the prize of the upward call”/invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb), because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it (the resurrection) my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead (His return & resurrecting unto life), I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus…But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body (resurrected), by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.  Phil. 3:7-14,20-21

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus…For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead (believers bodies) in Christ will rise first (those who’s spirits have been dwelling in heaven w/God awaiting the day). Then we who are alive and remain (believers who have survived Tribulation) shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.  1 Thess. 4:14-18

…While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…  Titus 2:13

But we see Jesus… now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.  In bringing many sons to glory (resurrection)…  Heb. 2:9,10

Now faith is the substance [realization] of things hoped for, the evidence [confidence] of things not seen (resurrection, Messiah’s return, New Jerusalem)… Heb. 11:1 (AMP)

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  1 Pet. 1:13