Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
God made a promise to Abraham that He would certainly bless him and greatly multiply him and his seed beyond counting. He confirmed it with an oath sworn by Himself because no greater existed, given after Abraham's obedience in the test concerning Isaac. His word of promise and His oath are two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for Him to lie, given to show the heirs the immutability of His purpose and to give them strong comfort. The promised Seed is Christ, through whom every blessing comes, so that those who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs by faith, and the inheritance promised is not Canaan only but the whole earth redeemed and renewed as an everlasting home. Its fulfillment is secured and ratified by Christ's blood, yet it reaches its full realization at His coming and the resurrection, and meanwhile it gives the heirs a sure and steadfast hope that anchors the soul within the veil.
Promise Wording and Setting
Hebrews 6:14 records God's promise to Abraham to bless him and to multiply him and his seed, expressed with emphatic certainty that he would surely bless and greatly increase. The promise assured abundant blessing and multiplied descendants, and it will be fully accomplished after the resurrection when Abraham and all who share his faith inherit it together. Its fulfillment is secured in Christ and concerns a future inheritance beyond this life, which Abraham and the faithful did not yet receive, including the renewed earth freed from the curse as a free inheritance received by those who believe.
The certainty is expressed by an intensive Hebrew form in which the verb is doubled, correctly rendered surely or freely. The same form appears as freely eat in Genesis 2:16 and surely die in Genesis 2:17. Repetition expresses emphasis as in I have surely seen, as in the repeated I have seen of Exodus 3:7 cited in Acts 7:34 and the form in Exodus 1:7.
The promised multiplication means a seed beyond counting, like the dust of the earth, the stars of heaven, and the sand by the sea and on the seashore. God confirmed the promise with an oath sworn by himself because no greater existed by whom to swear. That oath was given after Abraham's obedience in the test concerning Isaac and is recorded in Genesis 22:15-18 and Genesis 26:2-5. It was added not because Abraham especially needed it but for the benefit of later heirs, to assure the heirs of the promise of the certainty of his counsel and to give strong consolation and hope.
Abraham patiently endured and then obtained the promise, receiving the son through whom it would be fulfilled. What he obtained was its stated assurance embraced by faith, not its full realization. Those who through faith and patience follow Abraham inherit the promises, for after he patiently endured he obtained the promise.
Oath Secures the Promise
God's promise to bless and multiply and his oath confirming it are two immutable, unchangeable things in which it is impossible for him to lie. They were given to show the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel and purpose, making his counsel certain and its fulfillment certain because his word and oath cannot change. Since he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, and Abraham after patiently enduring obtained the promise. Together the promise and oath give strong consolation, encouragement and sure hope to those who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them. That hope is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, entering within the veil where Jesus has entered as forerunner, holding the Christian steady amid storms of life as an anchor keeps a ship from drifting. Unlike human anchors that hold downward and cannot keep a ship from sinking, this hope anchors upward to his steadfast throne and lays hold on the eternal promise and oath, securing the believer against treacherous currents, wild blasts, surging tides and mountain-high waves.
As among men an oath by the greater ends all dispute and confirmation ends strife, so God's oath ends all strife over the certainty of the promise and makes the confirmed covenant as unchangeable as his character. Even a man's confirmed covenant cannot be disannulled or added to, and much more God's confirmed covenant cannot be changed. The oath was added not because Abraham especially needed one, for his faith had grown through endurance of his supreme test, but for the benefit of later heirs. In infinite condescension to human weakness it was given to give them assurance, strong hope and strong comfort in the unchangeable counsel of a God who cannot lie.
God's example establishes that an oath is proper on appropriate occasions. Human oaths that benefit others, give assurance, help bring about justice between people and end disputes are morally good and follow that example. If he is believed when he promises, his sworn assurance is even more certain, a principle that applies also to his warnings that no one should rely on the merits or intercession of saints for salvation.
Blessing and Inheritance Promised
The blessing and multiplication pledged to Abraham concern the inheritance promised to him and to his descendants and heirs according to the promise, guaranteed by oath even though Abraham died without possessing it, with its fulfillment reaching beyond the resurrection to the new-earth state where Abraham and the faithful receive it together. The gift of the Spirit is the pledge of that inheritance. That same promise concerns an inheritance identified with Christ, so that those who belong to Christ are Abraham's heirs, and its fulfillment includes the promised city and better country, the New Jerusalem and new earth as the eternal home of the immortal saints. The promise also included that Abraham's seed would possess the gate of their enemies, that is, would possess the land where those enemies lived.
The promised Seed is Christ, through whom the promise is fulfilled and every heavenly blessing is given. Those who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise through faith, not through birth, nationality, or a sign received only by males, and faith in Christ can grasp the promise as already accomplished. The law given 430 years later could not cancel that promise to Abraham and to his Seed.
The inheritance is the whole earth and world, not only the land of Canaan. It is the earth redeemed from sin and restored, the renewed earth freed from the curse where righteousness dwells, promised as a free and everlasting inheritance and everlasting home for the faithful of all ages, though its fulfillment is still future. This inheritance is for all but is received by those who believe in Christ, and it includes the righteousness God gives by making believers new creatures. It includes everlasting life, the resurrection of the righteous, and the destruction of death and sin, received as God's free gifts and not as rewards obtained through the law. Its fulfillment includes the promised city and better country, the New Jerusalem and new earth as the eternal home of the immortal saints.
The promise of the land was made to two parties, Abraham himself and his seed, so its fulfillment to Israel as a nation possessing the land does not exhaust it, since the part spoken to Abraham himself remains unfulfilled and must still be fulfilled in the future because God's promise cannot fail. The oath bound God to rescue and protect Abraham's seed even when they did not appreciate His care and wanted their own way. For that reason He brought Egypt under Joseph to provide asylum in famine, raised up a leader from slavery when oppressed, divided the Red Sea so the oppressed could escape pursuers, and gave bread direct from heaven when the desert gave no sustenance, not because He overlooked their sins but because His oath left Him no other course. The promised blessings associated with the sanctuary, priesthood, and offerings would have been realized during the Mosaic dispensation if Israel had accepted them.
Fulfillment Through Christ Yet Future
The fulfillment is secured in Christ, the covenant's surety, in whom the everlasting covenant of mercy was confirmed and finally ratified by death, so that the blood shed on Calvary is the blood of the covenant. The gospel remains the same as in Abraham's time, and Christ's cross bearing the curse assures that the promise stands for the renewed earth freed from the curse as a free inheritance received by those who believe in Christ, including the righteousness God gives by making believers new creatures. That covenant confirmed in Christ offers forgiveness of sins through his blood and, unlike the covenant made at Sinai, provides pardon when people break God's law. It secures eternal life for repentant people through Christ's blood and will be fulfilled when Christ comes.
Christ's birth began the fulfillment, but the promise reaches its fulfillment at his coming and the resurrection. Though Abraham died without possessing it, God confirmed it with an oath guaranteeing that Abraham and his seed would yet receive the promised inheritance in the earth redeemed from sin. It will be fully accomplished after the resurrection, when Abraham and all who share his faith inherit it together in the new-earth state and future kingdom on earth as an everlasting home and everlasting inheritance of righteousness. The promise is the gospel secured in Christ the promised Seed, those who belong to Christ are its heirs, and faith in Christ can grasp it as already accomplished.
The oath binds God's promise to give the rest into which he entered at creation and which will be given in the new earth, blessing Abraham abundantly and greatly increasing his descendants until they are as the sand on the seashore, so it must be fulfilled. God was leading Israel to that possession, but they could not enter because of unbelief, and if they had been true faithful children of Abraham the rest would have been given in their day and the day of salvation would have closed. Because they were unfaithful the promise and oath still require fulfillment, so another day of salvation is offered in order that some must enter in.
The promise extended to Abraham's seed, identified as Christ, and the law given 430 years later could not cancel it. The inheritance and the righteousness by which it is received are God's free gifts received by faith, not rewards obtained through the law, and God's oath assures that he will fulfill his promise of the renewed earth where righteousness dwells. That inheritance sums up blessing and multiplication for Abraham and his Seed and includes everlasting life, the resurrection of the righteous, and the destruction of death and sin, shared by all who believe as Abraham's seed. The force of this sworn promise, confirmed by swearing by himself since there was no greater by whom to swear and in which it is impossible for God to lie, depends on Abraham being a real person, not a myth.
Covenant Gospel and Priesthood
The oath-bound word to bless and to multiply is itself the covenant, the everlasting covenant of mercy coextensive with the everlasting gospel and identical with the gospel and the New and everlasting Covenant. That new covenant was therefore already in effect from the beginning, and it is called new because it was confirmed last by Christ's death, not because it was made last. On God's part it always existed and the promise was sure before its ratification, and its confirmation by oath made it as unchangeable as God's character and impossible to disannul or add to. By two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, sworn by Himself because no greater existed by whom to swear, He showed the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel and gave them strong consolation, just as among men an oath by the greater ends all dispute.
The course of that one covenant ran from promise to confirmation to ratification, promised to Adam, confirmed to Noah by the bow of promise, confirmed to Abraham by promise and oath, and finally ratified by the death of Christ as its surety, with Christ Jesus as its center. On God's part the promise was therefore sure before its ratification at Christ's death, and it remains sure to every soul who grasps its mighty provisions by faith. It was the means that established the hearts that feared God through all the years of the Hebrew nation so they did not depart from God all their days.
Its promised blessings belong to the gospel and were secured by faith before the covenant at Sinai. That Abrahamic covenant was confirmed in Christ and offers forgiveness of sins through His blood, and unlike the covenant made at Sinai it provides pardon when people break God's law. It is distinct from the covenant made at Sinai with the literal descendants of Jacob, and it is the covenant ratified by Christ's death, so that Christ's blood shed on Calvary is the blood of the covenant that conveys title to the land and inheritance.
The passage belongs to the covenant with Abraham and reveals its true priesthood and sanctuary in the heavenly sanctuary and its services where Christ is priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The oath by which Jesus was made priest, entered within the veil as forerunner, is the guarantee of the promise to Abraham to bless and increase him. The earthly sanctuary and its services given in connection with the Levitical priesthood were given to instruct Israel concerning that heavenly reality, but Israel perverted them by making the earthly service final and expecting salvation by it instead of coming through it to faith in the covenant. Melchizedek, priest of God and king of righteousness and peace made like the Son of God, is likened to Christ as a preacher of righteousness and teacher of God's commandments, and the promise to bless and greatly multiply shows God's faithfulness and righteousness in keeping what He has pledged and grounds the hope that leads toward Christ's Melchizedek priesthood.
Through Abraham God preserved the knowledge of Himself and developed the plan of salvation. Abraham is the father of the faithful, and the promise to him is the ground of their hope.
Hope Anchor for Believers
The oath-backed word to bless and multiply gives strong consolation, encouragement, comfort and sure hope to the heirs of promise and to all who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them and who seek salvation through faith in Christ. The promise joined to the oath sworn by himself, since no greater existed, forms two immutable things in which it is impossible to lie, making the counsel and purpose certain and unchangeable. Its fulfillment is secured in Christ the surety, who bore the curse of the cross so the promise stands, and who as priest forever after the order of Melchizedek guarantees it by the oath of his priesthood. Abraham patiently endured and obtained the promise, and the same word and oath are held out to believers as the foundation of their hope.
That hope is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, entering within the veil where Jesus has entered as forerunner. As an anchor keeps a ship from drifting, so this hope holds the Christian steady amid all the storms of life. Unlike human anchors that hold downward and cannot keep a ship from sinking, it lays hold on the eternal and immutable promise and oath and anchors upward to the steadfast throne, securing the believer against treacherous currents, wild blasts, surging tides and mountain-high waves. Its fulfillment was not exhausted in the past but reaches beyond the resurrection to the new-earth state, where Abraham and all the faithful receive the promise together.
This hope is set before believers like the polar star that always points the mariner's course, and it cannot be outlived or outgrown or invalidated by change of feeling or experience because it rests on the unfailing word and immovable foundation, the only hope that never fails. Genuine hope rests on the promise and on faithfulness to fulfill it, and that promise secures eternal life for repentant people through Christ's blood to be fulfilled at his coming. Hope is both desire and expectation, based on the promise and on assurance that its conditions are being met, for desire without reasonable expectation, or expectation without desire, is not hope.
The promised blessing and increase are grounds for hope as believers comply with the conditions, for those who through faith and patience follow Abraham inherit the promises. On God's side the oath is sure and steadfast, sealed by two immutable things, giving strong consolation to those who have fled for refuge; on man's side blessing under it requires fleeing for refuge, laying hold, showing diligence unto full assurance of hope, continuing to the end to share the divine nature and receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom, so unconditional final perseverance is denied. Faith in Christ can grasp the promise to Abraham and his seed to inherit the whole earth as an everlasting inheritance of righteousness as already accomplished, though its full realization comes at his coming and the resurrection. To believe the oath-bound promise gives humble believers ground for confidence, because God speaks as really in all the Bible, in reproofs, corrections, instruction, promises and predictions, as he spoke to Abraham and at Sinai, and his word endures forever, while to disbelieve it charges him with falsehood and trifles with his oath.
God made a promise to Abraham that He would certainly bless him and greatly multiply him and his seed beyond counting. He confirmed it with an oath sworn by Himself because no greater existed, given after Abraham's obedience in the test concerning Isaac. His word of promise and His oath are two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for Him to lie, given to show the heirs the immutability of His purpose and to give them strong comfort. The promised Seed is Christ, through whom every blessing comes, so that those who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs by faith, and the inheritance promised is not Canaan only but the whole earth redeemed and renewed as an everlasting home. Its fulfillment is secured and ratified by Christ's blood, yet it reaches its full realization at His coming and the resurrection, and meanwhile it gives the heirs a sure and steadfast hope that anchors the soul within the veil.
Promise Wording and Setting
Hebrews 6:14 records God's promise to Abraham to bless him and to multiply him and his seed, expressed with emphatic certainty that he would surely bless and greatly increase. The promise assured abundant blessing and multiplied descendants, and it will be fully accomplished after the resurrection when Abraham and all who share his faith inherit it together. Its fulfillment is secured in Christ and concerns a future inheritance beyond this life, which Abraham and the faithful did not yet receive, including the renewed earth freed from the curse as a free inheritance received by those who believe.
The certainty is expressed by an intensive Hebrew form in which the verb is doubled, correctly rendered surely or freely. The same form appears as freely eat in Genesis 2:16 and surely die in Genesis 2:17. Repetition expresses emphasis as in I have surely seen, as in the repeated I have seen of Exodus 3:7 cited in Acts 7:34 and the form in Exodus 1:7.
The promised multiplication means a seed beyond counting, like the dust of the earth, the stars of heaven, and the sand by the sea and on the seashore. God confirmed the promise with an oath sworn by himself because no greater existed by whom to swear. That oath was given after Abraham's obedience in the test concerning Isaac and is recorded in Genesis 22:15-18 and Genesis 26:2-5. It was added not because Abraham especially needed it but for the benefit of later heirs, to assure the heirs of the promise of the certainty of his counsel and to give strong consolation and hope.
Abraham patiently endured and then obtained the promise, receiving the son through whom it would be fulfilled. What he obtained was its stated assurance embraced by faith, not its full realization. Those who through faith and patience follow Abraham inherit the promises, for after he patiently endured he obtained the promise.
Oath Secures the Promise
God's promise to bless and multiply and his oath confirming it are two immutable, unchangeable things in which it is impossible for him to lie. They were given to show the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel and purpose, making his counsel certain and its fulfillment certain because his word and oath cannot change. Since he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, and Abraham after patiently enduring obtained the promise. Together the promise and oath give strong consolation, encouragement and sure hope to those who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them. That hope is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, entering within the veil where Jesus has entered as forerunner, holding the Christian steady amid storms of life as an anchor keeps a ship from drifting. Unlike human anchors that hold downward and cannot keep a ship from sinking, this hope anchors upward to his steadfast throne and lays hold on the eternal promise and oath, securing the believer against treacherous currents, wild blasts, surging tides and mountain-high waves.
As among men an oath by the greater ends all dispute and confirmation ends strife, so God's oath ends all strife over the certainty of the promise and makes the confirmed covenant as unchangeable as his character. Even a man's confirmed covenant cannot be disannulled or added to, and much more God's confirmed covenant cannot be changed. The oath was added not because Abraham especially needed one, for his faith had grown through endurance of his supreme test, but for the benefit of later heirs. In infinite condescension to human weakness it was given to give them assurance, strong hope and strong comfort in the unchangeable counsel of a God who cannot lie.
God's example establishes that an oath is proper on appropriate occasions. Human oaths that benefit others, give assurance, help bring about justice between people and end disputes are morally good and follow that example. If he is believed when he promises, his sworn assurance is even more certain, a principle that applies also to his warnings that no one should rely on the merits or intercession of saints for salvation.
Blessing and Inheritance Promised
The blessing and multiplication pledged to Abraham concern the inheritance promised to him and to his descendants and heirs according to the promise, guaranteed by oath even though Abraham died without possessing it, with its fulfillment reaching beyond the resurrection to the new-earth state where Abraham and the faithful receive it together. The gift of the Spirit is the pledge of that inheritance. That same promise concerns an inheritance identified with Christ, so that those who belong to Christ are Abraham's heirs, and its fulfillment includes the promised city and better country, the New Jerusalem and new earth as the eternal home of the immortal saints. The promise also included that Abraham's seed would possess the gate of their enemies, that is, would possess the land where those enemies lived.
The promised Seed is Christ, through whom the promise is fulfilled and every heavenly blessing is given. Those who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise through faith, not through birth, nationality, or a sign received only by males, and faith in Christ can grasp the promise as already accomplished. The law given 430 years later could not cancel that promise to Abraham and to his Seed.
The inheritance is the whole earth and world, not only the land of Canaan. It is the earth redeemed from sin and restored, the renewed earth freed from the curse where righteousness dwells, promised as a free and everlasting inheritance and everlasting home for the faithful of all ages, though its fulfillment is still future. This inheritance is for all but is received by those who believe in Christ, and it includes the righteousness God gives by making believers new creatures. It includes everlasting life, the resurrection of the righteous, and the destruction of death and sin, received as God's free gifts and not as rewards obtained through the law. Its fulfillment includes the promised city and better country, the New Jerusalem and new earth as the eternal home of the immortal saints.
The promise of the land was made to two parties, Abraham himself and his seed, so its fulfillment to Israel as a nation possessing the land does not exhaust it, since the part spoken to Abraham himself remains unfulfilled and must still be fulfilled in the future because God's promise cannot fail. The oath bound God to rescue and protect Abraham's seed even when they did not appreciate His care and wanted their own way. For that reason He brought Egypt under Joseph to provide asylum in famine, raised up a leader from slavery when oppressed, divided the Red Sea so the oppressed could escape pursuers, and gave bread direct from heaven when the desert gave no sustenance, not because He overlooked their sins but because His oath left Him no other course. The promised blessings associated with the sanctuary, priesthood, and offerings would have been realized during the Mosaic dispensation if Israel had accepted them.
Fulfillment Through Christ Yet Future
The fulfillment is secured in Christ, the covenant's surety, in whom the everlasting covenant of mercy was confirmed and finally ratified by death, so that the blood shed on Calvary is the blood of the covenant. The gospel remains the same as in Abraham's time, and Christ's cross bearing the curse assures that the promise stands for the renewed earth freed from the curse as a free inheritance received by those who believe in Christ, including the righteousness God gives by making believers new creatures. That covenant confirmed in Christ offers forgiveness of sins through his blood and, unlike the covenant made at Sinai, provides pardon when people break God's law. It secures eternal life for repentant people through Christ's blood and will be fulfilled when Christ comes.
Christ's birth began the fulfillment, but the promise reaches its fulfillment at his coming and the resurrection. Though Abraham died without possessing it, God confirmed it with an oath guaranteeing that Abraham and his seed would yet receive the promised inheritance in the earth redeemed from sin. It will be fully accomplished after the resurrection, when Abraham and all who share his faith inherit it together in the new-earth state and future kingdom on earth as an everlasting home and everlasting inheritance of righteousness. The promise is the gospel secured in Christ the promised Seed, those who belong to Christ are its heirs, and faith in Christ can grasp it as already accomplished.
The oath binds God's promise to give the rest into which he entered at creation and which will be given in the new earth, blessing Abraham abundantly and greatly increasing his descendants until they are as the sand on the seashore, so it must be fulfilled. God was leading Israel to that possession, but they could not enter because of unbelief, and if they had been true faithful children of Abraham the rest would have been given in their day and the day of salvation would have closed. Because they were unfaithful the promise and oath still require fulfillment, so another day of salvation is offered in order that some must enter in.
The promise extended to Abraham's seed, identified as Christ, and the law given 430 years later could not cancel it. The inheritance and the righteousness by which it is received are God's free gifts received by faith, not rewards obtained through the law, and God's oath assures that he will fulfill his promise of the renewed earth where righteousness dwells. That inheritance sums up blessing and multiplication for Abraham and his Seed and includes everlasting life, the resurrection of the righteous, and the destruction of death and sin, shared by all who believe as Abraham's seed. The force of this sworn promise, confirmed by swearing by himself since there was no greater by whom to swear and in which it is impossible for God to lie, depends on Abraham being a real person, not a myth.
Covenant Gospel and Priesthood
The oath-bound word to bless and to multiply is itself the covenant, the everlasting covenant of mercy coextensive with the everlasting gospel and identical with the gospel and the New and everlasting Covenant. That new covenant was therefore already in effect from the beginning, and it is called new because it was confirmed last by Christ's death, not because it was made last. On God's part it always existed and the promise was sure before its ratification, and its confirmation by oath made it as unchangeable as God's character and impossible to disannul or add to. By two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, sworn by Himself because no greater existed by whom to swear, He showed the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel and gave them strong consolation, just as among men an oath by the greater ends all dispute.
The course of that one covenant ran from promise to confirmation to ratification, promised to Adam, confirmed to Noah by the bow of promise, confirmed to Abraham by promise and oath, and finally ratified by the death of Christ as its surety, with Christ Jesus as its center. On God's part the promise was therefore sure before its ratification at Christ's death, and it remains sure to every soul who grasps its mighty provisions by faith. It was the means that established the hearts that feared God through all the years of the Hebrew nation so they did not depart from God all their days.
Its promised blessings belong to the gospel and were secured by faith before the covenant at Sinai. That Abrahamic covenant was confirmed in Christ and offers forgiveness of sins through His blood, and unlike the covenant made at Sinai it provides pardon when people break God's law. It is distinct from the covenant made at Sinai with the literal descendants of Jacob, and it is the covenant ratified by Christ's death, so that Christ's blood shed on Calvary is the blood of the covenant that conveys title to the land and inheritance.
The passage belongs to the covenant with Abraham and reveals its true priesthood and sanctuary in the heavenly sanctuary and its services where Christ is priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The oath by which Jesus was made priest, entered within the veil as forerunner, is the guarantee of the promise to Abraham to bless and increase him. The earthly sanctuary and its services given in connection with the Levitical priesthood were given to instruct Israel concerning that heavenly reality, but Israel perverted them by making the earthly service final and expecting salvation by it instead of coming through it to faith in the covenant. Melchizedek, priest of God and king of righteousness and peace made like the Son of God, is likened to Christ as a preacher of righteousness and teacher of God's commandments, and the promise to bless and greatly multiply shows God's faithfulness and righteousness in keeping what He has pledged and grounds the hope that leads toward Christ's Melchizedek priesthood.
Through Abraham God preserved the knowledge of Himself and developed the plan of salvation. Abraham is the father of the faithful, and the promise to him is the ground of their hope.
Hope Anchor for Believers
The oath-backed word to bless and multiply gives strong consolation, encouragement, comfort and sure hope to the heirs of promise and to all who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them and who seek salvation through faith in Christ. The promise joined to the oath sworn by himself, since no greater existed, forms two immutable things in which it is impossible to lie, making the counsel and purpose certain and unchangeable. Its fulfillment is secured in Christ the surety, who bore the curse of the cross so the promise stands, and who as priest forever after the order of Melchizedek guarantees it by the oath of his priesthood. Abraham patiently endured and obtained the promise, and the same word and oath are held out to believers as the foundation of their hope.
That hope is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, entering within the veil where Jesus has entered as forerunner. As an anchor keeps a ship from drifting, so this hope holds the Christian steady amid all the storms of life. Unlike human anchors that hold downward and cannot keep a ship from sinking, it lays hold on the eternal and immutable promise and oath and anchors upward to the steadfast throne, securing the believer against treacherous currents, wild blasts, surging tides and mountain-high waves. Its fulfillment was not exhausted in the past but reaches beyond the resurrection to the new-earth state, where Abraham and all the faithful receive the promise together.
This hope is set before believers like the polar star that always points the mariner's course, and it cannot be outlived or outgrown or invalidated by change of feeling or experience because it rests on the unfailing word and immovable foundation, the only hope that never fails. Genuine hope rests on the promise and on faithfulness to fulfill it, and that promise secures eternal life for repentant people through Christ's blood to be fulfilled at his coming. Hope is both desire and expectation, based on the promise and on assurance that its conditions are being met, for desire without reasonable expectation, or expectation without desire, is not hope.
The promised blessing and increase are grounds for hope as believers comply with the conditions, for those who through faith and patience follow Abraham inherit the promises. On God's side the oath is sure and steadfast, sealed by two immutable things, giving strong consolation to those who have fled for refuge; on man's side blessing under it requires fleeing for refuge, laying hold, showing diligence unto full assurance of hope, continuing to the end to share the divine nature and receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom, so unconditional final perseverance is denied. Faith in Christ can grasp the promise to Abraham and his seed to inherit the whole earth as an everlasting inheritance of righteousness as already accomplished, though its full realization comes at his coming and the resurrection. To believe the oath-bound promise gives humble believers ground for confidence, because God speaks as really in all the Bible, in reproofs, corrections, instruction, promises and predictions, as he spoke to Abraham and at Sinai, and his word endures forever, while to disbelieve it charges him with falsehood and trifles with his oath.