Luke relates a very interesting statement from Paul in Acts 28:20:
“For this cause therefore have I called you, to see you, and speak to you: because that for THE HOPE OF ISRAEL I am bound with this chain.”
What is this ‘hope of Israel” that he is referring to?
Jeremiah will answer this question for us in Jeremiah 14: 7-8:
O Yahweh, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
Jeremiah identifies Yahweh as the Hope of Israel and also as the Saviour.
I have demonstrated in other articles that the Yahweh of the Hebrew Scriptures is Yahweh, the Son. For example, John 5:37: “and the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.” This means that the Yahweh that Moses, Abraham, Joshua (Yahshua) and others saw and conversed with was not the Father, but the Son. The Father has never interacted with man, only the Son.
Therefore, the Yahweh spoken of as the Hope of Israel has to be the Son. The Son is also the Saviour. Remember, Yahweh, the Son, left his previous glory to become a man (John 17:5.) He became the man, Yahshua, died on a tree, “redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” and had his name blotted out (Deuteronomy 29:20.)
Remember, Paul was a well-educated Pharisee who knew the law and customs very well. When he encountered Messiah on the road to Damascus, the Messiah spoke to him in Hebrew (Acts 26:14.) This was well after the resurrection so Messiah had inherited his more excellent name (Hebrews 1:4.) Paul spent three years after this encounter learning from Messiah (Galatians 1:17.) Paul would have known to whom he was speaking. He would not have spoken to the Messiah in Greek, nor would he address him as Yahshua. He would have used the Messiah’s more excellent name, YahwehShua. This is the same name that Jeremiah was referring to when he said, “the hope of Israel, the Saviour.” Now we know that the hope of Israel is Yahweh Saviour, YahwehShua.
Jeremiah has more to teach us about the hope of Israel. Let’s read Jeremiah 17:13: “O Yahweh the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the fountain of living waters.”
Notice that Yahweh is again called the hope of Israel but also the fountain of living waters. This reference is also found in Revelation 7:17: “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall find them, and shall lead them unto the fountain of waters…” Now we know that Yahweh, the Son, is the hope of Israel, the fountain of living waters, the Lamb in the midst of the throne as well as being YahwehShua (Yahweh Saviour.)
However, this verse in Jeremiah 17 offers a very sobering thought as well. It is not wise to forsake, be ashamed of or depart from the hope of Israel, YahwehShua, the Lamb. Those who make the wrong choice will have their names written in the earth. We, who wish to answer our call and overcome, will desire to have our names written in the Lamb’s book of life, not simply in the earth. We desire to be in the Kingdom, not on the outside looking in!
Remember what we are told in Hebrews 10:26-31:
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of Yahweh, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith Yahweh. And again, Yahweh shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.
Notice that verse 27 referred to “fiery indignation.” What could this be? Perhaps, Revelation 20:15 can give us an insight: “and whosoever was not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The lake of fire is also known as the second death. The second death can be avoided if you are in the better or first resurrection (Rev. 20:6.)
The time period from Pentecost in Acts 2 until Messiah returns is our day of judgment. The rest of mankind will face their judgment in the last great day, during the 100 years after the millennium. Therefore, if we are called, baptized in YahwehShua, and overcome to the end, we will be among the 144,000 when YahwehShua returns. Should we turn back and depart from the faith, we will face that fiery indignation in the lake of fire.
After the lake of fire, we would be resurrected in the new heavens and earth. Not one human life ends in eternal death. All are resurrected! Some will be in the kingdom; most will not.
If you are reading this and are attracted to the message on our website, thelightofyahwehshua.com, you may be being called. If you have an interest in being in the better resurrection and avoiding the lake of fire, you may wish to learn more about the truth of YahwehShua. If you wish to submit a question or comment, please email our Elder at john12e4567@gmail.com. After reading this article, you may wish to pray for truth to Yahweh, the Father. If you are being called, he will lead you to the Son (John 6:44.) May Yahweh bless your journey to the better resurrection.