Hope Through the Scripture - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! Thou the grace of my God and King, the triumph of his grace! This is LeSaire Bradley Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. In shaming pastures so rich and so sweet, God meets his dear children along. Where the waters will flow with the way everyone speaks, God meets his dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood, Some through the fire brought all through the flood, Some through great sorrow one God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long. The COVID pandemic has brought many sorrows and difficulties throughout the world. Sickness, death, loss of jobs, and just the general sense of discouragement with which many struggle. I talk to people who say, I continually go to scripture trying to rely upon the promises of God, but I really battle discouragement.

Things are so different. Young people in particular will say, just what does this mean for our future? Feel a sense of anxiety. So today I'm going to bring a message entitled Hope Through the Scriptures. How vital it is that we maintain hope to get through all the dark and difficult times of life. I pray that the message will be a blessing to you, and if it is, we'd like to hear from you.

Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. We all go through difficult times in life. Sometimes the burdens are so heavy that you get to the place you feel hopeless. But as you've heard me say a number of times, if you believe in God, you can never say you're without hope. Because he identifies himself as being the God of hope. He's the source of it. He's the giver of it. I expressed that to somebody a while back, and they then asked, well, how do you get this hope?

How do you get it? Of course, we believe that God, being the source of it, gives it. It's a part of the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of his people. But there's some specific instruction given us as to how hope may be strengthened. If you want to look at that, turn into the book of Romans, chapter 15, reading verse 4. For whatsoever things were written of four times were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Here the validity and the value of the Old Testament is affirmed. Paul had just cited, as he writes this Roman letter, a portion of Psalm 69, 9, and says that that Old Testament declaration had reference to Jesus Christ. Jesus quoted Scripture when he was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. And when he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day in Luke, chapter 4, he picked up the Scripture.

It was the book of Isaiah. And he read that prophecy concerning his coming into the world and the work that he had to do. And then when Jesus was talking to those that he had encountered on the Emmaus road, they did not recognize who he was. They were deeply grieved over the fact that Jesus, that they had been following, had been crucified. And so he says to them in Luke, chapter 24, beginning with the 25th verse, he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Here he is recognizing that the words spoken by the prophets in Old Testament times and the words they recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures were true, were to be believed. You are slow of heart, failing to believe what the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? This death at the cross, the terrible suffering of crucifixion. This was all in keeping to what the prophets had declared would come to pass.

Ought this not to have happened? And then to enter into his glory and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Moses had spoken of that special prophet that would come referring to Jesus Christ. And certainly the prophets repeatedly brought wonderful declarations of truth concerning the coming of Jesus Christ, the person of Jesus Christ, the work that he would accomplish, his success at Calvary. And so Jesus is declaring here that the Old Testament Scriptures are true.

They are valid. We are to believe them. Therefore our benefit. And then come to the day of Pentecost. Peter is preaching, pointing out that these who had assembled many, at least of that number, had actually had a part in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Ye by wicked hands have crucified and slain the Lord of glory. And then he quotes the words of David as having reference to the coming of Jesus Christ. He says, David is dead and his tomb is with us.

But he was not talking about himself. He was talking about Jesus Christ, the one whom ye crucified and whom God raised from the dead, and therefore called upon them to repent. And you know what a wonderful day it was when 3000 souls were converted and received to the church that day. All of these references are further confirmation that the Old Testament is not outdated, not to be laid aside, not to be ignored, but to be utilized for the benefit of us today. In the book of 2 Peter, after Peter had obviously confirmed the usefulness of the Old Testament and his great message on Pentecost as he writes his epistles in 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 20, it says, Knowing this verse, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, for this prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So he is declaring the Old Testament scriptures are given us by inspiration. They were written by holy men as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. Now certainly the ceremonies, the sacrifices of the Mosaic dispensation have been done away with because Christ fulfilled them.

Christ, our Passover, is sacrifice for us. But we still read here that the scriptures were written for our learning in this day, in this time, therefore our learning that we might have hope. So first the reference is made to the patience of the scriptures. That the scriptures provide instruction for us.

This is what he declares. These things are written aforetime for our learning. There's something that we're to learn as we read and study the scriptures. We are to learn patience, endurance, perseverance.

Psalm 46, verse 10 is an example. Be still and know that I am God. Now ultimately what we get to at the end of this text is hope. In order to rest in hope, we need first to be still.

We have a tendency in times of trouble because of our anxiety to be jumping rapidly from one thing to another, one idea to another, hoping for some solution and one doesn't work out and we try another. It says be still. Now that doesn't mean that you become idle if there's something expected of you to do. If there's something that's biblically required. If there's something that is evident according to just the wisdom God has given you that needs to be accomplished, you don't sit with your hands folded.

But he's talking about being still in our soul in particular. Be still and know that I am God. See when troubles come in abundance, you kind of lose sight of the fact that God is God, God is on the throne. I will be exalted among the heat and I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us.

The God of Jacob is our refuge sealer. Be still. Be quiet. Don't fret. Don't murmur.

Don't complain. Remember that the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

What more could we ask? If the God of heaven, the sovereign creator of heaven and earth is with us, he's near us, he's upholding us, he's sustaining us, he is our refuge, then surely we can have patience. We can be calm in the storm. And then a similar thought is given in Psalm 27 verse 14. Wait on the Lord.

Be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Oh, it's so easy to be impatient.

So easy to get in a hurry. We want what we want when we want it. We ask for something and expect that it ought to be there today. But many times in scripture we're admonished to wait.

God's timing is best. He knows what is for our good and to the glory of his name. And we have to learn to be patient and wait on the Lord. And then we find an example of it in the life of Abraham. Now, we'll go to the New Testament to get the account of this because it summarizes it. You'll find, of course, what took place recorded in the book of Genesis, which is another confirmation that the Old Testament is for our learning, for our benefit. But his experience is described for us in Hebrews chapter 11, beginning with the eighth verse. By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went.

Now, there you see an example of trusting God, though he could not see and understand all that God was doing in his life. God called him to come out from a pagan people and he would give him an inheritance. He starts on his journey.

There was a delay. He stayed behind until his father died, but ultimately moved on his way. And as his experience is described, he's put in the list of the faithful here in Hebrews chapter 11.

He went out not knowing whether he went. There's been a time like that in your life where you say, I'm trying to follow the leadership of the Lord, but I don't know exactly what he has in store. I don't know exactly where I'm going, but I'm praying.

I'm trusting God. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. He looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. God promised him an inheritance, but he lived in tents and tabernacles. Verse 13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. Abraham's life had a lot of places in it where waiting was required, where he had to trust God. He had to live by faith. God had promised him he was going to be the father of many, and he didn't have a child. And he and Sarah were both in their old age, and he had to wait. Wait for God's appointed time when Isaac was born. Took patience, and then he goes out to inherit a place that God had given him. He never really had title to any of that land. He was living as a pilgrim, a stranger all of his life.

But it's said he declared that he was seeking a country. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed the promises of God, so they persevered. They didn't give up.

They didn't say, we're tired of waiting. We're just going to forget about it all. They believed God. God called him to come out, and he ultimately came out and started on his journey. If you had asked Abraham along the way, as he moved along with a large family and many flocks and herds, where are you going?

I don't really know. Certainly people would have thought he was a strange traveler, to say the least. All this large number going, and yet didn't know where he was going. Well, we're strangers and pilgrims on this earth. And just as Abraham had to learn to wait upon God for the fulfilling of promises, and for some of the things that he was promised, he never lived to see it. But he died in faith, looking for that city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. And then we find another example, also an Old Testament experience, but summarized for us in the book of James. We turn there to read James chapter 5, beginning with the eighth verse. Be ye also patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Patience is that which is to be derived from the study of the Old Testament scriptures.

Learning to trust God, to believe God, to claim his promises, and to wait on him for the unfolding of his providence. Verse 10, take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and patience. Most of the prophets face great opposition. You remember that Jeremiah was put in a pit, and they would like to have destroyed him, but God delivered him.

They were opposed, they were spoken against. But, though they suffered many afflictions, they endured, they persevered, they exercised patience. But we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.

Now initially, Job gave exactly the right response to his troubles. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. We might have difficulty starting at that point. Our faith might be weak, and we're not resting in hope. But Job said what he ought to say. That wasn't the end of the story. His troubles continued to mount.

His wife said, why don't you curse God and die? And his friends, you could do without the kind of friends they were, but they claimed to be his friends. And they offered all kinds of advice without understanding the true situation in which he was involved. And partly as a result of their continued questioning and probing, Job became deeply troubled. And he could not understand, obviously, why.

Why has all this happened to me? Now many times people make the assumption that if a person is having a difficult time, it must be that there is some terrible sin in their life. And that's what some of those friends of Job suggested. Job, why don't you just admit it?

There's got to be something deeply wrong if you just confess your sin and acknowledge it. All this bad stuff wouldn't happen to somebody otherwise. But God had already acknowledged that as far as human beings go, Job was an upright man. And so the trouble was not coming because of some great thought in Job. It was coming because God had a purpose.

God had a purpose when Satan challenged God and said, sure, Job serves you, but it's for what he gets out of him. It's because you put a hedge about him. Let me at him.

Let me take that away from him. He'll crush it to your face. God gives Satan the permission to go after him. And so his troubles mount. And he's in misery. His body is afflicted. His heart is broken.

And yet, Job continues on course. He said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. I've got nowhere else to go. I don't understand what all God's doing. But he's the one in whom I must place my faith.

I'm trusting him. Can you say that today? And even when you encounter those difficult situations, you can't understand why. Why this? Why now?

Why me? But you have to conclude, no matter what you encounter, even if the Lord should slay you, you've got nowhere else to go. No one else to whom you can turn. Oh, what a statement.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. The patience of the scriptures. The examples that are given us. The words of admonition that are given us. To strengthen us.

To increase our patience. Our determination by the grace of God to continue in the way of righteousness. And then we look at one more in this category, Psalm 42, verse 5. The psalmist asks the question, why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me?

Have you ever had to ask yourself that question? I don't understand why I'm having such a difficult time. Oh, yes, I've got this trouble, that trouble, and the other, but why is it I can't just turn it over to the Lord? Trust him. Move on in whatever way he would have me to travel.

Why is it, why am I so disquieted? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. When you're troubled, when you're disquieted, when you're uneasy, trust in God. Now that identical verse is also found in verse 11 of this 42nd Psalm and verse 5 of Psalm 43. So it's obviously something that's weighty and of tremendous importance that it's given us three times in this one section of scripture. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? What's the answer?

Where am I going to go? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Sometimes, no doubt, we're negligent in praising him. We go to him with our burdens, we call upon him, he hears us, he gives us grace and strength to continue, but we don't take the time to praise him. Let's be faithful in praising him for the help of his countenance. Now the second thing that our text says is that these Old Testament scriptures are for our comfort, for our comfort.

First we look at several words of comfort. Isaiah chapter 40, verse 2, Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished and that her iniquity is part. Indeed, there are many words of rebuke and warning given throughout the Old Testament. There are words that God spoke that caused the people to tremble. And there are times I've heard people say, well, I just don't feel comfortable with the Old Testament. I like to think about the compassion of Jesus, but to read the Old Testament about God sending the flood in Noah's day and destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, I don't like that. If we're going to believe what God says about himself, we don't pick and choose and say I like this part and I don't like something else. We believe that all scripture, Old Testament and New Testament, is given by the inspiration of God, and we're going to embrace what God reveals, not just how we feel and what we think. But in addition to the declaration of God's holiness and God's wrath and God's judgment upon the wicked, there are many words of comfort.

And here's one of them. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, her warfare is accomplished and her iniquity is part. Indeed, there was something at the present time as Isaiah spoke these words, but also looking ahead, the iniquity is part.

For she hath received the Lord's hand double for all of her sins. Look to the time that Jesus Christ came and fought the greatest of all battles, was victorious over sin, Satan and death. And therefore, we can speak comfortably to Jerusalem. We can speak comfortably to those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. The warfare is over. Jesus Christ fought the battle successfully.

The iniquity is part. From thy womb, inside which flow, be us in the double cure, save from wrath and make me new. Well, it's certainly a blessing to be able to go to the scriptures and find the comfort that we so desperately need.

We can't find comfort looking at the theories and philosophies of men or looking inside ourselves. But we can find comfort in the sovereign God of heaven who rules according to his pleasure and gives us his word to bring those comforts that we need as they're applied by the Holy Spirit. Again, I encourage you to write us, let us know that you've listened to the program today and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Lesair Bradley, Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Oh, oh, oh,