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Feast of Tabernacles Day Six: Hope to be in Kingdom of God
October 22, 2024

During this Feast of Tabernacles, we have been studying what we need to be doing now to be in the Kingdom of God, and today we will look at the need to have hope to be in the Kingdom of God. If we want to be in the Kingdom of God, we must have this hope. We can look to Paul who when defending himself before Agrippa told him that even though he had the best of the best of a Jewish upbringing, he was being judged for a hope of the promises made by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If we want to be in the Kingdom of God, we must be willing to be judged for having this same hope.

Acts 26:1-6
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

Going back in times several years before Paul’s encounter with Agrippa, Jesus had a wonderful act of kindness performed on Him when a woman who was a sinner came to Him and anointed His feet with an ointment. A sinner touching a person who was seen as righteous was enough for the Pharisees to claim a scandal. For the Pharisees, there was no hope, only certain punishment for a sinner. But this woman who was a sinner came to Jesus to wipe His feet with an ointment because among many things she had hope. She had hope that her sins could be forgiven, and they were. If we want to be in the Kingdom of God, we must hope that our sins are forgiven.

Luke 7:36-50
And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

As we wait for the Kingdom of God, we must continue in hope because the Kingdom of God is not yet something we see. It is those things that we do not see and that we desire that we hope for. Having that hope gives us reason to patiently wait for it as we await the transformation of our bodies from human to spiritual.

Romans 8:18-25
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Because we hope for the Kingdom of God, we have this hope of the glory of God, knowing that when Jesus Christ returns to establish His Kingdom, the faithful will become spirit beings with the dead in Christ rising first then after we who are alive at His coming.

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The hope that we have for the Kingdom of God is laid up for us in heaven, but before that hope can be laid up for us in heaven, we must first have hope. Without hope there is nothing that can be laid up for us in heaven, not even the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:3-8
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

If we want to be in the Kingdom of God we will have hope, and that hope will give us reason to be of good courage and to be strong of heart. Without hope, being of good courage and having a strong heart will do little for us spiritually.

Psalm 31:23-24
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

If we want mercy from God, for forgiveness of sin so we can be in the Kingdom of God, we must have hope, because the amount of mercy we receive is proportional to the amount of hope we have. When we have great hope, we will have great mercy.

Psalm 33:18-22
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

If we want our sins forgiven so that we will be part of the Kingdom of God, our hope will be in God, and that contrasts to living our life so that all we pursue is what we can enjoy on earth. It’s better for us to have hope in God so that we will be in the Kingdom of God rather than to trust in ourselves so that while we have this physical life, we are more comfortable.

Psalm 39:1-8
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

As we keep our hope in God, God becomes our hiding place and shield. He protects us from the evil world around us as we focus on keeping the commandments of God. With God we can be assured that even though life will have its up and downs, that in the end we will not be ashamed, and there is no shame in having hope for the Kingdom of God.

Psalm 119:113-120
I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

Having knowledge of wisdom is as sweet to us as the honeycomb. When we find wisdom, our hope will never be cut off. The greatest wisdom we can hold onto in good times and bad is too first seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Proverbs 24:13-14
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

We both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of God. We look to the Kingdom of God which will be established at the return of Jesus Christ even though we may have lived a life with many painful memories. Those painful memories help us to stay focused on the hope that we do have, and the pain of all those painful memories will not even compare to the joy we will have in the Kingdom of God.

Lamentations 3:18-26
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Peter shows that the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us a living hope of what will one day happen for us. The hope that we have is not a hope that has never happened before, because Jesus Christ died and has risen from the dead so that our sins can be forgiven. Just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead to become a spirit being, so will we. Right now, that hope is reserved for us in heaven, but when Jesus Christ returns and the Kingdom of God is established, that hope will be a reality.

1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Paul reminded the Corinthians that all that we do should be done in hope. In Old Testament times when God told farmers not to muzzle the mouth of an ox that treads out the corn, God knew there would be enough food for the ox and to secure the harvest. Whatever we do spiritually needs to be done with that same type of hope. What we do spiritually we do with hope knowing that hope will lead us to an expected result, the Kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 9:9-10
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Isaiah writes of the hope of the farmer. The hope of the farmer is not to plant the crop, but to harvest the crop. Everything that God does has that final spiritual result in mind, and what we do spiritually must have that same final spiritual result in mind as well. When we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, we are stating a hope for the end result of our faith, our salvation. We are not hoping for just the process of continuing as a Christian for the rest of our human life. We hope for the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and we seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Isaiah 28:23-29
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

The hope that we have should have us focus on what we can expect in the Kingdom of God. We know right now this world is going through significant changes in weather which is commonly called climate change. We have hope that one day in the Kingdom of God climate change will occur again, and for the better to make our planet a more pleasant place to live. This hope should give us reason to rejoice and not to fear. If we first seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and we have fear for any reason, we need to examine ourselves to see where hope is, because hope should move us beyond fear.

Isaiah 35:1-7
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

The hope that we have serves as a reminder to us that one day Jesus Christ will return, and when He returns, He will have His reward with Him.

Isaiah 40:9-11
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

We have hope in the Kingdom of God knowing that when Jesus Christ returns it will be a time of prosperity, judgment, and justice on earth. Today when we think of judgment and justice we think of a legal response to criminal or civil acts, but when Jesus returns, He will be focused on what is in the best interest of the people.

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE Lord OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

We have hope that when the Kingdom of God is established that it will never be destroyed. The kings of Israel and Judah always had to know if anyone was working to betray them. In the Kingdom of God, there will be no betrayals that changes who sits on the throne. The Kingdom of God will consume all other kingdoms of mankind to bring the eternal peace that we hope for.

Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Daniel wrote of the very same hope that we have. In one of his night visions, he saw the Son of Man come with the clouds close to God the Father, and to the Son of Man was given a kingdom, what we know as the Kingdom of God. The hope that we have in the Kingdom of God is an eternal hope as the Kingdom of God will never be destroyed. Nations and kingdoms rise and fall, but the Kingdom of God will last forever.

Daniel 7:9-14
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

When Mary found out she was pregnant with Jesus, she was promised the hope that we have today, that her son Jesus would sit on the throne of David and rule over the house of Jacob forever in a kingdom without an end.

Luke 1:30-33
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

We have this hope of the Kingdom of God knowing that there is no private interpretation of prophecy. We have a more sure word of prophecy knowing that the Kingdom of God and the return of Jesus Christ is given to us in many different places in the Bible.

2 Peter 1:19-21
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the 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.

We have this hope for the Kingdom of God that reminds us that even though we may have sacrificed in our human lives today to hold on to this hope, that we will be repaid many times more, and most importantly we will be given eternal life.

Matthew 19:27-30
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

We have this hope that what we do in faith on the earth will not be lost in the Kingdom of God. Nothing will prevail against the Church of God, and each of us are members individually, meaning nothing will prevail against the hope we have of eternal life. Peter was given the keys of the Kingdom of God and latitude to bind and loose on earth. We must among many things maintain hope to be part of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

We have this hope in the Kingdom of God even though we have only been given a portion of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus Christ returns, we will be given a full measure of the Holy Spirit. We need to have this hope that we will not be rejected by God and Jesus Christ because the word of God is true. With God our hope is that we will be accepted, that when it comes to us and our place in the Kingdom of God at the return of Jesus Christ, we will be told yes. With this hope of hearing yes, we will live our lives now to be worthy to hear that future yes.

2 Corinthians 1:15-22
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea. When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

We have this hope of the Kingdom of God living in a world where so many are in need, and with our limited resources we know we cannot help everyone, but as we have the capacity to help others, we do help others. We know the hope we have requires us to consider the needs of others and to help when able.

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

We have this hope of the Kingdom of God which should lead us to rejoice, and even though we might find ourselves living in challenging times, we still have hope for the Kingdom of God, and we still rejoice. We should abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:8-13 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

We must have hope for the Kingdom of God, and that hope comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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