Listen today to learn how to hang on to hope amidst the struggles of trials and issues. You'll discover a hidden Hebrew secret found in the pages of the Bible that can transform your life amidst the hardest of days. God's hope - his "tikvah" - can bring opportunities from obstacles and strengthen your faith, regardless of what you face.
Do you ever feel like you are hanging on to life by a thread? If so, you are not alone. Life is full of obstacles to overcome, especially when you face tough odds.
Recently my daughter and I watched a Disney movie where the hero was faced with insurmountable odds which could no way imaginable be overcome. As the move progressed, the character developed, grew, and discovered an energy force they could tap into for power. By the time the credits rolled, the problem was solved, the distress ended, and the world was rescued. This was a story of hope. The character used hope to power through the impossible.
What was a movie you've probably seen and would watch again. I've learned, but you might disagree, but its these tales or triumph that make life worth living. In the struggle we find strength. The trials test us to develop power we didn't know was available. This is the story of your life a fascinating story of hope.
The truth is that no one would watch a movie or read a book where the main character grows up easily in the mid-west, never faces a bully or problem in school, graduates with honors and a super-high GPA, excel in college, get s dream job, marries, has children, and eventually retires to travel the world and then dies peacefully in his sleep at a ripe old age. That story is boring! We are attracted to tales of hope where light wins over darkness. We dream of victory over adversity. This story fuels the energy of hope. The better days ahead are tikvah!
Super Bowl champions hope they can repeat their wins. Army generals hope their battle plans bring victory. Kids hope that school lets out early. We must have hope today as well. In Hebrew one of the words translated as hope is “tikvah.” This hidden Hebrew gem is much more than just a political catchphrase telling you that things will get better one day. Tikvah is hope super-sized. Tikvah is hope magnified. Tikvah is hope on steroids. It is power for your life and an amazing message from years gone by.
Now, it's important to know that each Hebrew word is built upon and based upon a smaller root word. This is similar to how the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is rooted and based upon the simple word “super.” The Hebrew word "tikvah" is rooted and based from the word "qawa" which means to "twist, stretch, wait, or collect." The word picture here is clear that Tikvah is a twisting a stretching from heaven as we wait on our Maker. In fact, the words “hope” and “wait” are often used interchangeably by Bible translators.
The root word for Tikvah is also found in Genesis 49:18. This is a prophetic verse that can only be understood in the holy Hebrew language. In English it reads, “for your salvation I hope O Lord.” In Hebrew this verse says, “Qawa yeshua Yahweh.” The root word for “tikvah” is found in this prayer by Jacob. It's also in this passage that the patriarch Jacob says the name of our Messiah. Thousands of years before he would be born to a virgin, Jacob says “I have tikvah in Jesus” or “I wait upon Jesus Salvation of the Lord.” It is absolutely amazing that Jacob knew the Messiah’s name and he recognized that Jesus would bring hope to the entire world.
It should not surprise us but the national anthem of the nation of Israel is called “Ha Tikvah” or “The Hope.” The number one message given to soldiers and citizens in the Promised Land is that of hope.The lyrics to the song explain the hope of the Hebrews. Just read how the lyrics of this song express the prophetic desire of God…
“As long as the Hebrew spirit is yearning deep in the heart, With eyes turned towards the East, looking toward Zion, Then our hope – the two thousand-year-old hope – will not be lost To be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem."
There is a national hope and there is individual hope in this song and in our lives. And just as the Almighty restored the nation of Israel, the Lord can and will restore your life from the brink of destruction. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 promises us a good hope in the end. Indeed, the message of the Bible is that the Lord Yahweh first created things wonderful and perfect until sin entered the world. Messiah came to restore all things and we await a redemption that is soon upon us. In this we should take hope that things will be better in the end.
Things will work out for us. We can have hope that all things will blend together for our good in the end.Therefore if things are not good now, then it's not the end! If your situation is dire; if you are in pain; if your heart aches; then it's not the end. The Almighty promises you a good hope in the end. Don’t give up! In English, Hope is also in acronym that says, “Hold On Pain Ends.” Have hope like the boy in the baseball game. The story is told of a man who approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind."The spectator said, "I'll bet you're discouraged." The little boy shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why should I be discouraged? We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"That’s hope!
In the Hebrew dictionary, tikvah is defined as “a cord, a rope, a line, meaning to bind.” If things are really bad and you’re given a rope you must make a choice to either tie a knot and hang on for dear life, or to tie a noose and hang yourself. Tikvah is a rope that we can hang on to God with when things are good and bad. It is a cord from heaven, it is a rescue line and a life preserver.
When pain and hurt come your way it’s easy to lose hope; to consider things worse than they really are. However, consider Psalm 62, “Yes, my soul, finds rest in the Lord;my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on the Lord; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for the Lord is our refuge.” This must be our battle cry as we face the wars of worry, fear and doubt.Hope is what gives us strength to carry on.
Tikah is that connection between the natural and the supernatural.It is a rope that ties us to heaven.Tikvah is a word used in Psalm 19 as a “line, cord, or circuit” that stretches from heaven to Earth. Our hope is in the One who bridges heaven to Earth.Jesus is Jacob’s ladder and Jesus is our hope, our tikvah. Proverbs 30 asks us, “who has gone up to heaven and come down?Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son?”
Hope, or "tikvah" in Hebrew, is the cry of our hearts and the mission of our message. Tikvah has the power to support you on a bad day and carry you on your worst. And, it is first found in the Bible in a most fascinating story.
After Israel left Egypt and were on their way to the Promised Land they came upon the great walled city of Jericho. Spies were sent to reconnoiter the huge town and they returned to the camp with an exhilarating story.
While in Jericho the Hebrew spies hid out at the home of a prostitute named Rahab. Rahab promised to keep them safe if they would rescue her family during the impending invasion. As a sign of their agreement (and location of her house) Rahab would tie a red colored rope from the outside of her house. The Israelites would spare anyone in the home with the red rope. That rope was a symbol of hope! In fact, the Hebrew word used for "rope" in this story is the Hebrew term "tikvah." Tikvah is like a rope of hope.
Hope is an expectation of something better. Despite the circumstances of the present, hope always looks towards the future. Rahab was in a horrible situation. Things were so bad that she was actually selling her body just to make enough money to live. After the visit from the Hebrew spies Rahab finally had some hope for the future. Redemption though was not instant. She still had to wait. Hope is a power that comforts us as we wait upon the Almighty. Rahab was faithful to gather her family into her home when destruction came upon Jericho. She shared her hope and rescued others because she knew there was a way out.No matter how bad your life seems right now, take hope – have tikvah that better days are ahead. One place to gain such hope is from the Word of Lord.His Word is a message of hope for us today.
There is actually a unique connection between Tikvah and the Torah. In 2 Kings 22 a man named Tikvah has a daughter named Huldah. It is this same Huldah who becomes a prophetess and gives God’s message concerning the Torah being found by King Josiah. From this we can understand the Word of the Lord and hope are a packaged deal. The Word brings hope and strengthens tikvah. Get into the Word and let the Word get into you until your hope is overflowing.
The opposite of tikvah is fear. If hope is the potential of good things to come, then fear is the death of better days. Fear is the absence of tikvah.Know this - just because things are horrible today doesn’t mean that it will stay that way. Tikvah gives us a hope for a better tomorrow. That’s the challenge with tikvah though. Many people do hope for a good new year or to get well soon. And we all know that things will be great in heaven one day. Tikvah is not a future tense word though. Tikvah is a present tense word for today. We have the promise of hope in a heavenly home. We also have tikvah for the next sunrise.“For thou art my hope (tikvah), O Lord: thou art my trust,” Psalm 71:5. Can you say this verse every morning? Hope believes in the face of problems and pain.
A person with tikvah should behave differently than one without hope. When a person has tikvah they pray for rain and they carry an umbrella. A believer hoping for sickness doesn’t mope around telling everyone about their symptoms. Someone with tikvah for finances blesses others and gives to the poor. A woman with hope for a new job gets dressed up and puts out resumes without end. A family who hopes for wholeness forgives and takes steps to move on. Tikvah prays for the peace of Jerusalem while the world wages war. Tikvah produces actions. Indeed, there is a cord between tikvah, faith, and works. Hope is the desire and belief that things will get better while faith is evidence of that belief displayed in actions. Faith is also tied to tikvah by Rabbi Sha’ul. He wrote, “these three remain – faith, hope, and love and the greates of this is love.”Just imagine that as awesome and life changing that tikvah is, the truth of love is even greater. (We’ll discuss “ahava” or “love” in the next teaching in this series!)
“What does hope do for mankind? Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest. Hope motivates when discouragement comes. Hope energizes when the body is tired. Hope sweetens when the bitterness bites. Hope sings when all melodies are gone. Hope believes when the evidence is eliminated. Hope listens for answers when no one is talking. Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping. Hope endures hardship when no one is caring. Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing. Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking. Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging. Hope dares to give when no one is sharing. Hope brings the victory when no one is winning. There is nothing to do but bury a man when his hopes are gone. Losing hope usually precedes loss of life itself. You don’t need a better environment; you need more hope. It’s the one thing in your life you cannot do without,” wrote John Maxwell.
A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope! Tikvah can energize your faith because it sees the unseen. Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should is effect be on our lives.
Can you feel the tikvah of God rising up in your spirit as you read this teaching? The Almighty wants to fill you with His tikvah and empower you towards victory.Stop seeing the glass half empty.Take your focus off your bills and bosses. Look to Maker of heaven and earth and have tikvah. God’s word is living and effective. His word, even just the singular word tikvah, will never return unto void. It will accomplish all that He desires in your life as you pray and believe for tikvah. Walk in it’s strength and pray tikvah over the situations in your life. Believe for the best. The Father has promised you a good hope in the end.
The hidden Hebrew word “tikvah” is hope and so much more. By looking past the English translation and into the ancient tongue we can know the truth better. Consider these verses as you meditate and study the concept of “hope.” Know that Yahweh tikvahtenu or “The Lord is our hope” and an ever present help in times of trouble.
Do you ever feel like you are hanging on to life by a thread? If so, you are not alone. Life is full of obstacles to overcome, especially when you face tough odds.
Recently my daughter and I watched a Disney movie where the hero was faced with insurmountable odds which could no way imaginable be overcome. As the move progressed, the character developed, grew, and discovered an energy force they could tap into for power. By the time the credits rolled, the problem was solved, the distress ended, and the world was rescued. This was a story of hope. The character used hope to power through the impossible.
What was a movie you've probably seen and would watch again. I've learned, but you might disagree, but its these tales or triumph that make life worth living. In the struggle we find strength. The trials test us to develop power we didn't know was available. This is the story of your life a fascinating story of hope.
The truth is that no one would watch a movie or read a book where the main character grows up easily in the mid-west, never faces a bully or problem in school, graduates with honors and a super-high GPA, excel in college, get s dream job, marries, has children, and eventually retires to travel the world and then dies peacefully in his sleep at a ripe old age. That story is boring! We are attracted to tales of hope where light wins over darkness. We dream of victory over adversity. This story fuels the energy of hope. The better days ahead are tikvah!
Super Bowl champions hope they can repeat their wins. Army generals hope their battle plans bring victory. Kids hope that school lets out early. We must have hope today as well. In Hebrew one of the words translated as hope is “tikvah.” This hidden Hebrew gem is much more than just a political catchphrase telling you that things will get better one day. Tikvah is hope super-sized. Tikvah is hope magnified. Tikvah is hope on steroids. It is power for your life and an amazing message from years gone by.
Now, it's important to know that each Hebrew word is built upon and based upon a smaller root word. This is similar to how the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is rooted and based upon the simple word “super.” The Hebrew word "tikvah" is rooted and based from the word "qawa" which means to "twist, stretch, wait, or collect." The word picture here is clear that Tikvah is a twisting a stretching from heaven as we wait on our Maker. In fact, the words “hope” and “wait” are often used interchangeably by Bible translators.
The root word for Tikvah is also found in Genesis 49:18. This is a prophetic verse that can only be understood in the holy Hebrew language. In English it reads, “for your salvation I hope O Lord.” In Hebrew this verse says, “Qawa yeshua Yahweh.” The root word for “tikvah” is found in this prayer by Jacob. It's also in this passage that the patriarch Jacob says the name of our Messiah. Thousands of years before he would be born to a virgin, Jacob says “I have tikvah in Jesus” or “I wait upon Jesus Salvation of the Lord.” It is absolutely amazing that Jacob knew the Messiah’s name and he recognized that Jesus would bring hope to the entire world.
It should not surprise us but the national anthem of the nation of Israel is called “Ha Tikvah” or “The Hope.” The number one message given to soldiers and citizens in the Promised Land is that of hope.The lyrics to the song explain the hope of the Hebrews. Just read how the lyrics of this song express the prophetic desire of God…
“As long as the Hebrew spirit is yearning deep in the heart, With eyes turned towards the East, looking toward Zion, Then our hope – the two thousand-year-old hope – will not be lost To be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem."
There is a national hope and there is individual hope in this song and in our lives. And just as the Almighty restored the nation of Israel, the Lord can and will restore your life from the brink of destruction. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 promises us a good hope in the end. Indeed, the message of the Bible is that the Lord Yahweh first created things wonderful and perfect until sin entered the world. Messiah came to restore all things and we await a redemption that is soon upon us. In this we should take hope that things will be better in the end.
Things will work out for us. We can have hope that all things will blend together for our good in the end.Therefore if things are not good now, then it's not the end! If your situation is dire; if you are in pain; if your heart aches; then it's not the end. The Almighty promises you a good hope in the end. Don’t give up! In English, Hope is also in acronym that says, “Hold On Pain Ends.” Have hope like the boy in the baseball game. The story is told of a man who approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind."The spectator said, "I'll bet you're discouraged." The little boy shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why should I be discouraged? We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"That’s hope!
In the Hebrew dictionary, tikvah is defined as “a cord, a rope, a line, meaning to bind.” If things are really bad and you’re given a rope you must make a choice to either tie a knot and hang on for dear life, or to tie a noose and hang yourself. Tikvah is a rope that we can hang on to God with when things are good and bad. It is a cord from heaven, it is a rescue line and a life preserver.
When pain and hurt come your way it’s easy to lose hope; to consider things worse than they really are. However, consider Psalm 62, “Yes, my soul, finds rest in the Lord;my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on the Lord; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for the Lord is our refuge.” This must be our battle cry as we face the wars of worry, fear and doubt.Hope is what gives us strength to carry on.
Tikah is that connection between the natural and the supernatural.It is a rope that ties us to heaven.Tikvah is a word used in Psalm 19 as a “line, cord, or circuit” that stretches from heaven to Earth. Our hope is in the One who bridges heaven to Earth.Jesus is Jacob’s ladder and Jesus is our hope, our tikvah. Proverbs 30 asks us, “who has gone up to heaven and come down?Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son?”
Hope, or "tikvah" in Hebrew, is the cry of our hearts and the mission of our message. Tikvah has the power to support you on a bad day and carry you on your worst. And, it is first found in the Bible in a most fascinating story.
After Israel left Egypt and were on their way to the Promised Land they came upon the great walled city of Jericho. Spies were sent to reconnoiter the huge town and they returned to the camp with an exhilarating story.
While in Jericho the Hebrew spies hid out at the home of a prostitute named Rahab. Rahab promised to keep them safe if they would rescue her family during the impending invasion. As a sign of their agreement (and location of her house) Rahab would tie a red colored rope from the outside of her house. The Israelites would spare anyone in the home with the red rope. That rope was a symbol of hope! In fact, the Hebrew word used for "rope" in this story is the Hebrew term "tikvah." Tikvah is like a rope of hope.
Hope is an expectation of something better. Despite the circumstances of the present, hope always looks towards the future. Rahab was in a horrible situation. Things were so bad that she was actually selling her body just to make enough money to live. After the visit from the Hebrew spies Rahab finally had some hope for the future. Redemption though was not instant. She still had to wait. Hope is a power that comforts us as we wait upon the Almighty. Rahab was faithful to gather her family into her home when destruction came upon Jericho. She shared her hope and rescued others because she knew there was a way out.No matter how bad your life seems right now, take hope – have tikvah that better days are ahead. One place to gain such hope is from the Word of Lord.His Word is a message of hope for us today.
There is actually a unique connection between Tikvah and the Torah. In 2 Kings 22 a man named Tikvah has a daughter named Huldah. It is this same Huldah who becomes a prophetess and gives God’s message concerning the Torah being found by King Josiah. From this we can understand the Word of the Lord and hope are a packaged deal. The Word brings hope and strengthens tikvah. Get into the Word and let the Word get into you until your hope is overflowing.
The opposite of tikvah is fear. If hope is the potential of good things to come, then fear is the death of better days. Fear is the absence of tikvah.Know this - just because things are horrible today doesn’t mean that it will stay that way. Tikvah gives us a hope for a better tomorrow. That’s the challenge with tikvah though. Many people do hope for a good new year or to get well soon. And we all know that things will be great in heaven one day. Tikvah is not a future tense word though. Tikvah is a present tense word for today. We have the promise of hope in a heavenly home. We also have tikvah for the next sunrise.“For thou art my hope (tikvah), O Lord: thou art my trust,” Psalm 71:5. Can you say this verse every morning? Hope believes in the face of problems and pain.
A person with tikvah should behave differently than one without hope. When a person has tikvah they pray for rain and they carry an umbrella. A believer hoping for sickness doesn’t mope around telling everyone about their symptoms. Someone with tikvah for finances blesses others and gives to the poor. A woman with hope for a new job gets dressed up and puts out resumes without end. A family who hopes for wholeness forgives and takes steps to move on. Tikvah prays for the peace of Jerusalem while the world wages war. Tikvah produces actions. Indeed, there is a cord between tikvah, faith, and works. Hope is the desire and belief that things will get better while faith is evidence of that belief displayed in actions. Faith is also tied to tikvah by Rabbi Sha’ul. He wrote, “these three remain – faith, hope, and love and the greates of this is love.”Just imagine that as awesome and life changing that tikvah is, the truth of love is even greater. (We’ll discuss “ahava” or “love” in the next teaching in this series!)
“What does hope do for mankind? Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest. Hope motivates when discouragement comes. Hope energizes when the body is tired. Hope sweetens when the bitterness bites. Hope sings when all melodies are gone. Hope believes when the evidence is eliminated. Hope listens for answers when no one is talking. Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping. Hope endures hardship when no one is caring. Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing. Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking. Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging. Hope dares to give when no one is sharing. Hope brings the victory when no one is winning. There is nothing to do but bury a man when his hopes are gone. Losing hope usually precedes loss of life itself. You don’t need a better environment; you need more hope. It’s the one thing in your life you cannot do without,” wrote John Maxwell.
A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope! Tikvah can energize your faith because it sees the unseen. Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should is effect be on our lives.
Can you feel the tikvah of God rising up in your spirit as you read this teaching? The Almighty wants to fill you with His tikvah and empower you towards victory.Stop seeing the glass half empty.Take your focus off your bills and bosses. Look to Maker of heaven and earth and have tikvah. God’s word is living and effective. His word, even just the singular word tikvah, will never return unto void. It will accomplish all that He desires in your life as you pray and believe for tikvah. Walk in it’s strength and pray tikvah over the situations in your life. Believe for the best. The Father has promised you a good hope in the end.
The hidden Hebrew word “tikvah” is hope and so much more. By looking past the English translation and into the ancient tongue we can know the truth better. Consider these verses as you meditate and study the concept of “hope.” Know that Yahweh tikvahtenu or “The Lord is our hope” and an ever present help in times of trouble.