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Answer
In Hebrews 6:16–20, the biblical writer aims to inspire unwavering hope in his readers to prevent them from drifting aimlessly in their Christian journey. He accomplishes this by identifying three completely trustworthy sources of hope as an anchor for the soul: God’s Word, God’s character, and God’s Son.
The Lord not only provides us with the assurance of salvation and eternal life “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”, (John 3:16), but He confirms it by binding Himself with an oath “so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind” “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:”, (Hebrews 6:17, NLT). God’s Word and nature are unshakeable. He is reliable, and “it is impossible for God to lie” “that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”, (Hebrews 6:18). The certainty of God’s promise and His character strengthen our faith so that we can “take hold of the hope set before us” and “be greatly encouraged” (verse 18).
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19-20). God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ,
Jesus is a powerful and reliable anchor for our souls.
Our hope-filled encouragement is rooted in the completed work of Christ. As our high priest, Jesus “has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven… With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever” (Hebrews 9:11-12;NLT). Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus Christ has achieved the ultimate victory over sin and death for us (Colossians 2:14-15;Romans 6:9;1 John 5:4). Because of Him, we are given the assurance of eternal life “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”, (1 John 2:25).
The anchor has symbolized hope among Christians since the early days of the church. (A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Vol. I, W. Smith & S. Cheetham, ed., London: John Murray, 1875, p. 81). The anchor analogy underscores the stability and security of Christ as our hope. The author portrays this hope as an anchor that is “firm and secure” (NIV), “sure and steadfast” (ESV), “strong and trustworthy” (NLT). Just as a ship’s anchor enables the vessel to stay fixed and steady regardless of the sea conditions. Our faith in Jesus Christ prevents us from being “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”, (James 1:6).
Similar to how an anchor prevents a ship from drifting with the winds and currents, focusing on the hope of heaven (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) helps us remain steady and unwavering in our faith journey.
ans 4:16-18) and the “pioneer and perfector of our faith” «looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. », (Hebrews 12:2), who is Jesus Christ, will prevent our souls from wavering and wandering in times of pressure and turmoil. God has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6;ESV).
As believers, we have “a living hope” and “hope as an anchor” that holds secure because it is tethered to the steadfast Word of God and the unchanging, reliable character of God. He is faithful, and His promises are true (Joshua 21:45;Psalm 33:4;Hebrews 10:23). One commentator imagines the anchor’s rope extending “from heaven’s heights back down to earth, where faithful people can ‘seize the hope set before us.’ Like rock climbers scaling an imposing height, Christians steady themselves by trusting God’s promises, holding on for dear life to this cord of hope” (Long, T., Hebrews, John Knox Press, 1997, p. 78). With Jesus Christ as our anchor, no power of darkness and no earthly opposition can harm us (Romans 8:31-34).
We live with hope because we possess the Holy Spirit inside us as a guarantee of our redemption and full adoption as sons and daughters.
of God (Romans 8:23-25; Ephesians 1:11-14). When this “earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling… so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).
The hope set before us as an anchor of our soul is that Jesus Christ has already gone before us into the Holy of Holies where God dwells in glory. God’s Word promises that we will be with Him there one day. That future reality is already secured by the finished work of Jesus, our High Priest. He is also our Great Shepherd who “through the blood of the eternal covenant” equips us “with everything good for doing His will” while we are on earth (Hebrews 13:20-21; see also Ephesians 2:8-10). This hope as an anchor holds us steady in this life and secure in the future because it is firmly attached to the eternal throne of God.
