Hope—found seventy-six times in seventy-five Old Testament verses and sixty-seven times in fifty-eight New Testament verses
Variations: hope, hoped, hope’s, hopeth
Last usage in the Old Testament: Zechariah 9:12 (hope)
First usage in the New Testament: Luke 6:34 (hope)
Interesting fact: There are six books of the Bible (First Samuel to Second Chronicles) that cover the lives and deeds of the kings of Israel most extensively (including the kings of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah). Interestingly, these six books never include any form of the word hope. Certainly there were some kings that loved God and that God used to restore hope to Israel, but God never chose to directly use the word hope when associated to their lives. Perhaps the primary reason for this tendency was that the people’s desire for kings was an outright rejection of God (1 Samuel 8:7). During these times, men sporadically enjoyed peace and joy, yet hope ceases to exist when man puts anything ahead of his love and dedication for the Lord.
Bible study tip: When studying Bible characters, it is not always easy to determine when each name in the Bible is male or female. Be careful not to allow modern culture and modern name usage to dictate whether you think the person mentioned is a male or a female. If the scripture does not clarify the person’s gender either specifically or contextually, it is unwise to assume that you know based on how the name sounds. For example, the name Abiah was historically used for males (1 Chronicles 6:28) and for females (1 Chronicles 2:24).
Sunday, Day 113—Church Day (no devotional)
Monday, Day 114—Hope Pleases the Lord
Tuesday, Day 115—I Hope in Thy Word
Wednesday, Day 116—Church Night (no devotional)
Thursday, Day 117—No Shame in Hope
Friday, Day 118—The Happiness of Hope
Saturday, Day 119—The Purity of Hope
Day 113: Church Day
Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.