Surely I Will Bless You

Hebrews 6:13–20 – Jesus Is Better
Fourth Sunday in Epiphany – January 25th, 2026 (am)     

Hope is taking a beating in our day. If you’re listening for it, you don’t have to wait very long in almost any conversation before you’ll hear some sort of statement that leans in that direction. I’d share examples with you, but the conversations I’d reference have been with people who are likely sitting in this room right now, so others of you might recognize who I’m quoting. And I really wouldn’t want to expose any of us on this point.

The range, though, is between a sense of dissatisfaction with the direction our life or career is taking, or a sense of unease about the present state of our marriage, or—and this one is huge—a helpless concern, even grief, over the deep and growing divide we see in our nation on just about every issue of importance, and that right alongside the ever-increasing willingness people have to inflict harm on anyone with whom they disagree. How do we turn back from that in this world? Where do we find hope in such a scenario? On what could it possibly be based?

Hopelessness, of all forms, is rampant. While I was writing this section of my sermon, I was sitting in a café, as I often do, and modern blues song I was unfamiliar with was playing in the background. It included this line: If you don’t want me, I don’t want to live. Hopelessness. I wondered what I’d see if I asked Google. So, I posed this question: Does it seem like many people are expressing a loss of hope? And studies were cited from the likes of Gallup and the Centers for Disease Control. A 2023 CDC survey found that 40% of US high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. The 9th Edition of Ipsos Global Trends assessed the topic of global optimism in 2025. The opening statement in their Executive Summary reads: On a personal level, many people are continuing to express ‘Nouveau Nihilism’, where economic uncertainty and the disappointment in government is hardening into a deep-seated disenchantment with systems of power. Yet it also means they’re finding joy by living more in the present—creating an opportunity for brands to help people balance living for the now with planning for the future. Translation: living for the moment—present-tense happiness has displaced living toward goals, toward some future aim. That may be more satisfying in the moment, but I doubt that ignoring future growth is going to help our sense of hope, which is by nature, by definition, a future-focused outlook/expectation.

All of this forms an interesting backdrop for our text today which has much to say on the subject of hope. As deeply biblical and theological as this passage is, then, it is also amazingly relevant, in-tune with contemporary needs. There’s a point for potentially profitable evangelistic contact.

Some might argue that this world means something different by hope than this passage means when it uses that word. But I’d push back on that a bit and suggest that this is exactly what the world is looking for even if they don’t recognize it, namely, a hope that remains sure even in the ups and downs of life in a dark, dangerous world as deeply divided as ours.

Let’s look into this passage and see what we see. It continues that concluding paragraph of reassurance (9-12) that closed off the strong warning against falling away (1-8), providing basis for it. The heart of our text, the intended outcome, is seen in v.18: we’re being told what we’re being told here 18 so that… we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. There’s the blessing of God realized here and now. There’s the hope that provides a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul (19) for any who’ll receive it. Let’s take a closer look: two parts.

God Double-Guarantees His Purpose – 13-18

The author of Hebrews is sure of better things in [the] case of some in his congregation because he knows God will not overlook their faith, [their] work and the love [they] have shown for his name in serving the saints (10). Now in our opening verse he offers and even more compelling reason. 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. It’s important to mention Abraham here not just because he’s considered the father of all who are counted righteous by faith in God, but also because of the role he played in the Melchizedek story (Gen.14; cf. 5:1-10; 7:1ff.).

The occasion on which God made a promise to Abraham then swore by himself to uphold it is recorded in Genesis 22. Isaac was in the process of offering his son on the altar in obedience to God’s command (Gen.22:1-2). Gen.22:11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” This was the son born to Abraham when he was 100 years old, and Sarah was ninety (Gen.17:15ff.), the one through whom God was going to make Abraham into a great nation (Gen.12:2). Even so, Abraham was willing to trust God and offer Isaac on the altar. But then Gen.22:15 … the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. …

When God swears to something, it’s not because He may have lied about it otherwise, any more than our own swearing to something suggests that we might be lying whenever we don’t so swear. No, when God swears to something, He’s making it doubly certain to us, doubly reliable: 17 … when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, namely, His original promise and now His oath ensuring it, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us, the hope of His great salvation (2:3), the blessed hope of the Lord’s return to deliver His Kingdom and finally free us from all that has ever robbed us of hope in this life. We’re being told here that God has made doubly sure that our hope in Him will never be disappointed (cf. Bruce 154-5).

We Have a Sure and Steadfast Hope – 19-20

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul—that is, an immovable anchor-point (cf. Bruce 155) for all that concerns our hope on every level of our individual being, our consciousness and will (cf. Hughes 235)—a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. What a vivid image this is! The author is speaking of our future salvation in terms of the OT tabernacle and temple. He’s speaking of our entry into heaven as entry into the presence of God in old covenant terms. He’s speaking to His audience. He’s telling them 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on their/our behalf. He’s telling them what Jesus has opened up for them, and for all who believe in Him. This new covenant high priest doesn’t just go behind the curtain once a year to fulfill God’s requirement for covering our sin and having relationship with us, He goes behind the curtain as our forerunner, the first among us to go, leading us to the place where we’ll follow. This high priest ushers us into the very presence of God, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, fulfilling yet another oath from God (Psa.110.4).

And with this statement, the author has brought us back to the point he left after 5:10. Now, as we continue, the straying members of his body have been warned, and we are all now ready to enter with him into the meat of God’s purpose.

Conclusion

So, where does this leave us? Honestly hope it leaves us rejoicing in hope, as we’re urged to do in Rom.12:12, that is, if we’re not already there! We’ve seen enough in Hebrews already to be rejoicing in hope. So, it would be great if all we need to do this morning is to fan the flame a bit, to refresh your hope in Christ to the extent that it’ll actually flavor your life in this coming week.

Hope is a hard quality to miss when you see it. It comes across as joy, but not necessarily as exuberant joy. It looks like a settled, satisfied joy, a very comfortable and familiar joy that doesn’t get ruffled by fleeting circumstances. It’s not unaffected or disengaged from the troubles that fill the world around it, it’s just not overwhelmed by them. It sees beyond them. It brings its own settledness into them and calms them.

Last Sunday we asked the questions: After spending time with you, where are people left? Have they been walked into the presence of Christ or do they have lesser things on their minds? That gets a bit to the heart of what hope introduces. When you meet someone who holds fast to the hope set before us (18), someone who has God’s great salvation (2:3) in Christ as a sure and steadfast anchor of their soul (19), the troubles of this world that can tend to rob us of hope, whether in small measure or great, just seem a bit less troubling somehow. They’re not artificially diminished, like when someone tells you that growling dog really isn’t mean. They’re reduced by coming into the presence of something greater than themselves, like when the master shows up and that dog is instantly docile and submissive.

We have a great God Who’s provided us with a great salvation, as we’ve been studying throughout this letter. Now we see that He’s not just made a promise, but He’s sworn to it by the greatest Thing on which He can swear, His own reliable character. So, we don’t just have hope that all will be well, that we’ll receive His great salvation (2:3), that all things truly will work together for good (Rom.8:28), we have proof of all that in the life and work of our great high priest Who’s done all that’s needed to usher us into the presence of God. That should make a difference in our lives this week, and through us wherever we are.

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Resources

Anders, Max, gen. ed. 1999. Holman New Testament Commentary. Hebrews & James, by Thomas D. Lea. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 4, Hebrews to Revelation. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 2-82. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barclay, William. 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Letter to the Hebrews, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 919-995. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1990. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, trans. by, John Owen. Logos.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Hebrews, by David Peterson, 1321-1353. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed., David S. Dockery, NT ed. 2010. The New American Commentary. Vol. 35, Hebrews, by David L. Allen. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 19, The Message of Hebrews: Sticking with the Best, 413-425. Wheaton: Crossway.

Fee, Gordon D., gen. ed. 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Revised Edition, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Hebrews, by David W. Chapman. Wheaton: Crossway.

Guthrie, George. 1998. The NIV Application Commentary. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Hubbard, David A., & Glenn W. Barker, gen. eds. Ralph P. Martin, NT ed. 1991. Word Biblical Commentary. Vols. 47a, Hebrews 1-8; Vol.47b, Hebrews 9-13, by William L. Lane. Dallas: Word.

Hughes, Philip Edgcumbe. 1979. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2006. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 13, Hebrews-Revelation. Hebrews, by R. T. France, 17-195. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 1983. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 15, Hebrews, by Donald Guthrie. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Owen, John. 1855. Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 7 Vols. Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter.

NEXT SUNDAY: See How Great This Man Was, Hebrews 7:1–10