Psalm 130, 131, There is Hope (5)

The third Hebrew term for hope is yachal.  It means to wait, remain, delay.  When your hope is in the LORD, you must be willing to wait.  If you do not, you will miss out on God’s provision in your situation.  Here are some powerful pictures and illustrations of yachal.

·       Gen. 8:12 provides the first and defining picture of yachal.  Noah waited yet for another seven days and sent out the dove.  Noah and his family had been in the ark for a long time and were undoubtedly ready to disembark.  But they had to wait until the right time.  Turning the animals loose might have been disastrous if the ground was not ready for them.  So he “hoped” or “waited.”  There is hope.  But we must wait for it.

·       Yachal appears at very strategic points in the Pilgrim Psalms.  Let me remind you, that Psalm 120-134 were often read as pilgrims journeyed from their homes in Israel to Jerusalem for one of the feasts.  Psalm 120-122 concern the pilgrim’s decision to leave his home, a decision that must be bold, and with the realization that there will be troubles along the way.  By the time you get to Psalm 132 the pilgrim has arrived in Jerusalem.  Thus, Psalm 123-131 provide encouragement along the way.  In that group of Songs, the last two (130-131) call Israel to yachal.  It is at that point that the pilgrim is getting very weary.  He needs to persevere, to wait for the LORD.  Hear these words.  It is a call we must hear and heed as we come nearer to the end of our pilgrimage.

O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.  Psalm 130:7 

O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.  Psalm 131:3.

·       Surely it will not surprise you to know that Job used this term often.  Here are a couple that should encourage us to have the patience of Job.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.  Job 13:15a 

If a man dies, shall he live again?  All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes.  Job 14:14 

·       Lastly, here is an illustration of the tragedy of not waiting on the LORD.  In 1 Sam. 10:8 Samuel gave instructions to King Saul.  You shall go down before me to Gilgal and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings.  Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.  In 1 Sam. 13:8 we read, Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel.  But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.  You likely know the story.  Saul did not wait; instead he offered sacrifices himself.  And God rejected him as king.  What an important reminder.  God defines “wait.”