Romans 4:18 “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.”
Our “hope” rises from our God-given “faith” (Hebrews 11:1; 12:2). In this context, the word “hope” points to our ‘sure expectation’ of those things that God has promised. The words, “against hope”, means that Abraham depended upon and made his decisions based upon the “hope” that came from his God-given “faith”. Thus, he “believed in hope”; that is, he “believed” that his “hope” was valid, and it was to be absolutely trusted and relied upon. Abraham and Sarah were so advanced in age that, according to nature, it was impossible for there bodies to produce a child. But God said that it would happen, so Abraham “against hope believed in hope” that God would accomplish what He had promised; that is, Abraham was certain that God would make it happen. So, Abraham was guided in life by the expectation of having a child in their old age. And, it happened just like God promised. At the appointed time, Sarah conceived and brought forth a child and they called him Isaac. Likewise, in the middle of an awful storm, Paul believed God (Acts 27:25) and ultimately not a soul aboard the ship was lost. We should also “against hope believe_ in hope”; and because we “believe_ in hope”, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)! Right now, the Children of God need “grace”, need “mercy”, and need “help”; for we are “in” a “time of” great “need”. So, “Let us therefore” “against hope believe_ in hope” and “boldly” flee with all haste “unto the throne of grace”; our Lord is there, and He will surely “help” us!