Hope without a future (tense)

Written By Jason Valendy

Biblical hebrew does not have a future tense. It is my very basic (and overly simplifying) understanding that it breaks verbs into two categories - that which has been done and that which is undone. Thus, Biblical Hebrew had only the past and present tense. 

You may be thinking, how can that be? Did not the ancient Hebrews long for a future messiah? How could they have a hope without a future tense? 

You can have hope with a future tense because, according to the Hebrews and thus religion of Jesus, because God is faithful. Because God had acted, God will act. Because God had brought people out of slavery, God will do so again. Because God brought people back from exile, so God will do that again. 

The idea of having hope is an expression of faith. Not faith that one day God will work on it, but that God is working on it right now. In the present. 

God is working right now, because God has worked in the past. And if God is working in the present, then I have hope today.

Jason Valendy

Husband, father of two boys, pastor in the United Methodist Church, and guy who is interested in the desert mothers and fathers. The idea of Orthocardia is the pursuit of having a “right heart” over the pursuit of having a “right belief” (orthodoxy) or a “right action” (orthopraxy).

www.jasonvalendy.net
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