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Not only are Job's purposes broken off. His hope is lost. At all events, it seems to be melting away, so that all chance of seeing its accomplishment appears to have gone.

I. A VAIN HOPE MUST BE LOST. The reality will not depend on's man's sanguine temperament, but upon its own causes. It is possible for a person to persuade himself into a condition of blissful confidence concerning his future, but the self-persuasion will not alter facts; and if he is drifting towards the rocks they will shatter him as surely as if he went in terror of their fatal neighbourhood. Note, then, some of he vain hopes that must perish.

1. The hope of success in cheating God. Some men live as hypocrites not merely to secure the favour of their fellows, but in the foolish fancy that by some jugglery they may even wriggle into the favour of Heaven. Such a hope must fail.

2. The hope of succeeding without God. This is not outrageously impudent like the hope last referred to. But it cannot succeed, for no man is sufficient of himself to overcome all the difficulties of life.

3. The hope of worldly sufficiency. It is thought that if Providence is kind, and a man has much laid by for days to come, he may look forward with confidence. This is the hope of the rich fool (Luke 12:20), and the unexpected changes of life, or death at last, must shatter it,

II. A TRUE HOPE MAY BE LOST.

1. The Christian hope. This is a true hope.

(1) It is founded on God's strength, and he can never fail. We are encouraged to hope for salvation from One who is almighty.

(2) It is secured by God's truth. "He is faithful that promised" (Hebrews 10:23). To grow faint-hearted with the Christian hope is to distrust God. The hope depends on his Word, which cannot be broken.

(3) It is guaranteed by Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Christ is God's Pledge of hope to his children. God would have wasted Christ on the world if he were not to fulfil the hopes that his Son raised.

2. The possibility of losing it. This must be considered in spite of the absolute security of the hope itself; for the hope may be good, and yet we may cease to hold it. The anchor may be sound, but the chain that unites it to the ship may be cut.

(1) The hope may only be lost to consciousness. We may cease to enjoy it, cease to feel the hope within us. Yet we may not really be cut off from what the great hope of Christ promises. Job exclaims, "Where is now my hope?" only because he is blinded with grief. Our despair is not the measure of our faith. The mountain has not vanished because the fog has hidden it. Doubt does not destroy truth. Many a despondent Christian will realize the hopes which he is too faint-hearted to enjoy in anticipation.

(2) The hope may be really lost. It is possible to see the hope afar off, as Balsam saw Israel's hope, and yet to have no share in it ourselves. Or we may hold to the Christian hope in error without living the Christian life. Then we must be bitterly disappointed. Or, lastly, we may prove faithless and fall away from Christ. Therefore let us pray to be kept true, seeing that God is true, so that our fidelity is the only condition we now need to be assured of in order that our hope may not be lost. - W.F.A.

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KJV: And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

WEB: where then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?