This document discusses the themes of expectation and hope from the perspectives of both the Bible and literature. It contrasts the expectations presented in the novel Great Expectations with the hope and future promised by God in the Bible according to Jeremiah 29:11. The document explores the concepts of expectation, hope, and trees of life and knowledge from various Bible passages to argue that true hope and expectation can only be found through faith in God and his promises of redemption and eternal life.
1. Great Expectations or
Delusions of Grandeur
Text: Jer 29:11
The moral theme of Great
Expectations by Charles Dickens is
that affection, loyalty, and conscience
are more important than social
advancement, wealth, and class.
But only the Bible tells you where to
properly place your affection and
loyalty.
2. The novel as it exists today contains a
revised, happier ending. In the original
conclusion, Pip never gets married; so
much for a reward for good character.
Jer 29:11
11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of
peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
NKJV
3. 11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not
of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Every person has a future; and many have
A hope that proves to be a delusion.
We have “the hope not ‘a‘ hope
Titus 3:7
7) That being justified by his grace, we
should be made heirs according to the hope
of eternal life.
4. NIV
11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares
the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.
So, if you don’t prosper right now God’s
plans failed. Poverty = harm
ESV
5. 11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares
the LORD, plans for welfare[a]
and not for evil, to
give you a future and a hope.
Here is a good socialist message,
everyone should be on welfare and
the opposite of welfare is evil.
Jer 29:11
6. 11) For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of
peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
The opposite of peace with God is
evil.
The gift is at the end.
Titus 2:13-14 13 Looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who
7. gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a
peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Prov 10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be
gladness: but the expectation of the wicked
shall perish. Expectation,hope
Tree of Life
Prov 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the
heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it
is a tree of life.
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the
LORD God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the
tree of life also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil.
8. Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which
is in the midst of the garden, God hath said,
Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch
it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they were
naked; and they sewed fig leaves together,
and made themselves aprons.
Gen 3:18-19 18 Thorns also and thistles
shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat
the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy
face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return
unto the ground; for out of it wast thou
taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return.
What died in the garden?
9. Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed
man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and man became a living soul.
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
The trees of the garden
Judg 9:8 The trees went forth on a time to
anoint a king over them…
Judg 9:11 But the fig tree said unto them,
Should I forsake my sweetness, and my
good fruit, and go to be promoted over the
trees? Fig leaf aprons
10. Judg 9:14 Then said all the trees unto the
bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
Cursed is the ground for thy sake…
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring
forth to thee…
Judg 9:13 And the vine said unto them,
Should I leave my wine, which cheereth
God and man, and go to be promoted over
the trees? Tree of knowledge of good and
evil
Judg 9:8-9 8 The trees went forth on a
time to anoint a king over them; and they
said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I
leave my fatness, wherewith by me they
honour God and man, and go to be
promoted over the trees? Tree of life
11. Olive tree of life= when the desire cometh, it
is a tree of life.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To
him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the
paradise of God.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and
on either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month: and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the
nations.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city.
12. Zech 4:2-3 2 And said unto me, What
seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and
behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl
upon the top of it, and his seven lamps
thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps,
which are upon the top thereof: 3 And two
olive trees by it, one upon the right side of
the bowl, and the other upon the left side
thereof.
Zech 4:13-14 13 And he answered me
and said, Knowest thou not what these be?
And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he,
These are the two anointed ones, that stand
by the Lord of the whole earth.
Rev 11:3-4 3 And I will give power unto
my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy
a thousand two hundred and threescore
days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the
13. two olive trees, and the two candlesticks
standing before the God of the earth.
Prov 11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his
expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust
men perisheth.
The end is only good
Prov 11:23 The desire of the righteous is only
good: but the expectation of the wicked is
wrath. A wicked man expects to be judged
and that it will end in wrath.
Discipline = future delight
Prov 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is
hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
purify unto himself a peculiar people
14. Expectation of the sons of God
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the
creature waiteth for the manifestation of the
sons of God.
John 1:12
12) But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the
sons of God came to present themselves
before the LORD, and Satan came also
among them.
Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in
those days; and also after that, when the
sons of God came in unto the daughters of
men, and they bare children to them, the
15. same became mighty men which were of
old, men of renown.
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day
ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing
good and evil.
John 1:12
12) But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
This is not God “authorizing” anyone
to do anything.
It is “POWER” placed within every
Christian to fit him to replace one of
“THE SONS OF GOD” mentioned in
Genesis 6.
16. This means WE are the replacements for
the “sons of God” who left their first
estate, and we are permanent
replacements (unlike those in Rev.
12:7,9),
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the
dragon; and the dragon fought and his
angels,
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast
out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he
was cast out into the earth, and his angels
were cast out with him.
for we were redeemed by BLOOD.
Angels have no blood.
17. Phil 1:28-30 28 And in nothing terrified by
your adversaries: which is to them an evident
token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and
that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but
also to suffer for his sake; 30 Having the same
conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be
in me.
Phil 1:20 According to my earnest
expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall
be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as
always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in
my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Ps 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for
my expectation is from him.
18. Isa 20:5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed
of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their
glory.
Isa 20:6 And the inhabitant of this isle shall
say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation,
whither we flee for help to be delivered from
the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
Acts 12:11 And when Peter was come to
himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that
the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered
me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the
expectation of the people of the Jews.
Acts 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus
came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to
shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.