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so that we who were the first to hope in Christ^[1] might be to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:12)

So that we who were the first to hope in Christ. Let us look to hope in Hebrew first (תּוֹחֶלֶת tocheleth), which is rendered by a Hebrew verb that means to wait with the expectation that God will deliver faithfully. It is the grounds for feeling hopeful about the future. The Greek word (ἐλπίς elpis or προελπίζω proelpizō) rendered hope has the sense of“expectation of good.” Hope is also essential to faith; it is the preliminary work and foundation for faith. (Heb 11:1) Indeed, the hope of Christians and of all mankind lies in Jesus Christ. (1Pe 1:3-4; Col 1:5, 27; Tit 1:1-2; 3:6-7 1 Tim 1:1; 2 Tim 1:10) The true hope of the Bible is incomparable to mere desire, which may have no basis or possibility of fulfillment. It is also better than what one might expect because what is expected is not always what one wants. The Bible clarifies that the unbeliever generally has no real, firm or secure or dependable or reliable basis for hope. Mankind only knows old age and then death, and without an accurate knowledge of a Savior from a higher power, there is no hope for them. Solomon expressed the futility of man’s situation without God’s intervention as “the greatest vanity! … Everything is vanity.” – Eccles. 12:8; 9:2-3.