Category: Bible

Hebrews 10:19-39, a new and living way, the just shall live by faith.

Hebrews 10:19-39, a new and living way, the just shall live by faith.

Let us take a look at the theology of covenants, this ties in naturally with this letter.

According to dispensation theology there are ten major covenants in Scripture.

Covenant theology has simplified all the covenants into just three

Dispensation theology emphasizes God manifests himself differently in the different dispensations, and yet He is the same God yesterday, today and forever.

We are now at the dispensation of grace, commonly known as the Church Age.

We go back a few verses in Hebrews 10

Jesus closed the scroll after “to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD“, stopped mid sentence  and did not read the end of the verse “and the day of vengeance of our God”

This gap defines the time of grace!

To determine which of these options is the right one, I turned to

To know which of these dates is true it would help to know when Jesus was born.

Enter

Dionysius set the birth of Jesus Christ to Dec 25, 1 BC, and the death at 33 Anno Domine, the only year according to the lunar calendar that made Good Friday occur on a Friday that was close enough to other historicall events. ( check https://lenbilen.com/2017/04/14/when-was-the-crucifixion-of-jesus/ ) He was only off by a few years. The dates are now set to:

But it is getting even more complicated. Without vowel marks the word for seven can have three meanings dependent on how it is pronounced.

That’s when it hit me.

I had fallen into the same trap as so many before me. Rather than trying to figure out the exact time, accept the fact that we live in the age of grace!

The word for today is “today”.

Now back to where we left off in Hebrews 10.

But the book of Hebrews also comes with warnings!

Here I am borrowing from a slide series from somebody else. I can no longer find the source, but thanks, whoever it was.

Knowledge of the truth is not what saves you.

A fortiori simply means that the argument in verse 29 is much stronger than the one in verse 28

And then there is

This then excludes option 1

Between option 2 and 3: God be the judge.

Verse 38 convinced me I had to be baptized in a believers baptism, even though I had been baptized as an infant. It really had nothing to do with salvation, that was settled at the time of belief. It was an act of faith and obedience to remain in close fellowship with God. And my living hope is that God will keep His promise, He will keep me eternally secure even if I lose my mind, which may happen late in this life, but will be fully restored in the life to come.

May 31: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

Luke 23:26-56, . On the second most important day in the Christian calendar Jesus was sentenced to be crucified, was forced to carry his own cross but was too exhausted from the floggings. On the cross Jesus said the famous “Seven Last Words”, (taken from the four gospels), then he died and was buried before sundown.

2 Kings 12. The Temple had fallen in disrepair, so Jehoash repaired the Temple. Hazael, king of Aram threatened Jerusalem but withdrew after Joash paid the ransom. After forty years reign Joash died and was succeeded by Amaziah.

2 Kings 13. The Scripture gives us one more history chapter. Jehoahaz reigned in Judah, Jehoash reigned in Israel, Elisha died and Israel recaptured some cities from Syria.

Hebrews 10:1-18, Christ’s sacrifice once for all, the new covenant.

Hebrews 10:1-18, Christ’s sacrifice once for all, the new covenant.

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This chapter of the letter to the Hebrews was instrumental in solidifying my faith after salvation.

“a body you prepared for me” is from the Septuagint, “but my ears you have pierced” is from the Hebrew Psalm. When a servant wilfully gave himself away to serve his master, the master pieced his ear to show voluntary bondage.

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Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.”

May 30: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

Luke 23:1-25. This is it, the second most important day in the Christian calendar. Jesus was on trial before Herod and Pilate. Pilate was trying to wiggle out of sentencing Jesus by setting one condemned prisoner free on Passover. The crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus, Pilate reluctantly gave in, so Jesus was sentenced to be crucified.

2 Kings 10. Jehu was at it big time is this killings chapter, Ahab’s seventy sons were killed, Ahaziah’s forty-two brothers killed, the rest of Ahab’s family killed, worshipers of Baal killed, and finally the normal death of Jehu himself.

2 Kings 11. This is a chapter full of palace intrigue: Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel seized power over Judah and reigned for six years. Finally, Joash was crowned King of Judah, and Athaliah was put to death.

Hebrews 9:11-28, the heavenly sanctuary, the greatness of Christ’s sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:11-28, the heavenly sanctuary, the greatness of Christ’s sacrifice.

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Footnote on Joseph’s genealogy:  According to Jeremiah 36:30 Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

Although Joseph was of the kingly line and a rightful owner of the throne of David, defunct since the captivity in Babylon, (Israel was never independent after that) this problem was solved. Jesus was adopted.

May 29: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

Luke 22:39-65. After Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples they went to the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed. While they were there Jesus was betrayed, arrested and taken to the house of the high priest. Waiting outside, Peter disowned Jesus three times before the cock crowd. Jesus was interrogated during the night and before daybreak the Sanhedrin had heard enough and were ready to sentence him to death, but only the Romans had the right to execute a death sentence, so they could only express their frustration.

2 Kings 8. The King restored the Shunammite’s Land, and then Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad. The chapter lists two more kings of Judah, Jehoram and Ahaziah.

2 Kings 9. Jehu, a man of action was anointed king of Israel, Joram of Israel was killed, Ahaziah of Judah likewise, and finally Jezebel suffered the most humiliating and violent death possible, thrown out from a window, trampled to death by horses and was then eaten by dogs.

May 28: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

Luke 22:1-38. Judas agreed to betray Jesus, it was Passover so Jesus commemorated the Last Supper with his disciples, after which they went to the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed. Jesus also predicted Peter’s denial.

2 Kings 6. Elisha made an ax head float, “The Floating Ax Head”, the Syrians tried to capture Elisha from which we get the quote”Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” But later Syria besieged Samaria, and the famine was great.

2 Kings 7. When the siege was about to succeed Elisha prophesied “Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.” During the night the Syrians fled and four lepers discovered it. After feasting they went and told the good news to the no longer besieged.

Hebrews 7:11-28, Jesus Christ, high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:11-28, Jesus Christ, high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4b  Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

May 27: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

Luke 21:25-38. Jesus told about the signs of the times, the end of the age, the destruction of Jerusalem, the coming of the Son of Man and finally the parable of the fig tree.

2 Kings 3. There was trouble all around: Moab Rebelled against Israel. Israel called for Judah and Edom to help. They gathered their armies and horses, but after seven days without water they called for Elisha. He told them to dig ditches in the desert. They obeyed, and without rain the ditches are filled, they all got water and quenched the rebellion. Then they punished Moab, but the King offered his firstborn son as a burnt offering. This was too drastic even for Israel, so they drew back.

2 Kings 4. Like Elijah, Elisha multiplied a widow’s oil, like Elijah, Elisha raised a person from death, this time the Shunammite’s son. Elisha purified a pot of stew, and at another time he fed one hundred men with twenty small loaves of bread, and there were leftovers, much like Jesus did, but on a much smaller scale.

2 Kings 5. Naaman’s Leprosy was healed. This was so important that Jesus mentioned it to the self righteous Jews, proving they were not that special. Elisha refused payment for healing Naaman, but his servant Gehazi accepted payment instead, so he became leprous instead of Naaman.