Revelation 2:12-29 continues the message to the seven churches, church three and four: Pergamos, a church that looked good but compromised itself, and the church of Thyatira, a corrupted church, but with hope of repentance. These can be seen as seven historical churches, which they were, but also as seven types of churches as they exist today and through history. They can also be taken as seven states of the individual believer. Whichever way you take it, there is something in it for every believer, even today.
Habakkuk 1 begins with the prophet’s first complaint and the LORD’s reply. After that the prophet poured out his second complaint.
Habakkuk 2. The LORD answered the prophet to his second complaint. It contains this gem, just as valid today as it was then: “The just shall live by his faith“. On the other hand God promised more woes to the wicked.
Hebrews 10:19-39. Since sacrifice for sins are done away with it means we must live “in a new and living way“. In the letter to the Hebrews there are eight “let us” to tell us how. After that I divert into the difference between dispensationalism with its ten covenants and covenant theology, which has only three, and the different dispensations, of which we now are in the dispensation of grace. The next question is, when did the dispensation of grace, or church age, as it is also called, start? This too is quite interesting, but that was when it hit me. It doesn’t matter, we live in “today”. This is quite fantastic, and the narrative returns to Hebrews, where it explains that the law of Moses was inferior to the new and living way. It comes with a warning though: Do not sin deliberately! Verses 28 through 31 are quite tough, and give us pause to ponder. Is it really that bad? No, there is still hope for the believer, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” The verse 38 was the verse that 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. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Ezekiel 46. The prophet continued outlining the manner of worship and how offerings were to be prepared.
Romans 1:1-17 starts with an eloquent greeting to all in Rome, and it is just as valid for us today as it was then. Paul longed to visit Rome and impart scriptural spiritual wisdom, such as “the Just shall live by Faith.”
Nehemiah 4. Through strong opposition the building of the wall was defended.
Nehemiah 5. Nehemiah encountered oppression but showed great generosity.
Psalm 54 , of David. A short prayer with conviction that God is David’s helper.
Hebrews 10:19-39. Since sacrifice for sins are done away with it means we must live “in a new and living way“. In the letter to the Hebrews there are eight “let us” to tell us how. After that I divert into the difference between dispensationalism with its ten covenants and covenant theology, which has only three, and the different dispensations, of which we now are in the dispensation of grace. The next question is, when did the dispensation of grace, or church age, as it is also called, start? This too is quite interesting, but that was when it hit me. It doesn’t matter, we live in “today”. This is quite fantastic, and the narrative returns to Hebrews, where it explains that the law of Moses was inferior to the new and living way. It comes with a warning though: Do not sin deliberately! Verses 28 through 31 are quite tough, and give us pause to ponder. Is it really that bad? No, there is still hope for the believer, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” The verse 38 was the verse that 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. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Ezekiel 46. The prophet continued outlining the manner of worship and how offerings were to be prepared.
Romans 1:1-17 starts with an eloquent greeting to all in Rome, and it is just as valid for us today as it was then. Paul longed to visit Rome and impart scriptural spiritual wisdom, such as “the Just shall live by Faith.”
Nehemiah 4. Through strong opposition the building of the wall was defended.
Nehemiah 5. Nehemiah encountered oppression but showed great generosity.
Psalm 54 , of David. A short prayer with conviction that God is David’s helper.
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.
Today is different. We read only one chapter of Hebrews
October 21: Hebrews 10 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
This chapter deals with Christ’s sacrifice of himself “once for all“. This is what constitutes the new covenant. and since sacrifice for sins are done away with it means we must live “in a new and living way“. In the letter to the Hebrews there are eight “let us” to tell us how. After that I divert into the difference between dispensationalism with its ten covenants and covenant theology, which has only three, and the different dispensations, of which we now are in the dispensation of grace. The next question is, when did the dispensation of grace, or church age, as it is also called, start? This too is quite interesting, but that was when it hit me. It doesn’t matter, we live in “today”. This is quite fantastic, and the narrative returns to Hebrews, where it explains that the law of Moses was inferior to the new and living way. It comes with a warning though: Do not sin deliberately! Verses 28 through 31 are quite tough, and give us pause to ponder. Is it really that bad? No, there is still hope for the believer, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” The verse 38 was the verse that 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. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Romans 1 starts with an eloquent greeting to all in Rome, and it is just as valid for us today as it was then. Paul longed to visit Rome and impart scriptural spiritual wisdom, such as “the Just shall live by Faith.” Then he explained how the wrath of God was to come on mankind because they “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.”
1 Kings 19. After the fantastic victory at Mount Carmel Elijah fled from Jezebel, the “exhibit A” of names of evil women featured in literature and films. He fled, got strengthened by an angel that fed him a meal that gave him enough strength to go all the way to Mount Horeb. There he heard “The Still Small Voice.” God reminded Elijah that “I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” Elisha then received the call to follow Elijah.
Romans 1 starts with an eloquent greeting to all in Rome, and it is just as valid for us today as it was then. Paul longs to visit Rome and impart scriptural spiritual wisdom, such as “the Just shall live by Faith.” Then he explains God’s Wrath to come on mankind because they “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.”
1 Kings 19. After the fantastic victory at Mount Carmel Elijah flees from Jezebel, the exhibit A of evil women mentioned in literature and films. He fled, got strengthened by an angel that fed him a meal that gave him enough strength to go all the way to Mount Horeb. There he heard “The Still Small Voice.” God reminds Elijah that “I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” Elisha then receives the call to follow Elijah.
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