I am still struggling with the concept that Hebrews through Revelation is written specifically to the Jews. Can you explain it a little more?
The doctrine found in Hebrews through Revelation is written to both Jews during Peter's day (times past), as well as those Jews who are future (ages to come) from us.
Every book of the bible has both an immediate context as well as a future context. That's the way that God works! For example, when God told David that his son will sit on his throne forever, the prophecy was fulfilled in Solomon at the time. But we all know that the Lord himself will fulfill it fully in the future when he sets up his earthly kingdom.
Another example, when God promised Abraham that he will give him a multiplied seed, he did--he gave him Isaac, Jacob, the twelve tribes, etc. But we all know that God won't fulfill this promise fully until that kingdom!
So too, when God wrote the Hebrew epistles through Israel's prophets he was speaking to them at that time...
Hebrews 1:1-3
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
…but because of the unprophesied mystery program of gentile grace given to Paul, that program went on hold until God finishes our program at the rapture.
Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
1 Timothy 1:16
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Ephesians 3:3
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Notice, how in Hebrews 1:2, above, those days when Christ ministered to Israel were called by God "these last days."
Peter says the same thing to Israel…
Acts 2:16-17
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Peter was quoting the prophet Joel. Those last days were 2,000 ago during Pentecost. Yet those things were not fulfilled! Why? The dispensation of grace! But when this dispensation is over, God will pick right back up in those "last days."
So how do you know which verses are for back then, and which ones for the future.
Well, that is where godly studying and being a skilled workmen, and rightly dividing comes in.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Look at the Lord Jesus.
Luke 4:16-21
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Now let's look at the passage that he quotes from in Isaiah…
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Notice that the Lord quoted the verse but stopped right in the middle of a sentence. In Luke, he quotes all the way up to the comma after "acceptable year of the Lord."
Why did he do that? Why did he not finish reading the rest of the sentence?
It was because he knew the times! He knew that his 1st coming was not to pour out the wrath/vengeance! That comes at his second coming back to earth.
That’s why Israel did not know him. They forgot that Christ had two comings. First, the suffering, then the glory.
1 Peter 1:8-12
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
So even the Lord himself rightly divided the Jewish prophetic scriptures between his first coming (sufferings) and his second coming (the glory).
Therefore, when those Jews in the future (after we, the body of Christ are caught away) read Matthew-John and Hebrews-Revelation, God, through his Spirit, will give those who are wise and who rightly divide—applying what applies to them at that time to their situation.
By the way, we do it too. Don't we say that Paul is our apostle, and his epistles are for us?
However, you might say, ‘Paul mentions supernatural spiritual gifts, and they were in operation in his day.’ [Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12; 13; 14, and Ephesians 4]
But, what saith the scriptures? According to 1 Corinthians 13, they were temporal until that which is perfect was come.
And, when was that? That was when Paul wrote his last epistle, Second Timothy.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So skilled workmen who understand the word in that day will not only understand what applies to them, but they will help others to understand!
Acts 8:26-31
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Daniel 12:8-10
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Hopefully this
helps!
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