Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
The book of Acts comes right before Paul’s epistles. It shows the bridge between God dealing with the nation of Israel in time past and his dealing with us gentiles through the books of the apostle Paul (Romans through Philemon).
Romans 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
2 Timothy 1:11
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
But when you leave Paul’s epistles, after the dispensation of grace has ended, the next book in scripture in chronological order is the book of Hebrews which is written to the people of Israel – the Hebrews (their race, their language).
Hebrews 1:1-2
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 [Israel] by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Genesis 14:13
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew;
The book of Hebrews has a future context even though it was written nearly 2,000 years ago. It has a prophetic view. All the books of Hebrews through Revelation are written [to and] about the nation of Israel.
James 1:1
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
They have a future context in that Day of the Lord, particularly the 70th week of Daniel, the time of Jacob’s trouble, which is right before the kingdom.
Isaiah 13:9
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Jeremiah 30:7
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
The issue again is the Law of Moses and the prophetic program. Israel will be under the law, particularly until the kingdom comes when they (the believing remnant) will have God’s law written in their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31-33
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
The nation of Israel and the earthly kingdom are the focus.
Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Matthew 8:11
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
People talk about prophecy and that is why you have to rightly divide the word.
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.
The goal of the prophetic program is the God of Heaven establishing a kingdom on earth. All of the prophetic writings are looking forward to that. When you rightly divide the word, the mystery writings – those committed to the apostle Paul – have to do with the God of Heaven reestablishing his rule and reign in the heavenly places and over all the principalities and powers there.
Colossians 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Ephesians 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
That is why the body of Christ was created—to rule and reign in the heavenlies (whereas, Israel will rule and reign with Christ on earth).
2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:3a
Know ye not that we shall judge angels?
We understand that when we rightly divide the word. When we study Hebrews, we see how God deals with Israel in the earth, and then compare and contrast that to how God deals with us today in the dispensation of grace as members of the body of Christ. That is how you study scripture. You compare spiritual things with spiritual and you get great understanding.
1 Corinthians 2:13
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
2 Timothy 2:7
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
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