Hebrews in Light of Grace (Part 2): Heaven, Earth, and the Heir of All Things

Hebrews in Light of Grace (Part 2):
Heaven, Earth, and the Heir of All Things

To grasp the depth of the Book of Hebrews, one must begin with the foundational blueprint of divine history established from the very beginning of Holy Scripture. The Word of God is not a disconnected collection of isolated books, nor can any single treatise be understood by human intellect alone. Truth is revealed when Scripture is compared with Scripture, allowing the full scope of God’s unfolding plan to illuminate each individual part.

As the fifty-eighth book of the Bible, Hebrews rests upon fifty-seven preceding books of divine revelation. Without a clear comprehension of the historical and covenantal backdrop leading up to this epistle, its contents remain obscure. The opening chapters of Hebrews rely heavily on the Old Testament, drawing extensively from the Psalms and the Prophets. Proper biblical interpretation requires examining not merely isolated verses or quotations, but reading several Psalms before and after to establish the complete context surrounding every statement.

Across the centuries, God operates as an eternal God dealing with mortal men who appear for a short time and vanish away. To execute His eternal work, He reveals His plan progressively across successive generations:

• Abraham: God delivers a specific portion of the divine promise to Abraham, who lives out his calling and dies in faith.
• Isaac and Jacob: The covenantal line continues as God deals directly with Isaac, and upon Isaac’s death, moves onward to Jacob.
• The Twelve Patriarchs and Israel: Following Jacob, God carries His purpose through the twelve patriarchs, growing them from seventy souls into a distinct nation brought out of Egypt.
• Moses and Joshua: God raises up Moses to lead the nation, and upon Moses’ death, hands the leadership mantle to Joshua.

Through these key historical highlights, God weaves together His overarching plan across time. This divine blueprint does not depend on human capability or spiritual performance, but on the absolute faithfulness of God. The unconditional promises made to Abraham regarding his seed stand unalterable, guaranteed entirely by the character of God regardless of Israel's historical failures.

The Fundamental Architecture of Creation

Hebrews in Light of Grace (Part 1): Israel’s Doctrine and Our Understanding

Hebrews in Light of Grace (Part 1):
Israel’s Doctrine and Our Understanding

God Spoke in Time Past

The book of Hebrews opens with a declaration that sets its foundation: “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…” (Heb.1:1-2). This opening statement establishes that Hebrews does not introduce something disconnected or new. It builds directly upon what God has already spoken through the prophets in time past and through His Son during His earthly ministry.

The Bible is its own interpreter, built upon the principle of comparing scripture with scripture (Isa.28:10; 1Cor.2:13). It provides an all-sufficient, complete revelation that does not rely on human commentaries, encyclopedias, or private imaginations to be understood. As the fifty-eighth book of the Bible, Hebrews is preceded by fifty-seven books of divine revelation. It was not birthed out of thin air, nor can it be comprehended by jumping into its pages without a firm grasp of the scriptures that came before it. Understanding the word spoken in time past is mandatory to prevent the twisting of its contents.

The very first chapter of Hebrews bombards the reader with Old Testament passages, drawing directly from Israel’s sacred writings:

• Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 in Hebrews 1:5
• Psalm 97:7 in Hebrews 1:6
• Psalm 104:4 in Hebrews 1:7
• Psalm 45:6-7 in Hebrews 1:8-9
• Psalm 102:25-27 in Hebrews 1:10-12
• Psalm 110:1 in Hebrews 1:13

These continuous citations demonstrate that Hebrews is saturated with Israel’s scripture. It addresses a people steeped in covenant history, pointing them toward the culmination of those promises in Christ. For those living under the dispensation of grace, recognizing this contextual framework is vital. Hebrews is Israel’s doctrine. It represents the continuation and fulfillment of their covenants and prophetic timeline. While Paul’s epistles reveal the distinct mystery doctrine given to the Body of Christ, studying Israel’s doctrine allows believers to rightly divide the word of truth (2Tim.2:15) and appreciate the structural harmony of God’s complete plan.

The Law and the Prophets

Questions and Answers concerning Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

Questions and Answers concerning Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

Social media response to a post of mine

The person responded to me with the following: “I still have some doubts with the whole concept of rightly dividing God’s word and seeing two programs between Israel and the church. What are your views on the following issues that still bug me. TX.”

Below, as per the bulleted item are their questions (issues), followed by my responses.

• Israel had a unique role in history, under the Law, covenants, and prophecy. But when Jesus came, something massive shifted. Paul talks about it in Ephesians 2:14-16—how Jesus broke down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles and made them one new humanity. If Israel and the Church were meant to stay in completely separate lanes, why would Paul describe them as one people in Christ?

The unification that Paul is referring to here is not concerning the two programs (ie: Israel under law and prophecy and the Body of Christ under grace and mystery) but rather, the unification of Jew and Gentile into the Body of Christ after Israel’s program was suspended. Remember, God has blinded Israel due to unbelief, but they are not forsaken or lost. Their program is suspended for a later time when it will be reactivated after the Body of Christ is snatched up to heaven. When the tribulation starts, the prophetic program of Israel is reactivated, and Israel will once again come into God’s focus in order to complete it. But, while their program is suspended, Jews (Israelites) and Gentiles are treated the same. Jews are no longer preeminent as God’s chosen nation. It is no longer Jews first and then the Gentiles. Paul says, “Gal_3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (see also 1Cor.12:13; Col.3:11). This is that middle wall of partition that is broken down. That pre-eminence of Israel is broken down and both Jew and Gentile are on the same level because of the cross. At this point, both Jew and Gentile are saved and added into the Body of Christ through the grace gospel until this body is taken up to heaven to end the dispensation of grace. So, Paul describes Jew and Gentile as being made one within the Body of Christ while God is forming this Body in the grace dispensation. It is not thus a unification of the two distinct and separate programs.

God’s Multipart Plan to Redeem HEAVEN and EARTH (All other Parts)

God’s Multipart Plan to Redeem HEAVEN and EARTH

I am recording this series as videos. 

The rest of this series can be followed by viewing the videos uploaded here. Search for the videos with the same title as this post.

Thank you for your support and engagement in the contents of this blog.

God bless.

God’s Multipart Plan to Redeem HEAVEN and EARTH (Part 1)

God’s Multipart Plan to Redeem HEAVEN and EARTH (Part 1)

If you look carefully at the timeline in the image, something is missing. You might even be able to identify the missing part without taking the clue from the books of the bible indicated in the bottom row.

Did you identify the missing part? Well, if you don’t know about rightly dividing (2Tim.2:15), and you are not familiar with the mystery doctrine of Paul, you would have needed the clue using the book names in the bottom row. If this is you, then I want to encourage you to take note and learn from this series of posts, as this will improve your interpretation of scripture, and provide you a deeper and more profound understanding of the Word of truth.

Now, let me start with the very first verse in the bible. Believe it or not, but it contains a very important key to understanding scripture,

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Is Christ's church built on Peter or all living stones of truth?

Answer Request:
Is Christ's Church built on Peter or all living stones of truth? Did God reveal the truth to Peter that Jesus is The Rock?

The Greek word translated "church" in the New Testament is ekklesia. A literal translation of ekklesia would be "a called-out assembly". Thus, when God calls one out, to separate them, it is for a purpose. In other words, there is a specific function that this entity should fulfil. For example, God separated the nation of Israel for a purpose. Israel can be identified as an ekklesia, (or church in modern English).

Deut.7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Num.23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people [Israel] shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Revelation(4v6): The Structure of Creation

THE BOOK OF
REVELATION

(Rev.4:6)

The Structure of Creation

What is my purpose for discussing this topic? Well, it is certainly not primary doctrine that we need to know and that can save us. But, it can inspire us and provide us with some sense of the greatness of God and His multi-layered creation. We know from scripture, and from our knowledge of the physical realm, that God is ordered and structured, so we can easily accept that when it comes to the invisible and metaphysical realms, this same order and structure would be maintained. We cannot measure and fully understand the nature of things in the spiritual realm, but the principles that govern that realm can be related to by our understanding of the realm in which we live. If we project our knowledge from this realm into the invisible, knowing that the physical realm is a mere shadow, or reflection, of the invisible realm, then we can only stand in awe and wonder at what we can expect to find when we, as the body of Christ, pass over into that realm at our call to come home (Romans 8:23). Remember, you and I have a heavenly destination. Our eternal purpose, as the body of Christ, is to govern this realm. So, this is why it is motivational and insightful to delve into this topic, even though we cannot even fully fathom the basics of it yet.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 3)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 3 --- Dividing the REALMS)

In previous posts of this study, we have investigated the NEED to recognize divisions in the Bible. We have also determined the PURPOSE for divisions in the Bible. It is important to remember that the purpose for dividing the Word originates in all things to do with Israel. In this post we will have a look at the first of three overarching 'Israel related' categories that need to be rightly divided in God's greater redemption plan. Within the three categories of (1) Realms, (2) Agencies, and (3) Programs, we will start by dividing the REALMS; defined by phrases like, heaven and earth, and spiritual and physical.

Genesis 1:1 famously starts with the statement, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...". In the context of this verse, we know that the heavens and the earth are the physical realms that God created. However, as we progress through this study, and in context with the verses we will target, you will notice that the words, heaven and earth, as well as starts, sand, spiritual and physical can represent different things. The context of the verse is important and will clarify whether the meaning represents the physical creation, or angels (demons) or actual celestial bodies, or even two different people groups. This will become evident as we progress. I'm simply giving you a heads up.
 

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 2)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 2 --- The PURPOSE for divisions in the Bible)

In the last two lessons, we've had a look at the necessity (or importance) of understanding and exercising right division in the Word. In this short post I simply want to ask the question, "Why is there a dual purpose in God's plan?" What is the reason why we have to split up the content in the Bible?

The answer lies in the design of God's plan. As in the image below, you'll see that the end of the plan involves two realms. The lower part (in blue) represents the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom, in which Christ will reign on earth. The part above that represents the heavens. We will look at these two realms in greater detail in the next post, but it is the fact that we have two realms that requires us to divide the Bible between two distinct and unique programs.

Why Mid-ACTS? (Part 3)

Two Programs for Two Realms (Part 3)

There have been so many revelations in my dispensational journey, and one of the first (and biggest) that I learned of was the understanding of TWO programs in God's great plan of redemption. One will not see, let alone understand, this concept of two programs unless one recognizes the divisions in scripture, 2 Tim.2:15. Without the divisions, everything will seem to flow into each other and merge with each other and then you miss the entire revelation all together!

Our Destination is Different from O.T. and Gospel Saints

Our Destination is Different from O.T. and Gospel Saints

Have you ever noticed that Old Testament and Gospel saints were NOT PROMISED HEAVEN as a destination? Instead they were promised an everlasting kingdom on earth. As a matter of fact, these saints never even had a concept of "going to heaven" when they died. The reason is because all through the Old Testament and prophecy it was spoken of a glorious new earthly kingdom; one which would be restored and refreshed as it was before.