“When is the End not the End?”

Confusion arises over whether Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews is Tribulation doctrine or not.

An explanation of this interpretation can be found in Dr Ruckman’s Bible Believers Commentary on “The Book of Hebrews” (1986) with the main pillar of his theory being “the end” (Heb 3:6, 14; 6:11).

SETTING THE SCENE

The phrase ‘the end’ has various meanings in the scriptures with ‘the end’ of Noah’s flood; ‘the end’ of a field; ‘the’ end of the year; ‘the end’ of the mercy seat; ‘the end’ of a purpose; ‘the end’ of the earth, ‘the end’ of the Tribulation and ‘the end’ as found in the Book of Hebrews.

Dr Ruckman equates ‘the end’ in the Hebrew epistle, to ‘the end’ of the Tribulation.

WELL ISN’T HE RIGHT?

He is correct when he states that the Jews will need to have faith and works to endure to ‘the end’ of the Tribulation and this can be found in the chapters of (Matt chapter 24, Mk chapter 13, Lk chapter 21, Rev chapters 11 and 12) but can he establish this fact from Paul’s Hebrew epistle?

BUT SURELY “THE END” IN HEBREWS MEANS “THE END” OF THE TRIBULATION?

Having left Moses by becoming Messiah believing Jews, Paul’s Hebrew epistle urges them to “the end” by faith alone (no works) in the blood of Jesus for salvation, and not to return to animal blood for their sins, which they were doing.

“The end” for the Tribulation Jew is to endure and overcome the seven years of affliction, persecutions, tribulations and hatred, and as result of their faith and works, they will be saved.

The question is “If these two ends are different events, how can they be the same?”

I’M STILL NOT CONVINCED…

The two lots of scriptures are as follows:

SO WHAT?

The Bible word “endure” is associated with certain words in the Bible such as famines, affliction, pestilences, false prophets, betray, earthquakes, persecution, tribulation, hated, slain, death, overcome and kill (Matt 24:7-10,11-13)

In Paul’s epistle, the word “confidence” is associated with the words rejoicing, hope, full assurance, hold fast, partakers of Christ, diligence, stedfast and anchor of the soul.

These two words represent two entirely different sets of circumstances leading to two entirely different conclusions, with the former leading to the end of the Tribulation and the latter leading to salvation in Jesus. It is clearly seen that these two different pathways with two different “ends” require two vastly and completely different approaches as the following chart shows:

 MMMM….MAYBE?

The dispirited unsaved Messianic Jew, halfway between Moses and Jesus, is not told to endure, but to be diligent and hold fast their confidence with full assurance of hope stedfast unto the end in Jesus.

Paul, as a Jew, knows their confidence, albeit lacking at this time, lies in the LORD God “…of our salvation; who art the confidence…” (Ps 65:5) where “… the LORD…thy confidence…” (Prov 3:26). Like a good coach of a flagging football team, he coaxes and urges them forward.

BUT YOU DO AGREE THAT THE TRIBULATION JEW NEEDS WORKS FOR SALVATION?

Of course! - “…slain for the word of God, … testimony which they held:” (Rev 6:9) and “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast … shall overcome them, and kill them.” (Rev 11:7) and “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11) and “And the dragon … went to make war … which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev 12:17).

But these can’t be positioned into Hebrews. Revelation and Hebrews are like oil and water – they don’t mix. They both have an ‘end’ but they’re completely different ends.

A SUMMARY OF THE TWO GROUPS …

1. The Messianics are urged not to endure, but be diligent and hold fast their confidence with full assurance of hope unto believing in Jesus. However, should they get saved, they will then have to endure as Christians. If not saved, they will have to endure as Jews to the Tribulation end.

2. The Tribulation Jew will endure affliction, death, betrayal, persecutions, tribulations, hatred, and famines without the qualities listed for the first group,

 WHY CAN’T THEY?

1. They will be incapable 2. God will open their eyes 3. He’ll protect the fearful Petra fleeing remnant 4. There is no mention of these qualities in Matthew 24.

 BUT AREN’T YOU SPLITTING HAIRS?

Firstly, it’s not my interpretation but what the scriptures SAY for “…we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth …” (1Cor 2:13). Surely we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God? (2Tim 2:15)

Secondly, the word of God doesn’t split hairs. It is “…sharper than any twoedged sword, … and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:12). There are those when they find “.. some things hard to be understood…  wrest … as they do also the other scriptures” (2 Pet 3:16). Dismissing God’s salvation for the Messianic apple of his eye, with Tribulation relegation, is serious indeed.

WON’T THE TRIBULATION JEW STUDY THEIR EPISTLE FOR FAITH + WORKS DOCTRINE?

Firstly, it’s not there and secondly, they already have enough overt warning in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Revelation, as to the required upcoming perseverance. Studying Paul’s epistle for pointers on Tribulation endurance will be futile, as there are no instructions concerning this. The only Tribulation material in Paul’s epistle, concerns God making “….a new covenant with the house of Israel…” (Heb 8:8,10)

Straight after the rapture, the Jew will be bewitched by the antichrist’s deception until God opens their eyes (Zech 12:10) and what’s more, under pain of death, “...they shall not teach..” (Heb 8:11; Zech 13:3). There’ll be no diving into the Book of Hebrews after the rapture, for instructions on endurance. Why? There aren’t any!

Gnawing their tongues with regret when God opens their eyes, they’ll know they were one dispensation too late for Jesus’ blood salvation minus works. They were lied to by the doctors of the Tribulation Relegators, who told them that Paul’s Hebrews salvation wasn’t for them.

 THE REAL CRIME?

In the obscuring of the obvious salvation meaning, Rome and satan, are more than happy with the doctrinal allocation of Paul’s Hebrew epistle into the Tribulation.

Emerging from the stables of Rome, and backed by German higher criticism, this Jew Replacement horse runs a devastating race with eternal consequences. By re-placing it into another dispensation, Christian scholars ought to be horrified if they knew that their interpretation, was robbing the Messianic Jew of salvation in this age. REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY has many faces, and here, God’s perfect method of salvation for the Messianic has been denied and re-assigned to another dispensation. As the result of faulty cross referencing, the Tribulation Jew will find the salvation doctrine of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, as useful as an umbrella in a tornado.

In the light of Proverbs 18:13, may I suggest the following four html articles

Harley Hitchcock

“Hebrews… Doctrine for which
Dispensation?”

Will a Jew in the Tribulation be able to open up
his own epistle and find confirmation
that he needs faith plus works for salvation?

“CONTACT US”