By Jan Lilleby

Hardly, I think.

Large groups of preachers and pastors, particularly in the USA, seem to believe that Jesus prophesied of the return of the Nephilim-giants. These huge hybrids, being offspring from fallen angels and regular women, which emerged as dangerous evil creatures of forbidden genes. See Gen. 6:2-5. They existed in the time of Noah says the Bible.

Youtube and the Internet in general have tons of articles and videos on the subject. Here is an image of the skeleton of such creature, showing how huge these hybrids were.

So, let us have a closer look at what Jesus really said, and also check out the context He put these things in when He told them.

Matt. 24:37-42 says, (NIV-Bible)

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38: For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39: and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40: Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41: Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42: Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

KJV-Bible says the same things. As do the Amplified Bible.

One could go on with wild speculations of the Nephilim-issue…which seem to dominate the Youtube in particular.

But it is my opinion, backed by the Bible, that this is not the point of this prophesy. Jesus is clearly pointing to the ‘Surprise Factor’ – ‘and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.’

How come Jesus never mentioned the eventual return of the Nephilim giants? Implicating that fallen angels again would go and have children with regular women.

From the quoted verses it also come obvious to us, that the ignorance of that prophesied doom does not comply with the fact that Internet and other media has tons of Christian expositions on the Second Advent. The world actually thus know what will come in the end times. And still, people will be taken totally by surprise. That tells me that people at large do not pay much attention to warnings and preaching from the Christian pulpits, or what we put out on Internet. They keep on with their happy merry lives…some marries and some don’t, and people eat and drink and push all warnings aside. They simply don’t believe that there will be a Second Advent, they think we Christians are promoting fiction, more or less.

It is therefore obvious that Jesus’ main point in His speech was not the ancient happenings regarding that which took place before the flood, but that – just like those people, the ones on earth when Jesus is coming from heaven will be surprised and astonished. Nephilim or no Nephilim, that is entirely irrelevant.

Therefore I cannot see in the Bible anything which should indicate an eventual return of the Nephilim. It is a speculation and not Biblical facts. Some goes to the extreme, saying anti-Christ will be such a Nephilim! It is totally wild.

By Jan Lilleby

Many – sorry to say – preachers and pastors are totally into a spiritual fog when saying and believing that Rom. 2:29 speak of Christians like us, representative of the Church today, because the passage does NOT speak of us in the Church dispensation. Let me explain this.

Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans when his ministry still was only for Israel and the proselytes. The Church did not even exist at that time. It was only the believing Messianic Israel with its few proselytes. And the wall of partition still stood high to keep them from influences from the Gentile world.

Roman epistle was written ONLY to those who knew (and practiced) the Law; and gentiles in general had no share in this. Only proselytes had.

Rom. 3:31 tells that the Law was still in effect, saying,

“Do we then by this faith (in Christ) make the Law of no effect, overthrow it or make it a dead letter? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law.”

Rom. 7:1 therefore saying that this epistle was addressed to Jews only plus proselytes,

“Do you not know, brethren – for I am speaking to men who are acquainted with the Law – that legal claims have power over a person only for as long as he is alive?”

This way WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN that also Rom. 2:29 falls under the same rule, of having the Jews/proselytes as addressees. Paul taught this in capacity of teaching the New Covenant gospel to Israel, and thus the Law was still standing, however upgraded/overruled by the New Covenant regarding the Jewish believers standing as righteous believers, even if they at a point had broken the Law. Paul confirmed this in Acts 13:39 telling the synagogue at Antioch, Pisidia,

“And that through Him everyone who believes is absolved from every charge from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses and given right standing with God.”

But as soon as we jump a few years (4-5) ahead, to Ephesians 2:15 – as the Church dispensation just had been established with the free Grace of God by faith only, we find that same Law ABOLISHED entirely. A new dispensation had kicked in, and the previous one when the apostles preached the New Covenant to Israel and proselytes, had ceased,

“…by …..abolishing in His own flesh the enmity the Law with its decrees and ordinances; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man, so making peace.”

We must understand that in Romans the Law was in effect together with the New Covenant to Israel’s house (see Heb. 8 and 9) thus the Church of the free Grace gospel was not established yet, – but coming to Eph. 2:15 four years later as Paul sat in custody in his rented house, the same Law was no longer operative! And what a difference, is it not!?

The silly and foolish assumption inside Christianity that the New Covenant was for the Church, is indisputably wrong. Jer. 31:31 clearly speak straight forward saying,

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH.”

The Church is NOT Israel and never can be. We were offered through Paul’s ministry the free Grace of God in Christ by faith alone, and no covenant! Eph. 2:8 is equally clear on that.

This is why Jesus publicly declared that He was NOT sent to any other group of people than the ‘Lost sheep of the house of Israel, Matt. 15:24. Simply put: The New Covenant was only offered to Israel including Judah, and of course Jesus knew this very well.

Anyone who tries to put the Church into Jer. 31:31 where it says Israel’s house and Judah’s house, are in reality trying to alter the Word of God. And this the most denominations have already done…many decades ago, since the so-called church fathers.

So then, when preachers in error keep on believing that Paul was speaking of the Church, the Body of Christ, the ‘One New Man’ in Rom. 2:29 they are so totally in the fog.

He spoke of the believing Jew compared with the unbelieving Jew.

They who believed on Jesus Christ were to be considered as REAL JEWS, having same faith as Abraham. But the unbeliever would not be helped even if he thought that he was one of the heirs of Abraham. You simply had to be a believing Jew to be able to remain a true heir of Abraham, who was made righteous by faith.

Raving fanatical ignorant preachers keep on saying that the Church is the REAL Israel – but the Bible tells us that only a believing Jew can be counted in, and with the other believers make up the REAL Israel of God.

This type of believing Jews will be dominant in the future millennial kingdom, after Jesus has established His kingdom as prophesied.

The Church has its own salvation separate from Israel. The Church is NOT going into the future millennial kingdom, but has its hope in heaven, in that heaven where Christ now sits at His Father’s right hand. Col. 3:1-4.

All those who say that the Church has taken Israel’s place in God’s promises are falsely becoming proponents for the infamous ‘Replacement Theology’.

By Jan Lilleby

My readers will notice that I published some articles and Youtube videos, in which I hold forth Apologetic Bible teachings.

Dr. William Lane Craig, probably the foremost and most respected Apologist in our time, points to evidence of many kinds. He offers step-by-step explanations on Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and a number of striking scientific facts on the Universe and its marvelous layout, including the Millimeter Fine-Tuning of the vast Universe, its complexity, all for to show to us that God is for real and that He created it all.

About the same thing can be said of Lee Strobel…only, unlike Craig, he came from a position of having been a sworn Atheist, with a sinful godless lifestyle, before he repented to Christ after having studied science – which convinced him of God as the Creator. He was a known editor and journalist in Chicago Tribune in the 80-ties. He came to faith in Jesus via the studies mentioned, and from there he developed a Christian ministry holding lectures, writing books and making a film.

And all of this is all fine, it is really fabulous that one can learn that God exist and is the Creator of all, by reading scientific literature learning of the Universe and DNA-science.

Still, I like to come up with a reminder on faith – not to advise against knowledge – but to simply point out the fact that there is a way to make contact with God and Christ, without first having to go through knowledge in science etc. – Bible calls it FAITH! Pure, simple and true.

If you for example search up Lee Strobel’s video on Youtube called “The Case For Christ” (a film based on Strobel’s life and conversion), we will learn that it was his wife who first found her way to God and faith in Christ. Without any scientific studies, on the contrary: She lived with a husband that propagated Atheism privately and in public! Think of it.

She went with a friend to Christian meetings in a church, and heard of Jesus Who died for her sins and Who would save her for eternity if she BELIEVED on Him for salvation. And so she did! Lee Strobel was shocked entirely the night she came home from the meeting, and dropped the bomb on him!

Lee Strobel’s wife actually went that way which God points out as the first thing to do: Faith!

This is just my way of pointing out to the reader that the ideal way of salvation is to get RIGHT INTO THE FAITH IN CHRIST. No long detours and wearying scientific studies necessarily. You don’t have to go like Thomas did: “Unless I can put my finger into His wounds, I refuse to believe that He is risen!”

We all notice that Thomas was not refused such evidence. He got to see Jesus risen and he put his finger into His wounds and was convinced, no more doubts.

But this kind of faith is counted as secondary and not primary.

Listen to what Jesus said to him:

John 20:29: “…because you have seen Me, you now believe. Blessed are THOSE WHO DO NOT SEE, AND YET THEY BELIEVE.”

From this we must understand that he who believe without first having seen any physical evidence, are attested by the Lord as a believer who is specially blessed (happy, confident, jubilant), compared to the one who first had to have physical evidence and gets that.

I am confident that Thomas, even as he was saved in his faith, still and nevertheless understood that he had talked and acted improper before the Lord, by demanding such evidence.

But I do not think that the reader must not seek evidence/knowledge and study such material. I only meant to point to a Biblical fact, that it is FAITH which sits on the Top Podium, not knowledge.

Paul said: “For by FAITH we know that God created the world not by those things we can observe, but by that we cannot see….” He created the world from out of nothing!

But in this world we find people who are having trouble in just plainly take to faith at the first hearing of the Gospel. No matter how skilled and fired up the evangelist may be. They refuse to believe without first having a chance to get some proof. They call the Bible for a book of fables, fairytales and fiction, and often one seem to notice with such attitudes much hatred underneath, against the God they say they do not believe on.

In the Bible we find people reported as such that did not believe. And often the expression used is – “They would not believe”. The Bible does not say that they could not believe, no – they simply would not.

If a person will not believe, then he often will shut out all things that try to communicate God to him, and nothing can help such a sinner.

I sincerely do hope that such is not the case regarding the reader.

In our time, now as science has managed to pick up on knowledge which has been available to them in the Bible all these years, not the least the creation of the Universe, it is okay to use such knowledge to dismiss the utter nonsense coming from Atheistic camps. Saying ‘there is no God’ is outdated long time ago.

We now find more and more Atheists turning away from Atheism, and coming to FAITH in God as the Creator, leading also to the faith in Christ as God’s Son. Lee Strobel is listing a number of such former Atheists in his video, most of them famous men and women in USA and abroad, who turned against their own writings, now saying, There is a God and Creator, and He is the One Who set in motion the Big-Bang, creating the Universe from out of nothing! We were wrong, they say.

By the way, and finally, He Who together with His Father created all things and laid out the Universe as we find it, is soon coming back to earth. The whole world will see Him and shall hear Him and obey Him!

Col. 1:16, 17: “For it was in Him (Christ) that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and in and for Him. And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

Jan Lilleby

There might be someone out there who thinks like me….I hope. I checked the web recently – and unlike when I first made my radio-series in Oslo area in 1997 – 2001 – having Noah and the Flood as one of many topics, I was alone in Norway and maybe all of Scandinavia to claim such a belief, that the flood was local rather than global; today the internet is full of sites claiming the flood was local. Their understanding of the Bible is correct.

Just to get a few nifty things sorted out right away, before opening the Bible:

The Ark had a height of 15 meter, and had three decks. It was 150 meter long. When subtracting the thickness of the beams of about 0,45 meters it leaves a height – floor to ceiling of maximum 3,5 meter – after also subtracting height of deck-reeling and the bottom deck beginning about where the hull was plain, after the bowed bottom.

How could it be possible to have animals like the very tall giraffe, or the huge mammoth elephant (which were not extinct, frozen down in Siberian ice when flood happened) – the giraffe having an average of 5,05 meters, the tallest up to 19 feet (5,80 meters), and the smallest 4,30 meters? (1 Internatl. foot = 30,48 cm). If you watch the various drawings made of the Ark, especially those meant for kids, you often find the giraffes out in the open deck with the elephants. But this is not what eventually took place. All the animals were under deck, for shelter from the wind and the rain. Imagine such animals having to lay down unable to stand upright – for a whole year!

If all animal species on earth were represented onboard the Ark, then it is impossible – proven by such a simple logistical fact that there would not be room for the giraffe, nor the mammoth!

The giraffe had and still has its habitat in Central Africa, and not in the Middle-East. mammoth had Siberia mostly.

Noah had been given only 7 days to see to it that the animals (urged by God) went into the Ark in pairs, male and female. Impossible for the mammoth in Siberia, and also for the giraffe in Central Africa! Let alone the jaguar in Amazonas jungle, the huge Anaconda snake in same habitat as the jaguar, and even farther away…the kangaroo and koala in Australia…IT IS ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE ANIMALS, TWO BY TWO, WALK OR CRAWL ALL THOSE THOUSANDS OF MILES/KILOMETERS! Regardless of whether any or all continents were closer to one another than in our time. The size of the Earth remains the same in all ages.

Regardless of God telling them or not telling them. CHECK OUT MY ILLUSTRATION HERE, added Oct 5:

( I beg Your pardon for the illustration being a bit blurry)

How can Christians be so mindless and gullible, that they accept just about anything coming from a pulpit without even bothering to check out the obvious faults and misinformation?

Noah had no big diesel powered trucks, no huge cargo Roll-On-Roll-Off sea vessels or big Jumbo Jet Carriers like we have now in modern times. Even if he had….it would not be possible to get ALL SPECIES from the entire world onboard the Ark in only 7 days. It would have taken at least 7 months…perhaps 7 years. We can only imagine. How about the penguins in Antarctica? The Polar bears in Artic North? The Pandas in China? The funny snarling gnarling little critter in Tasmanian Island called Tasmanian Devil? See image here…

Something is severely askew with the whole story – just consider Gen.7:2, 3 – showing us that God was not content with only one pair per species, but demanded 7 pairs, regarding those ritually clean animals:

“Of every clean beast you shall receive and take with you seven pairs…..”
3: Also of the birds of the air seven pairs, the male and the female, to keep seed (their kind) alive over all the earth or land.”

To top it off: This enormous numbers of species on earth, two of each, would not find space enough onboard the Ark. The ship was about 150 meters long and 25 meters wide. There is no way that this moderately sized vessel could ever carry onboard all the species of the world. It would not help, in other words, even if all these animals made it to the Ark in 7 days’ notice!

And to top off the previous top: Think of all the food supply that would have to be stored onboard. Tons and tons of diverse types of animal feed; plus what the eight survivors would need, Noah and family. They did not exit the Ark before it had gone about one year, Gen. 8:13-16.

Here are some interesting figures to give you an idea of what amount of food-supply that was needed:

How about feeding lions, leopards, tigers, diverse cats and others? How much extra animals would be required for all the meat-eating animals? What about the elephants? One elephant can eat 44 lbs of grain, 66 lbs of hay, 20 to 70 lbs of turnips, carrots, cabbage or fruit per day. If an elephant eat 170 lbs of food each day, this would be 62,050 lbs during the year in the Ark!! And doubling that for the other elephant will amount to 124,100 lbs in total! (41,000 kilos). Even some animals like panda (Asia), koala (Australia), three toed sloth (South America) require a specialized diet. Did Noah and his family gather some for them? What about the woodpeckers that peck the wood or termites that eat the wood…they would experience the Ark as their heaven…wood everywhere. Dig in!! This could mean trouble for the Ark.

The logistical analysis I have presented here in short, points to only one possible scenario for the Ark: It was not a world-wide flood, but only limited to the Middle-East – in particular the land between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Persia. This area was considered in olden times as ‘The Land of Eden’. Not the Garden of Eden as such, but the land in which Eden once was established.

The Book of Jubilee (it has a correct history line, even if it is not accepted as a book from God) chapter 4:23, 24 says of this:

“Enoch was taken away from humankind and we (God’s angels) took him into the Garden of Eden (Paradise up in the heavens) – ….he is writing of the evil in humankind, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, GOD LET THE WATER OF THE FLOOD COME OVER THE ENTIRE LAND OF EDEN.”
(Translated by me, via the Norwegian version of Book of Jubilee).

If the flood had been global, it would have been entirely impossible that the water would go back to normal levels in that one year mentioned in Gen 8. Here is the mathematics for it:

The Bible says that it receded at the rate of 15 cubits in 74 days, Gen 7:20; 8:4, 5.

Figuring a cubit at about 18 inches, the water level would have dropped 270 inches during this time or, to round it off, 4 inches a day. If the flood depth was 29,050 feet (348,600 inches) and the water level dropped 4 inches a day, it would take 87,150 days to get back down to normal sea level. That would be almost 239 YEARS! Conclusion: Totally impossible. The flood was local, not global.

The method God used to make a limited flood

How was it achieved? What trick had God kept up His sleeve, so that only the guilty sinners were judged and not the innocent peoples on the earth?

I shall come to this shortly.

But first let us have a closer look at the background of that perilous time…mankind had gotten itself so deep in sin and evil, that God wanted to exterminate them.

But we shall study this in light of the often erroneous use of the word “Earth”. Then our spiritual eyes will clear from blurring, and you will understand.

In short, the word ‘earth’ as used in Gen 7, as well as many other books of the Bible, should just as well have been translated to ‘land’ or ‘nation’ – ‘country’ or ‘place’.

It is a great difference in the meaning saying ‘All of the earth’ than saying ‘All of the land’ – don’t you think?

A good example also would be Jer 34:1 – saying,

“..all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the peoples, fought against Jerusalem”. There the phrase “of the earth” is limited to “his dominion”, i.e., the dominion of Nebuchadnezzar.

And of the Sodom judgment, the daughters of Lot declared,

“There’s not a man in the earth (erets) to come in unto us” Gen 19:31. We know that not every man in the world was killed…only those in the area of the destruction.

Another odd, and often missed fact, with the many collateral damages such a world-wide flood would have implicated, all seem to have forgotten that it would ‘collide’ with the extreme temperatures found in heights like Mt. Everest, over 8000 meters altitude. It is only 50-60 minus degrees Celsius there! If the Ark at any chance had passed by that spot, it would cause them all to freeze to death; and not only at that spot (Everest, Himalaya) – but anywhere. The water did not cover all the mountains in the entire world, but only those tops found in the area of the flood, that is the Middle-East. Ararat being one of those, slightly above 5000 meter.

What of the fresh-water fish life as the salty sea-waters mixed in with all the lakes on earth, and all the rivers? You see? Things get quite a bit more complicated!

The word for ‘earth’ in Hebrew is erets (# 776 in Strong’s) as used in the flood account – and it does not require a world-wide meaning. This word is translated “country” 140 times, and “land” 1,476 times in the Bible. Many of them are often of limited areas.

As for the method that God used to achieve a limited flood, however huge enough, we shall have a closer look at this. I used this scenario already back in 1997 having my radio-lectures in Oslo. And I was stricken with the utter simplicity of the method as such, but still only God could make this happen nevertheless. You can see it in my graphic drawing below.

Bible says it came forth water from both the heavens and from fountains beneath the Mediterranean sea floor, Gen 7:11 –

“In the year 600 of Noah’s life, in the seventeenth day of the second month, that same day all the fountains of the great deep (Mediterranian) were broken up and burst forth, and the windows and floodgates of the heavens were opened.”

The Book of Jubilee says the very same, but more specific, Jub 5:24, 25,

“And the Lord opened for the seven water-streams of the heavens, and for the spring-waters of the great deep, a total of seven springs. And the streams of water began to pour down from heaven in 40 days and nights. AND THE FOUNTAINS OF THE DEEP PRESSURED THE WATER UP, until the whole world (erets) was full of water.” (Transl. via the Norwegian version)

One important detail is not mentioned, namely that the landmasses sunk down in same proportion as the seven springs below pressured the water up!

Ask any expert on oil drilling at sea, and he can tell you that this is so. Land will sink if substantial volume of water (or oil) comes to surface. The once filled ‘pockets’ of water down in the ground in Noah’s time were cracked open by God and His angels. God knew exactly were those seven ‘fountains’ were.

The combination of water filling up on surface and land sinking down, made the Middle-East into a slack bowl so to speak. Check my illustration below.

I apologize for a bit blurry illustration

The giants – Hebrew Nephilim – caused the evil mentioned

Why such a brutal judgment? Was there not a single person capable of repenting and thus come under God’s saving grace? It seems to me that mankind in that area of the world had come to a ‘Point-Of-No-Return’ – just like in Sodom and Gomorra later on in history. God found it useless to tell them to repent. He knew that they would not.

But it is my firm belief that the existence of the giants, the so-called Nephilim, was behind the evil that had gotten a stronghold on mankind.

In one of the Apocryphal books the giants, which were hybrid human-angels, children of fallen angels having human/normal women as mothers, and thus a forbidden as well as a very evil-minded race of creatures – they were about 4 million in number. They were killers and evil-doers and abnormally huge and strong.

They became thus the main target for the flood. But unfortunately normal people took after their evil, and they were drowned together with the giants.

Gen 6:4 is a well-known ‘mysterious’ verse, but it only speak of those unusual events taking place when fallen angels went in to regular women, and begot children. The Nephilim. Nephilim means ‘A fallen one’. Called giants, and half angel, half man.

“There were giants on the earth (erets) in those days – and also afterward – when the sons of God (the angels) lived with the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of reknown.”

Notice that it says ‘and also afterward’ – which mean, some of these Nephilim survived the flood! Then it is obvious that they survived because they managed to get away from the area of the flood.

Bible tells nothing of how they managed to survive. We only know that when Joshua took the land on God’s command, he fought and killed all the known giant-families.

He was told to spare no one, for most of the population there were giants, children of fallen angels, and very evil. Check out Book of Joshua. He actually saved the world from those dangerous and murderous giants and those who followed them. Here is a little glimpse of the report the early scouts gave before the people as they came back from Canaan, Num 13:32, 33,

“…the land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE SAW IN IT ARE MEN OF GREAT STATURE (VERY TALL). 33: THERE WE SAW THE NEPHILIM (GIANTS), THE SONS OF ANAK, WHO COME FROM THE GIANTS, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

Jos 11 and 12 mentions lots of names, among which king Og definitely was a giant, – he slept in a huge iron bed it says in another passage. Goliath who later came against Israel was a giant. To be classified as giant it was not enough just to have a large body. There are people on earth today (think of the actor in ‘Moonraker’, called Jaws, a big fellow lifting James Bond – actor Roger Moore, up with one hand) who are extremely tall and strong. Image: Kiel “Jaws” with Roger Moore.

They are not giants like the ones in the Bible. One has to be Nephilim, that is…half angel, half man. Jaws’ name was Richard Dawson Kiel, and he was 2,17 meter tall. Pretty big I would say. But Goliath was 2,74 meter (9 feet) according to most Bible translations, however the Aleppo-codex 900 AD hold Goliath at 2,90 meter! He carried a spear that weighed 120 kilos. Talk about strength, since he obviously must have been capable of throwing that spear some yards/meters. King Og was about 2,80 – 3,00 meter. See Deut 3:11. His bed of iron was 13, 5 feet (9 cubits), which is 4,11 meter. I assume he slept with a safe margin upon such a massive bed. The width of it was 6 feet, which is 1,83 meter. That was almost twice the size of most double-beds of our time, which measures about 2,10 meter long and 1,60 meter wide.

Estimates of the size of the flood

Probably it was flooded within a stretch of about 2000 kilometers. From Tel Aviv to the Persian Gulf it is 1200 kilometers, and to Mt. Ararat it is 800 kilometers.

Because of the landmasses sinking down, the tall Mt. Ararat (5156 meters) came under 7 meter of water. The ‘Bowl Shape’ of the flood probably had an ecliptically form seen from the sky. See this image with red ring as the flood.

Archeological excavations (at various places and with distance between them) in Iraq/Iran found a layer of mud which was more than three meters thick. The tools and household kitchenware at the level under the mud was of older origin than things found above the layer of mud, but not very much. Something disastrous had happened, causing a whole civilization to drown in water and mud…a great flood had happened, and the center of it was most certainly there in Iraq/Iran.

How could Noah’s grandchildren, the children of his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth travel and settle down in various countries…if all countries was laid waste and destroyed by the flood? Such places would not exist, by the definition ‘Countries’ or ‘Nations’ – if the flood had been global. But see what Gen 10:5 says,

“By these were the isles (coastlands) of Gentiles DIVIDED in their lands, every one after their tongues, after their families, in their nations…These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations in their nations: and by these were the nations DIVIDED in the earth after the flood”.

I find it natural to end my article on the Great Flood here. It is no doubt: The flood was local; however it covered a substantial area of the Middle-East and some nations near to the Middle-East.

A final word:

Atheists world-wide are using the flood, as well as the war when Joshua took the land – accusing God (whom they don’t believe in!) of being a bloodthirsty killer.

And of course, this again, falling on us Christians to make us look dumb if not entirely ridiculous. How can we believe in such a God Who keep massacring people whenever He chooses to?

My point is that these unbelieving and angry atheists should rather thank God for having killed the vicious evil monstrous dangerous Nephilim/Giants, and thus having saved the whole world from them. Not only once, but twice!

The world would have gone under if God allowed these monsters to go ahead and dominate the globe. Tell the god rejecters and atheists, if you happen to have some friends or acquaintances with such unbelief, that God SAVED the world by the judgments He made. He removed threatening evil from the face of the earth.

 

 

Jan Lilleby

To go straight to the issue, there is no chance that God is executing judgments today whatsoever. I will try to explain the fact in this article. I will not use all the words and chapters and verses in the Bible that mention judgment and doom, but a few selected examples which are totally representable for how things are with God. I leave it to the Bible student to go find more of it by themselves, expanding on what I have written here.

It so happened a few years back, I read a comment in a Christian magazine of a preacher in California – discussing the aggressive increasing gay culture that emerged in San Francisco – saying something like this, ‘If God doesn’t judge San Francisco for its sinful gay community and their shameless behavior, He would have to beg for Sodom and Gomorra’s pardon!’

While I can understand this preacher’s indignation over sinful behaviors, I must nevertheless point out: No, God do not by any chance owe Sodom and Gomorra any apology for not having done away with the Californian metropole.

There are several reasons why. One is the fact that in San Francisco there are thousands of righteous believing saints, to whom Christ is Savior and Master.

Abraham, as we recall the story of the two cities, and his nephew Lot living in one of them, pleaded with God not to destroy them if there could be found at least (after starting the plead with fifty) ten righteous people, Gen 18:32.

God, if He still practiced judgment with places in which sin had reached an extreme high ‘Point-of-no-return’ level like that of Sodom and Gomorra, would certainly not destroy for instance San Francisco. There are much more than ten righteous people there, I am certain!

But the better point in this issue is: God executes no judgment whatsoever in our time. It might have been only one righteous man or woman in the metropole this very minute, but God would not destroy the place. This doesn’t mean that God accepts homosexuality or any other vice, but there will not be an immediate judgment upon the ones who practice such sin.

Atheists all over the world can keep cursing and blaspheming God and Christ all their lives, but God will not come to execute an immediate judgment against such hateful unbelievers. Still, this doesn’t mean that God has accepted atheism or blasphemy or things like that. Not at all. But He is…as Jonah 4:2 says…merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. (More on Jonah below). This implies that God has given them lots of time to repent from sin and unbelief. But once they die – all is lost, forever!

The judgment for such people and the likes is simply that God will not raise those people from the dead. They will go lost…even if God let them live for fifty, sixty, seventy years or more in the same condemnable sin. There is no tormenting eternal Hell, but only nothingness. It will be as before one was born. All will be gone. Bible says the dead knows nothing.

After the earthquake disaster in 1906, on the morning of 18th April, many ministers cried out that God had sent His righteous doom and destroyed San Francisco for her grave sin, criminal activities, prostitution and drunkenness. But those voices did not speak for God.

There actually arose a spiritual battle between two groups of Christians; one declared that God had nothing to do with the destruction, – while an opposing Pentecostal group (several from Azusa Street Revival) told people – even by spreading tracts – that the destruction came from God’s hand and urged them to repent. A Pentecostal leader, Frank Bartelman, was such a promotor, and he and his fellow believers used the disaster to try to make people repent and seeking the Lord.

Same thing happened in New Orleans after the hurricane disaster: Oh you sinful city, God hath judged thee! But it was not a move from God, not at all.

I like what Abraham said when pleading with God, Gen 18:23,

‘And Abraham came close and said, Will you destroy the righteous together with the wicked?’ (Knowing of course what God would say!).

No, God is not killing the righteous believers together with the ungodly unbelievers!

Abraham did not plead with God from out of ignorance or misplaced fear, but because the Patriarch knew God very well, having had several visits from Him earlier. He was a very learned man having a confidential relationship with the Lord. It shines through Abraham’s words, Gen 18:25,

‘Far be it from You to do such a thing – to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously?’

Abraham continued, as always (!) to stay in a humble state of mind before the Lord, – and thus we also read, Gen 18:27,

‘Abraham answered, Behold now. I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord.’

The reason I wanted to start the article by this dramatic story of Abraham, Lot, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra is simply to be very aware of God’s character and mercy, even if He also executes stern judgments in certain dispensations.

He actually ended the previous ones with judgments. And right before the return of Christ from heaven in near future, God the Father of Christ shall execute fearsome judgments against the Zionist-Israel for their hatred and rejection of the Messiah Jesus Christ, Eze 36:17-23.

This is what we call The Great Tribulation; a time which will be Post-Church era preparing for the millennial rule of Jesus Christ in Israel. God will not execute any judgments of any kind before the Church era is concluded.

Last time God sent judgments and strict doom, was in 70 AD as He brought down Israel by sending His army, the Romans, against them for their wicked ways. See Eze 36:17-19 which is entirely in line with the parable of the king’s servants in Matt 22:1-7, and also with His parable of the dry fruitless fig tree in Luke 13. Ezekiel 36 is mainly of the destruction in 70 AD and the coming Great Tribulation, and the time after that.

Judgments from God has been put on hold, until the time for it has come, as described for us in the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

It is disturbing and upsetting when we learn of disasters, wars, terror and all kind of evil near and far – but one thing is certain: God is not behind it in any way. Accidents happen, rebellion and unrest happens, hurricanes and twisters happens…but none of it is caused by God to perform any form of ‘Judgment against sin’.

Not many years ago – and I remember this well – we could see on the news channels here in Norway the ‘Estonia disaster’ – the sea vessel which left Tallinn for Stockholm, but went down in a storm in the Baltic Sea. It happened because the car-port in the fore had not been properly secured before the ship left the harbor, and waves broke into the car deck.

A few foolish preachers cried up of ‘God having judged the ship for the sin onboard’ – (you know, drunken passengers and what not…). Voices that did not speak for God.

Now, it so happened that onboard were also 40 Bible students from a Christian church in Estonia. They all went down with the ship. Also, I had a near friend who was a Christian preacher, and he and his co-workers had been on a mission trip to Tallinn and other places in Estonia, and hoped to find a ticket to go with the ferry. But they were denied access for the ship was full. Disappointed they had to watch the ferry leave for Stockholm, and they had to find a place to stay for the night.

Here’s the obvious expected question: If God had executed a judgment against that ferry – how is it that 40 Bible students were killed by drowning in the Baltic, while my friend and his party were spared due to a full ferry? Two groups of Christians having faced same event. One thanked God for ‘making them left behind’ at the docks, and the other Christians died and went into eternity.

The simple answer is that God was in no way engaged in that ship going under, neither was He engaged in ‘saving’ the ones left at the docks! He is not interfering like that, passing out judgments and deciding who is to die and who is to live in such detail.

Same as with the New Orleans hurricane; leaving great parts of the big city in rubbles. They are still struggling to get back on their feet if we should believe the reports in Medias. Many Christians died in the dangerous hurricane, but a great number were spared. Did God ‘Take many Christians home’ letting them die, but others were spared so they could live on – as a blessing? No way. God does not make any such judgments. It is not time for such actions. Judgments don’t start up again before the Church age, or dispensation, is concluded.

Until then, we live in an era characterized as the era of the free grace of God by faith in Christ, no works demanded so that nobody should go boasting, Eph 2:8.

We can often watch films, and some of the story implicates that a family member dies, either of a disease or an accident, even murder. And always (it seem to me) the writers of manuscripts have the remaining family declare: ‘God took our daughter from us. I hope the Police will catch the killer!’ As if God sent a killer to take a beloved family member to heaven, like, by the hand of a murderer. (Notice: I do not believe one can by death go directly to heaven.  It takes a resurrection to come there. I only use that expression due to how people think). How insane and helplessly foolish to have such a twisted impression of God’s character and way of dealing with His believers!

God’s character is seen throughout the entire Bible. One of the most touching scenes is the case with Jonah and how God chastised him because Jonah knew that God would spare Nineveh from being destroyed, and we read of our great God and Savior, Jon 4:10, 11,

‘Then said the Lord, You have had pity on the gourd, for which you have not labored nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons not yet old enough to know their right hand from their left, and also many cattle (not accountable for sin)?’

In chapter three we learn that Jonah’s warning to them of a coming destruction in forty days, made ALL OF NINEVEH repent and turn to God! Which was the condition for God, should He spare the place. It is almost hair raising and shocking to read verses one and two in chapter four, of Jonah’s objections, but it is just as pleasing, however, to notice his correct knowledge of God’s character,

‘But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry. 2: And he prayed to the Lord and said, I pray You, O Lord, is not this just what I said when I was still in my country? That is why I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and (when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions) You revoke (the sentence of) evil against them.’

Today, as we are Christian believers in the faith in Jesus Christ according to the gospel of grace, we are ALL OF US meeting God’s conditions for salvation, which is seen in Eph 2:8 and many other Scripture of the grace faith. A sentence fell at Calvary: Jesus took upon Him the punishment that was in a way meant for us hopeless sinners: Death. So, by faith in Him we are all free, we are all saved!

Paul secured us a specific understanding by giving his exhortations in Eph 5 and Col 3 – the moral codex which must guide us in life in the faith in Christ.

Paul expressed on our behalf…that we as believers already knew what would be the proper way of living, staying as much as humanly possible away from all sin, displaying that we are against sin, even if we cannot fully live perfectly without committing sin. Neither are we capable of having absolutely zero sinful thoughts. We inherited Adams nature, for sure. Christ is the cure for it all.

Eph 5:3-5 is an instructive piece of teaching for us to follow,

‘But immorality and all impurity (homosexuality etc.) or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints. 4: Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness to God. 5: For be sure of this (Notice: In Norwegian Bible 1988 it says, For this you know and are aware of) – that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity (homosexuality) in thought or in life (notice: It exist dispute among translators of the concept of ‘sin in thoughts’) – or one who is covetous (who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain) – for he (in effect) is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.’

Coming to an end for this article – it could be tempting to have a closer look on the much misunderstood judgment from God upon the world in the days of Noah and the great flood.

But I feel it is better not to involve this at this time. Maybe I shall write a piece on the event later, I am not sure.

But in very short terms, that was a judgment not against mankind, but a hunting-down and destroying a hybrid kind of creatures: The vile Nephilim (called Giants) which were a result of fallen angels having offspring with normal women. And God had to send a big flood to keep this forbidden and evil race of humanlike hybrids away. The flood only hit the Middle East, and not the entire globe, mind you!

By Jan Lilleby

‘And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.’ Col 3:2.
What kind of thoughts  are occupying our minds concerning the hope of salvation for the church, heaven up above where Christ now is sitting with His Father in power and might?

Some will perhaps react saying ‘Yes, but…so little has been written of heaven up above and what it is like up there – so we cannot expect to really have so many thoughts and ideas of what it is like!’

And I can of course understand such a reaction to the concept. And still, the Bible tells us to have our minds set on that heaven-up-above…and not on those things which are down here on earth. We cannot escape that fact, can we?

In that regard I wish to take us on a brief little sightseeing through these realms, for truly – we shall not come to an end with the greatness and splendor of heaven, God’s goodness in Christ for us, awaiting us in heaven up above.

No human being in our time has seen heaven.

We have to go back to our apostle Paul and his writings on the subject, to track this concept…men having seen heaven and spoken with Christ in person after His ascension. And Paul wrote that he heard words up there which were forbidden to refer to others. The Lord told him to simply shut up.

It is therefore only the Bible which can give us sure information on things concerning heaven. What we are to do up there and the whole concept of us staying/living in heaven for all eternity in the presence of Christ and God. For it has to have a given purpose, we have to be doing something there, some sort of meaningful activity, right? I am convinced that us staying up there is not a situation which can be compared to a Vacation Resort, or a Retirement Home.

Heaven has a purpose which goes far beyond us only staying there to live as saved believers.

The Bible has already given us a safe clue: We are supposed to serve others, to help others – we are not to just live for ourselves. In short: We are meant to be serving under Christ’s command at all times, carrying out His will and His bidding. This is also the order of today for all believers, isn’t it?

Eph. 1:17-23 may very well be held as a program-declaration for us in this regard:

‘ For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation (of insight into mysteries and secrets) in the knowledge of Him. 18: By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints. 19: And what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength. 20: Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. 21: Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and in the world which are to come. 22: And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church, 23: Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.’

The Bible anticipates that staying up there in the heavens, is a life which is like the life seen with God’s angels! And as just quoted from Paul, it is His will for us to really understand and grasp that hope, that which is our calling. In other words, what that hope and that calling contains – and what will we be doing together with Christ? What kind of ministry if you like, are we going into? It is correct that we are saved by grace alone, in faith in Christ, it is a gift given by God. But in that grace, in that salvation-realm, it is God’s indisputable will that we should understand what this means.

Mark 12:25 is a passage of inter-dispensational validity, speaking of what we become as we enter heaven up above.

‘For when they arise from among the dead, men do not marry nor are the women given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven.’

But even if Jesus say this to clear the dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees (the latter did not believe in resurrection), He did not go on making any description of heaven and the things there, how the nature and the society etc will be. Even the rest of the Bible is pretty meager in this regard. It is mostly left to our imagination, however – the Bible gives us some clues to some of the key info to learn about heaven.

Jesus puts the saved believer clearly in heaven as an angelic being, and no longer just a human one. No more family, spouse, no children to come from the wife giving birth, and so on. We are like the angels in heaven, says the Lord.

This places us in an entirely new upgraded position, in eternal angelic bodies, angelic power will I assume is included – but submitted the authority of Christ.

The Bible says this of Christ versus angels:

‘ He Himself (Christ) as much superior to angels as the glorious Name which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs.’

Actually I will conclude that we, as saved believers up in heaven with Christ, is an all-new ‘Breed’ of angels: We have lived on earth as vulnerable human beings, exposed to sin and failure, sickness and infirmities, and all the sorrow plaguing humankind; and ultimately – death. Very unlike the angels God created to Himself way back. Nevertheless, we shall become like those eternal powerful angelic beings, and I even suppose that we may see ourselves ministering in like manner and power.

Angels in the Bible, as we make more reflections in the topic, are not just confined to heaven up above. No, they are seen down here as the messengers of God, as executors of punishments or blessings. It is too much to be mentioning it all here in the article.

Paul taught that angels were sat to minister to those who should inherit salvation. This was particularly in the Acts period, when he taught the New Covenant to Israel and proselytes. I do not think they are in ministry on earth in the church dispensation. We learn from Acts history how angels in many circumstances helped the apostles. They rescued Peter, Paul and Silas from jails and thus probably from getting themselves killed by the romans. See Acts 12:5-11 to learn how it went when an angel rescued Peter. Very exiting story.

Angels operate in a dimension which we as human beings just have gotten a few glimpses of. By a totally non-scientific way they seem to perform the impossible. No law of nature can stop an angel from doing what he was sent for.

It is in this regard I dare believe that we see how it may be when we go into a heavenly ministry with Christ in heaven; we will have a power and an ability to do the work of Christ at His command. This has a dimension in it which is impossible to fully comprehend.

It may even be that we, just like angels of old, can operate both in heaven and on earth. It would not come as a surprise if this is so.

There has been written a lot of books in the topic ‘Heaven – Hell – Eternity’, in which Christian and non-Christian writers are telling their story of having been in heaven, or in Hell or both, and thus they give many freaking and weird descriptions. All of which is untrue. I have no idea whether they have written their fictive stories of heaven and hell in good faith. God will know whom, I am sure.

God has kept under cover most of the facts concerning heaven and how it looks up there. For the simple reason that if we learned really how things are up there – all the glorious heavenly things and blessings in Christ, we would go absolute ‘bananas’ – it would be unbearable to know of all that glory, and still having to remain on earth for a good number of years. God wanted to spare us of such pain and wanting…thus we are only given a few glimpses of that glory.

I am convinced that up in heaven, we will still be ourselves…we keep our own personality and psyche, only we will have a totally new heavenly body of power and life, a body that can operate in more than one dimension.

Jesus, after the resurrection, could all of a sudden just ‘pop up’ inside the room where His disciples were gathered, saying ‘Peace Be Unto You’. He got inside there without using the door. And yet, He taught them that He was not a spirit, but of flesh and blood. Thomas put his finger into the wound as the Lord told him to do this. He ate together with them. Super-natural heavenly angelic body, and yet He could act like a normal human being.

I leave it to the Bible reader to investigate and study more in this subject, since it concerns our future in eternity. And as I quoted in the first line above: We must have our minds set on heaven, wouldn’t we?

There are Bible Teachers who suggest that our future life in heaven in angelic bodies/heavenly bodies is an act of God, filling up that vacant vacuum left there since a third of the angels of heaven followed Satan is his fall. It may very well be so, it is not unlikely.

Nevertheless, let us look forward to that eternity in heaven in knowledge of Christ and what Paul teaches us in Ephesians and Colossians.

By Irene M. Walther, Orlando, FL, USA

When was the book Philippians written, during the Acts period or post Acts? The lists for each chapter contain words and expressions that indicate the time frame, from the Rotherham Emphasized Bible.

Chapter 1

ACTS PERIOD

V1 “overseers”, word 1985, used in Acts 20:28, 1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:7 and 1 Peter 2:25. All Acts period. See below.

POST ACTS

V9 “personal knowledge & perception”, also in Eph. 1:17 & Col. 1:9

ACTS PERIOD

V6 “day of Jesus Christ” (no article), day of Christ also in Phil 1:10 & 2:16, alternate reading of 2 Thes. 2:2; day of the Lord (Lord Jesus or Lord Jesus Christ): Acts 2:20, 1 Cor. 1:8, 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:14, 1 Thes. 5:2, 2 Thes. 2:2, 2 Peter 3:10. All Acts period. See below

POST ACTS

V 27 “in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Christ”, Eph. 4:1

ACTS PERIOD 

V10 “incorrupt” word 677, also in Acts 24:16 and 1 Cor. 10:32 Acts period

V10 “differ” word 1308, 12 other uses, Mat. 6:26, 10:31, 12:12, Mark 11:16, Luke 12:7, 12:24, Acts 13:49, 27:27, Rom. 2:18, 1 Cor. 15:41, Gal. 2:6, 4:1. All Acts period.

V13”in bonds”, manifest to whole palace guard”, Paul was in bonds both during the Acts period as well as post Acts

POST ACTS

V13”in bonds”

ACTS PERIOD

V13 “in the whole palace”, the word “palace”, word 4232, is used 7 other times – Mat. 27:27, Mark 15:16, John 18:28 (2), John 18:33, John 19:9, Acts 23:35. Gospels and Acts. See below.

V14 others more bold in preaching, no opposition after Acts 28:31

V28 “destruction”, word 684, by Paul 4 times – Rom. 9:22, Phil 3:19, 2 Thes. 2:3, 1 Tim. 6:9. Acts period. 16 other times in the New Testament

V29 “to suffer on His behalf”, word 3958, used by Paul 6 other times, 1 Cor. 12:26, 2 Cor.1:6, Gal. 3:4, 1 Thes. 2:14, 2 Thes. 1:5, 2 Tim. 1:12, all Acts period; and a total of 42 times in the New Testament

Verse 1, Overseer (Word 1985)

1. Ac 20:28 Be taking heed unto yourselves, and unto all the little flock in which the Holy Spirit hath set, you, as overseers,—to be shepherding the assembly of God which he hath acquired through means of the blood of his own. (Paul instructing the Ephesian elders.)

2. Php 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ,—unto all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with overseers and ministers:—

3. 1Ti 3:2 It is needful, then, for, the overseer, to be irreproachable, a husband, of one wife, sober, of sound mind, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching,

4. Tit 1:7 For it is needful that the overseer be—unaccusable, as God’s steward, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not ready to wound, not seeking gain by base means,

5. 1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray, but have now turned back unto the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Verse 6, Day of Jesus Christ

Below are all of the New Testament verses that discuss the day of the Lord, Christ, and/or Jesus. Day is Strong’s word 2250, Lord is 2962, Christ is 5547, and Jesus is 2424.

1. Ac 2:20 The sun, shall be turned into darkness and, the moon, into blood,—before the coming of the day of the Lord, the great and manifest day;

2. 1Co 1:8 Who will also confirm you unto the end, unaccusable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ:

3. 1Co 5:5 To deliver such a one as this, unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh,—that, the spirit, may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Alternate readings: 1. Lord Jesus, 2. Lord Jesus Christ

4. 2Co 1:14 According as ye have also acknowledged us, in part,—that, your theme of boasting, we are, even indeed as, ye, also shall be, ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

Alternate reading: our Lord

5. Php 1:6 Being persuaded of this very thing—that, he who hath begun in you a good work, will perfect it, until the day of Jesus Christ;

Alternate reading: Christ Jesus

6. Php 1:10 To the end ye may be putting to the test the things that differ, in order that ye may be incorrupt and may give no occasion of stumbling, unto the day of Christ,

7. Php 2:16 A word of light, holding forth,—as a matter of boasting unto me, for the day of Christ,—that, not in vain, I ran, nor, in vain, I toiled:—

8. 1Th 5:2 For, ye yourselves, perfectly well know that, the day of the Lord, as a thief in the night, so, cometh

9. 2Th 2:2 That ye be not quickly tossed from your mind, nor be put in alarm—either by spirit, or by discourse, or by letter as by us, as that the day of the Lord, hath set in:

Alternate reading: Christ

10. 2Pe 3:10 Howbeit the day of the Lord will be here, as a thief,—in which, the heavens, with a rushing noise, will pass away, while, elements, becoming intensely hot, will be dissolved, and, earth, and the works therein, will be discovered.

The other seven uses of the terms are in Acts period books and refer to the earthly kingdom promised to Israel. Is it logical to think that the three uses in Philippians of the same terms are referring to a different day than the other seven uses?

Verse 13, Palace (Word 4232)

1. Mt 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus aside into the judgment-hall, gathered unto him all the band;

2. Mr 15:16 And, the soldiers, led him away, inside the court, which is a judgment-hall,—and called together the whole band;

3. Joh 18:28a So they lead Jesus from Caiaphas unto the judgment-hall.

4. Joh 18:28b Now it was early; and, they themselves, entered not into the judgment-hall, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.

5. Joh 18:33 Pilate, therefore, entered again into the judgment-hall; and addressed Jesus, and said unto him—Art, thou, the king of the Jews?

6. Joh 19:9 and entered into the judgment-hall again, and saith unto Jesus—Whence, art, thou? But, Jesus, gave him no, answer. (All of the above verses are about Christ Jesus trial in Jerusalem.)

7. Ac 23:35 I myself will hear thee in full, said he, whensoever, thine accusers also, are come; and gave orders that, in the palace of Herod, he should be kept under guard. (Paul in Jerusalem.)

8. Php 1:13 So that, my bonds, have become manifest in Christ, in the Whole palace, and unto all the rest

Chapter 2

ACTS PERIOD

V10 “every knee shall bow” Romans 14:11, quoted from Is. 45:23; LXX uses same Greek words, 1119 (knee) and 2578 (bow) as Phil. & Rom.

The context of Isaiah 45 is Israel; the word is used 6 times, v 3, 4, 11, 15, 17, and 25. The Lord is the only true God, the only one that can save.

Philippians context is the walk of believer, in humility, Christ as example.

Romans 14:11 “For it is written—Living am, I, saith the Lord, unto me, shall bow every knee, and, every tongue, shall openly confess unto God.” The context is the Acts period believers walk, their judgment of fellow believers, and their giving account of themselves to God.

POST ACTS

V26-27 Epaphroditus was sick unto Death

ACTS PERIOD

V11 “every tongue shall confess”, Rom. 14:11; quoted from Is. 45:23, LXX uses same Greek words, 1100 (tongue) & 1843 (confess) as Phil. & Rom. Acts period

V12 “work out (2716) your own salvation (4991)”, two words in 2 Cor. 7:10. Acts period

V15 “harmless” (186) used two other times, Mat. 10:16 & Rom. 16:19. Gospel and Acts period.

V17 “poured out” (4689) also 2 Tim. 4:6; 18 times in LXX. See below

Verse 17, “Poured Out” (Word 4689)

1. Gen 35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar, in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone,—and he poured out thereon, a drink-offering, and poured thereon, oil.

2. Ex 25:29 and thou shalt make its dishes, and its pans, and its basins, and its bowls, for pouring out therewith,—of pure gold, shalt thou make them.

3. Ex 30:9 Ye shall not cause to ascend thereupon strange incense, nor an ascending-sacrifice, nor a meal-offering,—and, a drink offering, shall ye not pour out thereupon.

4. Ex 37:16 and he made the utensils which were to be upon the table, its dishes, and its pans, and its bowls, and its basins, for pouring out therewith,—of pure gold.

5. Num 4:7 And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls and the cups wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall be thereon: (American Standard Version)

6. Num 28:7 Also the drink-offering thereof, the fourth of a hin for each lamb,—in a holy place, shall it be poured out, as a libation of strong drink unto Yahweh.

7. 2 Sam 23:16 And the three mighty men brake through the camp of Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was within the gate, and bare it, and brought it in unto David,—yet would he not drink, but poured it out unto Yahweh,

8. 1 Chr 11:18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was within the gate, and bare it, and brought it in unto David,—yet would not David drink it, but poured it out unto Yahweh;

9. Jer 7:18 The children, gather wood, and, The fathers, kindle the fire, and, The women, knead dough,—To make sacrificial cakes, to the queen of the heavens, And to pour out drink-offerings, to other, gods, Provoking me to anger!

10. Jer 19:13 Yea, the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall, like the place of Topheth, be places defiled,—even all the houses, upon whose roofs they burned incense, to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other, gods.

11. Jer 32:29 And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, Shall enter, and, Shall set this city on fire, and, Shall consume it,—With the houses on whose roofs they burned incense to Baal, and poured out drink-offerings to other, gods, that they might provoke me to anger;

12. Jer 44:17 but, we will certainly do, the whole thing that hath gone forth out of our own mouth, by burning incense to the queen of the heavens, and pouring out to her drink-offerings, just as, we and our fathers, and our kings and our princes, did, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem,—then were we filled with bread, and became prosperous, and, calamity, saw we none;

13. Jer 44:19a And, though we, are burning incense to the queen of the heavens and pouring out to her, drink-offerings,

14. Jer 44:19b is it, without our men, that we have made to her sacrificial cakes as images of her, and poured out to her, drink-offerings?

15. Jer 44:25 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives, have both spoken with your mouth and, with your hands, have ye fulfilled, saying, We will, certainly perform, our vows which we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out to her, drink-offerings: the women, will certainly confirm, your vows, and, certainly perform, your vows.

16. Ez 20:28 When I brought them into the land, as to which I had lifted up mine hand to give it them, then beheld they every high hill and every tangled tree, And offered, there, their sacrifices, And presented, there, their provoking, gift, And placed, there, their satisfying, odour, And poured out, there, their drink-offerings.

17. Dan 2:46 Then, King Nebuchadnezzar, fell upon his face, and, unto Daniel, paid adoration; and, a present and sweet odours, gave he word to pour out unto him.

18. Hos 9:4 They shall not pour out to Yahweh—wine, neither shall they be pleasing to him, their sacrifices, are as the food of mourning to them, all that eat thereof, shall defile themselves, because, their food for their appetite, entereth not into the house of Yahweh.

2 Timothy 4:6: For, I, already, am being poured out as a drink-offering, and, the season of my release, is at hand,—
 

Chapter 3

ACTS PERIOD

V2 “dogs” word 2965, used four other times, Mat. 7:6, Luke 16:21, 2 Peter 2:22, Rev. 22:15. All Israel

POST ACTS

V12 Paul striving for perfection; Col. 1:28 admonishing believers to become Perfect

ACTS PERIOD

V4-6 Paul lists his confidence in the flesh according to the Jewish religion; they are a loss compared to the excellency of knowing Christ; the list was significant when Jews were first during Acts period, but not after Acts 28 Israel

V9 not having his own righteousness which is out of the law but the righteousness but through faith in Christ; after Acts 28, the law was set aside Israel

V 10 & 11 “resurrection” not used in Ephesians and Colossians, used 42 times, 8 by Paul, v11 is a special word used nowhere else

V14 “prize” (1017) used one other time, 1 Cor. 9:24 Acts period

V16 “rank” “rule” (2583) in KJV, used in 2 Cor. 10:13, 15, 16; Gal. 6:16; Acts period. Darby translates as “rule” expect in Phil.; Young translates as “line” in the three Cor. verses & “rule” in Gal. & Phil.; Rotherham as “limit” in Cor.

V17 “ensample” word 5179, used 15 more times, John 20:25 (2x), Acts 7:43, Acts 7:43, 44, 23:25, Rom. 5:14, 6:17, 1 Cor. 10:6 & 11,1 Thes. 1:7, 2 Thes. 3:9, 1 Tim. 4:12, Titus 2:7, Heb. 8:5, 1 Peter 5:3. All Israel

V19 “shame” word 152, used 5 other times, Luke 14:9, 2 Cor. 4:2, Heb. 12:2, Jude 1:13, Rev. 3:18. All Israel

V 19 “earthly things” word 1919, used 5 other times, John 3:12, 1 Cor. 15:40, 2 Cor. 5:1, Phil. 2:10, James 3:15. All Israel

V20 “waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ”, word “wait” 553 used 6 other times, Rom. 8:19, 23, 25, 1 Cor. 1:7; Gal. 5:5, Heb. 9:28 All Acts period

V21 “body (4983) of glory (1391)”; the two words are used together in one verse, 1 Cor. 15:40. Acts period

V21 “Who will transfigure our humbled body, into conformity with his glorified body” cross reference 1 John 3:2. Israel

 
Chapter 4

ACTS PERIOD

V1 “crown” word 4735 used 17 other times, Mat. 27:29, Mark 15:17, John 19:2, 5, 1 Cor. 9:25, 1 Thes. 2:19, 2 Tim. 4:8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Rev. 2:10, 3:11, 4:4, 10; 6:2, 9:7, 12:1, 14:14. All Israel

V3 “book of life” quoted from Psalm 69:28

Word “book” words 975 & 976, “life” word 2222

975 & 2222, Rev. 17:8, 20:12, 21:27

976 & 2222, Phil. 4:3, Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 20:15 (Rev. 22:19, most manuscripts have “tree” rather than “life”.)

All other uses of 975 – Mat. 19:7, Mark 10:4, Luke 4:17 (2x), 20, John 20:30, 21:25, Gal. 3:10, 2 Tim. 4:13, Heb. 9:19, 10:7, Rev. 1:11, 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9; 6:14, 20:12 (2 x), 22:7, 9, 10, 18 (2x), 19;

All other uses of word 976 – Mat. 1:1, Mark 12:26, Luke 3:4, 20:42, Acts 1:20, 7:42, 19:19, Rev. 22:19 (2x). All Israel. See below.

V5 “near” or “at hand”, word 1451, used 29 other times, always with the idea of “being near”. Paul used it 3 times in Eph. 2:13, 17 and Rom. 10:8. All other uses in the gospels, Acts, Hebrews & Revelation.

Others verses with the idea that the Lord is near: Mat. 24:33, Mark 13:29, Luke 21:31, Rev. 1:3, 22:10. See below.

V22 “All the saints salute you, but especially they who are of Caesar’s household.” See note on chapter 1:13. Paul was not an enemy of Rome that he would have been imprisoned in Caesar’s palace in Rome. Paul is referring to those believers in the palace in the land of Israel where he was held as a prisoner.

Verse 3, Book of Life

Psalm 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And, with the righteous, let them not be enrolled.

Life (Word 2222) and Book (Word 976)

1. Php 4:3 Yea! I request thee also, true yokefellow, be thou helping together with these women,—who, indeed, in the joyful message, have maintained the combat with me, along with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names, are in the book of life.

2. Re 3:5 He that overcometh, shall, thus, array himself in white garments, and in nowise will I blot out his name, from the book of life; and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his messengers.

3. Re 13:8 And all they who are dwelling upon the earth will do homage unto him,—every one whose name is not written in the scroll of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Alternate Reading: Re 13:8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain. (American Standard Version)

4. Re 20:15 And, if anyone was not found, in the book of life, written, he was cast into the lake of fire.

Verse 3, Life (Word 2222) and Book (Word 975)

1. Re 17:8 The wild-beast which thou sawest, was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss, and into, destruction, goeth away. And they who are dwelling upon the Earth whose name is not written upon the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished, when they see the wild-beast, because it was, and is not, and shall be present.

2. Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and, books, were opened, and, another book, was opened, which is, the book, of life; and the dead, were judged, out of the things written in the books, according to their Works.

3. Re 21:27 And in nowise shall there enter into it, anything common, or he that doeth abomination and falsehood,—but only they who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Verse 5, Near (Word 1451)

Paul’s three usages:

Eph 2:13 But, just now, in Christ Jesus, ye, who (nations) at one time were afar off, were made nigh in the blood of the Christ;

Eph 2:17 And, coming, he announced the glad-message—of peace, unto you (the nations), the far off, and peace, unto them that were nigh (Israel);

In these two Ephesians verses, Israel had been near while the nations had been far off. This was before the good news of Christ Jesus that the middle wall of partition had been broken down (Ephesians 2:14) and now the nations were joint-heirs with Israel (Ephesians 3:6). The second coming of Jesus Christ is not the subject of these verses.

Rom 10:8 But what saith it? Near thee, is the declaration, In thy mouth and in thy heart,—that is, the declaration of the faith, which we proclaim:—

The use of “near” in Romans refers to the declaration of faith.

Some verses where “near” is used for the Lord’s return.

Mat 24:33 Thus, ye also, when ye shall see all these things, observe ye, that, near, he is, at the doors.

Mark 13:29 Thus, ye also, when ye shall see these things coming to pass, observe ye, that, near, he is, at the doors.

Luke 21:31 Thus, ye also, whensoever ye shall see, these, things coming to pass, observe ye, that, near, is the kingdom of God!

Rev 1:3 Happy! he that readeth, and they who hear, the words of the prophecy, and keep the things, therein, written; for, the season, is, near.

Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me—Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for, the season, is, near:

The remaining 21 uses of word 1451 are Mat 24:32, 26:18, Mark 13:28, Luke 19:11, 21:30, John 2:13, 3:23, 6:4, 19, 23; 7:2, 11:18, 54, 55; 19:20, 42; Acts 1:12, 9:38, 27:8, Heb. 6:8, 8:13. 

Parallels Between Philippians and Matthew

Charles Welch in his book, ‘Parable, Miracle, and Sign’, saw the parallels between Philippians and Matthew. However he did not recognize that Philippians also spoke of the earthly kingdom. Below is that section from his book. This author placed in blue font the text with which she disagrees.

Parallels with Philippians

We have sought to show that the Sermon on the Mount, while not the ‘Laws of the Kingdom’ or the ‘Charter of the Church’, gives exhortations and commands to those believers who in a period of rejection look forward to the kingdom, and give up all in their desire to be counted worthy to obtain an entrance and receive the reward.

It will be confirmatory evidence to show the parallels that exist with the epistle to the Philippians. We already know that Philippians is the epistle of the Prize. It stands to the church of the One Body in the same relationship as the Sermon on the Mount stands to the subject of the kingdom of heaven. While the sphere of these two parts of Scripture varies, the underlying principle is the same.

(1) The Place of Self – We observed that the believer is urged in Matthew 6 to ‘seek first the kingdom of God’, so in Philippians 2, the Apostle writes:

‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others … For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’ (Phil. 2:4, 21).

(2) Suffering, Rejoicing and Reward – The Sermon on the Mount says:

‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven’ (Matt. 5:11, 12).

Philippians says:

‘But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places … some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds … What then? … I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice … For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake’ (Phil. 1:12-18, 29).

(3) Perfection, the Standard

‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matt. 5:48).

‘Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect … Let us therefore, as many as would be perfect, be thus minded. According to a mark I press toward the prize’ (Phil. 3:12-15 Author’s translation).

(4) Sonship should be manifest

‘Love your enemies … that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven’ (Matt. 5:44, 45).

‘That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke’ (Phil. 2:15).

(5) The light must shine

‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’ (Matt. 5:16).

‘Shine ye (A.V. margin) as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life’ (Phil. 2:15, 16).

(6) A spirit of yielding in contrast with self-assertion

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matt. 5:3)
,
‘Blessed are the meek’ (Matt. 5:5),

‘Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain’ (Matt. 5:39-41).

‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus … the form of God … the form of a servant … He humbled Himself’ (Phil. 2:5-8).

‘Let your moderation (yieldingness) be known unto all men’ (Phil. 4:5).

(7) Anxiety over daily affairs

‘Take no thought (merimnao) for your life’ (Matt. 6:25). ‘Take no thought for the morrow’ (Matt. 6:34).

‘Be careful (merimnao) for nothing’ (Phil. 4:6).

The verb merimnao, ‘to take anxious thought; be anxious’, occurs in the prison epistles only in Philippians. There in that epistle it occurs twice. Seen together they present the truth complete.

‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing’ (Phil. 4:6).

‘I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state (be anxious concerning your affairs). For all seek their own’ (Phil. 2:20, 21).

It is impossible to be anxious over self, if one seeks first the kingdom of God and the blessing of others. This spirit should be that of all who seek the prize.

(8) Contrasted with the reward is destruction

‘Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction (apoleia), and many there be which go in thereat’ (Matt. 7:13).

‘Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? … depart from Me, ye that work iniquity’ (Matt. 7:22, 23).

‘Many walk … whose end is destruction’ (apoleia) (Phil. 3:18, 19).

For further light on this meaning of destruction consider the bearing of 1 Corinthians 3:11-17, also Matthew 25:31-46, where entry into the kingdom is contrasted with aionion fire, ‘Depart from Me’.

(9) A censorious spirit is to be shunned

‘Judge not, that ye be not judged’ (Matt. 7:1).

‘Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?’ (Matt. 7:3).

‘In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves’ (Phil. 2:3).

‘Whatsoever things are true … honest … just … if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on (impute) these things’ (Phil. 4:8).

If it were necessary, we could turn to the epistles to the Hebrews and of James for further parallels, but we feel the truth is sufficiently established, and space is valuable. While clearly seeing the place which the Sermon on the Mount occupies, let us beware of that supercilious spirit, that spiritual pride which, alas, sometimes contradicts the professed faith of those who ‘rightly divide the Word of truth’.
 

C o n c l u s i o n

The following words and phrases show that Philippians was written during the Acts period:

1. Overseers, in Acts period assemblies
2. Day of Jesus Christ, earthly kingdom
3. Incorrupt
4. Differ
5. In bonds
6. Palace in Jerusalem
7. Opposition to preaching the Word
8. Destruction
9. To suffer on His behalf
10. Every knee shall bow, Isaiah quote
11. Every tongue confess, Isaiah quote
12. Work out your salvation
13. Harmless
14. Being poured out, OT offerings
15. Dogs, false circumcision
16. Advantages of Jews
17. Law not set aside
18. Resurrection
19. Prize
20. Rank
21. Ensample
22. Shame
23. Earthly things
24. Waiting for the Lord
25. Body of glory
26. Crown
27. Book of Life
28. Lord is near
29. Parallels with Sermon on the Mount

The following words and phrases may show that Philippians was written after the Acts period:

1. Personal knowledge and perception; also used in Ephesians and Colossians
2. Walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; also stated in Ephesians
3. In bonds
4. Epaphroditus was sick unto death
5. Paul striving for perfection; Col. 1:28 admonishing believers to become Perfect

Numbers 1, 2, and 5 are general admonitions for all callings and dispensations.

Number 3, Paul was in bonds both during the Acts period and post Acts when he wrote Ephesians and Colossians.

None of these four establish the time of writing as being after the close of the book of Acts. That leaves number 4.

Paul had the gift of healing during the Acts period. Yet Paul himself had a thorn in the flesh that he couldn’t and God wouldn’t heal, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. He also told Timothy to drink wine for the sake of his stomach, 1 Timothy 5:23.

The sign gifts such as healing were for the unbelieving Jews, 1 Corinthians 1:22. Paul was not healed from all of the abuse that he suffered from beatings, stoning, etc. Luke the physician was his companion to tend to his physical needs. Paul and the other workers of the Lord were not automatically healed. In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul stated: Erastus, remained in Corinth; but, Trophimus, I left at Miletus, sick.

The fact that Epaphroditus was sick unto death does not prove that Philippians was written after the close of the book of Acts.

The overwhelming evidence of the words and phrases prove that Philippians was written during the Acts period.

By Jan Lilleby

We notice already in Paul’s greeting in Tit 1:1, 2 that his teaching is based upon the type of ministry he had when it was written, namely the New Covenant to Israel, the promise given their forefathers. We read:

“Paul, a bond servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to stimulate and promote the faith of God’s chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness. 2: in the hope of eternal life (Greek: Aion, the millennial hope), which the ever truthful God Who cannot deceive promised before the world or the ages of time began.” (Amplified Bible).

Who was the chosen ones throughout the entire Old Testament from Abraham in Deut 12, if not Israel? So Paul tells Titus here that his ministry was to lead Israel on to the faith accordingly, in hope of the millennial kingdom on earth. Also pointing to the promise. It was still ‘Jews first, then Greek’ (Rom 1:16).

If now Paul confessed to Titus that his ministry was to lead Israel into faith in Christ, it was but one doctrine at that time in history: The New Covenant to Israel in the blood of Jesus (Hebr 8-9; Jer 31:31-34).

Based upon what God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Confirmed to Moses at Sinai Ex 19:5, 6.

This was the very same ‘Gospel reference’ as Paul and Barnabas preached in Galatia in 43 AD, Acts 13:32:

“So now we are bringing you the Gospel that what God promised to our forefathers.”

Anyhow, I have to say that much of what I have written of 2 Tim can also be said of the Titus epistle – in that Paul’s exhortations and warnings against false teaching etc. has its full validity in a general sense, since the Word of God must in all dispensations be defended and held in high regard, thus going against false gospel-preaching and ecumenism.

The Gospel doctrine must be kept pure and unaltered and not allowing this to be compromised. This is not God’s job, but it is our job as believers to defend the ONE FAITH of Eph 4:5.

This, in spite of the obvious lack of apostles and prophets in our dispensation.

In Tit 2:14 we meet the demand of the believer’s faith to be openly demonstrated through works, a commandment that originates from Moses onward, and which was adopted into the New Covenant – only with the difference that in case a believer fell in sin, he could come to the elders and confess it (see James 5:13-16) – and then his sin would not be able to hinder his eventual illness to be healed by God by the laying on of hands.

There is no doubt that Paul wrote of Israel in the following passage:

“Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people eager and enthusiastic about beneficial deeds.”

Compare this with the Grace Doctrine of no deeds/works in Eph 2:8, 9:

“For it is by free grace that you are saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God. 9: NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.”

The thing with the Jews – having to show forth their faith through deeds/works, has followed them at all times. It came already as God called Abram, later Abraham, and even more so when Moses received the covenant at Sinai. Works are arch-typical to classical Jewry.

Tit 3:4-7 could at first sight look like a controversy to this, but not if we take a closer look:

“But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, 5: He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth and renewing of the Holy spirit, 6: which He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ, our Savior. 7: That we might be justified by His grace, and that we might become heirs of eternal life (Greek: Aion, millennial life) according to our hope.”

But no sooner that Paul wrote this, – that the works themselves had no saving-power – he re-gains the idea of and the importance of the ordinance of showing forth good deeds/works, as in verse 8:

“..to honorable occupations and to doing good…”.

The reference above in verses 4-7 is not the free grace as we now have it – but it was the New Covenant to Israel. If we read through all the Acts-epistles, we will meet this type of grace again and again, the grace that justified the believing Jew from the Law of Moses. But we, the church of the ‘One New Man’ are not justified from the Law, but from the sin inherited from Adam.

In these few verses we also find the baptism by the Holy Spirit as for instance demonstrated at Pentecost in Acts 2, and later we find this baptism granted them through the laying on of hands by the apostles. And their spiritual status was not as with us – ‘A New Creation’ – but they had what Jesus called ‘New Birth’. These are not the same. Adam and Eve were created, but their children were born. Angels are not born; they were created each and every one of them.

And the dispensation of the free grace of God, has in it that the believers are considered not born again, but as a group we are the New Creation. You see the difference?

The conclusion will therefore have to be – all things considered – that the epistle to Titus does not belong under the church dispensation, but was written to Titus in the era when Paul was ministering to Israel in the Empire by preaching the New Covenant to Israel and proselytes. The promise given to the Jewish forefathers (Acts 13:32).

It seems now to me that only three epistles remain ‘Church epistles’, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. The Mystery revealed is mentioned only in the two first and not in Philemon. But Philemon represents to us an example of how we are supposed to act between believers, by kindness and forgiveness. Even if it is so that the entire Bible can be held as Scripture from which we can draw edification, if we only know which Scripture is written to the present dispensation.

For instance in the question of eternity and ‘Heaven and Hell’ – we cannot allow ourselves to dwell only in the New Testament, let alone the three church epistles. We have to check out the Old Testament also – and as a sum of these we find that there is absolutely no ‘Hell’ for the unbeliever in the meaning of ‘Eternal torment in fire’. Just as much, we find that the Old Testament displays the nature and mind of God Almighty, His power to create and maintain His creation, and so on and so forth. It gives us a solid background for evaluating our own spiritual status and whereabouts and to appreciate our wonderful standing with God in Christ.

The time aspect of the epistle to Titus will then have to be before the end of Acts, and not after. Also in this matter my thanks will go to Irene M. Walther for her fine research which she shared with me. It made clear to me how this time aspect must have ran its course as it happened.

The time in which Titus must be placed, is the unspecified part of Paul’s travels, not made known through the pen of Luke. Namely Paul’s travel up to Illyricum, mentioned in Rom 15:19. It has to have happened before Paul went onboard the ship to start his journey to Jerusalem in about 58-59 AD. And it is worth mentioning that we cannot find Titus mentioned in the Acts.

Acts 27: 7, 8 tells of Paul entering the harbor of Fair Havens nearby Lasea at Crete on his journey to Rome as prisoner, due to harsh winds, and they barely rounded Cape Salmone because of it. But he could not do any form of ministry at that time, for he was in chains.

His journey to Illyricum and finally to Crete with Titus, must have been two, maybe three years earlier.
Illyricum was a nation just North-West of Macedonia, nearby Dalmatia in the upper Adriatic Sea region. We know for sure that Titus went to Dalmatia for a while, and Paul definitely travelled to and through Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 2).

It is my personal opinion that this unspecified non-descript journey to Crete with Titus, via Illyricum, may have lasted 6 months to one year, and I think we can place the event in 57 AD more or less. I think this is credible. Titus is definitely an Acts epistle, no question about that.

I agree much with Irene M. Walther, in that it may seem like this travel to Illyricum may not have been any great concern to the Lord, so it is not in the Acts. Neither is the travel to Crete for evangelization…but that event is taken care of by the epistle to Titus.

By Jan Lilleby

In spite of 2 Tim being an Acts epistle, I will continue in regarding Paul’s exhortations there especially when he warns of false teachers/false doctrine; this because such warnings are absolutely inter-dispensational. It is obvious, isn’t it? We can by no means escape the responsibility in going forward with the one true faith, the one true gospel – thus we must resist any attempt to ecumenism.

I can only say (and I guess many other believers suffer from this at times) that I had gotten into a habitual thinking, in that most scholars hold to 2 Tim as a farewell epistle as the apostle was heading for his execution under Nero. But this is not so. Many translations are into grave error regarding such a concept. I’ll come to this shortly.

The main contents of the epistle shows us that it was written with the New Covenant to Israel in mind, in which the Kingdom of God on earth was included as their hope of salvation. (Check also Irene M. Walther’s article here in my site, as she goes through the same topic, but with many detailed references and quotes).

In the Norwegian translation of 1988 (Norsk Bibel), 2 Tim 4:6 speaking of Paul as a person anticipating his execution, the word ‘bortgang’ is used. This is ONLY used in Norwegian language when a soon expected death is in view, for instance an execution, or if a man is on his death-bed to die from illness. But in English Bibles we find the word ‘departure’ (a word-sign which we see inside all airports) – and also ‘release’. The latter used for instance when an inmate is released from Sing-Sing after doing time there. These words in English are far better than the blunt ‘bortgang’ in Norwegian, which can only mean a forthcoming death.

2 Tim 4:6 also has another key word, saying “..For jeg blir alt ofret..” in Norwegian (I am already sacrificed, in English) – and it could very well point to a forthcoming Death.

But in English we find the two Words ‘poured out’ – which rather points us to the image of a drink offer. Not a slaughtered sacrifice, but only a drink offer. Such a drink offer points to Paul as a servant poured out for the ministry under God’s New Covenant to Israel. His whole life was an offer before God and before Israel. He would be such an offer whether in jail or not.

2 Tim 4:13 say a lot, because here we find Paul making arrangements for his immediate future existence. Arrangements he would not have cared for should he head for an execution:

“When you come, bring the cloak (winter coat!) that I left in Troas with Carpus, also the books, especially the parchments (Torah).”

Now, does this sound like a man who has no future life/ministry on earth? Of course not. You would not be asking for your winter coat if you expected to die shortly. You will have no use for a coat like that ‘in heaven’ if you catch my drift.

In Roman jailing-and executional practice it always went down real quick. If the sentence was death by the sword, then he was taken to the Executioner right away, no time for appeal and expensive super-lawyers…like often seen in the TV-series of our time. His head would be rolling only a few minutes after the sentence was read. Brutal and very effective. I am glad that I am not a ‘customer’ of Roman justice!

Need I remind us of the Salome intrigue and the beheading of John the Baptist? (Matt 14:1-11).

Or of the brutal (sometimes merciful to a wounded Gladiator) custom of the Emperor turning his thumb down in the Roman Arenas with its violent Gladiator tournaments? If the emperor wanted the Gladiator to live, he turned his thumb up, but if he was to die by the sword, the thumb went down. Most often it went down.

It is still very important for us to keep separated those epistles written to Israel and their proselytes, from those written to our dispensation with the ‘One New Man’ (Eph 2:15). The church has nothing to do with the promises given solely to Israel, the Kingdom on earth with Christ as their King.

I would like to go through a few good examples which go to show us that 2 Tim really is an Acts epistle, and that it has no connection with the promise of heaven up above, but only the promise given the forefathers of Jewry.

The entire traditional idea of Paul heading for his execution, after he wrote 2 Tim, is without proof in the Bible.

There has been the tradition of Paul arrested shortly after the fire in Rome in 64 AD, but this is only a human legend and not a sure Scripture. We cannot and must not rely on human legends and anticipations picked up outside of the Bible canon. No one knows for sure when and how Paul died, no one. We are forced to let that issue remain unanswered. But we can say that he was not beheaded shortly after 2 Tim. This is for sure.

PAUL AND THE PROMISE TO THE FOREFATHERS

Already in 2 Tim 1:3 we learn that Paul pointed to the forefathers of Israel:

“I thank God Whom I worship with a pure conscience, in the spirit of my fathers, when without ceasing I remember you night and day in my prayers.”

See also verse 1 saying “..according to the promise of life..”.

The clear reference here is that which God PROMISED PAUL’S FOREFATHERS: The Kingdom of God on earth, with Christ on the royal throne.

This was the very same reference that Paul also pointed to early in his ministry to Israel in the Empire, in the year 43 AD, we read from Acts 13:32:

“So now we are bringing you the Gospel that what God promised to our forefathers..”.

Ergo, Paul had not yet gotten the revelation of the Mystery church dispensation referred to in Eph 3:1-9. He was still doing his sacrificial ministry to Jews and proselytes only.

PAUL MAKING DOCTRINAL UNITY WITH
THE LORD’S EARTHLY MINISTRY

2 Tim 1:8 is pretty disarming for those who would oppose my ideas here:

“Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but take your share of the suffering of the Gospel in the power of God.”

Here the Norwegian 1988 translation is better, and truer: “..skam deg derfor ikke ved vår Herres vitnesbyrd, eller ved meg, hans fange…”

Translated directly, it says: “Be not ashamed of our Lord’s testimony (the doctrine Jesus preached in His time of ministry) or of me, His prisoner…”.

In other words, Paul held forth the New Covenant to Israel, – the testimony of Christ. A covenant including the Kingdom on earth at the Lord’s Second Advent.

PAUL EXPECTED THE IMMINENT RETURN OF JESUS

Paul’s reference to a future expected day and event as seen in 2 Tim 1:12 is a passage which only applies to the Second Advent:

“..which I has committed to Him until that day.”

And even describing his rulership together with Jesus after His coming:

2 Tim 2:12: “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him, we shall also live with Him.”

This is entirely in line with Christ’s doctrine from His earthly ministry, when He promised His disciples rulership together with Him on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28). But we, the church according to the revealed Mystery of Eph 1-3 chapters are not to be seated on ruler thrones with Jesus in Jerusalem; we are seated together with Him and in Him, in the heaven up above the heavens – epiouranos (Eph 2:6-8; Col 3:1-4).

JUDGING THE LIVING AND THE DEAD,
AND BY HIS COMING AND HIS KINGDOM

This is a good passage. It points solely to the parousia-coming – the Lord’s Second Advent to rule as King in Jerusalem. It is the millennial kingdom promised by Moses and the prophets.

2 Tim 4:1: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His coming and His kingdom…”

He is coming down to earth for His kingdom. It is not the kingdom up there in heaven, for sure.

Furthermore, but shortly, all the exhortations found in chapter 3 and 4 regarding a coming apostasy and decadence, has to do not with the church but with the turmoil within the Great Tribulation for Israel. Paul has more of that in 2 Thess 2.

HOW ABOUT THE WELL KNOWN ISSUE
OF RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH?

Let me quickly answer this right on: We shall maintain the very same principle of right division, in spite of 2 Tim 2:15 as written originally to Israel and proselytes.

Why?

You already know the answer to that. Because of the fact that this is a principle of God and is so during any dispensation!

When Paul wrote this, the Jewish assemblies with their proselytes had to make right division between the old Law of Moses and the New Covenant. The Law called by Paul in Hebr 8-9 as a doctrine which was defected. Hebr 8:7 says:

“For if that first covenant (Law of Moses) had been without defect, there would have been no room for another one, or an attempt to institute another one.”

And yet, the old Law of Moses was not taken off the roster at that time, but it was combined together with the New Covenant – and the latter had the high priority. (See also Rom. 3:31)

But they would have to learn to make right division still. The New Covenant was different in several ways.
The only persons on earth in history not having to make right division, were Adam and Eve. They had the Lord Himself as companion and teacher and shepherd, and no doctrines to separate. And yet, they fell in sin.

I will encourage all Acts-28 believers in seeing that the faith doctrine for the church dispensation is found in Ephesians and Colossians only, supported maybe by Philemon as we learn how to be compassionate and forgiving, like Paul.

See also my fresh article on Titus epistle as an Acts epistle….

By Irene M. Walther, FL, USA

 Was 2 Timothy written during the Acts period or after the close of the Acts period?  The table below lists words and phrases that indicate the book was written either during the Acts period or post Acts.  All Scriptures are from Rotherham Emphasized Bible unless otherwise noted.

Chapter 1

 

Acts Period	Post Acts?
Chapter 1
V3 Grateful, am I, unto God,—unto whom I am rendering divine service from my progenitors (ancestors) Note:  Jewish religion	V15 that all they who are in Asia have turned away from me,—of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. Note:  These two are named zero other times in the New and Old Testaments.  We do not know their time period.  It may have been during the Acts period.
V5 unfeigned faith in thee,—such, as dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice Note:  Jewish religion
Note:  Laying on of hands to impart gifts of the holy spirit was done during the Acts period, and that gift was still in operation when 2 Timothy was written.
V9 the peculiar purpose and favour—which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age-during (αιωνιων, Strong’s word 166)  times, (word 5550) See below
V10 But hath now been made manifest through means of the forthshining (word 2015) of our Saviour Christ Jesus See below
V14  the holy spirit which dwells in you Note:  This phrase “the spirit” dwelling in you” is used three times.  The other two usages are in Romans. Ro 8:11a  If, moreover, the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from among the dead dwelleth in you, Ro 8:11b  he that raised from among the dead Christ Jesus, shall make alive [[even]] your death-doomed bodies, through means of his indwelling Spirit within you.
V16-17 Onesiphorus ofttimes, hath refreshed me, in Rome, he diligently sought out and found me, Note:  Paul was a prisoner in Rome for two whole years in his own hired house (Acts 28:30-31).  This is the only time recorded in Scriptures that Paul was in Rome.

 

Verse 9, Words 5550 (Times) and 166 (Age-during) Together

 

1. Ro 16:25 Now, unto him who hath power to establish you, according to my glad-message even the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of a sacred secret, in age-past times kept silent,
2. 2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the peculiar purpose and favour which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age-during times,
3. Word 166 is translated as “age-abiding” except for these three usages with the word “time”.  It is derived from word 165, “age”.  In only these three verses are “age-abiding” and “time” put together and the 2 Timothy and Titus verses are the only ones where “age-abiding’ and “before” are used together.

   Verse 10, Word 2015 Forthshining

   1. 2Th 2:8 And, then, shall be revealed the lawless one,—whom, the Lord Jesus, will slay with the Spirit of his mouth, and paralyse with the forthshining of his Presence:
   2. 1Ti 6:14 That thou keep the commandment without spot, free from reproach, until the forthshining of our Lord Jesus Christ
   3. 2Ti 1:10 But hath now been made manifest through means of the forthshining of our Saviour Christ Jesus, Who, indeed, hath abolished death, and hath thrown light upon life and incorruptibility, through means of the glad-message:
   4. 2Ti 4:1 I adjure thee before God, and Christ Jesus Who is about to be judging living and dead, both as to his forthshining and his kingdom,
   5. 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth, lieth by for me the crown, of righteousness, which the Lord will render unto me in that, day, The righteous judge, Ye, not alone unto me, but unto all them also who have loved his forthshining.
   6. Tit 2:13 Prepared to welcome the happy hope and forthshining of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Christ Jesus,

   The first occurrence of word 2015 is in 2 Thessalonians 2:8.  It clearly teaches that the forthshining will be at Christ’s second coming to earth at the end of the tribulation period when He destroys the lawless one, the Anti-Christ.  That is future.  Verses 4, 5, and 6 are also in the future tense.  Christ will judge the living and the dead in the future, Paul will be awarded the crown of righteousness in the future, and the forthshining of the glory of God is also future.

   In numbers 2 and 3, the verbs are in the aorist tense.  In number 2, the verb is aorist, active, infinitive.  The action is simply occurring-indefinite, punctiliar.  It is an infinitive, that is, a verbal noun.  Timothy is charged to continue to keep the commandments for an undetermined time until the forthshining of the Lord.  The forthshining here is also in the future.

   That leaves 2 Timothy 1:10, the verse under study.  What has now been made manifest by the forthshining of Christ Jesus?  The context answers that question:

   9  Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the peculiar purpose and favour—which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age-during times,

   10  But hath now been made manifest through means of the forthshining of our Saviour Christ Jesus,—Who, indeed, hath abolished death, and hath thrown light upon life and incorruptibility, through means of the glad-Message:

   God’s calling, purpose, and favour, which were in the past, were manifested by the forthshining of Christ Jesus at His first coming to Earth.

   Forthshining is used of both Christ’s first and second comings to Earth.

   At His first coming, He manifested what were God’s purpose and favour.

   At His second coming, He will

   • Slay the lawless one (the Antichrist)
   • Judge the living and the dead
   • Award the crown of righteousness

   Timothy was charged to keep God’s commandments until the forthshining, and Titus was told to welcome the forthshining of the glory of God.

   Chapter 2

    

   Acts Period	Post Acts?
   Chapter 2
   V8 Jesus Christ—raised from among the dead, of the seed of David,—according to my joyful message: Note:  The only other use of the term “seed of David” is in Romans 1:3, an Acts period epistle. 2  Which he promised beforehand, through his prophets, in holy scriptures— 3  Concerning his Son,—who came to be of the seed of David, according to flesh,
   V17  Hymenaeus and Philetus Note:  1. Hymenaeus is also mentioned in Delivering a person to satan is only stated one other time 1Co 5:5  To deliver such a one as this, unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh,—that, the spirit, may be saved in the day of the Lord.  This was during the Acts period. 2. This is the only mention of Philetus.

    

   Chapter 3

    

   Acts Period	Post Acts?
   Chapter 3
   See below
   Note:  These two are Old Testament people.
   V15 And that, from a babe, those sacred letters, thou hast known which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus: Note:  Old Testament

    

   Verse 1, Words 2078 (Last) and 2250 (Days)

    

   1. Joh 6:39 And, this, is the will of him that sent me, That, of all that which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
   2. Joh 6:40 For, this, is the will of my Father, That, every one that vieweth the Son, and believeth on him, should have life age-abiding, and, I, should raise him up, at the last day.
   3. Joh 6:44 No one, can come unto me, except, the Father who sent me, draw him, and, I, will raise him up, in the last day.
   4. Joh 7:37 Now, on the last the great day of the feast, Jesus was standing, and he cried aloud, saying If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink:
   5. Joh 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise, in the resurrection, in the last day.
   6. Joh 12:48 He that setteth me aside, and receiveth not my sayings, hath that which is to judge him: The word that I spake, that, will judge him, in the last day.
   8. Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver, have rusted away, and, their rust, shall be, witness against you, and shall eat your flesh, as fire! Ye have laid up treasure in days of extremity:
   9. 2Pe 3:3 Of this, first, taking note that there will come, in the last of the days, with scoffing, scoffers, after their own covetings, going on,

    

   In all of the uses except for John 7:37 and Hebrews 1:2, last days refer to a specific time period before the Lord returns and at His return.  John 7:37 is the last day of the feast.  Hebrews 2:1, the last days refer to the days of Christ’s earthly ministry.

   Chapter 4

    

   Acts Period	Post Acts?
   Chapter 4
   V1 Christ Jesus to judge at His forthshining and His kingdom. See “Forthshining” above	V7 The noble contest, have I contested, the race, have I finished, the faith, have I kept: See below
   V6a Paul is being poured out as a drink-offering. See below	Note:  Col 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, salute you. Phm 1:24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke,—my fellow-workers. These are the only three references to Demas in the New Testament. In Colossians 4:14, Demas was still with Paul and had not forsaken him.  That seems to place 2 Timothy as written later than Colossians. However, there are two possible explanations: 1.      Demas did return to Paul at a later date and again ministered with Paul OR 2.      There was more than one person named Demas in Paul’s ministry.
   See below	V12 “and, Tychicus, have I sent unto Ephesus.” Note:  Eph 6:21 In order, however, that, ye also, may know the things which relate to me—what I am accomplishing,—all things, shall Tychicus make known unto you, he the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 1.      Travel was slow.  Ephesians was written AFTER Paul sent Tychicus in 2 Timothy and while he was still on his journey. 2.      OR It is possible that Paul sent Tychicus to the Ephesians more than one time.
   See above  chapter 1for Forthshining See below for crown of righteousness

    

   Verse 6, Poured Out As a Drink Offering

    

   “Poured out as a drink offering” or “offered as a libation” in the Apostolic Bible Polyglot is understood by some believers to refer to Paul’s imminent martyrdom.  Is that what the term actually means?  The Greek word 4689 is only used one other time in the New Testament, in Philippians, and is used twenty times in the LXX.  Below are all the occurrences of word 4689, from the Apostolic Bible Polyglot.

    

   1. G1473 [²gold^{G5553 1}of pure]^G2513 you shall make^G4160 them.^G1473
   2. Exo_30:9 And^G2532 you shall not offer^{G3756 G399} upon^G1909 it^G1473 [²incense^{G2368 1}another].^G2087 A yield offering ,² and^G2532 a sacrifice offering ,^G2378 and^G2532 a libation offering ^G4700.2 you shall not offer^{G3756 G4689} upon^G1909 it.^G1473
   3. Exo_37:16 And^G2532 he made^G4160 the^G3588 utensils^G4632 for the^G3588 table,^G5132 both^{G3588 G5037} its saucers,^{G5165 G1473} and^G2532 the^G3588 incense pans,¹ and^G2532 the^G3588 cups,^G2939.1 and^G2532 the^G3588 libation bowls^G4700.1 in^G1722 which^G3739 the priest will offer libations^G4689 in^G1722 them,^G1473 [²gold^{G5553 1} made of pure].^G2513
   4. 2 ^G1473 the^G3588 fourth part ^G5067 of the^G3588 hin^G1511 to the^G3588 [²lamb^{G286 G3588 1}one].^G1520 In^G1722 the^G3588 holy place ^G39 you shall offer^G4689 a libation offering ^G4700.2 of liquor^G4608 to the lord .^G2962
   5. 2Sa_23:16 And^G2532 [⁴tore up^{G1284 1}the^{G3588 2}three^{G5140 3}mighty ones]^G1415 the^G3588 camp^G3925 of the^G3588 Philistines,^G246 and^G2532 they drew² water^G5204 from^G1537 the^G3588 well,^G2978.1 of the one^G3588 in^G1722 Beth-lehem,^G* of the one^G3588 by^G1722 the^G3588 gate.^G4439 And^G2532 they took of it ,^G2983 and^G2532 came^G3854 to^G4314 David.^G* And^G2532 he did not^G3756 want^G2309 to drink^G4095 it,^G1473 and^G2532 he offered it a libation^{G4689 G1473} to the^G3588 lord .^G2962
   6. 1Ch_11:18 And^G2532 [³tore up^{G1284 1}the^{G3588 2}three]^G5140 the^G3588 camp^G3925 of the^G3588 Philistines,^G246 and^G2532 they drew² water^G5204 from^G1537 the^G3588 well^G2978.1 of ^G3588 Beth-lehem,^G* which^G3739 was^G1510.7.3 at^G1722 the^G3588 gate,^G4439 and^G2532 they took it,^G2983 and^G2532 came^G2064 to^G4314 David.^G* And^G2532 [²did not^{G3756 3}want^{G2309 1}David]^{G* G3588} to drink^G4095 it.^G1473 And^G2532 he gave it as a libation^{G4689 G1473} to the^G3588 lord ,^G2962
   7. Jer_19:13 And^G2532 the^G3588 houses^G3624 of Jerusalem,^G* and^G2532 the^G3588 houses^G3624 of the kings^G935 of Judah^G* will be^8.6 as^{G2531 G3588} a place^{G5117 G3588} having fallen into ruin^G1276.3 because of^G575 the^G3588 uncleannesses^G167 in^G1722 all^G3956 the^G3588 houses^G3614 in^G1722 which^G3739 they burned incense^G2370 upon^G1909 the^G3588 roofs^G1430 to all^G3956 the^G3588 military^G4756 of the^G3588 heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 offered^G4689 libations^G4700.2 to strange gods.^{G2316 G245}
   8. Jer_44:17 For^G3754 in doing^G4160 we will do^G4160 all^G3956 the^G3588 matter^G3056 which^G3739 shall come forth^G1831 out of^{G1537 G3588} our mouth^{G4750 G1473} to burn incense^G2370 to the^G3588 queen^{G938 G3588} of heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 to offer^G4689 to her^G1473 libations,² as^G2505 we did^G4160 ourselves,^G1473 and^{G2532 G3588} our fathers,^{G3962 G1473} and^{G2532 G3588} our kings,^{G935 G1473} and^{G2532 G3588} our rulers^{G758 G1473} in^G1722 the cities^G4172 of Judah,^G* and^G2532 outside^G1855 Jerusalem.^G* And^G2532 we were filled^G4130 of bread loaves,^G740 and^G2532 we were^G1096 better off ,^G5543 and^G2532 [³bad things ^{G2556 1}we did not^{G3756 2}see].^G1492
   9. Jer_44:18 And^G2532 as^G5613 we stopped^G1257 burning incense^G2370 to the^G3588 queen^G938 of the^G3588 heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 offering a libation^G4689 to her^G1473 of a libation,² [²were ⁴made less^{G1639.2 G3956 3}all^{G3956 1}we],^G1473 and^G2532 by^G1722 broadsword^G4501 and^G2532 by^G1722 famine^G3042 we failed.^G1587
   10. Jer_44:19a And^G2532 seeing that^G3754 we^G1473 burned incense^G2370 to the^G3588 queen^{G938 G3588} of heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 offered^G4689 to her^G1473 libations,² did we^G3361 without^{G427 G3588} our husbands^{G435 G1473} make^G4160 to her^G1473 cakes,^G5490.1
   11. Jer_44:19b and^G2532 offer^G4689 libations² to her?^G1473
   12. Jer_44:25 Thus^G3779 said^G2036 the lord ^{G2962 G3588} God^G2316 of Israel,^G* You^G1473 and^{G2532 G3588} your women^G1135 [² with ^{G3588 3}your mouth^{G4750 G1473 1}spoke],^G2980 and^{G2532 G3588} [²by your hands^{G5495 G1473 1}fulfilled],^G4137 saying,^G3004 In offering,^G4160 we shall offer^{G4160 G3588} our acknowledgment offerings ^{G3671 G1473} which^G3739 we acknowledged,^G3670 to burn incense^G2370 to the^G3588 queen^{G938 G3588} of heaven,^G3772 and^G2532 to offer^G4689 to her^G1473G4700.2 In adhering^G1696 you adhered to^{G1696 G3588} your acknowledgment offerings ,^{G3671 G1473} and^G2532 the offerings^G4160 which you offered.^G4160
   13. Eze_20:28 And^G2532 I brought them^{G1521 G1473} into^G1519 the^G3588 land^G1093 which^G3739 I lifted up^{G142 G3588} my hand^{G5495 G1473 G3588} to give^G1325 it^G1473 to them.^G1473 And^G2532 they beheld^G1492 every^G3956 [²hill^{G1015 1}high],^G5308 and^G2532 every^G3956 [²tree^{G3586 1}shady].¹ And^G2532 they sacrificed^G2380 there^G1563 to ^G3588 their gods.^{G2316 G1473} And^G2532 they arranged^G5021 there^G1563 the wrath^G3709 of the^G3588 gift offerings .^G1435 And^G2532 they arranged^G5021 there^G1563 a scent^G3744 of their pleasant aroma offering .^{G2175 G1473} And^G2532 they offered a libation^G4689 there^G1563 of their libation offerings .^{G4700.2 G1473}
   14. Dan_2:46 Then^{G5119 G3588} king^G935 Nebuchadnezzar^G* fell^G4098 upon^G1909 his face,^G4383 and^{G2532 G3588} did obeisance to Daniel,^{G* G4352} and^G2532 [⁴of a gift offering ^{2 5}and^{G2532 6}of a pleasant aroma offering ^{G2175 1}said^{G2036 2}to offer a libation^{G4689 3}to him].^G1473
   15. Php_2:17 But^G235 even if^G1499 I am offered as a libation^G4689 upon^G1909 the^G3588 sacrifice^G2378 and^G2532 ministration^G3009 of the^G3588 belief^{G4102 G1473} of yours,^G1473 I rejoice,^G5463 and^G2532 I rejoice along with^G4796 all^G3956G1473
   16. 2Ti_4:6 For I^{G1473 G1063} already^G2235 am offered as a libation,^G4689 and^G2532 the^G3588 time^{G2540 G3588} of my^G1699 separation^G359 stands by.^G2186

    

   Number 1 is Jacob pouring out olive oil as an offering, a libation, to the Lord.  Numbers 2-5 refer to the offering of libations in the tabernacle. Numbers 7 to 9 are Israelites offering libations to the Lord.

   Number 10 through 18 are libation offerings to idols as a form of worship.  In number 19, King Nebuchadnezzar offered a libation to Daniel.  In the last Old Testament usage, the Israelites did not offer libations to the Lord.

   In the two New Testament uses, Paul states that he is being offered as a libation, that is, his life was being poured out in his ministry.

   None of these libations involved Death.

   Verse 6, Paul’s Time of Release

   “Release”, word 359 is only used this one time in the New Testament and was not used at all in the LXX.  Here is the definition:

   ἀνάλυσις, analusis

   Thayer Definition:

   1) an unloosing (as of things woven)

   2) a dissolving (into separate parts)

   3) departure

   3a) a metaphor drawn from loosing from moorings preparatory to setting sail

   Part of Speech:  noun

   Word 359 is derived from word 360.

   ἀναλύω, analuō

   Thayer Definition:

   1) to unloose, undo again

   2) to depart, break up, to depart from life, to return

   Part of Speech:  verb

   Word 360 is used twice in the New Testament.

   1. Luk 12:36 And, ye yourselves, like unto men awaiting their own lord, once he may break up out of the marriage-feast,—that, when he cometh and knocketh, straightway, they may open unto him.
   2. Php 1:23 I am held in constraint, however, by reason of the two,—having, the coveting, to be released, and to be with, Christ, for it were far better!

   To translate the noun in 2 Timothy 4:6 the same as the verb, the verse would read: “For I already am being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my release stands by.”

   Per the context of 2 Timothy 4, Paul expected to soon be released from the prison where he was incarcerated.  In the following verses, he told Timothy to come speedily and to bring his cloak and the scrolls and parchments.  These are not the request of a man expecting to be executed soon.

   2Ti 4:9  Give diligence to come unto me speedily,

   “For, I, already, am being poured out as a drink-offering, and, the season of my release, is at   hand,”— is an accurate translation.  Paul was pouring out his life in ministry as an offering to the Lord and expected to be soon released from prison.

   Verse 7, Race or Course, Word 1408

   Below are the three uses of word 1408 from Young’s Literal Translation.

   1. Ac 13:25 and as John was fulfilling the course, he said, Whom me do ye suppose to be? I am not he, but, lo, he doth come after me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the sandal of his feet.
   2. Ac 20:24 but I make account of none of these, neither do I count my life precious to myself, so that I finish my course with joy, and the ministration that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully the good news of the grace of God.
   3. 2Ti 4:7 the good strife I have striven, the course I have finished, the faith I have kept,

   In Acts, Paul’s desire was to finish his course.  In 2 Timothy, he stated that yes he had completed it.  John the Baptist also had a course that he fulfilled.

   This verse states that Paul finished the course that he was in during the Acts period, the course of the earthly kingdom.  Paul never stated that he was in a course in any of his other epistles and definitely NOT in Ephesians and Colossians.

   The course Paul finished was the one of the EARTHLY, Israeli kingdom, just as John the Baptist finished his earthly, Israeli kingdom.  “Course” is never used in reference to the church which is His body.

   Verse 8, Crown of Righteousness

   This is the only verse that uses this term.  They are Greek words 4735, crown, and 1343, righteousness.

   Crown, Word 4735

   1. Mt 27:29 and, plaiting a crown out of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand,—and, kneeling before him, began to mock him, saying—Joy to thee, King of the Jews!
   3. Joh 19:5 Jesus, therefore, came forth outside, wearing the thorn crown, and the purple mantle. And he saith unto them—Lo! the Man!
   4. Php 4:1 So then, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown,—thus, stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
   5. 1Th 2:19 For what shall be our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? Shall not even, ye, before our Lord Jesus, in his Presence?
   6. 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth, lieth by for me—the crown, of righteousness, which the Lord will render unto me in that, day,—The righteous judge,—Ye, not alone unto me, but unto all them also who have loved his forthshining.
   7. Jas 1:12 Happy the man who endureth temptation! Because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of life—which he hath promised unto them that love him.
   8. 1Pe 5:4 And, when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, ye shall bear away, the unfading crown of glory.
   9. Re 2:10 Do not fear the things which thou art about to suffer. Lo! the adversary is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and may have tribulation ten days. Become thou faithful until death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
   10. Re 3:11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that, no one, take thy crown.
   11. Re 4:10 the four and twenty elders will fall down before him that sitteth upon the throne, and do homage unto him that liveth unto the ages of ages,—and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying—
   12. crowns, like unto gold, and, their faces, were as the faces of men,
   13. Re 14:14 And I saw, and lo! a white cloud, and, upon the cloud, one sitting like unto a son of man, having, upon his head, a crown of gold, and, in his hand, a sharp sickle.

   The first four verses are the crown of thorns placed on the Lord’s head.  Numbers 5 through 12 are crowns awarded to believers for faithful service.  Numbers 13 and 14 are the twenty four elders casting their crowns before God.  Numbers 15 and 16 are crowns worn by enemies during the tribulation.  Number 17 is the crown on Israel, and number 18 is the crown on the Lord at His second coming.

   These crowns are all associated with Israel.

   C o n c l u s i o n

    

   Words and phrases used that show that this epistle, 2 Timothy, was written during the Acts period of the earthly Kingdom.

   1. Paul was rendering divine services from his ancestors, the Jewish religion.
   2. Timothy has unfeigned faith as did his mother and grandmother, in the Jewish religion.
   3. Timothy had the gift of God by the laying on of Paul’s hands.
   4. God’s purpose and favor were before age-during times.
   5. The forthshining of Christ Jesus, both His first and His second comings.
   6. Holy spirit dwelt in Timothy.
   7. Paul was a prisoner in Rome for two years, Acts 28:30-31, when he wrote this epistle.
   8. Paul was contending in the games.
   9. Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from among the dead.
   10. Hymenaeus was delivered to satan for the destruction of his flesh.
   11. Paul wrote about the last days.
   12. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, part of Israel’s history.
   13. Timothy knew the Scriptures since he was a babe, the Old Testament.
   14. Paul was being poured out as a drink offering.
   15. It was the time Paul’s release from prison.
   16. Paul will receive the crown of righteousness at Christ’s forthshining.

   Words and phrases that possibly show the epistle was written post Acts.

   1. All in Asia had turned away from Paul, of whom are Phygelus and Germogenes. The time period of this is unknown and, therefore, cannot be a proof that 2 Timothy is post Acts.
   2. Paul had finished his course (race). This is the same course as he was racing in Acts, the course of the earthly kingdom.
   3. Demas had forsaken Paul. Since Demas was still with Paul in Colossians, 1. he may have returned to Paul or 2. the Demas in Colossians is a different person than the one in 2 Timothy.
   4. Paul sent Tychicus to the Ephesus per both epistles.  Two possibilities 1. Ephesians was written after 2 Timothy while Tychicus was on his journey or 2. Paul may have sent Tychicus to Ephesus more than one time.

   Sixteen strong words and phrases prove the Acts period characteristic of 2 Timothy.  The four possible words or phrases that would place it post Acts are not conclusive.

   2 Timothy was written during the two whole years in Rome when Paul lived in his own hired house.  The following facts support that conclusion:

   1. The two years of Acts 28:30-31 are the only time that Scriptures record that Paul was in Rome.
   2. In chapter 1, verses 16 and 17, Onesiphorus diligently found Paul in Rome and refreshed him.
   3. One more point needs to be made to show that 2 Timothy is an Acts period, earthly kingdom epistle.  What was Paul preaching during the two whole years in Rome in Acts 28:30-31?

      30  And he abode two whole years in his own hired house, and made welcome all who were coming in unto him,—

      31  proclaiming the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom of speech, without hindrance.

      Paul was proclaiming the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ during those two years. What was the kingdom of God?

      The term kingdom is used eight times in the book of Acts

      1. Ac 1:3 Unto whom he also presented himself alive, after he had suffered, by many sure tokens, throughout forty days making himself visible unto them, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God.
      2. Ac 1:6 They, therefore, having come together, began to question him, saying—Lord! art thou at this time duly establishing the kingdom unto Israel?
      3. Ac 8:12 But, when they believed Philip telling the good news concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they proceeded to be immersed, both men and women.
      4. Ac 14:22 confirming the souls of the disciples, beseeching them to abide in the faith, and declaring that, through many tribulations, must we enter into the kingdom of God.
      5. Ac 19:8 And, entering into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.
      6. Ac 20:25 And, now, lo! I, know that, no more, shall ye see my face,—ye all, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom.
      7. Ac 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom of speech, without hindrance.

      The kingdom was

      • Of Israel
      • Taught in the synagogues
      • Proclaimed to the Jewish leaders
      • Taught from the law and the prophets

      The kingdom of God in verse 31 is the same kingdom of God as in the other seven uses in Acts.  Paul continued to teach the same earthly, Israeli kingdom until the close of the book of Acts.  During those two years, he penned 2 Timothy, which was also an earthly kingdom epistle.