For most of my fifty of years preaching I taught that Jesus' Second Coming was near, so near that I expected to live to see the Advent. The ministers I listened to as a boy had the same message and expectation, but they died without seeing Jesus.
From your post “For most of my fifty of years preaching I taught that Jesus' Second Coming was near, so near that I expected to live to see the Advent. The ministers I listened to as a boy
had the same message and expectation, but they died without seeing Jesus.”
something that has been on my mind the past couple of days is Hebrews 11:7-40 which is really long. But a few verses stand out regarding what you shared “
but they died without seeing Jesus”.
Consider with Hebrews 11:13
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
And with Hebrews 11:36-40 And others had
trial of cruel mockings and
scourgings, yea,
moreover of bonds and
imprisonment: [37] They were
stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were
tempted, were
slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins (any connection to goats and sheep?…skin); being
destitute,
afflicted,
tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy…
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and
in dens and
caves of the earth. [39] And
these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise: [40]
God having provided some better thing for us Hebrews 8:6,
that they without us should not be made perfect.
“that they
without us should not be made perfect” what is confusing is then Hebrews 12:22-23 But you are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,
and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Back to Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
What does “These all died in faith, not having received the promises,” …”these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise” mean?
