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End of the World
This morning we are completing Hebrews chapter 9, but we are also wrapping up our series Better Things.
I think it is fitting that we are ending at a point which is the pinnacle, the crescendo of existence in v26.
The End of the World.
Ages
Let’s read v26
You see that world is used twice in this verse?
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world (There is once).
but now once in the end of the world (There is twice).
These words are different
2 Worlds
World #1 - Kosmos
The first time world is mentioned, it is the word kosmos in Greek.
You know this word, it’s another name for the universe — all of existence.
— The foundation of the world here clearly refers to the time of creation.
World #2 - Aion
But the second word for world is a little different.
It is the word αἰών (aiōn).
This word means ages or era.
Kosmos deals with physical existence, but Aion deals with time.
And it is worth noting that the word Aion which our second world is translated from is plural.
This subject is the End of the world.
But to be more precise for our understanding.
It is the end of the era — era’s plural.
Completion of Era’s Past
So what we are talking about is the completion of the era’s past.
And since we have been talking about how all of redemptive history until the cross, has pointed to the cross: being an illustration of things to come: We can see the point.
This is the End.
The culmination of everything that has come before.
The Passage
So if you have your Bibles with you this morning, please turn over to Hebrews 9, we will be reading v25-28
Our message this morning is entitled End of the World and like I mentioned this is the final message in our series Better Things.
Let’s Pray
Sin Marches On
In Romans 5:12 we read this
Romans 5:12 (KJV 1900)
… by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
By one man in entered into the world
Adam.
This defining moment in the garden where humanity was given its choice.
— We only know of one rule given to them, one simple instruction.
Eat the fruit of whatever tree you want, except for one tree.
If you eat from this one tree you will die.
No regrets in the garden
Can you imagine the innocence they had.
The lack of baggage.
Have you seen the picture of the person who got the tattoo that was supposed to read “no regrets” but ended up reading “no regerts?” Oops.
But up to this point Adam and Eve had no regrets, not because of arrogance, but because they had done nothing to regret!
The continuation of rebellion
Well, that changed with one act of rebellion didn’t it.
Romans 5:12 and countless places throughout scripture makes it clear that ever since, all of humanity to follow would be stained by a heart of sin against God.
I think that even if scripture didn’t tells us, we would figure out on our own that everyone sins.
Everyone rebels against God.
A harmless thing?
We can think that it is no big deal.
Rebellion seems like a relatively harmless thing, so long as nobody is getting hurt.
In fact, rebel in our culture is seen as more of a positive thing than a negative.
Someone who pushes back against the establishment, who obviously is unjust — because they are — the establishment.
It is worth noting that anti-establishment-arian-ism is considered to be the longest word in the english language.
That claim is being contested since it was made by the establishment.
Saul’s Rebellion
Israel’s first King, Saul had a heart of rebellion.
Follow with me to 1 Samuel 15 where we see Saul had gotten to the point where enough was enough.
Look at v3
The instruction is pretty clear hear, and well, pretty harsh also.
This is a passage that has drawn a lot of criticism — To see that God would have even Amalekite: women, infants and children massacred is hard for an American in the 21st century to digest.
And Old Problem
The Amalekites were a problem from the beginning.
A very popular Sunday School passage comes from Exodus 17 where Israel was attacked with provocation.
And if you remember, as long as Moses kept his arms raised Israel was winning the battle but when his arms tired and they lowered, they started loosing.
So Aaron and Hur held up Moses hands.
Who they were fighting, who attacked them without provocation was the Ameliktes.
All of this concludes with Exodus 17:14 where Israel had prevailed and we read this:
You might think that is harsh but Deut 25:17-18 gives us a little more detail on what this attack was like
These people saw Israel as weak prey and came up behind them targeting the weak and slow.
That would have included the elderly and the women and children.
— Jewish tradition says that the Amalekites were evil sorcerers.
Complete Destruction
I know that the completeness of the genocide of the Amalekite people seems harsh but I want you to consider a few things:
God had promised this vengeance upon them for their attack of Israel, when Israel was most vulnerable.
No doing so would have made God a liar.
These were wicked people who God had decided to eliminate from causing anymore harm
If they had taken the animals, people would have looked at Israel as a nation that just killed the Amalekite’s to loot them for their stuff
And the most difficult truth.
Remember that this was 1000 years before the birth of Christ.
There would have been nobody to take care of any infants that would have remained.
As uncomfortable of a reality as it is, they would have starved to death.
It is ugly business but God was ridding the world of a people of great evil.
So much so that even the Babylonians had distaste for them, calling them plunderers.
Back to Saul
So. back to Saul.
God gave Saul pretty explicit instruction in 1 Samuel 15. Basically, kill everyone and every animal.
So look what Saul does starting in v7
He spared the King.
Killed everyone else, but spared the King.
Then he decided to only kill the livestock that was worthless.
Even claiming that he kept the livestock to be sacrificed to God.
Samuel, the prophet of God said this to Saul in vv22-23
1 Samuel 15:22–23 (KJV 1900)
… Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
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