THE “HEAVENLY CALLING” AND “THE INHABITED EARTH TO COME” ACCORDING TO THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

“THE HEAVENLY CALLING” OF THE HEBREWS

The point in this section is to show that the Hebrews, who are referred to by the pronouns “we” and “us,” had the hope of receiving spiritual bodies and living together with Jesus Christ in heaven. We have identified the Hebrews as the sons of God and the brothers of Jesus who will receive everlasting salvation. This salvation is described in 3:1:

¹ Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling (klēris epourianios), consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus.

Paul uses similar words in Philippians 3:14, 20, 21 (above) and 1 Thessalonians 2:12 (below):

¹⁴ I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.

²⁰ As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body according to the operation of the power that he has, even to subject all things to himself.

¹² to the end that YOU should go on walking worthily of God who is calling YOU to his kingdom and glory.

The heavenly calling is the same as “the upward call,” and this means that their citizenship is in heaven, as Philippians 3:14, 20 says. Paul confirms the heavenly citizenship of the Christians by writing in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, that they were called to his kingdom. Another designation of this group is found in Hebrews 3:6, namely, the house of God:

⁶ but Christ [was faithful] as a Son over the house of that One. We are the house of that One, if we make fast our hold on our freeness of speech and our boasting over the hope firm to the end.

The Hebrews are also a part of the new covenant, as we read in 8:10, 11(above) and 9:20 (below):

¹⁰ “‘For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.

¹¹ “‘And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: “Know Jehovah!” For they will all know me, from [the] least one to [the] greatest one of them. ¹² For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore.’”

²⁰ saying: “This is the blood of the covenant that God has laid as a charge upon YOU.”

In Hebrews chapters 9 and 10, the prophetic types of the tabernacle and the offerings are discussed. Jesus Christ is the antitypical high priest and the Hebrews are portrayed as priests. I quote 10:19-22; 9:24 (above) and 13:11 (below):

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place (tōn hagiōn) by the blood of Jesus,  ²⁰ which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies bathed with clean water…

²⁴ For Christ entered, not into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.

¹¹ For the bodies of those animals whose blood is taken into the holy place by the high priest for sin are burned up outside the camp.

The Most Holy of the tabernacle is in 10:19 expressed by the words tōn hagiōn (“the holiest”) and the plural genitive form imply something that is owned by tōn hagiōn, which must be “place.” NWT84 translated the expression “the holy place,” and NIV has “the Most Holy Place.” In 13:11, the same expression is used, but because it is adverbial in the clause it is written in the accusative as ta hagia. NWT84 has the rendering “the holy place” and NIV has “the Most Holy Place.” I have quoted 13:11 because it says that the high priest took blood from animals into “the only place.” And this shows that “the holy place” is the Most Holy compartment of the tabernacle.”

In 10:22 the pronoun “us” is used, and this refers to the Hebrews who are portrayed as priests whose bodies have been “bathed in clean water.” Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy one time each year, on the day of atonement. But Paul says that the antitypical priests also would enter the Most Holy. The certain between the Holy and the Most Holy prevented the priests from entering the Most Holy. But 2:9 says that Jesus tasted death for every man. He sacrificed his body and blood, and 10:20 says that the body of Jesus was a type of the curtain. So, when Jesus died, the curtain was taken away, and the priests, who are described as “us” now had “a living way through the curtain, and 10:24 says that this “holy place” behind the curtain pictured heaven itself.

So, in chapter 10 the epistle has a detailed description what 3:1 meant by the words “the heavenly calling.” These words refer to the eternal salvation of the addressees of the Epistle to Hebrews when they get a resurrection and enter the antitypical Most Holy, which is heaven itself.

All those to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews is addressed had the hope of entering the Most Holy of the tabernacle which was a picture of heaven itself.

THE “INHABITED EARTH TO COME”

All the books in the Christian Greek Scriptures are addressed to persons with the heavenly calling. But this does not mean that people with an earthly hope are not mentioned. The Hebrew Scriptures were addressed to people with an earthly hope. But many of its prophecies point to people with the heavenly calling. If we do not take this difference into account, we will misunderstand much of the text of the Bible.

Several Psalms have prophetic messages, and in this context, I quote Psalm 8:1-9:

 1 O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth, You whose dignity is recounted above the heavens!  2 Out of the mouth of children and sucklings you have founded strength, On account of those showing hostility to you, So as to make the enemy and the one taking his vengeance desist. 3 When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, The moon and the stars that you have prepared, 4 What is mortal man that you keep him in mind, And the son of earthling man that you take care of him? 5 You also proceeded to make him a little less than godlike ones, And with glory and splendor you then crowned him. 6 You make him dominate over the works of your hands; Everything you have put under his feet: 7 Small cattle and oxen, all of them, And also the beasts of the open field, 8 The birds of heaven and the fish of the sea, Anything passing through the paths of the seas. 9 O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth!

 ¹² And Jesus entered into the temple and threw out all those selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ And he said to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but YOU are making it a cave of robbers.” ¹⁴ Also, blind and lame persons came up to him in the temple, and he cured them.

¹⁵ When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys that were crying out in the temple and saying: “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” they became indignant ¹⁶ and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did YOU never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?”

The children honored Jesus as the son of David. But the chief priests and the scribes criticized this. According to verse 16, Jesus said that the boys were crying out in the temple as a fulfillment of Psalm 8:2. Psalm 8:4 refers to “mortal man,” and verse 5 says: “You also proceeded to make him a little less than godlike ones.” These words seem to refer to human beings. But the last part of verse 5 says: “And with glory and splendor you then crowned him.” These words do not fit mortal man who is imperfect and who will die. And Hebrews 2:9 shows that this is a prophecy of Jesus Christ:

⁹ but we behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every [man].

If we look at verses 6-9 in Psalm 8, we see that Jesus was set over all the works of God in the earth, including all the creatures of the earth. This is also mentioned in the prophecy in Hebrews 2:5-8:

⁵ For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth to come, about which we are speaking.  ⁶ But a certain witness has given proof somewhere, saying: “What is man that you keep him in mind, or [the] son of man that you take care of him? ⁷ You made him a little lower than angels; with glory and honor you crowned him, and appointed him over the works of your hands. ⁸ All things you subjected under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him [God] left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him.

Hebrews 2: 7 quotes the prophecy that Jesus was appointed over “the works of your hands” and verse 8 says that “All things you subjected under his feet.” According to the prophecy in Psalm 8:7, 8, “all things” include “small cattle and oxen, all of them, and also the beasts of the open field, the birds of heaven and the fish of the sea, anything passing through the paths of the seas.” At the time when Hebrews were written, these words had not yet been fulfilled, and verse 8 says, “Now, though, we do not see all things in subjection to him.”

God’s prophetic words will always be fulfilled, and according to Hebrews 2:5, the prohecy in Psalm 8 will be fulfilled in the future:

⁵ For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth (oikoumenē) to come, about which we are speaking.

The Greek word oikoumenē refers to an earth that is inhabited by humans. And these words, and the prophecy of Psalm 8, show that the hope of the Hebrews of a resurrection into heaven is not the only hope given by God. But in the future, the earth will be inhabited by the descendants of Adam that was the original purpose of God. And Jesus Christ will become the ruler of this coming inhabited earth, and the humans, the animals, the birds, and the fish of the sea will be subjected to him.

A detailed identification of “we,” shows that the pronoun refers to the Hebrews who had the hope of a heavenly resurrection. The words of 2:5 represent the first identification of “they,” whose hope is to live for ever on the “new earth,”

THE BASIS OF THE FAITH AND HOPE OF THE ANCIENT SERVANTS OF GOD

As I have shown above, the Epistle to the Hebrews was written to people who had the “heavenly calling.” And after chapter 2 of the Epistle with the discussion of the prophecy about people with an earthly hope who will inhabit “the inhabited earth to come,” all the words in the chapters, including chapter 10, are directed to those with the “heavenly calling.” But there is a change in chapter 11, where the focus again is on those who have the earthly hope.

For those with the heavenly calling the importance of faith and hope is stressed. Hope is mentioned five times in the Epistle, and faith is mentioned seven times related to those with a heavenly calling, and 23 times with reference to those whose hope was to live on the coming inhabited earth. Both words are mentioned in 11:1, which is the introduction of the discussion of the ancient servants of God with the earthly hope.

Regarding the hope of those with the heavenly calling, we read in Hebrews 3:6 (above), 6:11 (middle top), 6:18 (middle bottom), and 1 Peter 1.3 (below):

⁶ but Christ [was faithful] as a Son over the house of that One. We are the house of that One, if we make fast our hold on our freeness of speech and our boasting over the hope firm to the end.
¹¹ But we desire each one of YOU to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end.

¹⁸ in order that, through two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to the refuge may have strong encouragement to lay hold on the hope set before us. 

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 

The writer of Hebrews admonishes those who have experienced a new birth to keep the hope until the end. Regarding faith, Hebrews 10:38, 29 says:

³⁸ “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and, “if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” ³⁹ Now we are not the sort that shrink back to destruction, but the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.

THE DEFINITION OF FAITH

At the beginning of the discussion of the ancient servants of God in Hebrews 11:1, the importance of faith and hope is discussed.  We read:

¹ Faith is the assured expectation (hypostasis) of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities (elengkhos) though not beheld. ² For by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them.

 This is a strong definition of faith. The words “evident demonstrations of realities” are a translation of the Greek word elengkhos, and its meaning is: “the evidence, normally based on argument or discussion, as to the truth or reality of something” (Louw and Nida) “a trial in order to proof, a certain persuasion” (Mounce) “verification, certainty” (UBS) In ancient Greece, the word elengkhos was used in court cases in order to prove something.

The writer’s point evidently is that in order to believe something there must be tangible evidence for invisible things. We can illustrate this by reading Romans 1:19-20:

 ¹⁹ because what may be known about God is manifest among them, for God made it manifest to them. ²⁰ For his invisible [qualities] are clearly (noeō) seen (kathoraō) from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable.

The verb noeō means “to understand,” and as present participle it can be translated as “clearly.” The verbs horaō and kathoraō means “to see.” What is the subject of “clearly seen”? It is “his invisible qualities.” So, something invisible can be seen. How can we say that? The things God made can be seen by the literal eyes, and therefore we “clearly see” his invisible qualities because of faith. This is a good illustration of the words in Hebrews 11:1. The created things are the “evident demonstration of realities,” and because we see the visible things, we have faith in God’s invisible qualities.

The second important word in Hebrews 11:1 is hypostasis. And its meaning is: “that which provides the basis for trust and reliance; trust, confidence, assurance.” (Louw and Nida). Because the hope is based on “the evident demonstration of realities,” the hope is an “assured expectation” that can be compared to a contract or deed of a property that we own and will get in the future.

The true faith goes in two directions: It is both vertical and horizontal. What does that mean? Hebrews 11:6 says:

  ⁶ Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please [him] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.

 Faith is vertical because we believe that God is, and “the evident demonstration” of this is particularly what God has created, as is mentioned in Romans 1:20, but also what he has done among humans, and that he always is true to his word. Faith is horizontal because we believe that he is “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” Faith looks to the future, and the “evident demonstrations” behind this faith is that God already has fulfilled many prophecies. These fulfillments support the hope and faith that he also will fulfill the prophecies of a coming inhabited earth.

Verse 2 says, “For by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them.” The pronoun “this” (houtos) is feminine singular, and the only word in the previous clause that is feminine singular is hypostasis. So, God’s servants in the past “had witness borne to them because of their “assured expectation” of their hope that was based on an “evident demonstration of realities.”

The important questions in our context are, “What was their hope?” and “On which realities were their assured expectation and their faith in what they hoped for based?” These are natural questions because each one that is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 are commended because of their faith. So, the discussions throughout this section show or imply “the evident demonstration of realities” that was behind each one’s faith and hope.

In The Watchtower of December 15, 1962, pages 748-758, there was an article dealing with this chapter, that impressed me so much that I still remember its basic conclusions, 62 years later. [1]

THE BASIS FOR FAITH AND HOPE

In order to demonstrate how faith is based on “the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld,” I discuss the situation of the first four ancient servants of God who were commended for their faith

ABEL

What was the basis of the faith and hope of Abel? God’s statement to the snake evidently gave Abel hope. He knew the judgment Jehovah had pronounced, and he could see how his parents were driven out of Eden according to Jehovah’s words. He also saw their toil to gain a living, and the pain of the pregnancy and the birth pangs. And he could see the dying condition of his parents. Because of this he saw that the words of Jehovah came true, and his hope evidently was based on the prophecy in Genesis 3:15 about the seed of the woman. Abel’s faith turned into action, and we read in Hebrews 11:4:

⁴ By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which [faith] he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks.

He sacrificed because he believed in Jehovah, and his sacrifice was a token that he wanted to serve Jehovah and have a part in his promises. As we saw in verse 2, all the faithful men of old were commended because of their “assured expectation” of their hope. What was the hope of Abel? The text does not tell, but the only ideal situation Abel knew about was the paradise from which his parents were driven out. So, the only hope he could have had was a restoration of this paradise.

ENOCH

We read about Enoch in Genesis 5:22-24 (above) and Hebrews 11:5 (below)

²² And after his fathering Me·thuʹse·lah Eʹnoch went on walking with the [true] God three hundred years. Meanwhile he became father to sons and daughters. ²³ So all the days of Eʹnoch amounted to three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴ And Eʹnoch kept walking with the [true] God. Then he was no more, for God took (lakah) him.

⁵ By faith Eʹnoch was transferred so as not to see (horaō) death (thanatos), and he was nowhere to be found because God had transferred (metatithemi) him; for before his transference (metatithemi) he had the witness that he had pleased God well.

There are two possible meanings of the words, “not to see death”, namely, “not to die,” and “not to see death coming with one’s eyes.” Below are two examples of the possibilities of “not to die” and “not to see death coming with one’s eyes.” I quote Psalm 89:48 (above), Luke 2:26 (top middle), Genesis 21.16 (bottom middle), and Judith 7:27 (below)

⁴⁸ What able-bodied man is there alive who will not see death? Can he provide escape for his soul from the hand of Sheʹol? Seʹlah.

²⁶ Furthermore, it had been divinely revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of Jehovah.

¹⁶ Then she went on and sat down by herself, about the distance of a bowshot away, because she said: “Let me not see it when the child dies.” So she sat down at a distance and began to raise her voice and weep.

²⁷ For it is better for us to become their plunder, for we shall become slaves, and our spirit will live, and we shall not see the death of our infants with our eyes, and our women and children quitting their spirits.

In the two first examples the meaning of “not see death” is “not to die.” The third example tells about Hagar who did not want to see it when her son died. To see dear ones die at the hands of the enemies is a very bad experience. In a battle with the Assyrians the Israelites went to Uzziah and the rulers of the city and said they rather would be slaves than see the death of their infants at the hands of the enemy, as the last example shows.

When we now return to Enoch, we can apply the two possible interpretations of the words “not to see death.” The first interpretation is that the words show that he did not die. The second interpretation is that Enoch was attacked by his enemies, and God took him, so he should not experience the agony of seeing his enemies taking his life. We know that the last interpretation is the correct one because of the words of Hebrews 11:13:

¹³ In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land.

 The words “all these” refer to all the people of faith who are mentioned between 11:4-12 — Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. So, any claim that Enoch did not die is contradicted by the verse above.

But what was “the evident demonstration of realities” that was behind the faith and hope of Enoch? The Scriptures do not tell us. But Genesis 5:23 says that he “kept walking with the true God,” and Hebrews 11.5 says that “he pleased God well.” And we read Jude 14, 15:

¹⁴ Yes, the seventh one [in line] from Adam, Eʹnoch, prophesied also regarding them, when he said: “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads, ¹⁵ to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”

We do not know how Jude knew about this prophecy because it is not written in Genesis. But because Jude was inspired by holy spirit, we believe that Enoch really uttered this prophecy. The words of Enoch show his faith in the prophecy about the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15, and that Jehovah will remove his enemies. This also suggests that the hope of Enoch was connected with the restoration of the paradise that was God’s purpose.[2]

NOAH

We read about Noah in Hebrews 11:7:

⁷ By faith Noah, after being given divine warning of things not yet beheld, showed godly fear and constructed an ark for the saving of his household; and through this [faith] he condemned the world, and he became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.

What was “the evident demonstration of realities” that gave Noah “an assured expectation” for his hope? We do not know much about the background of Noah. But Genesis 5:29 quotes a saying of Lamech, Noah’s father:

 ²⁹ And he proceeded to call his name Noah, saying: “This one will bring us comfort from our work and from the pain of our hands resulting from the ground which Jehovah has cursed.”

Lamech was the sixth in line from Adam, and his words show that he knew the history back to Adam and Eve, and that he had faith in Jehovah, whose name he mentioned. This indicates that Lamech taught Noah about Jehovah and what previously had happened. In addition to this knowledge, Noah could see the bad effects of the actions of Adam and Eve.

In addition. Genesis 6:13 and 7:1 says that Jehovah spoke to Noah. And a direct communication from God would be “an evident demonstration of realities” that would cause “an assured expectation.” What his father taught him, that he could see that God’s words in Eden had come true, and the direct communication from Jehovah, gave Noah faith in the coming flood and hope that he and his family would survive the flood. Whether he also looked forward to the restoration of the earthly paradise we do not know.

ABRAHAM

We read about Abraham in Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19:

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, although not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he resided as an alien in the land of the promise as in a foreign land, and dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. ¹⁰ For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and maker of which [city] is God.

¹¹ By faith also Sarah herself received power to conceive seed, even when she was past the age limit, since she esteemed him faithful who had promised. ¹² Hence also from one [man], and him as good as dead, there were born [children] just as the stars of heaven for multitude and as the sands that are by the seaside, innumerable.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, as good as offered up Isaac, and the man that had gladly received the promises attempted to offer up [his] only-begotten [son], ¹⁸ although it had been said to him: “What will be called ‘your seed’ will be through Isaac.” ¹⁹ But he reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.

Abraham was a prominent figure among the ancient servants of God because he was the ancestor to the nation of Israel. We read about his background in Acts 7:2-5:

² He said: “Men, brothers and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a, before he took up residence in Haʹran, ³ and he said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives and come on into the land I shall show you.’ ⁴ Then he went out from the land of the Chal·deʹans and took up residence in Haʹran. And from there, after his father died, [God] caused him to change his residence to this land in which YOU now dwell. ⁵ And yet he did not give him any inheritable possession in it, no, not a footbreadth; but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and after him to his seed, while as yet he had no child.

Abraham lived in the area where the Tower of Babel was built about 200 years before his time. He must have heard about and seen the confusion of languages, and this would have been an “evident demonstration of realities” showing that God was faithful to his word and acted in accordance with his word.

Most likely, he was taught about what happened in Eden and the history after that. Therefore, he saw that Jehovah was true to his word. Moreover, Acts 2:5 says that “God’s glory appeared” to Abraham and God spoke to him. This was “the evident demonstration of realities” that was the basis for his “assured expectation” and his faith. Genesis 11:19 says that he even believed that God could raise up the dead.

The promises he received that his seed would bless all the nations of the earth would have given him faith in a future restoration of the paradise in Eden.

The ancient servants of God saw “the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld”, namely the actions of God. This gave them “an assured expectation” that their hope for the future would come true.

[1]. The article was entitled “To Preserve Your Souls alive, Have Faith.”

[2]. The word «came» is English past tense but it should be future tense. The reason for the past tense is the erroneous view that Greek aorist always refer to completed actions. But there are many examples of aorist referring to the present and to the future.

There are two books of the Pseudepigrapha with the name 1 Enoch and 2 Enoch. There is almost universal agreement that Jude quoted his words from 1 Enoch 1:9. If this is correct, the divine inspiration of the books of the Bible can be questioned. For if Jude quoted this book, a mythological book is used as authority rather than inspiration from God. My book, Can We Trust the Bible? With Focus on the Creation Account, the Worldwide Flood, and the Prophecies, chapter 4, has a detailed analysis of all the Aramaic fragments of 1. Enoch among the Dead Sea scrolls. These fragments are scrutinized letter by letter and word for word and compared with the Ethiopic text of 1 Enoch. The conclusion is that Jude did not quote 1. Enoch. But that both Jude and 1. Enoch probably used the same source, which may have been a written document made by Enoch.

THE FUTURE HOPE OF THE ANCIENT SERVANTS OF GOD 

I have shown that the Hebrews were declared righteous and had become Sons of God. Because of this, they had the heavenly hope. No person could have had the heavenly before Jesus came to the earth. We see this in John 3:3 (above), 1 Peter 1:3, 4 (middle), and Romans 3:22-24 (below):

³ “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ⁴ 

²² Yes, God’s righteousness through the faith in Jesus Christ, for all those having faith. For there is no distinction. ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.

³ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you.

In order to get a resurrection into the heavenly Kingdom of God, one must be born again, which means that a person is adopted as a son of God. In order to become a son of God, one has to be declared righteous, and this is based on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. Peter mentions the new birth by which one is born again and becomes a son of God. This is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the inheritance of these people is heaven — they have a heavenly calling.

Each of the three scriptures above shows that no person could be born again and being adopted as a son of God with a hope of a heavenly resurrection before Jesus came to the earth and gave his life as a ransom sacrifice. This is a good background for the discussion of the future hope of the ancient servants of God.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has defined faith and described the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. and then he points out what was the real hope of these persons. We read in Hebrews 11:13-16:

¹³ In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. ¹⁴ For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. ¹⁵ And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.

Abraham left the city of Ur in Chaldea and his facilities for a good life and lived in tents in the area of the promised land. If he had wanted to return to the place where he could live a good life, he had the opportunity to return. But Jehovah had promised him a new land and a seed like the stars of the heaven and the sand on the seashore. He followed God’s direction and waited for the fulfillment of the promises.

However, both he, Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Sarah looked forward to something that was even bigger than the promised land, namely, “a better place, one belonging to heaven.” What does that mean?

THE PLACE BELONGING TO HEAVEN 

I have demonstrated that the addressees of the Epistle to the Hebrews, who are addressed as “we” and “us” were adopted as sons of Gud and would the get a heavenly resurrection in order to reign with Jesus Christ in heaven. I have also quoted the words of 2:5 of “an inhabited earth to come” showing that servants of God will live on the earth as human beings in the future. So, the question is to what “the place belonging to heaven” refer. An analysis of the Greek text will give the answer, and I compare Hebrews 8:1 (above) and 11:16 (below):

¹ Now as to the things being discussed this is the main point: We have such a high priest as this, and he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (en tois ouranois).

¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven (tout estin ouraniou).

There is an important difference between the expressions “in the heavens” and “one belonging to heaven.” The first example has the noun “heaven” (ouranos) and the second example has the adjective “heavenly, belonging to heaven” (epouranios). If the author wanted to show that “the better place” was in heaven, he would have used the preposition en (“in”) followed by the dative form of ouranos (“heaven”), as is the case in 8:1.

So, how shall we understand the adjective epouranios? A noun describes a thing or a place but an adjective describes a characteristic of the thing or the place, such as “the new (adjective) heaven (noun)” or “the beautiful (adjective) bird (noun).” In order to illustrate the function of the adjective epouranios I quote Hebrews 3:1 (above) and 6:4 (below):

¹ Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly (epouranios) calling (klēsis), consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus.

⁴ For it is impossible as regards those who have once for all been enlightened, and who have tasted the heavenly (tēs epouraniou) free gift (tēs dōreas), and who have become partakers of holy spirit.

The first example is “the heavenly (adjective) calling (noun).” The clause does not refer to something that is “in the heavens.” The calling occurred on the earth, but the adjective describes the nature of the calling as “heavenly.” The second example is “the heavenly (adjective) free gift (noun).” The free gift refers to the adoption as sons of God, that is described in 2:10-13. And they received this “free gift” on the earth.

A literal rendering of 11:16 is: “but now a better (adjective) they are seeking, this is a heavenly’s (adjective).” The clause has two adjectives, “better” and “heavenly” but the nouns that the adjectives are supposed to be modifying are lacking. In order to find the nouns that are lacking but are implied, we must look at 11:14, 15:

¹⁴ For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place (patris) of their own. ¹⁵ And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] (hēs) from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return.

What did the ancient servants of God seek? They were earnestly seeking a patris, which means “fatherland” (“native country, homeland”). In verse 15, there is the relative pronoun hēs, which is feminine singular just as patris, and it refers back to patris. This means that the nouns implied in verses 14 and 16 is patris (“fatherland”). We note that epourinos (“heavenly”) in verse 16 stands in the genitive case, which means that “heavenly” owns the noun “fatherland” that is implied. A translation of verse 16 with the implied nouns could be:

“but now they are seeking a better fatherland (patris); this is a fatherland belonging to heaven (or, “owned by heaven”). Therefore, God is not ashamed of them, to be called on as their God, for he has prepared a city (polis) for them.

What the ancient servants of God were looking for, was a better homeland than the one from which they came.

THE CITY OF GOD 

The city of God is mentioned two times in Hebrews chapter 11, and I quote 11:10 (above) and 11:16 (below)

¹⁰ For he was awaiting the city (polis) having real foundations, the builder and maker of which [city] is God.

¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.

 Verse 10 says that Abraham was a waiting for the city of God, and verse 16 says that God “has made a city ready for them.” The verb “to make” is aorist. While this verb form usually refers to the past, it can also refer to the future.  So we cannot know if God already had made the city or whether he would make it in the future. The city was made for “them,” and this pronoun must refer to Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. So, the question is, which city is referred to, and what does it mean that it is, or will be,  made ready for them?

In order to understand the identity of the city, we need to understand the difference between the two covenants. We read in Hebrews 7: 19, 22:

¹⁸ Certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. ¹⁹ For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God.

²² to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.

A great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews shows that the law covenant had been abolished, and a new covenant had been established. This new covenant gives a better hope than the old one that was connected with the earthly fulfillment of God’s promises. The author discussed the position of Jesus as high priest, and then he gave more details regarding the new covenant. We read in Hebrews 8:6-13:

⁶ But now [Jesus] has obtained a more excellent public service, so that he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established upon better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second; ⁸ for he does find fault with the people when he says: “‘Look! There are days coming,’ says Jehovah, ‘and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; ⁹ not according to the covenant that I made with their forefathers in [the] day of my taking hold of their hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, so that I stopped caring for them,’ says Jehovah.”

¹⁰ “‘For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.

¹¹ “‘And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: “Know Jehovah!” For they will all know me, from [the] least one to [the] greatest one of them. ¹² For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore.’”

¹³ In his saying “a new [covenant]” he has made the former one obsolete. Now that which is made obsolete and growing old is near to vanishing away.

The focus of our study is the hope of a coming inhabited earth in contrast with the hope reigning with Jesus Christ in heaven. If a person could keep all the laws given by Moses, he would deserve to live forever on the earth. No human being could do that, and there was a need of something better. We note that 7:19 speaks of “a better hope” than the one given by the law covenant, and 7:22 speaks of the new covenant as “a better covenant.” And 8:6 speaks of “a better covenant…legally established upon better promises.”

In addition to the new covenant giving better promises, it is also better than the law covenant because its laws are written in the minds and hearts of those who are partakers of the new covenant. The law covenant was given at Mount Sinai, and it led to the establishment of the nation of Israel with Jerusalem as its capital. The writer now points out the contrast between the literal Mount Sinai where the law covenant was given and another mountain that is connected with the new covenant in 12:18-24:

¹⁸ For YOU have not approached (proserkhomai) that which can be felt and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, ¹⁹ and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. ²⁰ For the command was not bearable to them: “And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ²¹ Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: “I am fearful and trembling.” ²²

²² But YOU have approached (proserkhomai) a Mount Zion and a city (polis) of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, ²³ in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, (en urasnois) and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, ²⁴ and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s [blood].

Here the “city” is identified as “the city of the living God” and “heavenly Jerusalem.” What this city really is can we see by reading Hebrews 12:26-28:

²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying: “Yet once more I will set in commotion not only the earth but also the heaven.” ²⁷ Now the expression “Yet once more” signifies the removal of the things being shaken as things that have been made, in order that the things not being shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore, seeing that we are to receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to have undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably render God sacred service with godly fear and awe.

The earth shook at Mount Sinai when the law was given and the kingdom of Israel was established. The prophecy in Haggai 2:6 shows that Jehovah ones more will shake the heavens and the earth and established his kingdom “that cannot be shaken.” So, New Jerusalem is identical with the Kingdom of God.

The verb proserkhomai in verse 22 is translated with the words “you have approached.” The meaning of the verb is “to move toward a reference point.” (Louw and Nida) The verb is perfect, so the action has occurred. But those addressed as “you,” the Hebrews, had not entered heavenly Jerusalem, but they had “moved toward it” because of their “heavenly calling.” This means that they are partakers of the new covenant, and their better hope is to get a resurrection and come to heavenly Jerusalem. They are a part of “the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens.” The expression “the spiritual lives of the righteous ones” may refer to the fact that  when they are resurrected, they sacrifice their earthly body, and they become spirits. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

We note that in contrast between those who are seeking a fatherland “belonging to heaven,” the congregation of the firstborn  have been enrolled in the heavens” (en ouranois). That the Hebrews were taken into the new covenant and were adopted as sons of God, means that when they are resurrected, they will enter new Jerusalem.

  THE DIFFERENT RELATIONS TO NEW JERUSALEM

I will now compare the words of 11:16 (above) and 12:22, 23 (below):

¹⁶ But now they are reaching out (oregō) for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven (tout estinouraniou).  Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city (polis) ready for them.

²² But YOU have approached (proserkhomai) a Mount Zion and a city (polis) of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, ²³ in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens,

There is one difference between the quotations. The words “are reaching out” in 11:16 are translated from the present form of oregō with the meaning «to eagerly desire to accomplish some goal or purpose» (Louw and Nida). So, it is the desire of the ancient servants of God that is pointed out. The words “have approached” are translated from the perfect form of proserkhomai with the meaning “to move toward a reference point.” (Louw and Nida). So, the desire of the ancient servant of God is mentioned but the actions of the Hebrews, that they are moving toward New Jerusalem, because of their heavenly calling are mentioned.

But what is the difference between the words in verse 16 that God “has made a city (polis) ready for them” and the words in 12:22 “you have approached…the city of the living God. We can see the difference in Revelation 21:1-3:

¹ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

John saw a new heaven and a new earth. The new heaven included New Jerusalem, which is the bride of Jesus Christ, consisting of 144,000 new creatures who are adopted as sons of God. New Jerusalem came down from heaven to the new earth in a symbolic way. And the purpose was that God through the kings and priests and judges of New Jerusalem is to accomplish “the restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time.” (Acts 3:21)

Now we can understand the words applied to the ancient servants of God in Hebrews 11:16, “he has made a city ready for them.” When New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, it will be used to fulfill “the earnest desire” of the ancient servants of God “for a better fatherland” (Hebrews 11:16) New Jerusalem will ensure the resurrection of the dead who are in hadēs and in the sea on the coming inhabited earth and make this earth a paradise. (Revelation 20:12, 1) So, while the ancient servants of God will not enter into New Jerusalem, they will have all the benefits of New Jerusalem. Therefore we can say that New Jerusalem has been “made ready for them”.

  “GOD FORESAW SOMETHING BETTER FOR US”

After we now have studied the difference between “the heavenly calling” and “the inhabited earth to come,” we have the information we need to know what “something better” refers to in Hebrews 11:39, 40:

³⁹ And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the [fulfillment of the] promise, ⁴⁰ as God foresaw something better for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.

The Hebrews all had the heavenly calling and were adopted as sons of God. In all the chapters we have studied, the Hebrews have been addressed by the pronouns “we” and “you,” and this is different from how the ancient servants of God are addressed. I will now show the different pronouns used with reference to the Hebrews in chapters 10 and 12,  and with reference to the ancient servants of God in chapter 11:

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies bathed with clean water. ²³

Let us hold fast the public declaration of our hope without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. ²⁴ And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, ²⁵ not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as YOU behold the day drawing near.

²⁶ For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left.

³² However, keep on remembering the former days in which, after YOU were enlightened,YOU endured a great contest under sufferings, ³³ sometimes while YOU were being exposed as in a theater both to reproaches and tribulations, and sometimes while YOU became sharers with those who were having such an experience. ³⁴ For YOU both expressed sympathy for those in prison and joyfully took the plundering of YOUR belongings, knowing YOU yourselves have a better and an abiding possession.

³ By faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do not appear.

⁴ By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which [faith] he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks. ⁵ By faith Eʹnoch was transferred so as not to see death, andhe was nowhere to be found because God had transferred him; for before his transference he had the witness that he had pleased God well.

⁷ By faith Noah, after being given divine warning of things not yet beheld, showed godly fear and constructed an ark for the saving of his household; and through this [faith] he condemned the world, and he became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, although not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he resided as an alien in the land of the promise as in a foreign land, and dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. ¹⁰ For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, the builderand maker of which [city] is God.

¹¹ By faith also Sarah herself received power to conceive seed, even when she was past the age limit, since she esteemed him faithful who had promised. ¹² Hence also from one [man], and him as good as dead,  there were born [children] just as the stars of heaven for multitude and as the sands that are by the seaside, innumerable.

¹³ In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. ¹⁴ For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. ¹⁵ And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, as good as offered up Isaac, and the man that had gladly received the promises attempted to offer up [his] only-begotten [son], ¹⁸ although it had been said to him: “What will be called ‘your seed’ will be through Isaac.” ¹⁹ But he reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.

²⁰ By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Eʹsau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when about to die, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped leaning upon the top of his staff.

²² By faith, Joseph, nearing his end, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and he gave a command concerning his bones. ²³ By faith Moses was hid for three months by his parents after his birth, because they saw the young child was beautiful and they did not fear the order of the king.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be called the son of the daughter of Pharʹaoh,  ²⁵ choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin, ²⁶ because he esteemed the reproach of the Christ as riches greater than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, but not fearing the anger of the king, for he continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he had celebrated the passover and the splashing of the blood, that the destroyer might not touch their firstborn ones.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, but on venturing out upon it the Egyptians were swallowed up.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jerʹi·cho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith Raʹhab the harlot did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way.

³² And what more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on, Baʹrak, Samson, Jephʹthah, David as well as Samuel and the [other] prophets, ³³ who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict, effected righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ stayed the force of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from a weak state were made powerful, became valiant in war, routed the armies of foreigners.

³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection; but other [men] were tortured because they would not accept release by some ransom, in order that they might attain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Yes, others received their trial by mockings and scourgings, indeed, more than that, by bonds and prisons. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were tried, they were sawn asunder, they died by slaughter with the sword, they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, while they were in want, in tribulation, under ill-treatment; ³⁸ and the world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves and dens of the earth.

³⁹ And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the [fulfillment of the] promise, ⁴⁰ as God foresawsomething better for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.

¹ So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Indeed, consider closely the one who has endured such contrary talk by sinners against their own interests, that YOU may not get tired and give out in YOUR souls.

⁴ In carrying on YOUR contest against that sin YOU have never yet resisted as far as blood, ⁵ but YOU have entirely forgotten the exhortation which addresses YOU as sons: “My son, do not belittle [the] discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you are corrected by him; ⁶ for whom Jehovah loves he disciplines; in fact, he scourges every one whom he receives as a son.”

⁷ It is for discipline YOU are enduring. God is dealing with YOU as with sons. For what son is he that a father does not discipline? ⁸ But if YOU are without the discipline of which all have become partakers, YOU are really illegitimate children, and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we used to have fathers who were of our flesh to discipline us, and we used to give them respect. Shall we not much more subject ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live? ¹⁰ For they for a few days used to discipline us according to what seemed good to them, but he does so for our profit that we may partake of his holiness. ¹¹ True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous;  yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.

¹² Hence straighten up the hands that hang down and the enfeebled knees, ¹³ and keep making straight paths for YOUR feet, that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather that it may be healed.

 ¹⁸ For YOU have not approached that which can be felt and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, ¹⁹ and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. ²⁰ For the command was not bearable to them: “And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ²¹Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: “I am fearful and trembling.” ²² But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, ²³ in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, ²⁴ and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s [blood].

²⁵ See that YOU do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens. ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying: “Yet once more I will set in commotion not only the earth but also the heaven.” ²⁷ Now the expression “Yet once more” signifies the removal of the things being shaken as things that have been made, in order that the things not being shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore, seeing that we are to receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to have undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably render God sacred service with godly fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is also a consuming fire.

Hebrews 11:40 speaks of “something better for us.” What is this? The adjective kreittōn (“better”) is used in different contexts in Hebrews:

A hope that was better than the hope given by the law

Hebrews 7:19

¹⁹ For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better (kreittōn) hope did, through which we are drawing near to God.

A covenant that was better than the old covenant

Hebrews 7:22

²² to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better (kreittōn) covenant.

Hebrews 11:16

¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better (kreittōn) [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.

A better resurrection

Hebrews 11:35

³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection; but other [men] were tortured because they would not accept release by some ransom, in order that they might attain a better (kreittōn) resurrection.

Something better

Hebrews 11:40

⁴⁰ as God foresaw something better (kreittōn) for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.

I have one comment on the expression “a better resurrection” in 11:15. In the past, the resurrection of earthly bodies to life on the earth had occurred. But all these persons died again after some time. The words “a better resurrection” contrasts this situation. Persons who were tortured, would not give in and make compromises in order to continue to live. On the contrary, they kept their righteousness when they were tortured, because they knew that if they died, they would get a resurrection to everlasting life. This resurrection would be a better resurrection than for those who were resurrected for later died.

What does it mean to become perfect? The verb teleioō has the meaning, “to execute fully, discharge, reach the end of, run through, finish.” (Mounce), and “To attain a state as a goal” (Louw and Nida), and “make perfect, perfect, complete.” (UBS) This shows that the verb teleioō can have different meanings. The usual rendering “become perfect” can be misleading because different people have different meanings of what “perfection” is. This is also the case with Hebrews 11:40, and therefore I will translate the last clause of the verse in this way:

In order that they might not reach the final goal apart from us.

The meaning of the pronouns “they” and “us” is clear. The use of pronouns in Hebrews chapters 10, 11, and 12 shows that “we” refers to The Hebrews who were adopted as sons of God and who had “the heavenly calling,” and “they” refers to all the ancient servants of God mentioned in chapter 11. These were seeking a fatherland that was better than the fatherland from which they came. And this is the “inhabited earth to come.”

The purpose of God was that children from Adam and Eve should fill the earth and the paradise should be expanded to the whole earth. This is still God’s purpose, and it will happen after the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ. Living forever on the earth as a person without sin is a marvelous hope. However, God has decided that 144,000 humans shall get a heavenly resurrection and reign together with Jesus Christ. While the hope of living in a paradise earth is fantastic, getting a heavenly resurrection and even being able to see God must be viewed as a better hope. So, what is better for “us” than for “they” is the heavenly calling they have received and the heavenly resurrection that they will receive.

The words of Paul in Ephesians 1:9, 10 throw light on the last part of Hebrews 11:40:

⁹ in that he made known to us the sacred secret of his will. It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself  ¹⁰ for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, namely, to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.

The ancient servants of God who hoped to live in paradise on earth will not reach the final goal (“perfection”) apart from the Hebrews and others with the heavenly calling because all the things on the earth and in the heavens will be gathered together in the Christ.

All the ancient servants of God who lived before Jesus Christ came to the earth, had the hope of receiving a new homeland, namely everlasting life in “the inhabited earth to come” All servants of God from the time of Jesus until the number of 144,000 was filled, received “the heavenly calling” with the hope of a heavenly resurrection. After the number was filled, God’s servant again had the hope of receiving a new homeland in “the inhabited earth to come.”

CONCLUDING REMARKS  

The doctrine that there are two different hopes of salvation, one group with 144,000 members who will reign with Jesus Christ in heaven, and billions of humans who will live in the regained earthly paradise, is very important for the understanding of the Bible. If we do not realize that the books of The Christian Greek Scriptures are written for those with the “heavenly calling,” we will misunderstand the text of these books.

This article has shown that one book of the Christian Greek Scriptures, namely the Epistle to the Hebrews, throughout the book consistently distinguishes between the two groups. While no other book in the Christian Greek Scriptures consistently makes this distinction throughout, there are several clear examples of the two groups in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Chapter 1 of my book, The Atonement Between god and Man, discusses all these examples in detail.