Leaving Hell Behind | Chapter 10: Redemption Has A Process

How often have we heard in our lives the phrase “Jesus is our redeemer?” Songs exist to worship the Father because of this important truth, such as Hillsong United—My Redeemer Lives, or from Nicole C. Mullins—My Redeemer Lives.

Have you ever contemplated this in greater detail? What does it mean for something or someone to be redeemed? Have you ever considered, in order for something to be redeemed, it first has to have been 100% owned by you? Then sold off or pawned. And finally bought back for a price, therefore being redeemed.

Let’s take a practical example of this. Imagine a husband and wife who fall on hard times. Together, they are desperate for money, so they decide to pawn the engagement ring. This is something they 100% owned. Now, it has been sold off or pawned. Time goes by, they come back into some wealth and now, they want to redeem the ring. They go back to the pawnshop and thankfully find; it is still there. They pay the price of redemption and buy it back.

It is an interesting thought, isn’t it, that in fact, you can’t redeem something you didn’t once already own. Buying something you didn’t previously own is just buying something. It can’t ever be considered a redemption. Would you agree? It makes sense, right?

I have found over the course of my life; this was not something often spoken about or conversed over. This fact that all of creation is, was and will always be “owned by Father God and Lord Jesus.” I like how Dr. Stephen E. Jones puts this in his book The Restoration of All Things, he writes:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” the Bible begins. This verse establishes God’s ownership and certain rights that come with ownership. He owns it by right of creation. As another song goes, “This is My Father’s world.” Yet all was sold at the Cosmic Pawn Shop in order to make payment for Adam’s sin. And even then, the creation itself, with all its wealth and natural resources, was insufficient to pay for the smallest sin. So we entered a time of bondage according to the law.¹

Creation is His possession. If He didn’t at some point own us, and then, at some point sell us off to bondage, making us no longer His, how could He really redeem us. As we have just learned, one can’t redeem something they haven’t already once owned. I find it a sobering thought.

It may seem offensive to hear such a statement “He sold us off to bondage.” Yet in fact, this truth is played out repeatedly as revealed through the book of Judges. The Lord regularly sold His people off to the surrounding nations because of their infidelity to Him. We find just one of the many examples recorded in Judges 2:14, “Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.” What eventually followed is at some point, the people would cry out to Him to deliver them—to redeem them—and He would send a judge to come and save them.

It seems strange to say this, but as I was growing up as a child, or even now as a long-time adult, I can’t say I heard preaching on how, Jesus redeemed us. Yes, of course preaching on “He died on the cross and paid our sin-debt with His blood.” Most of this was focused on the New Testament, but what I mean here is practically, how did this work? I often heard blanket statements “Jesus fulfilled the law.” Ok, but what does that mean? What did He fulfill? What law exactly?

The answer is the law of redemption, and as we have seen in the last chapter, the law of atonement. However, there is a systematic process to the law of redemption. In this chapter, I want to lay out the process and try to connect all the dots in understanding, how Jesus fulfilled the law. How the law is still actively working and how it plays a part to redeem, reconcile and restore everything to Father God. Although in the spirit realm, it is finished. In the natural it is another story. Jesus states in Matthew 5:17-18:

BSB: ¹⁷ Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
NTAT: ¹⁷ Do not think that I came to destroy the Law and the prophets; I came not to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For, amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth shall pass away, not a single iota or single serif must vanish from the Law, until all things come to pass.

BGB: ¹⁷ Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι· ¹⁸ ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.
BGB-T: ¹⁷ Mē nomisēte hoti ēlthon katalysai ton nomon ē tous prophētas; ouk ēlthon katalysai alla plērōsai; ¹⁸ amēn gar legō hymin, heōs an parelthē ho ouranos kai hē gē, iōta hen ē mia keraia ou mē parelthē apo tou nomou, heōs an panta genētai.

Since we don’t yet see that all has been accomplished—in the natural realm at least—we don’t yet see all redeemed, reconciled and restored. Therefore, the law is still very much active. As in the end, one can only govern the cosmos with some sort of law or code of governance, right? The apostle Paul confirms this as well in Hebrews 2:8 “When God subjected all things to him, He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.”

10.1 The Laws of Time for the Cosmos

Looking back through all of my studies and analysis, I had such a hunger to know what the Father’s truth is. This is in contrast to the traditions we have built up over the last 2,000 years of church history. The hardest part is distinguishing the two. What are the created traditions or precepts which the Father would say, “sorry my son, that’s not of me?” I would say all of this breaking down and analyzing some of the top traditions took place over several key phases.

The first phase was simply reviewing all the elements of the three interpretative frameworks. Once that was done, then I needed to digest, and that was over a two- and half-year period. The second phase then began taking me through what I learned in this chapter, along with chapters 8 and 9.

One topic which was extremely fascinating to me and relevant to this discussion is, there are laws of time that Father God and Lord Jesus have given to us. They incorporate this into the governing of the cosmos. Time is a unique technology of Planet Earth. We live in time, they don’t. They have created time for our natural realm. If you haven’t considered this before, it may seem strange, but the laws they have created surrounding time are, in fact, the Sabbath law, the Jubilee law, and what I call, the Standard of Time.

10.1.1 The Sabbath Law

This is a law probably the majority of Christians rarely hear about. If you have heard about it, it might be in relation to various interactions you have had with someone from the Seventh Day Adventists. If you are from an SDA background, I know you certainly would know much about this law—as it pertains to a day of worship. However, there is so much more beyond whether we should worship on Saturday or Sunday. I have come to learn this is really a key law of time in which the Lord governs. I also know the wonderful work at the Jubilee Center in England also has a lot of writing about this law in regard to fiscal policies. Gods Kingdom Ministries and the Stone Kingdom Ministries in America also speak in depth about this law. This law encompasses two key areas.

1. As it pertains to a specific rest day from work and to worship.

The Sabbath law is found in its first iteration in Exodus 20:8-11, and then in its newly revised iteration as we now read in Deuteronomy 5:12-14.

BSB: ¹² Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. ¹³ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁴ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do.

CLV: ¹² You are to observe the sabbath day to hallow it, just as Yahweh your Elohim had instructed you. ¹³ Six days shall you serve and do all your work, ¹⁴ yet the seventh day is a sabbath to Yahweh your Elohim. You shall not do any work on it; you, your son or your daughter, your manservant or your maidservant, your bull, your donkey or any domestic beast of yours, or your sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as you do.

Even though the Israelites failed to keep this law. There is a certain beauty to it. I know many people have found a great deal of blessings in. By truly taking a Sabbath day of rest and to use it specifically in their lives to focus on Father God and Lord Jesus. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath after all, so He really knew what He was doing by giving us a day of rest. Our bodies and minds need it. When we are fresh and relaxed, we can have a stronger focus on the things that matter.

2. As it pertains to a rest year from working the land, and a release of sin-debts.

The Sabbath law applied not only to a single day. It also applied to a full year at the end of every six years. Here once again, we see limitations being applied by the Lord to sin-debts. Besides this, the Sabbath year was equivalent to a “Sabbath day rest” for the land. It was there to give the land a rest to rejuvenate and replenish itself. It is quite fascinating when we look at the science behind this. If we let the ground lay barren for a year, all of its nutrients are restored. A former colleague of mine who lives outside of Tel Aviv once shared this with me. Every seventh year he lets the land in his garden rest for a year, and it truly has done wondrous things for his garden. We also know that every seven years we replace all of our cells in our bodies. Seven really is an important number of time for all of creation. This law is found first in Leviticus 25:2-7. I will only quote verses 3-5:

BSB: ³ For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops. ⁴ But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD. You are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard. ⁵ You are not to reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untended vines. The land must have a year of complete rest.

CLV: ³ Six years shall you sow your field, and six years shall you prune your vineyard, and you will gather its yield. ⁴ Yet in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of cessation for the land, a sabbath to Yahweh. Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune. ⁵ The self-sown of your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your untrimmed vines you shall not pick. A year of cessation shall it be for the land.

Then we have it expounded on in Deuteronomy 15:1-18. I will only quote verses 1-2,9,12-13:

BSB: ¹ At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. ² This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. ¹² If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must set him free. ¹³ And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

CLV: ¹ At the end of seven years you shall make a release. ² And this is the term of the release: Every creditor is to release the loan of his hand that he lent to his associate. He shall not exact it from his associate or his brother, for Yahweh’s release has been proclaimed. ⁹ Guard yourself lest there should be in your heart the decadent word, saying: The seventh year is near, the year of the release, so that your eye is evil toward your needy brother, and you give him nothing. Then he may call out to Yahweh concerning you, and it will be held as a sin against you. ¹² In case your brother should be sold to you, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, who has served you six years, then in the seventh year you shall dismiss him from you free.

What we see here is the Sabbath law also helps to govern sin-debts. These sin-debts are to be released in the seventh year. As we read under the section called valuation of sin-debts in chapter 9, if someone committed a sin-crime and could not pay their debts, they were to be sold. Essentially, making this indebted servitude for their sin-crime. From everything I have gathered on this topic, the seventh year was to be global across the entire nation. What we also learn is if the sin-debt was so large as to not allow a release in the seventh year, then all people still were to be given a rest year. Then in the eight year, they were to return and continue serving out their sin-debt. In society, those who committed sin-crimes weren’t to go to jail. They were to be productive and work their debts off, then at the end to be restored back into society after they have paid off their sin-debts.

There is even a declaration that when the person has paid their sin-debts, one wasn’t to send them away empty-handed. It was commanded to be generous and give them enough to help them begin the new stage of life again in freedom. What we have then is a time scale for life.

Six days work, one day rest day.
Six years’ work, one year rest year.

10.1.2 The Jubilee Law

Now this law is one of the most amazing things I have ever learned about in the Word of God. It was the Jubilee law that really solidified for me the belief that Father God will save all humanity and restore all to Himself through Christ. It was this law that solidified the interpretative framework of universal restoration as being the best framework to view the Bible through when we add to it, understanding kingdom law. When I learned the facts around the Jubilee law, and how it is intricately linked with the Sabbath law and the law of redemption, the impact on my heart was extreme. I will share more about this personal impact on my heart later.

Looking at the Jubilee law, what we see is a second level time scale, which the Lord uses to govern the cosmos.

Let’s review now this law. Leviticus 25 holds the key to all of this. However, I will focus only on Leviticus 25:8-10, 13:

BSB: ⁸ And you shall count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that time of the seven sabbatical years amounts to forty-nine years. ⁹ Then you are to sound the trumpet far and wide on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day of Atonement. You shall sound it throughout your land. ¹⁰ So you are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan. ¹³ In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his own property.

CLV: ⁸ You will count off for yourselves seven sabbaths of years, that is, seven years seven times, so that the days of the seven sabbaths of years will come to be for you forty-nine years. ⁹ Then you will make the trumpet blast pass over all your land in the seventh month on the tenth of the month. On the day of propitiatory shelters you shall make the trumpet pass over all your land. ¹⁰ And you will hallow the year, the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty in the land to all its dwellers. A jubilee year shall this one be for you; each of you will return to his holding, and each of you shall return to his family. ¹³ In this year of the jubilee each of you shall return to his holding.

The year of Jubilee was the year that irrespective of how much one might still owe, there was to be a proclamation of freedom, and a release from ALL sin-debts. What this means is that as we were learning in chapter 7, if sin equals debt, it was a time when all sin had to be forgiven. Irrespective of what was left outstanding. No exceptions!

As I am writing, I am wondering for you as the reader, are you seeing these things coming together? In chapter 7, we learned how sin is reckoned. In chapter 9, we see revealed the limitations placed on the liability of sin and how the law of atonement covered all sin globally for the nation. Now these two laws, the Sabbath, and the Jubilee, commanding a setting free of all sin-debt liabilities. We now see another time scale for life.

Seven Sabbath years equals forty-nine years. A Jubilee is called at the end and the fiftieth year, a release of all debts.

10.1.3 A Standard Law of Time

In learning about this law and doing the research and testing the spirit of what was being shared. I had a powerful confirmation from the Lord there is truth in this. I think, if you have never considered this before, I can only invite you to read, contemplate and to humbly take it to Jesus in prayer. What I have found is many take these scriptures to be allegorical and not something literal. I believe, though, as we see the connections to the Sabbath and Jubilee laws, you too might also see it as being a proper measure of time. I can certainly say for me, it was another crucial element in grasping the plans of the Lord for the restoration of all things.

What is this standard law of time? Well, it is simply this, One Day is as A Thousand Years. A Thousand Years is as A Day. Let’s explore this further. I want to start with Revelation 20:2,4-5:

BSB: ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ⁴ Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. … And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵ The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.

NTAT: ² And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is a Slanderer and the Accuser, and bound him for a thousand years, ⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, … and they came to life and reigned with the Anointed for a thousand years. ⁵ Until the thousand years had elapsed, the rest of the dead did not have life. This is the first resurrection.

BGB: ² καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν δράκοντα, ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, ὅς ἐστιν Διάβολος καὶ Ὁ Σατανᾶς, καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν χίλια ἔτη, ⁴ ‹Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, … καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη›. ⁵ Οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔζησαν ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη. αὕτη ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη.
BGB-T: ² kai ekratēsen ton drakonta, ho ophis ho archaios, hos estin Diabolos kai HO Satanas, kai edēsen auton chilia etē, ⁴ ‹Kai eidon thronous, kai ekathisan ep’ autous, kai krima edothē autois, … kai ezēsan kai ebasileusan meta tou christou chilia etē›. ⁵ HOi loipoi tōn nekrōn ouk ezēsan achri telesthē ta chilia etē. hautē hē anastasis hē prōtē.

I am not sure about you? But when I was a newbie in Christ, for a long time when I was reading these scriptures, I kept thinking “why one thousand years?” There are a lot of commentaries to be found about Christs’ Millennial Kingdom. Many view this as symbolism and allegory. Others interpret it to be literal. Yet, no matter which way we could interpret it, I still had a burning question which wasn’t answered. “Why specifically one thousand years?” Why not two thousand, or eight thousand, or five hundred, or one hundred years?

It really is about a standard of time. We could consider this another time scale that the Lord governs the cosmos with. We have some scriptures which I think bring this greater into view. First is 1 Peter 3:8-9. Personally, I quite like the translation of the CLV on this one.

BSB: ⁸ Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
NTAT: ⁸ But do not let this one thing be concealed from you, beloved ones: that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a single day. ⁹ The Lord is not delaying what is promised, as some reckon delay, but is magnanimous toward you, intending for no one to perish, but rather for all to advance to a change of heart.
CLV: ⁸ Now of this one thing you are not to be oblivious, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not tardy as to the promise, as some are deeming tardiness, but is patient because of you, not intending any to perish, but all to make room for repentance.

BGB: ⁸ Ἓν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ λανθανέτω ὑμᾶς, ἀγαπητοί, ὅτι μία ἡμέρα παρὰ Κυρίῳ ὡς χίλια ἔτη καὶ χίλια ἔτη ὡς ἡμέρα μία. ⁹ οὐ βραδύνει Κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδύτητα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι.
BGB-T: ⁸ Hen de touto mē lanthanetō hymas, agapētoi, hoti mia hēmera para Kyriō hōs chilia etē kai chilia etē hōs hēmera mia. ⁹ ou bradynei Kyrios tēs epangelias, hōs tines bradytēta hēgountai, alla makrothymei eis hymas, mē boulomenos tinas apolesthai alla pantas eis metanoian chōrēsai.

I have found this to be a profoundly pointed statement Peter is making to us. The Greek word in verse 8, lanthanetō (λανθανέτω / G2990) means “to escape notice.” Strongs exhaustive concordance defines it as “to lie hid (literally or figuratively).” Looking at the three English translations, the BSB declares do not let this escape your notice, the NTAT declares do not let this be concealed, and the CLV declares we are not to be oblivious.

Could it be, maybe we have become oblivious to this particularly important fact of how God manages time? A practical, literal way He governs our natural realm? This is again one of those scriptures where, if he meant it to be an allegory of something, why are we called to not be oblivious to it? How practically should we understand this allegory? After all, our natural realm comprises time designed and created by the Lord.

I think we should also remember that, in fact, the apostle Peter was not a Greek. Although he was writing in Greek, he was approaching his writing through a Hebrew mindset and cultural viewpoint. Although the Hebrews used allegory and stories as well in their writings, these are always found connected to history. Whereas the Greek mindset would see these allegories as connected to myth. Should we then believe that Peter was writing in a way that would force us to interpret this scripture through a “spiritual-allegorical” lens? I have found as we dive more into the Hebrew mindset of scripture, I would say no.

What I think is quite relevant in bringing this forth as truth is what we read of the Lord telling Adam what would happen, if he ate from the tree of knowledge. Genesis 2:17 states:

BSB: ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.
CLV: ¹⁷ But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying.

⁷¹ וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃
WLC-T: ¹⁷ ume’ets hadda’ath tov wara’ lo thokhal mimmennu ki beyom akholkha mimmennu moth tamuth

LXX: ¹⁷ ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ· ᾗ δʼ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε.
LXX-T: ¹⁷ apo de tou xylou tou ginōskein kalon kai ponēron, ou phagesthe apʼ autou; hē dʼ an hēmera phagēte apʼ autou, thanatō apothaneisthe.

We know that on that physical day, Adam and Eve didn’t die. They carried on living for an extraordinarily long time. Finally, we read in Genesis 5:5 when Adam died:

BSB: ⁵ So Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.
CLV: ⁵ So all the days of Adam which he lived came to be nine hundred thirty years; then he died.

⁵ וַיִּֽהְי֞וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־חַ֔י תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃ ס
WLC-T: ⁵ wayyiheyu kol-yemei adam asher-chai tesha’ me’oth shanah usheloshim shanah wayyamoth

LXX: ⁵ καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Αδαμ, ἃς ἔζησεν, ἐννακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη, καὶ ἀπέθανεν.
LXX-T: ⁵ kai egenonto pasai hai hēmerai Adam, has ezēsen, ennakosia kai triakonta etē, kai apethanen.

We really can say by the Lord’s standard, Adam died “in that day.”

Is scripture enough for us to confirm; we should understand this from a historical, Hebrew cultural perspective? That the Lord really is informing us how He manages time. I want to look at two historic writings which are found outside of the Bible which I believe helps to guide us in understanding what Peter really thought about this. As I have been reading the writings of Dr. Heiser. I have found he speaks often about the impact, and influence of how Second Temple literature and culture that influenced the authors of the New Testament.² I would like to share one writing that comes from this time, which applies to the conversation at hand. We read in the Book of Jubilees 4:40-42:³

³⁹ And at the close of the nineteenth jubilee, in the seventh week in the sixth year thereof, Adam died, and all his sons buried him in the land of his creation, and he was the first to be buried in the earth. ⁴⁰ And he lacked seventy years of one thousand years; for one thousand years are as one day in the testimony of the heavens ⁴¹ and therefore was it written concerning the tree of knowledge: “On the day that ye eat thereof ye will die.” ⁴² For this reason he did not complete the years of this day; for he died during it.

³⁹ ומקץ יובל התשעה עשר בשבוע השביעי בשנה השישית בו מת האדם וכל בניו קברוהו בארץ אשר נברא שם והוא היה הראשון אשר נקבר בארץ: ⁴⁰ וימת שבעים שנה לפני מלאת לו אלף שנים כי אלף שנים כיום אחד לפי העדות אשר בשמים: ⁴² על כן לא מלאו לו שנות היום ההוא כי אם מת בו:

What we find is, in fact, if one reads the book of Jubilee even for historic reference. The entire book is all about the history of creation and the Israelites looking through the lenses of Sabbath and Jubilee years. It is certain this would have had a powerful influence on the apostle, as he is recording his epistle.

As we step forward in time to the second century AD, we have the writings coming from the Epistle of Barnabas. Either written by Barnabas or, as scholars point out a “pseudo-Barnabas” who was probably an Alexandrian Jew at the time of Trajan and Hadrian. Researchers place this writing around AD 100 – 115. When we consider this, it really isn’t far from AD 96 when the Book of Revelation was recorded by the apostle John. Whoever Barnabas was it seems clear, John and him could certainly have been contemporaries in the day’s culture. We read in the following in chapter 15:3-6:⁴

The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of the creation [thus]: “And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it.” Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth, saying, “Behold, to-day¹⁶⁶⁰ will be as a thousand years.” Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. “And He rested on the seventh day.” … Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world.

It is interesting that in the superscript 1660 above, the translator has noted that the Codex Sinaiticus reads “The day of the Lord shall be as a thousand years.” I wanted to share these two references to help us see that this was not some sort of allegorical understanding in the first century. I believe the apostle Peter would have, through his cultural background, meant exactly what he said, “we are not to be oblivious to this” time with the Lord has these two dimensions. A day equals a thousand years, and a thousand years equals a day.

Since the day of creation, we are running on ~6,000 years. Most analysis puts the time in the garden of Eden between ~4004 BC to ~3800 BC. What we find then through all the data analysis, the following ages, or eons on the grander scale.

Circa 2,500 years of the patriarchs (The Antediluvian plus Abraham, Isaac, Jacob).
Circa 1,500 years of the church (ecclesia) in the wilderness (The Israelites, Acts 7:38).⁵
Circa 2,000 years of the church (ecclesia) of those from the wilderness and the nations.

We have a clear, concise declaration of a 1,000-year reign of Christ on the Earth. What do we get? A millennial week with a millennial Sabbath rest at its end. Therefore, we now have our last time scale by which the Lord governs the cosmos. If we combine this all together, we have the following levels of time.

Level 1:

6 days’ work, 1-day Sabbath rest [A week of days].
6 years’ work, 1-year Sabbath rest (releasing of sin-debts) [A week of years].
6,000 years’ work, 1,000 years Sabbath rest (release of sin-debts) [A millennial week of years].

Level 2:

7 times seven Sabbath years equals a Jubilee being called at the end of the 49^th year and a Jubilee year in the 50^th year (release of ALL sin-debts).
7 times seven Sabbath millennium years being called at the end of the 49,000^th year and a Jubilee in the 50,000^th year (release of ALL sin-debts).

Therefore, what we will find is that throughout these 50,000 years, we have this continuous cycle being maintained. We have weeks of days, weeks of years and millennial weeks of years. This brings into view the long-term plans of Jesus for the salvation and restoration of all things. What I have found is it then removes the ambiguity of eternity. It all becomes practical, no longer philosophical. Dr. Jones calls the 50,000^th year, a “Creations Jubilee.”⁶ Which I believe really fits well. The trumpet sounds and God Himself declares a Jubilee. All of creation is set free and we arrive at 1 Corinthians 15:28 with “God all in all!”

In order to conclude, we see the Sabbath law, the Jubilee law and this standard of time are all playing an intricate role in how the Lord governs the cosmos. These laws are foundational. There are the lower Earthly courts, then there are the upper Divine courts. These are the eons, the ages, or essentially the olamim and aiōnios of time. Comprising a beginning point and an ending point through each era.

These laws are foundational in how the Lord really manages sin-debt for us individually, but as well nationally. When we see the true beauty that sin-debt was always limited in nature. The Jubilee law is grace in its fullness. Being managed and mediated through the bringer of grace, Lord Jesus through the backdrop of the eons.

What are your own thoughts on this? Does this make any difference to you? Have you ever considered the practicality of how the Lord governs time? Have you always seen this as allegory and symbolism? If you have, does this change your perspective when we see it in light of the laws of the Sabbath and Jubilee, in considering the greater plans Jesus has for the salvation and restoration of all things?

10.2 The Jubilee Law is Perfect Legal Grace

It was May 2018 onwards when I was introduced to the laws of Christ, as found in the Old Testament. As I have just shared the laws of time for the cosmos, it was personally a tremendous revelation coming at me about the true significance of the law of Jubilee. Of course, I was always in prayer and seeking Jesus to confirm is this really true? Is the analysis and writing of Dr. Jones really valid as I had never discovered such preaching or teaching before. It was honestly very radical, given how often we are told the law has been done away with.

As summer entered Autumn, I had the most amazing encounter with the Lord. Or should I say with “His Finger.” It was October 2018. I had just finished a unique study of the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation, along with studying the various key laws. I will never forget what followed. Over the course of the 4^th and 5^th of October 2018, I literally experienced the Finger of God writing his laws on my heart. In my mind, I saw them to be good. But this was all about my heart. It was an encounter like none other. Over these two days, I experienced the following two verses taking place with a literal physical sensation on my heart.

¹⁰ For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds, and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. (Hebrews 8:10)
¹⁶ “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.” (Hebrews 10:16)

I can tell you the Finger of God who wrote the ten commandments on stone tablets, was now writing His laws on my heart. For two days I was in tears of joy, peace, and love and overwhelmed by the goodness of Their laws. I was in actual tears for two days, so overwhelmed by Their love for me but as well their creation. Since then, I have never looked at the laws of God the same way. I have never been the same since such an encounter. I see now why King David praised His laws. I agree fully with King David. Especially when we come to understand them through the new covenant mediated by Lord Jesus.

That wasn’t all. Over that year, a friend and I went out into the streets of Vienna every week to share the gospel. We looked for anybody that the Lord would lead to us in order to pray for them for healing or to simply share His love for them. We had seen many miracles and healings and we had so many amazing interactions with people over the year. Later in October, it was the 23^rd and this specific night I and two friends were out at the University of Vienna. We just stood there, and the hand of the Lord was working to bring people to us. Rather than us going to others. Well, we came across a homeless man who was also doing a degree program at the university. Clearly not something one sees often, someone homeless at a university. Though, it certainly impressed us.

As we spoke to him, asking if he had pain or anything we could pray for, he said he had some actual pain in his foot. I was the one that took the lead this time to pray and as I prayed for him; the man heard three separate things. The first and last, I don’t recall what he said, and I didn’t record it as he spoke it in German. It was, however, the second thing he heard, which peaked my ears. He spoke it in English, not in German. Which was also interesting as in fact, he told us he didn’t speak English when we first met. As I had prayed for him, he said he heard:

“Grace was here before I came!”

I was floored! For me, it was clear what he was saying. My two friends didn’t understand what that meant, but I did. It was because I was studying the law of Jubilee. Earlier that month I had God’s laws written on my heart. Now, this man I was saying he heard “grace was here before I came” as I prayed for him. The law of Jubilee is in its fullness, grace. Grace was always built into the law and hence, grace was here before Jesus came in flesh and blood. This also then helps us to connect the dots, as we have learned. It was Jesus in spirit form as Yahweh who gave the law to us. Grace has always been with us. The kingdom laws are the outworking character of our Father God and savior Christ Jesus. Jesus is revealing to us grace.

This was Jesus answering my prayer as to if all of this talk about the Jubilee law was true. This was Jesus providing me a double witness to the truth of the Jubilee. It has meaning for us today and for His plans for the universal salvation and restoration of all things. The Jubilee law equals grace in its fullness.

10.3 The Law of Redemption

Now we come to what is truly the most amazing law of all. At least in my mind. This is the law which the Lord fulfilled. He didn’t abolish it after He fulfilled it, as it is still needed for Him to fulfill all things. It is the law which He executed in perfection for all of humanity. I love it.

As you will recall with the valuation of sin, Exodus 22:3b states, if the person with the sin-crime can’t pay back their sin-debt, “if he has nothing, then he has been sold for his theft.” If one has been sold by law, this also includes the entire estate. It is everything that the person owns that goes with them. We find the entire process and procedure of the law in Leviticus 25:47-55. There is a crucial connection between the law of redemption and the Jubilee law. They go hand in hand and can’t be separated. Let’s first look at Leviticus 25:47-50a:

BSB: ⁴⁷ If a foreigner or temporary resident living among you prospers, but your brother dwelling near him becomes poor and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan, ⁴⁸ he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his brothers may redeem him: ⁴⁹ either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. ^50a He and his purchaser will then count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee.

CLV: ⁴⁷ In case the hand of a sojourner or guest beside you can afford it, and your brother beside him is reduced to poverty and sells himself to the sojourner or guest beside you or to the clansman of the sojourner’s family, ⁴⁸ after he has sold himself, redemption may he come to have; one of his brothers may redeem him. ⁴⁹ Either his uncle or his uncle’s son, he may redeem him, or one, kin to his flesh, of his family, he may redeem him, or if his own hand can afford it then he may redeem himself. ^50a He will compute with his buyer the total from the year he sold himself to him until the year of the jubilee.

What we discover is the following. The law of valuation of sin-crimes in Exodus 22:1-6, Leviticus 6:1-7 and Numbers 5:5-10 all applied to Adam and Eve in the divine court. The judgement would have been that Adam would have to pay his sin-debt. However, as a living, breathing soul, he was the first of creation. There were no other family members around to “redeem him and his estate.” Upon judgement by the Lord, it is clear that Adam could not provide payment for his now created sin-debt against His creator.

We see a really tough truth in these laws. If, in fact, Adam had the wealth to pay back the debt, he could have done it. When I learned about this aspect of the law, I found it almost impossible to comprehend. It was really something hard to receive, given the traditions I grew up with. As we aren’t taught the functioning of these laws and the valuations of sin-crimes. Have you ever been told that based on law, if Adam had the wealth to pay the sin-debt, he could have? Probably not, right? If this is the first time you are seeing such a statement, I can only imagine it comes off as deeply offensive to your senses. I know it was this way for me. When we compare all the various translations out there, Lev 25:49 is crystal clear, “if he prospers, he may redeem himself.”

What followed then after the judgment by the Lord in the divine court, is Adam and all his estate was sold into bondage. In this bondage, all future generations would experience the virus and debt of mortality and death. Adam was sold at the cosmic pawnshop.

Reviewing this law, we come to three key points which I would like to break down:

There is a right of redemption from a family member. This is a right, meaning the one who bought the person in debt, by law, has to sell them back to the family member who has the money to pay the debt. The owner can’t refuse the redemption by the family member.
If the one sold into debt along the way acquires the wealth to pay back their own sin-debts. They have that right. The master can’t refuse. It all has to be conducted according to how much time is left until the Jubilee.
Everything is reckoned in relation to the time of Jubilee, when all debts are to be set free. Sin equals debt. Sin here is reckoned in this case when the debtor can’t pay his debt to the one he committed the sin-crime against.

The second point above I think is really the one that connects me deeply to what the Psalmist says in Psalm 49:6-8.

BSB: ⁶ They trust in their wealth and boast in great riches. ⁷ No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God. ⁸ For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
CLV: ⁶ Who are trusting in their estate And are boasting in the abundance of their riches? ⁷ Yea it shall not ransom, yea ransom a man; Neither shall one pay to Elohim his sheltering ransom ⁸ (For the ransom of his soul is too precious a price, And he shuns it for the eon),

10.3.1 The Plan Begins

At the time of the sin-crime of Adam and Eve, Yahweh exists as Spirit and Light. Adam exists as dust of the ground. In order to fulfill the requirements of the law of redemption, only a member of the family can redeem him and his estate. This is why Yahweh became our Yeshua in flesh and blood and entered His creation. Therefore, in the Bible, we have the genealogy being revealed, proving that Jesus could fulfill the kinsmen redeemer role. This is a deep legal requirement for redemption. He had to be of the family of Adam. Family in flesh and blood. It truly is so amazing, isn’t it?

Jesus had all the wealth of Heaven to pay the sin-debt of Adam. He fulfilled the first part of the law of atonement, and He is fulfilling the law of redemption. It is clear He never abolished it or has now set it aside after part of the requirements which He has already fulfilled.

10.3.2 A Timeframe to Redeem

Jesus declared He has redeemed the cosmos. That is exactly what He will do. I want to introduce you to a key part of the law of redemption which actually reveals, Jesus will do it all in His own timelines. Which, as we have seen, points to being within a Creations Jubilee period of 50,000 years. Leviticus 25:54 states the following:

BSB: ⁵⁴ Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children shall be released in the Year of Jubilee.
NIV: ⁵⁴Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee,
CLV: ⁵⁴ If he is not being redeemed in any of these ways then he will go forth in the year of the jubilee, he and his sons with him.

⁴⁵ וְאִם־לֹ֥א יִגָּאֵ֖ל בְּאֵ֑לֶּה וְיָצָא֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֔ל ה֖וּא וּבָנָ֥יו עִמּֽוֹ׃
WLC-T: ⁵⁴ we’im-lo yigga’el be’elleh weyatsa’ bishnath hayyovel hu uvanaiw immo

LXX: ⁵⁴ ἐὰν δὲ μὴ λυτρῶται κατὰ ταῦτα, ἐξελεύσεται ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῆς ἀφέσεως αὐτὸς καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ.
LXX-T: ⁵⁴ ean de mē lytrōtai kata tauta, exeleusetai en tō etei tēs apheseōs autos kai ta paidia autou metʼ autou.

What an amazing declaration in Leviticus of the power of the law of redemption, in connection to the Jubilee law. As Dr. Jones writes in his book The Restoration of All Things:

There is, however, one thing that the law does NOT mandate. It does not say that a man must redeem his kinsman IMMEDIATELY. There is no time frame attached to this law. The law only tells us that if he is NOT redeemed in those years, then he must be set free in the year of Jubilee.
The time of bondage is the time of potential redemption. But these years of redemption end when the redemption laws are swallowed up by the law of Jubilee. Under the law of Jubilee, all debtors are to be set free from bondage at the end of each 49-year cycle.
The fact is that when we deal with the outworking of the Plan in real life, most people on earth do not consent to be redeemed, either out of ignorance of His provision or because they have rejected it in the attempt to redeem themselves.
God will not force this redemption upon them, in spite of His love. But He knows that in the end, after the time of redemption has run its course, and after all sin has been judged during that time, He will invoke eminent domain over all creation by the law of Jubilee.⁷

Now I want to ask you, what is going on in your heart at the moment when you read that? As I am certain Jesus is stirring something in you? Am I correct? Isn’t this the most amazing news ever! Hence “the Good News of the Gospel.”

We see here that the work of Lord Jesus on the cross through the law of redemption is and has to be in connection to the law of Jubilee. It isn’t possible to separate these two. The time of bondage is connected to how much time is left until the Jubilee. On God’s great time clock when a day is as a thousand years, this means the great Jubilee would be 49 years X 1,000, which is at the end of the 49,000^th year.

I would like to revisit once again Jesus’ words found in Mark 3:28-29. These are recorded in Matthew 12:31-32, and as well as Luke 12:10, but I want to first review what is written in Matthew 12:32:

BSB: ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.
NTAT: ³² And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be excused him; but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy one, it will not be excused him, neither in this age nor in the one that is coming.

BGB: ³² καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· ὃς δ’ ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι.
BGB-T: ³² kai hos ean eipē logon kata tou Huiou tou anthrōpou, aphethēsetai autō; hos d’ an eipē kata tou Pneumatos tou Hagiou, ouk aphethēsetai autō oute en toutō tō aiōni oute en tō mellonti.

And then what is written in Mark 3:28-29:

BSB: ²⁸ Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
NTAT: ²⁸ Amen, I tell you that all will be excused the sons of men, the transgressions and the blasphemies, howsoever they may blaspheme; ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the Spirit, the Holy one, has no excuse throughout the age, but is answerable for a transgression in the Age.”

BGB: ²⁸ Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πάντα ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ αἱ βλασφημίαι, ὅσα ἐὰν βλασφημήσωσιν· ²⁹ ὃς δ’ ἂν βλασφημήσῃ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, οὐκ ἔχει ἄφεσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ ἔνοχός ἐστιν αἰωνίου ἁμαρτήματος.
BGB-T: ²⁸ Amēn legō hymin hoti panta aphethēsetai tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn, ta hamartēmata kai hai blasphēmiai, hosa ean blasphēmēsōsin; ²⁹ hos d’ an blasphēmēsē eis to Pneuma to Hagion, ouk echei aphesin eis ton aiōna, alla enochos estin aiōniou hamartēmatos.

Can it get any clearer for us? Jesus states “all will be forgiven, pardoned and excused!” Now, given all we have learned about the limitations of discipline and punishment, Jesus is also making it clear. A sin-crime that is based on the slandering/blaspheming of the Holy Spirit, this is going to take some time to be set free from. A person will fully be held accountable to it. His words in Matthew certainly don’t declare blasphemy of the Holy Spirit to be an “eternal sin.” It is just something that will not be forgiven in this age, or the age to come, but will, at some point, be forgiven. It is not a sin that is held eternally against a person.

When we come to learn about the law of Jubilee and its release from all sin-debts, can punishment or payment of this debt go on forever? Absolutely not! Once again, we are challenged by the Greek word aiōnios (aiōniou / αἰωνίου). Does it mean eternal, everlasting and forever, or does it better fit within the context of ages and eons of time.

10.4 The Law of Second Passover

There is a question which arises often when talking about universal restoration. This is, “but where does it say in the Bible there is a second ‘opportunity’ to get saved after we die?” The problem with this question is it comes from a foundation of Christian thought, which has no scriptural basis to begin with. This being, God’s plan of salvation, is only valid in our lifetime. That it is only during our lifetimes “we can choose” to accept the gift of salvation. The keywords being “we can choose.”

Honestly, this thinking comes from our self-righteousness and connects with all I have written in chapter 7. It has never been our choice. Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity. It was HIS choice, not ours. As we have been learning, the law of atonement, the law of redemption, and the law of Jubilee all play an intricate role in the overall plan. They all in their own rights as laws, declare the salvation, reconciliation, and restoration of all in its due course and time.

So, while we certainly do not see any specific statement declaring “a second opportunity.” The law decrees a process to this plan with a certain ending. There certainly is no law or even statement that says it is all done the moment we die.

Having said all of this, there is a unique law which, as far as I can gather, is so overlooked in the salvation plan that when we see it. It rocks our world. At least I know I had experienced this. It is a law that gives a legal opportunity to all who missed it the first-time round. This is the law of the second Passover.

Would you agree that we all should know and understand the purpose of Passover? Passover was the feast that pointed to Jesus as our Passover Lamb, who died for the sins of the cosmos (1 John 2:2). When we take Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we experience Passover in our lives. He is “the Way.” As we mature, we enter the season of our Pentecost experience “the Truth,” and finally one day we will step into “the Life.” This being our Tabernacles experience when we are transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus. I will speak about these phases later in chapter 12.

Everyone who is saved during their lifetime is taking part in a “first Passover.” Let’s now review the law that helps us to understand there is a second Passover. In Numbers 9:1-5 Moses is speaking about preparing for the Passover. We read the following in verse 4-5, “So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, and they did so in the Wilderness of Sinai, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.” We find; however, a problem arose. Because of the laws that were in place regarding being clean or unclean, if one was found to be unclean, they can’t take part in the Passover. We read further in verse 6-7:

BSB: ⁶ But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day ⁷ and said to Moses, “We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”

CLV: ⁶Yet it came to be that some men who became unclean by touching a dead soul of a human were not able to prepare the passover on that day. Then they came near before Moses and before Aaron on that day. ⁷Those men said to him: We are unclean by touching a dead soul of a human. Why should we be disadvantaged by failing to offer the approach present of Yahweh at its appointed time in the midst of the sons of Israel?

⁶ וַיְהִ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ טְמֵאִים֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם וְלֹא־יָכְל֥וּ לַעֲשֹׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃⁷ וַ֠יֹּאמְרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֨י הַקְרִ֜ב אֶת־קָרְבַּ֤ן יְהוָה֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
WLC-T: ⁶ wayhi anashim asher hayu teme’im lenephesh adam welo-yokhlu la’asoth-happesach bayyom hahu wayyiqrevu liphnei mosheh weliphnei aharon bayyom hahu ⁷ wayyomeru ha’anashim hahemmoh elaiw anachnu teme’im lenephesh adam lammah niggara’ levilti haqriv eth-qorban yhwh bemo’ado bethokh benei yisra’el

LXX: ⁶ Καὶ παρεγένοντο οἱ ἄνδρες, οἳ ἦσαν ἀκάθαρτοι ἐπὶ ψυχῇ ἀνθρώπου καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο ποιῆσαι τὸ πασχα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ προσῆλθον ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ καὶ Ααρων ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ⁷ καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς αὐτόν Ἡμεῖς ἀκάθαρτοι ἐπὶ ψυχῇ ἀνθρώπου· μὴ οὖν ὑστερήσωμεν προσενέγκαι τὸ δῶρον κυρίῳ κατὰ καιρὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν μέσῳ υἱῶν Ισραηλ;
LXX-T: ⁶ Kai paregenonto hoi andres, hoi ēsan akathartoi epi psychē anthrōpou kai ouk ēdynanto poiēsai to pascha en tē hēmera ekeinē, kai prosēlthon enantion Mōusē kai Aarōn en ekeinē tē hēmera, ⁷ kai eipan hoi andres ekeinoi pros auton Hēmeis akathartoi epi psychē anthrōpou; mē oun hysterēsōmen prosenenkai to dōron kyriō kata kairon autou en mesō huiōn Israēl?

What follows is Moses approaches the divine court and requests a Supreme court ruling. He wasn’t sure what to do? He then states in verse 8, “Wait here until I hear what the LORD commands concerning you.” Then we read in verses 9 – 12 what the Lord says:

BSB: ⁹ “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover to the LORD. ¹¹ Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; ¹² they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.

CLV: ⁹ Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In case any man of you or of your generations becomes unclean by a dead soul or is on the road afar, he will also prepare a passover to Yahweh. ¹¹ In the second month on the fourteenth day, between the evening hours shall they observe it. Over unleavened bread and bitter herbs shall they eat it. ¹² None of it shall they let remain until the morning, and a bone of it they shall not break. According to every statute of the passover shall they observe it.

⁰¹דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ כִּי־יִהְיֶֽה־טָמֵ֣א׀ לָנֶ֡פֶשׁ אוֹ֩ בְדֶ֨רֶךְ רְחֹקָ֜הׄ לָכֶ֗ם א֚וֹ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח לַיהוָֽה׃¹¹בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בְּאַרְבָּעָ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר י֛וֹם בֵּ֥ין הָעַרְבַּ֖יִם יַעֲשׂ֣וּ אֹת֑וֹ עַל־מַצּ֥וֹת וּמְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃ ²¹ לֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֣א יִשְׁבְּרוּ־ב֑וֹ כְּכָל־חֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֖סַח יַעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ׃
WLC-T: ¹⁰ dabber el-benei yisra’el lemor ish ish ki-yihyeh-tame lanephesh o vederekh rechoqah lakhem o ledorotheikhem we’asah phesach lyhwh ¹¹ bachodesh hashsheni be’arba’ah asar yom bein ha’arbayim ya’asu otho al-matstsoth umerorim yokheluhu ¹² lo-yash’iru mimmennu ad-boqer we’etsem lo yishberu-vo kekhol-chuqqath happesach ya’asu otho

LXX: ¹⁰ Λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ λέγων Ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἐὰν γένηται ἀκάθαρτος ἐπὶ ψυχῇ ἀνθρώπου ἢ ἐν ὁδῷ μακρὰν ὑμῖν ἢ ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ ποιήσει τὸ πασχα κυρίῳ· ¹¹ ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἐν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ποιήσουσιν αὐτό, ἐπʼ ἀζύμων καὶ πικρίδων φάγονται αὐτό, ¹² οὐ καταλείψουσιν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψουσιν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ· κατὰ τὸν νόμον τοῦ πασχα ποιήσουσιν αὐτό.
LXX-T: ¹⁰ Lalēson tois huiois Israēl legōn Anthrōpos anthrōpos, hos ean genētai akathartos epi psychē anthrōpou ē en hodō makran hymin ē en tais geneais hymōn, kai poiēsei to pascha kyriō; ¹¹ en tō mēni tō deuterō en tē tessareskaidekatē hēmera to pros hesperan poiēsousin auto, epʼ azymōn kai pikridōn phagontai auto, ¹² ou kataleipsousin apʼ autou eis to prōi kai ostoun ou syntripsousin apʼ autou; kata ton nomon tou pascha poiēsousin auto.

Numbers 9:1-12 reveals a legal law that gives those who miss the first Passover, due to being unclean, or on a distant journey, an opportunity to take part in Passover, through what is called the second Passover. How do we see this law play out in the greater plan? I think Dr. Jones says it best:

The larger problem is that the vast majority of people in the world are unclean by reason of touching a dead body. They are on a journey far from God. They are ineligible to receive justification by faith in the blood of the Lamb, either because they are in a state of death (mortality) or because they have not yet found the path to God in the House of Prayer for all people. … The Second Passover, then, is God’s way of ensuring that Christ’s death on the cross will apply to the rest of the world. Those who keep the first Passover (during their lifetime) are blessed early; the rest will be blessed later, even in the midst of divine judgment called metaphorically “the lake of fire.”⁸

We find then that by extension, the law of the second Passover works together with the law of atonement, the law of redemption and the law of Jubilee. This ensures all of humanity will be redeemed. We could ask ourselves, when could this second Passover take place for everybody else? As I have come to understand it, for all who don’t take part in the first Passover during their lifetime, the second Passover will occur for them at the Great White Throne judgment.

This doesn’t absolve those at Great White Throne from being judged according to their works or deeds. They will have to go through the fire of the law in judgment. However, it activates their Passover experience. In fact, it can only be at the Great White Throne this takes place. It is the only moment in time we could see the fulfillment of 1 Corinthians 12:3, Philippians 2:10-11, and Romans 14:11 which quotes Isaiah 43:23. All resistance will melt away in reverence and glory when all bow the knee.

BSB: ^12:3 Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. ^2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ^2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ^14:11 It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”

NTAT: …^{Phil 2:11} And every tongue gladly confess that Jesus the Anointed is Lord, for the glory of God the Father. ^{Rom 14:11} For it has been written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall joyfully praise God.’”
NASB95: … ^{Phil 2:11} and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ^{Rom 14:11} For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”

BGB: ^12:3 διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει “Αναθεμα ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν “Κυριος ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ. ^2:10 ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων, ^2:11 καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ Πατρός. ^14:11 γέγραπται γάρ “Ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει Κύριος, ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ, καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ Θεῷ.”
BGB-T: ^12:3 dio gnōrizō hymin hoti oudeis en Pneumati Theou lalōn legei “Anathema IĒSOUS, kai oudeis dynatai eipein “Kyrios IĒSOUS, ei mē en Pneumati Hagiō. ^2:10 hina en tō onomati Iēsou pan gony kampsē epouraniōn kai epigeiōn kai katachthoniōn, ^2:11 kai pasa glōssa exomologēsētai hoti KYRIOS IĒSOUS CHRISTOS eis doxan Theou Patros. ^14:11 gegraptai gar “Zō egō, legei Kyrios, hoti emoi kampsei pan gony, kai pasa glōssa exomologēsetai tō Theō.”

Of course, as we carry on in this study, I hope you will come to see that everybody who takes part in the second Passover will still, have missed some substantial rewards. We will see this over the course of chapter 11. The second Passover is a law that exists. It is a law that the Lord has implemented where all will be given the opportunity to take part in their Passover experience. This law is once again a wonderful law of grace, all leading to the fullness of the salvation, reconciliation, and restoration of all things.

10.5 Conclusions

As we conclude this chapter, I can imagine for many, any discussion of law is a boring and mundane topic. We all have our gifting and callings and I think of course, kingdom law won’t be interesting to everybody. I know when I began this journey in analyzing the three interpretative frameworks, even though I love analyzing data. Law was not something I was passionate about. I would have told you law is extremely boring. This all changed, as I learned God’s laws being the essence of their character. I find now; I want to study and research and dive deeper into His kingdom laws as it helps me to understand Their plans, and who They are.

The Lord really uses laws to govern the technology of time we find on the Earth and in our realm. They play an important role in how sin-debt is managed. When we jump into then the deeper connections of the law of Jubilee, in relation to the law of redemption. It helps us to establish that Christ will achieve the full plan of redemption, ending up at the great Creations Jubilee when all sin-debts are to be released. I find it overwhelming at how amazing this plan is. Why has the greater church shunned learning them? Could it be the greater church, believing the eternal hell framework is actually walking in lawlessness when they declare God will send the unbeliever to hell for all of eternity? Now that is a disturbing thought, don’t you think? I think it is certainly something to consider.

Finally, if we understand the Passover was when Jesus became the world’s sacrificial Lamb. It should be clear; He doesn’t need to be sacrificed again. Yet, His own laws allowed for all who could not take part in the first Passover to take part in the second. How powerful is this knowledge in establishing our faith in Him? Knowing He really will save all. It has been rare in all of my research and studies to find any mention of someone speaking about this law of the second Passover. Maybe it is time to recognize the significance of it in the overall plan for salvation.

It really is in Christ; we have grace abounding. As you have been reviewing this chapter, it might be you have to spend some time going over it a couple of times. What are your thoughts on all that you have read? Is this all new to you? Or have you already had some firm foundations in these things?

Chapter 10: Redemption has a Process – It too has a Laws to Follow

Chapter Sections

10.1 The Laws of Time for the Cosmos

10.1.1 The Sabbath Law

10.1.2 The Jubilee Law

10.1.3 A Standard Law of Time

10.2 The Jubilee Law is Perfect Legal Grace

10.3 The Law of Redemption

10.3.1 The Plan Begins

10.3.2 A Timeframe to Redeem

10.4 The Law of Second Passover

10.5 Conclusions