HFPZ, I didn’t know that it was a crime to think for myself. Thanks for enlightening me. However, even dummies like me can tell in reading the books of Moses that they were not written by one author. Maybe what gives it away is that the same stories are told multiple times but the details have been changed. How many times did Moses give the Ten Commandments?
Hey, LLC. I really don’t think it’s a big issue, on what books Moses wrote. It’s more important, what our “spin” is …on books the “experts” THINK Moses wrote. But as an aside…a professional writer can write in different voices and different styles…NOT that writing was Moses, God given expertise - mind you!
HF, Then again, as Jesus and His disciples warn us, many will come in His name preaching false doctrines- we should watch out for this. My overall impression from the Old Testament is that the Levites were- excuse my expression- bad arses. I’m not saying that all of them were, as we well know that there can be good among any group. However, at the time, Moses was proposing a whole different way of life and it seems the Levites in particular were not willing to accept it. The rule of the kingdom was no longer going to be, " Hey, my ancestors slept with some imaginary god and I’m of “royal blood”, or the rule of the wealthy, the rule of whoever had the most military power, friends in high places, " I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine etc. etc. etc. We know how it all works. On the contrary, under Moses, leaders were to be selected by the quality of their character, men of truth. Korah was quite a wealthy man and I imagine that this was “old family” money. He wasn’t about to give it up. The priesthood would have been an opportunity for him. Maybe I’m wrong but I kinda picture it like the mafia in the Roman Catholic Church, organized crime hidden behind the veil of goodness.
According to this article:
Priests and Levites in the First Century C.E., it says:
Levites were similar to priests in that they were a patrilineal, hereditary order and they worked in the temple. Their purity was important, too, but the rules regulating them were not as strict. Levites were not regarded as highly as priests for most of the Second Temple period (539 B.C.E.–70 C.E.); they are often described as a lower-level priesthood. They manned the temple gates, cleaned the temple, slaughtered some of the sacrificial animals, and performed the music during temple worship (1Chr 23-25).
And here’s a bit about the author:
Jonathan Stökl
Lecturer, King’s CollegeJonathan Stökl is lecturer in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at King’s College London. His research focuses on prophets and priests in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near East. His first book, Prophecy in the Ancient Near East: A Philological and Sociological Comparison , was published by Brill in 2012.
So apparently, they did have to show - some level of public purity.
True. I sometimes think some folks - on this forum - cross that boundary. Rather than talking about RATIONAL theological stuff…like the tribulation and Z-Hell (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)! 
HF, Thanks for the link.
From what I gather, Moses doesn’t seem to be suggesting a kingdom ruled by any one religion but rather a “nation of holy people” under the universal laws of God. If you notice, Moses chose Joshua as his successor. I don’t know if his wife and kids were happy about this or not. Not much to go on there. However, Aaron’s sons take the priesthood. It sounds to me like “all in the family”, same old, same old.
As they say today, “True that.”
He? Or she?
2 Peter 3:18 has “the day of the age/eon”
2 Peter 3:8 a day is as 1000 years = a millennium
So, putting 2 +2 together you get = “the millennial age”
Likewise in Revelation it speaks of a 1000 year reign = a millennium
An age is a long time period, e.g. a millennium
So, again, putting 2 & 2 together you get = “millennial age”
I’m seeing at least 3 responses to that which i’m considering that are presented in this thread:
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As Hermano stated (post #5, cf #22) the context refers to a certain “day” (v.22) when many who say “Lord, lord” will not enter the KOH. But that does not preclude them from being saved later.
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A second (post #19) view is that the KOH refers to a limited time period, e.g. the millenial kingdom on earth, so what happens to those not doing His will beyond that period is not revealed. Thus leaving the door open to their possibility of salvation as per UR passages.
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As Davo (post #71) opined to enter the kingdom is to enter a reign. Does failing to ever enter a reign necessarily mean one can never be saved? Reigning itself is to come to an end (1 Cor.15:24-28). What need will there be for it when Love Omnipotent becomes all “in all”. The saints will reign on earth for 1000 years (Rev.20:4, 6).
I think that any reply should, first of all, have considered further information found in Matt 25: 31-46.
In this second scripture, I think the crucial term is the term which has been translated as ‘goats’ which may not be a good translation and may have missed an important message.
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The following thread is a good read on the same topic:
The following was from another forum discussion:
[QUOTE=“BNR32FAN, post: 73453134, member: 401065”]On that day they will say to me. This changes nothing. Nowhere does he say they will not enter heaven on that day. He said not everyone who calls Lord Lord will enter heaven. If at a later time everyone does enter heaven then this statement is false.
[/QUOTE]
The reason they won’t enter on “that day” (Mt.7:22) is because they are unrighteous (Mt.7:21-23), just like those Paul refers to here:
1 Cor.6:9-10 “Know ye not that THE UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Are you implying that Paul was lying when he later says those unrighteous ones became saved & therefore could inherit the kingdom of God:
1 Cor.6:11 “And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
And if Paul wasn’t lying when he said that, why would Jesus be lying if He believed like Paul that unrighteous people can enter God’s kingdom of heaven?
The context is speaking of actions in this life (Mt.7:13-19, 22-23) & their consequences on a certain “day” (7:22), not final destiny or eternal destinies. On that “day” (7:22) some will suffer punishment by “fire” (7:19). On that particular “day” not everyone will enter “heaven”, even if they say “Lord” (7:20) & claim to have done miracles in His name (7:22).
Jesus clearly connects verses 21 & 22 by using “Lord, Lord” in both verses. Verses 22-23 explain Jesus’ meaning in verse 21 of the immediate context.
Berean Literal Bible
Not everyone saying to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of My Father in the heavens. (Mt.7:21)
https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/7-21.htm
Only those - “doing” (present tense, Mt.7:21) - the will of God will enter the “kingdom of the heavens”. While - you - were not “doing” His will, you were disqualified. So there was a time when - you - & all other rebels like you - would not have been able to “enter into the kingdom of the heavens”. To enter this kingdom rebels must change their ways and do the will of God. Mt.7:21 places no time limits on when rebels may change their ways & do God’s will. Mt.7:21 does not say anyone will never enter the kingdom.
Matthew 7:21-23 tells us, like 1 Cor.6:9-11, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom. First the unrighteous must change & become righteous so that they may enter. Paul says some of those who became righteous were formerly those who could not enter the kingdom because they were unrighteous:
1 Cor 6:9-11
“Know ye not that THE UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
“And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
As a commentator says:
“Wait a minute. If the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, why does Paul say “and such were some of you?” If they were unrighteous, then how did they inherit the kingdom?”
“They had to be cleansed first, of course. As long as anyone is not cleansed, they have no part inside. But once cleansed, they entered the kingdom.”