It would be helpful to the Bible student to consider and note the specific order of the books contained in the Biblical Canon. In their God-ordained order the books of the Bible serve to reveal the unfolding of the ages; uncovering the unique place of Paul’s mystery “gospel of the grace of God” in God’s eternal plan. The Books in the Bible are not at all listed according to the chronological order of their writing. They are set in the order of the unfolding of the dispensations and ages; “time past,” the present - “but now,” and “the ages to come.”

The index of our Bible (i.e., the Authorized Kings James Version) reveals the uniqueness of Paul’s epistles, and the fact that “the dispensation of the grace of God” given to Paul for “the body of Christ” appears almost as if it were inserted as a parenthesis, interrupting God’s plan of the ages the concern prophecy which concerns Israel. God’s eternal plan includes an interruption in God’s ultimate plan for Israel, which will yet be fulfilled. After Paul’s thirteen (13) epistles to ‘the church, which is body of Christ,’ the focus of Hebrews picks up from the Gospels, still being upon Israel, as though “the dispensation of the grace of God” had not occurred. Yet, only then, was the truth of the cross revealed to Paul, which then is added for Israel to see in the Book of Hebrew and to be received in “the ages to come” – the Tribulation period and Millennial kingdom.

Let’s now consider the specific order of the books of the New Testament, noting to whom they are addressed and intended.

• The four Gospels are set in what Paul calls “time past,” while yet under “the Law” and the Old Covenant for Israel since Christ died at the END of the so-called Gospels account.

^“For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷ For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” (Hebrews 9:16-17)

• The Book of Acts begins in “time past” and then we note the transition to “but now” (“the dispensation of the grace of God”) with the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 and the salvation of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9.

Saul Paulus was commission by the resurrected Christ in heaven to be Paul “the Apostle to the Gentiles.” With that Paul received the details of “the mystery [the God planned secret]” gospel under the “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) by direct “revelation” (Gal. 1:12) from the ascended Christ for the Gentile “body of Christ.”

• Paul’s thirteen (13) epistles to “the body of Christ” (Romans-Philemon) explain the delay in Israel’s coming Kingdom as accounted for in the transition from “the Law” program of God for Israel, to the pure grace-program of God for the Gentiles. recorded in Acts. These 13 epistles of Paul are inserted into our Bible as a parenthesis and interruption of God’s plan for Israel. These Pauline epistles, for “the body of Christ,” present the entirety or entirely new truth of the new “dispensation of the grace of God” called “the mystery,” which “had been kept secret since the world began.” Paul wrote;

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [the God planned secret],” which was kept secret since the world began,” (Romans 16:25 (KJV)

All the Bible books from “Hebrews to Revelation” are Not Pauline. They are written by other Apostles to and for Israel.

(For full explanation see the author’s Study Series called “The Bible Without Paul”: http://www.artlicursi.com/series/bible-without-paul )

These books concern God’s provision for meeting Israel’s needs during the Tribulation, Millennium unto the eternal Kingdom on “the new earth” as Israel’s position changes in “ages to come.” (cf. Eph. 2:7-9) God knew these truths would be needed to teach, encourage, and guide Israel’s believing end-time remnant in their reliance upon God, so as to equip them, such that they may endure the Tribulation. “The body of Christ” will already by then have been “raptured,” to be with the Lord forever in heaven (1Thes. 4:13-17, 2Cor. 15:51-55).

• The Epistle to the Hebrews may have been written by Paul but it is uncertain. It clearly to presents the truth of the cross of Christ as only he received it and revealed it early on in his ministry in the book of Romans. It will be needed by Israel’s end time believers as they endure the Tribulation period and kingdom reign of Christ, and for eternity on the new earth. In both Romans and Hebrews Paul reveals the meaning of the cross, blood, death, burial and resurrection of Christ; citing many of Israel’s historical events and Patriachs as allegory or metaphor of these truths. Hebrews is written in a way that the Hebrews could better come to understand the truths of the cross. The law of “conditional blessing” (Heb 3:6, 14, 6:6, 10:26, 12:25) for Israel is still present in Hebrews, which is entirely contrary to “the dispensation of the grace of God.” This distinction disqualifies Hebrews from being a book written to the grace believers of “the body of Christ.” Thus, God’s clock will then have moved ahead from Paul’s “time past” for the lost Gentiles (Eph 2:2) to Paul’s “but now” the “body of Christ (Eph 2:13) and onto “the ages to come” (Eph 2:7) that focuses upon Israel. Confusion and insecurity occur in “the body of Christ” when Christians try to apply these conditions of blessing given to Israel. These requirements do not fist the grace dispensation for “the body of Christ.”

Before we look at the remainder of the books from Hebrews to Revelation we need to note that, as recorded in Gal 2:7-9, “James, Cephas (Peter), and John” restricted their ministry “to the circumcision,” and Paul was to go to the heathen Gentile “uncircumcision” with his new unique pure grace gospel. It is obvious then that “James, Cephas (Peter), and John” would be addressing “the circumcision” (Israel) in their letters or epistles as noted here below.

• James’ epistle is plainly addressed to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (James 1:1).
• Peter’s 2 epistles are addressed to Israel’s diaspora – Israel’s “strangers (in the world) scattered (sowed)” abroad (1Pet 1:1). 1Peter 2:12 speaks of being “among the Gentiles” – then the recipients of this epistle must not be Gentiles, but Jews. 1Pet 2:9-10 quotes Ex 19:5-6, a promise of God to Israel.
• John’s 3 epistles are addressing Israel’s diaspora – the scattered of Israel.
• Jude’s epistle concerns Israel. Jude was “the brother of James” (v1) and Jude was one of “the twelve” Apostles of Israel who were told to go only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:5-6). Jude in verse 17 refers the recipients to “words spoken by the twelve” – not to the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.
• The Book of Revelation, written by John, concerns Jesus Christ’s appearing unto Israel at His 2^nd coming to earth. It reveals the happenings of the time of “the ages to come” when Christ will return to set up the physical, literal, earthly, kingdom of heaven on the earth as was promised to Israel.

Revelation is about Israel, occurring after the rapture of “the church which is His body” to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor 5:1b, Philip. 3:20).

There is no mentioning of the Rapture or of “the body of Christ” in the book of Revelation at all. Only Paul writes of “the body of Christ” and the rapture or catching away of “the body of Christ” to dwell eternal in the heaven. We of “the body of Christ” will co-reign with Christ dwelling “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor 5:1b, Philip. 3:20).

“If we [the members of “the body of Christ”] suffer [and endure by Christ in us], we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us [reigning as our reward]:” (2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV)

By contrast the dead faithful of Israel will be resurrected to dwell on the new earth co-reigning with Christ for forever.

“And hast made us [Israel] unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10 (KJV)

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they [the faithful of Israel] shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6 (KJV)