Could you clarify that?
Good scholarship brother is to consider everything that the scriptures teach;
[i]All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:[/i] 2Ti 3:16
Would challenge you perhaps in a different way. It is very difficult to wrest from our presuppositions whatever they may be. Such is my disdain for what amounts to 'preprogramming' by way of holding to certain constructs as rules of measurement; Predestination. Calvinism. Arminianism. Dispensationalism. Just about anything that has an 'ism' or an 'ian' attached to it. That doesn't mean there isn't anything true of them only that the inference is to either be on the defensive (if it is your 'holding' or 'belief') or on the offensive if you are a detractor. Seems to be standard debating and normative though I might inject more worldly tactics, standards of going about things.
What throws a big wrench in all this is just one word; Consider.
That is the great challenge for all of us.
Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
A true Berean mindset. If you were take SI collectively you would find great variance and difference of perspective and truly much to consider and reconsider. I could but pray for more ignorance actually on some of these particular 'holdings' that become doctrines in their own right, dogmatic where honesty would require more consideration and quite often a loosening of position.
And perhaps that is one of our great fears; To change our mind is thought to court embarrassment when in reality it is the sweetest most wonderful and liberating things there is. It truly baffles the mind that for all the resources, for all the experience and study of so many of us, the heart searching and scripture searching, the encouragement and attempts towards edifying one another that it is such a rare thing to hear; "I was wrong", "I never considered that before", and the rarest of all; "I changed my mind."
Certainly this a launch off into generalities at your expense perhaps. But brother, I cannot tell you how much all of this has changed and rearranged, challenged me profoundly, all by just considering, especially those things that can be a bit irksome, generally and often more so by their presentation or motivation ... Many things that are true are given in a spirit of vindictiveness, haughtiness, peevish or a prideful manner. Sometimes it is just our own reluctance or aptness to jump to the defense if not to conclusions. One of the great challenging questions is often, "Why am I offended?", "Should I be?", "Need I be?" It is a derivative of the Lords;
Joh 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Ahhh, but there is peace, it is the gospel of peace, and for now God is not the judge, he is the prince of peace. It is good news, after all that's what gospel means, good news. This scripture that you quoted was when Israel was about to be judged as a nation. This is the age of GRACE. The church age. A great mystery to the prophets in the old testament. Daniel was not able to understand it.
For now all sin is covered. Jesus paid the debt on the cross. It IS a time of peace and grace no matter what the hell fire and brimstone preachers will tell you.
Not to forget the greater context;
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
More for consideration;
[i][u]Think not[/u] that I am come to send [b]peace[/b] on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.[/i] Mat 10:34-39
(If you do not know by way of experience what all is entailed by way of this 'variance' that the Lord speaks of, it is anything but peaceful brother)
[i]If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? [/i] Luk 14:26-28
[i]Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.[/i] 2Co 2:14-17
Just with these few verses there is a very great implication if we were to think about it. One of the old oft quoted lines recalled from memory goes along this sort of order; "[i]I wish I had never read that.[/i]" Or 'heard' it, 'knew it'. The inference being that one is unable to plead ignorance any longer.
The point is also presented in these verses of very [i]bad news[/i] to those that reject them. Certainly paradox is involved, it is good news indeed, that is the Gospel, but it is not without cost or consideration of what that cost is.
The trouble with dispensationalism is that it can twist things out of proportion.
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
[i]Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.[/i] Mat 5:17,18
The book of Hebrews is very informative, if one was to attempt to encapsulate it, certainly it is not something of an alteration to the lesser but the greater. No longer is it in ritual and sacrifice, types and shadows but if I may in sheer exposure of the depths and burrows of the heart, [i]in spirit and truth[/i];
[i]But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.[/i] Joh 4:23,24
[i]God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.[/i] Heb 1:1-4
If there is anything of a alteration in 'dispensation' it is that the demands are higher and more penetrating, difficult to put it this way because in effect they have always been in place ...
[i]Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. [u]And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:[/u] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.[/i] Act 17:29-31
[i]Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture*, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.[/i] 1Pe 2:6-8 (*Isa 8:14)
[i]But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;[/i] 1Co 1:23
[i]And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.[/i] Luk 20:17,18
Just for consideration brother. It is far too simplistic the way you are presenting it, the greatest "hell fire and brimstone" preacher was none other than the Lord Himself;
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
