Hebrews 10:36-37

Heb. 10:36-37. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

"Observations upon Passages of Scripture":

Hebrews 10:37. - "For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come and will not tarry." It cannot be justly inferred from these words, that the apostle expected Christ's last coming to judgement in that generation. All that could reasonably be understood by them is, that the time of their sufferings was short, and it would be but a little season before they would be wholly delivered from all their enemies, and should receive the recompense of the reward they hoped for. This appears by the context, and also by the obvious meaning of the place referred to in the Old Testament. If this and the next verse be compared with Habakkuk 2:2-4, it will be manifest that the apostle refers to what is there said. The vision is for an appointed time, but in the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith. The thing that it is there said will come and will not tarry, is God's people's deliverance from the oppression of their enemies especially from the Babylonish captivity; as appears by the context.

In "Concerning the Endless Punishment of those who Die Impenitent" Edwards notes the temporal significance of this verse:

§ 31. That which lasts as long as the world stands, That which lasts as long as the world stands, is sometimes said to be forever. Yet the space of man's life in comparison of the state that succeeds is often represented as a moment, the shortest space, yea, even as nothing. And so the space of time to the end of the world is represented as very short, Hebrews 10:37. Here in a particular manner observe those words of Christ, Revelation 22:10-12. After Christ had shown John the end of the world, the day of judgment, and consummation of all things, he says, " The time is at hand." He that is unjust let him be unjust still, etc. - Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Here Christ represents to his beloved disciple the space from that time to the end of the world, to be very short, after he had from time to time represented to him (in the course of those visions, of which this is the conclusion) the state of the punishment of the wicked to be everlasting, and forever and ever; as Revelation 14:10; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 19:3; Revelation 20:10. And even in this 22nd chapter, 5th verse (Revelation 22:5), when Christ ways, - Behold I come quickly, and so represents the time to the end of the world to be but short, we are naturally and justly led to compare this representation with that which is made of the duration of the future state both of good and bad after the judgment; and to draw inferences according concerning the duration of that following state, on many accounts: As, 1. The same Jesus, in the same course or series of visions, by which John is directed in this book, makes both representations: and the future state of the righteous and wicked, especially of the latter, is set forth in a representation that is insisted on, and repeated from time to time, as being forever and ever. 2. He at this very time, and in the same vision (as may be seen verse 5 of this same 22nd chapter - Revelation 22:5) says of the blessedness of the righteous, that it shall be forever and ever; the very same phrase that is used before, from time to time to set forth the duration of the misery of the wicked. 3. After he had spoken of the glory of the righteous as being forever and ever, he, in the midst of those words, wherein he represents the time to the end of the world as very short, joins both righteous and wicked together, representing their state as fixed, unalterable and everlasting, in the same expressions; " The time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Behold I come quickly." The shortness of the time to the end of the world, is expressed in the words immediately preceding those that express the endlessness of the state of both righteous and wicked; and then again the words immediately following express the same thing over again, "Behold I come quickly." And, 4. The words immediately following these, naturally lead us to the same comparison, even to compare the duration of the time before the coming of the Judge, and the duration of those rewards and punishments which he will render to men according as their works shall be; "Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be." The shortness of the time before his coming to judge and recompense men, is declared, for the comfort of the righteous, and terror of the wicked; and the thing that justly renders the consideration of the measure of duration before Christ's coming comfortable to the saints, though it seems so long on some accounts, is, that it is very short in comparison of the duration of the reward that shall follow; and so the thing that should justly make the measure of time, before the judgment, terrible to the wicked, is, that though they may be ready to please themselves that the time is so long, yet it is very short in comparison of the punishment that shall follow. And in other places of Scripture, the time preceding the punishment of the wicked in particular, is represented as very short. Thus it is threatened that God would bring upon them swift destruction: and it is said, the things that shall come upon them, make haste, and that vengeance shall come speedily on the enemies of the elect, and the like. And the punishment of the wicked itself is always represented as everlasting and endless. Whence we may most reasonably suppose, that those phrases, when applied to future punishment, are used in their most proper sense, and not at all in the same manner as when applied to the space preceding, which is here spoken of as comparatively very short.

Heb. 10:38-39