Then, in chapter 37 it says, “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live” (verse 5), and “the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them” (verses 7-8). This is a prophecy regarding the time when the final day is drawing near and the Israelites will return to their land and establish a nation there once more.
Let’s turn to Luke’s Gospel chapter 19 and read from verse 41.
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” verses 41-44
The eyes of the Israelites were veiled so they did not know what Jesus’ words meant, but just as he said here, the Roman general Titus led his armies to Jerusalem in 70 AD and destroyed the city. They seized Jerusalem and destroyed the temple as Jesus said would happen. Then for about two thousand years, the Israelites were scattered across the world and subjected to severe persecution. Why did this happen? What did the ancestors of the Jews say in order that Jesus might be put to death?
And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
Matthew 27:23-25
Pilate, the Roman governor, asked the Jews what evil deed this man called Jesus had done to warrant his being put to death. Thereupon they shouted that he should be crucified, and said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” And in the end, it happened as they said.
Leviticus chapter 26, Deuteronomy chapter 28, and Ezekiel chapter 36 tell us plainly about the judgment awaiting this nation that defied God’s word and rejected Jesus Christ when he came to this world. The Jews said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” and accordingly, they were subjected to terrible persecution. The history of their persecution is the scene of God’s word being accomplished.
When they returned to their land and their nation was restored, this too was God’s word being accomplished. God said he would bring them back to their land, and these words were fulfilled so that we might see that God is alive, and for the sake of his holy name which they had profaned among the nations to which they came (see Ezekiel 36:22-23).
Now let’s turn to Luke’s Gospel chapter 21 and read from verse 29.
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” verses 29-36
Jesus was saying that just we know summer is near when we see the fig trees come out in leaf. When the Israelites returned to their land, it would mean that the end of the history of this world is approaching, and there is something you need to know before that happens.
They Serve a Copy and Shadow of the Heavenly Things
Now let’s turn back to Old Testament times and think about this. In Old Testament times, countless sacrifices were offered up in the temple, but that temple was destroyed by the Babylonian Empire. Nevertheless, the Jews who were taken as captives to Babylon, returned to their land a long time later, rebuilt the temple, and continued to offer up the Passover sacrifices. Then Jesus Christ came and offered up the true sacrifice. He did not offer some other kind of sacrifice; he offered up his own body on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice.
For 1,500 years before the birth of Jesus, the priests were very busy within the history of Israel as they slaughtered countless animals to carry out the continual sacrifices. The sacrificial rites that had been handed down before the time of Moses, were formally assigned and recorded at the time of Moses. God showed Moses the pattern of the tabernacle and designated the laws that were to follow for the offering of sacrifices in the tabernacle, and so the sacrifices continued on a formal level. These rituals had the role of a backbone for the Israelites and took hold of the very soul of this nation. The letter to the Hebrews explains this very precisely.
They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 8:5
The Jews carried out sacrifices that were a shadow of the true sacrifice.
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Hebrews 9:1-2
The tabernacle belonged to this world, but inside there were items that represent the true light and the bread of life.
Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
Hebrews 9:3-7
Only the high priest went behind “the second curtain”—that is, into the Most Holy Place—once a year, and even then he had to take blood with him. It also says here that the blood was for himself and for the sins of the people. This is because the high priest was also a sinner.
By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. Hebrews 9:8-10
The Bible says the tabernacle was a copy and a shadow until the new and true things came.
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-12
By what does it say that eternal redemption was secured? It says, “his own blood,” that is, the blood of Jesus. Only the pure blood of God is able to unite the life of God and the life of man. This is what is necessary.
How many times did Jesus enter the Most Holy Place? By dying on the cross just once, He entered there just once. Then he rose from the dead after three days; he appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days; and then he ascended into heaven in full view of the disciples. Then he sat down at the right hand of God, and he is there even now always making intercession for us. So it is that the sins you have committed so far, the sins you commit today, and the sins you commit tomorrow as well are all forgiven eternally. If you read the letter to the Hebrews carefully, you can see that as he died, Jesus took upon himself all your sins—not only your past sins, but also the sins you will commit in the future—and thus he offered up a sacrifice for eternal forgiveness of sin once f
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