Forty Years

The prophets of the Old Testament prophesied of one who would come and prepare the way for the Messiah.  The one who came is the great prophet Elijah (Malachi 4:5).  To this day, the Jewish people await His coming.  Elijah is the prophet of God who was carried away from the earth in the fiery chariot of the LORD, whose mantle and spirit fell to the mighty Elisha, his understudy.  According to Jesus Christ, who is “the way, the truth, and the life,” that same spirit of Elijah possessed the man the world knew as John the Baptist (Matthew 11:13-14).  The Jewish leaders of that day (although some of them received Christ and still do today) had long cast off the righteousness of faith and rejected Christ’s endorsement of John the Baptist.  John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod.  Next, the Jewish leadership would go on to crucify Jesus Christ, their Messiah.  In their evil state, they could not recognize Elijah or their Messiah.

Another important point to remember in this message is the concept of the law being a schoolmaster bringing us unto Christ.  The law, given by God, was a shadow of the Christ to come.  For example, the blood sacrifice of the Old Testament offered by the Jews for sin was a shadow of the blood of Christ shed on Calvary for the remission of sins and the gift of eternal life.  Another example is the Old Testament passover observance that commemorated the day the death angel passed over the children of Israel while in Egypt’s bondage.  When the destroyer saw the blood of the passover lamb applied to the doorpost and lintel of the house, he spared the first-born.  This passover, which was commanded to be observed forever, was also fulfilled by Christ on Calvary.  John 1:29:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

I Corinthians 5:7:

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Jesus Christ was crucified on the Jewish passover.

The Old Testament law given by God to Moses was not destroyed by Christ, but fulfilled.  For more information on the law including the Sabbath and more, click onto the following list of subjects:

A Matter of Law

QandA, Purgatory

QandA, Sabbath and Sex

Questions

The Law and Sabbath – Part One

The Law and Sabbath – Part Two

The New York Times best-selling author Lee Strobel, whose research has been cited several times on GodSaidManSaid, reports on a very interesting discovery in his book, The Case For the Real Jesus.  The following excerpt is from that book:

“And here’s something fascinating: there’s a rabbinic tradition preserved in the Talmud that says on the Day of Atonement there were three different signs that the animal sacrifices the high priest offered had been accepted by God and atonement given to the nation.  In the years when the signs would come up negative, the people would be ashamed and mourn, because God had not accepted their sacrifice.

“Then it says that during the last forty years before the second temple was destroyed, all three signs were negative each and every time.  Think about that: Jesus probably was crucified in AD 30, and the temple was destroyed in AD 70.  So from the time of his death to the time of the destruction of the temple—a period of forty years—God signaled that he no longer accepted the sacrifices and offerings of the Jewish people.  Why?”

His answer was emphatic: “Because final atonement had been made through Yeshua (Jesus), just as he had prophesied.”  [End of quote]

The following information further clarifies this issue.  It was found on the website YashaNet.com, under the heading, “The Lots (for Yom Kippur).”  Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement referred to earlier by Strobel:

The Lots (for Yom Kippur)     

These were used on Yom Kippur to determine which goat was to be sacrificed FOR THE LORD and which was to be used FOR AZAZEL, the scapegoat.  The High Priest would remove the two lots from the lot box after shaking it and would hold the lots over the two goats while standing between them.  He would pick them up by their covers and they would flip open revealing their Hebrew inscriptions.  An accompanying priest would tell the High Priest which hand the Lot came up in and the High Priest would hold that hand high up in the air indicating to everyone else which goat was to be sacrificed FOR THE LORD.  If this lot came up in the right hand it was considered a good omen, and if in the left hand, a bad omen.  It usually always came up in the right hand.  Also, a crimson strap was tied to the door of the Temple and would miraculously turn white (Isaiah 1:18) every year when the Scapegoat would reach the wilderness.  However, the Talmud records the following in Yoma 39b: 

“During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson‑coloured strap become white; nor did the westernmost light [of the Menorah] shine; and the doors of the Hekal [Sanctuary] would open by themselves, until R. Johanan b. Zakkai rebuked them, saying: Hekal, Hekal, why wilt thou be the alarmer thyself? [meaning: predict thy own destruction]  I know about thee that thou wilt be destroyed, for Zechariah ben Ido has already prophesied concerning thee: Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.”

Yeshua was crucified on the Passover before this began to happen.  The Encyclopedia Judaica states that Yeshua was crucified in 30 AD.  [End of quote]

Since Abel, the righteous son of Adam, a blood sacrifice was required by God for sin.  Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and all the children of Israel obeyed God’s commandment concerning the blood sacrifice.  God’s 4,000-year acceptance of the blood sacrifice ended the day the King of Glory died.  The law of the blood sacrifice was fulfilled when Jesus shed His life’s blood at Calvary.  He is the blood sacrifice that washes away our sins.  He is the fulfillment of the law.  Colossians 2:13-17:

13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The book of Malachi, quoted above, is the last book of the Old Testament.  It testifies of the wicked condition of the Jewish leadership.  Malachi prophesied that their offerings would no longer be accepted and their holy charge would be given to the gentiles.  This transition took place on the cross of Christ.

It’s been approximately 2,000 years since the charge of the gospel of Jesus Christ shifted from the unfaithful Jewish leadership to the Gentiles.  The primary purpose of the Christian church, like the Jews of old, is to receive, obey, and preserve the oracles of God and to preach the message of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to a lost and dying world.  But, just like the Jews in the time of Christ, most of the confessing church has long lost the message of the pure and unadulterated truth.  It is noted on this website that if Jesus Christ returned to the earth incognito and preached in a thousand churches, 999 would not invite Him to return.  Soon the fullness of the gentiles shall come in and again God’s holy charge will be given to the Hebrew people.  This will happen after the great taking up of the church, and during the tribulation period, and at the very battle of Armageddon.

GOD SAID, Malachi 1:7-11:

7  Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

8  And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9  And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10  Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11  For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

MAN SAID: We doubt that there ever really was a Jesus Christ.

Now you have THE RECORD.

 

 

 

References:

 

Authorized King James Version

Strobel, L., The Case For the Real Jesus, Zondervan, p201

“The Lots (for Yom Kippur),” www.YashaNet.com

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