Call me when the sacrifices commence, otherwise ...
Posted on 12/31/2010 9:03:44 PM PST by topcat54
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Jesus told his listeners, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matt. 21:43). For many people, this verse provides the heart of “replacement theology”—the idea that the Christian Church has replaced the old physical nation of Israel as God’s chosen people and priestly nation (1 Pet. 2:9–10, et al).
Without requiring the use of the label “replacement,” this is essentially what the verse teaches. It does not mean that Jewish people can never again taste of God’s grace, it simply means that the Old Jewish way of God’s witness and work on earth—the Old Testament Temple ritual system—was being abolished. It was being abolished because it was never meant to be permanent, but only a symbol that pointed to the reality of Jesus Christ, the true Temple, the true Emanuel. Those Jews who rejected the true Temple and insisted on clinging to the Old Testament traditions were thereby committing idolatry just as grossly as any pagan ritual. The Kingdom had moved on to its greater fulfillment. Those who refused to embrace the fulfillment found themselves bereft of the true kingdom—it would be taken from them, and given to the disciples of the true and faithful people of God.
Jesus denounced the teachers of the Old tradition which led the way in opposing Him. These were the Pharisees, and Christ’s denunciation of them appears in Matthew 23 among other places. It extends to the whole of the physical city of Jerusalem of which they were representatives in disbelief. Jesus concluded with the prediction that Jerusalem would fall because she was responsible for “all the righteous blood shed upon earth” and that she was “the city that kills the prophets” (Matt. 23:35, 37).
Mystery Babylon
From this sweeping condemnation we can learn that the city called “Babylon” in Revelation 17 and 18 is not the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar, but Jerusalem called Babylon because she had corrupted herself and become like that ancient pagan Empire:
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet [colors of the chief priest and the Temple; Ex. 25–28; 38–39], and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations” (Rev. 17:4–5).
And how do we know this blasphemous Babylonian “mystery” whore is indeed Jerusalem? Because she is pronounced guilty of the exclusive crime which Jesus earlier pinned on Jerusalem:
And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.… Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more.… And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth (Rev. 17:6, 18:21, 24).
It is not possible that two cities can both be guilty of a crime of which only one party could be guilty—killing all the prophets and all who have been slain in the earth. Jesus clearly attributed this crime to Jerusalem in Matthew 23; so we must conclude that here in Revelation, “Babylon” is a “name of mystery” because it symbolizes what Jerusalem had become.
Thus, it is highly likely that when Peter wrote his first epistle from “Babylon” (1 Pet. 5:13), he was literally writing from Jerusalem, which he had by then already condemned “in these last times” (1 Pet. 1:20) as Babylon. Peter was, after all, an apostle to the Circumcision as Paul said (Gal. 2:7).
It was not uncommon practice in that window between Christ’s ascension and Jerusalem’s destruction that the New Testament writers symbolized Jerusalem with the names of the great enemies of God’s people down through the ages. Thus, Revelation speaks of “the great city” where the “Lord was crucified”—obviously Jerusalem—“that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt” (Rev. 11:8).
Some would complain that interpreting the Great Whore of Babylon of Revelation 17 as Jerusalem is anti-Semitic. This is ad hominem nonsense. Besides, how anti-Semitic was it of John! Calling Jerusalem “Sodom” and “Egypt” instead of praying for her peace as dispensationalists demand we do. The nerve of him.
Thus it is understandable when Paul compares the false teachers creeping in the church to Pharaoh’s magicians (2 Tim. 3:8–9). Likewise, Matthew 2 presents Jesus as the New Israel fleeing from the new Pharaoh who kills all the male babies. Except the roles are reversed: Jesus’ family has to flee into Egypt in order to avoid this new Pharaoh, who is Herod; and the children killed are not Egyptian, they are Jewish. Lesson: Old Israel has become like Egypt, the persecutor of God’s people, and she shall suffer the plague of Egypt, while Jesus is the true Israel.
Keep in mind, it was Herod who then ruled Jerusalem and who had rebuilt the Temple at which the Jews then sacrificed. Once Jesus appeared on the scene as the Final Sacrifice, the sacrifices at the Temple became idolatrous and pagan. It was then rejecting God to continue that system. It was, in fact, to commit the abomination of desolation, because it was an idolatrous sacrifice in the Temple which caused God’s presence to leave that House desolate. Indeed, God’s presence would forever leave that Temple to dwell in the New Temple, His People. This occurred on the day of Pentecost. Within a generation, the idolatrous, adulterous nation—the great whore temple in Jerusalem—suffered a final blow from God. It was destroyed into oblivion.
Thus it is further understandable that the inspired writers would refer to their persecutors and false brethren in their Church as “them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9).
Conclusion
Modern day Christians simply do not understand that when they demand the land of Israel for the Old Jewish people so that they may rebuild a Temple and resume sacrifices, they are praying for the rankest and vilest of idolatries to occur. God destroyed that temple for that very reason in AD 70. Why would he now change and desire it to be rebuilt?
You may think that since God did this once before, sending His people into exile with their temple destroyed behind them, then He will do the same again—have them return to rebuild the temple. But this time was different. This time the True Temple came as the rebuilt (resurrected) temple. This time there would be no bricks and mortar, stones cut out with hands. The Old Jewish people were not merely exiled from their kingdom someday to return. No. This time, the kingdom was taken from them and given to the true nation.
Christ created a new bride. Why would Christ desire to return to the whore he has cast aside and divorced when He has a pristine Bride descending from heaven, uncorrupted by idolatry? He didn’t. He left that whore riding her patron, the beast of Rome. And the great mother of harlots suffered the judgment of her whoredom. She was divorced and disinherited. The inheritance now belongs to the Bride.
“Think biblically. “Kingdom” and “nation” do not equate to some dusty parcel of land. “
That’s right. Jesus said, “the Kingdom of God is within you”, so the earthly Kingdom is not even a consideration.
Who is the tree that the Jews are grafted into? The Jews were never “ungrafted” Israel was divorced and ungrafted, so it is SHE when she returns who will be grafted back into.
She is the WILD olive branches but not the Jews. They stayed in the tree all along, just like the Prodigal son’s brother stayed home.
It is the HOUSE OF ISRAEL, ISRAEL, ISRAEL NOT JUDAH/JEWS who is grafted back into the tree of the Kingdom of God. Check out Biblically the difference between House and Kingdom.
> Think biblically. “Kingdom” and “nation” do not equate to
> some dusty parcel of land.
You know, maybe I’m just a rube, but that sounds like word mincing to me.
> We do? Who told you that?
I think they speak rather plainly for themselves. I’ve heard these passages explained away in various ways, but I was unable to find the explanations believable in light of the plain text.
Enjoy the light God has given you. I’ll enjoy what He has given me. I’m probably not gonna convince you, and I’m certain you ain’t gonna convince me, so no point in going down this rabbit trail.
Interesting article. I need to read more to comment. But expect flames from all sides
Not really, because a “kingdom” and “nation” in biblical terms encompass more than a single physical locale.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9,10)All speaking of the Church.Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:5)
I think they speak rather plainly for themselves. I’ve heard these passages explained away in various ways, but I was unable to find the explanations believable in light of the plain text.
The plain text? You mean the explanation of those who see these things in terms of modern nuclear war? Modern textchology? Modern armies? Those things plain text?
Hmmm, Judaism says that once a Jew "converts" to Christianity, he/she is no longer a Jew. No?
Call me when the sacrifices commence, otherwise ...
One who converts is still considered to retain a Jewish status, but is disqualified from the responsibilities and benefits of Jewish life, such as participation in a prayer quorum or burial in a Jewish cemetery. If female, one’s children are considered Jewish. Such a one may return to Judaism without any ‘conversion’.
> (1 Peter 2:9,10)
Yes, this is the promise made to Israel being extended to those who were grafted on to the root of Jesse. Read Romans 11.
As for Rev 11-17, I’m thinking about things like being able to see events happen all over the world simultaneously. Not possible until recently.
Things like a government that encompasses the entire world, not just Europe or the Middle East. You know, like the flood that encompassed the entire world. You do believe in the global flood, right?
Things like the 12,000 from 12 of the tribes of Israel being given God’s seal before the angels are allowed to do hurt to the entire Earth.
You know, stuff like that.
If you think all of these things have already come to pass, good for you.
I don’t.
By and by, we shall see who was correct.
Not likely that you and I are going to agree on this until it’s over.
I have a large family and a full-time job, and probably spend way too much time on this web site already.
But there are several prophecies about building the Tabernacle of David again. A different temple altogether.
“But there are several prophecies about building the Tabernacle of David again. A different temple altogether.”
Please show me.
But Peter is writing to the Church. It is the body of Christ, neither Jew nor Greek, that is called a holy nation. And clearly it has nothing to do with physical land. In fact there is nothing in the NT about promises to the people of God having to do with physical parcel of land.
As for Rev 11-17, I’m thinking about things like being able to see events happen all over the world simultaneously. Not possible until recently.
I think you are reading stuff into the text that is not there, not plainly anyway. You see satellites and big screen TVs because you want to see those things. You see modern technology where there is no technology, not in any plain text sense.
You do believe in the global flood, right?
Yes, I do, but I don't read the prophetic scriptures as I read the historic scriptures ala Genesis 4-6. They are a different literary genre, and must be approached in a different manner. If you want to understand Revelation, put down the New York Times read the rest of the Bible, especially Ezekiel.
You know, stuff like that.
Again, if you want to understand what “stuff like that” means, you have to compare it to the rest of the Bible. E.g., as we see in 1 Peter 2, the apostle applied terms reserved for OT Israel to the NT Church. Paul called the Church, the “Israel of God.” He taught that gentiles were being included in the commonwealth of Israel. So, if you want to understand the image of the 12 tribes in Rev, 7 and 14, you need to understand how the NT refers to God's covenant people, the body of Christ.
By and by, we shall see who was correct.
How long do we have to wait? Futurists have been predicting that this stuff is gonna happen “real soon now” for decades. They have been wrong on every turn. They are no closer to getting it right today that 40 years ago. Every one of these silly articles either begins or ends with the claim that the rapture is gonna happen very soon. But it appears that every author is just talking through their hat. They are no more believable than a Harry Potter tale. The difference is that these folks think they have it right. They are self-deluded. So, tell us, how long do we have to wait? 100, 200, 500 years? A thousand?
You don't really know, do you?
A Christian would say something similar – they are ethnically Jewish but religiously Christian – except for different reasons.
I just saw your tagline.
Priceless!
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