March 31 - Jesus Christ Is Superior to the Ceremonial Law

“‘Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill’” (Matthew 5:17).

The ceremonial law governed the form of Israel’s worship. When Jesus died on the cross, He fulfilled that law as well as the judicial. Sacrifice was the heart of all Old Testament worship, and as the perfect sacrifice, Jesus brought all the other sacrifices to an end. While He was on the cross, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51). Christ Himself became the new and perfect way into the Holy of Holies, into which any man could come by faith.

In this way, the Levitical, priestly, sacrificial system ended. Though the temple was not destroyed until A.D. 70, every offering made on its altar after Jesus died was needless. Symbolically, they had no more significance. Of course, the Tabernacle and Temple sacrifices that were offered even before Christ’s death never had power to cleanse from sin. They were only pictures of the Messiah-Savior’s work of cleansing, pictures that pointed to that supreme manifestation of God’s mercy and grace.

The ceremonial law ended because it was fulfilled. Since the reality had come, the pictures and symbols had no more place or purpose. From Genesis 1:1 through Malachi 4:6, the Old Testament is Jesus Christ. It was inspired by Christ, it points to Christ, and it is fulfilled by Christ.

What does the magnificence of God’s story stir in you as you consider it again—the signs and fulfillments created by God’s design before the foundation of the world and forged through long centuries of human history? Sit at His feet again today in awe-filled worship.

No, let’s not because this is a caucus/devotional thread and you need to familiarize yourself with the Religion Forum Guidelines set forth by the Religion Moderator and found on his homepage.

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“Though the temple was not destroyed until A.D. 70, every offering made on its altar after Jesus died was needless. Symbolically, they had no more significance. Of course, the Tabernacle and Temple sacrifices that were offered even before Christ’s death never had power to cleanse from sin. They were only pictures of the Messiah-Savior’s work of cleansing, pictures that pointed to that supreme manifestation of God’s mercy and grace.”

Interestingly, MacArthur describes sacrifices in the temple after Christ’s death as “needless” and not idolatrous or sinful. Even Jews who had not yet believed on Christ were still worshipping the true God. Jesus had said, “We [i.e. Jews] know who we worship,” in John 4. There He also spoke of a future time when true worship would no longer be dependent on the temple.

It is one of the profound truths of the New Testament that former sacrifices never took away sin and were only forward-looking to the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God. And the author of Hebrews warned of the danger of abandoning Christ to return (and be accepted within) their former religion.

Yet the apostles continued to participate in the temple traditions until it was destroyed. Wouldn’t sacrifices in this case serve to commemorate the sacrifice of Christ? Isn’t this similar to the Lord’s Supper / Communion which was originally part of a Passover observation at the Last Supper?

I inquired further into John MacArthur’s position on this. I use his study Bible but there is a lot more online, and I found this:

https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1784/pauls-arrest-part-1-the-measure-of-humility

He seems to take the position (though this was written many years ago and his views could have shifted some) that God saw Jewish “Christians” continuing to practice Judaism as harmless, and He was gradually weening them off of this system, leading up to the 70 AD temple destruction.

I believe that God intended for Jewish and Gentile believers to coexist in the Church but for Jews to continue their Judaic duties. Temple sacrifices and many things associated with the temple ceased within Judaism when the temple was destroyed. So, this impacted all Jews, not just “Christian” Jews.

One thing is clear. No sacrifices before or after the crucifixion took away sin. Only Christ’s did. Jewish believers, including the apostles, who continued to participate in temple worship, knew this very well. So, I would consider their sacrifices to be commemorative or illustrative of Christ’s sacrifice rather than a denial of it.

Jewish believers gradually became excluded from traditional Judaism throughout the world. By the time the temple was destroyed, Christianity (as it’s called today) was no longer a sect of Judaism but an entirely different faith. This continues to this day. But many modern Christians expect, along with religious Jews, for the temple to be rebuilt and the sacrifices restored. This is part of the signs leading up to the second coming of Christ. Considering that even the apostles participated in temple worship after Christ’s sacrifice, I think the restoration of these sacrifices is not wrong, evil, or harmful. It is part of God’s plan. But, of course, the future sacrifices will also not take away sin.

Of course, the Tabernacle and Temple sacrifices that were offered even before Christ’s death never had power to cleanse from sin.

Hebrews 9:13-10:18 King James Version

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

chapter10

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Yes. Very relevant to today’s devotional.

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

It’s interesting how the author of Hebrews ties a proper view of the Law of Moses to an expectancy of Christ’s second coming.

I believe God will bring Israel to national repentance and the remnant of Israel will be fully and finally restored to God at the return of Christ. If my understanding is correct, this is when “all Israel shall be saved”. See Romans 11:26. I think of it as similar to Paul’s (formerly Saul) conversion experience on the road to Damascus where he saw Christ. See Acts 9:1-6.

Zechariah 12:10 NKJV
And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Revelation 1:7 NKJV
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

So, in relation to the devotional topic, the destruction of the temple ended the sacrifices. But if the temple is rebuilt, the sacrifices will return also. But these sacrifices cannot take away sin. And Israel will not be saved as a nation until they come to a complete understanding of the meaning of their temple worship.

The feast of trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) symbolizes Christ’s return. As the start of the Jewish New Year, it is meant to be a time of reflection on the past and contemplating the future. It begins with the blowing of a shofar trumpet as a call to repentance.

Ten days later is Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This is considered the holiest day of the year, a day of fasting and prayer for forgiveness and atonement for sins. It’s a time of introspection and seeking reconciliation with God and others.

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