Zechariah
II. TWO
TEMPLES and a NEW PRIESTHOOD
The
Levitical priesthood of Israel allowed the Gospel of salvation by grace alone
through faith alone in Christ alone to be corrupted in its purpose. Under their
guardianship of Scripture, they allowed the doctrine of salvation to evolve
into a process that began with faith in the coming propitiatory sacrifice of
the promised Messiah (the Abrahamic
Covenant), but then made keeping the Law necessary to keeping one’s salvation. Because of that failure, God cast away the priesthood of Israel
because they failed in their primary responsibility of preserving the purity of
the Gospel of grace.
We
must constantly remind ourselves that the Mosaic Covenant (the Law) was added
to the Abrahamic Covenant for sanctificational purposes, NOT to add conditions
for salvation. The Law was not given to
the lost world. The Law was given to an
already redeemed people in the nation of Israel to govern their lives, not to
save their souls.
“16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He
saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was
confirmed before of God in Christ {the Abrahamic Covenant}, the law {the Mosaic Covenant}, which was four
hundred and thirty years after {the
Abrahamic Covenant}, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of
none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law {the Mosaic Covenant}, it is no
more of promise{the Abrahamic Covenant}:
but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19 Wherefore then serveth
the law {why did God give the Law}? It was added {to the Abrahamic Covenant} because
of transgressions (for
sanctificational purposes; not salvational purposes}, till the seed {the promised Messiah of Genesis 3:15} should
come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the
hand of a mediator” (Galatians 3:16-19).
Therefore,
the Jew was never partially saved by
faith and then preserved in that
salvation by Law keeping. No one has
ever experienced that kind of salvation for that kind of salvation has
never/ever existed. This defines the
Levitical priesthood’s corruption of these two covenants. The epistle to the Hebrews warns than going
backward to this corrupted incompletion in the Mosaic Covenant
rather than remaining under the completion
of the New Covenant “in Christ” is the warning about falling away in Hebrews 6:6.
There is no remedy for those rejecting completion of the New Covenant by returning to incompletion under the Mosaic Covenant.
“4 For it is
impossible for those who were once {for
all} enlightened {given understanding},
and have tasted {have a full sense of}
of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5
And have tasted {have a full sense of}
the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6
If they shall fall away {deviate
to another pathway; John 14:6}, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Often people use Hebrews 6:4-6 to support the idea of being able to lose
one’s salvation. In actuality, it is a
warning about reprobation. Reprobation is the end result of God’s
action upon the mind and soul where He progressively gives a person “up” as a
result of digressing degrees of unbelief (non-faith; Romans 1:24, 26 and
28). Reprobation is the final stage in
God’s pre-salvation work of the Holy Spirit upon those who reject the truth of
His existence.
The word “reprobate” used in Romans 1:28 is from the Greek word adokimos
(ad-ok’-ee-mos). It is a word used
to describe the testing of valuable metals or coins, such as silver or gold,
for authenticity. It simply means disapproved or rejected. However, the
consequence of the meaning is the focus of the statement in Romans 1:28. Something disapproved was “cast away.”
The warning
of Hebrews chapter six is a warning to not abandon a professed faith in the
Christ of the completion in the New
Covenant by returning to Mosaic Covenant incompletion
by trying to intermix Mosaic Covenant practices and priesthood with those
of the New Covenant.
There are two phrases used in the
epistle to the Hebrews to describe this abandonment of professed faith in
Christ’s completion. These two phrases are “fall away” (Hebrews
6:6) and “draw back” (Hebrews 10:38 and 39).
These two phrases are synonymous with this warning of a potential for reprobation.
“35 Cast
not away therefore your confidence {by
returning to the corruptions of incompletion in the Mosaic Covenant}, which
{‘confidence’ in the ‘finished’ work of
redemption} hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have need
of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the
promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will
come, and will not tarry. 38 Now
the just shall live by faith {in the
complete remission of the sin penalty until
He comes}: but if any man draw
back {by returning to the corruptions
of incompletion in the Mosaic Covenant}, my soul shall have no pleasure in
him. 39 But we {truly ‘born again’ faith people} are not
of them who draw back {by returning to the corruptions of
incompletion in the Mosaic Covenant} unto perdition; but of them that
believe {‘confidence’ in the ‘finished’
work of redemption} to the saving of the soul. 1 Now {continuing} faith {in the completion of the New Covenant sacrifice of Christ} is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews
10:35-11:1).
The words “fall away” of Hebrews 6:6 are translated from the Greek word parapipto
(par-ap-ip’-to), which means to deviate
from the right path, to turn aside or
away. The idea is the abandonment of
the right path for a wrong path.
The subject of the verse is faith in the “finished” (completed) redemptive work of
Christ. Therefore, God is warning about
choosing a pathway of faith that is disallowed or rejected by God. To do so is to put oneself in the position of
potential reprobation.
The words “draw back” in Hebrews 10:38 are translated from the Greek word hupostello
(hoop-os-tel’-lo), which means withdraw
or to shun. It is a warning to those
considering returning to Mosaic Covenant Sacerdotalism of incompletion with its constant sacrifices and rituals. The
warning is severe. Returning to the abrogated
sacrifices, rituals, and authority of the Levitical priesthood of the Mosaic
Covenant as a basis of faith is in fact withdrawing from the “way” in Christ in
the Gospel.
“1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions {not of this world}: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you {not of this world}. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither
I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we
know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”(John
14:1-6).
To choose the pathway of incompletion
purported by the Judaizers trying to get Christians to adopt and adapt Mosaic Covenant practices and
authorities should not be considered as another pathway of equal opportunity. It is, in fact, a pathway of “perdition.” This word “perdition” in Hebrews 10:39 is
from the Greek word apoleia (ap-o’-li-a). It refers to utter destruction. It refers
to the destruction that consists of eternal misery in hell. To return to faith in the Mosaic Covenant and
its innumerable sacrifices, that by the very nature of their repetition, is
equal to rejecting the New Covenant sacrifice of completion (Colossians 2:10).
However, apparently, there were
still the “those” (Hebrews 6:4) and the “they” and the “them” (Hebrews 6:6) who
abandoned the New Covenant, and all that it offered, to continue in the old corrupted
ways of the Mosaic Covenant. Thus, the
damming doctrine of legalism entered
in to the Church of Christ reducing the ordinances of the church into sacraments in imitation of the sacrificial and sacerdotal system of the Mosaic Covenant. Continued trust in this Mosaic Covenant,
which merely looked forward in anticipation of the coming Messiah who would once for all provide a complete and finished work of redemption in the New Covenant, is actually a
serious manifestation of unbelief. Incompletion and completion are obviously not equals.
The word “once” in Hebrews 6:4 is from the Greek word hapax
(hap’-ax). This word is better
translated “once for all.” It refers to
something done so thoroughly that it never needs repetition. The emphasis is on completion as opposed to incompletion.
The hypothetical in “partakers
of the Holy Ghost” (Hebrews 6:4); the “those,” the
“they” and the “them” had at one time cooperated
with the Holy Spirit in His pre-salvation ministry in bringing them to an
understanding of the facts of New Covenant faith (the “way”). Some were about to return to the incomplete way. Although there were some who had “tasted of
the good word of God,” they did not retain their faith in the New Covenant completion (Hebrews 6:5). The word “tasted” is equal to someone having a sense of the flavor of the New
Covenant, but who rejected that taste.
Returning to Sacerdotalism and sacrificial rituals was equated with spitting out the New Covenant truths of
completion and rejecting Christ.
According to Hebrews
6:6, returning to the incompletion of
the Mosaic Covenant sacrifices and practices was equal to falling away from New Covenant faith. Doing so was
an act of unbelief, revealing that
the faith they professed was not saving faith at all. Doing what they were thinking of doing was
equal to rejecting Christ’s “finished”
Cross-work and outwardly putting Jesus to “open shame.” This shame of incompletion was continually
holding Jesus up for public disgrace.
The Cross was a place of shame and disgrace. The crucifixion disgraced the Name of
Jesus. However, the disgrace Christ bore
was our disgrace. Returning to
incomplete sacrifices in the Mosaic Covenant, or to the abrogated authority of
the Levitical priesthood, was equal to renouncing faith in Christ.
Participation in any
sacramental service is a testimony of unbelief. That is why it is “impossible . . .
to renew them again unto repentance” (Hebrews 6:8) because they have, in fact,
been rejected by God for their unbelief.
This warning of reprobation does not apply to those that participate in
complete ignorance. To reject Christ can simply be to deny his “finished” work by false
practices. The ordinances we
practice must correspond in their portrayal of the New Covenant faith or the
practitioners thereby declare themselves “anathema” before God. Doing so forever curses and condemns them for
this wicked act of unbelief. “Let us therefore
fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it”
(Hebrews 4:1).
Church
Age believers must understand that there will be another Temple built in
Jerusalem prior to the second coming of Christ.
This Temple will be built just before the Tribulation, or at least
before the middle of the seven year Tribulation on Earth. In May
of 2018, Benjamin Netanyahu
introduced his plans for this third Temple to be
built adjacent to the Dome of the Rock on the thirty-five acre Temple Mount
site. Plans for building of this
Third Temple along with a Temple Museum will put three main structures on the
thirty-five acre Temple Mount site; the
Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the new third
Temple yet to be constructed.
“And
when these things {the things listed in Luke
21:20-26} begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your {Israel’s} redemption draweth
nigh” (Luke 21:28).
“10
Called of God an high priest {referring to Jesus} after the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we have many
things to say, and hard to be uttered {difficult
to explain in words}, seeing ye are dull of hearing {lazy/sluggish/resisting listeners}. 12 For when for the
time ye ought to be teachers {ministering priests}, ye have need that
one teach you again which be the
first principles {the elementary
fundamentals} of the oracles {logion;
utterances} of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat. 13 For every one
that useth milk is unskilful
{inexperienced and ignorant} in the word of righteousness {most probably referring to the understanding
of the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone in the
‘finished’ work of redemption in Christ alone}: for he is a babe {nepios; yet unable to speak; who does not
understand}. 14 But strong
meat belongeth to them that are of full age {teleios, full maturity} even those who by reason {though the medium of habit or practice of
teaching and applying the Word of God} of
use have their senses {the mind as an organ of perception and
judgment} exercised {trained or disciplined} to discern {a judicial estimation thereby making a clear decision about what is} both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:10-14).
Hebrews 5:1-4 defines
the qualifications of an earthly priesthood, of which only exists in the priesthood of all believers today. Hebrews 5:1 deals with Jesus as the “High
Priest” of the priesthood of all Church Age believers. The general priesthood is not the emphasis in
this text. Although most of the job
description and qualifications apply to all believer-priests, only Jesus
offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin.
What are the qualifications defined in Hebrews 5:1-4 of the “High
Priest” that also define the priorities of all His order of priests under His
supervision?
1. “Taken from among
men” (5:1)
2. “Ordained” (appointed) for men (5:1)
3. To be occupied
with “things pertaining to God” (God’s
will first; 5:1)
4. Offers “both
gifts and sacrifices for sins” (man’s
needs second; 5:1)
5. Must maintain a balanced
compassion and understanding for sinners, without being lenient about sin; gentleness when dealing with sinners,
but not permissiveness (5:2).
6. Must be graciously
conscious of the frailty and failures of his humanity while being willing to
recognize these frailties and failures and deal with them before God (5:3).
7. The High Priest
must be called of God (as required of
all priests; Ephesians 4:1). The
position of priest is not for the purpose of self-promotion or self-glory
(5:4).
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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