Do The Scriptures Teach A
Jewish-Type Millennium?
Some Christians and non-Christians who follow the futurist doctrine
which interprets all of revelation in a literal sense, view God's
kingdom in two ways, one being a materialistic, Jewish type kingdom
with Jerusalem as the world's capital of worship, and a center for a
restored temple in the distant or near future.
Here is a basic summary of the futurist doctrine as follows...
On Christ's second coming, they claim, His feet will stand upon the
mount of Olives. Gathering His people with Him, Jesus, will come to
the eastern gate of Jerusalem. Christ will then open the gate which
has been sealed for centuries and enter a building. In the building,
Jesus will sit on a throne, and be crowned king of the world. The
saints will rule and reign with Him in Jerusalem, which will become
the capital of the world. The nations will quit fighting, and will
drop all weapons. They will come to Jerusalem to keep the feast
days, new moons, and Sabbaths. An elaborate temple will be built in
which a Levitical priesthood will offer animal sacrifices and carry
out the rituals of the Mosaic system. His kingdom being an earthly
and political kingdom which was postpone during His first coming,
these things they claim will be set up. Here is a brief look at
Scriptures to see whether or not it teaches a Jewish-type
Millennium.
Zechariah 14 & Isaiah 66
Zechariah 14:16 states and I quote, "And it shall come to pass that
every one that is left of all nations which came against Jerusalem
shall even go up from year to year to worship...and to keep the
feast of tabernacles," and in Isaiah 66:20-23 we read, "It shall
come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath
to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the
Lord."
One most damaging claims, which makes this doctrine contrary to
Scripture is the claiming the Old Testament doctrine will be
reinstituted for all believers, as the Scriptures teach, "Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy
day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow
of things to come", Colossians 2:16,17.
The only reason why Old Testament saints practiced those traditions
which showed "a shadow of things to come", was because the Messiah,
who is Christ, had not come down to earth yet. When Christ came, all
those Old Testament practices which reflected Christ, were longer
needed as prophecy about Christ's first coming was fulfilled. To go
back to these Old Testament practices would be denying Christ as a
Savior who came and fulfilled that which He commanded to be done. Do
you know what I mean? Let me repeat my point again. The only
purpose for those practices to be done in the Old Testament was
because as Scripture puts it, "are a shadow of things to come."
Christ has fulfilled the Scriptures that pointed to His first
coming, He is no longer a shadow of things to come on earth...
Ezekiel's Temple
Those who believe in a Jewish type millennium, also believe the
temple built after the captivity failed to fully measure up to
Ezekiel's prophecy, thereby putting it in the distant or near
future...While others say this description given in Ezekiel
43:10,11, must be refer to in a spiritual way. To determine how we
are to understand this, is by asking God for guidance, and then look
at various Scriptures concerning Ezekiel's temple and see if any
agreement with New Testament doctrine...
To reinstitute temple worship in a literal sense, would mean a
return to Old Testament doctrine...For example, animal sacrifices
would be offered for sin. Priests would slay a burnt offering, the
sin offering, and trespass offering (Ez. 40:38,39) and sprinkle the
blood on the altar (Ezekiel 43:18).
This doctrine clearly denies Christ's first coming. As the New
Testament teaches, when Christ shed His blood, He became the perfect
sacrifice for the sins of His people forever. He offered it once not
many times as those priests offered sacrifices in both in the Old
Testament, and in some present day religions such as
Catholicism...The Scriptures clearly teach that the old covenant had
been replaced by a new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13). The old
covenant "is done away" and Christ blood is an everlasting covenant
(Hebrews 12:24).
Nowhere in the New Testament do we see the command of believers to
go back to Old Testament doctrine. Even back during the Apostles
time, those who did mix Old Testament doctrine with New Testament
doctrine were considered "false brethren" who will bring the people
into "bondage" instead of liberty of Christ (Gal. 2:3-5). If the Old
Testament system cannot make people righteous now, then it is
certain that it cannot make people righteous in an age to come!
The true meaning of the temple was a reflection of what was going to
happen in the future, God raised people up who themselves became a
temple of God, having been born again by the Spirit of God...As the
Scriptures saith, "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath
said, I will dwell in them" (2 Cor. 6:16). Christians are the house
of God (1 Peter 4:17). It's impossible to go backwards to a carnal
temple and practice Old Testament rituals such as animal
sacrifices...
It's quite clear, according to New Testament teachings there will be
not a mixture of Old Testament doctrine with New Testament
doctrine...When Christ comes back a second time, it's to gather His
people, and destroy both the wicked, and the world, as it states,
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
therein shall be burned up(2Peter 3:10).
Christ is not coming back to set up a political kingdom at his
Second Coming nor was it His objective at His first Coming, in John
18:36 He clearly says it. If Christ was coming back to set up a
political Kingdom He wouldn't have denied it to Pilot.
Jesus
answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of
this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Amen
|
