The Christian Age

Jesus lived under the Mosaical Age while on earth. He taught the people the most important message that God wanted them to learn and live by, which fulfilled all the Laws and regulations and could be summed up in one word..... love!

Matthew 5: 1-12. “And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when he was set, His disciples came unto him: And he opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are thy that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” These Beatitudes teach the love that God has for those souls that hunger and thirst after righteousness, seek what He wants with a humble heart, those that keep themselves pure for His sake and are willing to be persecuted for doing His Will. These people love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength.The peacemakers, the merciful and meek love their neighbors as themselves. Jesus in these verses as well as in the rest of chapter 5, teach what the depth of love to God and others looks like.

Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law through His perfect unity and obedience to His Father and through His love for mankind. This is shown in Jesus prayer to God before His death in John 17:18-21 ”As thou [God the Father] has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them [the apostles] into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, [through His death] that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word [ those that believe in Him through the apostles’ teaching in the Bible]; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. “

The Old Covenant was a worldly figure for the Kingdom that was to come. Moses was given specific instructions on how to build the physical tabernacle which are recorded in Exodus chapters 25-27. Hebrews 9 compares the physical tabernacle of the Israelites with the spiritual temple of God. “ Hebrews 9:1-7 tells of the physical tabernacle, ”Then verily the first covenant [on Mount Sinai] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick,and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all: Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; [ ten commandments]. And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:” This was the Day of Atonement of which we looked at last week.

Hebrews 9:8-10 states that “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.” Jesus would bring the time of reformation from the physical, temporary ordinances they were given in the Old Testament. All the sacrifices offered before could not do what Jesus’ blood did, wash away sins. Hebrews 9:11-12 “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; [not the physical tabernacle that they were used to worshiping in], Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Jesus’ sacrifice only had to be offered once, not every year. Hebrews 9:25” Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;For then must he often have suffered, since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world that he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

Both the Old and New Testament were dedicated with blood, but Jesus’ blood was the blood that granted true remission of sins. Jesus told His apostles this as He instituted the Lord’s Supper in Matthew 26:27-28. “And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Hebrews 9:15 explains that Jesus death was also necessary for those that lived under the Patriarchal and Mosaical Age as well in order to be forgiven. “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 [that is the Old] testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” Everybody’s salvation hinged upon Jesus’ obedience to His Father to die on the cross.

This New Testament was established upon Jesus death. Hebrews 9:16-17 explains this, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” In other words, a will isn’t in effect until after that person dies.

Jesus’ death was the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus is now in the heavenly tabernacle, not made with hands, in the true presence of God, in the spiritual Holy of Holies. Hebrew 9:24 “I 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:

Again we see the comparison of the sacrifices of the Old and New Testaments in Hebrews 10:1-1-12. In the Old, yearly atonement for the people had to be done whereas in the New, Jesus died once for all mankind, not needing that sacrifice to be repeated again and again. “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. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou has had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book, it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 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; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament and established a new law which is based totally upon love for God, faith in Jesus’ atoning blood and love for others.

Don’t you want to be a part of this Kingdom where Jesus is the only founder and King? Where only His Words are upheld and not commandments and examples taken from the Old Testament? One in which the New Testament is the only authority for all that is done.