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Why are animal sacrifices the Feast days and the Sabbath reinstituted in the Millennium? Zech. 14 tells us in the millennium we will celebrate the feasts days along with the sacrifices, these will both be reinstituted (Ez.44:1-46- 46:24) when Jesus rules over the world in Jerusalem, Zion. Zech. 14:16-18 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” v.21 “Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah also says, Isaiah 56:7 “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. Isa. 66:23 "And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD. Isa. 66:23 refers to this and teaches that we will keep the Sabbath, it also teaches we will keep the New Moon festival! This is on earth in the Millennium period - not in heaven If the Sabbath and feast days and the sacrifices are done away with in Christ how do we reconcile these two seemingly contradictory positions? How can there be a return to the sacrificial system without taking away from the meritorious sacrifice of Christ that was an eternal sacrifice, one for all? The millennial offerings are distinctly Jewish in nature, they come out of Jewish history and will be administered by Jews, their commemorative purpose will be embraced by Gentiles too, who will join in celebration of the Millennial King who will be present on earth. This is made clear in Zechariah 8 v.23, 'In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the garment of him who is a Jew, saying, We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you'. It will have some similarities to Mosaic system and then some new features. So it should not be mistaken for a reinstitution of Mosaic system, since Moses sacrificial system did not take away sin but Jesus last sacrifice did. The problem is easily solved if we view them as being COMMEMORATIVE rather than EFFICACIOUS. The sacrifices will be a memorial, just as communion is practiced today as a memorial, looking back at the actual event of Christ’s crucifixion. They will not be a propitiation, or again to be effacacious, they will have no power to redeem but will be a reminder of what took place. In the same manner the church is commanded to continue the Lord's Supper until He comes, but communion will nor longer be instituted because he will be here among us physically The reason this will be instituted is because there will be many unbelievers born in the Millennial period, they will be sinners that will need to understand the sacrifice Christ did. Since his sacrifice is the final one, it cannot be repeated by any other way. The types he fulfilled will be illustrative of his accomplishment. Hab. 2:14 “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” In Isa. 53 The Messiahs sacrifice puts an end to all animals sacrifices. Just as the Old Testament sacrifices pointed forward to Christ, and found their fulfillment in the supreme final sacrifice by Christ, so the millennial sacrifices will look back in commemorative fulfillment in the same manner. In other words, the sacrifices will be symbols to the millennial population of the sacrifice Christ did for them, over 2,000 years prior, as a constant reminder to a still sinful world. Ezek 46:1-2 “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.” ( also v.4, 12) The new moon festivals, the feast of tabernacles, and the Sabbaths, were set times among the Hebrews (not for Gentiles) for the worship of God. In the Millennium these will be used as the reminders for the assembly of worship as God will be celebrated in all nations. Isa. 2:2-3: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established on the top of the mountains…and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; he will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” As all Israel assembled in Jerusalem for the three great feasts under instruction from the Old Testament Law of Moses, representatives of the nations will journey to Jerusalem every new moon. The Sabbath is the reminder that the Messiah created all in 6 days, it will be kept by the Gentiles which also includes sacrifices; The Mosaic Law forbid Gentile to enter in the Temple, but it will be permitted by the new Law instituted by Christ in the Millennium (Ezek.46:1-5). So, far from being contradictory, the Millennial sacrificial system will be instituted as a commemorative celebration of the completeness of the last and efficacious sacrifice of our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord and redeemer. |
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