Is it your point that though it doesn't say it will be a memorial, the Jews wil,l at that time, understand it to be so?
Hello Grasshopper, and yes...that is my point, even as at that time they will understand that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy.
This is why Acts 21 was given (by me). Paul performed ritual of the Law, not because he had to, but because as a Christian, it did not change anything concerning his understanding of salvation through Christ. It is similar to the question "What foods should we or shouldn't we eat?" For Paul, having a clear understanding, following this rite affected truth...not at all.
We in hindsight can see the entire Law and its ceremonies pointed to Christ's work.
Agreed.
So did Paul in Acts 21.
The complaint was that many had heard that Paul taught men to forsake Moses (v.21), which was not true. He did not, concerning Gentiles, teach them as the Judaizers that they must follow the Law in order to be saved (
Acts 15:1), but also true is that he did not teach that which the Judaizers taught, which is, that they must follow the Law or they could not be saved.
So in relation to whether it is possible for Jews to perform that which is contained within the Law, and whether one that understands the pictorial of Christ within the Law, we can see that it is not so far-fetched as it seems, Paul being an example in this passage.
While I agree with this as pertaining to Christ in the Law, I for one believe that just as all prophecy has a habit of being fulfilled a little differently than the popular notion/s expect, and think there may be some surprises in store, even for those of us empowered by the Holy Spirit to understand.
However, looking at the OT passages in question, we still cannot see them as memorial. That must be read into the text.
Consider:
Zechariah 14:16-19
King James Version (KJV)
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Seeing that this is in a context wherein we see that Christ has returned, the obligation to celebrate this feast can be clearly seen with the emphasis upon the rule of Christ, rather than upon the efficacy of the sacrifices associated with it.
Before the arrival of Messiah, there would have been no thought of a fisrt Coming...much less a Second. Now that He has come, and we await His return, we can understand that this has not been fulfilled...but will be.
Paul was a Jew, therefore he followed the customs perhaps in order to reach the Jews.
It is clear that his intention was to show that he did not teach contrary to the law, going so far as to join in this ceremony without going against his conscience toward Jew, Christian, or the Lord.
His participation was not a devious ploy to "fool the Jews," nor was he validating the need to keep the Law.
Peter also went against the traditional practice of those that kept the Law by eating with Gentiles, but when that certain came, he withdrew, evidencing either a weakness of conscience or a steadfast and sure understanding that cannot be attributed to Paul in this event.
So for myself, it was necessarily in order to reach the Jews, but as is clear in the passage, to show that those who thought he taught
contrary to the Law might be satisfied.
The difference is considerable: while He did not, as the Judaizers, teach that one had to be circumcized (and we would have to decide if this applies to both Jew and Gentile, and think most would concede a Jew does not have to be circumsized physically to be saved) to be saved, neither did he teach..."
Do not be circumcized."
Would he be in sin if he didn't observe the ceremony?
Of course not, unless he was in the Millennial Kingdom.
Just kidding, Grasshopper...:smilewinkgrin:.
The problem that Paul had was what was noised abroad about him. He, being a persecutor of the Church, first had the problem of people not trusting him because of his persecution of the Church, and here the tables turn and he is not trusted because rather than trying to enforce the Law as he once did, he is accused of teaching men to forsake it.
What is also interesting is to note that here we have Christians that are zealous for their doctrine behaving in an unseemly manner.
Paul lived in a transition period where both covenants seem to be in existence(Heb. 8:13).
I can assure you that Hebrews does not teach that both Covenants were to be followed.
While they may have both been in existence, there is no scriptural teaching that it is permissable for one to decide which Covenant he will be under.
The writer of Hebrews goes through great pains to convince his countrymen to embrace the New Covenant, and this by understanding that the First was but a shadow and picture of the true.
In Ad70 keeping the ceremonial Law became impossible.
From an eternal perspective I would argue that on the Day of Pentecost...it became impossible.
Either that or there are Two Ways...not One.
If Hebrews is understood, then it cannot be said that remaining in the First Covenant was acceptable. This is one of the primary thrusts of this book. Whether there was a Temple in place or not, those sacrifices were no more efficacious than they were before Christ's appearing.
It was part of the Old Covenant which was done away with,
The First Covenant has been abrogated by the New. The writer of Hebrews does not say, "Take your time and think about it, and I hope you will embrace the New, but if you don't, that's okay."
Quite the contrary, he is clear that rejecting Christ they were rejecting the New Covenant, and to offer up sacrifice was in fact re-crucifying Christ just as the sacrifices were a picture of Christ being sacrificed. Every time a sacrifice was offered, it was a picture of the Lamb of God, Who would end that sacrifice. To reject Christ, meaning, to reject that what the Law pictured taught, which was that Christ would be offered for the sins of man, and to view the sacrifices themselves as the means of remission, was to give up the only means of true atonement.
(see the book of Hebrews).
I am fairly familiar with the book, and be glad to look at it with you.
Is it your view that this will one day again be what God demands?
Not sacrifice for sin, no. Christ offered the only sacrifice that can take away sin.
However, just as Paul participated in ceremony, even as we participate in ceremony when we partake of Communion, there is no reason to think that there will be no ceremony in the Kingdom of God here on earth, that is, the Millennial Kingdom.
And getting back to the topic of this thread, it stands to reason that if there are feasts, that it is reasonable to think that the Levitical Priesthood will officiate.
And if they do, it is reasonable to think that they will partake of the sacrifice as they did originally.
And in doing that, it would lead me to believe that meat will be eaten in the Millennial Kingdom.
For what purpose? Does the work of Christ become null and void?
Come on, Grasshopper, you know nothing of the sort was implied.
Was the work of Christ, and in particular the cleansing associated with salvation made null and void for Paul when he participated in this ceremonial cleansing?
It is simply a matter, I believe, that Paul having a clear conscience and a greater understanding of salvation than the mob that condemned him, could participate, knowing that the ritual did not change truth. He had liberty to eat pork, but, for the sake of his brethren, I am sure he did not do that among those who were legalistic in their mindset.
Okay, thanks for the response. Sorry it took so long to get back with you, this weekend was a little busy.
God bless.