The Messiah, 297A

~ Jesus Christ and the Conclusion of Leviticus 23 ~

Background  ~  “Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me” — Jesus Christ (John 5:39).

“And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, Jesus explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27).  “Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.  Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body [the true Church of Jesus Christ], nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God” (Colossians 2:16-19).

General Comment  ~  We have observed throughout this key chapter that Biblical prophecy is often twofold: a near-term (often only a few decades) fulfillment and a later complete fulfillment.  Often the first is more of a literal physical fulfillment and the second a more spiritual fulfillment.  Two of the feasts in this chapter have their second complete fulfillment yet to come. 

Scripture:  Leviticus 23 Introduction  ~  The first three verses deal with the seventh day of rest—the Sabbath.  Then verse 4 makes it clear that what follows are special celebrations—Feasts.  We have examined those seven feasts in our last seven Messiah blogs. We now come to the concluding verses of the chapter.  Now we look at the concluding verses of this interesting and important chapter.

The Scripture:  Leviticus 23 Conclusion  ~  …  “Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest.  And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.  You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year.  It shall be a statute forever in your generations.  You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.  You shall dwell in booths for seven days.  All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”’  So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:39-44).

The Messiah  ~  As we have seen in this series of posts The Messiah—Jesus Christ can be clearly seen throughout Leviticus 23.  At a future point in history The Messiah will be worshipped by all the redeemed from every nation, tongue, tribe, and ethnic group. 

Future Fulfillment  ~  This holy period in these closing verses is prophetic in a couple of distinct ways.  First, it will be observed during the millennium.  Second, it points to the everlasting kingdom and eternity-future.  “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.  God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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