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What
was finished?
Before
Jesus said, "It is finished, " There was no real
intimacy possible between God and humanity . The life that was
given upon the cross that day opened the door of relationship to
every man, woman and child upon the face of the earth. The
sayings of the angels in the fields near Bethlehem had come to
pass, "Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will
(blessings) extended toward all men of faith."
(paraphrased, Luke 2:14) If you would like to do some interesting
research in the Bible look up any references which refer to
"justification." Justification refers to the idea of
God Almighty seeing us believers
as being made perfect
by
substituting Jesus Christ's goodness (or right standing) for our
own. One scripture to point out this application of access to God
is the first verse of Romans chapter 5, "Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our
Lord Jesus Christ."
When Jesus cried out, "It is finished," the veil of the temple was rent in two. The veil was a fabric curtain of great size and weight which separated the Holy Place from the place called the Holy of Holies, it was only within the Holy of Holies where God would manifest physically after the priests had sufficiently prepared with cleansing and with blood sacrifices. God Almighty prior to this time manifested physically in one place for a certain covenant people, the Jews. He was their God and the Gentiles were until that time, excluded from fellowship and from covenant. This is a scriptural reality that contradicts the beliefs of a Universalist or Deist who maintains that God is and is the same in any religion. What
was finished? Until this moment,
After Jesus' sacrificial death, he was seen by Mary of Magdalla just before he was to ascend to the throne, (John 20:17) Jesus spoke to Mary saying, "Don't touch me yet, for I have not yet ascended, but go to my brothers and tell them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and their God." (paraphrased.) Do not assume in reading that the word "brothers" applied to the Lord's friends and disciples before he made a way for them to become true adopted "sons of God." Jesus spoke with such an emphasis that when Mary was to annunciate his message, it made it very clear that there was to be a brand new kind of relationship which was to known among the disciples or believers. That we could be considered family to Jesus Christ and to his Father. Christ was now our brother. God was now our Father. Now we could actually pray the prayer which Jesus taught them, saying, "Our Father, in heaven - -." Jesus is called, "- - the first born of many brethren," in Romans 8, verse 29.
What
was Finished?
What was finished? The Old Covenant Priesthood When Jesus declared, "It is finished." It also brought an end to the necessity of having a class of persons whose job it was to communicate with God on our behalf. The Levites were the tribe of Israel whose soul purpose it was to minister to the Lord, to prepare sacrifices, to make atonement for sin, to declare the people free and absolved from sin, to talk to God, to hear and teach His Word. If you were a Levite you were automatically a priest, not a priest plus another profession. You were supplied with provision from the "tithes" of the people. They supported the work of God by providing by the tithe of food and produce to feed the Levites supply the temple. The priests talked with God on behalf of the people of covenant. The priests were those who were trained to know the Word of God and study the texts of Holy Law. When Jesus cried, "It is finished." it would come to pass that, " - the old things would pass away and all things became new," The old priest hood would pass away and a new priesthood would come. Jesus himself would become the high priest over a new covenant, a better covenant. It was to be an eternal, never perishing priesthood. He would sit at the right hand of the Glory of God, "ever making intercession" on the part of His children in the earth. He was appointed heir and ruler over all things. This appointed heir and king and high priest has all things at his command and all things under his feet. At the utterance of his name ever spiritual and physical knee will have to bow. (God is Great.) The people who could not know God were joined into the vine of Israel. The people who could never enter within the veil of the Holiest Place could enter in freely, being justified and purged from an evil conscience by the blood of the Lamb. (Read Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:22) What
had happened? We (any and all believers) became
priests unto our God. We could enter in. We
could minister to Him. We could offer up sacrifices
of praise. We could hear His voice. We could
proclaim the Words that He would speak to us.
We could speak on His behalf. We could be an
oracle of God. We were given authority to use
His name, the Name Jesus which commands the
Spiritual Power and authority over every name
and condition. We could study His Word we could
hear His voice speaking in the Scriptures,
we could know the Wisdom of God.
E
Book 1: E Book 2: E
Book 3: Index to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles Resources: Understanding Home Fellowships Frank Viola "Who's
Your Covering"
"Rethinking the Wineskin" Sid
Roth Guest,
George Barna Barna's
Book: "Revolution" Sid
Roth Guest: Guest:
Jim Rutz
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