Troublesome Topic: THE TEMPLE WILL NOT BE REBUILT AND SACRIFICES WILL NOT BE REINSTATED
Lesson 15 of 15According to Matthew chapter 24, one of the confirmations of Jesus’ Messiahship was the elimination of the sacrificial system. This came in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, 40 years after He died and rose again. This act of God (through the Romans) sent a clear message that no other sacrifice was needed; Jesus is the only efficacious sacrifice.
There are a number of Old Testament passages that point to the coming of the Messiah, and yet they refer to sacrifices. Because of these passages, and due to their views on prophecy, some people assume that the temple will be rebuilt and the sacrificial system will be reinstated. This thinking has become a big deal in modern teaching about what they call “the end times”. However, in those Old Testament passages, God communicated in a way that the people of that day could understand. They associated atonement with sacrifices because God had taught them to think that way in preparation for the coming of Jesus. It is also obvious that God did not choose to correct there thinking and explain to them ahead of time that he would send His own Son, in the form of human flesh, to die on a cross for our sins because they were still in the time of preparation. He gave some details, but not enough for them to get the whole picture of exactly how things would come about. Therefore, the way it was communicated to and through the Old Testament prophets matched the understanding they had at that time.
David’s Psalm of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba is a good example of how the Old Testament people used the terminology of sacrifices when referring to what we know is different from the old sacrificial system.
Psalms 51:16
Translation
For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give; you are not pleased by a burnt offering.
Paraphrase
For in a case like this, you do not desire a sacrifice, or else I would readily give you one; in this case even a burnt offering would not quell your anger.
Here David shows that he understood the inadequacy of animal sacrifices. David knew there was no sacrifice he could offer that would atone for his willful sin.
Psalms 51:17
Translation
The sacrifices of ELOHIM are a broken heart; a broken and crushed heart, O ELOHIM, You will not consider worthless.
Paraphrase
That is because, in a case like this, the sacrifices that you, THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS, will accept are nothing more and nothing less than a broken heart; yes, a heart that is broken over sin and a spirit that is crushed with guilt are the only things that You, O CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS, will not reject as futile and ineffective.
Psalms 51:18
Translation
In your accepting favor, do good to ZION; build up the walls of JERUSALEM.
Paraphrase
In your willingness to show favor and be accepting, I ask you to carry out that which pleases you for THE SIGN POST (which indicates where you are at work and what your work looks like); and I ask you to increase the strength of THE PLACE OF PEACEFUL FOUNDATIONS.
Psalms 51:19
Translation
Then you will be pleased with righteous sacrifices, with offerings that are completely burned up. Then they will sacrifice bulls on your altar.
Paraphrase
After you do that you will be pleased with the right sacrifice for situations like mine, one that is completely consumed for you. At that time the most expensive type of sacrifice will be offered to You.
DAVID KNEW SOMETHING BETTER WAS COMING
Not only did David know that the sacrificial system had no sacrifice for willful sinning, he realized that this would change some day. Notice the use of future verbs in verse 19. He was convinced that one day there would be “righteous sacrifices” which would atone for all types of sins. He did not know what that sacrifice would look like, but he knew it would come.
David assumed that the true and effective sacrifice would look something like the ones he was familiar with. He did not picture the Son of God dying on a cross. The Old Testament prophets thought similarly. Therefore, we cannot read verses from the Old Testament about sacrifices in the new era and assume that means that God wants the sacrifices of lambs and bulls to be reinstated. They were pointing to Jesus because He is the One True Sacrifice. When that which is real shows up, the substitutes must step aside.
NO OTHER REMINDER IS NEEDED
Some Christians who believe that the sacrifices will be reinstated say that they will only serve as reminders of the efficacious sacrifice of Jesus. But that does not agree with the way the New Covenant was set up. The Holy Spirit is the only witness of the New Covenant; He is the only reminder and motivator we need!