Does Zechariah 14 prove that the law will be kept in the kingdom.
A passage that is sometimes used to prove that the law given through Moses will still be in effect in the millennial kingdom is Zechariah 14 verses 16 through 21. It is claimed the passage not only shows that the feast will still be kept but some, normally Tanakh only advocates, also claim it that there will be sacrifices in the kingdom which would obviously mean that Jesus was not the end to sacrifices. ( I will also address some of the other passages at the end of this study, such as Isaiah 56 that are used by those arguing for animal sacrifices in the Kingdom)
Here we see that verses 16 and 19 do specifically state the feast of tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:16 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.
Zechariah 14-:9 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
However, if it was the intention of Zechariah to assert the keeping of the law in the kingdom it is far more likely that he would have used the word feasts plural, seeing they are numerous, and not single out one specific feast. Especially as there were more important feasts to the Israelites such as the Passover.
It is interesting, when we look at scripture as a whole, that Zechariah specifies this feast in particular. He did not just choose one feast at random but rather he identified this feast for specific reasons. We must remember that all scripture is profitable and nothing is arbitrary.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
It would be my understanding that this was not, in fact, referring to the literal feast of tabernacles as kept in the first covenant. But rather he used this feast to convey a far more deeper meaning.
We know that this is in reference to the “day of the LORD” being the end times. The millennium reign when the messiah will return, or come in the case of the Tanakh only advocates.
The feasts were only a shadow of the things to come as attested to by the New Testament.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
The feast of tabernacles in the law is nothing more than the shadow of the feast of tabernacles as per in the kingdom.
The tabernacle is where God resided with his people after he had led them out of Egypt and had taken them into the promised land.
Ezekiel tells us that God’s tabernacle in the kingdom will be with the people. God will dwell amongst them.
Ezekiel 37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Revelation also tells us that in the kingdom the tabernacle of God will be amongst his people. God will dwell with his people.
Revelation 7:23 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The temple is where God came to reside after it was built. The temple just like the tabernacle before it was the residing place of God.
We are told that we are the temple of God God dwells within us
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
So believers are in essence tabernacles of God, where he resides.
The feast of tabernacles in the kingdom would therefore be the gathering of the tabernacles (believers) in Jerusalem. A celebration of God being amongst his people as he was when he had brought his people together into the promised land God brings them back united where he dwells with them again.
Those who do not gather would not be believers.
When we look at the sacrifices that are mentioned we will see that these are not the sacrifices of the law. So we shall look at verses 20 and 21.
Zechariah 14:20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
The important word in verse 20 is LIKE
The POTS סִיר ciyr in the LORDS house shall be like the bowls מִזְרָק mizraq They are like but not the same. Even pots and bowls are different Hebrew words.
EVERY pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD not simply the bowls before the altar.
Zechariah 14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
If the law remains and Deuteronomy 4-2 is still in effect then we have a problem
Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Clearly there would have been a change in that EVERY pot is now holiness which means something has been added or diminished.
There is no need to view the sacrifices as sacrifices as per the law. There is no mention of sacrifices as those outlined for this festival, the Levites are not mentioned at all (simply THOSE that sacrifice) and seeing that the change between the bowls and the pots has already been established.
We must remember that what was once physical becomes spiritual and that the law was only a shadow of what was to come.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Peter states that ye, Israel, he was speaking to the Israelites , are all now priests in God’s kingdom can offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Again this is sacrifices in the kingdom not as per the law. These are spiritual sacrifices offered by the priests.
We are further told that all believers are made kings and priests
Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
So as all believers are priests all believers can offer sacrifices.
We are even told in Hebrews what sacrifices these likely are
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Sacrifices of praise not animals which all believers being priests can offer when they come to Jerusalem to bring the tabernacle of their bodies to celebrate a spiritual feast of tabernacles.
David also refers to sacrifices of praise
Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 15:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
Here we see that the sacrifices of God being a broken spirit in Psaml 51 and that of praise use the same Hebrew word, Zebach, as used with animal sacrifices.
These are not physical sacrifices of animals but those of praise and worship.
This also is affirmed by Hosea as he talks about offering the sacrifices of calves of our lips.
Hosea 14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Jeremiah also talks about the sacrifice of praise
Jeremiah 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
Psalm 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
The plea to give thanks to God is echoed throughout the Psalm
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 116: 12
What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
14I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
17I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
18I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
19In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
Micah 6 shows us that it is not the sacrifice of animals that God requires but a love and to walk with God.
Micah 6:
6Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
The sacrifices that God wants are not that of animals. Obedience is worth more than any animal sacrifice.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
Psalm 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Psalm 141:
{A Psalm of David.} LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
It is also stated that God requires mercy not sacrifice
Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Jesus himself quotes Hosea
Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
What about Isaiah 56, doesn’t that tell us there will be burnt offerings and sacrifices?
Lets look at the passage.
Isaiah 56:
1Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
2Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
3Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
As we can see verse 7 refers to the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the stranger being accepted. So does this demonstrate that there will be burnt offerings and sacrifices in the Kingdom?
There is no reason to believe these sacrifices are anything other than the spiritual sacrifices of praise that we have already seen. The sacrifices are not those of animals in the kingdom but of praise.
There are a number of things to point out regarding the burnt offerings. Firstly not all burnt offerings in the Levitical law were animals. There were voluntary burnt offerings of done with grain.
Leviticus 2: 1And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: 2And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: 3And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
We also see previsions within the law that grain offerings could replace animals even when the burnt offering was to be an animal, such as when a person was too poor to offer an animal.
Leviticus 5: 11But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering. 12Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering. 13And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering.
Thus there is no necessity that the burnt offerings, even if physical, are to be animals.
However, yet again, the passage is simply misunderstood, or misrepresented by those that argue for animal sacrifices in the Kingdom.
Jesus is our sin sacrifice. He replaces the sin offering required in the law.
Leviticus 4: 1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: 3If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering. 4And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 5And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: 6And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary. 7And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 9And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, 10As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. 11And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, 12Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
Jesus didn’t just die for the sins of the Israelites but also for the sins of the world, those that were not Israelites, the strangers (gentiles) who are brought into the new covenent.
1 John 2: 1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Thus Jesus replaces and becomes the burnt offering for the sins of the strangers. When they accept Jesus he becomes their sin sacrifice and so their “burnt offerings” for sins are accepted by God.
Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all time, not just for himself but for all.
Hebrews 7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
In the kingdom all believers are made priests of God and can offer up the offerings and sacrifices (Spiritual)
Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
God never wanted animal sacrifice, to believe that Jesus is the high priest who will offer animal sacrifices as per the levitical law, is to totally miss what Jesus actually did.
Hebrews 10: 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Jesus is not the high priest within the law of Moses, but rather he is a priest outside of that law and thus does not act as high priest in the way that the high priest did within the law.
There are no animal burnt offerings or sacrifices within the kingdom of God. They are now spiritual offerings and sacrifices.
But what about the reference to keeping the sabbaths.
Isaiah 56:2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Isaiah 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
We also see the sabbaths referenced in Isaiah 66, we are told that all felesh will worship before the LORD from one sabbath to the next
Isaiah 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
The gentiles did not keep the sabbaths of the LORD that were given to Israel to keep under the law. Eunuchs were unable to enter into the congregation of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 231 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
But this changes in the new covenant. The sabbaths are not physical sabbath days as per the law.
Again this is spiritual. No longer are there sabbaths as per the law. We are in the sabbath rest of the LORD through Jesus. This is perpetual not one day a week (with other yearly high sabbaths)
There is no sun and moon
Revelation 21:23: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
The nations will walk in that light
Revelation 21:24 and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
From one sabbath to the next In the Kingdom does not mean one weekly sabbath to the next, the rest is not a day appointed by God but rather indicates the perpetual rest given by God in Jesus who is our sabbath rest.
Justin Martr argued that repentence is keeping the Sabbath
Justin: This same law you have despised, and His new holy covenant you have slighted; and now you neither receive it, nor repent of your evil deeds. For your ears are closed, your eyes are blinded, and the heart is hardened,
Jeremiah has cried; yet not even then do you listen. The Lawgiver is present, yet you do not see Him; to the poor the Gospel is preached, the blind see, yet you do not understand. You have now need of a second circumcision, though you glory greatly in the flesh. The new law requires you to keep perpetual sabbath, and you, because you are idle for one day, suppose you are pious, not discerning why this has been commanded you: and if you eat unleavened bread, you say the will of God has been fulfilled. The Lord our God does not take pleasure in such observances: if there is any perjured person or a thief among you, let him cease to be so; if any adulterer, let him repent; then he has kept the sweet and true sabbaths of God. If any one has impure hands, let him wash and be pure.
Justin Martyr dialogue with Trypho chapter 12
PS.
In a debate between Sean Griffin and Radar Apologetics on the online youtube channel Standing for Truth, Sean, who was defending the position of animal sacrifices, cited Clement of Rome in his argument.
Here I shall look into that citation.
Let every one of you, brethren, give thanks to God in his own order, living in all good conscience, with becoming gravity, and not going beyond the rule of the ministry prescribed to him. Not in every place, brethren, are the daily sacrifices offered, or the peace-offerings, or the sin-offerings and the trespass-offerings, but in Jerusalem only. And even there they are not offered in any place, but only at the altar before the temple, that which is offered being first carefully examined by the high priest and the ministers already mentioned. Those, therefore, who do anything beyond that which is agreeable to His will, are punished with death. You see, brethren, that the greater the knowledge that has been vouchsafed to us, the greater also is the danger to which we are exposed.
Clement of Rome Letter to the Corinthians. chapter 41
Sean argued that this writing was done around 65AD, prior to the fall of the destruction of the Temple.
This date is highly debated. While I personally wont argue for any date, and I will acknowledge that there are scholars who do date this writing to prior to the fall of the Temple, the general scholarly consensus is that this latter was actually written much close to the end of the first century, around 95-96AD and thus after the fall of the temple.
The date is of less importance than the purpose of Clement’s argument. He was arguing the necessity of order.
In the cited quote by Clement he is appealing to the fact that under the Mosaic law, there was an order. Within the Law sacrifice was enacted, however, that sacrifice had to be done in the order that God had declared it. It was not permissible to just offer sacrifice anywhere but specifically at the Alter in Jerusalem.
And this is his point regarding the order of ministers in the church, as he continus on into the following chapter. he is contrasting the order under the law to that of the church to demonstrate the necessity of order in the church. He is not arguing that the sacrifice of animals still be active.
The apostles have preached the gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first fruits [of their labours], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe. Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons. For thus says the Scripture in a certain place, I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.
Clement of Rome Letter to the Corinthians. chapter 42
Sean also referred to the Testament of Levi claiming Paul quoted the book.
There are a number of issues with this claim.
Firstly, the date of the authorship of the book of the Testament of Levi is in no way agreed upon. The proposed authorship of the book is wide and spans the mid 2nd Century BC through the close of the first Century AD. If the book was composed in the latter part of the 1st Century AD then this would actually likely make this book written after the works of Paul. Thus it would not be able to be argued that Paul quoted the book, rather any quotations, if they be quotations, would have to be the Testement of Levi quoting Paul. There are also arguments for late 2nd Century AD christian interpolations into the book.
We must also note, that even if Paul did quote the Testament of Levi this would not validate the book itself. Paul quotes from other non authoritative works but this does not mean that the works become authoritatibve, or true. It just means that Paul has utilised a particular part of the book.
Fragments of the book in Aramaic were found amongst the dead sea scrolls.
Despite the fact that the book was found amongst the DSS, this does not necessitate that the book should be considered as authoritative.
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