A speaker at Bible study this week was talking about how the tabernacle/temple system was fulfilled in Christ (the thesis of the Book of Hebrews). I was pondering how he said “it’s what they’ve always known.” Temple rites and rituals were all the Jews had known, so it was very confusing for them to understand how Jesus fulfilled that.
But then I was thinking about the 70+ years the Jews did not have a temple. Is it correct to say it’s all they always knew?
When we look at the book of Daniel, Daniel in exile surely knew something different. He saw the bigger picture and knew how he could commune with God outside of temple worship. God’s presence was with him even without a temple—God showed him amazing things even without a temple! We can reason to say that Daniel’s sins were forgiven even without a temple, the same way Abraham’s were!
Daniel and others in exile had a glimpse of the new covenant. They began to see how the grace of God is everywhere and anywhere, and we don’t need rituals to access him.
I love noticing these things in the Old Testament. There are so many clues that God had something bigger and better waiting for His people!
He was asking them to circumcise their hearts— it wasn’t about the flesh. He was asking them to be covered in the blood of Jesus, not sacrificed animals. He was asking them to let rest in Christ be their sabbath. He was asking them to seek purity through Christ, not in “clean” food or legalism.
God was calling them out of the hypocritical religious motions and asking them to have a personal relationship with him.
And He asks us too— will we put away the empty rituals and feigned righteousness? Will we look to Him for our covering, for the merit to enter His presence, instead of seeking to establish our own?
All He needs is our hearts 💕
There is nothing more I have.
“Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Your cross I cling.”
