THE FULFILLMENT OF THE MESSIANIC COVENANT

After His resurrection, Y'shua instructed His disciples to go into all the earth and preach the good news of eternal life to every creature (Matthew 28:19-20). As a result, from that time the Messianic covenant has been proclaimed firstly in Jerusalem, then in Judea, and Samaria and from there to the uttermost parts of the earth, to call out a priestly remnant from the two houses of Israel and from the Gentiles. Acts 1: 8

That commission is to continue until the end of the age, "until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in", that is, the completeness of that which is to be reaped from among the nations (Gentiles). Romans 11:25-26

Those called into the Messianic covenant were to be one new "man", "Jew and Gentile", formed into one "Body of Messiah", a holy temple, a kingdom of priests unto Him. This was the final realisation of Yahweh God's purpose which was first proclaimed to the nation when He brought them out of the influence of the world in Egypt and redeemed them as a people unto Himself. Ephesians 2:11-12,19-22; Exodus 19: 5-6

However, the foundation stones which had been laid of this spiritual temple in the prophets of old and the apostles of our Lord has yet to be completed by the living stones with which He is constructing this temple.

"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."

- the household of God was the nation of Israel and all other ethnic groups that became believers in the God of Israel were not included in the priesthood covenant of Israel.

- These believers were excluded from the covenant promises and a wall of partition kept them from entering the temple precincts and prevented them from being in the holy Presence of God.

- but in Messiah, those who were outside the nation of Israel are now grafted in by faith, together with the saints, to become one with the believing community. Ephesians 2:19, 14

"Having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Y'shua the Messiah Himself being the chief cornerstone" -- Y'shua was the cornerstone of this spiritual house to which the foundations laid by the prophets and the apostles was aligned. Ephesians 2:20

- everything else is built upon this original foundation of Messiah which was first spoken of by the prophets and confirmed by the apostles when He came (Exodus 19: 6; 1 Corinthians 3: 9-10).

"You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Y'shua the Messiah" 1 Peter 2: 5

- this spiritual 'house' of 'living stones' functions in a spiritual ministry.

"in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:21-22

- this 'building' is a construction comprised of individual believers being fitted together to be a holy temple or tabernacle, a place in which, as a corporate whole, He can inhabit by His Spirit.

"from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth to the body for the edifying of itself in love."

- by the operation of His Spirit through each priest, this temple is being built up according to the divine specifications required for Him to make it His habitation. Ephesians 4:16

This dwelling place of the Spirit, or Tabernacle, grows in stature and likeness to Messiah by the ministry of every member of the 'house' or corporate 'body', functioning in it's spiritual ministry to the other members and supplying it's contribution to the growth of the corporate whole, so that each living stone is fitted together in it's appropriate place and fashioned in such a way that it will reflect His glory. As it continues in this pattern of growth the whole Body will come to the maturity of the stature of Y'shua, the Messiah, and reflect His image and glory (Ephesians 4:13).

The divine Ruach (Spirit) working in and through each member, and corporately through the whole Body, is building it into a habitation which will manifest the life, power and nature of God as seen in Y'shua the Messiah, who is the image and likeness of the invisible God. Hebrews 1: 3; Romans 8:26-27; 1 John 3: 2-3 As Y'shua is a manifestation of the Father, so will Y'shua's Body be a manifestation of Him.

The construction of this spiritual 'Body' began with the prophets; in Abraham laying the foundation of faith in a spiritual dwelling place, a "city whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10,16); and in Moses with the physical form and structure of the future spiritual tabernacle (Exodus 26:30; Hebrews 8: 5; 3: 2b-5). Then in David, with the pattern of life and worship in the future spiritual tabernacle (1 Chronicles 28:11-13; Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16), to mention just a few, of the main prophetic foundations of the "House", that were laid.

Although many of the nation of Israel only partook of the natural blessings of the covenants, there were true sons of the covenant, who saw the promises afar off and embraced them, desiring the better, "heavenly", spiritual inheritance that was prepared for them (Hebrews 11:16). They stand, as it were, as cheerleaders on the sidelines, awaiting the recipients of the Messianic covenant to complete what they commenced in laying the foundation stones of the House of God.

When this spiritual Body has been completed and perfected, a spiritual union will take place of the Bride to the Bridegroom, i.e. those who have been conformed to His image and likeness. Romans 8:29-30

There is also an aspect where the addition of each member to this Body increases the capacity of the corporate whole to manifest the fullness of the life of Y'shua the Messiah. Once the fore-ordained number of those needed to comprise this holy temple is complete, then it only needs for them to come to perfection.

THE COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE

Many allegories and types are used to convey different concepts of Yahweh God's purposes. As well as portraying His Tabernacle as His Body in which He would dwell, He also portrays it as His Bride to whom He will be joined in spiritual union. He, as the Head, joined to His Body (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Y'shua said that He would go and prepare a place, a spiritual habitation, for the consummation of this union of Himself with His bride-to-be and return to take her unto Himself that she may be with Him, spiritually, i.e. in the same spiritual abode or place where He is. John 14: 1-4

This is the spiritual habitation which is being prepared by the Spirit of God, for which it's members will be transformed from natural to spiritual, from earthly to heavenly, a "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens', that our "mortality might be swallowed up of life" (2 Corinthians 5: 1-5).

God is spirit in His nature, therefore the only way in which we can become a habitation for Him in His fullness, is to undergo a transformation from natural to spiritual, from that which is mortal to that which is immortal. This is the purpose of the new creation in Y'shua the Messiah.

From eternity past, Yahweh God purposed to have many sons whom He would call to become co-heirs with Y'shua and enter into His glory with Him (John 17:22-24). "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified." Romans 12:29-30

For this purpose Y'shua imparted to His disciples a portion, a deposit of His Spirit which sealed us into this covenant. This 'seal' which has been given to us is in the form of a deposit of His Spirit, it is "the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession," (Ephesians 1:13-14).

A deposit, or a down payment, secures the possession as long as the future installments are made of the purchase price. Y'shua paid the price in full for our complete redemption, but although the purchase price was paid, the full inheritance that was purchased for us is reserved, kept in store for us until the last day.

Until that time, installments of it are given to us according to the measure in which we come out of that which is of the natural man and out of that which pertains to this life (1 Peter 1: 4-5).

The Spirit of God seeks to initiate a process whereby the various aspects of our natural lives are transformed by His redeeming power, the final redemption being that of our mortal bodies.

"For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth-pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." Romans 8:22-23

When the Bride, His Body, is fully redeemed from the corruption of Adam's race, then our physical bodies also will be raised as spiritual bodies, like the second man, Y'shua, the "heavenly Man". "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man" (1 Corinthians 15:49)

His Bride shall be raised to be like Him. "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband."

The holy city, the Bride, comes down from heaven to earth.

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"

This corporate Body in complete union with it's Head, His tabernacle, will dwell with men on earth in all His fullness. (Revelation 21: 2,3)

The Bride, the Lamb's wife, will descend from heaven, "having the glory of God" (Revelation 21:10-11), arrayed in all the splendour and glory of His Person (Revelation 21:18-21).

She will be descending as His wife, after the union has taken place in the marriage supper of the Lamb.

When Y'shua inaugurated the Messianic covenant, He did so with the covenantal emblems of the bread which symbolised His body which would be given for them; and with the wine, the drinking of which symbolised the acceptance of the covenant. On this night, before the offering of Himself, He said to them, "I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of God" (Mark 14:25)

The acceptance of a marriage betrothal was always confirmed by the drinking of a cup of wine to establish it as a covenant which the participants were bound to keep. The bride and groom drank their second cup at their wedding ceremony, to seal their covenant of marriage.

When Y'shua instituted the Messianic covenant with His disciples, they drank the cup in acceptance of the covenant, but He did not drink the cup of the covenant (Matthew 26:29). The covenant was in transition then. He looked forward in time to the day when the kingdom would be established when He would then drink the second cup with them and ratify the covenant in celebration of their marriage union. John 14: 1-4

Y'shua preached the coming kingdom. He taught His disciples to preach the kingdom of God coming in Spirit and in power. He taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come", for the Father's will to be done ON EARTH, as it is in heaven. The whole emphasis was upon the kingdom coming upon earth - i.e. the Messianic age.

The Messianic covenant will not be consummated until the time that the kingdom is established upon earth.

The qualities and the nature of the kingdom is to be first established within His people in this intervening time to prepare His corporate Body, His Bride, to sit with Him on the throne and rule with Him in the age to come (Luke 17:21; Colossians 1:13; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20).

The whole purpose of the Messianic covenant is to call out a people for His Name (Acts 15:14), that would stand in all that is represented by that Name, a first-fruits company, that would come to complete maturity and be established in holiness, to rule and reign with Him in His coming kingdom (Revelation 5: 9-10).

They will be His government upon earth, His kingdom of priests, ministering His will upon earth, sending forth His decrees from His holy dwelling place on Mount Zion in the New Jerusalem, the place He has chosen as His sanctuary, to be His throne upon the earth (Isaiah 2: 3; 8:18; 24:23b; Psalm 132:13; 2: 6).