Post
by Paidion » Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:00 am
Perry, do you regard commands given by God which were to be literally carried out by the Israelites as a picture of things to come "spiritualizing"?
Many regard the commands to offer sacrifices in a particular manner (though God did not require them per se) as a picture of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Is that "spiritualizing" the commands to sacrifice?
Hebrews 4 appear to suggest that the Sabbath commandment though meant literally for the Hebrews was a picture of a different commandment to come:
For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience.
Again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
Today, those who enter the Sabbath rest which God has prepared have ceased from their own works. What works are these? According to Justin Martyr they are evil works. Justin stated to Trypho and the other Jewish people with him that they supposed that they were pious because they were idle one day a week. But Christians, he said, keep perpetual Sabbath in that they have ceased from their former evil works and that ceasing continues every day.
Paidion
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
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