Don Best (1 Aug 2006)

Question re: 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."

What it means is that even though we are currently in the time when sabbath observance is not important, this will change in the future. The OT law will not be done completely away with in the periods after the tribulation is over. During the millennial reign of Christ a person will have to follow the law as described in Matthew 5 and 6 (sermon on the Mount).

Compare this verse to Ezekiel 46:1, describing the ordinances to be conducted in the future temple.

Paul clearly says that all the Jewish feast days are prophetic, "of things to come":

Colossians 2:16-17 "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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

Why are sacrifices conducted in the future when Christ has already come? Our current theology applies only to the Church age - we are saved by grace through faith without any works whatsoever. However, the people to come after our age will have to deal with God on the terms he has established for that future dispensation. For example, during the tribulation merely repenting and "accepting Jesus" after a person has taken the mark of the beast is NOT an option. The tribulation saints will have to either starve to death (not able to buy or sell) without the mark, or be killed (beheaded), or "endure to the end" while assisting the Jews (i.e., the sheep and goats of Matthew). The gospel of the millennial period will require worship and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, observe of the mosaic law, and immediate repentance for any sins committed. It will involve some animal sacrifice as well (as described in Ezekiel). Some sacrifices will commemorate Christ's sacrifice, others will stand on their own. The terms of their required conduct will be announced and enforced by the Church (Christ's bride of glorified believers) and the Jews that survive the tribulation and become the "superpower" earthly nation from that point forward in history.

- M