Quoteworthy: Christ’s Return in Leviticus

“…Leviticus is of use to us now as a revelation of Christ… The book is thus a treasury of divinely-chosen illustrations as to the way of a sinner’s salvation through the priestly work of the Son of God, and as to his present and future position and dignity as a redeemed man.

…Leviticus is still of use to us as embodying in type and figure prophecies of things yet to come, pertaining to the Messiah’s kingdom.  We must not imagine with some that because many of its types are long ago fulfilled, therefore all have been fulfilled.  Many, according to the hints of the New Testament, await their fulfillment in a bright day that is coming. 

Some, for instance, of the feasts of the Lord have been fulfilled; as Passover, and the feast of Pentecost.  But how about the day of atonement for the sin of corporate Israel?  We have seen the type of the day of atonement fulfilled in the entering into heaven of our great High Priest; but in the type He came out again to bless the people: has that been fulfilled?  Has He yet proclaimed absolution of sin to guilty Israel? 

How again, about the feast of trumpets, and that of the ingathering at full harvest?  How about the Sabbatic year, and that most consummate type of all, the year of jubilee?  History records nothing which could be held a fulfillment of any of these; and thus Leviticus bids us look forward to a glorious future yet to come, when the great redemption shall at last be accomplished, and “Holiness to Jehovah” shall, as Zecharian puts it, be written even “on the bells of the horses.”’

From The Book of Leviticus, by Samuel Henry Kellog

Dividing, Selecting, and Electing

 
Tom Bradford speaks of God’s pattern of dividing, selecting, and electing in Scripture.  He runs a wonderful website called Torah Class, which offers free lessons on the first five books of the Bible.  It provides bible studies and Scripture research for Christians, Messianic Jews, and all seekers of truth. 

This spurred me to find examples in Scripture where God divides, selects, and elects:

  • Enoch is credited for walking faithfully with God and God removes him from the earth prior to the flood, which is a type of the rapture of the saints before the tribulation.
  • God tells Noah to build an ark and enter it and thus only eight souls are saved from the flood (1 Peter 3:20, KJV), which is a type of the 144,000 who will be sealed and preserved through the tribulation.
  • Abraham is told to separate from his people and his country to go to the land of Canaan. But Abraham never actually occupies the land flowing of milk and honey, which is promised to his descendents.
  • God leads Lot and his two daughters out of Sodom and Gomorrah before its total destruction, which is an example of the danger of being yoked with unbelievers.
  • Moses is told to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:37 tells us they eventually numbered 600,000), yet only Joshua and Caleb are allowed to enter the promised land.

I know that many have been led to believe that when Christ Jesus returns all believers will be rewarded equally in His Kingdom. But I believe that God’s pattern of dividing, selecting, and electing in Scripture tells us otherwise.