The fulfillment of the Law

and come back to Jehovah YOUR God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, and he will certainly feel loving-kindness on account of the calamity. Who is there knowing whether they will turn back and actually feel regret and let remain after it a blessing, a grain offering and a drink offering A Blessing for Jehovah YOUR God? "Blow a horn in Zion, O men. Sanctify a time of fasting. Call together a solemn assembly. Gather [the] people together. Sanctify a congregation. Collect [the] old men together. Gather children and those sucking the breasts together. Let [the] bridegroom go forth from his interior room, and [the] bride from her nuptial chamber.

"Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep and say, ‘Do feel sorry, O Jehovah, for your people, and do not make your inheritance a reproach, for nations to rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples: "Where is their God?"’ And Jehovah will be zealous for his land and will show compassion upon his people. And Jehovah will answer and say to his people, ‘Here I am sending to YOU the grain and the new wine and the oil, and YOU people will certainly be satisfied with it; and I shall not make YOU anymore a reproach among the nations. And the northerner I shall put far away from upon YOU, and I shall actually disperse him to a waterless land and desolated waste, with his face to the eastern sea and his rear section to the western sea.

And the stink from him will certainly ascend, and the stench from him will keep ascending; for He will actually do a great thing in what He does.’ "Do not be fearful, O ground. Be joyful and rejoice; for Jehovah will actually do a great thing in what He does. Do not be fearful, YOU beasts of the open field, for the pasture grounds of [the] wilderness will certainly grow green. For the tree will actually give its fruitage. The fig tree and the vine must give their vital energy.

And, YOU sons of Zion, be joyful and rejoice in Jehovah YOUR God; for he will be bound to give YOU the autumn rain in right measure, and he will bring down upon YOU people a downpour, autumn rain and spring rain, as at the first. And the threshing floors must be full of [cleansed] grain, and the press vats must overflow with new wine and oil. And I will make compensation to YOU for the years that the locust, the creeping, unwinged locust, and the cockroach and the caterpillar have eaten, my great military force that I have sent among YOU.

And YOU will certainly eat, eating and becoming satisfied, and YOU will be bound to praise the name of Jehovah YOUR God, who has done with YOU so wonderfully; and my people will not be ashamed to time indefinite.

And YOU people will have to know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah YOUR God and there is no other. And my people will not be ashamed to time indefinite. "And after that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will certainly prophesy. As for YOUR old men, dreams they will dream. As for YOUR young men, visions they will see. And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit.

"And I will give portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun itself will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah. And it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will get away safe; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will prove to be the escaped ones, just as Jehovah has said, and in among the survivors, whom Jehovah is calling." 2:13-32

Jehovah God's Almighty hand: Jesus' Father, 1 Ki 8:15,16; 2 Ch 6:4,15,36:21; Job 39:2; Ps 20:4-9; Isa 9:6,7; Jer 44:25. "When Israel was a boy, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Hosea 11:1

"As for my covenant, it proved to be with him, [one] of life and of peace, and I kept giving them to him, with fear. And he continued fearing me; yes, because of my name he himself was struck with terror. The very law of truth proved to be in his mouth, and there was no unrighteousness to be found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness he walked with me, and many were those whom he turned back from error. For the lips of a priest are the ones that should keep knowledge, and [the] law is what people should seek from his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of armies. Mal 2:5-7

After they had withdrawn, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying: "Get up, take the young child and its mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I give you word; for Herod is about to search for the young child to destroy it." So he got up and took along the young child and its mother by night and withdrew into Egypt, and he stayed there until the decease of Herod, for that to be fulfilled which was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Mt 2:13-15

It is especially important to note how the word is used in Mt 5:17. In this context, “abolish” is set in opposition to “fulfill.” Christ came “..not to abolish, but to fulfill.” The meaning is this. Jesus did not come to this earth for the purpose of acting as an opponent of the law. His goal was not to prevent its fulfillment. Rather, he revered it, loved it, obeyed it, and brought it to fruition. He fulfilled the law’s prophetic utterances regarding himself. Lu 24:44. Christ fulfilled the demands of the Mosaic law, which called for perfect obedience, or else imposed a “curse” see Ga 3:10, 13. In this sense, the law’s divine design will ever have an abiding effect. It will always accomplish the purpose for which it was given. If, however, the law of Moses bears the same relationship to men today, in terms of its binding status, as it did before Christ came, then it was not fulfilled, and Jesus failed at what he came “to do.” On the other hand, if the Lord did accomplish what he came to accomplish, then the law was fulfilled, and it is not a binding legal institution today. Consequently, nothing of the law was to fail until it had completely accomplished its purpose. Jesus fulfilled the law. Jesus fulfilled all of the law the only Jew and man who did. God's only begotten Son. The Lamb of God is Jesus.

that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, who said: "Look! My servant whom I chose, my beloved, whom my soul approved! I will put my spirit upon him, and what justice is he will make clear to the nations. Mt 12:17, 18; Lu 23:28-56. I am giving YOU a new commandment, that YOU love one another; just as I have loved YOU, that YOU also love one another. By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves." Joh 13:34,35. If YOU ask anything in my name, I will do it. "If YOU love me, YOU will observe my commandments; and I will request the Father and he will give YOU another helper to be with YOU forever, the spirit of the truth, which the world cannot receive, because it neither beholds it nor knows it. YOU know it, because it remains with YOU and is in YOU. Joh 14:14-21; 15:7-14,17

The Sabbath

The Ten Commandements were part of the Jewish Law covenant. In fact, the very first law is specifically addressed to the Jews. It says: "I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. You must not have any other gods against my face." Ex 20:2,3. The Egyptians, were not bound by the law of Yaweh. Neither were any other ancient peoples. The Ten Commandments were given exclusively to the house of Israel. The Jewish nation to whom the sabbath laws apply failed miserably. So it is obvious that no one individual or group of people can perfectly observe Sabbath. Generally, the failure of the Jewish people to obey God stands as a testimony that imperfect humans cannot perfectly keep God’s commandments.

They failed to uphold their covenant with God. Eventually, they were led away into captivity for 70 years for the very reason that they failed to keep the Sabbath and its regulations for true worship. The perfect man Jesus was the only man on earth that was able to keep the Law Covenant, including its sabbatical requirements. More complications grew during the first century and the Jewish nation fell into a point of no return. So their house was abandoned to them as Jesus said, Mt 23:37-39..with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.

"As Lord of the Sabbath," Mt 12:8..Jesus will lead obedient mankind into a right relationship with God and ultimately vindicate his Father's Sovereignty. By all indication the thousand-year reign of Christ will prove to be a sabbatical rest for the earth.

Satan and his minions will be confined in the abyss, so as not to mislead the nations anymore. God's Kingdom will rule supreme over all the earth for the sake of obedient mankind; a truly sabbatical rest! True Christians may in a spiritual sense observe the Sabbath by leaving off sinful practices and producing fruits that befits repentance. This is not easy for Christians anymore than it was not easy for fleshly Israel to observe the literal Sabbath days and other requirements of the Mosaic Law. That is why God’s judgments are inevitable, even coming first upon his own house and then the nations. All nations reflect the condition of the human race as exemplified in Biblical times.

While in Egypt the Israelites, being slaves, could not have kept the Sabbath even if they had been under such law at the time. "Sabbath was to come to an end.."Honor your father and your mother" and " You shall not commit murder" Also Ended?". Not at all; many of the moral standards set out in the Ten Commandments were restated in the inspired books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. There was, however, no restating of the Sabbath law. Eph 6;1,2. Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous: "Honor your father and [your] mother". And the Bible makes clear that murder, committing adultery, stealing, lying and coveting are also against the laws for Christians. Lu 12:15, 1 Co 6:9-11, Eph 4:25, 28; Col 3:5, 1 Th 4:3-7, Heb 13:4, 1 Joh 3:15, Re 21:8

Paul, explained why God gave the nation of Israel the Law, including the Ten Commandments. He said that the Law was a "tutor leading to Christ," but that Christ was the end of the Law. Jesus kept the Law, perfectly. He was the only Jew who did. Ga 3:23-29. How do the nations gain a blessing by means of the so-called seed of Abraham? They do so by having their sins forgiven due to the ransom sacrifice of Christ that pays off the debt of Adamic sin.

The scriptures teach that during the 1,000-year reign of Christ's kingdom the dead will be raised to life, might be likened as a probationary period of parole from death. This will include individuals who had no prior knowledge of Christ or love for God. But, in order to actually gain everlasting life on earth, the resurrected person will have to obey Christ. Then will they actually bless themselves by means of Abraham's seed. So, in view of the fact that Christ's ransom has the power to raise faithful and unbelieving persons from mankind's grave, we cannot say that all believers are necessarily included in the new covenant. The new covenant does not merely make it possible for God to extend forgiveness to Christians. As Paul also explained in the 3rd chapter of Galatians, those in the new covenant are declared righteous due to their faith in Christ. For them, being declared righteous doesn't just mean that their sins are pardoned.

God's declaring them righteous means that he grants them the same sort of standing before Jehovah as Christ Jesus himself enjoys. That means that upon their resurrection with no probationary period where they are gradually taught to attain to human perfection. Jehovah grants them life within themselves, which means that Christ's seed is immortal and no longer subject to death. Joh 3:16-18. Obviously, that is something far beyond what the nations with faith receive from God due to their faith in Christ.

For the entire Law stands fulfilled in one saying, namely: "You must love your neighbor as yourself." If, though, YOU keep on biting and devouring one another, look out that YOU do not get annihilated by one another. But I say, Keep walking by spirit and YOU will carry out no fleshly desire at all. For the flesh is against the spirit in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that the very things that YOU would like to do YOU do not do. Furthermore, if YOU are being led by spirit, YOU are not under law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning YOU, the same way as I did forewarn YOU, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.

On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus crucify the flesh together with its passions and desires. If we are living by spirit, let us go on walking orderly also by spirit. Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another. Ga 5:14-26

The Law pointed to the coming of Christ it could be said that Christ fulfilled the Law. Paul explained that the death of Christ was as if the Law was nailed to the tree and brought to an end. Most of the letter of Hebrews as well as Galatians were written by the apostle to prove to Christians that they were no longer obligated to follow the Jewish law.

Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, YOU who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted. Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and thus fulfill the law of the Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving his own mind. But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. For each one will carry his own load. Ga 6:1-5 See Jas 2:8-11

The new covenant has now replaced the old covenant


The new covenant is between Jehovah and anointed Christians. Instead of having to obey a Law code written on two tablets of stone, like the Ten Commandments were, the laws of the new covenant are written upon the hearts of those who are in the new covenant. As an example, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus quoted from the Ten Commandments when he said, "You heard that it was said 'you must not murder.'" Mt 5:21,22,27-29. He then went on to say that whoever continued wrathful with his brother was a murderer at heart. Jesus indicated that the law of the new covenant imbodied the old Law but went beyond the letter of the law to address the underlying motives of the person.

Jesus did not say that the literal heavens and earth would someday pass away, he said: "sooner would heaven and earth pass away than for one smallest letter or one particle of a letter to pass away from the Law by any means and not all things take place." Mt 5:17,18.Then let those in Ju·de´a begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the country places not enter into her; because these are days for meting out justice, that all the things written may be fulfilled. Woe to the pregnant women and the ones suckling a baby in those days! For there will be great necessity upon the land and wrath on this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled. Lu 21:21-24.That was merely Jesus' way of saying that God's Word will never fail to be fulfilled. Of course, the symbolic heavens and earth will pass away as Peter said, "With a hissing noise." 2 Pe 3:10

Jesus said he came to fulfill both the Law and the Prophets. Mt 5:17. Jesus' death brought an end to the Law covenant that God had contracted with Israel through the mediator Moses. That released the Jews from the obligation of the Law of Moses and brought them under the law of Christ, provided that they had faith. Christ's life and ministry, as well as his death and resurrection, also fulfilled many of the prophecies written concerning him. At Heb 10:1, Paul said that the Law was merely a shadow of the good things to come but not the very substance of those things. In that respect the Law also casts shadows outlining certain features that continue. How so? Even though Paul taught that observance of a weekly Sabbath was not a binding requirement upon Christians, in the 4th chapter of Hebrews, Paul indicated that there remains a Sabbath resting for the followers of Christ. At Heb 4:11, Paul wrote: "Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, for fear anyone should fall into the same pattern of disobedience."

While many prophecies pointed to the first coming of Christ, many others point to "the second time he appears," as Paul worded it in Heb 9:28. So, while Jesus' death brought to a successful conclusion God's purpose in connection with the fleshly nation of Israel, it was merely the beginning of God's dealings with the nation of spiritual Israel. It is, then, in relation to the spiritual house of Israel that the words of the Law and the prophets live on to their ultimate fulfillment. That's why Paul wrote at Heb 3:5-6: "Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus. He was faithful to the One that made him such, as Moses was also in all the house of that One. For the latter is counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who constructs it has more honor than the house. And Moses as an attendant was faithful in all the house of that One as a testimony of the things that were to be spoken afterwards, but Christ was faithful as a Son over the house of that One. We are the house of that One, if we make fast our hold on our freeness of speech and our boasting over the hope firm to the end."

The greatest commandment is love. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a sounding [piece of] brass or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophesying and am acquainted with all the sacred secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I hand over my body, that I may boast, but do not have love, I am not profited at all. 1 Co 13:1 3. Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved YOU and delivered himself up for YOU as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling odor. Eph 5:1,2. For God is my witness of how I am yearning for all of YOU in such tender affection as Christ Jesus has. And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment; Php 1:8,9

Futher proof


that God has entirely fulfilled it to us their children in that he resurrected Jesus; even as it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my son, I have become your Father this day.’ And that fact that he resurrected him from the dead destined no more to return to corruption, he has stated in this way, ‘I will give YOU people the loving-kindnesses to David that are faithful.’ Hence he also says in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your loyal one to see corruption.’ For David, on the one hand, served the express will of God in his own generation and fell asleep [in death] and was laid with his forefathers and did see corruption. On the other hand, he whom God raised up did not see corruption. "Let it therefore be known to YOU, brothers, that through this one a forgiveness of sins is being published to YOU; and that from all the things from which YOU could not be declared guiltless by means of the law of Moses, everyone who believes is declared guiltless by means of this One. Ac 13:33-39

And one of them, versed in the Law, asked, testing him : "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" He said to him: "'You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.'" This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burden- some, "This is the greatest and first commandment.
The second, like it, is this, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets." Do not you people be owing anybody a single thing, except to love one another; for he that loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

For the law code, "You must not commit adultery, You must not murder, You must not steal, You must not covet," and whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this word, namely, "You must love your neighbor as yourself." Love does not work evil to one's neighbor; therefore love is the law's fulfillment.
All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean. He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love. By this the love of God was made manifest in our case, because God sent forth his only-begotten Son into the world that we might gain life through him. if this is how God loved us, then we are ourselves under obligation to love one another. Mt 7:12;22:35-40, Ro 13:8-10, 1 Joh 4:8-11,5:3