What you’re not appreciating is that there was a 40yr New covenant generation… the firstfruit saints, a biblical generation within Jesus’ “this generation” that emulates Moses’ generation. It took 40yrs to go from bondage to liberty EVEN THOUGH they were all initially redeemed in toto out of Egypt. It was the faithful of Jesus’ day who coming through the great tribulation that imbibed of the blessings of the fulfilment of the New Covenant in the Parousia of AD70 — these are direct biblical parallels that your futurism totally misses and messes.
Christ’s Cross (AD30) and Christ’s Coming (AD70) together act as bookends to God’s final redemptive act on behalf of all Israel… it is finished. Christ’s Cross was the DECISIVE event and Christ’s Coming was the CULMINATING event — 40yrs.
In the AD30 Cross the Law lost all redemptive value BUT it was still ever-present in their Jewish world. It took the AD70 Coming to finally remove all vestiges of the law that was still present… and it did this demonstrably in the destruction of Jerusalem and Temple.
That the law was STILL present and STILL carrying effect in the early church is provable from the NT… just read Acts. Not only that, but consider the ever-present problem Paul constantly confronted, i.e., believers returning to or turning aside after law-righteousness. IF the law was gone, as you say, such would not have been an issue. To be sure… the law no longer carried ANY redemptive affect with God, BUT while the Temple stood the law held undue sway over those Jesus redeemed, i.e., Israel.
Now you can ignore the following evidence that puts the sword right through your claim, but here is but a portion of the NT evidence from Acts not only showing the prevalence of the Law’s presence and sway, BUT even Paul himself submitting to it…
Acts 15:1, 5, 24 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” — But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” — Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—
Acts 16:3 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
Acts 18:18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
Acts 21:20, 23-24, 26 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; — Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. — Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.
Acts 24:17-18 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult.
And yet MORE evidence of the Law’s presence post-cross…
Heb 7:8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
Heb 9:8-9 …the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—
Heb 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
You’ll notice from chapter 9 above that… “while the first tabernacle was still standing” there remained yet a manifestation to come… THAT manifestation came in the AD70 Parousia of Christ demonstrating for every eye to see the final blow to the Mosaic age, i.e., the end of the age in the destruction of Jerusalem and Temple — as per Jesus’ prophetic words!
Now I understand you won’t be moved one iota by any of this biblical evidence, and that’s fine… I’ve really posted this for the possible interest other genuine enquirers of biblical reality.
