I've never felt deeply excited about rumoured plans to reinstate a Levitical-style priesthood in Jerusalem. The only spiritual plan God had for Israel once He made a New Covenant with them was to draw all men unto JESUS - because except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
I think one reason some get excited about such rumours, is because they believe it has been prophesied in the Bible that such a thing must happen before Jesus can come.
I've always considered it odd though, to think that God could require Israel to reinstate Old Covenant-style worship, which was only a shadow, at any time after the New Covenant, which is the real thing, has already come.
Some answer, Well God won't require it, but Israel will do it anyway. But I've always felt that still overlooked the way the Prophecies were actually worded. Wherever the Bible prophesied about Levitical-style worship being restored in Israel, I couldn't help noticing that it spoke of it in terms of God inspiring it and God requiring it. I always instinctively knew that can never again apply, seeing the New Covenant has already come.
The obvious meaning then is that those prophecies must have been fulfilled at a time when the Old Covenant was still in force - such as when God restored Israel to their land from captivity, and the Temple was rebuilt, and the Levitical priesthood was restored. God Himself was into such things at that time.
And another consideration is that at that time it was still possible to reinstate a legitimate priesthood under Moses' Law, because the genealogies proving a priest's descent from Levi, which were required in order to authenticate one's priesthood, were still in tact - but those genealogies are not in tact any more, so it isn't possible to reinstate a legitimate Levitical priesthood anymore.
It's true that Rabbinic Judaism might try to do it anyway - and if so, probably earlier than Karaite Jews who are holding-out on their loyalty to the Law's requirement that priests be authenticated by genealogy. But even if they attempt it, that wouldn't mean it has anything to do with Bible-Prophecy. Neither would it mean Christians must join in the rituals. And it certainly doesn't mean there is any salvation-benefit in Judaism. Only JESUS saves.
I think one reason some get excited about such rumours, is because they believe it has been prophesied in the Bible that such a thing must happen before Jesus can come.
I've always considered it odd though, to think that God could require Israel to reinstate Old Covenant-style worship, which was only a shadow, at any time after the New Covenant, which is the real thing, has already come.
Some answer, Well God won't require it, but Israel will do it anyway. But I've always felt that still overlooked the way the Prophecies were actually worded. Wherever the Bible prophesied about Levitical-style worship being restored in Israel, I couldn't help noticing that it spoke of it in terms of God inspiring it and God requiring it. I always instinctively knew that can never again apply, seeing the New Covenant has already come.
The obvious meaning then is that those prophecies must have been fulfilled at a time when the Old Covenant was still in force - such as when God restored Israel to their land from captivity, and the Temple was rebuilt, and the Levitical priesthood was restored. God Himself was into such things at that time.
And another consideration is that at that time it was still possible to reinstate a legitimate priesthood under Moses' Law, because the genealogies proving a priest's descent from Levi, which were required in order to authenticate one's priesthood, were still in tact - but those genealogies are not in tact any more, so it isn't possible to reinstate a legitimate Levitical priesthood anymore.
It's true that Rabbinic Judaism might try to do it anyway - and if so, probably earlier than Karaite Jews who are holding-out on their loyalty to the Law's requirement that priests be authenticated by genealogy. But even if they attempt it, that wouldn't mean it has anything to do with Bible-Prophecy. Neither would it mean Christians must join in the rituals. And it certainly doesn't mean there is any salvation-benefit in Judaism. Only JESUS saves.
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