Regarding Bible-Prophecies which predicted that Israel would be restored to their land, resume Levitical worship, keep the feasts, and offer animal sacrifices again:
Some say the fulfilment of such prophecies has been postponed until a future time when they will finally be fulfilled literally in Israel.
Others spiritualise such prophecies to the extent that they are considered to have never really been about Israel at all, and see the prophecies as being fulfilled already, though in a non-literal sense, through believers offering spiritual sacrifices.
But my understanding concerning such prophecies differs from both those views. My understanding is that such prophecies were fulfilled literally, and in Israel, after the return from captivity in Babylon - without any need for a future fulfilment in Israel, and without any need to spiritualise their meaning. They were fulfilled literally, in Israel. And in that historical context, Jesus the Messiah came, just as was prophesied.
The importance of understanding that such Bible-Prophecies had been literally fulfilled in Israel by the time of Jesus is twofold: one, it supports our witness that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, and two, it eliminates any need for Judaism in future.
Some say the fulfilment of such prophecies has been postponed until a future time when they will finally be fulfilled literally in Israel.
Others spiritualise such prophecies to the extent that they are considered to have never really been about Israel at all, and see the prophecies as being fulfilled already, though in a non-literal sense, through believers offering spiritual sacrifices.
But my understanding concerning such prophecies differs from both those views. My understanding is that such prophecies were fulfilled literally, and in Israel, after the return from captivity in Babylon - without any need for a future fulfilment in Israel, and without any need to spiritualise their meaning. They were fulfilled literally, in Israel. And in that historical context, Jesus the Messiah came, just as was prophesied.
The importance of understanding that such Bible-Prophecies had been literally fulfilled in Israel by the time of Jesus is twofold: one, it supports our witness that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, and two, it eliminates any need for Judaism in future.
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