The Storyline of Salvation (Completed) by PACQ

CHAPTER 3: THE JEWISH AGE

A. The Father would produce a spiritual nation out of Israel
- Abraham was called to be the Father of many nations (Genesis 12:1-3).
• God made a covenant with Abraham
o Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – 12 tribes of Israel
• Israel was under the Egyptian bondage and it cried for a deliverer to free them.
• Moses was called and trained for 40 years in the backside of the wilderness and sent back to Egypt to deliver God's people from the hands of Pharaoh with one message, saying, "Let my people go." 
• Israel was freed from Egyptian bondage to fulfill the Father's plan to make a nation out of them.
- Collectively, Israel was called  the Son of God (Exodus 4:22)
• The Father wanted to make a model out of Israel so that He could restore His spirit within them
• The light of salvation would emanate from them since they were given the promises.
• However, they were backslidden, stiff-necked and rebellious people.
• The Father dealt with them through the Laws and the Prophets
• However they failed to understand that the laws were just a shadow of things to come (Hebrews 10:1).
• The laws became a curse and not a blessing (Gal. 3:10; James 2:10)
• The Father knew that with the serpent seed within them, they couldn't obey the laws and its requirements.
• The Father wanted to take the serpent seed out of them but they were too attached to their religiosity. Their rituals, temple and tabernacle were enough for them.
• They did not want to continue accepting further revelations coming from God.

B. Rejection of God's Governance
- Israel wanted to become like other nations, and so, it requested for a human king (1 Samuel 8:4-8).
- Human governance failed to give them peace and deliverance from their enemies as they expected, that's why they needed a Messiah
- Consequence of the rejection
• They would be in bondage
- The Father's plan was thwarted, He couldn't deal with them directly
- They were given human Kings:
King Saul – King David – King Solomon (completed the building of the temple)

C. Temple : Center of the Jewish World
- Dwelling Place of the Father
• Patterned after the Tabernacle (temporary and movable structure) in the wilderness
• Temple (fixed, building) inlaid and outlaid with gold
• Both housed the 'presence of God' (the Shekinah Glory)
• This was where they offered their sacrifices to atone for their sins
• Consisted of two parts: Holy Place and Holy of Holies
a. Holy Place (Jewish Earth) - outer court where people could bring their offerings to the priest
b. Holy of Holies (Jewish Heaven) - the inner room where only the High Priest could enter to offer the sacrifices to God.

- Temporary Arrangement of worship
• Temple made with hands worship ( just shadows of good things to come).
• The temple was just enough for them; they did not want to continue accepting further revelations coming from God
• They were sent prophets every time they backslid, but they killed the messengers. That's why the Father sent His Son.

✓ No One was Qualified among the Jews
• The Jewish people remained physical; they relied on the laws and the temple-centered worship.
• They still had the serpent seed within them, so they needed a savior to free them from spiritual bondage.
• The Father sent His Son.