Bill Watson's Feast of Trumpets
In a new post on his own blog, CGI Pastor Bill Watson wrote about the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. Unfortunately, his musings on the subject are devoid of much insight into this important festival. Like Herbert Armstrong before him, Mr. Watson fails to understand that ALL of the Torah festivals point to Jesus Christ! Moreover, like the Israelites before them, they will soon embark on a wholly physical, mechanical and repetitive attempt to observe the festival. In other words, Pastor Watson's perspective on the day misses the spiritual significance of this day for Christians!
In The Feast of Trumpets: A Vision For Our Future, Watson wrote of the day: "It represents reflection and preparation, as it opens a 'Holy Day Season' imbued with prophecy and promise. As we reflect upon this day, unraveling its layers, we discover insights that connect our past, present, and future within God’s grand design. It’s a Time of New Beginnings and Recommitments. The Feast of Trumpets is more than a commemoration; it is a bridge between future promises and actual prophetic fulfillment. As the shofar sounds, harkening us back to the ancient traditions of Israel, it also heralds the Christian anticipation of Christ’s return. The day also marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period that invites introspection, repentance, and rededication, culminating in the Day of Atonement. This period challenges us to realign our lives with divine principles. It ensures that we are spiritually ready for the eventual restitution of all things promised by God at Christ’s return!"
In his own words, we can discern the glaring error inherent to his interpretation of this festival. Instead of Christ having fulfilled the meaning of the day (Matthew 5:17 and Colossians 2:16-17), Watson sees the day as finding fulfillment at some point in the future. Instead of pointing to the life and work of Christ, Watson sees the day as being focused on the unfolding of "God's grand design." For the pastor, "the Feast of Trumpets is more than a commemoration; it is a bridge between future promises and actual prophetic fulfillment."
Nevertheless, in the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, we read: "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet." (Leviticus 23:24, NLT) First, please note that these instructions for its observance were intended for the people of Israel, NOT Christians. Second, it was to be a day of holy assembly for the Congregation in the Wilderness, the Church of Israel under the Old Covenant. Third, they were informed that this was to commemorate (serve as a "memorial" in the KJV) of the blowing of Trumpets. Why would the Israelites want to memorialize/commemorate the blowing of Trumpets? AND How does all of that point to Jesus of Nazareth?
In Torah, the children of Israel were instructed to use trumpets/horns/shofar to signal the people to assemble for different purposes. There were trumpets sounding at Mount Sinai when God presented his covenant to the people through Moses (see Exodus 19 and 20). Indeed, they were instructed to make two silver trumpets to use for just about everything connected to God's covenant with the assembly (see Numbers 10:2-10). Hence, we see that Torah associated the blowing of trumpets with signaling the entire assembly of the people of ancient Israel.
Now, how exactly does this all point to Jesus of Nazareth and the Christians of the New Covenant? We must go to the book which best explains what we read in Torah in terms of the Christ event. In the anonymously written epistle to the Hebrews, we read:
Hebrews 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (King James Version at Bible Gateway)
The Greek word panegyris is here translated into English as "assembly" and it denotes a "mass-meeting" or "general assembly." The same source goes on to describe its biblical usage as "a festal gathering of the whole people to celebrate public games or other solemnities - a public festal assembly."
Jesus came to this earth to call a general assembly of all of the peoples of the earth, not just the children of Israel. Jesus said: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17, KJV) In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is reported to have said: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV) Once again, in the Gospel of John, Jesus is reported to have said: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40, ESV) A little later, in this same passage, Christ asserted that anyone who came to him and believed in him was drawn to him by the father (John 6:44, 65). Clearly then, we are forced to conclude that is the will of both the Father and Son have invited EVERYONE to be saved through Jesus of Nazareth!
Even so, in accordance with Mr. Armstrong's teachings on the subject, Bill went on to write: "In ancient times, the sound of the shofar served as a call to worship, a signal for battle, and an announcement of significant events. Today, it represents a metaphor that looks to the anticipatory call of Christ’s return." For Bill and company, it's like the first advent of Jesus was an insignificant prelude to the main event - instead of the very thing that made his second advent possible! Pastor Watson went on to note that: "The Fall Holy Days link the sacred calendar to the present tapestry interwoven with prophecy. The Spring festivals are seen as fulfilled through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, whereas the fall festivals symbolize events yet to unfold. These Holy Days, as depicted in Daniel, Micah, Isaiah, Zechariah, and Jeremiah, outline a future in which God’s law becomes central to the governance of the earth." So, according to Mr. Watson, only the Spring Holy Days have been fulfilled by Christ! He believes that Christ didn't really mean it when he said that all of the Law and Prophets pointed to him, or when he proclaimed just before he died that "It is finished." Moreover, while I would agree with Pastor Watson that God's Law will be central to the governance of God's Kingdom, his conception of exactly what constitutes God's Law is very different from Christ's. Mr. Watson believes that Torah will one day be imposed on ALL the people of the earth. Jesus of Nazareth said that God's Law boiled down to Two Great Commandments which "He" intended to be universal in application: Love for God and each other (see Matthew 22:36-40).
In Bill's vision of the Feast of Trumpets, "the role of the saints (the Church), who are predestined to serve as kings and priests in this forthcoming world ruling order" is an "integral" part of what this festival is all about. In other words, the festival is all about God's people, NOT the Christ! Watson concluded his remarks: "So, as we observe the Feast of Trumpets and the Fall Holy Days in general, take time to remind yourself of the extraordinary destiny that awaits you. This day invites us to embrace our roles in God’s unfolding narrative, prepared to share in His divine governance. It challenges us to adopt a vision that extends beyond earthly constraints, anticipating a future secured by faith, forged in righteousness, and revealed through prophecy...So, as we journey through these Holy Days, let us remain vigilant, assured in the promise that our efforts, trials, and faith will lead to a triumphant conclusion, serving humanity as immortal spirit beings in God’s Kingdom." After reading Bill's treatise on Trumpets, I have to ask: Is there any value in trying to observe something which was never intended for you, or of that which you have a very imperfect/flawed understanding of its meaning? What do you think?
Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix
17 comments:
Not that I have any skin in this game anymore but nothing in the OT, not so-called prophecies and not Holydays, ever did, do and will point to Jesus in the NT. IMHO, Bill is simply looking at the Holydays as any Church of God person would. In the Spring Holydays personal introspection and sin awareness. And in the Fall, all, very nice and a hint of times to come with the Second Coming. We all know the routine.
Let's not overlook the context of Jesus noting,
"17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
but continue on to the next verse...
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
To "fulfill" seems to obviously mean, to uphold. Jesus was a typical Jew of his times. I know many take it to mean "it is finished with me". I doubt that view personally.
Colossians is its own kettle of fish on days and times, seasons and years. The author could have been more specific about what he was talking about, but no matter, that view would also annihilate modern Christian holidays as well if taken seriously, which it never is.
Endless views and opinions. But there are no "300 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus". Jesus is back written into the OT text through typology and Midrash by the NT writers. IMHO. And it is the standard view save for that of the Bible Literalists and Evangelicals. Nothing in the OT has anything to do with either me or Jesus until it is made to artificially be so by those "searching the scriptures" to tell a new story.
The language in the Trumpets article appears to be too colorful for Bill Watson. I ran it though an AI plagiarism checker and 80 percent of the article was most likely written by ChatGPT.
As well, while the OT Jewish writers did write about and "prophesy" their Jewish Messiah, Jesus of the NT did not qualify for being what the Jewish prophets had in mind. NT Jesus was forced into the mold by NT writers but not well. At the moment, the concept of Rome, through Josephus and other Jewish scholars of the first century CE wrote the NT, after the Fall of Jerusalem, to present the Jews with, not a militaristic Messiah out to destroy Rome, but a pacified Jesus and NT Christians who obeyed and supported Rome.as theorized by Joseph Atwill's "Caesar's Messiah". Like it or not. Understand how it came to be or not. AFTER the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Judaism was now Orthodox and Christianity had a pacified, turn the other cheek and render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's Messiah. Eventually it became the religion of Rome
itself. Quite the turn around. but not so much if they invented it in the first place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmEScIUcvz0
No other church of God group through the 1980's and 1990s and early 2000s (I don't know about 2020's) has taught, preached and written on Jesus Christ being the purpose of ALL the holy days than Church of God International and all its interconnected groups.
None. Not one group can come near them on that. They are not perfect but that was one of their strongest strengths. So that sentence falls flat on it's face.
Sentences like that tells, any reader who's been in CGI, that Jones is a complete fraud.
Dennis,
For someone who has moved on from Armstrongism, you seem to cling to a great many of the things you learned within that organization. You obviously continue to buy into their notion that Jesus "did not do away with" Torah and imposed its obligations on his followers. You also appear to continue to support the narrative that Roman pagans hijacked the religion after Christ's death. These views are NOT supported by history or Scripture, but we are all free to believe whatever we want to believe.
Finally, I understand that you are no longer a Christian. Nevertheless, for those of us who are, the Old Testament (including Torah, Prophets, and Writings) MUST be interpreted through the Christ event. Jesus embraced the Hebrew Scriptures and claimed to be the fulfillment of them. You either accept his statement, or you don't. You don't, I do.
If the Festivals point to Jesus Christ, then I would say they are "profitable for doctrine and instruction in righteousness", 2 Timothy 3:16. As one our prominent contributors once said, 'if these days enhance our understanding and appreciation of Christ and His work, they are useful"! Whether one agrees on how the days are collectively or individually observed . . .well, all 41,000 denominations have their own traditions, many of which most here would not agree with.
Whether Christ has fulfilled ALL the holydays is open to interpretation. Even Dennis makes some valid points in this regard. There are many lines drawn in the sand that are meant to be a great divide between what is fulfilled and what is not, and they are not one and the same.
" It is finished "??? What was finished? When this was said, Christ was on the cross and the prophecies concerning the resurrection had not been fulfilled yet.
" The law and the prophets were until John"??? Many prophetic fulfillments came AFTER John and many still await fulfillment even now!
Old covenant/ new covenant??? When does the one stop and the other begin? We all know that years after "John" and what was "finished", the Apostles continued to observe the sabbath, holydays, and clean and unclean meats. " Fulfillment" is not as simple as people make it out to be.
Regardless of what the actual truth of the matter is, in the end it boils down to tradition. Each denomination has traditions and we are not going to change that. Bill Watson is no exception.
Miller Jones
Points well taken. I would like to make a comment on a side issue – something I noticed in the section of Hebrews 12 that you quoted.
The author of Hebrews makes a division between the Old and New Covenants in Hebrews 12:18-24. He introduces a description of the Old Covenant with the phrase, “For ye are not come…” He introduces a description of the New Covenant with the phrase, “But ye are come unto…” showing where Christians are theologically located on the covenantal spectrum. (That is not a turn or phrase – I believe it really is kind of spectrum with some middle ground between the two covenants.)
I noticed that in this division between old and new, the author cites the death penalty in verse 20 as an integral part of the Old Covenant. It is clear that for the author the death penalty is an inseparable part of the Old Covenant package. Yet, Armstrongism carries forward the Torah into the New Covenant and asserts that it is written on the hearts of believers. But Armstrongism excludes the death penalty from the Torah package based on a novel interpretation of 2 Corinthians 3:7 which refers to the “ministration of death”. Otherwise, Armstrongists would be stoning to death members of their fellowship whose Sabbath-keeping was not up to snuff.
Scout
I don’t think Mr. Watson is necessarily wrong in his assessment and teaching. Some claim that Jesus fulfilled everything including those festivals/holy days, although those are ‘shadows’, as we view them today. Those shadows can only be seen as such after the real events occurred. Jesus did not need to ‘fulfill’ those things in that sense, as they were shadows that pointed to what He was going to do. Not much can be learned from a shadow, but some can once the events came to pass. We can now, to some degree, grasp what that Passover sacrificed pictured for the future, as well as that wave sheaf offering. Israel did not know what those rituals referred to other than commanded religious practice which pointed back to being brought out of Egypt.
Then came Pentecost, (don’t know that I have ever heard a plausible explanation of why counting 50 was so important), but I am one who thinks that Pentecost points to the first resurrection ….. and that has not happened yet. Trumpets has little said about it other than the need or command to make a loud noise, or blowing trumpets. Our teaching has been that this pictures the return of Christ and the conquering of all the nations of the world. While it makes sense, there is little to examine just as there if little to examine on the 8th day, other than the particular rituals and specific sacrifices to be performed. IF trumpets does indeed picture this, (by shadow), then this has not happened yet either. Atonement has many symbolisms that are understood in various ways, and while that sacrificed has been accomplished, it has not yet been applied to the world as we tend to view it.
Soon comes the holiest of times for all cogs ….. the FOT. All, as far as I know, teach that this festival pictures that 1,000 year reign of Jesus and the resurrected Saints. Nowhere in scripture is any such thing suggested for this 7 day festival. In the OT, information about the observance is related to coming out of Egypt. Although today, in the cogs, this is the most important and anticipated time of the year …… planned for year around. Notice that in the NT writings no one ---- not Paul, not Peter, none of them warned or commanded followers to be certain and careful to keep the FOT. Yes, Jesus kept those days as He was born under the law, and Paul indicated that he would keep Pentecost if possible, and pointed to the day of Atonement, but there was still a temple in that area then, and Paul was a Jew/Benjamite, so observing the Law was not wrong, but also was not commanded for new believers. I can understand the intent to observe these days as being an honest attempt to serve God, but nevertheless what we see being observed today is literally a tradition put in place by men who felt they have a special knowledge and understanding beyond scripture. We all know what Paul, the most prolific writer in the NT, preached over and over, and that is Jesus Christ. While studying to understand the physical ‘shadows’ is interesting and often helpful, making up stuff to justify practices and turning those practices into commands seems dangerous to me. I participated for decades with the best of intentions, but see things differently now that I have spent several years reading the bible for what it says instead of what others claim it really means.
There are only 3 festivals - Ex 23:14-16; 2Chr 8:13. Whoever first inserted "feasts" as a translation in Lev 23:2 I want to take to the woodshed and......... The translation should be "fixed" or set times that include feasts and sabbaths. "Feast of Trumpets" is a sabbath of noise (trumpets are not specified but certainly may be blown to make noise). Was Israel to make noise so God would remember them???!!! A doctrine this "feast" pictures the time of Christ's coming, maybe, is sheer harmstwrongish.........
Dennis wrote, "...nothing in the OT, not so-called prophecies and not Holydays, ever did, do and will point to Jesus in the NT"
I have heard the statement from critics many times before. I wonder what the certification criteria are that they have in mind to authenticate a reference to Jesus. What would a convincing reference look like? Would his street address be enough? Would anything ever be enough?
I do think that many OT references that the NT writers applied to Jesus did not apply to Jesus originally. Judaism, of course, would whole heartedly uphold that view. But that observation by itself does not invalidate the Christotelic interpretation of those scriptures. The most we might conclude is that the prophecies referring to Jesus in the OT are usually literary subtexts. To seal the argument, critics must invalidate the revelatory action of the Holy Spirit in the minds and hearts of the NT authors. I see no way that this can be done. Science cannot do it because one cannot sample the Holy Spirit with a syringe and test tube.
So, we are once again at a stalemate. Critics cannot invalidate the credentials of the NT writers. Christians cannot validate the action of the Holy Spirit to outside observers.
Scout
Christ and his followers asserted that he fulfilled the Hebrew Scripture. From this perspective, it is irrelevant what the original author thought he/she was writing about. In other words, Scripture can mean whatever God wants it to mean. In the Greek New Testament canon, how many times do we read something like "that such-and-such was done to fulfill something that a prophet had written"? Incidentally, the same Greek word "pleroo" is used in all of those passages - it means "to render full, to fill to the full, to complete, to consummate" (See Blue Letter Bible).
Jesus fulfilled the Law/Prophets/Writings by obeying it perfectly, by personifying its symbols, and by teaching his disciples the proper approach to it. In this connection, please note the following passages:
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. - Isaiah 53:9-12, ESV
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. - Matthew 7:12, ESV
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” - Matthew 22:37-40, ESV
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" - John 1:29, ESV
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” - John 1:45, ESV
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” - Luke 24:44, ESV
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. - Acts 28:23, ESV
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. - Romans 10:4-5, ESV
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. - Galatians 2:16, ESV
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - II Corinthians 5:20-21, ESV
Romans 3:31 ESV
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Ain't it just a blessin' to your heart when an atheist is inspired ta teach y'all about tha meanin' of Jesus Christ and the Holy Days? I mean, what could be wrong with that???
9:13.
God himself in Leviticus 21:1-2 calls them "My feasts".....
Lonnie 1256 writes,
"Christ and his followers asserted that He fulfilled the Hebrew Scripture"?
Luke 24:44 states, " these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that EVERYTHING WRITTEN ABOUT ME in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms MUST BE FULFILLED ".
Everything written about Him must be fulfilled but has everything written about Him BEEN fulfilled? When is something fulfilled? According to Scripture, something is fulfilled when the prophesied event happens! See Matthew 1:21-23, 26, 2:5-6, 15-18, 23, 27:7-9, 34-35, Mark 15:27-28, Luke 1:20, 4:21, John 13:18-19, 15:25.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1982, vol.2, article " Fulfil" states: "A prediction by itself is only half full. The historical event fills up the prediction" (pg.366).
Also, "Fulfillment is a figurative fulfilling by means of actualization" (367). See Luke 1:20.
What has been written about Christ that HAS BEEN fulfilled?
Luke 24:45 says,
"Then He opened their understanding to the scriptures and said unto them, thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day".
Verse 48, " you are witnesses of THESE THINGS "!
Acts 3:18, " but those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled ".
What is written about Christ that must be fulfilled but has NOT been fulfilled yet?
The ISBE, page 368 says, " not even in the New Testament are all prophecies considered fulfilled. The NT itself offers a considerable amount of predictive prophecy that awaits fulfillment in the return of Jesus and the attendant events. The very distinction between the 2 comings of Christ rests on recognition that not all messianic prophecies reached fulfillment in the earthly ministry of Jesus (cf. His stopping short of the phrase, 'and the day of vengeance of our God', when reading Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue at Nazareth, Luke 4:16-21)." See these other examples of this phenomenon, Zechariah 9:9-10, 13:7-9, Daniel 2:31-45, Psalms 110:1-2/Hebrews 1:3, 2:8, Psalms 22:1:18,27, where prophecies of the Messiah are partially fulfilled in the same text, but not all.
"To be valid, the concept of fulfillment must rest on all bona fide messianic predictions in the OT and their actual coming to pass in NT history" (ISBE pg. 368).
Make no mistake. The OT scriptures concerning Christ's death and resurrection, which validates His Messiahship, have been fulfilled. He is now King of kings and Lord of lords. But the actualization of events described by those same prophets (Acts 3:19-21, Romans 11:26), concerning the second coming of Christ to inaugurate His messianic millennial kingdom, is yet to happen. This remains our blessed hope and that for which we wait (1 Thess 1:10, Titus 2:13).
Also, as it has already been pointed out the existence of OT scripture which contains both fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy within the same text, there is no reason to believe that the fulfilled part is literal and the unfulfilled yet to come part to be allegorical. There is no logical reason that there should be a shift in method of interpretation for different parts of the same sentence or paragraph. And because of the accuracy of those fulfilled prophecies, we have no reason to doubt that the unfilled prophecies will come to pass, regardless of what Dennis says.
Who even cares? 50 years of debate, and it's about time to fish or cut bait! Bring on your tribulation. Let's get it over with and end this stupid debate.
BP8,
Your comments are always insightful and open-minded, and I appreciate that you actually confront these issues and wrestle with them. I would ask that you consider the rest of this passage for context: Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (ESV) You ask, has everything that was written about him been fulfilled? In my humble opinion, the answer is yes and no.
He obviously believed that he had fulfilled the things he listed for his disciples and would shortly fulfill the promise to send the Holy Spirit to them. Likewise, Jesus Christ fulfilled Torah, embodied the Sabbath, Festivals, and Sacrificial system outlined therein. He is our rest, Passover Lamb, righteous unleavened Bread of Life, Wave Sheaf Offering, First of the Firstfruits, the One who came to this Earth, lived a sinless life and bore our sins away, tabernacled in the flesh, and drew all peoples to himself (and made it possible for them to be reconciled to the Father).
Now, as you pointed out in your remarks, he is currently King of Kings, Lord of Lords (he has already received a throne and kingdom from his Father), and yet the Kingdom has not yet supplanted all of the kingdoms of this world. Likewise, although we (Christians) are saved, we have not yet received our new bodies or received our crowns and priestly office. Nevertheless, I believe with the Apostle Paul - Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be [d]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (NKJV)
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