Friday, March 9, 2012

"IT IS FINISHED:THE OFFICIAL END OF THE OLD COVENANT ERA"

  • "IT IS FINISHED":Those were the last words of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. What is the spiritual significance of this statement from the mouth of Jesus Christ in all ramifications and realties? In Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament Scriptures and one of the languages that Jesus Christ spoke on earth," it is finished" is the the word "tetelestai" which means "an end, a completion, a conclusion, to complete, to accomplish, to fulfill or to finish a given task."

    The major events took place between the time that Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross and his resurrection from the dead on the third day did not happen before in the entire human history from the time of Adam in the Garden of Eden to the last words of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. The moments that Jesus Christ spoke these last words, the following events followed. The veil of the temple was torn into two parts from its top to the bottom, the earth shook and the rocks were split, tombs of the dead were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised from death, after His resurrection they entered Jerusalem and appeared to many.

    In the classical Greek times, the word "tetelestai" depicted a turning point in the human existence when one period of the human history ended and another new period of human history began. This is a turning point in the entire history of mankind, at that moment the Old Testament Scriptures came to an end - fulfilled, finished and closed - and the New Testament Scriptures began. The Cross was “the Greatest Divide” in the entire human history to date.

    When Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” He was shouting that the Old Covenant or Testament had ended and the New Covenant or Testament had begun. All the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ earthly ministry were all completely and totally fulfilled to their last letters. The Justice of God and its requirements had all been fully met and satisfied by the Lamb of God that was slain for the sin of mankind . Jesus' mission to save humanity from eternal damnation was accomplished and completed at Calvary.

    When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” .The sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament Covenant or the entire Mosaic law  were permanently ended or they all came to their final halt or the end because of the perfect sacrifice on the cross that saves mankind. Jesus offered His own blood for the full payment of our sinful debt, we are forgiven and totally debt-free. “PAID IN FULL” has been stamped on our past sinful record because Jesus paid the price for our redemption with His own blood. He is now our everlasting High Priest of the New Testament.


    RELATED BIBLE SCRIPTURES
    "But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" - Hebrews 8:6.

    "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" - John 19:30.

    "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" - Ephesians 2:8-9.