Introduction

† The New Testament records a series of "last things" that belonged to Old Covenant Israel. These weren't the last things of the world, they were the last things of a covenant that was ready to disappear. God brought the Old Covenant to its appointed end exactly as He promised. Every priest, sacrifice, feast, and temple pointed to Christ, and once their purpose was fulfilled, they passed away. The generation that rejected its Messiah witnessed the closing of the age and the full establishment of the New Covenant.

Last Passover

Luke 22:15-16

And He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

† Jesus knowingly celebrated Israel's final meaningful Passover before His sacrifice. (Luke 22:15-16)

† The Passover found its complete fulfillment in Christ, the true Passover Lamb. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

† After the cross, there was no longer a need for another redemptive Passover because the reality had come. (John 1:29)

John 19:30

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

† The final Passover reached its fulfillment at the cross when Jesus completed the work the Passover had always pointed toward. (John 19:30)

† From that moment forward, redemption was accomplished through Christ, not through another Passover lamb. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

† The Old Covenant shadow gave way to the New Covenant reality. (Colossians 2:16-17)

Last High Priest

Hebrews 7:23-24

The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

† Israel's earthly high priesthood came to its conclusion because Jesus became the eternal High Priest. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

† The Levitical priesthood was temporary, Christ's priesthood is permanent. (Hebrews 7:11-12)

† There will never be another God-appointed high priest because Jesus forever fulfills that office. (Hebrews 7:23-28)

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let's hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let's approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

† Believers now approach God directly through Christ instead of an earthly high priest. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

† Jesus permanently fulfills what every high priest only pictured. (Hebrews 7:24-28)

† There is no biblical expectation of another Levitical priesthood. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Last Sacrifices

Hebrews 10:11-14

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

† Animal sacrifices could never permanently remove sin. (Hebrews 10:1-4)

† Christ's one sacrifice completed forever what thousands of animal sacrifices never could accomplish. (Hebrews 10:11-14)

† The destruction of the temple in AD 70 permanently ended the sacrificial system that had already become obsolete before God. (Hebrews 8:13)

John 1:29

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

† John identified Jesus as the final sacrificial Lamb before His ministry even began. (John 1:29)

† Every animal sacrifice pointed forward to Christ's one perfect offering. (Hebrews 9:11-14)

† Once the true Lamb was sacrificed, the sacrificial system had fulfilled its purpose. (Hebrews 10:12)

Last Temple

Matthew 24:1-2

Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. But He responded and said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."

† Jesus announced the coming destruction of Israel's last temple before His generation passed away. (Matthew 24:34)

† God no longer dwells in temples made with hands because His people are now His dwelling place. (Acts 7:48-50)

† The temple's destruction publicly demonstrated that the Old Covenant system had reached its end. (Luke 21:20-22)

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

† God transferred His dwelling place from a building into His people. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

† The New Covenant temple isn't located in Jerusalem but in the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

† The destruction of the physical temple confirmed what God had already established spiritually. (Acts 17:24)

Last Feast

Colossians 2:16-17

Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day - things which are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

† Israel's feast days were prophetic shadows pointing forward to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

† Once Christ fulfilled what the feasts anticipated, believers were no longer obligated to observe them as covenant requirements. (Galatians 4:9-11)

† The reality has arrived, making the shadow unnecessary. (Hebrews 10:1)

1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let's celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

† Paul showed that believers now keep the feast spiritually in Christ instead of through Old Covenant rituals. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

† The focus shifted from ceremonial observance to the reality found in Jesus. (Colossians 2:16-17)

† Christ fulfills every feast that pointed to Him. (Luke 24:44)

Last Generation

Matthew 24:34

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

† Jesus clearly identified the generation that would witness the fulfillment of His prophecy. (Matthew 24:34)

† The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 occurred within that generation exactly as Jesus declared. (Luke 21:20-24)

† God's faithfulness is demonstrated because every one of Christ's time statements came to pass. (Matthew 16:27-28)

Luke 21:22

because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled.

† Jesus declared that all covenant judgments written concerning Jerusalem would be fulfilled during those days. (Luke 21:22)

† This directly connects the last generation with the fulfillment of Old Covenant prophecy. (Matthew 24:34)

† AD 70 completed the covenant judgment Jesus predicted. (Luke 21:20-24)

Last Covenant

Hebrews 8:13

When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear.

† The Old Covenant was already growing old during the first century. (Hebrews 8:13)

† The New Covenant replaced the Old because Christ fulfilled everything the Law anticipated. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

† AD 70 marked the visible end of the Old Covenant order, leaving the New Covenant standing alone. (Hebrews 12:26-28)

2 Corinthians 3:11

For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

† Paul contrasted the covenant that was passing away with the covenant that remains forever. (2 Corinthians 3:11)

† The New Covenant isn't temporary, it is God's abiding covenant through Christ. (Hebrews 13:20)

† Nothing in Scripture teaches a return to the Old Covenant system after its fulfillment. (Hebrews 8:13)

Historical References

† Josephus records the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70, describing the end of the sacrificial system forever. (The Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapters 4-8)

† Tacitus confirms the Roman destruction of Jerusalem under Titus. (Histories, Book 5)

† Eusebius records the fulfillment of Christ's warnings concerning Jerusalem's destruction. (Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, Chapter 5)

How It Applies To Us Today

† We don't live under an aging covenant but under the everlasting New Covenant established by Christ.

† We don't need earthly priests because Jesus is our eternal High Priest.

† We don't offer sacrifices because Christ's one sacrifice is forever sufficient.

† We are God's temple through the Holy Spirit.

† We don't wait for another covenant because God's final covenant is already here.

Q & A Appendix

Q: Why are these called the seven last things of Israel?

A: Because they represent the final Old Covenant institutions that reached their fulfillment and end during the first century, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. (Hebrews 8:13; Matthew 24:34)

Q: Does "last" mean the end of the physical world?

A: No. These were the last things belonging to Old Covenant Israel, not the end of human history. Jesus was speaking about the end of that covenant age. (Matthew 24:3, 34; Luke 21:20-22)

Q: Why is this important for believers today?

A: It gives us confidence that Christ fulfilled every promise concerning the Old Covenant and that we now live fully under the New Covenant without waiting for those Old Covenant institutions to return. (Hebrews 10:11-18; Hebrews 12:22-28)

Q: Why didn't God preserve the temple after Christ's resurrection?

A: Because its purpose had been fulfilled. Once Christ became the final sacrifice and eternal High Priest, the temple was no longer God's dwelling place. Its destruction demonstrated that the Old Covenant had ended. (Matthew 24:1-2; Hebrews 8:13)

Q: Could the Old Covenant ever return?

A: No. Hebrews teaches that the first covenant became obsolete, and Christ established the everlasting New Covenant. There is no biblical prophecy that restores the Old Covenant system. (Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †

© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† Luke 22:15-16, John 19:30, Hebrews 7:23-24, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 10:11-14, John 1:29, Matthew 24:1-2, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Colossians 2:16-17, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, Matthew 24:34, Luke 21:22, Hebrews 8:13, 2 Corinthians 3:11

† Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapters 4-8; Tacitus, Histories, Book 5; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, Chapter 5