Matthew 16:4

LITV ⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. And leaving them, He went away.

Did that evil and adulterous generation of old covenant Jews get their promised sign yet? Surely Jesus won’t rise from the dead again so His people can see that He overcome their death again. They personally got the gospel lived out in them by visibly seeing His death, burial and resurrection in the first century. Surely a more evil or a more forgiven and gifted old covenant generation can ever exist again, in old covenant Jerusalem or anywhere else, no matter what they actually see or refuse to see.

Some first century Jews refused to believe God’s Word in an old covenant flesh and blood Jewish body, even when face to face with Him and His miracles, even after they murdered Him and He returned to them from the dead, in the same body. His resurrected Jewish body was the only sign the unfaithful Jews were promised. Promised by Jesus Himself. Their old covenant death couldn’t hold the body of Christ down. If they didn’t believe that sign, then no other sign would be seen by them. It was that sign that was the good news to the Jews. Jesus promised the unbelievers that sign only. They would miss all the other signs until the last sign took them by surprise.

“Look, he is coming [present tense] with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”;
and all tribes on earth “will mourn because of him.”
Yes! Amen. (Rev 1.7)

Of course the 12 tribes are still living on land, just not their land. Those who pierced Him were living on the land. With the clouds is not how He came the first time. With the clouds is how He went. He will return the same way He left not the same way He came. His ascension is associated with cloud cover not His birth or His rebirth. His rebirth is the only sign unbelievers would be given before its too late.

The resurrection of Jesus will never be surpassed as the sign of re-generational goodness. It actually happened right before their first century old covenant eyes. The first century Jewish super-evangelists saw the resurrection of that singular Jewish body firsthand, 50 days before they received Holy Spirit enablement and spread that good news to the 12 tribes. Even Paul saw resurrected Jesus before giving the good news of the resurrection to the Gentiles. Paul became a true Jewish witness to the resurrrection. Paul was the Holy Spirit gifted super-evangelist Jesus personally recruited to save His chosen people out from the other nations.

Only one sign was promised to the unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem and it was the one and only resurrected body of Christ. It was a Jewish body not a Gentile body that they saw alive again on the third day. It was a Jewish body they saw resurrected on the 3rd day. It was the new covenant body of Christ they saw. If Jesus’ body (alive again from the place of the dead) didn’t signal the single resurrection of the dead old covenant body, then what did it signal? Why was their only one body resurrected on the third day? Why was that the one and only eye opening sign? Was their another sign promised to the unfaithful Jews that surpassed the sign of their Jewish resurrection or was the resurrection the eye opener that caused them to see all the other signs?

The believing Jews who saw their personal resurrection received plenty of other signs to signal the end of their twice dead old covenant, but the unbelieving Jews couldn’t see past their first sign. The unfaithful would be caught in Jerusalem unaware that their end was at hand, because they stuck their old covenant heads in the sand when confronted with their One resurrected new covenant head. Jesus said that His bodily resurrection was the only sign the Jewish unbelievers would be given to see. If they didn’t see that one, they would not see the signs of their end. They would see the end. The Jews who did see Jesus’ dead old covenant body resurrected on the third day, fled Jerusalem prior to AD 70, because they did see the end time signs. They saw the plural signs of the end because they saw the singular sign of their new beginning. It was not the end of all time. It was just the end of old covenant time. 1000 years of disobedience was time enough. It was their allotted time. 490 disobedient years was accruing for the second time.

“It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.”

As far as I know, all the witnesses who saw the 3rd day resurrection as a sign to them were in Jewish bodies. The first new covenant church sermon was preached by a Jew named Peter, who was a firsthand witness of the one and only resurrected body of Christ. This assembly of Jews who gathered for Pentecost didn’t even require an invitation to join the new covenant church. These guilt-ridden Jews asked Peter how to be saved after he reviewed their/His-story and pointed out their 3rd day sign: the resurrection. They were primed and ready to hear the good news of forgiveness, like no other people. Nobody will ever have a more guilt-ridden conscience. Their eyes were opened to their forgiveness and they accepted it. Salvation is of the Jews because that is where forever forgiveness happened. There is no more sacrifice for forgiveness for any body.

The actual death, burial and resurrection of Jesus proclaimed the good news to the Jews in Jerusalem even before Peter proclaimed it with words on Pentecost. Peter witnessed to his own people that day. Talk about a natural/super-natural revelation combined! Nobody will ever see the gospel lived out in flesh and blood that way again. Jesus will not grow up to die and be resurrected again for the old covenant land of the Jews to see. That is why He made Jewish history.

The unbelieving Jews investigated the reported miracles until they couldn’t just be labeled as misinformation anymore. The unbelievers had to rid the land of Jesus if they were to save their old covenant. If they could kill Jesus’ flesh and blood body then they could keep theirs. Too many Jews saw the miracles and were following Jesus rather than the old covenant status quo. Some Jews followed Jesus just because of His miraculous supply of food or His ability to heal, but it was the inward miracle of rebirth that really turned Jews into the true sons of God. The essential sign to see was the good news sign of the third-day resurrection. It was the miraculous sign of their own Jewish rebirth from the dead ones that was the essential one to see. The unbelieving Jews who gathered on Pentecost didn’t see it. They saw it as drunkenness rather than resurrected life. They were the ones not being clear headed.

Jesus’ gift of Holy Spirit enlightenment was the spiritual discernment they needed to understand their own Word. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus’ human body even when He was in the old covenant. The same Holy Spirit raised Him into the new covenant for a 40-day witness to His old covenant people. The Jews started joining Him in His real-life-resurrection on Pentecost. The Jews became the super-gifted-evangelists of their promised and promising new covenant life.

The unbelievers had said that Jesus was doing His old covenant miracles by the power of the Devil. They projected their own evil predilection for obtaining power onto their Messiah, even after being face to face with Him, as the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. That was an evil and adulterous generation of Jews if there ever was one. Jesus said that on His part they could still be forgiven. Every Jew who received the Holy Spirit was in fact forgiven by Jesus, even if they had rejected and blasphemed Jesus Himself prior to the Holy Spirit’s new covenant arrival in Jerusalem on Pentecost. The old covenant Jews who said that the miracles of Pentecost were alcohol induced rantings were on precarious ground. They were insulting the work of the Holy Spirit while missing their regeneration as a nation. Jesus said blaspheme of the Holy Spirit could not be forgiven in their age or the age that was about to be.

For old covenant ministry the Holy Spirit came down at Jesus’ first baptism. On the third day the Holy Spirit resurrected Jesus into His new covenant, but He was till ministering to His old covenant people. After the Holy Spirit arrived on Pentecost, Peter stood up in the body of Christ and preached to his fellow old covenant Jews, concerning their old covenant murder of their old covenant Messiah and His new covenant resurrection. The 12 tribes gathered were in a mixed old covenant/new covenant assembly. But it wouldn’t be two bodies for long. Their was only One living Jewish body and He left the old covenant building dead. Peter preached his first sermon as a member of the new covenant on Pentecost morning. Peter was not a novice, because he grew up in the old covenant and because he was discipled by the Jewish Christ who was now alive again in their promised new covenant.

3000 more old covenant Jews believed and received the Holy Spirit after that first (Jewish led Jewish received) new covenant church sermon. Unless you count Jesus’ post resurrection appearances as new covenant church sermons to old covenant people. Those old covenant Jews who didn’t receive the Holy Spirit before AD70 were obviously not God’s chosen people. According to their own God-given Bible the Holy Spirit was the essential feature of sonship.

God’s chosen people are not flocking back to Jerusalem today to become God’s sons. All God’s people are living in the New Heavenly Jerusalem today. There is no mixed old/new covenant church body today. Those first century old covenant people would never be forgiven, after they missed their one-time-only covenant transition. Nobody can return to the old covenant in order to get saved out of it again. How would they get saved? The covenant clothing has been permanently changed. Animal sacrifice will never cover for sins again, even temporarily. That was a delay of death tactic that no longer delays the old covenant death of the sinner. All sinners who stayed in the old covenant were not born again. Jesus didn’t tell old covenant Nicodemus two ways to avoid the destruction at the end of the old covenant age – John 3:16. Jesus’ white robe of righteousness will not be removed from His body in order to change back into old covenant animal covering.

If God resurrects the old covenant in the flesh again, then what will be the sign of that flesh and blood resurrection? Was it the decree of Lord Balfour in 1917? The declaration to re-enter the land was promised to come at the fulfillment of 70 years, not 1900+ years. And it did happen as promised. The fulfillment of the promised flesh and blood resurrection started when 70 years were fulfilled. Flesh and blood would be given another 490 years. Their first re-generation of the flesh and blood body was fulfilled in their first 40-year wilderness wondering. The fulfillment of the first flesh and blood regeneration was their one and only Holy Spirit regeneration. From Jesus’ first baptism to His apocalypse took 40 years. The fulfillment of the ongoing failure to resurrect in the flesh was fulfilled in their second death. Second death is not promising. The Holy Spirit enabled the chosen Jews to see the resurrection. It was their only salvation.

Jesus told His followers of the many signs to come for them to see. The signs would be seen by them only after they saw the one and only sign of their Holy Spirit resurrection. There were many signs of the end of their flesh and blood covenant. There are no signs of another new beginning in flesh and blood. The decree of Cyrus initiated their second flesh and blood return to the land. The decree of God through Moses initiated their first bodily regeneration.

Jesus re-appeared in the same flesh and blood body to witness to the same flesh and blood body. He breathed on His chosen people that day and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. He had already told them He was resurrecting the temple of the Holy Spirit by His own bodily resurrection. His old covenant body was already the temple of the Holy Spirit. The bodily resurrection of God’s chosen people was and is no longer in the flesh and blood covenant with their heart of stone. We have no evidence that the Holy Spirit was still in the old covenant temple of stone. We are told the Holy Spirit remained on Jesus at his baptism.

The Holy Spirit now indwells flesh and blood bodies on earth. The eternal life given by the Holy Spirit is not flesh blood life. The flesh and blood covenant did not and will not inherit the new covenant kingdom that was about to come without observation. Jesus gave His flesh and blood old covenant heart to rescue His people out of their second flesh and blood resurrection. Because it wasn’t working for them. Those who didn’t see the Holy Spirit resurrection of the dead old covenant body of Christ, didn’t see or enter God’s kingdom. All the believing Jews temporarily lost their faith when their Christ died, accept maybe John. By the sight of their resurrected Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit they were all given the undying faith of Jesus.

Luke 23:22-23

LITV ²² And a third time he said to them, For what evil did this one do? I found no cause of death in him. Therefore, chastising him, I will release him . ²³ But with loud voices they insisted, asking for Him to be crucified. And their voices, and that of the chief priests, prevailed.

Matthew 27:24-25

LITV ²⁴ And seeing that nothing is gained, but rather an uproar occurs, taking water, Pilate washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just one; you will see. ²⁵ And answering, all the people said, His blood be on us and on our children.

Paul from the tribe of Benjamin defines the gospel as if it really was the sign of Jonah fulfilled. The good news to the Jews was their messiah’s Holy Spirit resurrection as seen bodily on the third day. The good news to the Jews is not their 1917 Balfour resurrection in the flesh. Jonah was a typical in-the-flesh Jew who didn’t want to preach God’s grace, because he wanted the law to come down on sinners, especially non-Jewish sinners. Jonah rejected God’s grace for sinners. In so doing, Jonah became an even bigger sinner. Jesus was an obedient ‘Jonah’ who was sent down to Hades for preaching the Word of repentance to His own people. Jesus returned to land on the third day as an even greater gospel witness. His return from the deep is the good news as revealed to the Jews.

Jesus’ resurrection was revealed in a flesh and blood body to the old covenant people of God still in the flesh. The Jews personally saw the good news in their own flesh and blood, 50 days before they received the Holy Spirit He sent to them from heaven. Jesus proleptically breathed on His followers that first resurrection day, as yet another sign of what was about to be. Only God’s chosen people received Holy Spirit Jewish-enlightenment on Pentecost. It was the 50th day of the ongoing, Jewish only resurrection. Reminiscent of Jewish Jonah, a disobedient Jewish Paul was in the dark for three days before he became an obedient witness of God’s grace to the nations. In Acts 11:23 Barnabas (of the tribe of Levi) confirmed that the gospel was spreading and that the church in Syrian Antioch was indeed a work of God. Barnabas then went to Tarsus to collect Paul (actually of the tribe of Benjamin). Barnabas was qualified to be the replacement apostle because he was a firsthand witness of the Jewish Christ. Paul was qualified as the apostle to the Gentiles the same way. The 13th Jewish apostle was sovereignly chosen by the same person who chose the others. Jesus would lose none that were His.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

LITV ¹ But, brothers, I reveal to you the gospel [said the Benjamite apostle assigned to the Gentiles] which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, ² by which you also are being kept safe, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. ³ For I delivered to you in the first place what I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was raised the third day, according to the Scriptures,

The Jews who didn’t see the sign of Jonah fulfilled wouldn’t be forgiven in the old covenant age that Jesus was when the bodily resurrection began, neither would they be forgiven in the new age that was coming in by way of the Holy Spirit bodily resurrection. Only the Holy Spirit gave eternal life to their mortal Jewish bodies. It wasn’t eternal life for old covenant flesh and blood bodies on earth. It was eternal life in the (resurrected and ascended to the realm of heaven) Jewish body of Christ. I know that the resurrection came to include Gentiles too, but it started off as a Jewish only new covenant resurrected church body.

Like Jonah, some Jews weren’t happy to see their own countrymen forgiven, let alone the other nations. They wanted law and order only. Grace was not in their picture. Nevertheless, the faithful Jews are forever the foundation of the new covenant church. The capstone is The Fulfillment Jew Himself. Jesus as the cornerstone represents the turning point or reference point to keep the Jews’ new building project in true alignment. Jesus as the capstone represents the completion stone that unites it all or keeps it all together.

Jesus doesn’t represent a rock of offense that diverges into two different building projects: one that offends the flesh and one that doesn’t offend the flesh. Jesus came to divide the believing Jewish family members from the non believers before AD 70 took out the offended unbelievers who were still trying to hang on to the typical land. But forget all that! The church that was being built by the first century Jews was really built to save the Gentiles not the Jews. A future Jewish building project in the flesh will kick off the real old covenant rebirth that really saves the Jews. I’m being facetious of course. Salvation was and always will be of the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. Not to the Jews first and then 10 years later to the Gentiles and then 2000 years later back to the Jews. God’s elect from the 12 tribes were the first to be saved by following their new covenant first born. The new covenant firstborn is a resurrected Jew who specifically came to save His own brethren first. He said so. After being reborn (no longer in the flesh according to their own Holy Spirit inspired writings) they took their salvation to the nations.

That old covenant adulterous generation either moved into their promised new covenant with the Holy Spirit-enabled builders or they died unforgiven. Who did the Holy Spirit enable to build the new covenant church if not the Jews themselves? Did the first century builders abandon their building project? Are they coming back to another building project so flesh and blood can inherit salvation too? The Jews who were stuck on their flesh body actually rejected their only salvation.

There is no evil generation of old covenant Jews seeking a sign anymore. Because there is no old covenant body for God to give signs to anymore. All the true Jews saw a multitude of signs after moving into their ongoing bodily resurrection. All God’s chosen people were forgiven by Jesus. He redeemed His people. They became the first century missionaries who reigned in the new covenant age with their Messiah’s Holy Spirit giftedness. The wrath of God did not come upon God’s chosen people in AD70. It came upon unbelievers only. God initiated, approved of, and sustained His new Jewish building project. He destroyed their old building project built by hands in their flesh and blood old covenant.

Those Jews who tried to reign in the old covenant millennium without Jesus’ blessed 70 years of humanity, missed the Son of humanity’s gift of life, to the old golden age of 1000. Individually, humanity’s 930 + 70 = 1000. Corporately, humanity’s 490 + 490 = 1000, when sabbatized by the 70 years of final fulfillment. 490 old covenant years were supposed to contained 70 land sabbaticals. Ten of them were Jubilee renewal sabbaticals. Sabbaticals were supposed to be observed every seventh year, but the big reset was supposed to be rehearsed every 50 years. Some Jews who were alive after the typical 70-year land sabbatism, moved back into the land after Cyrus’ decree.

Their first 70 year sabbatism was fulfilled by God after the first 490 years of neglected sabbaths. Those who accepted Jesus’ final 70-year sabbatism, moved into the heavenly promised land, after His 70 covenant years were fulfilled. See Hebrews 4:9. In Hebrews 4:8, KJV calls the first old covenant Jesus by the same name as it calls the third old covenant Jesus, indicating once again that the fulfillment took place in the Greek-speaking world of the first century Jews.

The Greek text reveals the three old covenant Jesuses who were first to enter the land:

1. Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Ναυὴ – Deuteronomy 34:9 – Jesus son of Nun
2. Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ἰωσεδὲκ – Haggai 1:1 – Jesus son of Josedek
3. ιησουν τον υιον Son του θεου – Hebrews 4:14 – Jesus Son of God

Calling the first old covenant Jesus to take God’s people into the land Joshua rather than Jesus (Hebrews 4:8), won’t help bring back the old covenant. The second and third Jesuses to take their people into the land were also in the old covenant. The third Jesus was leading them into the heavenly promised land while speaking Greek to them. See Hebrews 4:14. The third Jesus was the antitype of the first two Jesuses. He fulfilled the old covenant of types before taking His people into the new covenant land. Neither the first nor the third Jesuses could be high priests under law.

The third Jesus became high priest without genealogy in the real temple in heaven. He never had Levi genes. Its not that everyone in covenant has Levi genes now. Spiritual birth made a new covenant full of priests without the legal old covenant flesh requirements. Typical genetics don’t rule the new covenant. Spiritual genetics do. You have to be born again to be related to God in the new covenant. Old covenant genetics barely or rarely ruled properly. The third Jesus ruled all of creation even with His Jewish genes.

Born once die twice or born twice and die once is true today. Yet the fulfillment of the 2nd Jesus type was the second death. Where did second death come into the saying? The old covenant saying should have been, born twice in the flesh and you will still die twice. Born once from above and you will die once. Just get out of Jerusalem in the flesh when you see the sign of the second old covenant death. Everyone dies once and then the judgement. Those Jews in the land who rejected Jesus were sentenced to their second death already.

The only salvation for them or anyone is the Holy Spirit birth. Born again in the Spirit, die once in the flesh. Jesus wasn’t so concerned with the death of the flesh body. He said to the Jews who would join Him by being born again that they would never die. Jesus was most concerned with covenant death. They were overly concerned with life in the flesh. Born again Jews did not face covenant death. The old covenant went to its second death without them. Second death holds out no hope for a third resurrection, back into the old covenant of flesh and blood.

Second Jesus came into the land after the second old covenant resurrection still in the flesh. First and third Jesus only died the first death not the second death. There is no return from second death. Everyone was dead and dying in the first death of Adam except Jesus. He had to live in the land before He could die in the land. Moses didn’t kill the unfaithful generation of Hebrews in the flesh. He just waited for the dead and dying ones to complete their first death. Second Jesus was born into the land after the second resurrection in the flesh. The second regeneration to enter into the land was even less successful than the first. The second regeneration ended in the second death. The first and the second entrance into the promised land were both fulfilled by the 3rd Jesus. His resurrection out of their first death succeeded.

Matthew 16:1-3

KJV ¹ The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. ² He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. ³ And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Jesus assessed the first century Jewish leadership in the land as not being able to discern what time they were in, due to their hypocritical beliefs. They were international adulterers preaching against adultery. They were eagerly awaiting the Messiah they were earnestly rejecting. Jesus however warned the properly enlightened Jews to leave Jerusalem after they saw a multitude of signs. There were two groups of Jews addressed by Jesus. He rarely even spoke to non Jews. Those who would be caught in Jerusalem unaware and those who were not caught in Jerusalem unaware were the two kinds of Jews Jesus spoke to. He offered a single sign to the unbelievers. They had to believe the first sign to see the rest of the signs. They had to believe the gospel to escape destruction.

One group denied reality in order to keep their old covenant stations. Their plan didn’t work. They had their visions set on a flesh and blood kingdom that they could see. See if you can see the two types of Jews in Luke 21. Are you still hoping to reach a thousand years of old covenant vindication in the flesh mode like the unbelievers? Will Jesus return to fulfill the hopes of the old covenant unfaithful ones sometime in the near or distant future, or did Jesus come and fulfill the old covenant types with His Jewish believers already?

Jewish John was a faithful Jew who received the final apocalyptic Revelation from the most faithful Jew (the third Jesus) in the Spirit realm, not the flesh and blood realm. I don’t think the apocalyptic language of the revelation given to John was ever intended to be fully fleshed out (scientifically or physics-ly) on earth. Symbolic language is symbolic. It isn’t woodenly what it says. The Jews who wanted to change the final Revelation of Jesus were not the true Jews. Only and all the Jews in the Holy Spirit rebirth moved into Jesus’ new covenant by following Him there.

They didn’t just move in and occupy. The faithful Jews were the principle new covenant builders that Jesus had recruited and trained up. While they were still in their old covenant, the faithful Jews were being made ready for their new covenant. The true Jews followed the third Jesus into the heavenly realm promised land. The third Jesus told His faithful followers that He was going to heaven to prepare it for them to follow Him there. He had to become their high priest in heaven before they could join Him. The earthly temple was always a temporary copy of the real temple in the realm of heaven.

Luke 21:11-25 – The faithful Jews received a multitude of signs

KJV ¹¹ And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. ¹² But before all these, they (unbelieving Jews) shall lay their hands on you (believing Jews), and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. ¹³ And it shall turn to you for a testimony (μαρτύριον/marturion/mar-too’-ree-on). ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: ¹⁵ For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. ¹⁶ And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. ¹⁷ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. ¹⁸ But there shall not an hair of your head perish. ¹⁹ In your patience possess ye your souls. ²⁰ And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. ²¹ Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. ²² For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²³ But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. ²⁴ And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. ²⁵ And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth [land] distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; [To Jews the sea and the waves represent Gentile unrest]

John of course had a real spirit-realm vision when he received the book of Jesus final revelation to the Jews. The true Jewish sons of God were unveiled in AD 70. The faithful Jews were the chosen ones. There are religious people today who openly reject Jesus’ new covenant revelation yet they claim to be the faithful old covenant people of God. Jesus didn’t tell Jewish Nicodemus to not be born again in order to remain faithful to the old covenant. He told the Jewish teacher to be born again or face destruction. Rejecting the Christ does not a faithful Jew make. Rejecting the Word given to them is the definition of unfaithfulness not faithfulness. Ben Shapiro is not living out the belief of a true Jew. Like Nicodemus, Ben must be born again to become a faithful Jew. True Jews are all in the new body of the One true old covenant Jew.

Revelation 17:6

CLV ⁶ And I perceive the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses [Sometimes interpreted martyrs] of Jesus. And I marvel at perceiving her. The marvel is great!”

The times it took for the Gentiles to destroy Jerusalem (after her full number of Martyrs) was time, times and half a time. Rome’s Gentile armies surrounded and laid siege to Jerusalem for 3 1/2 years. A siege is a military blockade formed with the intent to conquer. The unbelievers who couldn’t see the 3rd-day resurrection as sign of good news to them also couldn’t see the bad news signs that appeared near the end of their old covenant. Their false hope of salvation was in the visible old covenant land. Real salvation was spiritually discerned in the new covenant land. Without the Holy Spirit in communion with the spirit in a man, no old covenant Jew saw their new covenant salvation. Their is no such thing as old covenant salvation. The law never saved a single soul from destruction. The resurrection of the 12 tribes gathered on Pentecost was by way of the Holy Spirit, not by way of the Law.

The exeGeses companion Bible – ECB translates many Greek words into Hebrew sounding words rather than English words. In verse one of 1 Thessalonians 5, the Greek word Kurios becomes the Hebrew word Adonay rather than the English word Lord. ECB claims to be a contemporary classic English translation, yet Adonay is not in English dictionaries. Adonay is in Hebrew dictionaries. Since ECB is biased toward the Hebrew language, it’s translators follows the Hebrew Torah rather than the Greek Torah. The Jews made a Greek edition of their scriptures during the 400 so called silent years, but we have only greek manuscripts beyond Malachi. The only ancient record of scripture we have beyond Malachi is in Greek. Nobody recorded Jesus’ or His apostles’ words for us in the Hebrew language. Even the letters written to the Hebrews were written in Greek. Even so, the ECB introduces many Hebrew sounding words into their English translation of the Greek scriptures.

Why is there such opposition to the authentic Greek manuscripts and such an emphasis on returning to Hebrew for authenticity? The early church used the Greek Torah and the Greek Gospels and the Greek letters to the churches. Are we insulted by the Holy-Spirit-given Greek text? Is there a modern day movement that wants to return us to the first temple Hebrew-speaking era rather than the second temple Greek-speaking era? We shouldn’t want to return to either: the first century Greek-speaking Jews or to the the 1000 BC Hebrew-speaking Jews. We should want to live in the Holy Spirit inspired body of Jews who are forever living in the New Jerusalem.

Acts chapter two is a Greek-speaking Jewish Pentecost as recorded for us in the first century Koine Greek of Jesus’ day. Were all the first century Jews, including Jesus, actually speaking Hebrew, yet it was all translated by the Holy Spirit into Greek, before anyone wrote any of it down on papyrus? Even the letter written to the Hebrews themselves was given to us in Koine Greek. If the Holy Spirit chose to address the 12 tribes scattered in Koine Greek, then who am I to think a more modern Hebrew version of Hebrews or James or Peter or 1 John would be more accurate or more authentic? New covenant letters specifically addressed to the first century Jews in diaspora were all written in the Greek language of the Day.

The day of Adam and the day of Israel were both telosed in a Greek-speaking world. I don’t believe we are still waiting for old covenant unfaithful people to finish anything in God’s plan of salvation. Ridding the world of preterist witnesses won’t help to bring back the old covenant, any more than ridding the world of first century faithful Jewish witnesses could keep the old covenant of the unfaithful. God was waiting for the unfaithful old covenant Jews to martyr the full number of faithful new covenant Jews, but He told the first century martyrs that they had a short time to wait, not a long time to wait.

Revelation 6:9-11

CLV ⁹ And when It opens the fifth seal, I perceived underneath the altar the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had.” ¹⁰ And they cry with a loud voice, saying, “Till when, O Owner, holy and true, art Thou not judging and avenging our blood on those dwelling on the earth? ¹¹ And to each of them was given a white robe, and it was declared to them that they should be resting still a little time, till their number should be completed by their fellow slaves also, and their brethren, who are about to be killed even as they were.”

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages 

te·los

/ˈteläs/

noun

LITERARY

noun: telos; plural noun: teloi

1. an ultimate object or aim.”in the hedonistic life, people lose some moral purpose, a telos which provides the moral justification for the society”

Origin

Greek, literally ‘end’.

The following ECB translation uses some Hebrew sounding words like Elohim, Adonay, Yah Shua and shalome and even keeps a couple Greek sounding words, like charism and eucharistic, rather than using the English words grace and thanksgiving. The translators leave some Greek words untranslated and they translate several Greek words into the wrong language. ECB claims to be a classic English translation. It is an English translation, except where it’s transliterated into Greek or Hebrew.

1 Thessalonians 5

ECB ¹
THE DAY OF ADONAY
And concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I scribe to you. ² For yourselves know precisely that the day of Adonay [the English word is lord] comes thus – as a thief in the night. ³ For whenever they word, Shalom [the English word is peace] and security; then unexpected ruin stands over them – exactly as travail upon a woman having in womb; and they never no way escape. ⁴ And you brothers, are not in darkness, that the day overtake you as a thief. ⁵ You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day: we are neither of night nor of darkness. ⁶ So we sleep not as the rest; but we watch and are sober. ⁷ For whoever sleeps, sleeps in the night; and whoever intoxicates, intoxicates in the night. ⁸ And we, being of the day, be sober; [unbelieving Jews accused the born again Jews on Pentecost of getting drunk in the daytime] enduing the breastplate of trust and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation [those sealed with the Holy Spirit were awaiting the completion of their salvation Hebrews 9:28]. ⁹ For Elohim [God] places us not to wrath, but to acquire salvation through our Adonay Yah Shua Messiah [Lord Jesus Christ]  ¹⁰ who died for us; so that, whether we watch, whether we sleep, we live simultaneously with him. ¹¹ So console one another and edify one another, even as also you do. ¹²
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
And we ask you, brothers, to know them who labor among you, who preside over you in Adonay and remind you; ¹³ and to esteem them more superabundantly in love for sake of their work: and shalam among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we beseech you brothers; remind the disorderly, console the timid souled, support the frail, be patient toward all. ¹⁵ See that no one gives anyone evil for evil; but ever pursue the good, both to one another and to everyone. ¹⁶ Cheer always, ¹⁷ pray unceasingly, ¹⁸ Eucharistic [thanksgiving] in all; – for this is the will of Elohim in Messiah Yah Shua to you. ¹⁹ Neither quench the Spirit ²⁰ nor belittle prophesyings: ²¹ proof all, hold what is good, ²² abstain from all semblance of evil: ²³
TRIUNE HUMANITY
and the Elohim of shalom himself hallows you completely/in shalom; and guards your whole spirit and soul and body blameless in the parousia [presence] of our Adonay Yah Shua Messiah. ²⁴ Trustworthy is he who calls you – who also does. ²⁵ Brothers, pray for us. ²⁶
FINAL SALUTES AND BENEDICTION
Salute all the brothers in a holy kiss. ²⁷ I oath you by Adonay to have this epistle read to all the holy brothers. ²⁸ The charism [grace] of our Adonay Yah Shua Messiah be with you. Amen.

The completion of the second temple was a typical sign seen by all, but the completion of the spirit realm house that Jesus started was spiritually discerned.

Zechariah 4:9

CLV ⁹ The hands of Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house, and his hands shall complete it. Then shall you know that Yahweh of hosts sent me to you.”

Can you see the two kinds of first century Jews in the following verses? The Thessalonians became imitators of the Jewish church in Judea. Hence they were also being persecuted by their fellow tribesmen, for moving into the new covenant. The old covenant wasn’t about to become eternal. The new covenant was.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

LITV ¹⁴ For, brothers, you became imitators of the churches [assemblies or called out ones] of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered these things by your own fellow countrymen [tribesmen], as they also by the Jews, ¹⁵ who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, also driving us out, and not pleasing God, and being contrary to all men [humans], ¹⁶ hindering us [Jews] from speaking to the nations in order that they be saved, to fill up their sins always. But the wrath has come on them to the uttermost [telos or completion or consummation].

Search for who killed Jesus and you will get many sites that say the Romans did. Search for who the wrath of God is coming on in the future and you will get many sites saying the Romans of course, since they murdered Jesus. That is bad news for future Romans. The good news is the wrath is past. Any race of people would have done what the Jewish race did. But they actually did it and they paid for it with their flesh and blood national destruction. The good news is that the Jews got a new covenant before their old covenant ended. The good news is that heaven is now open to all nationalities, even if the Jews were given priority and were the first to enter. The gospel that was aimed at saving the Jews first still goes out to all nations. The resurrected Jews took it there with extreme giftedness.

Some people today who believe that the bodily Jewish resurrection is still future rather than past are still looking for more signs. The true Jews of that evil and adulterous generation actually saw the third day sign in old covenant Jerusalem. Jesus actually appeared to His old covenant Jewish followers in Jerusalem on the 3rd day. Only the Jews who saw that 3rd day sign would also see the signs of the end and leave Jerusalem before her destruction. The signs of the end of the old covenant age were not heeded by the unbelievers. The born again Jews were not destroyed just as Jesus told a chief teacher of the Jews named Nicodemus. Nicodemus could not see the kingdom, enter the kingdom or be saved from destruction any other way. The same could be said of any old covenant Jew, not just the teacher of the old covenant Jews.

John 3:15-20

CLV ¹⁵ that everyone believing on Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian.” ¹⁶ For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian.” ¹⁷ For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him.” ¹⁸ He who is believing in Him is not being judged; yet he who is not believing has been judged already, for he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” ¹⁹ Now this is the judging: that the light has come into the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, for their acts were wicked.” ²⁰ For everyone who is committing bad things is hating the light and is not coming to the light, lest his acts may be exposed.”

eonian life is life to the age or life that lasts to the fulness of the age. The completion of the age for both Adam and Israel was 1000 years. Both Adam and Israel died before reaching the age of completion. They both needed the rebirth provided by Jesus. Jesus was born again by the Holy Spirit into a new covenant life that never dies. He voluntarily gave up His old covenant life to save His brethren. Those who were joined to the new covenant resurrection lived to the good old age of 1000 with Him. The new creation firstborn never dies. The old creation firstborn died. What is resurrection if not the life from the death? Only the Jews actually saw the 3rd day sign when Jesus reappeared alive from the dead, and it can’t be repeated. Hebrews was written to the body of Hebrews as they neared the completion of their old covenant age of 1000.

Hebrews 6:4-6

CLV ⁴ For it is impossible for those once enlightened, besides tasting the celestial gratuity and becoming partakers of holy spirit, ⁵ and tasting the ideal declaration of God, besides the powerful deeds of the impending eon, ⁶ and falling aside, to be renewing them again to repentance while crucifying for themselves the Son of God again and holding Him up to infamy.”

Hebrews 6:4-6

LITV ⁴ For it is impossible for those being once enlightened, and having tasted of the heavenly gift, and becoming sharers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and tasting the good Word of God, and the works of power of a coming age, ⁶ then falling away, it is impossible for them again to renew to repentance, crucifying again for themselves the Son of God, and putting Him to open shame.

Hebrews 6:4-6

YLT ⁴ for it is impossible for those once enlightened, having tasted also of the heavenly gift, and partakers having became of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and did taste the good saying of God, the powers also of the coming age, ⁶ and having fallen away, again to renew them to reformation, having crucified again to themselves the Son of God, and exposed to public shame.

Hebrews 6:4-6

KJV ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

The old covenant Jews were undeniably the first to be partakers of the Holy Spirit. God was with them in Spirit during their typical rebirth on their way to the typical promised land. The nation as a whole was born again on Pentecost. Every member of that old covenant assembly was not being saved. The old worn-out covenant clothing was being changed.