- May 15, 2005
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Some time ago a few Amillennialists challenged me to explain the laws of Moses that were to remain in force forever. They thought that these would conclusively prove that the Old Testament prophecies would not be literally fulfilled, because they supposed that these had all ceased to apply.
I was quite certain of the answer, but deferred to give it at once because I did not want to go off half cocked. So instead I said I was working on it, but it would take time. To analyze this question, I started out by locating all the laws given by Moses that were explicitly stated as applying perpetually. To do this, I searched all the books in which this law was given, (Exodus through Deuteronomy) for each of the following terms: for ever, perpetual, perpetually, always, continually, throughout your generations, and throughout their generations. I am satisfied that this located all the laws of Moses that were perpetual in nature.
Exactly as I was certain in the first place, instead of being evidence against the concept of a millennium, these very laws are a clear demonstration of the literal nature of the prophecies concerning the millennium. For, without a single exception, every one of the perpetual sacrifices is repeated in the laws prophetically decreed for the millennium, as are many of the other perpetual laws. And not even one of them is retracted.
The first statute for Israel that was mentioned as perpetual was the Passover, with its accompanying feast of unleavened bread. These were commanded to be kept as an everlasting ordinance in Exodus 12:16 and 17, and forever in Exodus 12:24. In both of these places the Hebrew word used was olam (word number 5769 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means forever. They are again commanded to be kept in Ezekiel 45:21-24.
Again, holy garments for the priests were commanded to be worn always in Exodus 28:38. The Hebrew word used here is tamid (word number 8548 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means continually. The holy garments were also to be worn forever in Exodus 28:43, and for a perpetual statute in Exodus 29:9. In both of these places, the Hebrew word used was olam, that is, forever. These holy garments for the priests are again explicitly referred to in Ezekiel 42:14 and discussed in Ezekiel 44:17-19.
Various offerings were reserved as food for the priests as a statute forever in Exodus 29:28 and Leviticus 6:18 and 7:34 and 36, and 10:15, Numbers 18:11 and 19, andby a perpetual statute in Leviticus 24:9. The Hebrew word used in each of these places is again olam, or forever. This law is repeated in Ezekiel 42:13 and in Ezekiel 44:29-30.
Connected with this is the law in Leviticus 25:32-34 that although the houses of the Levites may be sold until the time of the Jubilee, (the equivalent of our modern practice of a lease) their land may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession. This is again our now familiar olam. This command that their land may not be sold is repeated in Ezekiel 48:14.
The children of Israel were commanded to keep the Sabbath throughout your generations in Exodus 31:13, throughout their generations in Exodus 31:16. The Hebrew word used in both of these places is dor (word number 1755 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) While this is not the literal meaning of dor, this same keeping of the Sabbath is specified again both continually and for an everlasting covenant in Leviticus 24:8. The Hebrew words used here are the same literally translated tamid and olam we have previously noticed. This observance of the Sabbath is again explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 44:24, Ezekiel 45:17, and Ezekiel 46:1-5 and 12. It is also prophesied in Isaiah 66:23.
Aaron and his sons were given the priesthood for a perpetual statute in Exodus 29:9, and an everlasting priesthood in Exodus 40:15. Aarons son Phineas and his descendants after him were additionally given a covenant of an everlasting priesthood in Numbers 25:13. In each of these cases, the Hebrew word used was olam. Likewise the sons of Levi were chosen to minister in the name of the Lord forever in Deuteronomy 18:5, but the Hebrew word used here is yom. (Word number 3117 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means day, but is sometimes figuratively used to mean forever. Ezekiel 44:15 explicitly limits full priesthood to the sons of Zadok, because he alone was faithful when Israel went astray. The priesthood of Zadoks sons is also mentioned in Ezekiel 40:46, 43:19. and 48:11. But Zadoks descent from Aaron through Phineas is traced in 1 Chrinicles 6:4-8. So Zadoks priesthood in Ezekiel is a fulfilment of the both the perpetual priesthood of the sons of Aaron and of the promise made to Phineas. And the other sons of Levi are given lesser positions of priestly ministry in Ezekiel 44:10-14.
Leviticus 10:9 enacts a statute forever that the priests should not drink wine or intoxicating drink... when you go into the tabernacle The Hebrew word used here is again olam. This command is repeated in Ezekiel 44:21.
Numbers 15:14-15 commands it as an ordinance forever throughout your generations that strangers who dwelt among the children of Israel and wanted to offer an offering made by fire should do it in exactly the same way as the Israelites offered their own offerings. The Hebrew words used here were again the same olam and dor we have already noticed. Isaiah 56:2-7 explicitly mentions foreigners being accepted of the Lord in that day, and equal treatment for strangers dwelling within the land of Israel is explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 47:22-23. This does not negate the fact that Ezekiel 44:9 forbids strangers from entering into the temple, as previously commanded for the tabernacle in Numbers 1:51 and 3:38.
A daily burnt offering of a lamb every morning and every evening, with flour and oil, is commanded continually in Exodus 29:38 and both continually and throughout your generations in Exodus 29:42. The Hebrew words used here are the same tamid and dor we have seen before, but olam was not used. This command is repeated for every morning in Ezekiel 46"13-15, although the amount of flour and of oil is different there. This is the first of these statutes that has been even a little different in Ezekiel.
The observation of the day of atonement in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month was commanded as a statute forever in Leviticus 16:29. This is again called a statute forever in Leviticus 16:31 and an everlasting statute in Leviticus 16:34. In each of these places the Hebrew word used was olam. Likewise, feasts were commanded as statutes forever throughout your generations in Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, and 41. In each of these places the Hebrew words used were olam and dor. None of these are specified by name in Ezekiel, but, being among the appointed feast days, their observance is explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 46:11 and mentioned in Ezekiel 46:9. Further, in Zechariah 14:16-19 the feast of tabernacles, which, according to Leviticus 23:34 is the fifteenth day of this seventh month... for seven days, is explicitly commanded to be kept at that time, not only by Israel, but by all the surrounding nations as well.
I was quite certain of the answer, but deferred to give it at once because I did not want to go off half cocked. So instead I said I was working on it, but it would take time. To analyze this question, I started out by locating all the laws given by Moses that were explicitly stated as applying perpetually. To do this, I searched all the books in which this law was given, (Exodus through Deuteronomy) for each of the following terms: for ever, perpetual, perpetually, always, continually, throughout your generations, and throughout their generations. I am satisfied that this located all the laws of Moses that were perpetual in nature.
Exactly as I was certain in the first place, instead of being evidence against the concept of a millennium, these very laws are a clear demonstration of the literal nature of the prophecies concerning the millennium. For, without a single exception, every one of the perpetual sacrifices is repeated in the laws prophetically decreed for the millennium, as are many of the other perpetual laws. And not even one of them is retracted.
The first statute for Israel that was mentioned as perpetual was the Passover, with its accompanying feast of unleavened bread. These were commanded to be kept as an everlasting ordinance in Exodus 12:16 and 17, and forever in Exodus 12:24. In both of these places the Hebrew word used was olam (word number 5769 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means forever. They are again commanded to be kept in Ezekiel 45:21-24.
Again, holy garments for the priests were commanded to be worn always in Exodus 28:38. The Hebrew word used here is tamid (word number 8548 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means continually. The holy garments were also to be worn forever in Exodus 28:43, and for a perpetual statute in Exodus 29:9. In both of these places, the Hebrew word used was olam, that is, forever. These holy garments for the priests are again explicitly referred to in Ezekiel 42:14 and discussed in Ezekiel 44:17-19.
Various offerings were reserved as food for the priests as a statute forever in Exodus 29:28 and Leviticus 6:18 and 7:34 and 36, and 10:15, Numbers 18:11 and 19, andby a perpetual statute in Leviticus 24:9. The Hebrew word used in each of these places is again olam, or forever. This law is repeated in Ezekiel 42:13 and in Ezekiel 44:29-30.
Connected with this is the law in Leviticus 25:32-34 that although the houses of the Levites may be sold until the time of the Jubilee, (the equivalent of our modern practice of a lease) their land may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession. This is again our now familiar olam. This command that their land may not be sold is repeated in Ezekiel 48:14.
The children of Israel were commanded to keep the Sabbath throughout your generations in Exodus 31:13, throughout their generations in Exodus 31:16. The Hebrew word used in both of these places is dor (word number 1755 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) While this is not the literal meaning of dor, this same keeping of the Sabbath is specified again both continually and for an everlasting covenant in Leviticus 24:8. The Hebrew words used here are the same literally translated tamid and olam we have previously noticed. This observance of the Sabbath is again explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 44:24, Ezekiel 45:17, and Ezekiel 46:1-5 and 12. It is also prophesied in Isaiah 66:23.
Aaron and his sons were given the priesthood for a perpetual statute in Exodus 29:9, and an everlasting priesthood in Exodus 40:15. Aarons son Phineas and his descendants after him were additionally given a covenant of an everlasting priesthood in Numbers 25:13. In each of these cases, the Hebrew word used was olam. Likewise the sons of Levi were chosen to minister in the name of the Lord forever in Deuteronomy 18:5, but the Hebrew word used here is yom. (Word number 3117 in Strongs Hebrew Dictionary.) This Hebrew word literally means day, but is sometimes figuratively used to mean forever. Ezekiel 44:15 explicitly limits full priesthood to the sons of Zadok, because he alone was faithful when Israel went astray. The priesthood of Zadoks sons is also mentioned in Ezekiel 40:46, 43:19. and 48:11. But Zadoks descent from Aaron through Phineas is traced in 1 Chrinicles 6:4-8. So Zadoks priesthood in Ezekiel is a fulfilment of the both the perpetual priesthood of the sons of Aaron and of the promise made to Phineas. And the other sons of Levi are given lesser positions of priestly ministry in Ezekiel 44:10-14.
Leviticus 10:9 enacts a statute forever that the priests should not drink wine or intoxicating drink... when you go into the tabernacle The Hebrew word used here is again olam. This command is repeated in Ezekiel 44:21.
Numbers 15:14-15 commands it as an ordinance forever throughout your generations that strangers who dwelt among the children of Israel and wanted to offer an offering made by fire should do it in exactly the same way as the Israelites offered their own offerings. The Hebrew words used here were again the same olam and dor we have already noticed. Isaiah 56:2-7 explicitly mentions foreigners being accepted of the Lord in that day, and equal treatment for strangers dwelling within the land of Israel is explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 47:22-23. This does not negate the fact that Ezekiel 44:9 forbids strangers from entering into the temple, as previously commanded for the tabernacle in Numbers 1:51 and 3:38.
A daily burnt offering of a lamb every morning and every evening, with flour and oil, is commanded continually in Exodus 29:38 and both continually and throughout your generations in Exodus 29:42. The Hebrew words used here are the same tamid and dor we have seen before, but olam was not used. This command is repeated for every morning in Ezekiel 46"13-15, although the amount of flour and of oil is different there. This is the first of these statutes that has been even a little different in Ezekiel.
The observation of the day of atonement in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month was commanded as a statute forever in Leviticus 16:29. This is again called a statute forever in Leviticus 16:31 and an everlasting statute in Leviticus 16:34. In each of these places the Hebrew word used was olam. Likewise, feasts were commanded as statutes forever throughout your generations in Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, and 41. In each of these places the Hebrew words used were olam and dor. None of these are specified by name in Ezekiel, but, being among the appointed feast days, their observance is explicitly commanded in Ezekiel 46:11 and mentioned in Ezekiel 46:9. Further, in Zechariah 14:16-19 the feast of tabernacles, which, according to Leviticus 23:34 is the fifteenth day of this seventh month... for seven days, is explicitly commanded to be kept at that time, not only by Israel, but by all the surrounding nations as well.