This priesthood was based on natural descent rather than selection. As the priesthood transitioned, it became essential to also transfer the law, expanding the election to those who would receive the priesthood not through lineage but through merit and virtue, coming from the islands of the nations to proclaim the glory of the Lord. They shall come in on chariots, horses, strollers, mules, and carts. Similarly, as there will be a new heaven and a new earth, it cannot be asserted that ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away’ (Matt. 24:35), nor can it be said that ‘the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll, and the earth shall be made desolate through corruption’ (Rev. 6). In all these new aspects, there will be a new people of God as Scriptures declare, ‘The old has passed away; behold, the new has come’ (2 Cor. 5:17); and in another instance: ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation’ (2 Cor. 5:17). A new nation shall also arise, beginning with Christ, followed by those who belong to Him at His coming (1 Cor. 15:23), and a new heaven and earth, encapsulated in the beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:3-5). The entire creation now groans in anticipation, subjected to futility in hope because of Him who subjected it (Rom. 8). They shall be liberated from the bondage of decay, sharing in the glory of the children of God, who will become His children and stand eternally before His presence, with their names enduring forever to prevent another nation from taking their place, as happened with the Jews. He affirms that there will be a month from month and a Sabbath from Sabbath, where from the physical Sabbaths and months will emerge a spiritual Sabbath, observed by the people of God, and a spiritual month, where the moon, from its beginning to its full state, will flow according to its designated order, marking out a month, referred to in Greek as νεοιχηνίαι, meaning the start of a new month. The Greeks did not align the start of the month with the sun's cycle but with the moon's transitions. This moon has been praised in the context of the true Solomon, ‘And it shall be with the sun, and before the moon of generations’ (Psalm 71:5). In the Song of Songs, it is described as the chosen one: who shines as bright as morning, good as the moon, chosen as the sun attracting wonder (Song of Songs 6:9). Scientists, particularly those exploring the celestial realm, affirm that the moon does not possess its own light but shines with the sun's rays. On the side closest to the sun, it remains perpetually illuminated and unshaded by the earth’s shadow, as the poet observes: And also its moon rises, borrowing its light from its brother. If this holds truth, then we can figuratively deduce that the Church, which traverses the world and endures persecution, and when emerged from the darkness of temptation, receives its light anew from the Sun of Righteousness. This aligns with the words, ‘And the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun’ (Isaiah 30:26), and the righteous among its inhabitants will radiate like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. According to these months, the eternally restored seed of David arrives at its festivals, which the holy one declared with mysterious utterance: ‘I have thought of eternal summers and have learned’ (Ps. 76:6). Regarding the Sabbath, which symbolizes rest, we have elaborated on in the prophecy regarding the coming of the eunuchs. Now, briefly, we acknowledge that they gather during the New Months and Sabbaths, hastening towards the seventh day, which represents true rest. Concerning these festivals, the apostle Paul exhorted the believers, stating, ‘For the law has a shadow of the good things to come’ (Hebrews 10:1). Again, he advises, ‘Let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come’ (Col. 2:16). Since this was a precursor, a mere reflection of the greater benefits to come, the entirety of the law ought to be interpreted spiritually; as Apostle Paul noted, ‘For we know that the law is spiritual’ (Rom. 7:14), which is also what David sought to comprehend, pleading, ‘Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from Your law’ (Ps. 118:18). The visible realm is fleeting, while the invisible is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). A brief exploration of all this is not the focus for the present. For what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9), can we venture to summarize the full scope of the law as if it were a depiction of the entire world on a compact tablet? Regarding the assertion that all flesh shall come to worship before My presence, it’s pivotal to note that in the Hebrew text, it merely states before Me, rather than in Jerusalem, to counteract the arrogance of the Jews, affirming instead the Lord’s proclamation in the Gospel: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father’ (John 4:21). And again, it is stated: ‘God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’ (John 4:24). The Apostle also proclaimed: ‘I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands’ (1 Tim. 2:8). When we say that all flesh signifies not just the Jewish people but all of humanity, it resonates with the scripture once again: ‘All flesh shall see the salvation of God’ (Is. 40:5). Furthermore, as noted in Joel, ‘I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy’ (Joel 2:28). In Zechariah, it states, ‘Let all flesh be silent before the Lord’ (Zech. 2:13), and in the Psalms, we hear, ‘To You, all flesh shall come’ (Psalm 64:2). In another Psalm, it is expressed: ‘All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name’ (Psalm 85:9). The phrase month of month and Sabbath of Sabbath, within which all flesh will gather to worship God, is misinterpreted by those who hold a chiliastic view—known as millenarians—believing that those who are near will visit Jerusalem every Sabbath; those further away, every month; and the very distant will come once a year, on Passover or Feast of Tabernacles, in line with Zechariah stating: ‘They shall come up yearly to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles’ (Zechariah 14:16). Furthermore, to elicit laughter from audiences, they misinterpret the concluding claim of Zechariah’s book, ‘And there shall no longer be any merchant in the house of the Lord of Hosts on that day’ (Zechariah 14:21), to suggest that in a thousand years, merchants will cease to exist altogether, as everything will be available everywhere, eliminating the need for trade.
THEOSIS