Let his blood be on us and on our children

 

Let his blood be on us and on our children

 

Matthew 27:23-25『And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.』

The priests and scribes gave Jesus to be crucified. As a punishment for the sin of Jesus' death, believers say that the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70 and Israel was destroyed. On the surface, this may be true. However, the words "returning the blood to the descendants" have a spiritual meaning.

Jesus cried out that sinners can return to the kingdom of God not through the law, but through God's grace. He said that he was the Son of God who came to the world for this purpose, and that people could return to the kingdom of God through him. However, the Jewish legalists executed Jesus for blasphemy. Therefore, the Jewish legalists deserved to be judged by God because they rejected the gospel.

God's judgment shows itself through the nation of Israel, and it shows itself through the spiritual state of a believer.

First, God chose the nation of Israel to show the world the journey of God's salvation, but the people of Israel committed the mistake of worshipping idols, and as a result, the nation was attacked by external forces and even perished. God sent prophets to deliver countless messages, but they did not turn back.

In Matthew 20:16, it says, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Israel was first, but it is said to be last. God preached the gospel through Jesus Christ, but the Jews rejected it, and God passed the gospel on to the Gentiles. Israel is last.

The Bible describes the last as the salvation of the remnant. Romans 9:27, "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 'Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant will be saved.'" Isaiah speaks of the salvation of the remnant. Isaiah 10:20-22, "In that day the remnant of Israel, and those who are escaped from the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them, but will rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant, the remnant of Jacob, will return to the mighty God. Though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant will return, for destruction is determined by overflowing righteousness."

Jacob and his twelve tribes descendants went to Egypt because of the famine and his son Joseph. However, they became slaves in Egypt. After 400 years, they left Egypt under the leadership of Moses and returned to Canaan. Only two people entered Canaan, excluding children under 19 years old and those born in the wilderness. We must remember that only two people entered Canaan out of Jacob's remnant, the six million men.

The northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria, the temple was destroyed, and the people were taken to foreign lands. However, God showed His grace and saved a few remnants, allowing them to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. The salvation of the remnants can be seen as God’s grace given in the midst of extreme difficulty.

The second is the judgment of the spiritual state of each individual. Among the Jewish legalists, a young man named Saul was an extreme legalist. He did not hesitate to imprison and kill not only Jesus’ disciples but also those who believed in Jesus. However, God bestowed grace and brought bright light to Saul, who was surrounded by spiritual darkness in Damascus. God allowed him to carry out salvation for the Gentiles through Saul. In this way, among the remnant, there are vessels that God uses. This is entirely God’s grace.

Today, many believers are like the Jewish legalists of the past. Israel was destroyed by the great power of Rome, and the temple of Jerusalem was destroyed. Many people inside were killed. There is also a temple in the hearts of believers, an old temple like a stone temple. In this old temple, those who are in the law set up an idol of themselves, oppose God, and build the Tower of Babel. These believers are like the Jewish legalists of the past.

These are the people who are trying to kill Jesus today. They believe that they have been saved by hearing the gospel and believing in Jesus, but they are still stuck in legalism. They demand the blood of Jesus to be forgiven of their sins, as if they were offering a daily sacrifice. They consider the building of the church community as a holy temple, and they offer tithes based on the law, with the intention of offering them to God. There are even church communities that use the title of offering, the Thousand Burnt Offering.

God judges them as he did the legalists in the past. He destroys the old temple in the believer's heart. This is the last grace that God gives to those who distort the gospel. This is the grace of the remnant. When God chooses to use such believers, He allows the old temple of Himself to be destroyed. Saul was blind for three days and could not see or eat anything. However, the three days were a time of repentance, and only after hearing the words of repentance from Ananias did he open his eyes.

Believers under the law will be judged by the second death after the death of the body. However, if you quickly accept the gospel while you are alive in the world, there will be no problem, but if you mix the gospel and the law and accept them, God will be angry. As the prophets continued to tell Israel, if you hear the word of truth, you must repent and turn back, but if you do not, you will either go to the second death or enter the salvation of the remnant while you are alive. Therefore, the salvation of the remnant is good.

The gospel is the gospel that believes that we died together with Jesus Christ on the cross and were resurrected with Him. However, if you only believe in the death of the cross and believe that the resurrection is accomplished by the death of the body, then it is not the complete gospel. Also, if you believe in the gospel but think that it is good to follow the law at the same time, then you are not believing in the true gospel. Such people are under the wrath of God. You must repent and turn to God as soon as possible.

We must repent so that the blood of Jesus shed on the cross does not turn into God's wrath for believers. Believers may think that the blood of Jesus is their salvation, but Jesus can say, "I do not know you." Those who are still under God's wrath are spiritually descendants of the legalistic Jews.