Hello LoveGodForever,
You wrote: "Now for Ezekiel Chapters 40 to 47 you need to be a bit more specific. Why do you think this is talking future restoration of priestly/Levitical/and animal sacrifices? This is talking about a time when Israel was in captivity to Babylon (Ezekiel 40:1)"
My response: Sure, Ezekiel's prophecies were originally given to Ezekiel (from God) during the time of Ezekiel. But the prophecy [Eze. 40-47] refers to sacrificial activity that has NOT yet occurred. Therefore, it is a FUTURE prophecy that is not yet fulfilled.
You wrote: "Consideration also needs to be given to the fact that God's promises are are conditional on OBEDIENCE or DISOBEDIENCE note of reference in these chapters that describe the rebuilding of the temple is Ezekiel 43:10-11."
My response: Indeed! And Ezekiel GUARANTEES the prophecy if the Israelites are ashamed (Heb. "kalam", Eze. 43:10-11).
AND! Ezekiel GUARANTEES that the Israelites will be ashamed (Heb. "kalam", Eze. 16:61-63).
Therefore, Eze. 40-47 is GUARANTEED to occur in the FUTURE (because it has not yet happened).
This entails that animal sacrifices will occur in the FUTURE, according to the prophecies of Ezekiel.
You wrote: "Lets make it very clear here; there is no scripture presented anywhere here in Ezekiel 40-48 that says that Christians in the NEW COVENANT after the death of Jesus to which animal sacrifices and sin offerings pointed to (Shadows) will continue under the NEW Covenant."
My response: To the contrary, I've now shown that Ezekiel GUARANTEES that Israelites will be ashamed (Eze. 16) and, thus, Eze. 40-47 will occur at that future time (because the condition in Eze. 43:10-11 will be satisfied after Eze. 16:61-63 is fulfilled).
And, since that future time will be during the New-Covenant-era, it follows that we now have evidence that animal sacrifices (as guaranteed by Ezekiel) will occur in the future (which, of course, will be during the New-Covenant-era).
You wrote: "This is clearly outlined further in Hebrews 4-13 that discuss the heavenly sanctuary of which that of the earth was only a copy and the ministration of Jesus as our true sacrifice for sin and his new role as our great high priest."
My response: To the contrary, Heb. 8:13 states that the Old Covenant is READY/NEAR to disappear, proving that it had NOT yet disappeared as of the New-Covenant-era time of the writing of the book of Hebrews, thereby confirming that the Old Covenant and New Covenant function simultaneously.
Furthermore, the New Covenant consists of Torah (see "Torah", Jer. 31) written upon our hearts so that we will obey it. And Torah, of course, entails animal sacrifices. So then, animal sacrifices and the New Covenant are consistent.
You wrote: "Nowhere does it say in the scriptures above [Jer. 33] that Christians in the NEW COVENANT after the death of Jesus to which animal sacrifices and sin offerings pointed to (Shadows) will continue under the NEW Covenant. You are reading this into the scriptures and the scripture does not say such things. Sorry, BG just being honest here."
My response: You still missed it. Please read the Scripture again.
Did you read it [Jer. 33:20-22] ? Ok! Now, do DAY and NIGHT still occur? Of course! Therefore, Levitical/priestly activity is GUARANTEED to continue (per Jer. 33:20-22).
And what do Levitical priests do? Sacrifices!
Thus, Jer. 33:20-22 GUARANTEES ongoing sacrificial activity (because DAY and NIGHT still occur!)
YHVH could not be much more explicit than that.
Aren't you frightened to be opposing YHVH like that?
And, since DAY and NIGHT occur during this New Covenant era, it follows that SACRIFICES shall also occur during this New Covenant era (per Jer. 33:20-22).
Jesus fulfills the Davidic Covenant, right? Of course! That's why Jesus comes to RESTORE the covenant with Levi (Mal. 3), in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant which guarantees restoration of ongoing Levitical/sacrificial activity (Jer. 33:20-22).
You've given us no good reason to dispute these Scriptures.
And, let's be clear: NOTHING in these Scriptures states that New Covenant Christians will NOT participate in animal sacrificial activity in the future.
And, Col. 2:17 (present tense!) has the shadows functioning (present tense!) during the New Covenant era, which again confirms the ongoing function of animal sacrificial activity, even though the fuller substance is in Christ.
You wrote: "There is nothing in the scriptures here [Zec. 14] that refer the NEW Covenant believer to offer animal sacrifices that pointed to Jesus under the NEW covenant."
My response: You agree Zec. 14 refers to a future event.
Zec. 14:18 is a FUTURE GLOBAL celebration of Sukkot.
Sukkot entails MANY sacrifices (Nu. 29:12-40).
The New Covenant has already been inaugurated (Lk. 22).
Christians will exist on the planet in the future.
THEREFORE, future global celebration of the animal-sacrifice-laden feast of Sukkot will be globally required (no exceptions given for future Christians!)
Again, I have given you reason to see that Christians will participate in animal sacrificial activity in the future.
Even YOU agree that Zec. 14 is yet future.
Remember: NOTHING in Zec. 14 states that Christians are exempt from the global requirement of this future sacrificial activity. And, since Christians are accepted as fellow Israelites, Christians in Israel will be participating in this future sacrificial activity, as guaranteed by the prophet Zechariah.
You wrote: "So with the context in mind that we are talking about John the Baptist and Jesus let's move forward."
My response: Yes, Mal. 3:1-4 refers to activities of John the Baptist and Jesus.
Regarding Mal. 3:2-4, you wrote: "What is the scripture here talking about? These scriptures are talking about the life of Christ at the first coming and to his Sacrifice for sin. He as the sinless lamb of God offered His RIGHTEOUSNESS for our SINS so we can be made right with God putting an end to the temple and sacrificial offerings for SINS. What offerings are we talking about the offerings of RIGHTEOUSNESS under the NEW Covenant of God's LAW written on the heart of the believer to LOVE."
My response: Yikes! I'd say you've got a fair bit of eisegesis going on here.
Mal. 3:2-4 states NOTHING about "putting an end to the temple and sacrificial offerings".
You TRULY just made that up!
Please read AGAIN:
3, And he (Jesus) shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.
4, Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years
Now then! The restored offering is a LEVITICAL offering (not an offering made by Jesus or by all Christians in general) which is performed by the SONS OF LEVI (Mal. 3:3), not by Jesus or by all Christians in general.
And what kind of offerings to SONS OF LEVI perform? Animal-Sacrificial offerings! AS IN THE DAYS OF OLD (Mal. 3:4).
So then, Jesus will restore LEVITICIAL animal-sacrificial activity AS IN THE DAYS OF OLD (Mal. 3:4).
Did the Levitical activity "in the days of old" include animal sacrifices? Of course!
So then, Jesus will restore Levitical animal sacrificial activity AS IN THE DAYS OF OLD (Mal. 3:4).
NOTHING in Mal. 3:4 says that Christians in the New Covenant era will not participate in such activity.
And, since Christians will exist in the future (when Jesus restores this Levitical sacrificial activity), it follows that Christians shall be expected to participate in that activity, in accordance with these Torah portions restored by Jesus.
Hope to hear from you....
blessings...
PS Let's love God forever (Mt. 22:37 quoting Dt. 6). And HOW does Dt. 6 say we should love God? By obeying ALL Torah (Dt. 6:25), which of course, entails obedience to animal sacrificial laws when properly performed, just as Jesus taught us.