The supernatural New Birth (born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, born again) could not become a universal reality until the Holy Spirit was *poured out* upon the earth on the Day of Pentecost (AD 30), and the Holy Spirit could not be poured out until the Lord Jesus Christ had finished His mighty work of redemption and ascended to Heaven (AD 30).
Pentecost was fifty days after Passover, and both these feasts were fulfilled at that time. Those who repented and believed would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which would be the same as being *baptized with* the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). This would be followed by Christian baptism (in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Mt 28:19).
Christ s shed blood was *the blood of the New Covenant* (or New Testament) since without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Therefore when Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, this is what He said in anticipation of His death on the cross: And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the New Testament (New Covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Mt 26:27,28) While the blood of Christ (the Lamb of God) was shed for all, the *many* would be those who obeyed the Gospel, and therefore had that blood applied to their souls.
The day Christ died, the New Covenant went into effect. Which means that the Old Covenant became obsolete.
What did the Old Covenant demand in order for the sins of the Israelites and Israel to be *covered* ?
1. The tabernacle (followed by the temple at Jerusalem)
2. The Levitical priesthood
3. The sacrifices of *clean* animals as stipulated by God.
Those sacrifices included (a) whole burnt offerings, (b) meal offerings (called *meat* offerings in the KJV), (c) peace offerings, (d) sin offerings, and (e) trespass offerings. Then there would be many other offerings and sacrifices, including that of the Passover lamb, and all the animals offered on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
But the day Christ suffered, and bled, and died, He made JUST ONE PERFECT OFFERING which replaced all of the above offerings! And the reason for one offering being more than sufficient is that Jesus was GOD who became sinless Man, in order to become the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world. That day when Christ died became the final Day of Atonement (*the Time of Reformation*), therefore the veil in the temple (dividing the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place) was supernaturally torn in two from top to bottom.
Now all of this is fully explained in Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, but Christians need to get a grasp of these tremendous truths. And here is the summary from Hebrews 9:
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament (New Covenant), that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
