God’s Old Covenant with Israel was characterized by its association with the physical world. In the Old Covenant, Israel had a physical kingdom in which they offered physical tithes by means of physical sacrifices. They observed the physical Sabbath days and numerous feast days. They also had various ceremonial washings with physical water.

During the period of the gospels, many physical miracles were done by the Lord Jesus and the disciples, while Christ was being presented as Israel’s Messiah. During the Acts period, while the New Covenant Kingdom was being offered to Israel, there were many physical miracles, wonders, and signs that God gave to demonstrate the validity of the offer.

When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will again have a physical kingdom. The Bible says that the entire nation of Israel will serve as a nation of priests who will receive the tithes and administer the various physical ceremonies. They will also serve as judges for the nations of the world. These things will all be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

However, our present dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have spiritual baptism into the Body of Christ. We enjoy the spiritual sabbath, or rest, that we find in the Lord Jesus. We are spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom. We enjoy spiritual miracles of the heart such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering and all of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul said that believers today are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. It pleased the Father that all the fulness of God should dwell in Christ, and we find our fulness or completeness in Him.

Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)

The physical realm is but an empty shell without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. Physical water baptism was but a shadow or picture of the believer’s spiritual immersion into Christ. Physical circumcision was merely a picture of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death and the cutting away of the lusts of the flesh. Paul said that these shadows have no substance and that we should focus on the spiritual fulness that is ours in Christ.

Col 2:17-19
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. (NKJ)

This physical world has only a secondary significance for believers today because we are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20), and we should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/