Matthew 5:17
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but (what?) to fulfill."
Isn’t that exactly what Paul just said in Romans? Why did He come? To fulfill the promises made to the fathers. Now, back in Exodus, what did God promise that the Jewish people could be individually? Priests and an holy nation of God (Exodus 19:6). Every Hebrew was to become a ‘go-between.’ Well, between God and who? The Gentiles. Those pagans out there around them. Now it wasn’t going to be tomorrow or next month. But in some fashion, after hundreds of years, Israel was going to have that opportunity and responsibility to announce their Messiah and King as Redeemer of the Gentile world.
Alright then you come all the way up, based of course, on that Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12. Isaiah writes so plainly that the Nation of Israel is to be a light to the Gentiles and then Daniel introduces us to the whole concept of an earthly kingdom over which the stone, cut out without hands, which of course, is always a reference to Christ, would take over and rule the whole planet.
Zechariah tells us as plain as day, that when He would return and stand on the Mt. of Olives, He would set up a kingdom. He would rule from Jerusalem and He would be King over all the earth.
So, those were all promises to the spiritual Hebrew at least, probably not all of them, but the spiritual part of Israel would understood, though few in number, that this was what was in their future. That God Himself in the person of the Messiah, the Son of God (the God-child, Immanuel), would be coming and establishing an earthly kingdom with His capital in Jerusalem and Israel would enjoy all those promises of Deuteronomy 27 and 28. And what are those promises? Oh, you’ll not be the tail; you’ll be the head! You’ll be blessed when you go out; you’ll be blessed when you come in.
Those are the promises that Israel was longing for. And oh, they’re looking for them even today. Maybe not in the right quarters, but in their heart. Now those of you who read anything at all of the Hebrew people. In the heart of every Hebrew, for centuries, has been that longing statement ‘next year’ what? Yeah, you got it. ‘Next year Jerusalem.’ Sounds like farmers. You know farmers are always waiting for the next year. But, that was the heart of the Hebrew. ‘Next year Jerusalem.’ Next year peace! Jerusalem. The Prince of Peace ruling and reigning.
Alright, those were the promises that Christ came to the Nation of Israel to fulfill or to bring to completion. And that’s what he’s talking about. He’s not talking about the Cross here. He’s talking about fulfilling those Old Testament promises. But He wasn’t coming to destroy the Law. He wasn’t coming to destroy the prophets. He came to fulfill (complete) everything that they’d been writing about. See? ‘To confirm the promises, to complete them, to bring them to their just end.’ To cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfillment (to make complete).
Now, turn with us ahead a couple of pages to chapter 9, still here in Matthew and just drop in at verse 35. Now don’t lose sight of what we're trying to show here. We’re looking at the "words of the beginning of Christ"His earthly ministry. What was He telling those Jewish people? That those people that Paul is addressing now in this Epistle of Hebrews had evidently embraced, they had become followers and believers of Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. In fulfillment of scripture. Also don’t forget your time setting. The Epistle of Hebrews is being written at a time when most of those people to whom Paul is writing were certainly adults during Christ’s earthly ministry, even as Paul himself was. So he’s talking about people who had probably become believers during Christ’s earthly ministry. And now the whole idea of this Epistle of Hebrews is ‘move on or moving on.’
You know when we first started the book way back in chapter 1, remember we reminded you that throughout this Epistle of Hebrews it says "that was good, but this is better." Sure. And what is that? That’s a progression. Moving out of that which is good and going on to something Better. But now we’re still back here at the beginnings of the words of Christ.
Matthew chapter 9:35a
"And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching (now if you haven’t underlined it before, underline it now) the gospel of the kingdom,…"
Now what does that word Gospel always mean? Good news! He was announcing the good news of the kingdom.
What did that mean? Hey, He’s the King! He’s here! On the earth! Ready to fulfill the promises. So He’s preaching the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Now along with that Gospel of the Kingdom of course, we have, read on.
Matthew 9:35b
"…and healing every sickness and every disease among the people."
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