To quickly perceive the gradual collapse of the Jewish Dispensation a review here lists its decline to the first century as noted ahead. The scene sets up the troubled times Christ was born into in the first century.
The Lord predicts the Israelites will fall away from the Lords commandments and turn to other gods, Deuteronomy 31:16-20.
Fifteen hundred years ago at this time Moses was in charge of the start of the Jewish Dispensation, Israel consisted of twelve tribes.
Fast forwarding to King Solomon we find that later in life King Solomon worshiped other gods and did not keep Gods covenant and statutes, God told him that He would split the kingdom into two nations after his death, 1 Kings 11:9-13.
Israel was split into two houses, House of Israel and House of Judah This occurred about 960 BCE at the beginning of the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam: 1 KINGS 12:17-26
Eventually the House of Israel, the ten tribes was taken captive by Assyria and never herd from again. This occurred around 722 BC. Ancient Assyria was known for their fierce warriors.
Babylon held the captured disobedient House of Judah two tribes, for 70 years, In 539 BC Cyrus King of Persia conquered Babylon and released the captive Jews, but only a remnant came back to Israel around 331 B.C Israel became under the control of Alexander the Great, which lasted to 63 B.C. when it was conquered by the Roman Empire.
Rome installed their own governors to run this possession and around 41 BC the Roman Senate appointed Herod to run Israel as a king, known as Herod the Great, but he ruled over Israel as a tyrant.
Herod as king of Israel initiated a massive rebuilding project, the aim of his was to rebuild the Israelis temple which was one of King Herod’s greatest achievement, a magnificent place of worship, it was a restoration to restore the splendor of Solomon’s Temple.
Appointed King of Israel by the Roman Senate. He was known as Herod the Great and ruled for about 37 years, he died at Jericho about 4 B.C. With his secret police they were directed to keep under surveillance the general population and report any of their belief towards him. His aim was to prohibit protests and if any resistance they’d be taken away by force.
He had a bodyguard of 2,000 soldiers according to sources and executed several members of his own family including his second wife Mariamne I. He banish his first wife, Doris and a three-year-old son. James brother of Jesus and writer of the epistle of James was ordered to be put to the sword.
The Jews under the control of the Romans had many imposing rules on them, building up their resentment until the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and shortly after they were completely driven out of Israel ending the stilled believed Jewish Dispensation.
But we wont engage in that time period here, the Jews completely driven out of Israel, instead we’ll cover some of the life of Jesus Christ in this short summary.
At the time of Christs birth an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying:
- 13 “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
- 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
- 15 And was there until the death of Herod” from Matthew 2:13-15 (KJV)
As a young boy Jesus grew and taught in the temple and when an adult he gathered his 12 disciples together to assist in the spreading of the gospel.
- 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
- 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
- 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. Matthew 4:13-15 (KJV)
The Israeli priests vengeful of the Lord Jesus, of his teachings and work sought to have him put to death and in the place called Gethsemane, when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
After being brought before Pontius Pilate the governor made a decision to let the Jews decide the state of Christs accusation, they were given the choice of releasing Barabbas or Christ, they chose Barabbas, as for Christ they said Let him be crucified.
After the crucifixion of Christ he arose of which he had predicted, “After three days I will rise again”, Matthew 27:63
Jesus went to the city and appeared to many and at different times for forty days, after which he arose and was taken up into heaven.
- 9 he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Acts 1:3, 9.
Now that a short summery has been laid down on events leading up to the birth of the New Testament church Part 2 will go into the details of the start and growth of the true and only one New Testament church.
For a much more detailed description of the above summary, the 27 books of the New Testament comes into play.
The Gospels, Matthew Mark Luke and John each give an account of Christs miraculous birth. Each vary some on his birth, life, crucifixion, arises and ascends to heaven. Acts is the account of the beginning of the church its growth and spread. The Epistles are letters sent to the various churches at the time. The book of Revelation is a highly figurative symbolic account, but was written for a purpose.