Between the Old Testament and the New Testament in the Bible is a 400 year period called the “Intertestamental Period” or the “400 Silent Years”.

The was the time between Malachi – the final author in the Old Testament – and the ministry of John the Baptist around AD 27.

John the Baptist was an Israelite who popped on the ministry scene in Judea in the first century.

When John the Baptist began his ministry as a prophet of God, he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea.

Judea was a province of Rome in the first century, and John the Baptist was calling his fellow Israelites in the Judea area to repentance.

“Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” was John’s cry.

Some of John’s fellow Israelites responded to the call to repentance, and John was water baptizing them in the Jordan River in Judea.

Water baptisms were called mikvahs in the Israelite religion and they were common rituals for various reasons to the Israelites – though John’s water baptism in the first century was ENTIRELY UNIQUE in the 1500 year history of the Israelite religion!

“Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

John – and ultimately Jesus – was starting something brand new!

In Matthew 3:3 we read, “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias [Isaiah], saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

So what’s this brand new thing that Jesus came to start?

Was it “Israel’s fulfillment and completion”?

Was it “Israel 2.0”?

Was it “Israel’s salvation only”?

Was it “Israel’s salvation plus others getting added in”?

No, it’s wasn’t any of these.

It’s Christianity!

For the 400 years between Malachi in the Old Testament and John the Baptist in the New Testament, the nation of Israel was descending further and further into sin, rebellion, blasphemy, hypocrisy, darkness, and so much more.

Jesus as God in the flesh in the person of Jesus showed up “in the fullness of time”!

The apostle Paul says in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

Israel’s condemnation in the first century was just – God’s justice is perfect.

We read in Matthew 23:37-38, “37 [Jesus said] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”

The apostle John says in John 1:11-13, “11 He [Jesus] came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

And we read in Matthew 21:42-43, “42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”

The nation that was given the Kingdom of God is the Ekklesia – the Church, Bride, Wife, Body, and Household of God.

Ekklesia means “called out ones” – and Paul used this Greek political term to describe the Church as “the called-out-from-the-world ones who take part in God’s governmental structure that’s made up of every member of the Church”.

This definition has nothing to do with buildings, sanctuaries, altars, podiums, pastors, clergy, laity, money, property, or anything else that has to do with a modern understanding of “going to church”.

The definition of the Ekklesia – the genuine Church – is the Holy Nation, the Royal Priesthood, and the Peculiar People that Jesus paid the price IN FULL for on the cross with his biological blood and body one and only sacrifice.

The Church is not Israel and Israel is not the Church.

The Church is not Israel 2.0 or Israel restored, resurrected, reborn, renewed, or reconstituted.

Jesus’ strict condemnation of Israel in the first century did not include, “Oh, don’t worry guys, you’ll be fine in about 2000 years!”

Israel blew it in the first century – they killed their own messiah.

And God the Father gave his Kingdom to another nation – the Ekklesia – the Church.

Jesus was never meant to be the messiah for Israel only.

The Adamic death problem out from the Fall in the garden that was in Eden has far reaching application – all human beings – including today.

Genesis 3:15, “And I [God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman [Eve], and between thy seed and her seed; it [her seed, Jesus] shall bruise thy [Satan’s] head, and thou [Satan] shalt bruise his [Jesus] heel.”

At the end of the day, year, century, millennium, and one’s physical life here in the world that we all know right now…

…there’s only two types of seeds that really matter!

The seed of the Serpent – that ancient Devil – Satan himself.

And the seed of God – those born of God – born again – born from above.

To be sovereignly baptized with the Holy Spirit by God is to be born of the Incorruptible Seed of God – God the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

The Greek word for seed is sperma (sperm).

We’re not talking physical seed (sperm) here – we’re way beyond that!

Briefly getting back to John 1:11-13, “11 He [Jesus] came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Pay particular attention to verse 13!

It very clearly says, “Which were born of God and NOT of blood – and NOT of the will of the flesh – and NOT of the will of man!”

This is about a spiritual birth and NOT one’s genealogical, biological, or physical birth out from literal sperm – which we all equally have obviously.

One’s birth into God’s family is simply never about genealogy, biological descent, and physical ancestry.

To read the New Testament and look past this obvious spiritual birth for all who belong to God and who are made to be part of his family is total foolishness!

One must be born of the Incorruptible Seed of God – God the Holy Spirit – by being sovereignly baptized with the Holy Spirit by God!

1 John 3:9-10, “9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

You must be born again!

John 3:1-8, “1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”