(Mat 23:35-36) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. {36} Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
(Rev 18:24) And in her (Babylon/ Jerusalem) was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth [land].
Something very important was accomplished by the recompense that Israel bore from her own blood. It avenged the blood they had spilled thruout their history. There is no other blood upon Israel today for which she must pay again (individuals without Christ will die in their own sins) – but in that generation, her blood paid for all the blood spilled in the land of Israel from the transgression of wicked men. This is a different aspect of the atonement than Jesus provided with His blood. His blood pays for sin and brings salvation to reconcile us to God. But Israel paid the price of vengeance – because there is no mercy from God which is not also accompanied by justice.
The day of salvation – the day of atonement, had both a saving aspect and a judgment aspect to it. Jesus paid the price to save us (and the whole world) from the penalty due our sins so mercy could be given to us, and Israel paid the price that justice requires upon the nation who had been called of God to serve Him but used His gifts to serve idols instead. There is a lesson here for the hypocrite today.
(Isa 61:1-3) The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; {2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD , and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; {3} To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Right after His baptism, Jesus read from this passage but stopped at the comma. This passage was used for the announcement of the year of Jubilee and also was pronounced for the inauguration of a new king as he ascended to the throne. For it was in that first year during which he was tested that the people would know if he was the man God had appointed or not. If you recall, Saul failed this test and God took away his kingdom – and his life, though he served 40 years. It is also a pattern found in Exodus when Israel was delivered but then went thru a time of 40 years of testing – which they failed because of unbelief.
Luke finishes the passage for us:
(Luke 21:22-23) For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. {23} But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Thus the Day of the Lord began with Jesus’ baptism and 40 years later after a time of testing in which the apostles testified to Jesus’ rule from heaven, and also during which Israel was tested to bring their trangression to its fullness so they could be judged – and also a time of testing for the elect to bring them to salvation, and then the judgment fell. Bringing the remainder of the prophecies given to Israel to their fulness so that the old covenant which had been nailed to the cross could now pass away. And the temple came down to show the world who it was that God had approved. Apostate Israel looked like they were working the judgment of God upon the saints, but this proved not to be the truth of the matter in the end.
And not only were the words of Jesus vindicated but so were the saints upon whom the glory of God rested. And righteousness was given to the saints as a permanent possession.
(Dan 9:24) Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
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