Israel's spiritual state at Jesus' time on earth

We can not talk about the spiritual state of Israel in the time of Jesus on earth, without mentioning the law of God given to Moses to guide the Israelites in righteousness.

What is the law of God? The law of God is composed of several laws, including the moral law (the ten commandments Exodus 20), the sacrificial laws (everything concerning worship in the house of the Lord), and civil laws (everything concerning the Social, legal, marriage etc) that we find in the book of Leviticus.

The Lord God chosen and anointed one tribe among the Israelites, the tribe of Levi, to consecrate him to His service in order to lead the people according to the laws established by Him.

The LORD said to Moses: And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. Exodus 29v4-9

Here we see that there is a tribe empowered to exercise the priesthood; this is why , the book of Leviticus bears the name of this tribe, no person outside that tribe had the right to exercise this priesthood.
There was also the kingship which was of the tribe of Judah; no other tribe had the right to be established as king in the kingdom of Judah. All this was the law of the Eternal God over the twelve tribes of Israel. During the roman oppression, all these laws were overthrown, anyone could do everything, kings were established by the Romans and even the priests, kings were not Israelites, there was a real disorder in Israel at that time. The descendants of Aaron's race were the Sadducees (those of Sadok) who were legitimate according to the LORD, and there was also another group of people from the people who were not of the descendants of Aaron who had created Their sect called "the Pharisees", they opposed the order of God and became religious leaders, who had their own interpretation of the scriptures, had founded their religion on human traditions and turned away from the laws of the Eternal, they were so popular, that the people followed them rather than follow the teachings of Moses. Israel thus turned away from God.

Throughout the history of the Israelites, whenever the people went astray, God sent prophets to bring them back on the right path, but these prophets were murdered by those religious who had created their own doctrine, Is why they did not recognize Jesus Christ as the King of the Jews, God came in the flesh to bring His people back. How could they recognize Jesus if they were not based on the scriptures of the Bible? For the coming of Jesus and His crucifixion were prophesied by Moses and by almost all the prophets. And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Luke 24v44

"Pharisaism" was an illegal religion according to the law of the Eternal God of Israel, for He did not establish the Pharisees over the Israelites, that is why Israel was plunged in darkness spiritually. When we read Matthew 23, we can see that Jesus cursed the Pharisees because He said, "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees", He never made mention of the sadducees, although some sadducees hated Him. The Pharisees made many proselytes and led them into their new religion, turning them away from the truth established by God, which is why the Lord called them "blind leaders" and said: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matt 23v15

The whole chapter of Matthew 23 presents us with this sect and its misdeeds on society at that time.

The Apostle Paul was also part of this sect, but made the right choice by converting to Christ, as many of the pharisees and sadducees did, but unfortunately a great majority has become hardened.
Paul says: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Phil 3v5-7

The fall of man was the cause of disobedience, when God gives an ordinance and man decides to pass his own convictions before, this inevitably provokes the wrath of God.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Ps 111v10

God bless you! Hawa Esther Maiga