Posted on 11/20/2019 5:50:09 PM PST by grumpa
Do you merely ASSUME that you know what is meant by biblical “last days?” Are you willing to see what the Bible actually teaches? This study is an exegesis on what the biblical writers were conveying about the so-called “last days” or “end times.”
There are two views among Christians. The first view is that the end times are about the end of the physical world—that is, the end of history. This first view is called “futurism.” The second view is that the end times are about the end of the Old Covenant Age. This view is called “preterism.”
In this article we will look extensively at what the New Testament teaches about the last days. We will also consider important Old Testament passages as well. We want to find consistency among the biblical writers. To begin, first consider this statement by Jesus in Luke 21:22:
“These are the days of VENGEANCE to fulfill all that is written.”
What did Jesus mean by this statement? The context is the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple (Luke 21:5-9; 20-24). To fully understand it, we need to go all the way back to Deuteronomy 28-32. In this passage, Moses predicted that there would come a time in Israel’s covenantal history (Deuteronomy 29:1; 31:16; 32:5) when she would become so unfaithful that God would take VENGEANCE on her (Deuteronomy 32:35, 41, 43). Indeed, God would and destroy her (Deuteronomy 28:9, 20, 24, 33, 45, 48, 61, 64; 32:23, 26)!
This would happen in the LATTER DAYS/LATTER END (Deuteronomy 31:29; 32:20, 29)—in a “crooked, twisted, and perverse” generation (Deuteronomy 32:5; 20). Jesus and the New Testament writers declared that the prophesied generation had arrived (Matthew 12:38-39; 17:17; Luke 9:41; 11:29; Acts 2:40; Romans 10:19; Philippians 2:13-15). Indeed, Jesus told the first-century Jewish leaders that judgment for all the righteous blood ever shed on earth would befall THEM for their wickedness (Matthew 23:35-36)! Compare to the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-45).
The Old Covenant order ended in finality in AD 70 with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. At that time, the Jewish priesthood ended, the genealogical records were destroyed, and the temple sacrifices ended forever. Over a million Jews were killed by the Romans. Could this have been the last days of which the Bible speaks?
The Deuteronomy prophecy by Moses was known to the subsequent Old Testament writers (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Micah, Malachi, etc.). Their own prophetic utterances in turn often echo the “latter days” prophecy of Moses. In this study, we will focus on the New Testament end-times passages (below), but we’ll begin with Daniel’s mention of the “time of the end,” which would be when “the power of the holy people would shattered” and the “burnt offering would come to an end”— a clear prophecy about AD 70. Jesus warned his followers that when THEY would experience the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 12:11).
As you study the last days/end times passages below, consider some additional ones specifically about the duration of the earth: Psalm 78:69; 104:5; 148:3-6; Ecclesiastes 1:4; Ephesians 3:21. These passages suggest that biblical writers did not foresee an end to the physical creation. If the Bible is consistent, it seems probable that the last days were about the end of the Old Covenant, rather than the end of the physical world. See if you agree with me that the New Testament writers spoke with one voice that THEY were living in the so-called “end times/last days” (without any hint that such times would extend beyond the first century).
• Daniel 12:6, 7, 9, 11, 13 (ref. Mt. 24:15-16, 34; Lk. 21:5-9; 20-24, 32)
• Matthew 13:38-42; 24:2-3, 14 (compare KJV with other translations; also compare “whole world” with Lk. 2:1; Rom. 1:8; 10:18; 16:25-27; Col. 1:6, 23). Didn’t Paul say that the “Great Commission had been fulfilled by the time he was writing?
• Acts 2:14-20 (ref. Joel 2:28-32; Acts 3:24)
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; 10:11
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5
• Hebrews 1:2 (ref. Heb. 8:13)
• Hebrews 9:26
• James 5:1-6
• 1 Peter 1:5-7; 1:13 (“you”); 1:20
• 1 Peter 4:7 (ref. 1 Pet. 4:17)
• 2 Peter 3:2-4 (ref. Peter’s words above; Jude 17-23)
• 1 John 2:17-18
www.ProphecyQuestions.com
I am of the opinion that the end times are coming but the prophecies in the Bible must be fullfilled. As of now, there is one very obvious prophecy that has not been fullfilled. The “Burden of Damascus” as detailed in Isaiah 17 is a clear and measureable prophecy.
I personally use this as a canary in the coal mine type of prophecy. Until that one is fullfilled, I am more worried about my own “end time”.
What if the end of the world came before a person finished that study?
Eek! It’s Meek! More preterist poop.
There are also Jesus’ prophecies about the last days being “as the days of Noah were” (Matthew 24:37-39, Luke 17:26; Luke 17:28 adds the days of Lot to the prophecy).
I do not believe that these are the same. The "last days" are the time under the New Covenant. What it means is that there will not be another covenant until the "end time".
Perhaps it is better to say "the last chance days".
One of the many fallacies of Preterists who claim these Prophecies have happened is they never consider the technology of the Book of Revelation:
Revelation 11:9
“And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.”
How could Mayans in the 1st Century CE gaze upon the bodies of the two Witnesses? Even better, who were the TWO WITNESSES?
Revelation 13:16-17
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
This has never happened nor has the technology ever been in place for such laws to be able to be enforced worldwide.
Charles Meek is playing with fire by spreading his smoke & mirrors false doctrines to a world that is gullible enough to believe him.
He’s a nutter, Jim.
During the destruction of Jerusalem, the Abomination of Desolation did not happen. The Revelation of John tells us the particulars of the event and the particulars were not fulfilled. If I am not mistaken, Paul also gave clues regarding the arrival of the antichrist man of sin, and those particulars have yet to be fulfilled.
Whether you believe (as stated in 2 Thess 2) 'apostasia' should be translated departure or rebellion, or falling away, it has yet to happen. The earliest translations from the Greek use the term departure. The Catholic Church changed the wording to rebellion, at a time when the Protestant Revolution was rising. The Protestant translations used the term falling away instead.
The source for Preterism should be easy to discern, since it promotes looking for the revealing of antichrist, not arrival to rescue the One True Fkklesia / church of All beliebers since the Day of Pentecost preachign by Peter.
I need to refresh
My self with That,
Thanks!
I am not familiar with this false teacxher, but the following start was so off the mark I would not trust any other assertion he makes: “There are two views among Christians. The first view is that the end times are about the end of the physical world ...” That is so inaccurate that it borders on willful lying!
bmk
Isaiah 17:1. may, indeed, prophesy that Damascus will be destroyed in the years ahead of us. However, it needs to be remembered that Isaiah’s prophecy was given in the 8th or 7th century BC, and Damascus has been attacked, destroyed and rebuilt over the millennia (as has Jerusalem and other Mideastern cities) does not include a “latter day” prophetic time context within that verse, but Isaiah 17:4’’s expression of “in that day” can be a reference to the “Day of the Lord,” a clear end-time context. On the other hand, the ancient kingdom of Israel, with its capital at Samaria, fell during Isaiah’s lifetime and Isaiah 17:3 seems to reference that ancient fall (arguing for an ancient context for Isaiah 17:1-3 and a possible end-time context beginning in verse 4).
I think the bible makes more sense if we think of the end times as everything that happens after Jesus died. We have been in the end times since then.
Since that fateful Day of Pentecost, when Peter preach and the Holy Spirit came into the spirits of more than three thousand believers, Humanity has been in the Age of Grace, The Grace of God in Christ where probably billions have had GOD cleanse their spirit and put HIS Holy Spirit seal upon that spirit bringing that spirit alive for eternity. the true End Times are the end of the Age of God’s Grace and the beginning of Jacob’s troubles (the Tribulation).
Then they asked (indicating they were focused upon the end of the Temple epoch, thinking erroneously that the end of the Temple would be the real and full end of the Age. But the Kingdom Age had been offered and rejected, thus postponed, so Jesus speaks of the Age about to open up and go until it too ends when God focuses once again on Israel, to put an end to sin in Israel): 3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Here again we have the clue of His coming, which the disciples took to mean the end of pagan power and the beginning of the Kingdom Age. They were ignorant of the actual Age which would open with the Preaching on the Day of Pentecost.
Notice when you read the passage from verse 4 to 14 that Jesus tells them 'but the end has not yet come'.
Then Jesus gives the biggest clue. He had proclaimed the Kingdom to the Jews, Jewish leaders who subsequently murdered Him. The great clue that shows the Age of Grace ended and a new age about to begin is 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.". That aligns with what The Spirit showed John in the Revelation. The key to understanding the passage on the Mount of Olives is to see the time periods Jesus refers to and to whom He is speaking, the end as referenced to their people.
Teaching on the Tribulation period, the time of Jacob's Trouble: 10And then many will fall awaya and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved [ referring to the JEWSIH people alive in the distant end who endure, not the Ekklesia members). 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.[The gospel will be preached during the time of Jacob's trouble by JEWS who will know the day the final end of Tribulations since they will have the timeline from the signing of the pact or treaty with the antichrist as the beginning of God putting an end to sin in Israel, to the moment Jesus arrives to set foot on the Mount of Olives, revealed in Daniel and more openly in the Revelation. Go to verse 29]
The bluefly in the Preterist soup is the return of Jesus to launch the Kingdom Age, following the tribulation which causes the Jews to suddenly see their Messiah arriving. Jesus did not establish the Kingdom in 70AD and the Kingdom Age is a thousand years, not 2000.
Need to hit the hay, my mental spellcheck is slipping ‘conserning’ (concerning) the topic.
Based on my study/reading, seems like Matthew and Mark correlate with the Olivet Discourse, and Luke seems to talk about a different time-frame (like during the time right after Jesus’ Ascension).
You may have suggested that up-thread.
And as you mentioned before, it is mentioned by Josephus I believe (or maybe Irenaeus) that not one Christian died it the siege of Jerusalem 69-70 AD. They all fled.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people (the wrath of the destruction and razing of the Temple, vengeance upon THE JEWS who refused the Grace of Messiah for establishing The Kingdom). 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.[The times of the gentiles occurs DURING the Age of the Ekklesia, the One True Church where there is neither Jew not Gentile. During the Age of The Ekklesia Jerusalem will be occupied by non-Jews ruling over that city. At the close of the First World War, the Turks occupied Jerusalem. When Allenby, the British Commander of the siege army flew over the city in a bi-plane, the Turks took that as a sign that God was about to cleanse the city so they evacuated the city. But the British coming into the city continued the 'times of the gentiles. In the late 1940s the Times of the gentiles ended for Jerusalem.. Then a nation was born in a day! Just as prophesied with a question 'Can a nation be born in a day?']
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