Author: nrfaught

I have spent 5 years in mission work in the West Indies and South America. I have preached mainly part time for 40 years, much of that time while working with a full time job in Christian education. I am currently at Madison Academy in Huntsville, Alabama and serving as a shepherd at the Monrovia Church of Christ. God has blessed me with a wife and 3 grown children (and their families) who are much more loving than I am!

GIDEON AND ABIMELECH JUDGES 6-9

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God had commanded the Israelites to completely wipe out the many Canannite kingdoms in the Promised Land. They did not finish the job and left many of the kingdoms intack. God said that he would let those Canaanite kingdoms become a snare to punish Israel and oppress them. The people would start to intermingle with the Canaanites and worship their gods. A kingdom like the Midianites or Philistines would oppress them and make life miserable for them. Under oppression, they would cry out to God for help. He would feel sorry for them and raise up a judge to deliver them. The land would have rest for several years after that until the people again began to worship the gods of the Canaanites, and God would send another Canaanite nation to oppress them. They would cry out… and the cycle would repeat itself.

Here is a great chart showing this cycle repeated throughout the period of the Judges (about 200 years).

The first. 4 were Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and Deborah (Barak working under Deborah). The land had rest for 40 years after Deborah, but then the Midianites oppressed the people after they sinned again. Judges 3-6 tells the story of the 5th judge, Gideon.

Here is a great chart giving the main events in Gideon’s life.

Without going into detail on each of the major events in his life, I want to focus on “Gideon, the reluctant, doubting judge”. The people do evil, the Midianites oppress them for 7 years, taking or destroying their crops, taking or killing their animals, laying their land “waste”. The people cry out to God. God feels sorry for them and sends an angel to appoint Gideon as the next judge to deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon is beating out his wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. He started off doubting God, saying that he had not seen God doing any miracles lately and questioning why God had forsaken them. He tried to use the excuse, “who am I that I should be a judge, I am the least in my clan”. He then asked for a sign, brought an offering, and the angel of the Lord burnt up the offering on a stone in front of Gideon. The angel vanished, and Gideon was afraid that he would be killed b/c he perceived that he had just seen the angel of the Lord. God told him he would not die. Gideon built an altar and named it “The Lord is Peace” (YHWH shalom: Peace, completeness, welfare, well-being, safety, prosperity). Surely that is all the proof that Gideon would need, right? Nope.

He was told to tear down his father’s altar of Baal and Asherah and to build an altar to God and offer a burnt offering to God on the new altar. He did so, but he did it an night b/c he was afraid of his family and the men of the town. The men of the town came the next day, found out it was Gideon who tore down the altar to Baal, and told Gideon’s father, Joash, to bring him out to die. Joash at least defended his son and challenged them, “If Baal is god, is he not able to defend himself”?

A large army of Midianites, Amalekites (Saul was supposed to wipe out the Amalekites but apparently didn’t, 1 Samuel 15), and others crossed the Jordan to attack Israel. The Spirit of the Lord comes on Gideon (supernatural strength and wisdom?) and he gathered an army of 32,000 men. So he is ready to deliver Israel now, right? Nope.

He asked God for the sign with the wet fleece and dry ground. So now his is ready, right? Nope. He then asked God to not be angry with him, but do dry fleece and wet ground, as if God can’t do it the other way around! I am shocked that God grants him this 2nd sign. You would think God is getting pretty angry with Gideon by now, but God is a patient God.

So he starts off with an army of 32,000 to fight against a Midianite army of 135,000. God tells him that he has too many men! Imagine how a fearful Gideon felt when God told him that. God told him to allow those who were fearful and trembling to go home, and 22,000 men leave. Gideon now has 10,000 men to fight 135,000 of the enemy. He then tells Gideon that he still has too many men. Gideon must be terrified by now. The men are tested by how they drink water, either bringing the water up in their hands to drink (so they can watch out for the enemy) or kneeling down on both knees with their face down drinking the water (not able to see the enemy). God told him to keep the first group (300) and send the rest home. God now has 300 men to fight 135,000 of the enemy. Gideon must be freaking out with fear!!!!!!

God is so patient with Gideon. He knows that his a so afraid, and a fearful leader will not be effective. Obviously Gideon is not totally convinced that God can win this battle with just 300 men. God tells him that if he is afraid, which he was, he should sneak into the Midianite/Amalekite camp with Purah where they heard a soldier telling of his dream in which the Midianites were defeated by “the sword of Gideon”, and Gideon’s fear was relieved and he worshipped God. That finally gave him the courage to attack Midian with his 300 men. Judges 7: 15And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.” 16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. Did the Spirit that was on Gideon devise this plan or did Gideon think of it on his own? They blew their trumpets, smashed their jars and cried out “a sword for the Lord and Gideon”. The enemy panicked and in their panic began killing each other. The fled the camp. Gideon called on other Israelites to chase them down and kill them.

The Ephraimites were angry b/c Gideon had not called on them to chase and kill the fleeing Midianites. Gideon told them he had reserved 3 of the Midianie princes for them to kill, and they were appeased. Gideon’s 300 men were exhausted as they chased the Midianites, and Gideon asked the men of Succoth for bread for his men, but they refused b/c the 2 commanders of the Midianites had not been captured and killed yet. To them, Gideon might not win this battle and the Midianites might attack Succoth for helping Gideon. The men of Penuel said the same thing. Gideon told them that he would punish them for this when he returned from killing Midianites. By now, 120,000 of the enemy were killed. The 2 commanders had 15,000 men left, and they were fleeing in panic. Gideon returned to Succoth and got the names of 77 of their leaders and tortured them with thorns and briars, and killed the men of Penuel. He then killed the 2 commanders. We assume that the last 15,000 Midianites were killed also.

What a great ending, right? Nope. The people wanted Gideon and his sons to rule over them (as a king? perhaps a sign that they would later ask Samuel to give them a king instead of judges), but Gideon declines, saying “The Lord will rule over you”. Being a ruler over this divided, sinful group of Israelites would not be easy for fun. Instead, he asked them to bring 1700 shekels of gold Midianite earrings taken as spoil, and he made an ephod and put it in his hometown. Maybe his intentions were good, but the people ended up worshipping the ephod (no surprise). The land had rest for 40 years with Gideon as judge.

Gideon had 70 sons and many wives. He had a son, Abimelech, by his concubine. He died at a good old age. After he died, the people turned to idolatry again and forgot all the good Gideon had done for them.

So, other than an interesting story about another judge, what do we come away with from the story of Gideon? My take is how God can patiently mold and assure someone whom he calls into leadership of his people. He can take a fearful, doubting man tolerate his constant doubting and even asking for signs, and use him to do HIs will. He gives him all he needs to assure him of victory and the Spirit to overcome his fears. He helps him find courage in spite of unbelievable odds. That’s my take from Gideon.

I can relate to Gideon. Perhaps you can also. I struggle with doubt about God. How can there be an eternal, an all powerful, all knowing, ever present God spirit that fills the universe, who created all things with amazing design and diversity out of nothing (I believe He did it in six 24 hour days, but even if he did it over a long period of time, the point is the same)? That’s almost unbelievable to me. The main reason I accept the idea of God is that there are no reasonable alternatives. Science says that you can’t get something from nothing (1st Law of Thermodynamics). If there ever was nothing, there would still be nothing. Science says that if matter was eternal, it would be constantly deteriorating and becoming disorderly (2nd Law of Thermodynamics). So even if matter was eternal by some random chance, it would have deteriorated into chaotic disorder instead of the order and design that we see. There is no way that random chance evolution could produce the 30+ physical constants (laws of math and physics) on earth essential for life to exist on earth, all from nothing. Add to that, there is the resurrection of Jesus. Acts 17:31 God gave proof by raising Jesus from the dead, the ultimate miracle. An open investigation of the historical accuracy of the resurrection will lead one to faith in Jesus and the God Yahweh who sent him. Sadly, I still have days when my doubts arise again. I might even die having doubts about eternal life. I hope not. I hope that God will give me the signs and assurance that He exists and that He is with me, just as He did with Gideon. I believe that He will. I really relate to the man who told Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief”. I don’t think we have to have 100% doubt free faith. Just the faith of a mustard seed. I hope I have that at least. I hear people say, “How can a Christian be afraid of dying”? Some of us are probably afraid of dying. Will death really just be a moment in time and immediately after that brief moment we wake up in eternity? I think so. I hope so. If you are a doubter, I hope the story of Gideon will help you.

I can relate to Gideon’s fearfulness. Over and over it mentions that he is afraid throughout the whole story. I struggle with fear and being afraid. I always blame it on my mother. My dad was not afraid of anything, but my mom was always worried about what bad things might happen. I could have a sore on my toe and she would tell me about somebody who died of a toe infection. She kept me away from snakes. She kept me away from dangerous situations, like high places, which made me acrophobic (fear of heights). That fear carried over into all my life. A fear of trying new things, of getting in trouble with the government, of being sued (I was a school principal for 12 years), a fear of travel (I made everyone who traveled with me miserable with my fears), etc. I always think of the “what if” something bad happens. I worry a lot. I almost had a nervous breakdown worrying about one incident in the past. Gideon was always afraid and I’m sure he worried and thought up all the “what ifs” that might go wrong. To his credit, he let God use him to defeat the Midianites against great odds. He overcame his fears enough to lead Israel into battle and victory. He gave God the glory for his victory. Not bragging at all, but thankfully I overcame my fears enough to go to a school of preaching after I got my engineering degree, spend 5 years in the mission fields of Trinidad, West Indies and Colombia, South America. I think God used my wife and I to train church leaders in Trinidad who are still, 50 years later, leading the churches there. I never wanted the stress of being a principal, but twice it seemed like God was calling me to be a principal (12 years total) and perhaps used me to advance Christian education. I still worry too much, but I am working on it. I look back at whatever I have accomplished for God and give Him the glory. I think He used me to do His work in spite of my fears. I pray that the Spirit of God will help me overcome my fears in the future as there are surely many bad things that will happen as my wife and I age (I will be 75 soon). God will help you find the courage to overcome your fears, just he did with Gideon.

But what about Abimelech, his son by a concubine Judges 9 tells his story. Here is a summary. Basically Abimelech was a usurper who killed 69 of the 70 sons of Gideon by his wives (only Jotham escaped) and coerced the men of Shechem to make him king. After 3 years the Shechemites rebelled against him and he captured Shechem, raised the city and sowed it with salt. He killed 1,000 Shechemites trapped in a tower by burning it down. Abimelech was killed when a woman dropped a millstone on his head while he was attacking a tower in Thebez.

I close this long blog with the “parable of the bramble” given by Jotham the only surviving son of Gideon. He told this parable to the leaders of Shechem when they make Abimelech king. I will always remember this parable b/c it was my mother’s favorite parable for some reason (I can’t imagine why). She was a great student of the word, both OT and NT, and she knew all the parables of Jesus, but Jotham’s parable was her favorite. Here is what he told the Shechemites. 7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ The meaning is easy to understand. The only reason they had chosen Abimelech to be their king was that no worthy person wanted the position. That kinda relates to the U.S. now, doesn’t it.

Without getting too political, fiscal and moral conservatives were forced into a touch decision in the recent presidential election. A lot of Christians did not want to vote Republican for various reasons. But then the Democratic left leadership supports abortion and LGBQT, which are in total violation of the word of God so most Christians would not vote Democratic. Many Christians ended up voting Republican. But the sad thing is that the main issues were cost of living, inflation, and immigration- not restoring the U.S. to its Judeo-Christian values. Currently, 63% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. according to a 2022 Gallup poll, 71% of Americans believe that gay and lesbian relations are morally acceptable, while 25% believe they are morally wrong. This is a significant increase from 2002, when only 38% of Americans held this view. Support for same-sex marriage has also increased dramatically over time. In 2022, 71% of Americans supported same-sex marriage in a Gallup poll, and 61% supported it in a Pew Research poll. According to recent Gallup polls, around 43-46% of Americans consider being transgender morally acceptable, while a slight majority (around 51-55%) view it as morally wrong. These are the issues that we should be voting on.

Maybe a majority of Americans did vote on those moral issues when they elected the Republicans who were more conservative. Mostly they voted on the economy in hopes that a new president can make things better financially, and I hope that he can. I just pray that God is working providentially to restore the U.S. to Christian morals based on the Bible no matter who is elected to the Presidency and Congress. 1 Tim 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. I’m afraid that most voted based on the economy. But what will get Americans to accepting God’s definition of what sin is? What will get this liberal majority to change their opinions? America has had a grass roots revival every 50 years or so to get us back to Bible morals. There was the 1st Great Awakening, the Great Prayer Revival, the 2nd Great Awakening. These revivals were possible and successful b/c the vast majority of Americans still believed that the Bible was the word of God. If the Bible said drunkenness was a sin, then to repent meant to stop drinking. But now, according to recent Gallup data, around 49% of Americans believe the Bible is “inspired by God, but not everything in it is to be taken literally,” while only 20% say it is the literal word of God, meaning the majority view the Bible as inspired but not necessarily completely literal. In other words, now the majority don’t believe that abortion and LGBQT are sinful even if the Bible appears to condemn it. They believe that the Bible is full of human opinions that are not binding on us today. The apostle Paul who condemned homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10) was just homophobic and his writings are not inspired by God, they are just his opinions. So according to the majority, we don’t have to follow Paul’s opinions and writings. How can we have a grass roots revival if that is the case? What will convince pro abortion and pro LGBQT to change their minds on those issues if they don’t believe that God even condemns them in His Word? Where are we headed- Sodom and Gomorrah? I hope not. This addendum is not about Republican or. Democrat or how you voted. Each person should vote based on his conscience and respect how others vote. This is about praying that God will do whatever it takes to humble us and get us back to our Judao-Christian values based on the inspired word of God (2 Tim 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Pray for our country. Remember the parable of the bramble.

Thanks for reading. Pray.

SAMSON

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One of the most interesting characters in the OT is Samson.

Here is a good summary of Samson’s life: from thequickviewbible.com

The chart does such a good job, and you can read Judges 13-16 for detials. Let’s focus on lessons we can learn from the life of Samson.

  1. Good parents can raise troublesome children.” (Taken from the slide below). Samson’s parents wanted to raise the child they were promised for the Lord. Judges 13:8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” Would that every parent asks God how to raise his/her children. 13:12 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child’s manner of life, and what is his mission?” As a parent do you envision the mission that God might be planning to use your child on when he/she grows up? They were told by the angel that their son was to take the Nazarite vow and never cut his hear or drink wine. They humbly accepted that and raised Samson to never break that vow. It seems as if his parents did everything right in raising their son to be godly, and yet he turned out to be “troublesome” as an adult. I can think of many parents who do all the right things to raise their children in the discipline of the Lord and yet one or more of their children turn out “bad”. I know Proverbs 22:6 promises “train up a child in the way he should go and he will never depart from it”, but that is a general rule and there are exceptions. Often a child raised properly will “sow his/her wild oats” but then return to a good foundation that was given them by their parents. Sometimes they never return. How can this happen? Sometimes parents take their children to church but never really spend quality time with their children. In Deut 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” That is quality time with a child, not just taking them to church and leaving their training to a youth minister. That’s passing your faith to a child on a day by day basis. He/she is constantly talking to his/her child about God. He/she reassures the child that God is with them to deal with problems. He is constantly giving godly wisdom to the child. Of course the parent must have a genuine faith before he/she can pass that faith on to his/her child. Timothy had a mother and grandmother with sincere faith that they passed on to Timothy. 2 Tim 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. They also taught him the OT Scriptures from childhood. 2 Tim 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Even if a parent does all this, sometimes a child’s peer pressure overcomes the parental training. Especially today with the influence of social media and peers at school. Pornography, sexting, bullying, you name it.

Look at these statistics. According to various sources, between 50% and 80% of Christian students lose their faith or stop attending church while in college: Southern Baptist ConventionData from the Southern Baptist Convention indicates that they are currently losing 70-88% of their youth after their freshman year in college.  Lifeway ResearchA 2017 Lifeway Research study found that 66% of young people who were raised in the church stopped attending church regularly between the ages of 18 and 22.  BarnaBarna estimates that 70% of high school students who enter college as professing Christians will leave with little to no faith. Barna also projects that 80% of those reared in the church will be “disengaged” by the time they are 29.  Now I don’t necessarily think that a child who quits going to church has lost his faith. Many churches today are “big businesses” that turn young people off. They see most of the money collected being spent on buildings and salaries instead of helping the poor, drilling wells for people to get clean water in foreign countries, printing Bibles to preach the gospel in major languages, etc. But churches still have man good things for worship, fellowship, Bible study, etc. and all Christians should be a part of some small group or big group. But children are often exposed to atheistic, evolutionary teaching in college that destroys their faith. Maybe parents did not ground them in Christian evidences like they should.

2. Choose a godly mate. Look at Solomon’s unwise choice of a wife. It all started with his desire to marry a Philistine woman (14:1Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” His parents tried to talk him out of it. He did what many young adults do: he married out of physical attraction regardless of the spirituality of the prospective mate. Who our children marry is a major concern of Christian parents. My wife prayed every night with each of our 3 children as they were growing up: God, help _______________ (their names) grow up to be a Christian and marry a Christian (before they knew what “marry” or “Christian” even meant). Thank you Father, all 3 married a godly mate who is helping them raise our 10 grandchildren in the Lord. Too often young adults confuse love with lust. David’s son Amnon wanted his half sister so bad that he tricked her to get her alone and then raped her. After he raped her, it says “his hate he had for her was greater than the love he had for her before he raped her”. He never had an agape love for her; he simply lusted for her. We have a major epidemic of lust and sexual immorality (fornication) among young people today. In America today, around 70% of people cohabit before marriage, and almost 90% have sex before they marry. Moreover, around 40% of kids are born to unmarried moms. Data from the 2002 survey indicate that by age 20, 77% of respondents had had sex, 75% had had premarital sex, and 12% had married. Even among those who abstained until at least age 20, 81% had had premarital sex by age 44. Bar hopping and “hooking up” (sex) with people they meet in the bars is common. The sanctity of marriage has been defiled. According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 40-50% of first marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate for second marriages is even higher, with approximately 60-67% of second marriages ending in divorce. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 

Samson insited on marrying the Philistine woman. This led to a marriage feast surrounded by pagan Philistine men. Samson for some reason challenged the 30 Philistine men at his bachelor party with a riddle (the lion and the honey). The men forced his fiance to get Samson to tell her the riddle (nagging him, “if you loved me you would tell me”) and she told the men the riddle and they won the bet. Samson went out and killed 30 Philistines to get the 30 garments to pay off the debt. In the meantime, his fiance’s father gave her to his best man as a wife (no doubt a Philistine man). I see movies where stuff like that happens! Apparently Samson was technically married to the woman after a 7 day wedding feast, so he goes to her house to have sex but her father won’t let him. So he tied the tails of 300 foxes with a torch between them and sent them to burn the Philistine fields. As revenge, the Philistines burned his wife and her father to death. He then killed more Philistines in revenge. Samson unwise choice of a wife led him into many bad things. Many young adults have made unwise choice of a mate that has led to divorce and miserable marriages that have led to many other sorrows and difficulties for their children.

3. Some people never learn from their mistakes. 16:1Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her. The Philistines surrounded the city but Samson arose at midnight, pulled up the doors and posts of the gate and escaped. If that wasn’t enough, he “loved” a Philistine woman named Delilah (apparently cohabited with her but did not marry her). What is this attraction with Philistine women? You know the story. The 5 Philistine lords paid her 1,100 pieces of silver each (5,500 total) to find out the source of Samson’s strength. This was worth thousands of dollars in our money. Jesus was betrayed for just 30 pieces of silver, so that tells you how badly the Phlistines hated Samson. She constantly nagged at him day after day and “his soul was vexed to death” (16:16). He told her 3 false ways to sap his strength until he finally gave him and told her that the source of his strength was his long hair. She then cut his hair while he slept. The Philistines came and captured him, put out his eyes, and put him grinding grain in a mil in the prison for several years. Much later, the Philistine lords had Samson brought to the temple where they were sacrificing to their god Dagon to mock and laugh at him. Unfortunately for them, they had forgotten to keep his hair cut while in. prison. He asked to be tied to the pillars. He asked God for one last chance to avenge himself against the Philistines and then he pushed the pillars apart bringing down the whole temple, killing 3,000 Philistines (more than he had killed in his whole life). He judged Israel 20 years before he died. Why did Samson not learn from his mistake of marrying the first Philistine woman? He follows that up with going to a Philistine prostitute and then shacking up with Philistine Delilah. Some people just never learn from their mistakes. They go from one bad relationship to another. They hang out with the wrong kind of people that leads to trouble and compromising of their morals. 1 Cor 15:33 Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals. I have been around so many teens who regret getting in a bad group of kids, leading them to do things they know are wrong due to peer pressure. But some never learn from those mistakes. Their desire for acceptance overpowers their good sense.

4. God can use even the worst people to do His will. To me, the most astonishing thing about the story of Samson is that God used him to kill Philistines, the enemies of Israel, in spite of his “womannizing” and vengeful anger. Hebrews 11 still put Samson in the “hall of faith” (Heb 11:32). While uncertain which of the accomplishments in 11:34 apply to which hero of faith in 11:32, “made strong out of weakness” probably refers to Samson. He was so weak sexually, mentally, spiritually, and yet the Spirit of God would “move him” often to be super strong and kill Philistines. Surely Samson made it to heaven since he was in the hall of faith! In spite of his weaknesses and sinful desires and lust. That gives hope to a lot of Christian men. These statistics are hard to believe.

The statistics for Christian men between 18 and 30 years old are particularly striking: 77 percent look at pornography at least monthly.

  • 36 percent view pornography on a daily basis
  • 32 percent admit being addicted to pornography (and another 12 percent think they may be).

The statistics for middle-aged Christian men (ages 31 to 49) are no less disturbing:

  • 77 percent looked at pornography while at work in the past three months.
  • 64 percent view pornography at least monthly.
  • 18 percent admit being addicted to pornography (and another 8 percent think they may be).

Even married Christian men are falling prey to pornography and extramarital sexual affairs at alarming rates:

35 percent had an extramarital affair.

55 percent look at pornography at least monthly.

Hesch adds: “It’s abundantly clear that pornography is one of the biggest unaddressed problems in the church.”

Another well-known pastor has dared to address the problem. The following excerpt is from an open letter Chuck Swindoll posted on his Insight for Living Website not long ago:

“The most recent studies available suggest that one out of every two people-that’s 50 percent of the people sitting in our pews, are looking at and/or could be addicted to Internet pornography… Truth be told, that statistic could be even higher… Stop and imagine the ugly but very real possibility of some of your own elders and deacons leaving your meetings and going home to surf porn. Think about youth leaders viewing it one minute, and leading a small group with your kids thirty minutes later. It’s ruining marriages, destroying relationships, harming youth, and hurting the body of Christ. You hardly need to be reminded that fallen pastors and priests did not “suddenly” fall. More often than not, pornography played a role in their downward spiral. My friend, it’s time to do something about it. In fact, we need to start today. Making a difference requires action…  Our churches are in trouble. This is no time to simply wait and pray.”

I am not saying that God will save us if we continue to willfully sin by looking at pornography. There will come a time when we will fall from grace if we don’t repent and try to stop. But for many men, it is a lifelong uphill battle of the mind, and they lose most of the battles. They could easily get discouraged and just give up, thinking there is no way God would save them with this porn problem that they just can’t seem to shake. So what I am saying is, that if God saved Samson with his lust, that there is hope that God will save us in spite of us not being able to completely stop our lust problem. That might make us so grateful that we will try harder. But aren’t we leaving out something here? What about the work of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit can give you the power to do things totally against your sinful nature. That’ why we need to be constantly in the words of the Spirit in the Bible. The Spirit can providentially help us by giving us a close friend or mentor who will hold us accountable for our lust, someone we can openly discuss our lusts and trust to help us.

I hope this study of Samson is beneficial to you. It helps me just to write this blog article.

DANIEL 9-12 THE 70 WEEKS PROPHECY AND THE END TIME

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From amazon.combooks

Ch 9: In the 1st year of Darius the Mede, which means between 539-536 BC.

Daniel has been in Babylon for 70 years now, making him at least in his 80’s. Daniel read in Jeremiah (not sure where that is found) about the 70 years, and knew that would be within 2-3 years more, so He asked the Lord to fulfill that promise to allow them to return to Canaan at the end of the 70 years. He confessed the sins of Israel. Gabriel appeared and gave him the “70 weeks” prophecy (24-27). See the chart “Daniel’s 70 weeks” for the main events predicted. The key is that the end of the 70 weeks is the “abomination of desolation”, and Jesus said in Mt 24:15 the the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was the “abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel”, and it had to occur within that generation (Mt 24:34). That means that the 70th week ended in 70 AD and this negates all the false interpretations of the 70 weeks has not even happened yet. There are 7 weeks (49 years) from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, and 62 more weeks (434 years) until the Messiah (Jesus) is “cut off) (his death in 30 AD.

Then there is a gap between the 69th and 70th week. Why? Because the end of the 70th week would also be the 2nd coming of Jesus in 70 AD and the exact date of that was not given. They were to be ready at all times. He predicted that his 2nd coming would be within their lifetime, but he would not give them the exact date. They were to told to look for the signs that it was about to happen, such as the surrounding of the city by the Romans (Luke 21:21-24). The 70th week (the last 7 years) was from 63AD to 70 AD. In the middle of the 70th week began the wars of the Jews when the Jews rebelled against Rome and there was a 3 1/2 year period of war between the Jews and Rome leading up to the destruction of the temple and city by Titus. This 3 1/2 year tribulation on the Jews was the “time, times, and half a time” of Daniel 7:25 “He (Titus) shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time”. BTW the dispensationalists also put a gap of going on 2,000 years now in their interpretation, but that is wrong b/c the 70th week ended in 70 AD.

Nero had ordered Vespasian to put down the revolt, but after he started doing so,Nero died and Vespasian returned to Rome to become the 10th emperor of Rome. He then sent his son Titus to finish putting down the revolt, which he did. In the middle of the 70th week in 67 AD is when the Jews quit making an offering to the emperor in the temple, which Josephus says was the beginning of the wars or the Jews.

Notice all the Messianic blessings that would be accomplished by 70 AD in 9:24, i.e. the atonement for sin, bringing in everlasting righteousness, anointing of the most holy place (the new most holy place in heaven, Hebrews 9), the sealing up of all vision and prophecy (Luke 21:21-24 says that in 70 AD all things that were written in the OT were fulfilled). All those things were accomplished by 70 AD.

The preterist view considers the prophecy to have been fulfilled by AD 70. By interpreting the “weeks” symbolically, preterists have more flexibility in determining the dates of the events predicted. They understand the “word to rebuild Jerusalem” as the decree of Persian king Cyrus in 538 BC. The “anointed one” in both v. 25 and v. 26 is Jesus, who is also regarded as the one who confirms the “strong covenant” of v. 27, and whose atoning work rendered the Jewish sacrifices obsolete and even abominable to God. Titus is the “prince to come,” whose armies destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Here’s what it looks like:

A great timeline of the 70 weeks by allkirk network

The dispensationalist view (which is wrong bc the 70th week ended in 70 AD) distinguishes between those prophecies pertaining to the nation of Israel (including Daniel 9:24-27) and those pertaining to the Christian church. It interprets the weeks the most literally, as exact seven-year periods. By starting with one of the decrees of the Persian king Artaxerxes—either in 458 BC (Ezra 7:11-26) if one uses a 365-day calendar, or in 445 BC (Neh. 2:1-8) if one uses a 360-day calendar—one can arrive at the Crucifixion of Christ in 33 AD for the end of the sixty-ninth week. However, the events of the seventieth week clearly did not take place in the seven years following Christ’s death, which is why dispensationalists posit a “gap” between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week. They often call this the “Great Parenthesis,” which corresponds to the current church age. The Parenthesis (unforeseen by Daniel) will come to an end with the Rapture (also unforeseen by Daniel), which will then lead into the seven-year Great Tribulation, during which time the Antichrist will make a pact with the nation of Israel, only to break it after 3 1/2 years and desecrate the rebuilt Temple. Here’s what it looks like:

Ch 10: In the 3rd year of Cyrus king of Persian.

This puts this vision right at 536 BC, the year the Jews are allowed to return from Babylonian exile to the Promised Land. An angel touches and strengthens Daniel who is in a terrible state of mourning. He said that he had been delayed by the prince of Persia for 21 days, but Michal came to help him. He came to tell Daniel what would happen to his people in the latter days (10:14 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”). He left to fight the prince of Persia, and then the prince of Greece.

Every kingdom and nation had an evil demonic prince. In 70 AD it was all the evil princes of all the kingdoms that were defeated spiritually and not their actual physical kingdoms. That is how Rev 20 says that the sea beast Rome was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone just like Satan and the earth beast false prophets were. Jesus defeated all demonic princes and powers in 70 AD, and Rev 11:14“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 

From slidesharecdn.com

Ch 11,12: In the 1st year of Darius the Mede (539 BC).

This vision tells of events from the Persian empire to Alexander up to the end time and the abomination of desolation (11:27, 31,35,40) with a conflict between the king of the north and king of the south. Many say it is a detailed account of events down to the Syrian Antioch Epiphanes in the 2nd century BC, but “the end” in Daniel always refers to the end of the age in 70 AD. Ch 11 is difficult to interpret as to who the king of the north and the king of the south are. I will leave that for deeper study.

Ch 12 is not hard to interpret, however, if we use Jesus’ interpretation of it in Matthew 24. At that time, the end time for these events to occur, there would be a distress on the Jewish nation such as had never been (Mt 24:21 Jesus said that would occur within the generation he was speaking to, thus 70 AD). It would a trampling of the holy people (the Jews) for a time, times, and half a time ( which is 3 1/2 years just as the little horn Titus did in 7:25). There would be a resurrection of the good and bad who had all been in hades up till 70 AD. It would be at the “end time” (12:4,9,13). This is the resurrection of which Paul said in Acts 24:15 “there is (mello) about to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked”, which was the “hope of Israel” (that hope could only come from this prediction of a resurrection of all those OT people in hades).

Daniel 12:“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 
We know this is 70 AD because Jesus cited this passage.
Matthew 24:21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. This tribulation was the suffering of the Jews in 70 AD.

Daniel was told to conceal these words since they were a long way off. The abomination of desolation is again the end event, and as Jesus confirmed in Mt 24:15, refers to 70 AD. Daniel was to go his way until the end (70 AD) and then he would rise again to receive his allotted portion at the end. This is why Paul said in Acts 24:15 that there was “about to be” (mello) a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, which could only be 70 AD and the fulfillment of Daniel 12:2.

Daniel 12:7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. 8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. 
Jesus said “the end” would be 70 AD (end of the Jewish Age). Mt 24:13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Daniel 12: 11 From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 
13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.” (1290 days would be about 3 1/2 years. ) This is the abomination of desolation of the temple in 70 AD. Jesus in Mt 24:15 that this abomination of desolation of Daniel would be fulfilled within the generation of those he was speaking to (Mt 24:34). This is the same abomination of desolation as Daniel 9:24-27.

Hebrews 4:Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. Daniel would be raised in 70 AD to receive his rest and eternal reward, just as all the righteous of the OT were raised to receive their eternal reward.

From godawa.com

That concludes this blog study of Daniel. Everything predicted in the book was fulfilled by 70 AD, so you don’t need to listen to false prophets who say that the 70th week is still in our future. Predicting the events surrounding 70 AD and the destruction of the temple, Jesus said in Luke 21:22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written (i.e. all that was predicted by the prophets in the OT)”.

But Daniel is not just. doctrinal book of the end time (70 AD). It contains inspiring stories of the courage of convictions of Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys.

You can see why Ezekiel included Daniel with Noah and Job as 3 men of great character. Ezek 14:14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God. Ezek 14:19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off from it man and beast, 20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness. Ezekiel taunts the king of Tyre in 28:you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you; 4 by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself,
and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries. He is saying perhaps that Daniel, not Solomon, was the wisest man in the OT.

Thanks for reading.

 

DANIEL 7-8 DREAMS AND VISIONS

On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

Why is it important to study the visions in Daniel?

1To appreciate the eternal spiritual kingdom of God, the church.

2 To keep Christians from being deceived by false prophets.

3 To deepen our faith in God’s word and fulfilled prophecies.

We must begin by going back to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue.

How do we identify these 4 kingdoms in the statue.

1) Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that Babylon is the head of gold (605-539 BC).

2) The Medo-Persians (539-331 BC) conquered Babylon in 539 BC and would be the chest of silver in the statue. Ch 8 will verify by name the Medo-Persians as the 2nd kingdom. They diverted the river flowing through Babylon and enterd secretly on the dry river bed and entered the city, conquering it as Belshazzaar (the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar) was hosting a fiest to honor the gods of wine and gold (Ch 5). It says that night Darius took the city.

3) Alexander the Great and the Greeks conquered the Persians in 331 BC and ruled the world till 168 BC. Ch 8 will verify the Grecian Empire by name as the thighs of bronze in the statue.

4) The Roman Empire (168BC-476AD) will be the legs of iron. We know this b/c Daniel 2:44-45 says that in this 4th empire that God would set up his kingdom. Jesus came preaching that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand” (the same kingdom predicted in Daniel 2:44-45). Mark 9:1 Jesus said that some of those listening to him would still be alive to see him coming in his kiingdom. Mt 16:18-19 Jesus told Peter, “upon this rock I will build my church…I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”. Peter used those keys to open the kingdom to those 3,000 baptized in Acts 2 and they were added to the church, the spiritual body of Christ. The kingdom at hand was the church kingdom established in the book of Acts in the 1st century. Rome was the world power when Jesus said that, so Rome would have to be the 4th kingdom legs of iron that was ruling the world when that prediction was fulfilled.

A stone would crush all the kingdoms. That stone is Jesus. He did not physically destroy Rome or the other 3 kingdoms that no longer existed when he was on earth. His kingdom of Daniel 2:44-45 was a spiritual kingdom, the church. He said that his kingdom was “not of this world”. But Jesus did destroy the demonic princes that control all worldly kingdoms. This fulfilled Daniel 7:13 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him (Jesus) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. .Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 

From WVBS world video bible school

Ch 7: In the 1st year of Belshazzar of Babylon. A vision and dream of Daniel

Look at the statue image/chart to see this vision and what each animal represented. This vision matches the Daniel 2 statue perfectly. It also introduces that the iron beast had 10 horns, and a little horn coming up after the 10 horns. The iron beast is Rome, and the 10 horns would be the 1st ten emperors or kings (7:24) of Rome (from Julius Caesar, 63 BC, to Vespasian, 69-79 AD). Josephus says in a couple of references that Augustus was the 2nd king or emperor of Rome, so that makes Julius Caesar the 1st and Vespasian the 10th. Historians may record Augustus as the first emperor, but Josephus lived in the 1st century and he says that Julius Caesar was considered the first king of Rome, so we go with that. This vision also adds the throne scene (7:9-14) of the Ancient of Days sitting in judgment, with the Son of Man (Jesus) coming to Him in the clouds and being given a kingdom (7:13) which would never be destroyed (the same one a Daniel 2:44,45). Can you see why Jesus is called the Son of Man so many times in the gospels? Can you see why Daniel 7:13 is such an important prediction, as quoted by Jesus in Mt 24:30 with the Son of Man coming in the clouds to judge Jerusalem in 70 AD?

A boastful little horn comes up after the 10 horns who would wage war with the Jewish saints (7:21) for time, times, and half a time (7:25) until his dominion is taken away and “the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of all the kingdoms of the world under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom (7:26,27; same as 2:45; )”. This little horn is Titus who waged war with the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. He was not an emperor at that time (Vespasian his father was) but he would be the next horn or emperor, (79-81 AD) thus “little horn”. 2 Thess 2:4 he exalts himself above every so called god and takes his seat in the temple of God (only Titus did this, not Nero). He is known as the “man of sin”. 2 Thess 2:7 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. That verse shows that the man of sin was someone living at the time Paul wrote 2 Thess. Many call this man of sin the “antichrist”, but this man of sin is not one of the many men suggested to be him over the last 2,000 years. He is not some future antichrist man of sin to come. Daniel 7:21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. Titus destroyed the temple in 70 AD and killed a million Jews (according to Josephus). He was not physically destroyed in 70 AD, but the demonic prince that controlled Rome (as well as all the demonic princes of all world kingdoms) was judged and destroyed by Jesus (as well as all demonic powers and Satan) and the kingdom of God, the church, became the eternal all powerful kingdom (spiritually, not physically since Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this world, John 18:36) with Jesus reigning as king forever (Dan 7:13). Rev 11:15 concludes the predictions of the destruction of the temple in 70 AD with these words: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

So now we add the ch 7 imagery to the statue of ch 2. They match up as the same 4 kingdoms.

From Answersfromscriptureonline.com and oldkaptnk2

From rapturemyth.com

Image by oldkaptnk2

In Revelation 13 a beast with 10 horns arises out of the sea that has lion, bear, and leopard traits. Rev 13:1 “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth.” That this was the same imagery from Daniel 7 would be obvious to the readers of Revelation, and the sea beast would be identified as the Roman Empire.

Rome was the world empire when Revelation was written and would be the one to fulfill the predictions in Revelation that were soon to happen shortly after the time of writing. Rome was the sea beast whom God would use to judge Israel and destroy Jerusalem.

As a side note, Rev 17 gives us the internal evidence on when the book of Revelation was written. Revelation 17:9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.
Revelation was written during the reign of the 6th emperor, Nero (54-68 AD). It had to be written before he died in 68 AD.
The only basis for the traditional date of 96 AD is an ambiguous statement by Ireneaus in the late 2nd century, who was a chiliast and did not understand the meaning of the book.

Ch 8: In the 3rd year of Belshazzar of Babylon. A vision and dream of Daniel.

Again, look at the statue. Gabriel even tells Daniel that the ram is Media/Persia (the 2nd kingdom) and the goat is Greece (the 3rd kingdom) with a conspicuous horn, Alexander the Great. The goat attacks the ram and tramples it under its feet. This vision speak of a “small horn” magnifying itself to be equal to the Commander of Hosts (God) and trampling the holy place (the temple) and the host (the Jews), which would fit Titus again, the little horn of ch 7. It also says that the holy place will be restored in 2300 evenings and mornings, which is the prophecy William Miller wrongly interpreted to be the return of Jesus in 1843 AD. The vision pertains to the “time of the end” which is the end of the Jewish Age at 70 AD. The small horn even opposes the Prince of princes, i.e. Jesus, in some way. Titus sought to destroy all Jews, Christian and non-Christian in 70 AD. Many try to say that this small horn of Daniel 8 was Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king who polluted the temple with pig stew and killed many Jews, but he can’t be the samll horn b/c 1) This vision was about the time of the end, i.e. end of the age in 70 AD; 2) Antiochus did not oppose the Prince of princes, i.e. Jesus. The small horn of Daniel 8 and the little horn of Daniel 7 are the same and fulfilled in Titus.

From Selan free ppt download

So now we can add the imagery of Daniel to the statue of Daniel 2 and the imagery of Daniel 7.

From LiamCherry

These are amazingly accurate predictions of the future made by Daniel in the 7th century BC. His predictions cover the next 4 kingdoms down to the 1st century AD. Especially amazing are the predictions about Alexander the Great conquering Medo Persia and then being divided into 4 smaller kingdoms (all happening in the 4th century BC). Fulfilled prophecy such as this proves that Yahweh is the only true God and that the Bible is the word of God. You can see why the agnostic Porphyry (2nd century AD) tried to discredit Daniel’s predictions by saying that they were written after the fact and not by Daniel but instead in the 2nd century BC. But the Jews who were entrusted by God with collecting the inspired writings of the prophets collected the book of Daniel as written by Daniel in the 6th century BC.

DANIEL 1-6

On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

The first 6 chapters of Daniel are mainly historical with some great lessons. I will try to give a brief summary of each chapter and then some lessons from each chapter.

Introduction

Daniel was carried captive as a young boy to Babylon in the 1st deportation in 605 BC by Nebuchadnezzar during the reign of Jehoiakim, King of Judah. He lived the entire 70 years of captivity in Babylon as he deals with 2 kings of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (ch 1-4), and Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar (ch 5, 7, 8) and after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC with Darius the Mede (ch 5, 6,9,11) and Cyrus the Great (559-530 BC) the Persian king (ch 10). Daniel as the author of this book was not questioned until Porphyry (260 AD) based on his belief that miracles like predicting the future like Daniel did in Daniel 2 were not possible and therefore he concluded that the book was written after the events “predicted” in Daniel had already occurred, probably by some Jew in 164 BC during the Maccabean period. The Jews were entrusted by God with collecting inspired prophetic writings (Romans 3:1-2) and accepted the book of Daniel into the OT canon. Many of Daniel’s predictions are fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple by the Romans. That would negate Porphyry’s arguments since he said it was written in 164 BC.

Chapter 1

Daniel and his 3 friends are chosen for special training but refuse the choice food and wine (probably some meats unclean to the Jews). Daniel asked to be tested for 10 days without the food, and at the end their appearance was better than the other youths who had eaten the food. 1:17 these 4 boys were very intelligent, and Daniel could understand visions and dreams.

From Bible Fun For Kids

  1. Use the intelligence and gifts that God has given you to make the best of bad circumstances (captivity in Babylon). That allows God to use you to fulfill His plans, just as He did with Daniel.

2. Have your convictions and hold fast to them even when the world puts pressure on you to violate your conscience. That means you must have convictions on moral issues based on the Bible. Too many people really don’t care about what is right and wrong. They don’t stand for anything and they don’t stand up for anything. They compromise what few convictions they have under social pressure.

Chapter 2

The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had a terrifying dream. Wisely, he demanded that his “wise men” (2:2) tell him what the dream was and its interpretation or they would all be killed. They couldn’t, so he sent orders to kill all of them, which would have included Daniel and his 3 friends. Daniel asked the king for time. The mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Daniel told him exactly what he saw in the dream. See the picture of the statue. He gave God the glory for enabling him to interpret the dream. He said the statue represented 4 consecutive kingdoms, with Babylon being the head. In the days of the 4th kingdom (the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay), God would set up his kingdom that would endure forever (2:44,45). Nebuchadnezzar glorified God and promoted Daniel.

From Goodsalt images

  1. The amazing providence of God. God is giving Nebuchadnezzar this dream, and then using Daniel to interpret the dream and enhance his position in Babylon. Daniel will then work with Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus over the next 70 years of captivity to bring a remnant back from Babylon just as He had promised in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Sieze every opportunity to use your God-given gifts to help God work out His plans.

2. The amazing prophecies of God. Predicting the future was God’s way of proving His existence. Can you imagine trying to accurately predict the major world powers over the next 600 years? How does God allow freedom of will and yet control who the world powers will be? But He somehow does that! Isaiah challenges the false gods of Canaan to predict the future to prove they are real.

How do we identify these 4 kingdoms in the statue.

1) Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that Babylon is the head of gold (605-539 BC).

2) The Medo-Persians (539-331 BC) conquered Babylon in 539 BC and would be the chest of silver in the statue. Ch 8 will verify by name the Medo-Persians as the 2nd kingdom. They diverted the river flowing through Babylon and enterd secretly on the dry river bed and entered the city, conquering it as Belshazzaar (the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar) was hosting a fiest to honor the gods of wine and gold (Ch 5). It says that night Darius took the city.

3) Alexander the Great and the Greeks conquered the Persians in 331 BC and ruled the world till 168 BC. Ch 8 will verify the Grecian Empire by name as the thighs of bronze in the statue.

4) The Roman Empire (168BC-476AD) will be the legs of iron. We know this b/c Daniel 2:44-45 says that in this 4th empire that God would set up his kingdom. Jesus came preaching that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand” (the same kingdom predicted in Daniel 2:44-45). Mark 9:1 Jesus said that some of those listening to him would still be alive to see him coming in his kiingdom. Mt 16:18-19 Jesus told Peter, “upon this rock I will build my church…I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”. Peter used those keys to open the kingdom to those 3,000 baptized in Acts 2 and they were added to the church, the spiritual body of Christ. The kingdom at hand was the church kingdom established in the book of Acts in the 1st century. Rome was the world power when Jesus said that, so Rome would have to be the 4th kingdom legs of iron that was ruling the world when that prediction was fulfilled.

A stone would crush all the kingdoms. That stone is Jesus. He did not physically destroy Rome or the other 3 kingdoms that no longer existed when he was on earth. His kingdom of Daniel 2:44-45 was a spiritual kingdom, the church. He said that his kingdom was “not of this world”. But Jesus did destroy the demonic princes that control all worldly kingdoms. This fulfilled Daniel 7:13 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him (Jesus) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. .Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 

From wvbs world video bible school

Chapter 3

Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image. At the sound of the music playing, anyone who did not bow down to worship the image would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Daniel’s 3 friends do not obey. They are brought before the king who gives them one last chance to obey. Their answer: “we don’t need to give you an answer; if it be so, God will deliver us from the fiery furnace; if not, we will not worship the image” (3:16-18). The king heated the fire 7 times and had them thrown in. The king was astounded when he saw 4 men in the fire, without harm, and told the 3 friends to come out. Their hair was not even singed! The king glorified God again, as in 2:46f.

From mcbi.org

  1. The amazing courage and convictions of these 3 boys. They are ready to die for their faith and convictions even if God chooses not to save them from the firre. Would I be willing to die for my faith just as many martyrs have done over the last 2,000 years? Will I compromise my faith in the one true God when pressured by our secular society that. worships many gods.

2. There is also a lesson here on answered prayer. “If you save us, God, that’s great. But if you don’t, that’s great also. Whatever your will is and whatever is best.” God can always answer that prayer “yes”. Jesus prayed that way. “if possible let this cup of suffering pass; if not, thy will be done”. Always leave your prayers totally content with however God grants or doesn’t grant your requests.

Chapter 4

Nebuchadnezzar had another frightful dream but the wise men could not interpret it. Daniel did. In the dream there was a great, high, strong tree, but a holy one said to chop down the tree leaving only the stump. The stump (a person) would live in the fields like an animal and lose his mind for 7 periods until he learns that the Most High God (of Israel) rules over all mankind, and bestows power on whomever he chooses to (4:25; 2:21). Daniel told the king that this tree/stump referred to him. He advised him to break away from his sins by showing mercy to the poor (apparently a big flaw with the king) (4:27). The king apparently did not repent, and 12 months later he was walking on his roof and said, “Is this not Babylon the great which I myself have built by the might of my power for the glory of my majesty?” A voice immediately said that the prediction of the dream would now come true. He ate grass like the cattle, and his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws (4:33). At the end of the 7 periods, his reason returned to him and he praised God (again) (4:34,35).

  1. God is in control of the world. He appoints and removes rulers. He certainly did that as He fulfilled the predictons of the next 4 empires in the statue of ch 2. Perhaps He allows more freewill in kingdom formations after the Roman Empire, but He can certainly step in and appoint or remove rulers any time He wants to. We do wonder why He didn’t step in and miraculously stop Hitler and other tyrant dictators, which means that He allows freewill more after the Roman Empire.

2. The danger of pride and boasting. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James warned about the “pride of life”. In America we are so blessed with material things. We can work hard and gain many material things as well as prestige and power. It is easy to be lifted up with pride and feel that we have done great things, and forget God. God told Israel: Deuteronomy 8:11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth….

Chapter 5

Belshazzar 556-536 BC, the 5th king from Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC), held a drunken feast for 1000 of his nobles, brought out the gold vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC, and praised the gods of gold, silver, etc. Suddenly a man’s fingers wrote on the wall, and his joints went slack and his knees began knocking. His wise men could not interpret the writing on the wall. The queen told him about Daniel who had a reputation for interpreting dreams, explaining enigmas, and solving difficult problems (5:12). Daniel was brought before the king. Daniel scolded the king. He said that Belshazzar knew how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar to become like an animal, and yet Belshazzar had not humbled his heart (5:22) as evidenced by his actions at the feast. Daniel then told him what the words meant: MENE: God has numbered your kingdom and put it to an end; TEKEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient; PERES: your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians. That night Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Mede was given the kingdom at the age of 62. Jewish sources say Darius the Mede was the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus and Josephus says he was a “relative”. Cyrus subjected the Medes in 559 BC but appointed a ruler named Gubaru (Darius the Mede) to rule in Babylon (maybe not a king like Cyrus). Historical records say Gubaru (Darius) and Cyrus both had a part in conquering Babylon. This fits Daniel 5:30-31 which describes the fall of Babylon under its last king, Belshazzar to Darius the Mede when he was 62. Herodutus says that Cyrus diverted the Euphrates River so his men could walk under the bars extending down into the river as it flowed through the city and they caught the Babylonians in a drunken feast (as described in Belshazzar’s feast in Daniel 5 on the night the city fell.

Belshazzar was last king of Babylon (co-regent with Nabonidus) (556-539 BC). The story in ch 6 would have occurred in 539 BC, as the predicted 70 years of captivity was coming to an end (606-536 BC). Notice that Isaiah predicted that Cyrus would let the Jews return at the end of the 70 years (Is 44:28; 45:1), so there had to be a switch from Babylon as the world power to the Medes/Persians, and there was in 539 BC.

  1. Are we worshipping the gods of gold, silver, money, material possessions like Belshazzaar did? Maybe we don’t make golden images like Nebuchadnezzaar did, but do we have idols that we put before God in our affection, time, and money? Remember John’s words in 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Covetousness or greed is a major sin in affluent American churches. Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Chapter 6

Belshazzar was last king of Babylon (co-regent with Nabonidus) (556-539 BC). The story in ch 6 would have occurred in 539 BC, as the predicted 70 years of captivity was coming to an end (606-536 BC). Notice that Isaiah predicted that Cyrus would let the Jews return at the end of the 70 years (Is 44:28; 45:1), so there had to be a switch from Babylon as the world power to the Medes/Persians, and there was in 539 BC.

This story occurred between 539-536 BC after Darius the Mede (Gubaru) had taken the city of Babylon in the name of Cyrus the Great. Darius’ 120 satraps wanted to tried to find some wrongdoing in government affairs to accuse Daniel of, but could find nothing. So they attacked his religious devotion. They persuaded the king to issue a decree that, for 30 days, anyone who anyone who prayed to a god or man other than the king would be thrown in the lions’ den. Daniel knew about the decree, but continued to pray from an open roof chamber window toward Jerusalem 3 times every day. The satraps brought Daniel before the king, which distressed the king who did not want to kill Daniel. The king was forced to have Daniel cast into the lions’ den, and spent the night fasting, sleepless. He came to the den the next morning and said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been able to deliver you from the lions”? Daniel said, “O king, live forever! My God has sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths”. The king was pleased and ordered Daniel’s accusers to be thrown into the lions’ den along with their families (6:24). The king then praised the God of Daniel. “So Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (6:28). We don’t know where or how Daniel died, but probably in Babylon since he did not return with the returnees.

The 2nd image is from Jessica Lassitter.

  1. If your enemies wanted to attack your religious devotion, would they be able to find spiritual habit you are doing regularly to attack you with? This happens overseas in persecuted countries all the time as believers are arrested for passing out Bibles, preaching, evangelizing, etc. Many of us would be afraid to pass out Bibles if we knew we were going to be arrested.

2. Give examples where even in the U.S. the government is taking away religous liberty and freedom. The baker in Texas who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple was sued. You can’t choose to not rent your rental house to a gay couple. Will the government ever step in into our private Christian schools and force us to hire gay teachers or to have trans bathrooms? How will we handle all that?

3. God saved Daniel from martyrdom. He did not save Polycarp and many other martyrs who died in the Roman arenas or was burned at the stake (John Huss). Foxes Book of Martyrs tell of many such martyrs. Would I be willing to die for my faith? Daniel could have stopped praying each day and kept from being thrown into the lions’ den, but he didn’t.

That concludes the study of the historical part of Daniel, chapters 1-6. A 2nd blog will examine the visions and dreams in chapters 7-12.

REVELATION

On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

I have several blog articles on Revelation, but this is more of a summary in one post.

  1. Who? Who wrote it? Who was it written to?
  • The early church accepted John the apostle as the author.  There was some speculation about another John the Elder but it was John the apostle who was exiled to Patmos.
  • It was written to the 7 churches of Asia (ch 1-3). 
  1. Who? Who wrote it? Who was it written to?
  • The early church accepted John the apostle as the author. 
  • It was written to the 7 churches of Asia (ch 1-3). The map below gives a nickname to each of the 7 churches. Read ch 2-3 and see why each church is called by that nickname.

II. Where? Where was John when he wrote the book?

The Syrian translation of the NT, which dates to late 1st/early 2nd century AD, states that Revelation was written during the reign of Nero (thus before Nero died in 68 AD) which would make John being exiled by Nero, not Domitian. 

John was exiled to the island of Patmos during the reign of Nero.

Some claim his exile was during the reign of Domitian (81-96 AD) based on a statement by Irenaeus in about 175 AD, but that statement is uncertain as to what Ireneaus is even saying. 

III. When? When was it written? When would its predictions be fulfilled?

The internal evidence is conclusive. It was written before 70 AD. 

  • Ireneaus statement (170 AD) is the sole early source of the tradition that John was in exile during the reign of Domitian, 81-96 AD (thus he dates the book 96 AD). Ireneaus statement is uncertain as to its meaning.
  • The internal evidence is conclusive, however. It was written in the early 60’s AD, and definitely before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD..

5 have fallen,  one “is”. 

  • 17:7 the beast (the sea beast of ch 13) had 7 heads, which were 7 kings 
  • (17:10). 5 had fallen (were dead) at the time of writing, and “one is”. 
  • So the book was written during the reign of the 6th emperor. Starting with Julius Caesar, Nero would be the 6th emperor or king. He reigned from 54-68 AD, so the book had to be written before he died. 
  • Some say Augustus was the 1st emperor, but Josephus, who lived in the first century and would know who was considered to be the 1st king or emperor of Rome, twice said that Augustus was the 2nd emperor.
  • The internal evidence wins out. The book was written before 70 AD. 

Is there any other evidence for an early date of writing? 

  • Gentry claims there are 145 scholars who advocate the early date of writing of Revelation, including the great church historian Phillip Schaff.
  • The Muratorian Canon of 170 AD says that Paul, following the example of his predecessor John, wrote to 7 churches. That means that John wrote Revelation before Paul wrote his last letter to a 7th church, and Paul died in 66-68 AD. Therefore, Revelation was written before Paul died and not in 96 AD.
  • The Syriac translation of the NT says it was written during the reign of Nero. Nero died in 68 AD, so it was written before 68 AD.

What if John died before 70 AD? That of course would mean that he wrote it before 70 AD.

  • Another proof of the early date is that John died before 70 AD.
  • Tradition says he lived to the age of 100 and died a natural death. 
  • The church father Papias (100 AD) said that John died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Jews, just as Jesus predicted for James (James was killed with a sword  by Herod in Acts 12) and John (Mark 10:35-45). 
  • That could only have occurred before 70 AD when the Jews had the ability to kill anyone, just as they killed James the Lord’s brother just before 70 AD. 
  • Although Papias does not give a date for the martyrdom of John, it is most likely that John died before 70 AD based on his statement.

Shortly. Soon. Near. 

  • The books begins and ends with the statements that the predictions would  “soon take place (tachos: Speed, swiftness, quickness)” (1:1), “time is near (eggus: Near, close, at hand)” (1:3), “soon take place (tachos: Speed, swiftness, quickness)” (22:6), “don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near (eggus: Near, close, at hand” (22:10).
  • Many use 2 Peter 3:8 “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” to say that “soon” could be thousands of years. 
  • But when the Holy Spirit say something is soon, at hand, etc. it must have meaning that is relevant to the readers. If I told my math class, “you need to do your homework each day because we have a test soon”. What if one of my students said, “do you mean the test is next year since soon can be a thousand years with God?” 
  • For example, Jesus said “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand”. The urgency to repent is based on the nearness of the coming kingdom and judgment of those who don’t accept the Messianic kingdom. 
  • Revelation 1:1-3. He writes to the 7 churches. He tells them “blessed is the one who reads, hears, and keeps the things written”. Why? “For the time (of fulfillment, Amplied Bible) is near.  He doesn’t say “the time could be anytime”. He makes a statement: the time is near. A fact. A prediction.
  • John is also told not to seal up the predictions in Revelation. In contrast, Daniel was told to seal up the predictions in Daniel b/c the time for their fulfillment would be in the distant future, about 600 years after Daniel died. Not so with Revelation. The predictions would happen soon so don’t seal them up. Leave them open where people can read them and heed them (Rev 1:1-3).
  • So, whether early (before 70 AD) or late (96 AD) date of writing, that eliminates the views that Revelation is predicting anything beyond the first century. The historical view was that it predicted the Catholic Church and the beast was the Pope. The futurist view is that it predicts future end time events and an Antichrist beast and Armageddon that is still unfulfilled as of today. . 

Mello in the book of Revelation. 

The Greek word mello, which always means “about to be or about to happen” is used several times in the book (1:19; 2:10; 3:10,16; 6:11; 8:13; 12:5), indicating that the events predicted were about to happen. 

From parousiafulfilled.com

Another important use of the word “mello” is in the Apocalypse (ie: Book of Revelation). Just as in the passages above, the author of Revelation also talks about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ. The angel revealed to Apostle John that the parousia was “ABOUT TO” happen… it would be SOON. Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) ii of the New Testament renders the relevant passages correctly.

Here are some examples of the use of “mello” in Revelation, from YLT:

Another important use of the word “mello” is in the Apocalypse (ie: Book of Revelation). Just as in the passages above, the author of Revelation also talks about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ. The angel revealed to Apostle John that the parousia was “ABOUT TO” happen… it would be SOON. Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) ii of the New Testament renders the relevant passages correctly.

Here are some examples of the use of “mello” in Revelation, from YLT:

Revelation 1:19 YLT – Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is (are) about to] iii ) come after these things;

Revelation 2:10 YLT – Be not afraid of the things that thou art about to [Gk: μέλλεις : melleis : are about to] suffer; lo, the devil is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] cast of you to prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days; become thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of the life.

Revelation 3:10,16 YLT – Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is about to [Gk: μελλούσης : mellouses : which is about to] come upon all the world iv, to try those dwelling upon the earth v … So ‐‐ because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] vomit thee out of my mouth.

Revelation 6:11 YLT – and there was given to each one white robes, and it was said to them that they may rest themselves yet a little time, till may be fulfilled also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to [Gk: μέλλοντες : mellontes : are about to] be killed ‐‐ even as they.

Revelation 8:13 YLT – And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, ‘Wo, wo, wo, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to [Gk: μελλόντων : mellonton : are about to] sound.’

Revelation 12:5 YLT – and she brought forth a male child, who is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and caught away was her child unto God and His throne.

What would be the point of telling Christians in the 1st Century about apocalyptic events, if those things were not expected for thousands of years… after they were all dead and their world had disappeared? How could those events have any meaning or significance to 1st Century people, if they would NOT live to see and experience them? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Conversely, if those early Christians were “ABOUT TO” experience great tribulations and persecutions, they would obviously find encouragement and hope in the knowledge that “SOON” their Lord Jesus Christ was “ABOUT TO” return and rescue them from their enemies… the last wicked and perverse generation of Old Covenant Jews and their temporary Roman allies.

The obvious meaning of the Greek word “mello” throughout the New Testament is that certain things were “ABOUT TO” happen… SOON… in a very short time. And when it refers to the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ, the word “mello” was clearly intended to warn people that it was “ABOUT TO” happen, in the lifetime of those early Christians. This is exactly what Jesus promised his disciples:

“27 For, the Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] come in the glory of his Father, with his messengers, and then he will reward each, according to his work. 28 Verily I say to you, there are certain of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they may see the Son of Man coming in his reign.” (Matthew 16:27-28 YLT)

IV. What? What is the book about?

The theme of the book.

  • The theme of the book is the “avenging of the blood of the apostles, saints, and prophets” (18:20,24). 
  • The book is about the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. 
  • In ch 17 a harlot is riding on the beast (the sea beast, Rome, ch 13) indicating harmony between the two, but then in 17:16 the beast burns the harlot with fire. 
  • 17:18 says that the woman harlot is the “great city”.
  • The harlot has the name “Babylon” on her forehead.
  • In 11:8 the great city is where the Lord of the 2 witnesses was crucified (Jesus), so the great city is Jerusalem. 8 and their dead bodies (of the two witnesses) will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
  • So the sea beast Rome burns the great city harlot woman (Jerusalem). That is what happened!
  • So the harlot= the great city= Babylon= Jerusalem.

The main subject of the book.

  • So the main subject of the book is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and that fits the theme of ch 18 also. 
  • It was Jerusalem that had killed the saints (Jewish Christians), apostles, and prophets (of the Old Testament), and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD would be God’s vengeance on the nation, just as Jesus predicted in Mt 23:34-36. 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[f] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
  • Some say Rome is the great city, but Rome never killed the prophets. But the Jews did.
  • The harlot, Jerusalem, is also called Babylon (17:5 ch 18) b/c of her sinful ways. 

V. Why? Why was the book written? Why all the figurative language? 

The book was written to warn the 7 churches.

  • The book was intended to be read, heard, and kept (heeded and taken to heart, Amplified Bible) by the original readers (1:1-3), so it directly applied to them, not us. The comments to the 7 churches (ch 2,3) prove that, predicting things about to happen to them (mello). 

The book was written to declare the finished mystery of salvation. 

  • 10:7 says that the “mystery is finished as he announced the gospel to his servants the prophets” when the book’s predictions all come true. 
  • The book sums up the eternal mystery of God’s plan of salvation as given through the prophets of the OT, which included the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. 
  • Several places in the OT predict the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (Daniel 9, 12; Joel 3; Zechariah 14; Isaiah 65-66).
  • Ezekiel 40-48 even predicts the building of the new church temple, although he describes it in figurative language. 
  • Heb 9:8 said that the “way into the new Holy of Holies has not yet been disclosed (fully) as long as the first tabernacle (the temple) is still standing”. 
  • Thus it is essential that God remove the 1st temple to complete His plan of giving us the new church temple. 
  • Ch 21 gives a picture of the new Jerusalem (the church, the bride of Christ) coming down to earth so God can dwell in his sanctuary, the church, on earth. 
  • Ch 22 picture a river flowing from the new Jerusalem with the water of life and the tree of life with leaves for the healing of the nations. 
  • Ch 22 is a picture of Eden’s Paradise Restored spiritually in the church as of 70 AD

But why describe the predicted events in such figurative language?

Won’t that make it harder to understand? 

  • Why so much figurative language? John wrote about real events that would happen soon, but in figurative language. 
  • In 13:18 he talks about the mark of the beast, 666 (using a numbers for letters system perhaps), but he says that those readers with insight could calculate exactly who he was talking about, probably Nero. John would not want to name Nero. It had to be someone living at that time if they were told that they could identify him.

Symbolic numbers in Revelation.

  • Other times, the numbers are symbolic, such as 4 (the earth number, the 4 directions, the 4 living creatures of ch 4 who execute God’s wrath on earth); or 7 (the complete number, the 7 churches, stars, Spirits, seals, angels, plagues, bowls of wrath, heads),, or 10 (10. Horns, 10 kings), or 12 (12 gates, pearls, foundations, apostles of the church in ch 22).

Big symbolic numbers. The 1,000 reign of Revelation 20. 

  • Some bigger numbers are multiples of these symbolic numbers. 1,000 is 10X10X10. 
  • The 1,000 years in ch 20 has been used to teach a 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth when he returns, but it only refers to the 40 year period from Acts 2 (30 AD) to 70 AD. 
  • Why do I say that? 22:7,8 says that at the end of the 1,000 years that Gog and Magog (as predicted in Ezekiel 38-39) will surround the “beloved city” which has to be Jerusalem. If this is an event soon to take place based on Rev 1:1-3 and Rev 21:4-7, then this has to be the Romans (God and Magog) surrounding Jerusalem in 70 AD. So the end of the 1000 years is AD 70. The 1000 years must be the 40 years from AD 30 to AD 70.
  • There is a 200 million man army (Rev 9:16) attacking (200X10^6), which is Rome. 
  • There is the 144,000 who are sealed for protection (ch 7, 14). There are the 12,000 of ch 7 (12X1000). 

Symbolic animals. 

  • Other figures like the sea beast of ch 13 are taken from OT predictions (Daniel 7 names the next 4 kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greeks, Romans) using lion, leopard, and bear, the same figures used to describe the sea beast Rome in ch 13 (the iron beast in Daniel 2,7). Surely the readers of the letter would connect Daniel 7 animals with the Revelation 13 sea beast.
  • There is also an earth beast which is the Jewish false prophets. 
  • The dragon in ch 12 and ch 20, which John tells us is Satan. 
  • The 4 living creatures in ch 4 (the same figure in Ezekiel 1). 
  • Apparently the Holy Spirit just wanted to describe these imminent events more powerfully than just literal language, the same way we use “it’s raining cats and dogs” to describe heavy rain. In the same way that C.S.Lewis in The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe used animals to portray the propitiation of Jesus’ death in Romans 3.
  • Then there is the lamb of ch 5, standing as if slain, the only one who could open the scrolls that would predict the imminent events.


Revelation 5:6-7And there between the throne (with the four living creatures) and among the elders I saw a Lamb (Christ) standing, [bearing scars and wounds] as though it had been slain, with seven horns (complete power) and with seven eyes (complete knowledge), which are the seven Spirits of God who have been sent [on duty] into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 

The 4 horsemen of ch 6 which represent conquest, war, famine, and death. This is taken from Zechariah 6.

The new Jerusalem, the sanctuary, the bride of Christ. .

  • 21:1-3 The new Jerusalem comes down from heaven to earth so that God can dwell in his sanctuary forever. This was the “city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). 
  • Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (vanished), and there is no longer any [a]sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed like a bride adorned for her husband; 3 and then I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “See! The tabernacle of God is among men, and He will live among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them [b][as their God,] 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the [c]former order of things has passed away.”
  • The new Jerusalem is not a physical city (as many say it will be) but is the bride of Christ, the church (Ephesians 5:25-33). 
  • Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a vast and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy (sanctified) city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God

Ezekiel predicted all this 700 years earlier. 

  • The prophet Ezekiel predicted this sanctuary on earth for God to dwell in his people. Not a physical sanctuary, but the temple of God where the Spirit of God dwells, i.e. the church. 
  • Ezekiel 37:24 “My servant David will be king over them, and they all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. 25 They will live in the land where your fathers lived, [the land] that I gave to My servant Jacob, and they will live there, they and their children and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David will be their leader forever. 26 I will make a covenant of 
    peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will put My sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 28 Then the nations will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord who sets apart and sanctifies Israel [for holy use], when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”’”



The streets of gold. The river and tree of life. 

  • Then in ch 21 he describes the soon to be finished church, the bride of Christ, as a city with 12 gates, precious stones, streets of gold with gates never closed, open to bring the nations in, no night there.
  • Ch 22 closes with a river of life and tree of life, all beautiful symbolic figures of the restoration of everything that was lost in the fall in the Garden of Eden. This was predicted in Ezekiel 47.
  • Revelation 22:Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ), 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer exist anything that is cursed [because sin and illness and death are gone]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve and worship Him [with great awe and joy and loving devotion]; 4 they will [be privileged to] see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.
  • Those figures just give us a beautiful picture of the completed plan of God that we have had now going on 2,000 years later. 
  • But I thought the church was established in Acts 2 (30 AD). 
  • It was, but the final, fully revealed and confirmed church, the new Jerusalem, was not fully established until the old temple had been destroyed in 70 AD. 
  • This is the “already, not yet” phrase. They had salvation and the church but not fully realized till 70 AD after death was destroyed (1 Cor 15). 
  • It is like electing our president on Nov 5. But his government doesn’t officially begin to rule until June 20, 2025. There is a transition period.
  • It is sad that people say Revelation 21-22 has not been fulfilled yet. They are looking for a physical city someday. 
  • It is as if you have a new house ready to live in but don’t realize it and can’t enjoy living in it. 

I hope this abbreviated synopsis of Revelation Is helpful. There is a great DVD called Revelation Illustrated that has every image of every chapter. Most of the images in this summary are from that DVD. These are copyrighted so be careful how you use them . There are many other things in Revelation but this is just a synopsis for you to study. 

PAUL AND 2ND COMING AND THE RESURRECTION

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Now let’s look at what Paul said about the 2nd coming. 

Did Paul really say that the resurrection was “about to happen”? 

Acts 24:15 What did Paul say was the “hope of Israel”? ______________

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  • Paul said that he was on trial for the “hope of Israel”, I.e. the resurrection of the dead. Where would he get the idea of the resurrection being the hope of Israel? 
  • That has to come from Daniel 12:1-2 that predicts a resurrection of the righteous and wicked at the end of the age (i.e. in 70 AD). 
  • He also said that there was “about to be (mello)” a resurrection of the dead. Mello always mean about to happen. Is Paul a false prophet when he predicted this?
  • That Greek word “mello” appears 110 times in various forms in the NT. Here are more examples: 
  • MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
  • Matt 2:13 – Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] search for the child, to destroy him.”
  • Matt 20:22 – Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 
  • MARK’S GOSPEL
  • Mark 10:32 – And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to] to happen to him 
  • LUKE’S GOSPEL
  • Luke 7:2 – Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to], who was highly valued by him.
  • Luke 9:31 – who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] accomplish at Jerusalem.
  • Luke 9:44 – “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] be delivered into the hands of men.”
  • Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for he was about to (Gk:ἤμελλεν) pass that way …Luke 19:4
  • – CC Image courtesy of Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing … FreeBibleimages.org
  • Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] go.
  • Luke 19:4 – So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] pass that way.
  • Luke 22:23 – And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to [Gk: μέλλων : mellon : was about to] do this. 
  • JOHN’S GOSPEL
  • John 4:47 – When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to].
  • We can clearly see from the passages above that certain events were “ABOUT TO” happen… IMMEDIATELY or very SOON after.
  • Matthew 2 – King Herod soon searched for the infant Jesus, just as predicted.
  • Matthew 20, Mark 10, Luke 9 – The suffering and crucifixion of Jesus did occur within a short time, just as predicted.
  • Luke 19 – Jesus did in fact pass the sycamore tree, soon after Zacchaeus climbed up to see him, just as predicted.
  • “Mello” means that something is IMMINENT and “ABOUT TO HAPPEN”. It never means “MANY YEARS FROM NOW” or “SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE” or “2000 YEARS FROM NOW”! Yet that is what some Bible translators want us to believe, whenever “mello” is used in a passage about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ.
  • “Mello” means that something is IMMINENT and “ABOUT TO HAPPEN”. It never means “MANY YEARS FROM NOW” or “SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE” or “2000 YEARS FROM NOW”! Yet that is what some Bible translators want us to believe, whenever “mello” is used in a passage about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ. It is never used to simply mean “certianly will happen” which is the way it is translated in most translations. Why would the translators not translate correctly as “about to happen”? They might translate it “about to happen” in passages that are not eschatological ones, but they would have problems translating the 2nd coming as “about to happen” b/c of almost 2,00 years of church dogma that said that the 2nd coming had not happened yet. A few translations like Young’s Literal Translation translate mello as “about to happen” correctly even in the eschatological passages we have discussed. 
  • So Acts 24:15 is a critical verse. Paul said there was about to be a resurrection. If that resurrection did not happen shortly, then he is a false prophet. Daniel 12:1-2 shows us that resurrection did happen at the end of the age in 70 AD. All those OT people, good and bad, were raised in 70 AD and given their final sentencing, either eternal life or eternal punishment.

Acts 17:31 What did Paul tell the Athenians was about to happen?

_________________________________________________________________

  • Paul told the Athenians that God was about to (mello) judge the world through Jesus. So the judgment that people says will happen in our future had to happen shortly after Paul said this. So it must refer to the judgment in 70 AD.

Acts 24:25 

Paul told Felix the judgement was about to happen (mello)

Is God going to restore the earth to pristine conditions when Jesus returns in our future? 

Romans 8:18, 37 

  • 8:18 “The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be (mello) revealed in us”. 
  • He then discusses the creation being released from its curse. That creation could be used figuratively to refer to the actual earth that was cursed after the fall or it could refer to the curse put on men (people being the creation) due to sin, but whatever it refers to, the creation being freed from the curse here had to be something that was about to happen (mello in 8:18). 
  • It cannot refer to God destroying the old earth and making a restored earth back to the Garden of Eden perfection at some time in our future today because that was not “about to happen” when Paul wrote 8:18 and did not happen any time after Paul wrote. 
  • This is the same “glory about to be revealed” in 1 Peter 5:1.

Romans 13:12

The night is almost gone and the day is almost here, I.e. the day of Christ’s return (Amplified Bible). 

A critical chapter on the resurrection. Did Paul predict that the resurrection was going to occur while some Corinthians were still alive? 

1 Corinthians 15 Read this chapter. 

  • Paul discusses the 2nd coming at the end of the Jewish Age (70 AD). 
  • Jesus must first conquer all enemies, the last enemy being death. 
  • Paul then discusses the nature of the believer’s resurrection. Some in Corinth were confused or questioning the teaching of the resurrection of believers. 
  • Now remember, Paul had said in Acts 24:15 that there was about to be (mello) the resurrection of the dead (the one predicted in Daniel 12:1-2 to occur at the end of the Jewish age). 
  • Paul then says that believers will get an immortal, incorruptible, spiritual body at their resurrection. “Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom” so there will be no resurrection of physical bodies from the graves.

But the critical statement is 15:51. 

  • “We (Paul and those he is writing to in Corinth) shall not all sleep (i.e. be dead) when this resurrection occurs”. 
  • He is not saying that some people will be alive and some dead when Jesus returns. That is obvious. 
  • He is saying that some of the Corinthian Christians will still be alive at Jesus’ 2nd coming and the resurrection, which corresponds with his other statements in Acts 24:15. 
  • But whether dead or alive, all will receive immortality, that immortal, incorruptible, spiritual body at the resurrection in 70 AD when he returns. 
  • In 70 AD he conquered death, which came through the Law (15:54-57) by destroying the temple, the Law, and the ability of the Law to condemn believers in Jesus (Romans 8:1-4).
  • This passage shows that the resurrection had to occur while some of those Corinthians were still alive. It was a spiritual thing. There were no physical bodies coming out of the graves as is often depicted.

Spiritual death has been conquered, as of 70 AD.

  • Jesus said in John 11:24,25 that believers would live even if they died, that they would never die. 
  • It is interesting that evangelicals say that death has not been conquered yet since they think Jesus has not returned yet. They are still waiting for the plan of redemption to be completed. 
  • Not me. As of 70 AD all believers have their immortal resurrected bodies and will go straight to heaven to be with Jesus forever when they die. 
  • No waiting place as in the Old Testament and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. 
  • After 70 AD and death is defeated, believers have eternal life spiritual bodies that keep on living and go to some spiritual heavenly realm after physical death to live forever. Most preachers believe that deceased believers do go immediately to be with Jesus forever. If so, why would they need to leave heaven and the presence of Jesus to come back to earth some day and be judged and have their body in their coffin be raised. If they are in heaven with Jesus after death, they have all the spiritual body they need to be with Jesus forever.
  • Of course, premillenneals believe that the bodies of bellievers will be resurrected at Jesus’ 2nd coming to live in a physical kingdom that he will establish. 3 problems with that. 1) The 2nd coming was at 70 AD, not in our future (see blog article 2nd Coming of Jesus (parts 1 and 2). 2) Jesus established a spiritual kingdom, the church. John 18:36 My kingdom is not of this world.3) This view contradicts Acts 24:15 that the resurrection was about to happen in Paul’s day. Also 1 Cor 15 some would still be alive at the resurrection, so it had to be imminent.

Ephesians 1:21 

The age about to come (mello). 

  • That would be the Messianic Age which began in Acts 2 in 30 AD and was finalized in 70 AD. 

Philippians 3:20 

We (Paul and those he is writing to at Philippi) eagerly await the coming of Jesus

  • Doesn’t that imply an imminent coming in their lifetime?. 

Philippians 4:5 

The Lord is near. Is this his presence is near or his 2nd coming is near (eggus: Near, close, at hand)?

Colossians 2:17 

A shadow of the things about to come (mello). 

  • The new covenant blessings would only be fully realized in 70 AD. Hebrews 8:13 says that the old covenant was ready (eggus) to disappear. That was written about 62 AD and must refer to 70 AD. Some say the old covenant ended at the cross in 30 AD, but Heb 8:13 rejects that view. The old covenant was perpetual till the end of the age in 70 AD. Even the Jewish Christians kept the Law till 70 AD, even while they kept the new covenant. They knew the old covenant could not save them, but it was the law of God for them until God removed it in 70 AD by sending the Romans to destroy the temple and kill one million Jews (according to Josephus).

1 Thessalonians 1:10 

To wait for the coming of Jesus from heaven to rescue us from the coming wrath. 

  • What wrath? 2:16 will explain that wrath, i.e. on the Jews in 70 AD. 1 Thess 2:For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,[h] 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!. That wrath to come must be God’s wrath poured out on the Jews in 70 AD.
  • John the Baptist predicted the same thing. Mt 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come (mello about to come)? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” This was obviously wrath to come on the Jews in 70 AD b/c it was a wrath (mello) about to come, imminent.
  • Malachi had predicted this same wrath on the Jews. Mal 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” That awesome day of the Lord was a judgment day on the Jews in 70 AD.
  • That was the same day as Acts 2:19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
        and signs on the earth below,
        blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
    20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
        and the moon to blood,
        before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. This was a fulfillment of Joel 2.
  • That led Peter to tell the Jews in Acts 2:40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” There’s that idea of judgment on that generation of Jews living at that time, the same one that Jesus kept saying was evil and going to be judged in 70 AD.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 

  • God’s wrath has come upon them (the non Christian Jews who were persecuting the Christian Jews, as Paul did) at last! 
  • This has to be 70 AD judgment on the Jews in which one million died, 200,000 captives (according to Josephus). 
  • John the Baptist said that this wrath on the Jews was about to come (mello, Mt 3:7)

1 Thessalonians 2:19 

The Thessalonians Christians would be Paul’s joy and crown at Jesus’ coming

1 Thessalonians 3:13 

Paul wanted them to be blameless at the coming of Jesus

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 

  • This is one of the most misunderstood eschatological passages. The rapture theory comes from this passage, although the Greek word is believers being “caught up”. The word rapture comes from the Latin Vulgate translation of “caught up”. 
  • The only other passage used to teach the rapture theory is Mt 24: 40,41 where one is taken (raptured) and one left. 
  • The false assumption is that this taking up occurs at a coming of Jesus that will happen in our future, but the context of Mt 24 is AD 70 2nd coming all the way through the chapter. 24:34 everything up to that verse must happen within that generation (genea). But many say that it changes to a future 2nd coming in 24:35 and that the flood analogy refers to the rapture of the righteous at Jesus’ 2nd coming in our future.
  • But notice, in the days of Noah and the flood, who was taken? The righteous or the wicked? Who was left after the flood?
  • It was the wicked who were taken (Amplied Bible adds “for judgment), and the righteous were left on earth (Noah and his family). 
  • That is just the opposite of what the rapture theory teaches (and the wrong coming of Jesus as they teach). They say in the rapture the righteous will be taken, but in the flood the wicked were taken. Just the opposite. The whole chapter Mt 24 is about the 2nd coming in 70 AD.

Does 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 teach there will be a future rapture and resurrection?

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 What does it sound like was a concern of the Thessalonians concerning the imminent 2nd coming?

_________________________________________________________________

 Paul is addressing a concern of the Thessalonians Christians that Timothy had relayed to him after visiting them. 

  • They thought Jesus’ 2nd coming was in their lifetime (because Paul taught them that), but what if one of their fellow believers died before then? Would they be left out of the glory of the 2nd coming that they had been told was imminent within their lifetime? 
  • Paul told them not to worry. Jesus would come in the clouds bringing with him those Christians who died during the transition period from AD 30-70 (some of them martyrs). Thus “the dead in Christ would rise first”. 
  • This is the 1st resurrection of Rev 20:1-4 (more later). Apparently those believers who died during the transition period did not go to hades as al the Old Testament people did. Instead, they went to be with the Lord. This answer would have relieved the Thessalonians of their concern.
  • He adds that the living believers would then be “caught up” to meet the Lord and be with him always. 
  • Typically, many say this means a rapture to meet Jesus at his 2nd coming, after which the believers will then go to heaven to be with Jesus (often they add for 7 years or tribulation on earth followed by another coming of Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and do a final judgment). 
  • But not so. In the Roman world, a dignitary or king would visit a town. The people would go out to meet him and then return with him back into their town to enjoy his presence with them.
  • That is what 1 Thess 4:13-18 is picturing in some figurative language.
  • .Jesus would come in the clouds. Living believers would figuratively meet him in the air (where the clouds are) and then the believers and Jesus would come back to earth so that his presence would be with the believers on earth forever. 
  • He does not take them back to heaven. The word for his 2nd coming is parousia, and means coming or presence, i.e. when you come to someone, you make your presence with them. 
  • As of 70 AD. Jesus has made his presence among believers in the tabernacle of God, the sanctuary, the church. 
  • He dwells in believers’ hearts through faith (Eph 3:17) spiritually, figuratively, not physically. 
  • Paul also says “we who are alive”, implying that some of those (maybe including himself) will still be alive when the the events of 4:13-18 occur. 

This idea is John 14:3,23. What did Jesus say he was going to do?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

  • Jesus promises the apostles that he will come to them and make his dwelling place with them (14:3). This is not the parousia word for “come” to them, and is fulfilled in coming to them by giving them the Holy Spirit (14:18,25,26) which occurred in Acts 2 with their baptism in the Holy Spirit. 
  • Many use 14:1-3 to say that Jesus will come and take believers off the earth to a mansion in heaven prepared for them, but not so. 
  • 14:23 is the same Greek word for “dwelling place” as in 14:3 and it it means that he will come to them and make his dwelling in them through the Holy Spirit on earth from AD 30-70. 
  • He prepares a mansion for them but brings it down with him to earth where he can dwell in them in a dwelling place mansion on earth, not in heaven. So the song “I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop….” that makes the mansion of John 14 to be heaven might not be correct! Jesus’ dwelling place or mansion is with us Christians on earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 

  • This follows up on the 2nd coming, saying that it will be like a thief in the night. 
  • Some have trouble reconciling this idea with the fact that Jesus gave signs of his 2nd coming to look for. 
  • But even if you read the signs correctly, you would get prepared by being a faithful servant (Mt 24:42-51) but you still would not know the exact hour, so you better be prepared at all times. 
  • BTW 5:1-11 he tells them to stay ready at all times for the 2nd coming. It does appear that he is saying that some of them will be alive at that coming, or else this warning would not mean much to them.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 In what way did Paul tell them that the 2nd coming would bring relief to them? Relief from what?

________________________________________________________________

  • Paul says that when Jesus is revealed at his 2nd coming in his glory to glorify his saints that he will deal out vengeance on those who are causing the Jewish Christians to suffer, I.e. the Jewish non Christians (1 Thess 2:14-16, like Saul who killed Jewish Christians). 
  • The persecution that caused the Jewish Christians to scatter from Jerusalem in Acts 8 would be from Jewish non Christians in Jerusalem. 
  • This promise of relief from suffering at his 2nd coming would not mean much if his 2nd coming did not occur in their lifetime, would it?

Who is the “man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians 2? Is he still to come?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 What had they heard about the 2nd coming?

_________________________________________________________________

  • After Timothy delivered the 1 Thessalonians letter to them, he came back with this issue about the 2nd coming. 
  • Some were saying the 2nd coming had already happened. 
  • BTW if Paul had taught them that there would be a physical resurrection of bodies from the graves at the 2nd coming, then he could have just said, “But did anyone observe that happening”.
  • So this shows that he was not teaching a physical resurrection of bodies out of the graves at Jesus’ 2nd coming! 

The “man of sin” was Titus who destroyed the temple. 

  • Paul then goes on to say several things were yet to happen before the 2nd coming: an apostasy, the Man of Sin (some call this the Antichrist) must appear claiming to be God and taking his seat in the temple of God.
  • BTW only the emperor Titus fits this description of the man of sin. He claimed to be God and he entered the temple in 70 AD when he destroyed it and received sacrifices to himself as God. Many have thought the man of sin to be Nero, but Nero never took his seat in the temple.
  • But Paul says that at the time of writing the 2nd letter, someone was restraining Titus and that person had to be removed first before Titus would do his thing. 
  • Paul said in 2:7 that all this was “already at work” at the time he wrote this letter. 
  • In other words, all this would occur in their lifetime. 
  • Not some Antichrist that comes in our future (numerous guesses have been made as to who the Antichrist was or will be, all of them wrong guesses. 
  • The coming of the Man of Sin would be accompanied by false wonders and deceptive signs. 
  • Indeed, the earth beast of Rev 13 is the false Jewish prophets who persuaded Jewish non Christians to worship the Roman sea beast (more later). 
  • BTW Christ would slay the man of sin at his coming, but did Christ slay Titus physically? 
  • No. But he did destroy all earthly powers when he came in 70 AD, and become king of kings over all the kingdoms of the world (Rev 11:15). He also destroyed all the demonic princes, one of which would have been behind the evil Roman Empire. Daniel 9 talks about evil princes of different kingdoms.

2 Timothy 4:1 What did Paul say that Jesus was about to do? 

______________________________________________________________

  • Jesus is about to (mello) judge the living and the dead by his appearing and his kingdom. Is this not clear that the judgment and his 2nd coming was about to happen?

Conclusion

It is obvious that the Christians living in the transition period from AD 30-70 expected an imminent, within their generation, in their lifetime, 2nd coming of Jesus. 

  • As James Stewart Russell said, “Why would they think that? Because Jesus and the apostles told them that”. 
  • Some say that the apostles are simply saying that the 2nd coming could be at any time, but that is not what they said.
  • Some say that the apostles thought the 2nd coming was imminent but that they were just mistaken. 
  • Wrong. The apostles wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and their statements were error free. 
  • If not, how would you know if any of their other teachings were mistaken.
  • Some say that even Jesus could be wrong about the timing of the 2nd coming being imminent. 
  • They base that on his comment that even the Son of Man did not know the exact hour of his coming. 
  • C.S.Lewis took this position when he said that Mt 10:23 was the most embarrassing verse in the Bible because in it Jesus predicted his 2nd coming within the lifetime of the apostles and yet that did not come true. 
  • C.S.Lewis just shirks that off saying, “Even Jesus could be mistaken at times”. 
  • Wrong again
  • . Jesus might not have known the exact hour of his 2nd coming, but he clearly states that the 2nd coming will be in that generation, or else he is a false prophet. 

Titus 2:11-13

  • Awaiting and confidently expecting the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. 

THE BOOK OF HEBREWS: CANONICITY AND THE 2ND COMING AND END OF THE OLD COVENANT

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Why was the canonicity of the book of Hebrews questioned by some?

The canonicity of the book of Hebrews was in doubt in the early church because of the uncertainty of its authorship. Some thought Paul wrote it which would automatically make it canonical. Others did not think Paul wrote it, attributing it to Barnabas or Clement or someone else, and that uncertainly made its canonicity questionable. From the internet: the western church did not accept Paul as the author of Hebrews until the fourth century. In fact, most modern scholars now believe the author is unknown. 

Here are some reasons why the church has rejected Paul as the author of Hebrews:

Separation from eyewitnesses: In Hebrews 2:3, the author separates himself from the original eyewitnesses, which is different from Paul’s emphasis on his authority as an apostle.  

Style: The style of Hebrews is different from Paul’s letters.  

Name: Paul identifies himself by name in his 13 letters, but Hebrews does not name the author.  

But, whoever wrote it, it was inspired by the Holy Spirit! 

  • But there is no doubt that it is from an inspired author! It was written in the early 60’ and its predictions of the things about to happen (mello), of the 2nd coming in a very little while that would not be delayed, of the replacement of the old covenant with the new, etc. are all inspired exegesis of what the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD meant in God’s plan to give the new covenant. 

Why I don’t think that Paul wrote Hebrews. 

1) Hebrews 1:3. How does the author say that the words of Jesus were confirmed to him? _______________________________________________  

  • I am not sure of the author but I don’t think it was Paul b/c Paul would never have said in Heb 1:3 that the word spoken by Jesus was confirmed to us (including himself) by those that heard him (the apostles). 
  • Paul argued in Galatians 1 that he received his gospel directly from Jesus and not from the apostles, so he would never have said that. 

Why I think the book is canonical and inspired: key eschatological passages in Hebrews. 

2) Heb 8:13 What does the author say about the old covenant? ___________

_________________________________________________________________

  • The old covenant “is ready (eggus: Near, close, at hand) to disappear (aphanismos: Disappearance, destruction, ruin) ”. This doesn’t mention the 2nd coming, but it is an important eschatological passage. 
  • “Near” is eggizó: To draw near, to approach, to come near. The word is used 43 times in the NT.
  • Matthew 3:2: “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
  • Matthew 4:17: “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
  • Matthew 10:7: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
  • Matthew 15:8: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth”
  • Matthew 21:1: “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to”
  • Matthew 21:34: “time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to”
  • Matthew 26:45: “behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man”
  • Matthew 26:46: “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
  • Mark 1:15: “the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the”
  • Mark 11:1: “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and”
  • Mark 14:42: “lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.”
  • Luke 7:12: “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city,”
  • Luke 10:9: “unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
  • Luke 10:11: “the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
  • Luke 12:33: “heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth”
  • Luke 15:1: “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and”
  • Luke 15:25: “and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music”
  • Luke 18:35: “And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man”
  • Luke 18:40: “him: and when he was come near, he asked him,”
  • Luke 19:29: “And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany,”
  • Luke 19:37: “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the”
  • Luke 19:41: “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over”
  • Luke 21:8: “Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after”
  • Luke 21:20: “the desolation thereof is nigh.”
  • Luke 21:28: “for your redemption draweth nigh.”
  • Luke 22:1: “the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”
  • Luke 22:47: “went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.”
  • Luke 24:15: “Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.”
  • Luke 24:28: “And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and”
  • Acts 7:17: “time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham,”
  • Acts 9:3: “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about”
  • Acts 10:9: “as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up”
  • Acts 21:33: “Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded”
  • Acts 22:6: “that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly”
  • Acts 23:15: “and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill”
  • Romans 13:12: “the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works”
  • Philippians 2:30: “the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life,”
  • Hebrews 7:19: “of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
  • Hebrews 10:25: “as ye see the day approaching.”
  • James 4:8: ” Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;”
  • James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;”
  • James 5:8: “for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
  • Some say the old covenant disappeared, ended, at the cross. 
  • Certainly, the cross and death of Jesus was the basis for a new covenant since the first covenant could not save anyone, but 8:13 clearly shows that the 1st covenant did not disappear or end until 70 AD when the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. The old covenant could only condemn, not save, and its power to condemn ceased at the cross for those who would be saved by grace through faith in Jesus and the new covenant.

Jewish Christians continued to keep the Law until 70 AD but they understood that it was the new covenant that saved them, not the old.  

  • Acts 21:17-26 What did James the Lord’s brother tell Paul that thousands of Jewish Christians were doing? 
  • James asked Paul to join 4 men in keeping a Jewish vow to show that he was not telling Jewish converts to quit keeping the Law (he did tell Gentile converts that they did not need to keep the Law, but that was not in James’ discussion). 
  • So what did Paul do? Did he tell James that the Jewish converts were not required to keep the Law since the Law died at the cross? 
  • Nope. He kept the Jewish vow with the 4 men to show that he was not teaching Jewish concerts to quit keeping the Law. 
  • Some have said that Paul was just “becoming all things to all men” in keeping this vow, but Paul would never have done that on such a critical issue. 

3) Heb 9:8 What does the author say about the way into the new Holy of Holies of the new covenant? 

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  • 9:8 “The way into the new Holy of Holies (in heaven) has not yet been disclosed as long as the first or outer tabernacle “is” still standing”. 
  • This shows that, while the 2nd covenant began in Acts 2, the 2nd covenant would not be fully disclosed and confirmed until the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. The present tense of the verb “is” shows that. This verse also shows that the temple was still standing and the priests still ministering at the time of writing of Hebrews, so it was definitely written before 70 AD.
  • The NIV has the verb “was” but that is not the correct Gk verb tense. 

4) Heb 9:28 What does the author say is the purpose of Jesus’ 2nd coming?

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  • 9:28 “Christ was offered once for all time in his 1st coming, but he would appear a 2nd time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly and confidently waiting for him.” 
  • His 2nd coming would bring physical salvation for the Jewish Christian remnant who escaped the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD as well as put an end to non Christian Jews persecuting Jewish Christians (1 Thess 2:14-16; 2 Thess 1). 
  • His 2nd coming at the end of the age would also bring spiritual salvation, destroying death (1 Cor 15) and bring immortality to believers in 70 AD. 

5) Heb 10:27 What did the author say about a coming judgment of Jewish Christians  if they lose their faith in Jesus and start trusting in the Law?

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  • There is about to be (mello) a judgment on the Jews and that would include any Jewish Christians who forsake faith in Christ and return to the Law for salvation (which was the purpose of writing Hebrews, to convince them not to do that). 
  • That imminent judgement was 70 AD.

A passage that refutes the “delayed 2nd coming” theory of many.

6) Heb 10:37 What does the author say about Jesus’ coming? __________

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  • That imminent, “about to be” (mello) judgment in 10:27 is tied to the 2nd coming in 10:37. “Yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.” The work mello is always used in the NT of something that is “about to happen”.
  • USE OF “MELLO” TO WARN OF IMMINENT ACTIONS OR EVENTS.
  • That Greek word “mello” appears 110 times in various forms in the NT. Here are more examples: 
  • MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
  • Matt 2:13 – Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] search for the child, to destroy him.”
  • Matt 20:22 – Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 
  • MARK’S GOSPEL
  • Mark 10:32 – And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to] to happen to him 
  • LUKE’S GOSPEL
  • Luke 7:2 – Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to], who was highly valued by him.
  • Luke 9:31 – who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] accomplish at Jerusalem.
  • Luke 9:44 – “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] be delivered into the hands of men.”
  • Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for he was about to (Gk:ἤμελλεν) pass that way …Luke 19:4
  • – CC Image courtesy of Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing … FreeBibleimages.org
  • Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] go.
  • Luke 19:4 – So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] pass that way.
  • Luke 22:23 – And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to [Gk: μέλλων : mellon : was about to] do this. 
  • JOHN’S GOSPEL
  • John 4:47 – When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to].
  • We can clearly see from the passages above that certain events were “ABOUT TO” happen… IMMEDIATELY or very SOON after.
  • Matthew 2 – King Herod soon searched for the infant Jesus, just as predicted.
  • Matthew 20, Mark 10, Luke 9 – The suffering and crucifixion of Jesus did occur within a short time, just as predicted.
  • Luke 19 – Jesus did in fact pass the sycamore tree, soon after Zacchaeus climbed up to see him, just as predicted.
  • “Mello” means that something is IMMINENT and “ABOUT TO HAPPEN”. It never means “MANY YEARS FROM NOW” or “SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE” or “2000 YEARS FROM NOW”! Yet that is what some Bible translators want us to believe, whenever “mello” is used in a passage about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ.
  • “Mello” means that something is IMMINENT and “ABOUT TO HAPPEN”. It never means “MANY YEARS FROM NOW” or “SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE” or “2000 YEARS FROM NOW”! Yet that is what some Bible translators want us to believe, whenever “mello” is used in a passage about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ. It is never used to simply mean “certianly will happen” which is the way it is translated in most translations. Why would the translators not translate correctly as “about to happen”? They might translate it “about to happen” in passages that are not eschatological ones, but they would have problems translating the 2nd coming as “about to happen” b/c of almost 2,00 years of church dogma that said that the 2nd coming had not happened yet. A few translations like Young’s Literal Translation translate mello as “about to happen” correctly even in the eschatological passages we have discussed.
  • As stated earlier, this is a critical passage to destroy the idea that Jesus delayed his predicted imminent 2nd coming. 
  • Again, people say that b/c they expected him to establish a physical kingdom and he did not do that in 70 AD. 
  • They say he delayed his 2nd coming and will one day (going on 2000 years and counting) come back and set up his earthly kingdom.
  • He never intended to set up an earthly kingdom (John 18:36 my kingdom is not of this world). 
  • He had preached that the “kingdom (of Daniel 2:44) is at hand (eggizó: To draw near, to approach, to come near)”.
  • He had said that some would still be alive to see him coming in his kingdom (Mt 16:27). He said that he was mello about to come.
  • He would be a false prophet if the kingdom was not established soon after these predictions. 
  • It was established soon after in the church, a spiritual kingdom. 
  • Jesus equated the kingdom and the church in Mt 16:16-19. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”He said Peter would have the keys to open the door for entrance into the church kingdom. 
  • Peter used those keys in Acts 2 as he preached the first gospel sermon with 3,000 being saved and entering that new church kingdom.
  • Paul said that Christians had been translated into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col 1:13, so the kingdom of Jesus was already established as Paul was writing). But in Luke 21:31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. He was predicting the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD which had to occur within that generation (genea, always used of a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period, just was we speak of the baby boomers generation, the Z generation, etc.). He even said in Luke 21:36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are (mellow, about to) take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” So all the predictions in Luke 21 were “about to happen” (mello). So back to 21:31. In what sense was the “kingdom of God is near (eggus: Near, close, at hand)”. If the kingdom of God was the church, and Col 1:13 says that Christians had already been translated into the kingdom of Jesus at the time of writing (62 AD), then how could Luke’s prediction of Lk 21:31 that the kingdom of God is near when the events in 70 AD occur.
  • I use our election of presidents to explain that. We elected a new president on Nov 5, 2024. The inauguration is Jan 20, 2025. So officially we have a “president elect” and a new government that only officially begins to rule on Jan 20, 2025. In the meantime, the new president elect is appointing his new cabinet and beginning to remove the old cabinet. But all that only becomes official in 2025. It is the same with the kingdom of God that was near. Acts 2 the day of Pentecost in 30 AD was the Nov 5 of our elections. It was the establishment of the church (Acts 2:37). The official rule of the new church kingdom would be in 70 AD after Jesus had defeated all his enemies (the last enemy was spiritual death 1 Cor 15) and removed the old covenant (Heb 8:13 that old covenant was removed in 70 AD). So we might say that Trump is the new president during the interim of Novv 5,2024 to Jan 20, 2025 but he only officially becomes the president on Jan 20, 2025. Paul could say that those living in the transition period from AD 30 to AD 70 were indeed in the kingdom but teachnically the kingdom would not be fully operative till 70 AD.
  • Many use the phrase “already, not yet” to describe this transition period. The Christians were “alrready in the kingdom Col 1:13” but “not yet” in the final phase of the kingdom in 70 AD.
  • Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Paul said this to those he had just converted. According to Paul in Col 1:13, they were already in the church kingdom. And yet he says they will enter a future kingdom, which would refer to 70 AD.
  • 2 Peter 1:11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Again, the Christians Peter was writing to were already in the church kingdom, but there was another phase of the kingdom for them to enter in their future, which would be 70 AD.
  • Of course, premillineals say that this future kingdom is a physical kingdom set up by Jesus when he returns in our future. 3 problems with that. 1) Jesus’ 2nd coming was in 70 AD (see blog articles 2nd Coming of Jesus (part 1 and 2). 2) Jesus’ kingdom he set us was a spiritual kingdom. John 18:36 my kingdom is not of this world. 3) Jesus said that some would still be alive to see him coming in his kingdom Mt 16:27,28 (and that coming was mello about to happen).
  • I was raised in a church that said that this everlasting phase of the kingdom in 2 Peter 1:11 was heaven, but that would contradict Lk 21:31 who said that the future phase of the kingdom would be near in 70 AD. Of course my church said that the 2nd coming is in our future which is not true either.
  • Jesus did not delay his 2nd coming. He came in 70 AD just as he predicted. The only reason anyone would say that Jesus did indeed predict an imminent 2nd coming but that he delayed it is that they expect Jesus to set up a physical kingdom when he comes back. They are making the same mistake that the unbelieving Jews made. Those Jews expected a physical kingdom of political power like that of the kingdom of David and a king who would defeat the Romans (like David defeated the enemies of Israel).

7) Heb 12:25-29 What did the author say that God was going to shake?

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  • After saying that the believers had come to the heavenly Jerusalem (i.e. the new Jerusalem the church) and to the new covenant, the writer said that God was going to once more shake not only the earth but also the heavens, removing the things that can be shaken (the old Jewish heavens and earth, the old Jewish system, a physical system that could be destroyed and was destroyed in 70 AD). 
  • A new spiritual system the new heavens and earth, the new Messianic system, would remain that cannot be shaken b/c it cannot be destroyed (Mt 16:18). 
  • BTW, doesn’t this sound a lot like 2 Peter 3 and the replacing of the old heavens and earth with a new heavens and earth? 

Some more “mello” (about to happen) passages in Hebrews:

Heb 2:5; 6:6 

2:5 The world about to come (mello). 6:6 the age about to come (mello).

  • These passages are predicting the Messianic Age that began in Acts 2 in 30 AD and would be finalized and confirmed in 70 AD. Technically the new Messianic Age began in 70 AD after the old age (called the “present age in the NT) ended.

Heb 13:14 

Seeking the city which is about to come (mello). 

  • What city was about to come when Hebrews was written? 
  • This could only be the new Jerusalem, the church, which began in Acts 2 in 30 AD, but was only finalized in 70 AD. 
  • Rev 21:1 pictures that new Jerusalem coming down to earth and says that city is the bride or Christ, i.e. the church. 

So do you see why I say that the author of Hebrews was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The book predicts accurately so many things about the 2nd coming in 70 AD. The book gives an inspired discussion of the difference of the two covenants. Whoever wrote it was inspired. 

The next lesson will look at what the apostle Paul said about the 2nd coming and the resurrection. 

THE 2ND COMING OF JESUS (PART 2)

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Now let’s look at what the apostles said about the timing of the 2nd coming. 

James:

James 5:8,9 The coming of the Lord is near; the Judge is standing right at the door. 

Peter:

1 Peter 4:7 The end and culmination of all things is near. The end of what? The end of the old law and Jewish theocracy. He could not mean the end of the physical world or else he would be a false prophet since that was not near. “near” is Now let’s look at what the apostles said about the timing of the 2nd coming. 

  1. James:

James 5:8,9 The coming of the Lord is near; the Judge is standing right at the door. 

“Near” is eggizó: To draw near, to approach, to come near. The word is used 43 times in the NT.

Matthew 3:2: “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17: “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 10:7: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 15:8: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth”
Matthew 21:1: “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to”
Matthew 21:34: “time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to”
Matthew 26:45: “behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man”
Matthew 26:46: “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
Mark 1:15: “the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the”
Mark 11:1: “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and”
Mark 14:42: “lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.”
Luke 7:12: “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city,”
Luke 10:9: “unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
Luke 10:11: “the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
Luke 12:33: “heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth”
Luke 15:1: “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and”
Luke 15:25: “and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music”
Luke 18:35: “And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man”
Luke 18:40: “him: and when he was come near, he asked him,”
Luke 19:29: “And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany,”
Luke 19:37: “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the”
Luke 19:41: “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over”
Luke 21:8: “Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after”
Luke 21:20: “the desolation thereof is nigh.”
Luke 21:28: “for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Luke 22:1: “the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”
Luke 22:47: “went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.”
Luke 24:15: “Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.”
Luke 24:28: “And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and”
Acts 7:17: “time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham,”
Acts 9:3: “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about”
Acts 10:9: “as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up”
Acts 21:33: “Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded”
Acts 22:6: “that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly”
Acts 23:15: “and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill”
Romans 13:12: “the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works”
Philippians 2:30: “the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life,”
Hebrews 7:19: “of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
Hebrews 10:25: “as ye see the day approaching.”
James 4:8: ” Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;”
James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;”
James 5:8: “for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

2. Peter:

1 Peter 4:7 The end and culmination of all things is near. The end of what? The end of the old law and Jewish theocracy. If he was predicting that the end of the physical world things, then he was a false prophet since that did not happen. “Near” is eggizó as in James 5:8.

1 Peter 5:1 the glory that is about to be (mello) revealed (at 2nd coming). Refer to the blog article The 2nd Coming of Jesus (Part 1) to see the use of mello in the NT. It always refers to something about to happen. For example just a few:

Matt 2:13 – Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] search for the child, to destroy him.”

Matt 20:22 – Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

Mark 10:32 – And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to] to happen to him

Luke 7:2 – Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to], who was highly valued by him.

Luke 9:31 – who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] accomplish at Jerusalem.

Luke 9:44 – “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] be delivered into the hands of men.”

Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] go.

Luke 19:4 – So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] pass that way.

Luke 22:23 – And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to [Gk: μέλλων : mellon : was about to] do this.

John 4:47 – When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to].

It is the same word mell used by Jesus to say that 2nd coming was “about to happen”

Matthew 16:27 – the Son of Man is going to i [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Romans 8 expounds on this glory about to be revealed. 

Romans 8:18,38 YLT ii – 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory about to [Gk: μέλλουσαν : mellousan : about to] be revealed in us; … 38 for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things about to be [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to (be)].

Many interpret Romans 8:18-25 as a new creation of the earth, a restoration of the earth to the Garden of Eden paradise, but 8:18 says that the glory of this predicted event (whatever the “new creation” might mean) is mello about to happen, so it can’t refer to an event at least 2,00 years later in our future. What does it mean? Since the creation is eagerly waiting for its adoption as sons, then it must refer to sinners awaiting the 2nd coming (which Jesus said was about to happen Mk 16:27,28) and the glory that would be given to the true sons of God, i.e. Christians as opposed to the destruction of the wicked Jews.

2 Peter 3  If Peter said the end of all things is near in 1 Peter 4:7, then when he talks about the destruction of the old heavens and earth in 2 Peter 3, would that destruction not also be included in the “end of all things is near” time frame?

2 Peter 3:10,12 The elements would be burned up. We think that means the elements of the periodic table of which the earth is made up of, but it doesn’t mean that. The Greek word for elements is stoicheion, which means the rudimentary principle or rules of something. The word is used only In Gal 4:3, 9; Col 2:8,20; Heb 5:12 where it means the elementary principles of the world or of religious systems or of the Law. It never refers to the elements of the periodic table. The use of the word in Heb 3:10,12 refers to the elementary principles of the old Jewish system (as in Heb 5:12), the old heavens and earth which were about to be destroyed in 70 AD. The old heavens and earth (the Jewish system) would be destroyed in 70 AD and be replaced by the new heavens and earth (the Messianic system). Heb 12:25 predicted this destruction of the current heavens and earth, leaving the new heavens and earth that could not be shaken or destroyed. 

Also 2 Peter 3:13 Peter said “according to promise” they were looking for a new heavens and earth. What promise was he referring to? The only promise of a new heavens and earth is from Isaiah 65:17; 66:22 where the context is the new Messianic system, the new Jerusalem, a time when believers would come to worship on earth (66:23,24). It is not predicting a re-creation of the cursed earth. 

3) John:

John 21:22 If I (Jesus) want him (John) to stay alive till I come, what is that to you (Peter)? John then comments in 21:23 that some thought that meant that John would never die (if 21:22 is predicting a 2nd coming that hasn’t happened in the last 2,000 years, then John would indeed not die in the first century). But if 21:22 is referring to a 2nd coming in that generation, then John could indeed live to see that. Some say John died a natural death, an old man of 100 living in Ephesus. But the church father Papias in the late 1st/ early 2nd century said that John died a martyr’s death just as Jesus predicted in Mark 10:35-40 at the hands of the Jews. Jesus had predicted that John would drink the same cup as Jesus would (Mk 14:36, the cup of death). Acts 12 records the death of James, John’s brother, in AD 44. So the only time the Jews could have martyred John would have to be before 70 AD, just as they martyred James the Lord’s brother before 70 AD. 

Why would early church tradition say that John lived to the age of 100. Probably b/c they didn’t see Revelation being fulfilled in AD 70, and therefore looked for a time when John might have been exiled to Patmos after 70 AD, and then came up with the theory that he was exiled in the reign of Domitian in 96 AD and that Revelation was written in 96 AD and was fulfilled after 70 AD. We wil see later that both these views are wrong in an article on the book of Revelation. . 

1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour. Last hour of what? Of the last days of the Jewish Age.

Rev 1:2-7 Things to shortly take place (tachos: Speed, swiftness, quickness)
. The time is near (1:3 eggus: Near, close, at hand). He is coming with the clouds (Mt 24:29; Acts 1:8), every eye will see him. 

Rev 22:6-10 Things must soon take place (tachos: Speed, swiftness, quickness). Behold I am coming quickly (tachu: Quickly, swiftly, soon). The time is near (eggus: Near, close, at hand). 

Rev 22:12,20 Behold I am coming quickly. Yes I am coming quickly. 

(Some say “quickly” just means “suddenly”, but the other phrases “near”, “shortly”, “soon” show that quickly means soon. Our modern use of the word “quickly” includes “soon” in time. The word “quickly” is an adverb that means to do something fast, soon, or after a short time. Here are some examples of “quickly” in a sentence: 

“I quickly realized that this was a big mistake”. Rev 1:7 “he is coming with the clouds” shows that it refers to the 2nd coming. 

“She walked quickly away”.  

“The disease spreads quickly”.  

mello passages in Revelation. 1:19; 2:20 3:10,16; 6:11; 8:13; 12:5

Revelation 1:19 YLT – Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is (are) about to] iii ) come after these things;

Revelation 2:10 YLT – Be not afraid of the things that thou art about to [Gk: μέλλεις : melleis : are about to] suffer; lo, the devil is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] cast of you to prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days; become thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of the life.

Revelation 3:10,16 YLT – Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is about to [Gk: μελλούσης : mellouses : which is about to] come upon all the world iv, to try those dwelling upon the earth v … So ‐‐ because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] vomit thee out of my mouth.

Revelation 6:11 YLT – and there was given to each one white robes, and it was said to them that they may rest themselves yet a little time, till may be fulfilled also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to [Gk: μέλλοντες : mellontes : are about to] be killed ‐‐ even as they.

Revelation 8:13 YLT – And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, ‘Wo, wo, wo, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to [Gk: μελλόντων : mellonton : are about to] sound.’

Revelation 12:5 YLT – and she brought forth a male child, who is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and caught away was her child unto God and His throne.

All these passages say the things predicted in Revelation were about to be (mello) fulfilled or happen.

From parousiafulfilled.com

What would be the point of telling Christians in the 1st Century about apocalyptic events, if those things were not expected for thousands of years… after they were all dead and their world had disappeared? How could those events have any meaning or significance to 1st Century people, if they would NOT live to see and experience them? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Conversely, if those early Christians were “ABOUT TO” experience great tribulations and persecutions, they would obviously find encouragement and hope in the knowledge that “SOON” their Lord Jesus Christ was “ABOUT TO” return and rescue them from their enemies… the last wicked and perverse generation of Old Covenant Jews and their temporary Roman allies.

The obvious meaning of the Greek word “mello” throughout the New Testament is that certain things were “ABOUT TO” happen… SOON… in a very short time. And when it refers to the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ, the word “mello” was clearly intended to warn people that it was “ABOUT TO” happen, in the lifetime of those early Christians. This is exactly what Jesus promised his disciples:

“27 For, the Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] come in the glory of his Father, with his messengers, and then he will reward each, according to his work. 28 Verily I say to you, there are certain of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they may see the Son of Man coming in his reign.” (Matthew 16:27-28 YLT)

From James Stewart Russell in The Parousia:

The doctrine of the apostles with regard to the coming of the Lord is in perfect harmony with this (i.e. Jesus’ predictions that his 2nd coming would be imminent). Nothing can be more evident than that they all believed and taught the speedy return of the Lord. From the first speech of St. Peter on the day of Pentecost to the last utterance of St. John in the Apocalypse, this conviction is clearly and constantly expressed. To say that the apostles were themselves ignorant of the time of their Lord’s return, and therefore could have no belief on the subject,—could not teach what they did not know,—is to contradict their own express and reiterated assertions. True, they did not know, and did not teach, ‘that day and that hour;’ they did not say that He would come in a particular month of a particular year, but they assuredly did give the churches to understand that He was coming quickly; that they might soon expect to see Him; and they never ceased to exhort them to maintain the attitude of constant watchfulness and preparation.

The early church expected the imminent return of Jesus within their lifetime. They were “eagerly awaiting” the coming of Jesus. As Russell pointed out: Why did they expect an imminent 2nd coming? the answer is simple. Jesus and the apostles told them that it would be imminent. Case closed.

THE 2ND COMING OF JESUS (Part 1)

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  • The 2nd coming of Jesus is one of great importance and the Bible has a lot to say about it. Let’s look at some verses that talk about the nearness of Christ’s coming. Read the verses and answer the questions. 

1. Read Matthew 10:23. Jesus would come before the disciples had a chance to do what? _____________________________________________________________________________

The apostles would preach the gospel to the entire Roman Empire before 70 AD. Jesus said that he would come before they barely finished doing that. Mt 24:14 Jesus said that the apostles would preach the gospel throughout the world and then “the end would come”. Jesus was answering the question they asked him in 24:3 “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age (aeon, a period of time; not kosmos which is the word for the physical world). The 2nd coming and end of the age occur at the same time. The apostles must finish their mission before that happens, and they did. When Paul wrote Colossians in about 62 AD, he said that the gospel had been proclaimed in all creation under heaven”.

2. Read Matthew 16:27-28. 

From verse 27. Jesus was going to come with His angels to do what? ______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

From verse 28. Jesus’ coming would be so soon that some of the disciples would still be what? _______________________________

2 points are critical here. 1) The meaning of the word mello. “Jesus is about to come” (mello). 2) Some listening to him predict this coming would still be alive when it came to pass.

Matthew 16:27-28.

  • Depending on your translation, the verse says Jesus “Shall” come or “Will” come, etc… The original Greek word for “shall” or “will” is the word “mello.” 
  • Mello always means “about to happen, about to be at a place”. Some say it just mean “certainly to happen, sure to happen”, but that is not how it is used over and over in the NT.
  • Correctly translated verse 27 should read, “the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
  • And according to verse 28, Jesus said that some of those he was talking to would still be alive to see Him coming in his kingdom.
  • This is a judgment passage. Some say 16:27-28 was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in 30 AD in Acts 2, but Acts 2 is not a coming in judgment passage. Acts 2 would occur within a year or so after Jesus spoke Mt 16:27-28. It doesn’t make sense that Jesus would add that “some would still be alive” if the event he was predicting would be within a year or so. But if the event was to occur 40 years later (which it did in 70 AD), then that would make more sense.
  • As we go through the study keep the word “mello” in your mind.
  • Uses of the word mello in the New Testament. 

USE OF “MELLO” TO WARN OF IMMINENT ACTIONS OR EVENTS.

That Greek word “mello” appears 110 times in various forms in the NT. Here are more examples: 

Matt 2:13 – Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] search for the child, to destroy him.”

Matt 20:22 – Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 

Mark 10:32 – And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to] to happen to him 

Luke 7:2 – Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to], who was highly valued by him.

Luke 9:31 – who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] accomplish at Jerusalem.

Luke 9:44 – “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] be delivered into the hands of men.”

Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for he was about to (Gk:ἤμελλεν) pass that way …Luke 19:4

– CC Image courtesy of Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing … FreeBibleimages.org

Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] go.

Luke 19:4 – So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] pass that way.

Luke 22:23 – And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to [Gk: μέλλων : mellon : was about to] do this. 

John 4:47 – When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to].

We can clearly see from the passages above that certain events were “ABOUT TO” happen… IMMEDIATELY or very SOON after.

  • Matthew 2 – King Herod soon searched for the infant Jesus, just as predicted.
  • Matthew 20, Mark 10, Luke 9 – The suffering and crucifixion of Jesus did occur within a short time, just as predicted.
  • Luke 19 – Jesus did in fact pass the sycamore tree, soon after Zacchaeus climbed up to see him, just as predicted.

“Mello” means that something is IMMINENT and “ABOUT TO HAPPEN”. It never means “MANY YEARS FROM NOW” or “SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE” or “2000 YEARS FROM NOW”! Yet that is what some Bible translators want us to believe, whenever “mello” is used in a passage about the parousia (Second Coming) of Christ. It is never used to simply mean “certianly will happen” which is the way it is translated in most translations. Why would the translators not translate correctly as “about to happen”? They might translate it “about to happen” in passages that are not eschatological ones, but they would have problems translating the 2nd coming as “about to happen” b/c of almost 2,00 years of church dogma that said that the 2nd coming had not happened yet. A few translations like Young’s Literal Translation translate mello as “about to happen” correctly even in the eschatological passages we have discussed.

3. Read Matthew 24:29-34. 

From verse 29. What did Jesus say would happen to the sun, moon, and stars? _______________

______________________________________________________________________________

From verse 30. When this happened to the sun, moon, and stars, who or what did Jesus say would appear? _________________________________________________________________

From verse 34. When did Jesus say the things in verse 29 and 30 would take place? __________

______________________________________________________________________________

Bottom line, Jesus said that the stars would fall and the coming of the Son of Man would happen before “this generation would pass away”. So it is critical that we understand what the word genea means and how it is used in the New Testament.

The Greek word genea. 

  • The word generation is from the Greek word “genea”.
  • Genea always means a period of about 40 years
  • This is very similar to how we use the phrases baby boomers generation or X generation.
  • Genea never means the Jewish “race” with an indefinite time. Many try to define genea as the Jewish race but over and over the word is not used like that.
  • In the chapter prior to Mt 24, Jesus had just predicted God’s vengeance on the Jewish nation b/c they had killed the prophets. Mt 23:36 “all these things will come upon this generation”. That obviously refers to the Jews living at that time, and not to the Jewish race in general. This is right before 24:34. Why would the word not mean the same in 24:34 as it does in 23:36?
  • Matthew 1 is a good example of how the word “genea” is used.    
  • Notice that Mt 1:2-16 list lists individual people who lived and died. 
  • Each individual person represents a generation (genea).
  • This is why verse 17 says, “So all the generations [genea] from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations [genea], and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations [genea]”. The meaning of “genea” is a period of about 40 years or the people living in a period of about 40 years. We use the term tha way when we speak of the baby boomers’ generation, the x generation, the z generation, etc.
  • And so when Jesus said in Matthew 24:34 that everything had to take place in that generation He was saying those things would take place in the lifetime of the people who lived at that time.
  • If still uncertain about the meaning of genea, remember Mt 16:27-28. Jesus said some of those he was talking to would still be alive when he returned. That is clear and certain. 
  • Here is a site of the use of genea in the New Testament. https://www.logosapostolic.org/greek-word-studies/1074-genea-generation.htm
  • Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.
  • 11:16 But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, and calling to their fellows,
  • 12:39 But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
  • 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
  • 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
  • 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
  • 12:44 Then he says, I will return into my house from where I came out; and when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished.
  • 12:45 Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also to this wicked generation.
  • 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
  • 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him here to me.
  • 23:36 Amen I say to you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
  • 24:34 Amen I say to you, This generation shall not pass, until all these things are fulfilled.
  • Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.
  • Acts 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
    Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption:
  • Hebrews 3:10 Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

Notice all the things in Mt 24 that Jesus said would happen in that generation.

  • 24:14 The gospel would be preached to all nations and then “the end” would come. That can’t be the end of the world if it had to happen in that generation It refers to the end of the Jewish Age, a phase used in Daniel 12:4,9,13 to predict the end of the age in 70 AD. The gospel was indeed preached to all the nations before 70 AD according to Paul (Colossians 1:23). 
  • 24:15 The “abomination of desolation” of the temple as predicted by Daniel 9:26,27; 12:11 would be fulfilled in that generation. That could only refer to the destruction of the temple by the Romans 40 years later in 70 AD. Daniel 12:11 the abomination of desolation would mark the “end”, the “end of the days” (12:13), just as in Mt 24.
  • 24:21 “At that time” (the same time as the abomination of desolation) great tribulation would occur such as never before occurred. This was predicted also by Daniel 12:1 and referred to tribulation the Jews endured during the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This does not refer to a tribulation that is still in our future as many claim in their pre and post tributlation theories of the 2nd coming. 24:21 refers to a tribulation of suffering the Jewish people would endure in the events of the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. According to Josephus, over a million Jews died through the famine in the city or at the hands of the Romans, and another 200 thousand were carried into captivity.
  • 24:29-30 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” the sun and moon will be darkened and the stars will fall, the tribes of the earth will mourn (i.e. the Jews who crucified Jesus), they (i.e. those tribes) will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds. Unless the stars literally fell in that generation, this must be figurative language, just as used to describe the fall of Babylon (Isaiah 13:10, 13 the stars cease giving light and the earth shaken out of its place), the fall of Egypt (Isaiah 19:1 the Lord riding on a swift cloud to come to judge Egypt), and the fall of Edom (Isaiah 34:4 the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll and all the hosts or stars will fall). That is typical figurative judgment language that is also used in Mt 24:29-30.
  • 24:30 “the tribes will mourn and they will see the coming of the Son of Man in power and glory”. This had to occur within that generation, within the next 40 years. Jesus did come in judgment on the Jews in 70 AD. Did they actually see the body of Jesus coming on a cloud or does this simply mean that He came in judgment by sending the Romans to judge the Jews? It doesn’t matter. He came back within that generation and this must refer to 70 AD.
  • Notice the chronological sequence of events as outlined above. The abomination of desolation, “at that time” a tribulation on the Jews, “immediately after the tribulation” the 2nd coming, “this generation will not pass away till all these things take place”. You can’t pull the tribulation out of that sequence and say that it is predicting something at least 2,000 years later.

Does Mt 24 discuss one coming back of Jesus or two? 

Many say that Mt 24:1-35 predicts events to occur in that generation, but that 24:36-51 changes to a discussion of a coming of Jesus in the distant future (going on 2,000 years now). 

  • Why would anyone think that Jesus changed the topic of his predictions in 24:1-35? 
  • Notice 24:40-41. One man taken, one left at the coming of the Son of Man, just like in the flood. One woman taken, one left. In the flood, the one taken was the wicked and they were destroyed. The one left was Noah and family, the righteous. That also fits the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The wicked Jews were destroyed and the righteous Jews escaped and went to Pella according to Eusebius. This shows that the discussion of 24:36-51 is still discussing 70 AD and not some distant future coming of Jesus. 
  • Many try to use 24:40-41 to describe the rapture or taking up of the righteous at some future coming of Jesus, but that is just the opposite of the meaning of 24:40-41. 

Mt 23:34-36 In this passage spoken just before Mt 24, Jesus said that “generation” (genea) of Jews would be judged because of their killing of the Old Testament prophets and the apostles whom he would send out. Notice the use of genea in 23:36. 

The parallel account of the Olivet Discourse in Mt 24 is also found in Luke 21. Notice all the things that Luke said would happen within that generation (21:32).

  • 21:20 When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies (i.e. the Roman armies).
  • 21:36 Pray that you have the strength to escape all the things that are about to take place (mello again). This confirms that the events in Mt 24 were “about to take place”.  This verse is critical. Luke 21 describes the same events as Mt 24. Lk 21:32 just like Mt 24:34 says that “this generation wll not pass until all has taken place”. But the addition of Lk 21:36 says that all the events predicted in Lk 21 were “about to take place”. That means that the word “generation” in 21:32 can’t mean just the “Jewish race” over the next 2,00 years. It must mean a period of 40 years and the Jews living at that time.

4. Read Matthew 24:62-64. 

From verse 64. What did Jesus say Caiaphas the high priest would see. ___________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Jesus said that Caiaphas would see the Son of Man coming on the clouds. So did he? Did he live till at least the start of the Jewish War in 67 AD (the coming of the son of Man referred to the period of coming in judgment and not just one day in the year 70 AD when the tempe was finally destroyed). If Caiaphas did not live to see the coming of the Son of Man, then is Jesus a false prophet?

From revelation revolution.org this quote:

Caiaphas Probably Lived to Witness the Jewish War: Though it is not Known when Caiaphas Died, He may have lived to Witness at Least the Start of the Jewish War Since He was Probably Younger than His Father-in-Law Who was 87 when the Jewish War Began.

Historically the Jewish high priest served in this role for life.  However, this changed during the Roman Empire when high priests were essentially Roman puppets who served out their terms until they fell out of favor and were deposed.  Caiaphas served as high priest from A.D. 18 to around A.D. 36 when he was deposed by the proconsul Vitellius (Antiquities 18.95).  It is not known how long Caiaphas lived after this point;2 however, I believe that it is likely that he lived to witness at least the start of the Jewish War.  Caiaphas was the son-in-law of the high priest Ananus.  Ananus served as high priest until A.D. 15 when he was deposed at the age of 36.  It is also not known when Ananus died, but if Ananus was 36 in A.D. 15 he would have been 87 at the start of the Jewish War in A.D. 66.  Since Caiaphas was Ananus’ son-in-law Caiaphas was probably younger than that at the time.  Though it is not known when Caiaphas died based on his probable age range it is certainly quite likely that he survived to witness the beginning of the Jewish War in A.D. 66.

Caiaphas and Ananus Probably Lived to Witness the Jewish War: The High Priest Addressed by Jesus in Mark 14:61-62 also appears to be Ananus.  Ananus also may have survived to see Jesus coming on the Clouds of Heaven. (Just like Jesus predicted).

That’s it! Those are the only 4 second coming predictions in the gospels! 

These are the only 4 passages in Matthew (or in the parallel gospels of Mark and Luke) where Jesus predicts a coming back. All 4 predict a coming back (2nd coming) within the lifetime or generation of those he was talking to. 

  • Atheists, Muslims, and non Christian Jews all say that Jesus was a false prophet since they say his predictions of an imminent 2nd coming did not come true.
  • William Miller predicted the 2nd coming would happen in 1843 AD but it did not happed (the event was called “the great disappointment”). Therefore he was a false prophet.
  • There have been over 200 such predictions of the 2nd coming by various false prophets and none of those predictions came true. 

What do you think? If Jesus’ 2nd coming was not in that generation as he predicted, would he be a false prophet also? _________________________________________________________________________

The quote of C.S.Lewis is interesting. 

When referring to the predictions of Jesus concerning his 2nd coming, C.S. Lewis in his essay “The World’s Last Night” concludes that at least one of the prophecies of Jesus was a failed one:

“Say what you like,” we shall be told, “the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘This generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.” [the above paragraph is what C.S. Lewis puts in the mouth of imaginary critics. In the next paragraph, he responds to the criticism]

It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side.

Not everyone can accept C.S.Lewis’ response and still have faith in Jesus

Here is the quote of an atheist, Bertrand Russell. 

Bertrand Russell, in his essay “Why I Am Not A Christian” says this:

For one thing, he certainly thought that His second coming would occur in clouds of glory before the death of all the people who were living at that time. There are a great many texts that prove that. He says, for instance, “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man be come.” Then he says, “There are some standing here which shall not taste death till the Son of Man comes into His kingdom”; and there are a lot of places where it is quite clear that He believed that His second coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living.

But maybe he predicted an imminent 2nd coming but delayed it. 

Many will admit that Jesus predicted that his 2nd coming would be in that generation, but they say that he “delayed” his coming.

  • Hebrews 10:37 puts that theory to rest. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. 
  • The reason many say he delayed his coming is because they, just like most of the Jews living when Jesus came the first time, are looking for Jesus to set up a physical kingdom when he comes the 2nd time. That is why most of the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah. 
  • He did set up His kingdom in the first century. He preached “the kingdom (i.e. the kingdom of Daniel 2:44) is at hand”, so it had to come soon after that or he would be a false prophet. He said in John 18:36 that his kingdom was not of this world. He never intended to set up a physical kingdom, back then or any time in the future. 
  • In Mt 16:28 he said that some would still be alive to see him coming “in his kingdom”.
  • In Mt 16:16-18 He equated the kingdom with the church and gave Peter the keys to the kingdom. Did Peter use those keys to let people into the kingdom? Yes. In Acts 2 Peter preached the first gospel sermon and 3,000 were baptized, becoming Christians and entering the church kingdom.
  • Paul said in Colossians 1:13 You have been translated into the kingdom of His beloved Son. 
  • In Rev 1:6 John said that Jesus had formed the Christians into a kingdom, priest to God the Father. 

A Challenge:

Obviously the only “coming back”, i.e. a 2nd coming, that Jesus predicted was to occur within that generation of those living when he spoke to them. I challenge you to find a verse anywhere in the gospels where He predicted a coming (a 3rd coming?) that would not be within that generation (one that still hasn’t happened going on 2,000 years now). 

Write out the verse here and where you found it (if you find it). 

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

If you do not find it, then isn’t it strange that in the synoptic gospels that Jesus never predicted a coming back that would not happen within that generation? Why would church dogma for 2,000 years use these verses we have studied in this lesson to predict a coming back in our future except that they didn’t understand the passages correctly. They were looking for a 2nd coming that would end the world and a 2nd coming in 70 AD did not fit their expectations.

In the next lesson, we will look at what the apostles said about the 2nd coming.