In 1972 I read Matthew 24:34 "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" and thought that Jesus was telling His disciples that His return was going to happen in the 1st century. I dismissed the thought because all the churches taught otherwise- it's even in their Creeds. But in 1998 I read 'Last Days Madness' by Gary Demar and my thinking on the 2nd Coming and the message of the New Testament has never been the same from that time forward.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
"What Is There To Look Forward To If ALL Has Been Fulfilled?"
Futurists continually ask this question.
If all has not been fulfilled, as futurists claim, then-
The resurrection of the dead hasn't taken place and ALL, from the time of Adam to this day, are still in the grave, waiting to be resurrected.
ALL, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, ...John the Baptist, the Apostles,... even those "souls of them [who were under the altar] that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held... [who] cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6: 9-11) That "little season" has stretched out for close to 2,000 years and is STILL counting. NOBODY is in heaven yet... THEY ARE ALL STILL WAITING. Futurists must admit that at the sound of the last trump "... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52)
The "Mystery of God" hasn't been fulfilled.
There are many verses referring to the "Mystery of God". I like to call it God's Plan. I believe the "Mystery of God", His Plan, was fulfilled in AD70 because the Bible says so:
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:...
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:...
Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;...
Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,...
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:...
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,...
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:...
Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)...
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:...
Ephesians 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,...
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:...
Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;...
Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:...
Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done [the "Mystery of God" has been fulfilled]. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The "Mystery of God" WAS REVEALED TO THE APOSTLES. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO HEAR IT. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE PREDESTINED TO HAVE IT REVEALED TO THEM. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE INTEGRAL IN ITS FULFILLMENT. NOT US. WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE ALL THE WORK TO BRING ABOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE "MYSTERY OF GOD" WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY JESUS CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES. WE HAVE IT EASY. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO BROUGHT ABOUT THE FULFILLMENT. WE HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN BRINGING ABOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE "MYSTERY OF GOD" BECAUSE THEY DID IT. ALL WE CAN DO TODAY IS "OVERCOME THE WORLD" BY BELIEVING IN AND HAVING FAITH IN JESUS. THAT
AND PROMOTE HIS KINGDOM, NEW JERUSALEM, TO OTHERS.
Jesus Christ's return (His "Second Coming") in judgment of the Twelve tribes of Israel hasn't taken place yet.
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Futurists have been conditioned, over the centuries, to refuse to acknowledge that Jesus' return (His "Second Coming") in judgment is/was of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. They have been conditioned, over the centuries, to believe that the events of AD70, primarily the destruction of that temple in Jerusalem where "not one stone was left upon another", WERE NOT Jesus' return (His "Second Coming") in judgment of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Jesus' Apostles EQUATED the destruction of that temple in Jerusalem with His return (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. Futurists have been conditioned, over the centuries, to believe otherwise.
Futurists have been conditioned, over the centuries, to believe the lie that Jesus' return (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN DURING THAT GENERATION'S LIFETIME:
Matthew 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:...
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Futurists have been conditioned, over the centuries, to believe that:
some of those standing there in Matthew 16:28 WERE NOT STILL ALIVE WHEN JESUS RETURNED (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
IT WAS NOT THAT GENERATION (of Matthew 24:34) THAT WOULD STILL BE IN EXISTENCE TO WITNESS JESUS' RETURN (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
Revelation 1:1's "must shortly come to pass" means not "must shortly come to pass" but means "1,000's of years into the future before it will come to pass".
Revelation 1:3's and 22:10's "for the time is at hand" and "at hand" means not "at hand" but means "1,000's of years into the future".
Revelation 1:7's "they [the Roman soldiers] also which pierced him" will miracuously reappear 1,000's of years into the future when Jesus returns (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL instead of them being at Jerusalem under the command of Roman General Titus when they besieged Jerusalem and her temple and wiped Israel off the map in AD70 when Jesus returned (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
Revelation 22:7's, 12's, and 20's "I come quickly" does not mean "I come quickly" but means "I am coming not quickly (like it sounds) but 1,000's of years into the future (and surely not during this generation's lifetime like Matthew 16:28 and 24:34 state) to judge not the Twelve Tribes of Israel (like Matthew 19:28 states) but to judge the entire world and have it blown to smithereens.
The final enemy, death, has not been defeated.
The final enemy, death WAS defeated when, at the sounding of the last trumpet, the resurrection took place and the souls of those of the faith were released from the grave and met with Jesus in His Kingdom, New Jerusalem, when He returned (His "Second Coming") in judgment OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
Satan, the Beast from the sea (the "Antichrist") and the false prophet (the beast from the earth) are still or will be active in the future AND ARE NOT IN THE LAKE OF FIRE being tormented day and night forever and forever.
Instead, Satan is alive and well here on planet earth (which means that the "millenium", the "thousand years" of Revelation 20 has already passed BECAUSE Satan is gathering the nations to war against the camp of the saints (the Church) in Jerusalem).
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
ALL these "things" mentioned in Revelation 20 ALREADY TOOK PLACE BECAUSE THE BIBLE AND JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES SAID SO:
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants
"things" which must shortly come to pass.
These examples are but a few of the many that we today must realize have ALREADY HAPPENED.
God's Kingdom of Heaven, New Jerusalem, HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
A true believer inherits God's Kingdom of Heaven, New Jerusalem.
He/she will not experience "death" because instead of going to the grave awaiting to be resurrected, he/she will inherit New Jerusalem and go there directly when they pass from this life to life eternal.
Jesus did return (His "Second Coming") in judgment of the Twelve Tribes of Israel when He said He would- during that generation's lifetime.
Death was defeated when, at the sounding of the last trumpet, the resurrection of the dead took place.
Satan along with the beast, the false prophet, death and Hell (Hades) were cast into the lake of fire.
AND now- when a person of FAITH dies physically, he/she does not go to the grave (awaiting to be resurrected), but instead goes directly to God's Kingdom of Heaven, New Jerusalem.
The "overcomers" of this world (those who believe in and have faith in Jesus Christ) INHERIT New Jerusalem [ref. Revelation 21].
ALL is complete. "It is done".
Preterism, not Futurism, is TRUE Christianity.
Your claims are not Logically Conclusive.
ReplyDelete"70 AD" appears nowhere in the Text. No form of Statement Analysis will support that claim.
John was taken unto "the Lord's Day". Rev 1:10.
The only difference between "the Lord's Day" and "the Day of the Lord" is emphasis. There is no Text which states "the Lord's day is Sunday."
Their knowledge of the Mystery of God was incomplete. Act 1:7.
Matt 23:36 "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."
In Matt 23:36, there is no Hypothetical. Matt 23:34-35 can be ascribed to history, i.e. that generation.
Matt 23:39 "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, TILL (Gr. heos an) ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
In Matt 23:39, the word "till", but specifically (Gr.) heos an, carries a strong Hypothetical force. The verse may be worded in this manner:
"IF ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, THEN ye shall see Me henceforth."
The if-then Conditional provided by the Hypothetical may be symbolized thusly:
P -> Q
If P, then Q
This is the same phraseology used in Matt 24:34, Mark 13:30, and Luke 21:32.
Matt 24:34 "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, TILL (Gr. heos an) all these things be fulfilled."
The verse(s) may be worded in this manner:
"IF all these things be fulfilled, THEN this generation shall pass."
P -> Q
If we say, "But all of those things were not fulfilled, therefore their generation should not have passed", that is a Fallacy of Reasoning called Denying the Antecedent.
If we say, "But their generation did pass, therefore all those things should have been fulfilled", that is a Fallacy of Reasoning called Affirming the Consequent.
Can I ask you-
DeleteAre you a Christian?
Are you Jewish?
Have you read Eisenmenger?
Have you read anything on Athanasius and the cannonization of the N.T.?
Jesus I know, and Paul I comprehend, but who are Eisenmenger and Athanasius?
Delete