Acts2:38
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You overlook prophetic perspective, which is common throughout scripture. Prophetic perspective appears in a number of ways. One is seeing 2 distant events in a single picture (one example - Isaiah 61:1,2a directly followed by Isaiah 61:2b). The other is for one event to have multiple layers of fulfillment within history (with a final fulfillment). An example of this is the abomination of desolation from Daniel 11:31. This was 'fulfilled' historically by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BC. Matter settled right? Well, Christ ruined that by stating to his disciples almost 200 years later, watch out for the abomination of desolation of Daniel, as it is still ahead. And the fact is the Babylonians did a similar AoD prior to Antiochus (and before Daniel wrote 'Daniel') around 586 BC. So the Roman 'fulfillment' of the AoD in 70AD is just another historical fulfillment of the AoD. The ultimate AoD is still yet to come, and this is indirectly the basis of our hope in Christ returning for us.
2 Thes 2:1-12
"Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work [that's why you see Stalins, Hitlers, ISISs, and Kim Jong-uns]. Only he [it] who now restrains it [lawlessness] will do so until he [it] is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
If you look at verse 34 which we will call the "time-text" of Matthew 24: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." This verse divides the chapter into two sections. What has gone before refers to the destruction of Jerusalem which did occur during the lifetime of the generation Jesus addressed. The section that follows refers to the Lord's second coming, the time for which is not indicated.
In verse 36 Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." That day is an expression frequently used in the new testament to refer to the day of judgment (Matthew 7:22; 2 Timothy 4:8). This verse (v.36) marks the transition between an earlier section (4-35) in which Jesus had given several definite signs of the destruction of Jerusalem and a later section (36-51) referring to the end of the world, in which no signs were given. To better understand what is meant by transition refer back to the definition about distinguished. It also might help one to understand what a "transition" word is. The "but" in verse 36 is transitioning from one subject to another.
The expression "that day and hour" in verse 36 connects the pronouncement "heaven and earth shall pass away" in verse 35--that day and hour being when heaven and earth shall pass away, and is therefore related to the Lord's second coming. In 2 Peter 3:10 it is declared that "the day of the Lord will come... in which the heavens shall pass away... the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." Thus the passing away of heaven and earth, mentioned in verse 35 of Matthew 24, shall be an event accompanying "the coming of the Son of man" in verses 36 and 37, and with these verses the Lord's discourse turns from the destruction of Jerusalem to the second coming of Christ.
Having clearly established the fact that the Lord discusses his second coming in Matthew 24, we can now call attention to the following ways in which the Lord distinguishes between the destruction of Jerusalem and his second coming. In Matthew 24:4-35 the Lord uses the plural "days" to describe the tribulation associated with the destruction of Jerusalem (see verses 19, 22, 29). In Jesus' reply to the question concerning the second coming (24:36-51 and 25:1-46) the singular "day" is used to refer to that event (24:36, 42, 44, 50 and 25:13).
In reply to the question concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus gave a rather specific sign. They ask the question "Tell us, when shall these things be?" In Matthew 24:15 Jesus said, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation... stand in the holy place..." In his parallel account, Luke identifies the "abomination" which Jesus foretold as the encompassing of Jerusalem by the Roman army: " And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh" (Luke 21:20). In Matthew 24:33 Jesus said, " So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door." He went on to say in verse 34, "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (compare also Matthew 24:36).
In contrast to the specific sign Jesus gave to them concerning the destruction of Jerusalem (4-35), Jesus acknowledged his own lack of knowledge of the time of his second coming: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only."(24:36).
After describing the rather normal routine of life which would characterize the time prior to his second coming, in contrast to the turbulent time which would precede the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus compared his second coming with the arrival of a "thief" (24:43-44). This comparison, which is also made in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 and 2 Peter 3:10, has no moral connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.) but rather implies that as a thief gives no advanced announcement of his visit, neither will Christ give a prior notice of his second coming.
It is also important to note, that in verses 15-34 of Matthew 24, describes the actual events of the destruction of Jerusalem. It is very obvious that verses 15-28 cannot be in reference to the end of the world as people taking flight/ running away would not matter in the least if such were the case. Matthew 24:20, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter..." Why would Jesus give false hope of fleeing if this was talking about the end of the world?
You will clearly see that even secular history can support the evidence that the events in Matthew 24:4-35 have already come to pass. The "false messiahs" verses 4 and 5 already happened see Acts 5:33-37 and Josephus (secular writer) also mentions this in his books. Then to describe the verses 6-8 The predictions of "wars and rumors of wars" history is plum full of evidence of the turmoil Rome was faced with internally let alone externally especially from the period of Christ's death to the destruction of Jerusalem. Look it up. The predictions of "famine" take a look at Acts 11:28. Again already happened. The talk on "earthquakes" many of them. Look at secular history again one of the most famous of the earthquakes then was Pompeii Feb. 5th A.D. 66. The parts on christians being persecuted in verses 9-13 see to the bible Acts 4 and 5. Stephen was stoned to death Acts 6 and 7. Against the church Acts 8 and 9. James gets beheaded Acts 12. And Paul spoke of heavy persecution often see also 2 Timothy 1:15; 4:10, 16. False teachers Acts 20:29; Romans 16:17-18; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1. Then look at verse 14 of Matthew 24 "gospel... preached in all the world...then the end will come" Now look at Colossians 1:6, 23.
Quick helpful reference chart Mat. 24
1. Key Text and The Context
a. "This generation shall not pass" v34 the "time-text" of the chapter
b. "but of that day and hour" v36 the "transition-text" of the chapter
c. The context: Culmination of prophecies and warnings
d. The disciples questions: 24:1-3
2. Signs of the Destruction of Jerusalem: 24:4-35
a. General Signs: 24:4-14
b. Specific Signs: 24:15-28
c. Apocalyptic Language: 24:29-33/ Similar language also used concerning:
i. The destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:10)
ii. The destruction of Edom (Isaiah 34:4-5)
iii. The destruction of Egypt (Ezekiel 32:7-8)
3. The End of the World: 24:36 through 25:46
a. Contrast between this (Mat.24:36-25:46) and the former section of Matthew 24 (Mat.24:4-35)
Jesus teaches the suddenness of the second coming (like a thief/ no signs, warnings, announcements).
Given the evidence of verses and secular writers such as Josephus, what did I overlook?
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