You both have foundational positions based upon terms you have created by combining terms from the bible. Not directly in the text.
You are being obsessed with the "terms" and "texts" and start listening to Scripture that we quoted.
Like you, many people are listening to historian saying plainly that God had decreed that his temple is destroyed as a punishment for his people, Jews, for rejecting the Messiah.
That is incorrect because God's will was that it be destroyed because it was destroyed, but God
punishes His people "by punishing HIS PEOPLE," not by throwing down a pile of physical stones. It is they, "His People," who were the representative as "stones of the Holy Temple" that were cast down as punishment, and it was at the cross. And no one was left standing one upon another since the Kingdom was taken from them and given to another. It wasn't a literal pile of stones in 70 A.D., which of course wasn't God's Holy Temple or Holy City then, and also had left many stones standing one upon another today. The Jews were the builders of the "city and Temple" which is the body of Chris. It already had abominations standing in it since Christ died in 33 A.D., and was already desolate. These things are wisdom and truth that are
spiritually discerned, and that the non-spiritual think foolishness.
Psalms 118:22-23
- "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
- "This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes."
Matthew 21:41-43
- "They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
- Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
How is all this any way plausibly ambiguous? God is speaking about Congregation Israel, where Christ was once a cornerstone of their old testament holy Temple that was rejected by the builders, the Jews, and with Him become the NEW cornerstone of the Holy Temple, which is the
church, where Gentile believers are NOW the builders of that temple which is upon Christ and the Apostles. They are now the kingdom representative that was taken from Old Testament Israel, they are part of the RESTORATION, a spirtiual house whose builder and maker is God, not construction workers! Get it?! Concerning Gentiles builders:
Ephesians 2:19-21
- "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
- And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
- In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
- In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
THIS is the New Covenant Israel! A Spiritual House of Israel where Gentiles could be the builders of that building! Spiritual speaking. How is it possible NOT to see who the stones were, and who the stones are now of the Holy Temple of God. ...Blindness? Yes, a Holy Temple that fell in 33 A.D. with the rejection of its chief corner stone, and the Holy Temple was restored with the
same foundation stone they rejected. Get it?!
Both the destruction of the Holy Temple and its rebuilding is
symbolical. Not literal like you thought! As for you futurists, is it not enough to understand that the Jews made the
same mistake that the Premillennials, Dispensationalists, and Josephus apologists are making?! You guys are looking to the temporal PHYSICAL buildings as the fulfillment of prophecy of the destruction of the Temple and its rebuilding? Like the Jews, you are blind when Jesus said:
John 2:19-21
- "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
- Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
- But he spake of the temple of his body."
They, like you, could only see the temporal building, when Christ was speaking about something infinitely more important than a physical stones! Their rejection and destruction of Him "AS" the Temple building, and His restoration of it
after three days. You see, the only true Israel, is in Christ Jesus! And we are the church of that Israel. The Church of Israel! The only true rebuilding of the holy city is stones
laid upon Christ Jesus as the Jerusalem from above. The only true building of the Holy Temple, are stones laid upon Him as their foundation. The prophecy of the City and Temple falling has NOTHNING to do with a judgment upon a pile of literal stones over 30 years after Christ died, but the sure judgment and punishment of HIS PEOPLE (signifies as stones) in 33 A.D. where not one stone of "that building"was left standing. It was the end of the Old Testament Covenant Church, Israel! Yet, Christ made a NEW Covenant with Israel, and the foundation stone rejected has still
become head of the corner. Their Kingdom was taken from "the nation of Israel" and given to another as Christ prophesied. A Temple is built with stones laid upon the apostles and Christ, and it wasn't in 70 A.D. after literal stones fell "proving" its destruction and rebuilding did not speak of that event. The "New Covenant with Israel" is established in the Israel of God, the church. It's not a future event, but a past one.
Jeremiah 31:31-33
- "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
- Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
- But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."
It's all one cohesive plan Douggg, the fulfillment of the promise or Covenant to Israel for her restoration, her kingdom, her reign, her promised Savior. Not a future savior and Kingdom, one fulfilled in Christ.
Hebrews 8:13
- "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
Hebrews 12:24
- "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
We, the church, are the restoration! It is Christ rebuilding of the fallen temple in three days after His death, not 70AD! This is the fulfilled New Covenant Israel. This is the prophesied coming and reign of Israel's Messiah and establishment of His Kingdom. But not a temporal one as many then and now expect. He NEVER spoke of ruling in an EARTHLY Kingdom, destroying LITERAL Temples or rebuilding them with LITERAL stones in a temporal home. His kingdom is SPIRITUAL and is an everlasting as prophesied, not earthly or temporal. We are the stones of that rebuilding IN CHRIST
according to Scripture! It is up to the Holy Spirit for you to receive this truth else you will be remained blind to Jewish fables like the Old Testament Jews.
In conclusion, For premillennialists and Preterists, Flavius Josephus was a
secular historian, not a prophet, so he couldn't explain Christian history if his life depended upon it. And those looking to him and his words to do so, do themselves, Biblical interpretation and the cause of Christ a terrible disservice.
