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I suppose this thread belongs in the Christian Scriptures forum. It’s about certain passages of the Scriptures.
As I was questioning the inconsistencies of futurism and recognizing the truth of fulfilled prophecy, I heard some advice to consider the larger implications of the Olivet Discourse and the Revelation, and then the details will fall into place (Don K. Preston, I believe, said it).
But let’s start elsewhere (for after all, eschatology is ninety percent of the Gospels and the New Testament canon). Jesus says that the Law and the Prophets were until John the Baptist (Lk 16:16). John the Baptist says that the Messiah has come with his axe to topple the temple hierarchy, a fruitless junta (Lk 3:9), and to baptize in fire (3:16). Jesus, of course, does this in AD 70 when a fire consumes the temple and consequently the cult of temple and the Mosaic traditions. After this, nothing else needs to be said. The Jewish Age – the age of the prophets and the law – ends.
Malachi may have foretold these events from a distant past, but John announced their imminence. The Law and the Prophets were until John.
Could John the Revelator, then, have foretold anything else? Absolutely not; the Prophetic Age had ended. Yet this John claims to be writing a prophecy (Rv 1:3). What? How can that be?
Easy. Read what St. Paul says in various missives about prophecy at the close of the age. About how it ranks among other gifts of the Spirit, about its usefulness for encouragement and edification for the church. John the Revelator is encouraging the fledgling church through the tribulation it had just endured in Jerusalem and Judea.
But but but, what about all the fantastic events that John the Revelator writes about in Revelation? How do you explain those? Easy. The larger implications first, then the details fall into place.
We know from history, for example, that as armies surrounded Jerusalem, the church in that city fled and took up residence in Decapolis, largely the village of Pella. Three and a half years later, after the First Jewish War, these Christians began to return. This church, the bride of Christ, was in exile for three and a half years. Reference Revelation 12:6.
We also know from history that during this 3 ½-year conflict, wrought with famine and pestilence, the last five months were especially trying. The Romans had breached Jerusalem’s defensive wall and beat the Zealots back, and in five months, the temple burned down. Now reference Revelation 9:5.
Futurists may be completely lost by this OP, but as to Preterists, do you really think that John the Revelator was foretelling the future?
Okay, let the assault begin . . .
As I was questioning the inconsistencies of futurism and recognizing the truth of fulfilled prophecy, I heard some advice to consider the larger implications of the Olivet Discourse and the Revelation, and then the details will fall into place (Don K. Preston, I believe, said it).
But let’s start elsewhere (for after all, eschatology is ninety percent of the Gospels and the New Testament canon). Jesus says that the Law and the Prophets were until John the Baptist (Lk 16:16). John the Baptist says that the Messiah has come with his axe to topple the temple hierarchy, a fruitless junta (Lk 3:9), and to baptize in fire (3:16). Jesus, of course, does this in AD 70 when a fire consumes the temple and consequently the cult of temple and the Mosaic traditions. After this, nothing else needs to be said. The Jewish Age – the age of the prophets and the law – ends.
Malachi may have foretold these events from a distant past, but John announced their imminence. The Law and the Prophets were until John.
Could John the Revelator, then, have foretold anything else? Absolutely not; the Prophetic Age had ended. Yet this John claims to be writing a prophecy (Rv 1:3). What? How can that be?
Easy. Read what St. Paul says in various missives about prophecy at the close of the age. About how it ranks among other gifts of the Spirit, about its usefulness for encouragement and edification for the church. John the Revelator is encouraging the fledgling church through the tribulation it had just endured in Jerusalem and Judea.
But but but, what about all the fantastic events that John the Revelator writes about in Revelation? How do you explain those? Easy. The larger implications first, then the details fall into place.
We know from history, for example, that as armies surrounded Jerusalem, the church in that city fled and took up residence in Decapolis, largely the village of Pella. Three and a half years later, after the First Jewish War, these Christians began to return. This church, the bride of Christ, was in exile for three and a half years. Reference Revelation 12:6.
We also know from history that during this 3 ½-year conflict, wrought with famine and pestilence, the last five months were especially trying. The Romans had breached Jerusalem’s defensive wall and beat the Zealots back, and in five months, the temple burned down. Now reference Revelation 9:5.
Futurists may be completely lost by this OP, but as to Preterists, do you really think that John the Revelator was foretelling the future?
Okay, let the assault begin . . .
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