The Coming of Christ
“It is, in fact, a sign and notable proof of the coming of the Word that Jerusalem no longer stands.” — Athanasius, 345 AD
“And so the times of the coming of Christ, the leader, must be inquired into, which we shall trace in Daniel; and, after computing them, SHALL PROVE HIM TO HAVE COME, EVEN ON THE GROUND OF THE TIMES DESCRIBED…” — Tertullian, 200 AD
Show 34 409 Has Jesus Returned – part III
August 19th, 2014
Live from the Mecca of Mormonism, this is HEART OF THE MATTER where Christian Fruits Meet Religious Nuts Face to Face. And I’m your host, Shawn McCraney.
Because of the amount of information that we have to cover from the Bible let’s get right to it. But first, let’s have a word of prayer.
Okay, before we begin, I failed to explain something important last week in our study about Matthew 24 verse 6. It plays and will play a very important role in our understanding what Jesus is saying (and what will be said) in our future analysis of the rest of the New Testament. In verse six of Matthew we read:
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end (of the age) is not yet.
Understanding the Word "Mello"
There are all sorts of Biblical tools out there that appeal to the Greek to help us understand what is being said. There are literal versions of the Bible (like Rotherham’s, Weymouth’s and Young’s), and there are inter-linear versions, and there is something called the Emphatic Diaglott, which gives the original Greek in one column and the English in another.
The word for “ye shall,” as in verse six where it says, “and ye shall hear of wars and rumors or wars” is “mello.” And it means, “this is about to happen,” and/or “This is going to get started.” In fact, if you read either the Emphatic Polyglott or from Rotherham or Young’s literal translations, we get a better idea of the timing of the message. In fact Weymouth’s New Testament translation of Matthew 24:6 says “And before long you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet.” And Young’s Literal Translation says “and ye shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all [these] to come to pass, but the end is not yet.” And the Emphatic Polyglott reads: “You are about to…” We will come back to this word “mello” in other verses but understand this is the context of Jesus message here in Matthew 24. Got that?
When Does the Bible Say Jesus Should Return?
Okay, let’s continue to seek answers to the question: “When does the Bible say Jesus should return?” There are a couple of issues I need to make clear as we continue to move through this attempt. First, our study is by no means exhaustive. Entire books – better said, entire volume-sets of books have been written that address, for example, the verse by verse of Matthew 24. Ours is to point out what we believe is the best general picture available.
Secondly, I may be incorrect in some (I suppose even all) of my assessments. Obviously, I don’t think I am, but you may differ. That is okay. At least the topic is cracked open for discussion. The last thing I want to do is divide believers on doctrine. Having said this however, you could probably step outside the door and throw a rock in any direction and find a pastor or teacher who are willing to present “their” view on end times as seamless and infallible. This is what churches and denominations are built upon – certainty. We would never suggest that our view is the only viable view among believers – there are just too many variables.
Clarity on Jesus' Return
Third, I personally stand by the stance that the Bible is more than clear on when it says Jesus should return. Alright, as a quick reminder,
Jesus' Prophecy on His Return
We are hitting what Jesus said in the Gospels about His return. Last week we read the first fourteen verses of Matthew 24. We noted that chapter 24 is Jesus' response to three questions given Him from Peter, James, John, and Andrew: Tell us, when shall these things (which we discussed last week) be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? We noted, right off the bat that where the King James posits their last question as “What shall be the sign of the end of the world,” the better most literal translation would be “and what shall be the sign of the end of the age” (meaning the age or dispensation of the Jews and their temple and economy, etc). We then ended our study with verse fourteen, where once again, the King James use of the English term “world” is once again not what it should be. If speaking of the literal WORLD the Greek would be kosmos. But where verse 14 reads: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
The Abomination of Desolation
So let’s read on in Matthew 24 and see if there are other evidences within its narrative that tell us “when Jesus should return.” After (in verse 14) Jesus says: “Then shall the end come.” That is an emphatic declaration – then shall the end come! Okay. Then He continues with more in verse 15 saying: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”
Historical Context of Jesus' Prophecy
History tells us, no matter how much we want these descriptions to describe our day, that in the mid 60s AD, the Romans attacked Judea and Jerusalem. And that by 70 AD Jerusalem was utterly destroyed – temple included. We know that over 1,000,000 Jews were slaughtered and the rest were taken and made prisoners or dispersed out over the world. After describing all these things to THEM and saying they would exist, Jesus adds at verse 15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” I think it is significant that the Lord, in connection with his discussion of the destruction of Jerusalem used the remarkable prophecy that had been given five centuries earlier to the prophet Daniel. This is what Jesus said in verses 15-16: “When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judea flee.”
The dispensational theory, the pre-trib rapture folk have long argued that the “abomination of desolation” is coming. This is what they say: “The Antichrist,” (an alleged world dictator) will “make the temple abominable” in the so-called tribulation period just prior to the Lord’s second coming. I would suggest that they are correct. “He, them, and it” did show up prior to His second coming with the tribulation beginning around 60 AD and its culmination being in 70 AD in Judea. In fact, listen to Luke’s account of these same passages chapter 21:20-21. This is how he has Jesus say it: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” The Greek word for Desolation is “Eray-mosis” and it is used only three times in the entire New Testament – once in Matthew 24 (where Jesus answers when He should return) and in the similar accounts found in Luke 21 and Mark 13). Again, this is how Luke describes the abomination of desolation to the disciples: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh
The Abomination of Desolation
When Jesus spoke about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, he tied this prophecy directly to the words of Daniel, warning that the desolation was near. Jesus advised those in Judea to flee to the mountains, emphasizing this warning to his apostles for their safety. This was a sign meant for their generation, not something far into the future. Even the Jewish historian Josephus referenced Daniel's prophecy, indicating the Roman influence that would bring desolation.
Understanding 'Generation'
The term "generation" has sparked debate, particularly among Christian futurists. Some question the definition of a generation as forty years. Historically, the Hebrews measured time by generations. In Abraham's time, a generation was a hundred years, as evidenced by Genesis 15:16. However, in Deuteronomy, a generation is redefined as thirty-eight years, with evidence from the Exodus period suggesting 38.5 years. Bible scholars often agree that forty years is a reasonable approximation for a biblical generation.
Biblical References and Interpretations
Matthew 1:17 outlines generations from Abraham to Christ, suggesting an average of about forty-two years per generation. Some futurists interpret Jesus' words about "this generation" as referring to the Jewish people rather than a specific time span. However, a review of New Testament references to "generation" shows it consistently refers to contemporaries, not an entire race over centuries.
When Jesus addressed the Jewish leaders in the temple, he stated that all these things would happen to "this generation," which futurists agree referred to those alive at that time, looking forward forty years.
Jesus' Prophecy of Jerusalem's Fall
The temple with His twelve, and predicts the temple's fall, and then they go to the Mount of Olives and after they ask Him their three questions, and He answers them in detail and then adds (in verse 34) “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” They say THIS time it doesn’t mean THAT generation but that it is talking about events waaaaaay out in the future! So only in this singular case do they say “generation” does not mean what generation has always meant – that it means nation or people-group – and this gives them a solution to support their errant position. I mean consider this – scholars and Bible commentators will cite the destruction of Jerusalem as the fulfillment of Jesus words to the Jews who hear Him in the temple in Matthew 23 but when it comes to the same words to the apostles they say it means something entirely different!
The Consistency of Jesus' Message
And the apostles were asking Jesus WHEN everything He had been saying would occur! Nothing changes between Matthew 23 to Matthew 24 – in fact it’s the same message! But in order to excuse the fact that they don’t believe Jesus has returned futurists (dispensationalists) change the meaning of this single New Testament instance. “Moraptious” – which means it follows after the methods of Moraps – (Mormon Apologists) rather than reasonable exegesis.
Okay, so the Lord says that when Jerusalem is surrounded that 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains (by the way, that is not a very effective way to escape a nuclear holocaust, is it?) These are very reasonable instructions for the people in Jesus day though, right? And then He says . . . 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. “Let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.” Edersheim mentions that this advice makes great sense when applied to 70 AD because the houses of old Jerusalem were flat-roofed and situated right next to each other allowing Christians to escape on “a road of roofs” to the edge of the city therefore escaping invading soldiers who flooded the streets.
The Flight to Pella
Add to all this the fact that when the Romans actually did attack Jerusalem and the Christians read these signs Jesus had supplied them, they fled to Pella (according to Eusebius) which was beyond the Jordan (This is found in Ecclesiastical History III.5) and NOT a Christian convert was lost. I wonder if the church at Jerusalem was raptured at that time – but that’s another topic. Then Jesus continues in Matthew 24, saying: 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: Knowing all the horrors that were going to fall on those very people must have tormented the Lord. We know He wept (wailed) over the city.
And then in conjunction to what He said here in Matthew 24:19 Jesus responds to some women in a very interesting way in Luke 23:27-30, saying 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Notice the similarity when Jesus speaks to the Daughters of Jerusalem here in Luke 23:28 and His words here in Matthew 24:19, where Jesus says: “Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck (are breastfeeding) in those days?” Luke's account puts it this way: “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck.” Friends, all of this – and much much more fell upon the Jews at Jerusalem in those days and do NOT describe something we are still waiting to occur in our day and age some 2000 years later! I mean, in the Luke account, we read: 30 “Then shall they (especially the mothers, it seems) then shall
Apocalyptic Language and Hyperbole in Scripture
They begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.” You know where else this line is used? Revelation 6:15-17. Speaking of the judgment of the Lamb falling on Israel, John the Beloved wrote:
Revelation 6:15: "And the kings of the earth (the country) and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.”
We’ve already described how Revelation was written to the seven churches to warn them of the impending destruction, right. So there is the explanation of Matthew 24:19-20. Then Jesus continues, saying:
20: "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:"
. . . obviously this is advice which would have meaning anciently when primitive travel during winter would be harsh and the city gates were closed on the Sabbath. How would such instruction be applicable to the world today 2000 years later?
The Great Tribulation
(verse 21) 21: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
Now, we have read of a lot of carnage when it comes to war in the world. Was Jesus right when He said (in verse 21) “for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world,” (and He uses Kosmos here, so He meant world) “to this time, no, nor EVER shall be.” Either Jesus was wrong about this (and we have either experienced a greater tribulation – World Wars, etc) OR there is a tribulation that awaits us OR what happened in 70 AD was the “greatest tribulation the world has ever seen” OR there is something we are missing in the language. Admittedly, this one is tougher to explain in the context of scripture than any of these other points.
Let me conclude today with some possible explanations. First of all, the Jews are known for describing apocalyptic events with tremendous hyperbole. Everything was expressed dramatically for emphasis. We look for it to fit literally, but that is not always the Hebrew manner of speaking. Was the Lord using this method to stress the point? This is the typical explanation preterist’s give. Symbolic language was common in the Old Testament, which, if we take it all literally, it leads to some real problems.
Examples of Hyperbolic Language
For example, in describing Hezekiah 2 Kings 18:5 says: “He (Hezekiah) trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.” Then in describing Josiah 2 Kings 23:25 says: “Now before him (Josiah) there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.” How can Hezekiah and Josiah both be the most devoted kings of Judah of all time? They can’t. Obviously, the language is hyperbolic.
Hebrew hyperbolic language was also applied to other earthly judgments well before the destruction of 70 A.D. Exodus 11:6 says: “Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.” IS that literal or hyperbolic?
Ezekiel 5:9 says: “And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations.”
Daniel 9:12 says: “And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
Daniel 12:1: "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Joel 2:2
The Destruction of Jerusalem
people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations So it is highly possible that the Lord appealed to traditional hyperbole borrowed from the Old Testament to describe the destruction of Jerusalem in 64-70 A.D.
Another line of thinking is that it was the first century Jews crucified Jesus. Because their crime was the worst in history their punishment was therefore the worst in history “covenantally speaking.” Worst crime = Worst punishment. Israel was divorced by God as His covenant people. Never again would the Jews have a special status with God. “Now in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek.” So we could interpret verse 21 in this sense as well.
But I wonder if we look at the conditions of the day, the lack of pain killers and/or antiseptics, and the fact that it was God pouring out His wrath upon Jerusalem who rejected His Son, that maybe Jesus was right? Let me conclude with a report from Flavius Josephus on the end of that age.
Josephus and the Siege of Jerusalem
Most of our knowledge about the sufferings of the Jews during the siege and fall of Jerusalem come from his writings. See, Josephus was a Jewish general who fought against the Romans and was captured in July of 67 AD. He made a very low-odds prophesy that the Roman general, Vespasian, would one day become the Emperor of the Roman Empire. This prophesy seemed doomed because Vespasian didn’t have a sound Roman pedigree. Nevertheless, two years after Nero killed himself (on June 9th 68 AD) Vespasian became the new Roman Emperor. And he was so impressed with Josephus prophecy that he freed him from prison, made him a Roman citizen, adopted him as a “Flavian” and then commissioned him to write a history of the Jewish people. Isn’t that wild?
Josephus first work was “The War of the Jews.” Well Vespasian had a son by the name of Titus. And when Titus went into Jerusalem for the final destruction and Josephus went with him. This gave the historian a first-hand position to record what he saw occur in the final year of the war. Josephus, still a Jew who loved the Jews, even tried to persuade them himself to surrender. No doing. So he winds up just reporting their destruction.
The Horrors Witnessed
First, the starvation. The Jews had enough wheat for a number of years but due to infighting (that’s right, the love among them waxed cold) they destroyed their own supplies. Then they robbed and slew each other through the most barbarous of means and methods. Josephus says “they did as much harm to themselves” as the Romans. Soon dead bodies were all over the city. At first they tried to bury the dead (something very important to Jews so to not was the height of barbarism for them as a people) then they just piled them into houses and just shut the doors. Before long they tossed thousands upon thousands over the wall into the valleys below. Josephus writes:
“When Titus, in going his rounds along those valleys say them full of dead bodies, and the thick putrefaction running about them, he gave a groan; and spreading out his hands to heaven, called God to witness that this was not his doing; and such was the sad case of the city itself.”
When Jesus said to the Jewish leaders on the temple mount in Matthew 23:33 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” I believe He was speaking of this very fate. The reason, again, points to the Greek and the King James translators. See, Jesus did not use the word that means hell in English today here. He said, Gehenna, which in English refers to the valley of Hinnom and NOT hell! Hinnom was just one of the valleys surrounding Jerusalem and this very valley became “full of dead bodies.” A better translation of Jesus words is what the literal Greek says:
“This generation of vipers would not escape the damnation of the valley of Hinnom,” AND/OR “How can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna?” These terms Gehenna and Hinnom are in Matthew 23-24 have nothing to do with hell as taught by the futurist Christian church. But that subject is an all-together different one, isn’t it?
Anyway, Josephus reported many horrors. For instance he witnessed a mother snatching up her son (who was breastfeeding at the time) killing him, then roasting him. He literally said she saved “half of the
The Horrors of Starvation and Suffering
He said the starvation was so horrible most wished they could die and viewed the dead with envy. He reported that they got so desperate for food they searched the sewers for human and cattle waste and consumed it – noting that by the law they were forbidden to even touch it. Outside the city walls Romans soldiers caught more than 500 people per day who were trying to escape and crucified as many as possible. Josephus adds: “Their multitude was so great that room was wanting for the crosses and crosses wanting for bodies."
Unprecedented Misery
Listen to Josephus’s own words as we conclude today: “Neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation (which was Jesus generation, by the way) more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world.” He adds: “those carried away captive 97,000. And those that perished one million one hundred thousand – a large number because the city was full of visitors due to the Passover.”
Reflection and Continuation
We’ll continue next week with much, much more but in the meantime, ask yourself – have I been following a tradition of Man all these years instead of what the Bible plainly states? Let’s open up the phone lines: (801). While the operators are clearing calls, take a look.
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