Results 1 - 2 of 2
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Will the 2nd Coming Ever Occur? | Matt 24:34 | Reformer Joe | 55370 | ||
Welcome back, Treadway. Hope you don't mind me putting my pocket change in! You wrote: 'I have spent much, much time in tracking down this “soon” business, and the conclusion is that the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus will not be coming back.' I am sorry that you have not found anyone to adequately address your concerns. As a point of fact, there are many who believe that much of what Jesus predicts in Matthew 24 and what the apostles mention did indeed occur within the lifetimes of those hearing Jesus' words. In A.D. 70, Jerusalem and the temple were utterly destroyed, and the Jewish people were slaughtered wholesale by the Roman soldiers under the command of General Titus. Many hold that the first half of the chapter is describing this campaign against the Jews as the judgment Christ executes on the Jews for rejecting their Messiah. This view is known as "preterism" and comes in two different forms, which are normally termed "partial preterism" and "full preterism." Partial preterists believe that only some of the prophecies regarding Christ returning to the earth have been fulfilled, while others (such as Philippians 3:20-21 and 1 Corinthians 15 concerning the general resurrection at the end of the age) have yet to come to pass. Full preterists believe that Christ's return has already occurred during the first century, and that we should not expect Him to come back. So both preterist views hold that the "soon" and "within this generation" prophecies did indeed occur during the lifetime of the apostles. I myself cannot bring myself to accept a full preterist view at all, for several reasons. First of all, it results in the need to "symbolize" all of the passages which have not clearly happened yet, such as the ones I cited above. Also, if the resurrection of Christians has already taken place, what about believers now? Secondly, 2 Peter 3 makes it clear that God is patient, holding back the destruction until all have come to repentance. Since there are people that are repenting as I type this somewhere in the world (to the praise and glory of our great God), obviously that "all" hasn't been reached yet. Thirdly, there seems to be a "period of Gentiles" (Luke 21:24 and Romans 11) which will be followed by a resugence of Jewish people embracing their Messiah. We still have not seen such a thing yet. Lastly, the earliest church, even to the generation that succeeded the apostles, were anticipating the return of Jesus Christ. If A.D. 70 had been all there was to it, surely the apostles would have tipped the churches off that there was nothing left to wait for. Therefore, God is not slow as some count slowness, but will bring about the culmination of history in His own timing. For an examination of the partial preterist view, which you may or may not find enlightening, considering your questions, I recommend the book _The Last Days According to Jesus_ by R.C. Sproul. If anything, you will find a perspective that does not count "soon" as being 2000-plus years or "this generation" to mean the human race. Hope this gives you some new avenues for exploration! --Joe! |
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2 | Will the 2nd Coming Ever Occur? | Matt 24:34 | webb | 55385 | ||
Hey everyone, I am new here so I don't want to say too much. I believe Jesus was referring to current affairs in Matt. Also, in regards to Sproul's book, I also recommend it. I am starting to fall towards the view that Revelation was also written to address things that have already passed. I like I Thess. 4:13-18 in regards to the second coming. 'And so we will be with the Lord forever.' It says we meet Him in the air. Don't really understand that but just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. -Webb |
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