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NASB | Matthew 16:28 ¶ "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 16:28 ¶ "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." |
Subject: Why 70 A.D. and why predictions |
Bible Note: stj, In Gen. 8 is God's promise after the flood, "21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." In 2 Pet.3:13 we find; "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." It would appear that Peter is contradicting God's promise. In Matt. 24:35 Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Here it appears God contradicts Himself. How can this apparrent contradiction be reconciled? Looking at God's promise in Gen. 8 again, verse 22 begins with "While the earth remaineth." Did God use a little doublespeak here to leave Himself an out? That argument negated by Psalm 104:5; "Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever." And Ecc.1:4; "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever." God made an eternal promise and set the rainbow as a reminder. Our options have dwindled to one - new heavens and earth can't mean what they appear to mean. Defering to one more competent than I to explain this figurative language, following are some excerpts from a sermon by David Curtis of Berean Bible Church: "This idea is seen more clearly as we look at other passages where mention is made of the destruction of a state and government using language which seems to set forth the end of the world, as the collapse of heaven and earth. In Isaiah 13:1-13, this is not an oracle against the universe or world, but against the nation of Babylon. Notice verse 13, "Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place." Now remember, he is speaking about the destruction of Babylon, but it sounds like world wide destruction. In Isaiah 24-27 we see the invasion of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. He carries them away to captivity. Notice the language that he uses in Isaiah 24:3-6 and Isaiah 24:19-20. What I want you to see in these verses is how God refers to Israel as the earth. He says the earth is "utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly...the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again" (Verses 1,3,4,19,20). Notice how many times God referred to Israel as the "earth." This is apocalyptic language speaking of the destruction of the people of Israel. In Isaiah 34:3-5, we have a description of the fall of Edom, notice the language that is used. "...and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down...For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment." This is Biblical language to describe the fall of a nation. It should be clear that it is not to be taken literally. In Nahum 1:1-5, the subject of this judgment is Nineveh, not the physical world. "The burden of Nineveh...the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers...The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein." This is the way God describes the fall of a nation. If this language describes the judgment of God on nations, why, when we come to the New Testament, do we make it be the destruction of the universe? It is only because we do not understand how the scripture uses this apocalyptic language." One final point stj, do you beleive you are subject to the law of the old covenant or the new? If your answer is the new then consider Matt. 5:: 17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." If we are under the new covenant, "heaven and earth" have passed, no matter what you feel under your feet or see when you look up. Tom |