Subject: why don't people study the old testmant |
Bible Note: Colin, "Are you saying the organizing principle of the entire Bible can be expressed from the Temple destruction?" I wouldn't necessarily say it's the organizing principle, but I do believe it's a symbolic conclusion. Let's ask, was it God's intent to be seperated from man? Was it his intent for us to have to do blood sacrifices? Was it his intent to dwell in an earthly man built temple? No. The Bible is the story of how man and God had a relationship and how man fell and how God restored the relationship. The Temple destruction is a symbol, and finale of God's promised work to restore mankind in his eyes. "Is this particular tragedy a touchstone for all the essential doctrines of the Christian faith?' I wouldn't say for ALL essential doctrines. Eschatology has never been consider essential as far as salvation goes. However, I do believe it is very important to understand and literally paramount to understanding the Bible as a whole correctly. "Also, can you be more specific on how you know that God was deliberately de-wickeding His kingdom with the Temple destruction? Many Christians also perished at that time." Well, first it's actually incorrect to assume that Christians died in Jerusalem. Jewish historian Jospheus records ZERO deaths of Christians. Why? Because they all fled the city before it was fully laid to siege. Israel was God's people, his country, his kingdom. But she had grown very, very wicked. Jerusalem was basically God's city, but it too had become just as wicked, and the Temple was ground zero. To understand all this, one needs to study the Olivet Discourse and Revelation and understand that it is Jerusalem that is the focal point. Once one grasps that, her destruction becomes self evident. I would recommend looking into the Olivet Discourse for starters, namely Luke's account, chapter 21 starting at verse 5. Take care, good questions again. SUEDE |