WHY IT MATTERS THAT WHAT JESUS SAID HAS ALREADY OCCURED
Most end times teachings today take what Jesus said in the gospels and put it at the end of time. This is damaging not just for the facts that they are wrong but mainly because the purpose was for the events to occur to the audience Jesus was speaking to so that he would be shown to them as the Messiah.
Thats right. Jesus, like the prophets of the old letter, spoke specifically to a group of people that would see the results of his words. Thats what a prophet does to prove he is a true prophet. The words are spoken and fulfilled almost always to the listeners. Jesus was doing the same here. He even tells them they would be the ones going through the prophecys. Look at these words in Matthew 24 to the disciples:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Notice Jesus is speaking to the disciples privately
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives YOU. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And YOU will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a]these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver YOU up to tribulation and kill YOU, and YOU will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Notice hes telling them that they would go through all these things even to their death.
15 “Therefore when YOU see the ‘abomination of desolation,’[c] spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Notice hes telling them when they see the abomination to flee to the mountains, not future but them. The abomination predicted in Daniel 9 would end exactly 490 years like it said. The disciples would see it. The tribulation is on them and all in Jerusalem because Jesus had told them that he would destroy the temple and he does in their lifetime.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to YOU, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
He tells them that they would go through the tribulation and tells them about it and warns of false prophets. When the tribulation is over they will see a sign is a reference to the fact that when this takes place and Jerusalem is destroyed, then the people will know Jesus was the Christ. The destruction is a sign to them that Jesus was a true prophet and Messiah since he said he was. Jesus coming on the clouds is a reference to judgement on a people like he did to the Assyrians in Isaiah 19.
Luke 21 gives us even more evidence of its time frame.
10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on YOU and persecute YOU, delivering YOU up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
Notice he says before the tribulation, they would be persecuted for their faith.
16 YOU will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of YOU to death. 17 And YOU will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
He tells them some would die from persecution.
20 “But when YOU see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
He tells them that what was predicted will happen in their eyes. When the armys are around Jerusalem to flee he says. Not a future armaggedon but in their day.
The reason it was important for these things to take place was to show the people who heard him that he really was the Messiah. It also shows us that every promise was fulfilled just as he said. The words of our Christ are perfect. John sees visions of these same events in Revelations; the revelation of Jesus Christ. What revelation? The one he prophecied in the gospels to his followers.
Thats right. Jesus, like the prophets of the old letter, spoke specifically to a group of people that would see the results of his words. Thats what a prophet does to prove he is a true prophet. The words are spoken and fulfilled almost always to the listeners. Jesus was doing the same here. He even tells them they would be the ones going through the prophecys. Look at these words in Matthew 24 to the disciples:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Notice Jesus is speaking to the disciples privately
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives YOU. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And YOU will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a]these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver YOU up to tribulation and kill YOU, and YOU will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Notice hes telling them that they would go through all these things even to their death.
15 “Therefore when YOU see the ‘abomination of desolation,’[c] spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Notice hes telling them when they see the abomination to flee to the mountains, not future but them. The abomination predicted in Daniel 9 would end exactly 490 years like it said. The disciples would see it. The tribulation is on them and all in Jerusalem because Jesus had told them that he would destroy the temple and he does in their lifetime.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to YOU, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
He tells them that they would go through the tribulation and tells them about it and warns of false prophets. When the tribulation is over they will see a sign is a reference to the fact that when this takes place and Jerusalem is destroyed, then the people will know Jesus was the Christ. The destruction is a sign to them that Jesus was a true prophet and Messiah since he said he was. Jesus coming on the clouds is a reference to judgement on a people like he did to the Assyrians in Isaiah 19.
Luke 21 gives us even more evidence of its time frame.
10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on YOU and persecute YOU, delivering YOU up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
Notice he says before the tribulation, they would be persecuted for their faith.
16 YOU will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of YOU to death. 17 And YOU will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
He tells them some would die from persecution.
20 “But when YOU see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
He tells them that what was predicted will happen in their eyes. When the armys are around Jerusalem to flee he says. Not a future armaggedon but in their day.
The reason it was important for these things to take place was to show the people who heard him that he really was the Messiah. It also shows us that every promise was fulfilled just as he said. The words of our Christ are perfect. John sees visions of these same events in Revelations; the revelation of Jesus Christ. What revelation? The one he prophecied in the gospels to his followers.
posted by Stacy at 9:46 PM
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