Parousia 70ad
Parousia 70AD
by Ron VanBenthuysen
Here’s a paper I put together showing over 100 references in the New Testament indicating the Imminence of the Parousia which is the Greek word used in the Bible for the 2nd coming…it actually means:
“Coming with consequences.”
A Day is like a thousand years
Talking about John the Baptist
The abomination that causes desolation
What about the Battle of Armageddon
Why is it that the Romans have to inflict the judgment
Purpose of the Destruction of the Temple
Parables about the Jewish rejection of Jesus
Introduction
In this article I make a strong case for Matt 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13 being about the fall of the Temple in 70AD. Many people believe that the fall of the Temple fulfilled the eschatological prophesies. Look at this:
Luke21:20″When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
Most modern Christian scholars believe that the above verse is literal but that it is a future event. The Temple will be rebuilt, Rome will again rule the world, and then the Romans will destroy the Temple. There are a lot of reasons why people believe it has to be Rome but in a nutshell . . .It is believed that the 4th kingdom talked about in Daniel chapter 2 is Rome. Now…if Jesus said these thing will happen soon and they did happen in 70 AD, why do we insist that Jesus was talking about something 2,000 years or more in the future? Is it because we are unaware of how devastating 70AD was to the Jews and Judaism? Or is it because we think something different should happen than what actually happened? Isn’t that why the Pharisees rejected Jesus…because they were waiting for something different to happen than what actually happened? They wanted a Messiah that would end sin and transgressions but we as Christians believe that Jesus nailed sin and transgression to the cross even though sin and transgressions are still present in the world. The Jews wanted a messiah that would destroy the enemies of God and make them a footstool under His feet. But as it turned out, the Jews were the biggest enemy of God. Whenever Jesus told the Jews this, they plotted against Him. Israel was an adulterous nation that killed all the prophets and then killed Jesus. Their judgment came in 70AD.
People today remark at how wicked the world is now but how can we top the nation that killed all the prophets and then killed the Son of God?
Matt 23: 37″O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate
This parable was directed towards them and describes the judgment and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem:
Matt21: 33″Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35″The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. `They will respect my son,’ he said.
38″But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, `This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40″Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41″He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
” `The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43″Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”J
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Anyway, check out the article and see if you think Jesus was pulling our leg or if He meant He was coming soon.
Imminence of Prophesies
Parousia is the Greek word used in the New Testament, which means: Coming with consequences. Usually translated as “coming” and referred to as “The second coming.”
Jesus speaking of the signs of the “2nd coming” (Parousia)
Matthew 24:34 . 34I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Some people used to teach that “generation” doesn’t mean what we know it actually does mean. Instead of the Webster definition – “All persons born about the same time; average time between two such generations (about 30 years)” . . . we are told that generation means “A race of people.” This is an interesting twist of words because if these teachers claimed that the Greek word used in the Bible, Yevea, meant “Race”, that would be one thing but what they are claiming is that Yevea means “generations” but we just don’t know what “generation” means. Of course we know what “generation” means and it doesn’t mean “race!” Is this new definition of generation created out of definition, context or theology? Let’s put it to the test. If the original question in Matthew 24 was: “When will this happen (destruction of the Temple), and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? (Parousia). . .then an answer like, 34”I tell you the truth, this RACE will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened”. . .wouldn’t really satisfy the question. It doesn’t answer when these things will happen or what the sign will be.
But if we use the traditional sense of the word “generation,” as in an approximate 40 – year period of time (30 according to Webster)-then it answers the question perfectly. Jesus says that these things will happen within about forty years of this conversation.
Thomas Ice (Co-writer with Tim LaHaye-The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack (Tim Lahaye Prophecy Library)) interprets it yet another way. He says “generation” really means “generation” but that Jesus didn’t mean the generation he was talking to.
Matt 24:34I tell you the truth, this generation (meaning not the generation Jesus was talking to but the generation that would witness these things) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Thomas Ice in his article, “HAS BIBLE PROPHECY ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED,” says:
“Those of us taking a consistently literal interpretation of the entire Olivet Discourse take a different literal interpretation of “this generation” than supposed by Dr. Sproul’s suggestion. I believe that the timing of “this generation” in Matthew 24:34 is governed by the related phrase “all these things.” In other words, Christ is saying that the generation that sees “all these things” occur will not cease to exist until all the events of the future tribulation are literally fulfilled. Frankly, this is both a literal interpretation and one that was not fulfilled in the first century. Christ is not ultimately speaking to His contemporaries, but to the generation to whom the signs of Matthew 24 will become evident. Dr. Darrell Bock, in commenting on the parallel passage to Matthew 24 in Luke’s Gospel concurs:”
‘What Jesus is saying is that the generation that sees the beginning of the end, also sees its end. When the signs come, they will proceed quickly; they will not drag on for many generations. It will happen within a generation. . . . The tradition reflected in Revelation shows that the consummation comes very quickly once it comes. . . . Nonetheless, in the discourse’s prophetic context, the remark comes after making comments about the nearness of the end to certain signs. As such it is the issue of the signs that controls the passage’s force, making this view likely. If this view is correct, Jesus says that when the signs of the beginning of the end come, then the end will come relatively quickly, within a generation.’ ”
This is an unusual interpretation to say the least! There are two problems with it. First: It is useless in it’s meaning at it’s best and insulting to Jesus at it’s worst. Of course the generation that is “alive when these things happen” will be “alive when these things happen” but that doesn’t tell us much. Secondly: the first thing Jesus said in the Olivet discourse of Matt 24 is;
Matt24:1 his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2″Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
The generation Jesus was talking to witnessed the destruction of the Temple so by Thomas Ice’s own theory the rest of this prophesy should have happened in the same generation.
Let’s look at some more verses:
Luke 21:22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
Matthew 16:28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Also Mark 9:1 and Luke9:27
1Corinthians 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. (Rv Note – Paul taught that he – Paul – would witness the Parousia)
Romans 13:11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (RV Note- this hits on a topic for later discussion…Paul indicates that our salvation is not complete until the Parousia (coming of Jesus). Romans was written after the crucifixion but before the destruction of the temple).
Matthew 10:23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (RV Note-You have to really twist this verse around to make it not mean that Jesus is coming within their lifetime).
John talking about the revelation of Jesus to the 7 churches in Asia Minor.
Revelation 1:3 .Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
1 John 2:18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (RV Note- Was he talking to them or us now?)
John Continues-
1 John 2: 26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (Who is John talking to? Wouldn’t they have believed Jesus was coming soon?)
Luke 18:6-8 6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
A Day is like a thousand years
Many people use 2 Peter 3:8 to dispute the nearness of the Parousia:
2 Peter3: 8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
What a shame to wipe out so many of our Lord’s words with this one verse. The ironic part is that, if we read the entire chapter of 2 Peter Chapter 3 we see that Peter makes it clear that the coming destruction is NOT the end of the World.
2 Peter3: 4They will say, “Where is this `coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Peter compares the coming destruction with the flood of Noah’s day where the World was deluged and destroyed. . .but wait a minute! Isn’t the World still here? The only thing that was actually destroyed in Noah’s day was wicked men. If we look closely at the last four words of the verse above we see that the coming judgment is for “destruction of ungodly men.” NIV
Here’s what Peter taught in 1Peter 4
1Peter 4:7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
People also use 2Peter 3:8 to justify why God’s prophecy given to Daniel (Dan 9:20-27) has stalled. It was a 490-year prophecy about Jesus, His crucifixion and the Judgment against Israel. It went along fine until the end where it has stalled for 2000 years so far (unless you believe the end was God’s judgment against Israel in 70AD). Do these same people believe that the 1,000 year reign of Christ is only 1 day? Or do they only use this logic when it’s convenient?
Many scholars/preachers/teachers say that this one verse (2 Peter 3:8) wipes out Jesus’ own words when He says, ” I am coming soon!” (Rev 22:7) and 99 other verses that I list in this article.
Talking about John the Baptist:
Malachi 3:1 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. 2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. (Does “Then suddenly,” imply 2,000 years?)
(RV Note: Apparently, John the Baptist knew what was to take place.)
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
(RV Note:John the Baptist says the winnowing fork is in HAND giving it imminence.)
Matthew 3:11 11″I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Revelation 2:16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (RV Note: the Jews still haven’t repented!)
Revelation 2: 25Only hold on to what you have until I come. (RV Note: How long are they supposed to hold on for? 2000 years? He was talking to the church in Thyatira which doesn’t exist anymore.)
Hebrew 8:13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
1 Corinthians 15: 50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (RV Note: I have a hard time believing that Paul was telling the Corinthians this while thinking that it wouldn’t happen for 2,000+ years! So if Paul was wrong about the imminence of the Parousia, then we have a problem with the reliability of the whole Gospel. So…Paul must have been right.)
Revelation 22:6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7″Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” (RV Note: This revelation was to comfort and educate the Churches in Asia Minor who were suffering from persecution, not us 2000+ years later.)
Revelation 22:10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. RV Note: compare this time frame with Matthew 26:18 – 18He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. “-in Matthew, Jesus meant one day when he said “my time is near”. Did he mean 2000+ years in Revelation?)
1 Peter 4: 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. 7The end of all things is near
James 5: 7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (RV Note- How patient are they to be? 2000+ years?)
Hebrews 10: 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay.
Luke 21:31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32″I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
John 21: 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
(RV Note-In hindsight, we know John may have been the only Apostle alive at the fall of the temple in 70 AD)
Romans 16: 20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (RV Note-Happens at the Parousia (Coming of Jesus))
1 Thes 4: 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
RV Note-Paul thinks he or at least someone he is talking to will be alive at the Parousia. This is an interesting passage because Paul clearly states that until Jesus comes (The Parousia), people remain in their graves so either Jesus has come and people have risen to be by His side or they are still in their graves waiting.
1 Tim 6:14 , I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (RV Note-Paul is talking to Timothy)
Many people quote 2 Peter 3:8 to dispute the meaning of “soon” or “quickly”.
2 Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
They say that this one verse (2 Peter 3:8) wipes out Jesus’ own words when He says, ” I am coming soon!” (Rev 22:7) and 99 other verses that I list in this article. But actually, Peter was explaining to his disciples why the Parousia hadn’t happened yet. After all, it had been 30 some years since Jesus said, “This generation will see the Son of Man coming in his glory.”
2 Peter3:3First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, “Where is this `coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Peter compares the coming judgment with the Deluvian flood of Noah’s day. The problem is that the world wasn’t really destroyed in Noah’s day. The world wasn’t destroyed, Man wasn’t destroyed, all animals weren’t destroyed, Plants weren’t totally destroyed…the only thing totally destroyed is what the last four words of the passage says, “destruction of ungodly men. “ So…we should expect the coming judgment to also be the destruction of “ungodly Men.” All we have to do is figure out who the “ungodly men” are. Let’s continue. . .
Last Days Last days were then…AD70
RV Note At Pentecost, the Apostles spoke in tongues and the crowd thought they were drunk. Then Peter says to the crowd:
Acts 2: 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17″ `In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Ref Joel 2:28) – Peter makes it sound like it’s happening then.
Luke 19: 41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” RV Note: Josephus writes the account of this in his book: The War of the Jews. It happened in 70AD
Hebrews 1: 1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe
1 Peter 1: 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
1 John 2:18 18Dear children, this is the last hour;
(RV Note- The Apostles believed they were in the “Last Days.”)
Gal 4:21 21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. 24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written:
“Be glad, O barren woman,
who bears no children;
break forth and cry aloud,
you who have no labor pains;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
(RV Note – Jerusalem on Earth is the Slave woman. The Jews are the children of the slave woman and they won’t share the inheritance with us (the children of the free woman) until Jerusalem (or Judaism) is gone. This happened in 70AD. How you ask?…stay tuned.)
Kingdom of God
Matthew 21: 43″Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.
(RV Note- The kingdom will be taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles. This was complete in 70AD because prior to the fall of the Temple a person could gain righteousness through Jesus or through the Mosaic Covenant and the Temple/Alter/Levitical Priesthood, but now only Jesus remains as a way to become righteous in God’s eyes.)
Heb8: 13By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. (Heb chap 7 and 8 are great – take a look)
Judgment against Israel
Isaiah 5: 22Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, 23who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. 24Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25Therefore the LORD’s anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. 26He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily! 27Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, not one slumbers or sleeps; not a belt is loosened at the waist, not a sandal thong is broken. 28Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses’ hoofs seem like flint, their chariot wheels like a whirlwind. 29Their roar is like that of the lion, they roar like young lions; they growl as they seize their prey and carry it off with no one to rescue. 30In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be darkened by the clouds
Prophecy about Jesus
Daniel 9: 20While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill– 21while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:
24″Seventy `sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.
25″Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,’ and sixty-two `sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26After the sixty-two `sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’I In the middle of the `seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
(RV Note-This is one of the main prophesies for the messiah coming. We know that the “Seventy `sevens’ were years… so 70 X 7years = 490 years. It is thought that the declaration to rebuild the temple in Ezra 6:8 was somewhere between 500 and 400 BC (possibly 457BC?). Adding 490 years would put us somewhere in the first century. I believe the last week (or last 7 years) were from AD 66 to AD73 which was the Jewish Roman war. In the middle of this seven year rebellion, Titus defiled the Temple by putting his statue in it and then shortly later, destroying it which ended sacrifice and offering. Daniel says, “The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” Daniel makes it sound like the end comes very quickly after the city and the sanctuary has been destroyed. Furthermore, concerning time. . .Daniel has another vision about the Macabbean war. . .
Dan 8:13Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled–the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?”
14He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” 26″The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
This prophecy of a distant future was fulfilled in a couple hundred years so when the Angel says in Revelation 22: 10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. “ You would think it would be less than 2000+ years!
The Olivet Discourse
The Olivet Discourse is Jesus’ longest speech in the Bible. It is about his Prophecy of the end times. John’s vision in Revelation is also about end times therefore they are about the same thing and we should be able to line Luke 21 up with Revelation and see a correlation.
Luke 21: 5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6″As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
7″Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am he,’ and, `The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12″But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life.
20″When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25″There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32″I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
34″Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
(RV Note – This Chapter is said by some to predict the end of the Universe. But the question was, “when will the temple fall? And what will be the sign that it is about to take place?” The reason people tend to think that there is more to this chapter than the judgment against Israel in 70 AD is because as Christians, we are lacking in the knowledge of the significance of the destruction of the temple. Even modern Jews when asked why they don’t sacrifice animals anymore can’t give a reason. But the reason is because out of the 613 commands in the Mosaic law, a majority of the laws were tied to the temple in ceremonial or judicial matters. The whole Levitical Priesthood is linked to the temple. The Nation of Israel did not exist until the Law was given to Moses. Without the temple the Jews can’t get atonement for their sins through the Law or become righteous in God’s eyes. Their daily sacrifice has been abolished. In other words…they are cut off from God. The only way to righteousness now is through Jesus. During the period between the crucifixion and the fall of the temple, both covenants existed simultaneously but now only the covenant of grace exists
Heb 8: 13By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
Consider this…Matthew5: 17″Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”. . . .Well..clearly a majority of the Law has disappeared when the temple fell so does that mean that “everything is accomplished”? I take this to mean prophecies fulfilled.
What about the stars and heavens falling and Jesus coming on a cloud?
Matt24: 29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
” `the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30″At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory
This is Jesus quoting Isaiah chapter 13 and chapter 34
Isaiah 13:1An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:. . .
6Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. 7Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt.
8Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.
9See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger– to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.
10The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.
11I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.
Isaiah 13 is God’s judgment against Babylon. Babylon is gone but the heavens and their constellations still show their light.
Isaiah 34: 3Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will send up a stench;
the mountains will be soaked with their blood. 4All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.
5My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; see, it descends in judgment on Edom, the people I have totally destroyed.
Isaiah 34 is God’s judgment against Edom. Edom is gone but the stars of the heavens were not dissolved and the sky is not still rolled up like a scroll. Maybe it was but there is no record of it. So what does it mean?
It is thought that the Stars and Heavens represent Power and authority. For example: The Morning Star is Satan and the Great Morning Star is Jesus.
Rev 2:27 just as I have received authority from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning star.
Isaiah 14: 12How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
So stars falling from the heavens are power and authority falling. Consider this…
Gen37: 9Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
In this case, the Sun was Jacob, the moon was Rachel, Joseph’s mother, and the stars were his brothers. This represents the 12 tribes of Israel. So, in Luke 21, Mark 13, and Matt 24, Jesus pronounces a judgment on Israel in which all the power and authority of Israel will fall.
What about Jesus coming on a cloud?
Is 19:1An oracle concerning Egypt:
See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud
and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them. 2″I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian– brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. 3The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.
It appears that this is common language for God when he pronounces a judgment on a nation. I believe the Parousia is a spiritual coming. Everything Jesus pointed to was a spiritual realm.
2 Cor 4: . 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
1 Cor 15: 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another .
How was Jesus to come?
Acts 1: 9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11″Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Many use this verse to prove positively that Jesus will return in the “flesh.” But doesn’t this verse also say that Jesus was hidden from the Apostles sight when he left and alone? I don’t think the purpose of this verse is to say that Jesus will return “Hidden” from our sight or that He will be alone and likewise I don’t think it means to say He will be a physical being.
1 Cor 15:42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
The abomination that causes desolation
Matthew 24:1-15, 29-30 24:1Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2″Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9″Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15″So when you see standing in the holy place (RV Note: The Holy place is the temple which was destroyed in 70AD)`the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel –let the reader understand– 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (skip to v21) . 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now–and never to be equaled again. (skip to v29-check your Bible for the description of the whole tribulation)
29″Immediately after the distress of those days
” `the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30″At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
RV Note: The temple was destroyed in AD70 so the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ had to be put in the temple prior to that. The Futurists say that the temple will be rebuilt again (a third time) so this prophecy can take place in the future but that doesn’t jive with Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 9:20 – Seventy Sevens). It says all this will take place within 490 years of the declaration to rebuild the temple. See the previous section on ‘Prophecies about Jesus.’
What about the Battle of Armageddon?
It is mentioned in the Bible only once…
Rev 16: 16Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. 17The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Where’s the Battle? It actually took place in Jerusalem (South of Armageddon) in 70AD. Josephus records the whole thing in his book. Josephus was a Jewish Priest who became a General in the rebellion against the Romans just prior to 70AD. He was captured and sent to Rome where he prophesied that Vespasian would come to power. Vespasian did come to power and the Romans made Josephus the official Historian of the Roman/Jewish war. Josephus records that the Roman army gathered North of Jerusalem in the area around Armageddon to stage the assault on Jerusalem in 70AD.
Why is it that the Romans have to inflict the judgment?
Daniel2: 36″This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
39″After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron–for iron breaks and smashes everything–and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
44″In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands–a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.”
46Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”
48Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.
We know now that the 4 Kingdoms are Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome was the iron mixed with baked clay. Rome was going through a civil war in the reign of Nero (that’s why he killed himself). The Jews where confused about the kingdom that lasts forever. They didn’t know it would be spiritual and this led them to reject Jesus.
Rev 17: 6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9″This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. 11The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
This is cool! There are the 7 hills of Rome of course but the best part is that the first five Caesars – Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, and Caligula were gone. The sixth Caesar, Nero was in power ‘til around AD68 then Galba became Caesar for only 6 months or so then Vespasian became Caesar during the fall of the temple. Then finally, Titus became the eighth Caesar…before that, he was the main General in charge during the fall of the temple. Vespasian and Titus gathered in Israel for an attack. Titus came in from the South (through Egypt) and Vespasian came in through Caesarea (a Port city). They met up and conquered Northern Israel where they “Gathered” (Rev 16:16) before the assault on Jerusalem. In the middle of the area that they gathered in is a little Mountain called Mt Miggedo, in Hebrew it is called Armageddon.
Purpose of the Parousia:
1) Re-establish the Kingdom of God.
2) Resurrect the Saints
3) Payback trouble to those who trouble you
4) Punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel
5) Jesus will be glorified in His holy people
2 Thessalonians 1:6-12 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
6) Separation of Righteous and Tare
Matthew 13:24-30 24Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27″The owner’s servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28” `An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29″ `No,’ he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ “
RV Note: The Christian Jews heeded Jesus’ warning and fled to the desert when they saw the signs Jesus told them about in Matt 24, but Josephus tells us that some zealous Jews (false prophets he calls them) were telling the rebellious non-believing Jews that God had said to stay and fight at the Temple and God would deliver them. They were all killed. 1.5 million of them. The Complete Works of Josephus pg 6.5.2
Purpose of the destruction of the Temple
Luke 21:20-22 20″When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
RV Note: Did you ever wonder why if they were talking about the end of the world, why would it do any good to ‘flee to the mountains’? The question is…is the time of punishment and fulfillment in 70 AD or is it sometime in the future?
Hebrews 9:8-10 . 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings–external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
Acts 3:21-23 . 21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22For Moses said, `The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’ (RV Note: The Jews were cut off when the temple was destroyed because their righteousness was tied to the temple and the sacrifices. Most of the Mosaic Law dealt with the temple.)
A parable about Jewish rejection of Jesus and the resulting judgment of their Nation. Then the Kingdom is offered to Gentiles. Also a good illustration of Freewill vs. Calvinism
Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Matthew 22:1-14 1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2″The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4″Then he sent some more servants and said, `Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5″But they paid no attention and went off–one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8″Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11″But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12`Friend,’ he asked, `how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13″Then the king told the attendants, `Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14″For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
RV Note: The King is God. The first guests who rejected God were of course the Jews and the second bunch of guests are the Gentiles. All were invited but only some are found “dressed” in faith and character.
Parable of the Landowner
Matt 21: 33″Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35″The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. `They will respect my son,’ he said.
38″But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, `This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40″Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41″He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
” `The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’I?
43″Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”J
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
This parable is also about the Jews losing their inheritance. The first tenants were the Wicked Jews and the servants that they killed are the prophets. God then killed the wicked Jews and gave their vineyard to the Gentiles.
But the real interesting thing here is the time line. In both parables God kills the wicked men and then opens the kingdom to other people who are willing to work with Him. This would coincide with the 70AD destruction of Wicked men followed by the opening of the Kingdom to the Gentiles.
1 COR 15:23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
What about the tribulation?
Josephus records a tribulation starting in AD 66 thru AD 73 that was the worst the world had ever seen. He writes, “Since his soldiers were already quite tired with killing men, and yet there appeared to be a vast multitude still remaining alive, Ceasar (Nero) gave orders that they should kill none but those that were in arms, and opposed them, but should take the rest alive. But together with those whom they had orders to slay, they slew the aged and infirm; but for those that were in their flourishing age and might be usefull to them, they drove them together into the temple, and shut them up within the walls of the court of the women . . .but of the young men he chose out the tallest and most beautiful, and reserved them for triumph. Similar to Jesus’ prophecy in Matt
Matt 24 : “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9″Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. . . . 19How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now–and never to be equaled again.
But why take Josephus’ word for it. Tactius reports that Nero started persecuting Christians in AD 64.
Josephus also talks about these huge catapults that the Romans had (“The war of the Jews” pg5.6.3) . They called them machines that threw stones a talent in weight (about 75-85 LBS.).
Book V, Chapter VI, Section 3
Hailstones One Hundred Pounds in Weight Thrown Upon City
, “The engines, that all the legions had ready prepared for them, were admirably contrived; but still more extraordinary ones belonged to the tenth legion: those that threw darts and those that threw stones were more forcible and larger than the rest, by which they not only repelled the excursions of the Jews, but drove those away that were upon the walls also. Now the stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent (1), and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its brightness; accordingly the watchmen that sat upon the towers gave them notice when the engine was let go, and the stone came from it, and cried out aloud, in their own country language, THE STONE COMETH so those that were in its way stood off, and threw themselves down upon the ground; by which means, and by their thus guarding themselves, the stone fell down and did them no harm. But the Romans contrived how to prevent that by blacking the stone, who then could aim at them with success, when the stone was not discerned beforehand, as it had been till then; and so they destroyed many of them at one blow.”
Rev 16: . 19The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Well. . .we could go on forever but I’ll save the rest for volume 2
More to come. . .soon!