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The Coming of Jesus: Our Future Hope - What Now?

...nation of Israel killed over the centuries (Luke 11:49-51).   Examining the Olivet Discourse in some detail alongside contemporary historical accounts by Josephus revealed that the Great Tribulation foretold by Jesus certainly was great and terrible. Miraculous events happened, the temple glowed with unnatural light at night as voices were heard saying “let us depart” from there; great portents were seen in the skies as angelic armies ran through the clouds over Jerusalem, the streets ran with blood and fiery destruction rained down across the city! But those who were in Christ were saved, as promised. They who held to the faith until the end were warned...

How was Jesus a sacrifice?

...meant for Israel. The whole story can be found in Exodus 12, but the relevant parts to the lamb are about how it should look and be prepared, and the reason for the blood covering: Exodus 12:5-7, 13 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. […] The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass ove...

The Coming of Jesus: Daniel's 70 Weeks

...my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God on behalf of the holy mountain of my God— while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He came and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to declare it, for you are greatly beloved. So consider the word and understand the vision: “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city: to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquit...

The Coming of Jesus: The Olivet Discourse – Part 2

...people of Israel. The book of 2 Peter also makes a link to Malachi 3:2 where God is spoken of as being like a refiner’s fire when he comes during this time. This fits Peter’s theme when he writes about the Day of the Lord in 1 Peter 1:6-7 and 2 Peter 3:10. You can read more about this connection, and a balanced view of 2 Peter 3 in terms of the “new heavens and new earth” and the probable nature of heaven, in an essay here. In short, it’s more in line with much of the rest of the New Testament texts in that Creation is to be renewed and reconciled, rather than scrapped and rebuilt. The prophet Joel also spoke of this “Day” and that this meant it w...

Who is the New Jerusalem?

...people of Israel should be betrayed … For it is written, ‘And it shall come to pass, when the week is completed, the temple of God shall be built...in the name of the Lord.’ I find...that a temple does exist. Having received the forgiveness of sins…in our habitation God dwells in us….This is the spiritual temple built for the Lord.”   Examining the rest of the description of the New Jerusalem, the link between the symbolism of the body of believers as a temple and holy structure from the Epistles becomes clearer, as we can see from Ephesians. Eph 2:19-22So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and a...

The Coming Kingdom of the Son of Man

...towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." (Matt 10:23), which gives us a time statement and some parameters about the coming of the Son of Man. On the face of it, this sounds like any other eschatological statement by Jesus in regards to his “coming” at the end of the age, which he mentions a few times using this same or similar terminology (see: Matt 24:27; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 18:8). But the Futurist interpretation would say that this isn’t what Jesus refers to at all, but rather is a convoluted way of him saying “you won’t have travelled far until I catch up with you later” – ie. until Jesus (the Son of Man) comes [back to the apos...