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Bible
Doctrine:
First
Century End Time,
Armageddon, Apocalypse,
Second Coming.
Two thousand years ago
no one knew the day or hour.
Everyone knew the generation.
Time Statements for a first
century end time are frequent throughout the
New Testament. Jesus said he would return again within His own generation,
before all the disciples passed away. The Second Coming was in the
near future of the disciples.
Christian
Dilemma
I.
Preterist: Defined
II.
The Dilemma: Time Statements
III.
The Paradox: End Time in the First Century
I. Preterist View Defined:
In Mt.24:1-3, Mk.13:1-4 and Lk.21:5-7 the disciples asked Jesus when the
temple buildings would be torn down, and what would be the signs of His
coming and the end of the age. In Mt.24:4-35, Mk.13:6-31 and Lk.21:8-33
Jesus described the tearing down of the temple buildings, the signs of
His coming and the end of the age. Jesus also said, "...this generation
shall not pass till all these things be done." (Mt.24:34) The preterist
view shows a past fulfillment of all those things, specifically, a fulfillment
in the late first century within the generation of the Apostles.
II. The Dilemma: Time Statements
Free Download:
Time Statements (Printable Version)
The following is a list of some New Testament verses demonstrate the
Christian dilemma. Jesus told His apostles and first century church they
were living in the end time and some would live to see the Son of Man come
gather His elect.
(All Scripture taken from the NASB.)
Jesus to His disciples:
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...until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke
shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. (Mt.5:18)
Jesus to His twelve apostles:
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...you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son
of Man comes. (Mt.10:23)
Jesus to His disciples:
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...there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. (Mt.16:27,28)
Jesus to His disciples:
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...this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
(Mt.24:34, See Lk.21:32)
Jesus to the high priest:
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...hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of
Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Mt.26:64)
Jesus to His disciples and the crowd:
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...there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death
until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power. (Mk.9:1)
Jesus to the disciples:
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...there are some of those standing here who shall not taste death until
they see the kingdom of God. (Lk.9:27)
Jesus to His disciples and the crowd:
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...there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death
until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power. (Mk.9:1)
Jesus to His disciples:
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...there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death
until they see the kingdom of God. (Lk.9:27)
Jesus to Nathaniel:
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...you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and
descending on the Son of Man. (Jn.1:51)
Jesus to Peter:
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If I want him (John) to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow
Me! (Jn.21:22,23)
Paul to all who were beloved of God in Rome:
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...it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation
is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the
day is at hand. (Ro.13:11,12)
Paul to the church of God at Corinth:
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...you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless
in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Cor.1:7,8)
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...the time has been shortened. (1Cor.7:29)
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...the form of this world is passing away. (1Cor.7:31)
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Now these things ... were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends
of the ages has come. (1Cor.10:11)
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...we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed... (1Cor.15:51)
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...I hope you will understand until the end...(2Cor.1:3)
Paul , Timothy and bond-servants of Christ, to all the saints who
were in Philippi:
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...so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be
sincere and blameless until the day of Christ... (Phil.1:10)
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...we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ... (Phil.3:20
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The Lord is near. (Phil.4:5)
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians:
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...we are of the day...(1Thes.5:8)
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Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit
and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Thes.5:23)
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Faithful is He who calls you and He also will bring it to pass. (1Thes.5:24)
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...Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, our gathering together to Him...(2Thes.2:1,2)
Paul to Timothy:
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I charge you ... that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ ... (1Tim.6:13,14)
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...I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him
until that day. (2Tim1:12)
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...The Lord may grant to him (Onesiphorus) to find mercy from the Lord
on that day..(2Tim.1:18)
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If we endure, we shall also reign with Him... (2Tim.2:12)
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I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is
to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
(2Tim.4:1)
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...in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only
to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2Tim.4:8)
Paul to Titus:
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For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing
us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously
and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing
of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself
for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for
Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus
2:11-14)
To the Hebrews:
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God...in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... (Heb.1:1,2)
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For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of
our assurance firm until the end; (Heb.3:14)
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But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
(Heb.8:13)
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For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the
true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God
for us;... (Heb.9:24)
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...you see the day drawing near. (Heb.10:25)
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For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not
delay. (Heb.10:37)
James to the twelve tribes who were dispersed abroad:
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Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. (James 5:7)
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...the coming of the Lord is at hand. ...the Judge is standing right at
the door. (James 5:7-9)
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..the Judge is standing right at the door. (James 5:9)
Peter to those who resided as aliens:
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...according to His great mercy has caused us...who are protected
by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time. (1Pet.1:3,5)
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...you...may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation
of Jesus Christ. (1Pet.1:6,7)
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...grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1Pet.1:13)
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He...has appeared in these last times for the sake of you... (1Pet.1:20)
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Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in
which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds,
as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1Pet.2:12)
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...but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living
and the dead. (1Pet.4:5)
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The end of all things is at hand...(1Pet.4:7)
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For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God... (1Pet.4:17)
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Therefore I ... a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, (1Pet.5:1)
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And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown
of glory. (1Pet.5:4)
Peter to those who had received the faith:
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But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth,
in which righteousness dwells. (2Pet.3:13)
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Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be
found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,... (2Pet.3:14)
John to those who believed in the name of the Son of God:
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...the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
(1Jn.2:8)
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And the world is passing away... (1Jn.2:17)
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Children, it is the last hour...from this we know that it is the last hour.
(1Jn.2:18)
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We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see
Him just as He is. (1Jn.3:2)
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...we may have confidence in the day of judgment...(1Jn.4:17
The revelation of Jesus Christ communicated through John to His
bond-servants:
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The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants,
the things which must shortly take place... (Rv.1:1)
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...for the time is near. (Rv.1:3)
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... He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those
who pierced Him...(Rv.1:7)
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I am coming quickly...(Rv.3:11)
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Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you
from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole
world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. (Rv.3:10
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...things which must shortly take place. (Rv.22:6)
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...I am coming quickly. (Rv.22:7)
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...Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time
is near. (Rv.22:10)
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Behold, I am coming quickly...(Rv.22:12)
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Yes, I am coming quickly. (Rv.22:20)
III. The Paradox
Clearly, Jesus taught that he would return a second time in the first century.
His disciples also believed He would return again in their own generation.
Clearly, those were the last days.
But is this possible? Is it possible Jesus returned to gather His Elect
later in His own generation, without our knowledge? PROPHECY
PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time explores both
ancient history and the Bible, and presents credible evidence for this
alternate version of history.
Our greatest challenge is to separate popular paradigms from living
history, and know the difference.
PROPHECY
PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time is a carefully
documented book which shows that all those things happened, historically,
to those people nearly 2000 years ago in their generation. The "end time"
was therefore future to them, but past to us. This book is supported by
extant Greek and Roman history in conjunction with biblical history. Sources
for this book include The Life and Works of Josephus, a history
of Rome by Dio Cassius, the Dead Sea Scrolls and many others. This book
is unique in that the final climax is set in A.D.79 rather than A.D.70.
An event in A.D.79, witnessed by the entire known world at that time, provides
a natural setting for the calamitous events heralding Christ's second coming.
That event was the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Dilemma Links:
(A first century time frame for the end and second coming.)
A Visible
Second Coming: This list of New Testament verses shows consistent biblical
intent that first century Christians would live to see both a literal and
visible return of Christ to gather His elect.
Creative
Christianity: New evidence is turning up that Jesus did indeed return
for His elect, in power and glory during the first century. In our attempt
to place the second coming of our Lord in OUR future, rather than the generation
of the Apostles, are we creatively altering the Bible to suit our own preference?
Read the
historic fulfillment of prophecy: This site reviews PROPHECY PARADOX:
The Case for a First Century End Time.
The Seven Year
Tribulation Theory: True or False? A reevaluation of the Seven Year
Tribulation Theory: Numerous difficulties pose questions to its credibility.
Bible Prophecy:
Faulty Assumptions Faulty assumptions distort accurate assessment of
Bible prophecy. Have you made any faulty assumptions? Check out this list!
Tough Questions
for Tough Christians If Jesus preached He would return a second time
in the first century, perhaps we should consider He was right.
Link to other preterist pages
The Preterist Archive
Order PROPHECY
PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time through
Amazon.com
or through the publisher. |
