by Mike Edwards
John Noe in Beyond The End Times: The Rest Of The Great Story Ever Told argues there is biblical evidence that the end times spoken in the Scriptures have been fulfilled. We may be looking forward to Jesus’ second coming (the words “second coming” never appear together in the Bible), when there is evidence that Jesus has already come again and fulfilled the prophecy regarding the “end times” in Scripture. Is God coming again (i.e. rapture/tribulation/Armageddon) to destroy this world as we know it and set up His reign? This viewpoint, if incorrect, can cause passivity, while we just wait on God to “fix” things by coming again. We must do all we can for the next generation. Suffering does end eventually for those who chose life with God after death.
History suggests Jesus’ predictions of coming in the “last days” have taken place. In the first century the great tribulation was fulfilled. The temple was destroyed and biblical Judaism ceased to exist. By AD 70 the city and the Temple were burned and destroyed. The covenant nation of Israel and biblical Judaism were forever destroyed. The destructive of Jerusalem was the end of the crucial redemptive-historical epoch. Early church historians affirm Jesus came in the fall of Jerusalem fulfilling Zechariah’s end-time prophecy. [Noe, 214] A literal day in August/September AD 70 was the third most important date in human history along with Christmas and Easter. The new heaven and earth were fulfilled in AD 70 when Jesus came.
The first biblical evidence that Jesus has already come is because the biblical writers and readers expected the “end times” spoken of to happen within their generation.
Peter writes to his readers in the first century that “the end of all things is at hand.” (1 Pe 4:7) Matthew records Jesus saying “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Mt 24:34) It has been suggested a generation could mean a thousand years, but the word in the Greek was never used in this way. We should take the word to mean what it typically means unless contextual evidence suggests otherwise. Jesus in Matthew 24 was advising the end times were soon. Jesus recommends his readers flee because predictions made are to take place in their generation. (v 16) When asked about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, Jesus said: “watch out that no one deceives you….you will hear of wars and rumors of war. (Mt 24:4-6)
Many other passages suggest the readers knew Jesus’ words would be fulfilled in their lifetime. I Corinthians 7 advises how to conduct relationships in times of danger as the “time is short.” (v 29) All references in the New Testament of the “last days” refer to the times of the writer, which was in the first century. (i.e. Heb 1:1-2; Acts 2:15-17; I Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 3:1; James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:3; I Peter 1:5,20; Jude 17-19; I Jn 2:18-20) The last days are referred to in the present tense. New Testament writer confirmed the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:8; I Cor 7:29-31; I Peter 4:7, 17; I John 2:18) Finally, Hebrews 10:25, 36 says: “…and all the more as you see the Day approaching…For, in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”
Secondly, several biblical passages suggest the earth is not going to ever pass away or be destroyed like the flood.
(Gen 8:21-22 9:11) Scriptures imply the earth and the world were established to endure forever. (Ps 78:69; see also Ps. 93:1; 96:10; 119:90) Ephesians 3:9 says: the world is “without end.” Not one passage says clearly the world is passing away. In fact, the Bible states our citizenship is in heaven, not a new heaven and earth. (Philip 3:20) We must be careful how we interpret language in the Bible. If everything were taken literally in the Bible, the Earth would have been destroyed many times over. Often, annihilation language is used to advise of upcoming judgments. Nahum 1:5 says: “the hills melt away.” The context is God’s judgment with Nineveh (1:1). Joel 2:30-31 says: “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” The fulfillment of this prophecy in Peter’s day (Acts 2:16-21). Numerous passages are not predicting the ending of the world or some mass destruction but rather either God’s judgment or some major event in history by God.
Jesus said to his audience in their time that the “heaven and earth will pass way.” (Mt 24:34-35) Obviously, the earth did not pass away physically as it still exists 2000 years later. Jesus was referring to a spiritual and not physical reality. Paul says: “this world in its present form is passing away” (I Cor 7:31) and that its “time is short.” (7:29) Paul was not referring to the end of the physical world. Paul was referring to the Old Testament Law system that was to be replaced in a new order and reality in Christ before their very eyes. Revelation 21:1 says: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”
Daniel when prophesying was told to close up and seal his words as the fulfillment was in the future. (Daniel 12:4, 9) John in Revelation was told to leave his book unsealed (Rev. 22:10), because his words were to be fulfilled soon. (Rev. 1:1, 3, 22:6-10) If John words were to be fulfilled centuries later as were Daniel’s, wouldn’t have John been told to “seal” his words? It is possible the new heaven and new earth that John spoke of was not physical but a spiritual reality. This spiritual reality happened when Jesus came again through the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and thus the law went with it. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Isaiah’s new heaven and earth (65:17-18; 66:22) are Messianic and totally covenantal. The “new heaven and earth” spoken of speaks of a present reality in the time of the writer of Revelation 21: 3-7 Jesus was coming again in their time.
But, don’t the Scriptures assume the coming of Jesus described during Jesus’ generation and during Paul’s audience time is visible?
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Paul assured his audience they have not missed the “day of the Lord.” Why was Paul’s audience fearful they could miss the coming of Jesus if such a coming is supposedly a rapture-removing, visible, world-ending coming? The audience obviously thought Jesus’ coming was to be in their lifetime. Only a non-visible, spiritual coming of Jesus could possibly be missed. Clearly, the disciples did not think of Jesus’ coming being visible as they ask “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age.” (Mt 24:3) What about Acts 1:9-11? One might insist since Jesus left the earth physically, that He must “come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (v.11) An equal argument can be made though about Jesus’ coming being invisible. “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (v.9)
Christ’s “coming on the clouds” is a common metaphor borrowed from Old Testament portrayals of God descending from heaven and coming in power and glory to execute judgment on a people or nation. In all the historic comings of God in judgment, He acted through human armies, or through nature, to bring destruction. “See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt…” (Isa 19:1) For the earthly fulfillment, see Isaiah 20:1-6. Also, “Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind.” (Jer 4:13) “Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds…” (Ps 68:4) Because of this background, Jesus’ disciples would have understood what He was talking about in his Olivet Discourse about coming back on the “clouds of heaven.” (Mt. 24:30) In all these real biblical comings of God in the Old Testament, God was never physically visible; He was unseen by human eyes! Cloud-coming is the language of divine imagery. Jesus employed the same figure of speech for his end-time prophecies. For Jesus and a 1st century Jew, coming “on the clouds” was not a claim to come visible to the human eye. Jesus did not come in body, yet He was present in judgment in the events of the Roman-Jewish War and the final destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Noe, 183-185) Before Jesus’ messianic work no one had ever gone into heaven except Jesus. Upon Jesus’ completed work the resurrection of the saints took place and some actually visited Jerusalem in bodily form. (Mt 27:51-53)
Doesn’t Scriptures say the gospel has to be preached to all nations before Jesus comes again?
In the Olivet Discourse it says “and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Mt 24:14) It is likely the writer meant the civilized world at that time which was the Roman world. It seems if the writer meant the entire global world and every individual they would have used the Greek word “kosmos” as used in Mathew 24:21. In Acts 2:5 Paul at Pentecost says: “now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” Surely, Paul was making a global statement and not intending to mean every individual in every nation. Paul states in his time that the gospel has been proclaimed “to every creature under heaven.” (Col 1:23) The gospel has already been preached to all nations and was not something in the distance future that has to be done before Christ can come again.
Jesus has come! When Christians die, they go to heaven and are not in limbo. We often say “Jesus is with us.” But, how can we say this if He hasn’t returned? Hebrews 9:28 says Jesus will appear a second time not to bear our sin but to bring salvation. Our salvation is not still in limbo. Isn’t our salvation complete as predicted in I Peter 1:5 when Jesus came with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70? “Who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” The new earth and heavens have arrived. In A.D. 70 all the old things were fulfilled and transformed anew in Christ. God no longer dwells in temples made with hands. His people are its temples. This heavenly city is the glorious dwelling place of those believers who overcome and keep God’s commandments on His earth. The Holy city’s symbolic description in Revelation 21 and 22 is given to encourage all saints of every generation. We can win this inheritance and enter and live daily in this joy of this community with God. Who wants to miss what we have now in favor of futuristic postponement theologies? Who would want a revival of the old Judaic system, when they have the hope and promise of something better that has replaced it? Our inheritance is more glorious, more powerful, and far more joyful. It’s an incomparable inheritance, and it is here on earth and available in Christ. It’s the ultimate reality, the ultimate community, and the ultimate joy for God’s people here on earth. Read about it anew in Revelation 21 and 22. Are you inside or outside the city? The new Jerusalem awaits! (Noe, 264-265).
- Noe suggests a visible coming of Jesus in not mentioned in any historical Christian doctrines until 1560 AD (First Scottish Confessions of Faith). Malachi 4:5-6 says the prophet Elijah will be sent, but clearly this fulfillment was not visible but through the ministry of John the Baptist. (Mt 11:14)
Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the Done with Religion site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like
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