The New Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus (part 5)

Previous posts in this series:

• Part 1 – They Shall Not Escape
• Part 2 – How We Should Think About the Second Coming of Jesus
• Part 3 – Prophetic Promises and the Law
• Part 4 – Prophetic Promises from the Old Testament Prophets
• Part 5 – Prophetic Promises and the “Writings”
• Part 6 – The Dead Sea Scrolls on the First Coming of Jesus
• Part 7 – The Old Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus
• Part 8 – The New Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus (part 1)
• Part 9 – The New Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus (part 2)
• Part 10 – The New Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus (part 3)
• Part 11 – The New Testament on the Second Coming of Jesus (part 4)

A few weeks ago, we entered the primary focus of this study:  an analysis of the the New Testament prophecies considering the Second Coming of Jesus. We began with Matthew 24, and will continue to unpack that passage over the next few weeks. Jesus Himself is speaking in Matthew 24, so the passage is of primary significance in its prophetic insight.

The following is a continuation of this study.

Matthew 24:29-31 reads:

²⁹ “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. ³¹ “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

(emphasis added)

This section is clearly talking about the Second Coming of Jesus, at the end of the Seven Year Tribulation, that will usher in His millennial reign.

Now, let’s look at Matthew 24:32-41.

It is in this section that we see the division of the different eschatological positions, as well as the various “eschatological sects” that have sprung up over the past 2000 years in thinking “they were the generation to see the Lord’s return” – that is, He would come in their lifetime! The passage reads as follows:

³² Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; ³³ even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. ³⁴ “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵ “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. ³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³⁷ “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ “For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ “Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. ⁴¹ “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
(Matthew 24:32-41)

Different Views on the Millenium

There have been those throughout the 2000 year history of the Church who have interpreted certain “signs” of their age as  the heralding of Jesus coming into their lifetime. However, we are still here, and it would appear, therefore, that Jesus was correct, not the “teachers, preachers, theologians, etc.” over the years who have thought they “figured out” when Jesus was returning – “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (24:36). Consequently, there are four major eschatological views that have prevailed over the years:

Amillennialism

This is the view that does not see the millennium as being literal, but rather figurative. In the early church, there were those who believed that as the time clock approached the year 1000 AD, Christ’s return was imminent. However, we are still here, so that must not have been the correct interpretation. On the other hand, there are those over the centuries who viewed the term millennium as a figure of speech that was actually referring to the victorious reign of Christ over sin and the devil now since His resurrection. The rapture is seen as the end time event, immediately after which the Church will enter into a judgment of the nations with Christ and then enter their eternal position with Him in the “New Jerusalem.”

In addition, many of the amillennial position believe that the Church has replaced Israel in biblical prophecy and fulfillment – thus, the nation of Israel really doesn’t play any significant role in the present day fulfillment of biblical prophecy. They also see the “kingdom of God” as a present reality now, but that when Jesus returns for the Church, it will be fully experienced, and they base this position on Jesus’ response to the Pharisees: “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:20-21).

Premillennialism

Within the premillennial view, there are two primary positions:

Historical Premillennialism – This is the view that sees the rapture occurring just before the Millennial Reign of Christ, and then Christ will institute His millennial rule, during which time both worship and sacrifices will be reinstituted in the restored Temple, showing homage to Christ and His ultimate sacrifice. In addition, here too the Church is seen as the fulfillment of the biblical prophecies concerning Israel (with present day Israel having no special role in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy), and the Kingdom of God is now with us and experienced by faith, based on the same previous Scripture, but when Christ returns, it will be experienced by sight!

Dispensational Premillennialism – This view holds to the rapture of the Church occurring just before the seven year tribulation period; Christ will return at the end of the seven year tribulation period to establish His millennial reign, and those who survive the tribulation period here on earth, including the 144,000 Jews who come to Christ and their converts, will populate the earth during that 1000 years, and the raptured believers will reign with Christ in heaven; here too, the Temple will have been rebuilt, and temple worship and sacrifice will be reinstituted in homage to Christ and His ultimate sacrifice; at the end of the millennium, the “White Throne” judgment will occur, in which Satan and all of his host, along with all unbelievers, will be cast into the “Lake of Fire” for all eternity:

¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15)

One other very important aspect of Dispensational Premillennialism is that it maintains that both Israel and the Church are distinct as far as biblical, prophetic fulfillment, and that God’s redemptive plan, through Christ, will be fulfilled in and through both – thus, the reestablishment of the Nation of Israel is viewed by Dispensastional Premillennialists as of primary significance in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy concerning Christ’s return.

Postmillennialism

This view believes the rapture will occur at the end of the age, at which time the Church will share in the judging of the nonbelievers as it enters its eternal home in the “New Jerusalem” with the Lord. Here too, the Church is seen as the biblically, prophetic fulfillment of Israel and of all the prophecies referring to it in our time – that is, since the resurrection of Christ – and thus, the Nation of Israel has no real significance for us today as being a fulfillment of biblical prophecy in relation to Christ’s return. Postmillennialism views the “Kingdom of God” as here with us now, and that the spiritual reality of that “Kingdom” will be realized as the Gospel is preached, people are saved, and the population of the earth and its total inhabitation is gradually transformed into a God-honoring and Christ-worshipping habitation, where Christ, through His people, will be ruling and reigning, and this is what they see as the “millennium.” It is therefore, at the end of this figurative “millennium” that Christ will return, and that is when the Church will be raptured and share in judging what unbelievers remain before entering the “New Jerusalem,” their eternal home.

Preterism

This is the view that holds that basically all of the prophecy that Jesus gave concerning His return was fulfilled by 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus of Rome. In preterism, there are two camps: the full preterists and the partial preterists:

Full Preterism – Those embracing Full Preterism believe that all of the prophecies concerning the Return of Christ, the rapture and resurrection, the Day of the Lord, and the final judgment all were fulfilled in 70 AD.

Partial Preterism – The Partial Preterists, on the other hand, do not believe that all of the prophecies that Jesus gave in Matthew were fulfilled, but rather most. For example, they see Christ’s Return as fulfilled in 70 AD as a form of judgment against the Jews, but they also see His bodily return at the end of the age; they see the rapture and resurrection occurring at the end of the age, not in 70 AD; however, they see both the Day of the Lord and the Judgment as having a dual fulfillment in both 70 AD, as well as at the end of the age.

Thus, where they see dual fulfillments, they are looking at the 70 AD fulfillment as being more of a spiritual nature and the beginning of that fulfillment, whereas the end of the age fulfillment is viewed as the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy in a literal sense (e.g., the Return of Christ).

Comparing the Views

We will now look briefly at some of the things that have caused great confusion and division with regard to these various eschatological views:

The word for “generation” in the Greek is γενεά (genea), and it means “race or ethnicity; a contemporary generation of people; and an undefined period of time.” Thus, when you see the meaning of this word, you can easily see that all three definitions and applications are quite significant.

The second meaning, however, is the one that has caused the consternation and confusion, both with the Preterists and modern day Premillennialists, where the latter in particular have attempted to relate “generation” to that contemporary group of people who were alive when Israel became a nation, or who were alive when the Six Day War occurred June 5-10, 1967, and many of those who push this view also maintain that the word “generation” here in 24:34 is “forty years” (Numbers 32:13), whereas others say perhaps “one hundred years,” based on the “100 year” use of “generation” in Genesis 15:12-16. This is a sincere, but desperately misdirected attempt to try and “figure out” just when Jesus is going to return.

Indeed, as we look back on the 2000 year history of the Church, we see that Jesus has not yet returned, and that everyone who has ever attempted to determine just when has been completely wrong! Thus, it would appear that the two alternative meanings have to be what Jesus was referring to – that is, a “race,” which would include the Jews, and it could also possibly be referring to the “race” of His believers, because He said the Gospel would be preached in all the world before the end came (Matthew 24:14), as well as “an undefined period of time” until all of the things He spoke of are fulfilled in God’s time, not our finite and pitiful attempts in trying to “figure out” just when that is.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (24:36), and guess what? Jesus was right all along! I have actually had people tell me, “Yes, but Jesus didn’t say anything about the minute, week, month, or year.” Now with all compassion and mercy toward those who embrace and support such an eschatological perspective, taking into account my own sin and failure and God’s grace and mercy toward me, in my opinion, whatever it may be worth, such an eschatological approach toward Jesus’ return is close to being the apex of imbecility, ignorance, and self-deception!

Once again, Jesus lets us know quite clearly just what our focus needs to be, and it means the same in English as it does in Greek: preach the gospel!

⁶ And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; ⁸ but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts 1:6-8)

That which verses 37-41 are exhorting us to do is to be ready and looking because as it was in “the days of Noah,” so too will it be when Jesus returns and the rapture occurs.

Lastly, let’s cook at Matthew 24:42-51.

⁴² “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. ⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷ “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, ⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These verses two parabolic exhortations for us to be ready because “you do not know which day your Lord is coming”(24:42).