Comments on: The ultimate fate of Earth http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/2010/02/12/the-ultimate-fate-of-earth/ an Imaginary Diocese blog Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:17:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joey http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/2010/02/12/the-ultimate-fate-of-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-2769 Joey Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:35:20 +0000 http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/?p=2590#comment-2769 I consider the Olivet Discourse to speak to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. It is a common partial-preterist view and there are some solid arguments for dates lining up for this to be the case (particularly, the writings of John of Patmos come into consideration). The language Jesus uses is just so area-specific. It is always assumed that when two men are in a field and one will be taken and one left, that the one taken is the one who is to be favored - but what if the one taken is killed in the destruction because he didn't head the words of Jesus? Nothing in the context of that passage suggests that the one taken is in the ideal position. "Pray it may not happen in the winter"? Really specific. "Those who are in Judea must flee for the mountains" - again really specific. There is this great image of Jesus riding on the clouds in vs. 26 but I love what Luke does with this: Luke 17:20-21 "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." I am more and more convinced that Jesus was warning Christians that worship in the Temple would soon come to an end and the Kingdom of God would be at work in our "midst" unfolding as we follow Him in our world, yet still waiting for the Great Completer to finish His work. Then the New Heaven will descend and be wed with the New Earth, a la Revelation 21. I consider the Olivet Discourse to speak to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. It is a common partial-preterist view and there are some solid arguments for dates lining up for this to be the case (particularly, the writings of John of Patmos come into consideration).

The language Jesus uses is just so area-specific. It is always assumed that when two men are in a field and one will be taken and one left, that the one taken is the one who is to be favored – but what if the one taken is killed in the destruction because he didn’t head the words of Jesus? Nothing in the context of that passage suggests that the one taken is in the ideal position.

“Pray it may not happen in the winter”? Really specific.

“Those who are in Judea must flee for the mountains” – again really specific.

There is this great image of Jesus riding on the clouds in vs. 26 but I love what Luke does with this:

Luke 17:20-21 “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.”

I am more and more convinced that Jesus was warning Christians that worship in the Temple would soon come to an end and the Kingdom of God would be at work in our “midst” unfolding as we follow Him in our world, yet still waiting for the Great Completer to finish His work. Then the New Heaven will descend and be wed with the New Earth, a la Revelation 21.

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