I want to thank Bro. Anderson for his willingness to continue with this debate, and Praxaes for his patience and his involvement.
I will address Bro. Anderson's first points as concisely as possible:
Quote:
Originally Posted by JN Anderson
The prophesied Messiah and the prophecy of His Second Coming are both key topics. Is there a difference in a Christ that has already come and one that has not? Is there a difference between a Christ who came spiritually and one who came physically? Is there even a difference between a God who pours His wrath only on Jerusalem and one who pours it out upon the world? Please answer those questions directly and concisely as possible.
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These questions can be answered by looking at Old Testament (OT) examples of God “coming” in judgment. The OT “comings” include: (1) judgment due to following false gods and not keeping God's covenant. (2) a specific generation said to receive this judgment. (3) a heathen army acting as God's sword of vengeance. This criterion is also found in the New Testament (NT) “coming” of Jesus Christ. By comparing these OT and NT accounts, I propose that Jesus did “come again” during His generation, and did so in exactly the same manner as He did in the OT.
One of these “comings” is found in Nebuchadnezzar's conquering of Judah (see
Jer 25:8-13). The Bible describes the King of Babylon as God's “servant” and as His agent of judgment (see
Jer 43:10). In this account, God is described as the One bringing the judgment. He did this through Nebuchadnezzar. His judgment was to come against a specifically named generation and was done by using the Babylonian army[1]. Just like this BC586 “coming,” Jesus also pronounced judgment against a generation who followed false gods and disobeyed His covenant. Regard this generation, Jesus said He would come and destroy their city, burn their temple, and scatter their remnant throughout the known world.
We first see the warning of this “coming” when John the Baptist asked, “
O GENERATION of vipers, who hath
WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME?” (
Mat 3:7-12). Notice, “
the wrath TO COME.” This would make no sense if it was for a generation 2,000 plus years later. So it is evident John was warning that generation. This warning was reiterated on the Day of Pentecost when Peter warned: “save yourselves from THIS untoward GENERATION” (
Act 2:40). Peter singled out that generation as being more wicked because he knew it was the generation that would see God “coming” in judgment. Jesus also singled out this same generation as being the one to receive His coming judgment when He said, “Verily I say unto you,
THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED” (
Mat 24:34). That First Century generation being the one chosen to see Jesus' coming in judgment is also found in other passages[2].
The disciples expected the same type “coming” as found in the OT. And just like those “comings” literally mentioned a certain generation, the NT believers expected the time language in this NT “coming” to be taken literally also. The Bible prophesied a three and one-half year (42 month/1260 day) siege against Jerusalem. In AD66 Roman Emperor Nero commanded the destruction of Jerusalem and her temple. Titus began this around April, AD70.
This was forty years (one generation) to the week from the crucifixion of Christ. The Temple was burnt August 10, AD70 (the Jewish Ninth of AV,
which is the exact day and month on which Babylon burnt Solomon's Temple in 586 BC). The Roman army ended the Jewish resistance on September 26, AD70, thus fulfilling God's prophesied judgment.
The question now before Bro. Anderson is since the OT plainly describes an invisible God bringing judgment against Jerusalem and her temple through a heathen army[3], why would it be considered unbiblical to expect a similar “coming” in the NT? Also, since the Bible plainly prophesied the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem and her temple, can Bro. Anderson give any scriptures that say God did this any differently than as an invisible God working through a heathen army?
Quote:
1.Jer 2:31, Jer 4:1-31, Jer 7:29, Jer 21:1-6, Jer 22:1-7, Jer 22:25-26, Jer 27:5-6; 2 Chr 36:15-20; Ezr 5:12; 2 Kings 24:18-20; 2 Kings 25:1-2
2.Mat 12:39-42, Mat 23:29-38; Mark 8:38, Mark 13:30; Luk 3:7, Luk 11:29-32, Luk 11:50-51, Luk 17:25, Luk 21:32; Heb 10:25, Heb 10:37; 1 Cor 10:11; 1 The 2:14-16
3.Mat 24:1-34; Mark 13; Luke 21
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