Objective:
Lesson 3: Judgment Imminent
To give you two more passages showing that Jesus’ return as judge was imminent 2,000 years ago.
- We have already noted that according to James, the judge was standing at the door 2,000 years ago. Also, in the passage in Hebrews, we saw that Jesus was about to judge his people.
- Please read Romans 9:26-28. In the context of noting that Gentiles can now become “sons of the living God”. Paul says that only a remnant of the Jews will be saved. Then he says: “The Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” As you ponder the meaning of this statement, first note that this sentence was to be carried out without delay, then remember that only a remnant of the Jews were saved in 70 AD. It seems very likely that Paul was referring to the coming of the Lord in 70 AD. Perhaps you wonder about the fact that the judgment (sentence) is to be “upon the earth”. In chapter 3 of Bamboozled Believers I show that the word “earth” is a metaphor representing the old covenant Judaism. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, a day of judgment was imminent. In Romans 16:20 Paul says: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet”. When did God crush Satan under their feet? Could this be poetic language pointing to the events of 70 AD? I’m not going to discuss the meaning of “crush Satan” here; for now I am asking that you note the word “soon”. Paul tells the Christians in Rome that judgment was coming soon.
- Writing in 69 AD John says: “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:18). Please note that John was living in the “last hour”. Isn’t it interesting that after he predicted the destruction of the temple and the attendant end of the age, Jesus said; “But concerning that day and hour no one knows…” (Matt. 24:36). Writing almost 40 years later John proclaimed the fact that the “last hour” had arrived. Judgment was then very close.
- There is so much more meat in 1 Jn. 2, but I said that I would keep the bites smaller so I will stop here. If you are interested in the antichrist boogieman see appendix 6 of Bamboozled Believers.
Lesson 3: Judgment Imminent
Objective:
To give you two more passages showing that Jesus’ return as judge was imminent 2,000 years ago.
- We have already noted that according to James, the judge was standing at the door 2,000 years ago. Also, in the passage in Hebrews, we saw that Jesus was about to judge his people.
- Please read Romans 9:26-28. In the context of noting that Gentiles can now become “sons of the living God”. Paul says that only a remnant of the Jews will be saved. Then he says: “The Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” As you ponder the meaning of this statement, first note that this sentence was to be carried out without delay, then remember that only a remnant of the Jews were saved in 70 AD. It seems very likely that Paul was referring to the coming of the Lord in 70 AD. Perhaps you wonder about the fact that the judgment (sentence) is to be “upon the earth”. In chapter 3 of Bamboozled Believers I show that the word “earth” is a metaphor representing the old covenant Judaism. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, a day of judgment was imminent. In Romans 16:20 Paul says: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet”. When did God crush Satan under their feet? Could this be poetic language pointing to the events of 70 AD? I’m not going to discuss the meaning of “crush Satan” here; for now I am asking that you note the word “soon”. Paul tells the Christians in Rome that judgment was coming soon.
- Writing in 69 AD John says: “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:18). Please note that John was living in the “last hour”. Isn’t it interesting that after he predicted the destruction of the temple and the attendant end of the age, Jesus said; “But concerning that day and hour no one knows…” (Matt. 24:36). Writing almost 40 years later John proclaimed the fact that the “last hour” had arrived. Judgment was then very close.
- There is so much more meat in 1 Jn. 2, but I said that I would keep the bites smaller so I will stop here. If you are interested in the antichrist boogieman see appendix 6 of Bamboozled Believers.