Lesson #18: Realized Eschatology (AD 70 Doctrine)

Lesson #18: Realized Eschatology (AD 70 Doctrine) Eschatology: 1: a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of mankind 2: a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of mankind specifically: any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment. (Merriam-Webster s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition) What does the Bible teach about the Second Coming of Christ? 1. Jesus promised and foretold that He would come to earth again. Jn. 14:3 2. Two men in white apparel prophesied that Jesus would come again in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. Acts 1:11 3. First century Christians were exhorted to look for and be ready for the glorious appearing of Christ. Titus 2:13; Mt. 24:45-51; Mt. 25:1-30; 2 Pet. 3:12; 1 Jn. 2:28; Phil. 3:20 4. The return of Jesus was predicted to come as a thief in the night. 2 Pet. 3:10 5. Jesus is pictured as descending with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. 1 Thess. 4:16 6. When Jesus comes again, all nations will be gathered before Him, and He will judge all men sentencing some to everlasting punishment and some to eternal life. Mt. 25:31-46 7. On that day when He comes, the faithful will receive the crown of righteousness and the crown of glory. 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4 8. Also on that day, the Lord will come with His angels to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly. Jude 14-15; Mt. 25:31 9. When the Lord comes, the earth will be destroyed. 2 Pet. 3:10 10. At His return, all who are in the grave will hear His voice and come forth. Jn. 5:28-29 11. Those who are dead will be raised with an incorruptible body. 1 Cor. 15:52 12. The dead in Christ will rise first to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thess. 4:16 13. When Christ is revealed, we will be changed in an instant and given a body like unto His. 1 Jn. 3:2; Phil. 3:21 14. The body that we will be given will be spiritual, incorruptible, glorious, and powerful. 1 Cor. 15:42-44 15. Those Christians who are alive will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thess. 4:17

All Bible prophecy was fulfilled by the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Therefore, all of the following things occurred in AD 70 End of the Mosaic Law (Heb. 8:13) End of the Last Days {Jewish Age} (AD 30-70) Christ s Second Coming (1 Cor. 15:23) Coming of Kingdom in Glory & Power (Mk. 9:1) Coming of Eternal Kingdom (Heb. 12:28) Resurrection of the Dead (1 Cor. 15:12-23) Redemption of the Body (2 Cor. 5:1-5) End of the World {Age} (2 Pet. 3:10-13) Perfection of Saints (adulthood, adoption, redemption, etc.) (1 Cor. 13:10; Rom. 11:26-27) Final Judgment Day (2 Tim. 4:1) New Heaven & New Earth (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1) Thus, there will be no future: Second Coming of Christ Resurrection of the dead End of the world Final Judgment Day http://www.eciconference.com/resource s/archive/2011---realized- Eschatology/01-Realized-Eschatology--- Kevin-Kay---2011-ECIC.pdf http://www.bible.ca/d-destruction-jerusalem-70ad-siege-map.htm

Main Points of the AD 70 Doctrine 1. The Last Days referred to the Jewish economy. a. Heb. 1:1-4, Jesus was God s spokesman during the last days. He was God s spokesman before Pentecost, so last days must have started before Pentecost. b. 1 Pet. 1:20, last times must have started before Pentecost because Jesus was manifested before Pentecost. c. Joel 2:28-32, if we are in last days today, why are miracles not being performed? d. Mt. 12:32, Jesus says this age would be followed by an age to come. This shows that last days did not extend until the end of time. 2. The Law of Moses continued in effect until AD 70. a. Mt. 5:17-18, Lk. 21:22, Jesus said that the law would not pass away til all was fulfilled, and law and prophets were not fulfilled until AD 70. Several OT prophecies were fulfilled after the cross. b. Mt. 5:18, Mt. 24:35, Mk. 13:31, Lk. 21:33, the law would not be destroyed until heaven and earth passed away. This happened in destruction of Jerusalem. c. Gal. 4:21-31, Paul s allegory indicates there would be an overlapping of the covenants. d. Present tense verbs (2 Cor. 3;11; Heb. 7:12,18; 8:13; 10;9; 12:28) indicate the old law was in process of disappearing but not gone until the destruction of Jerusalem. e. Jewish Christians continued to observe the Law of Moses until AD 70. i. Acts 3:1; 16:1-3; 18:18,21; 20:16; 21:20-26; 24:18 3. All prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70, including Daniel s prophecies. a. Luke 21:20-24 teaches that all Old Testament prophecy would be fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. b. Daniel s vision of Seventy Weeks was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Daniel 9:24-27 c. Daniel s vision of the Kings of the North & South was also fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Daniel 11-12 4. The Second Coming occurred in AD 70. a. Jesus would come in judgment on Jerusalem (Mal. 4:1, 5; Mt. 23:37-39; 24:3, 27, 30; 26:64; Mk. 13:26; Lk. 21:27). b. The NT repeatedly refers to an imminent coming of the Lord, and the only imminent coming of Jesus was His coming in judgment on Jerusalem. i. 1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:4

5. The Resurrection of the dead occurred in AD 70. a. The resurrection would occur at Christ s coming i. The resurrection of the dead occurs at Jesus Coming (1Cor. 15:201-23; 1 Th. 4:15-16). ii. The Lord would come in the destruction of Jerusalem (Mt. 24:30). iii. The Lord s Coming was imminent (Jas. 5:7-8). iv. The only imminent coming of Jesus was His coming in judgment on Jerusalem. v. Therefore, the resurrection of the dead occurred when Jesus came in judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70. b. The death under consideration is spiritual death. c. The resurrection under consideration is a spiritual resurrection. i. The resurrection is a spiritual resurrection from spiritual death. d. The body that is raised is a spiritual body. i. The term body (singular) (1Cor. 15:35) indicates that it is a corporate body that is raised, not human bodies (plural). ii. Max King taught that the body that was raised in AD 70 was the church (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24) from the grave of Judaism. iii. Sam Dawson teaches that the body that was raised in AD 70 was the body of OT saints. 6. The Final Judgment occurred in AD 70. a. Final judgment would occur at Christ s appearing (2 Tim. 4:1). i. Christ s coming was imminent in the first century (Jas. 5:7-8; 1Pet. 4:7, 17). ii. The only imminent coming of Christ was His coming in judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70. iii. Therefore, final judgment came in AD 70. b. The Greek word mello suggests an imminent judgment in the first century Acts 17:30-31; 24:24-25. 7. Completeness in Christ did not occur until AD 70. a. Redemption was near in the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk. 21:28). b. Max King: When would ungodliness be turned away from Jacob, or their sins be taken away? When Christ, the deliverer, came OUT OF SION [Rom. 11:26-27, ksk]. When did Christ come out of Zion? Not at his first coming, but his second coming. (The Spirit of Prophecy, 63) 8. The Kingdom came with power in AD 70. a. The Kingdom certainly began on Pentecost (Acts 2:36), but the kingdom did not come with power and glory until Jesus judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70 (Mk. 9:1; Mt. 24:30). b. The Kingdom was near in the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk. 21:31).

c. The Judgment of the living and the dead would take place at Jesus appearing and kingdom (2 Tim. 4:1-2). 9. The Eternal Kingdom came in AD 70. a. Paul was confident that the Lord would preserve him for His heavenly kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18). b. First century Christians who made their call and election sure would be given an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom (2 Pet. 1:11). 10. The End of the World occurred in AD 70. a. 2 Peter is written to the same people as 1 Peter (2 Pet. 3:1) i. Peter was writing to urge his readers to be mindful of the words spoken by the holy prophets and the apostles; so they must have prophesied of the things he is about to mention (2 Pet. 3:1-2) b. The last days is the eschaton the last days of the Jewish economy (2 Pet. 3:3). c. The scoffers were doubting the promise of Christ s imminent coming in judgment on Jerusalem (2 Pet. 3:3-4). i. In his first epistle, Peter spoke of an imminent judgment of the Lord (1 Pet. 4:7, 17; cf. 1 Pet. 1:5, 13; 2:12) ii. Since 1 & 2 Peter were written to the same people (2 Pet. 3:1), the recipients of 2 Peter would naturally think that the judgments mentioned in both letters were the same. d. The only imminent coming of Jesus was His coming in judgment on Jerusalem. e. The world that perished in the flood was not the terra firma but the religious order of Judaism (2 Pet. 2:5; 3:6) f. The heavens and the earth in this context refer to the religious order of Judaism (2 Pet. 3:7) g. The day of the Lord is the day of judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70 (2 Pet. 3:10) h. The cosmic cataclysm that Peter describes is the apocalyptic language of judgment (2 Pet. 3:10-12) i. Peter s readers would be able to look for and hasten the coming of the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12) j. Isaiah used the expression new heavens and a new earth to speak of the new Messianic age (Isa. 65:17-25; 66:22-24), and that is what Peter is talking about (2 Pet. 3:13) k. Similar language was used by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 Material on the main points of the AD 70 doctrine condensed from outline by Kevin Kay @ http://eciconference.com/page7/assets/01%20realized%20eschatology%20- %20Kevin%20Kay%20-%202011%20ECIC.pdf

1. Jesus will return in similar manner as He left. a. Acts 1:9-11, This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. b. Hebrews 9:28, To those, who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. c. John 14:1-3, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. d. Scripture indicates a literal, physical second coming of Christ instead of a figurative, spiritual second coming of Christ. 2. The Old Testament was nailed to the cross, and the New Testament went into effect after the death of Jesus. a. Colossians 2:14, And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. b. Galatians 3:19-25, till the Seed should come Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. c. Ephesians 2:14-16, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances d. Hebrews 9:16-17, For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. e. Scripture indicates that Jesus abolished the law of Moses and instituted His law upon His death. There was no overlapping of the covenants. 3. There will be a literal, bodily resurrection of individuals. a. John 5:28-29, the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth---those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. b. Matthew 22:23-32, Jesus confirms to the Sadducees that there is a resurrection of the dead; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are individuals mentioned as being raised. c. 1 Corinthians 15 i. Vs. 16, For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ii. Vs. 20, But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. iii. Vs. 23, But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ s at His coming. iv. Vs. 35, But someone will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? d. Acts 24:15, I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

4. There will be a future judgment day in which all men will be judged. a. Acts 17:31, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world b. Matthew 25:31-46. i. Vs. 32, All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ii. Vs. 46, And those will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. c. Revelation 20:12, And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. d. Hebrews 9:27, And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. 5. When Jesus comes again, the world will be destroyed. a. 2 Peter 3:10-12, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; bot h the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? b. Hebrews 1:10-11, And: You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment. 6. Additional points: a. For the AD 70 Doctrine to be correct, all New Testament books would have to be written before AD 70. i. Strong evidence exists for John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation to have been written after AD 70. b. The Lord s Supper is to be taken till Jesus returns. i. 1 Corinthians 11:26, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord s death till He comes. c. If any prophecy can be shown to be fulfilled after AD 70, the doctrine falls. i. Consider Daniel 2 and the prophecy that the fourth kingdom (Roman Empire) would be destroyed. d. Were all nations judged in the destruction of Jerusalem when Jesus returned? i. Matthew 25:32, All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. e. If Jesus has already come, have the hidden things of darkness been brought to light and the counsels of the hearts been revealed? i. 1 Corinthians 4:5