| | Bible Question: In an ongoing benign dialogue with a preterist friend, I (a futurist/millennialist) have been challenged by Jesus' words in Matt. 10:23 where He tells His disciples that they will not have gone through the cities of Israel until "the Son of man be come." The friend insists it means He has already come, the promised kingdom is already operative, and that all prophecy pertaining to "the end" has been fulfilled, its consummation corresponding with the desolation of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Bible Answer: Before we come to Matthew 10:23, let us look at Hebrews 10. The book of Hebrews calls us to trust God even to the point of enduring suffering for Him. It calls us to believe that God speaks truth (including that Jesus died and returned to life) to the point that we are willing to endure suffering for Him. Hebrews 10 shows that Jesus died for our sins once for all. This means that when God saves us, we are saved forever. Then at the end of chapter 10, we read the following:
| | For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. (NASB) Hebrews 10:36-38 |
Very,
Very, Little While. The Holy Spirit simply tells the readers of
the book of Hebrews that Jesus will be coming in a "very little
while." This is a great statement because the Greek literally
means a "very, very little" while. He does not mean that
Jesus is coming tomorrow, next month, next year, or in ten years.
The writer of Hebrews quotes a passage from Habakkuk 2:3-4. This is
a quote from the Old Testament. Habakkuk was written about 605 B.C.
When Hebrews was written, it had been at least 600 years since Jesus'
coming was promised. Habakkuk referred to Jesus' coming as the "appointed
time." Here in Hebrews, the Holy Spirit explains that the appointed
time refers to Jesus' return. It is fascinating to discover that God
has a different understanding of the words "very, very, little"
while. In this case it is at least six hundred years! This is important
in understanding prophetic predictions throughout scripture.
Many struggle with statements such as the following:
| | Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. (NASB) Philippians 4:5
You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. (NASB) James 5:8-9
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. (NASB) 1 Peter 4:7 |
It
is important to remember that the apostle Peter wrote the passage
above in 1 Peter 4:7 and that he also wrote the following passage
when people did not understand how God measures time.
| | But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. (NASB) 2 Peter 3:8-10 |
Jesus' coming is not late. That was Peter's point. Notice that when Jesus comes heaven and earth will be destroyed. | |
