THE ANY-MOMENT RETURN OF JESUS VERSUS THE NOT YET (NT PARADOX)

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANY-MOMENT RETURN OF JESUS vs. THE NOT YET (NT paradox)

New Testament eschatological passages reflect Old Testament prophetic insight that viewed the end-time through contemporary occurrences (see SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY [OT]).
Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are so difficult to interpret because they deal with several questions simultaneously
1. when will the temple be destroyed?
2. what will be the sign of the Messiah's return?
3. when will this age end (cf. Matt. 24:3)?
  SPECIAL TOPIC: ANSWERS TO THE DISCIPLES' TWO QUESTIONS
The genre of New Testament eschatological passages is usually a combination of apocalyptic and prophetic language which is purposely ambiguous and highly symbolic (see D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic. These passages emphasize:
1. the exact time of the event is unknown, but the event is certain
2. we can know the general time, but not specific time, of the events
3. it will occur suddenly and unexpectedly
4. we must remain prayerful, ready, and faithful to assigned tasks.
  SPECIAL TOPIC: APOCALYPTIC LITERTURE
Several passages in the NT (cf. Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 and 21, 1 and 2 Thessalonians and Revelation) deal with a coming of Jesus in judgment. They are using "coming" in several senses.
1. God sending an army to judge (i.e., Isa. 19:1; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (last paragraph).
2. The NT propetic/apocalyptic references refer to the fall of Jerusalem and the temple ("those who pierced Him," Preterist).
3. Revelation records both the fall of Jerusalem (in the first chapters) and the fall of Rome (in the later chapters).
4. The Bible clearly and repeatedly speaks of a physical, visible, bodily return of Jesus to gather His followers (i.e., John 14:1-3).
There is a theological paradoxical tension between
1. the any-moment return (cf. Luke 12:40,46; 21:36; Matt.24:27,44) and
2. the fact that some events in history must occur (F. below)
The NT states that some events will occur before the Second Coming:
1. the Gospel preached to the whole world (cf. Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10)
2. the great apostasy (cf. Matt. 24:10-13, 21; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1ff.; 2 Thess. 2:3)
3. the revelation of the "man of sin" (cf. Dan. 7:23-26; 9:24-27; 2 Thess. 2:3)
4. removal of that/who restrains (cf. 2 Thess. 2:6-7)
5. hopefully a Jewish revival (cf. Zech. 12:10; Romans 11)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SOON RETURN

SPECIAL TOPIC: DELAYED SECOND COMING

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS' RETURN

SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (terms)