Eschatology Topics | 2 Comments »

I have an idea I’d like to get your opinions on. Matt. 16:28 says the following:

Mat 16:28 I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming [erchomai] in his kingdom.”

I’ve long wondered what Jesus meant by this statement. In my view, I believe the Jewish disciples would have thought of the following passage in Daniel when he said this:

Dan 7:13 I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.

The most popular interpretations of Matt. 16:28 are the following:

1. The transfiguration in the next chapter.
2. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
3. The destruction of Jerusalem.
4. The second coming and establishment of the millennial kingdom.
5. The triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Personally, I had always fallen back on the transfiguration as the event to which he was referring, but it just doesn’t seem to fit his qualifications of ‘tasting death’ before it happens. Only 5-6 days passed between the declaration and the transfiguration, so his listeners would have only had to survive a few days in order to fulfil his qualification, which doesn’t make much sense.

Now I’m beginning to think that he may have been referring to the ascension, and the “coming” was actually “going” to the right hand of God. The primary meaning of the Greek verb erchomai is “to go”, and erchomai is used that verse, rather than the verb parousia for “coming”. It seems to me that Daniel 7:13 is referring to the ascension where Jesus “went up” in the clouds of the sky to the Ancient of Days on the throne, which is described in Acts 1 from an earthly perspective and in Revelation chapter 5 from a heavenly perspective. Also, the surrounding verses in Daniel 7 describe what is seen in Revelation chapter 4-5, especially the angels and thrones and God sitting on his throne.

All the disciples saw the ascension when he went in the clouds to his heavenly position in the kingdom, except for Judas Iscariot. This meets the qualification of Jesus when he said “some standing here will not taste death” until they see it….Judas would have been there to hear the declaration, but did not live to see the ascension. The problem with this view is the previous verse, because Jesus is clearly talking about the second coming, I believe:

Mat 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

So, in the context of verse 27, it seems that verse 28 would necessarily be referring to the second coming. However, the parallel passages in Mark and Luke give me a different impression:

Mar 9:1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”

Luk 9:27 But I tell you most certainly, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God.“

Mark’s passage seems to suggest the kingdom of God will come with power…to the earth. Luke’s passage seems to agree more with Mark than with Matthew.

What are your thoughts on what Jesus meant in this passage?
Dave

Questions | 4 Comments »

Hello all,

I have attached a doc file that contains a latest email that I received from Joel Rosenberg. It is very interesting that Iran is talking about something happening as soon as March. On March 3rd the U.S. and most of the world will experience a very significant moon rise lunar eclipse and on March 19th a solar eclipse. These signs in the heavens will be interpreted by the Muslims as omens or signs from God. But we in the west are too “smart” to even notice the correlation between significant Islamic events and cosmic events. The moon is very prominent in Islamic symbolism.

1. March 3rd a total lunar eclipse that will cause the moon to rise totally eclipsed on the eastern parts of the U.S. This during the feast of Purim. The first of two total lunar eclipses in 2007 is unique in that it is partly visible from every continent around the world. ” The eclipse occurs at the descending node, 3.2 days before apogee and 1.9 days after the Moon occults Saturn (northern and eastern Europe). During the eclipse, the Moon is in southern Leo, about 13º east of the 1.3-magnitude star Regulus (alpha Leo).
The Moon’s orbital trajectory takes it through the northern half of Earth’s umbral shadow. Although the eclipse is not central, the total phase still lasts 73 minutes. The timings of the major phases of the eclipse are listed below.” From NASA Website http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH2007.html#2007Mar03T

2. March 19th “The first solar eclipse of 2007 occurs at the Moon’s ascending node in Pisces and is visible from eastern Asia and parts of northern Alaska (Figure 2). Greatest eclipse [1] takes place at 02:31:56 UT when the eclipse magnitude [2] will reach 0.8754. The penumbral contact times with Earth are listed below.”

John

12thimam.doc

Eschatology Topics | 4 Comments »

Hello friends,

Here I send to all of you my study, which I´m speaking of since a few days ago.

I decided to leave it at this point because it is too hot here right now (33 Cº) and also because an hour ago I began to fell a terrible toothache that is killing me. However, it wasn´t my intention to write a masterpiece, but instead to share with you all what I came to see in Revelation lattely. I know you all will understand the point of my study and even its unspoken ramifications.

I´ll be looking forward for your responses and impresions.

Happy a happy new year.

God bless,

Mariano

http://www.earthquakeresurrection.com/discussion/?page_id=38

Eschatology Topics | 7 Comments »

I have noticed something very interesting about Revelation 14 that I never really noticed thise clearly before. That is the relationship to Revelation 7 and 8:1-4. Jesus tells us in Matthew 13 about the harvest at the end of the world when he will send his angels to separate the wheat and the tares. In Chapter 14 we first see one like the Son of man who comes with a sickle to harvest and the earth is reaped. This is the rapture of the church and the sealing of the 144,000. Both of these groups are seen earlier in Revelation 14. The church is in heaven teaching the 144,000 a new song from the throne of God. The 144,000 are worshiping Jesus at the feet of the church in heaven, fulfilling Rev. 3:8-9. Then in Rev. 14:17 another angel comes and the angel comes forth with a sickle and the angel of Rev. 8:3 that cast the censer of fire unto the earth to begin the trumpet judgments is seen in Revelation 14:18 telling this angel to thrust in thy sickle. This second angel delivers the world to the wrath of God because it is ripe-spiritually dry. The fact that this angel of Rev. 8:3-5 is seen here proves that the sixth seal contains a harvesting. The sequence is the same. Harvesting of souls to heaven, a pause to seal of the 144,000 and again announced by this very special angel having the seal of the living to the four angels who are holding the four winds,then we see a multitude harvested to Heaven, they came out of great tribulation and then permission for the four angels to sound their trumpets is given by this angel who cast fire to the earth and has power over fire in Rev. 14. They are one in the same. Who is this angel? All of this action is preceeded with the following announcement.13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

We need to take a closer look at Revelation 14. Is this passage looking back at events that have already taken place or at events that are still future in the 70th week of Daniel? I think they are looking back at events that have already taken place and filling in the gaps of our understanding of what has already taken place before moving onto the final trumpet judgment and the bowls. This is very significant!

Eschatology Topics | 3 Comments »