Jesus told His disciples that their generation would not pass, until all the signs recorded in Matthew 24 were fulfilled. The New Testament writers indicated that they realized they were living "in the end of the world" [age] (Matthew 24:3; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Corinthians 10:11). The Greek word for "world" in these three verses is "aion" which means "an age, indefinite time, or dispensation" rather than the Greek word "kosmos" meaning "land or world." This chart lists the symbols used in the Old Testament, along with their fulfillment, with similar imagery and symbols used in the New Testament - and likewise their total fulfillment at the "end of the age" which occurred with the events of the destruction of Jerusalem; as John was commissioned by God to write the Book of Revelation sometime before the Great Earthquake which occurred approximately AD 61.
| Symbols | Biblical Understanding | Scripture Reference |
|
Heavens and Earth |
Heavens: Religious or political authorities.Earth: The place or nation involved in the prophecy. |
Isaiah 24:1-5; 1:2; 34:1-8; Jeremiah 22:29; 51:25; Amos 5:7; Micah 1:2, 3; Zephaniah 1:2, 3; Matthew 24:29-35; Romans 9:27, 28; 10:18 (quoting Psalm 19:4); Revelation 1:7; 6:13;11:6; 11:18;19:2; 20:9; 20:11; 21:1 |
|
World |
People of the nation involved in the prophecy |
Isaiah 13:11; Revelation 3:10 |
|
Heavens Rolled Together Like A Scroll |
Earthly authorities losing dominion or power |
Isaiah 34:2-4; Revelation 6:13, 14 |
|
Day Of The Lord |
Destruction of a nation by the power of God working through human armies |
Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:2-4; Joel 1:15; 2:1-2, 11; Amos 5:18; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7, 14; Acts 2:20; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2-12; 2 Peter 3:10-12; Revelation 6:17; 16:14, 15 |
|
Trumpet |
Consolidation Of God's People |
Isaiah 27:13, Matthew 24:31, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 |
|
Sun/Moon Darkened Or Turned To Blood |
The darkness of a nation's distress, sorrow, and desolation |
Isaiah 13:9-11; Isaiah 5:30; Ezekiel 30:18; Ezekiel 32;7, 8; Amos 8:9; Zephaniah 1:14, 15; Matthew 24:29; Acts 2:20; Revelation 6:12 |
|
Shaking, Trembling, Or Earthquake |
Power of God manifested in attacking human armies |
Jeremiah 51:29; Ezekiel 38:19, 20; Revelation 16:18 |
|
Sea Or Waters |
A multitude or a nation of people |
Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 8:7; 18:12; Jeremiah 51:42; Revelation 4:6; 8:8; 21:1 |
|
Harlot, Whore, Or Prostitute |
A nation's unfaithfulness or apostasy to God |
Isaiah 1:21; Ezekiel 16:14, 15; Hosea 1:2; Nahum 3:4; Revelation 17:1-5; 18:3, 9; Revelation 19:2 |
|
Babylon |
An evil nation |
Isaiah 21:9; Revelation 14:8 |
|
Eagle |
Swift judgment and consequence through earthly armies |
Jeremiah 48:40; 49:22; Hosea 8:1; Habakkuk 1:8; Matthew 24:28; Revelation 4:7 |
|
Carcase |
A nation that is spiritually dead and militarily defeated |
Isaiah 5:25; 14:19; Matthew 24:28 |
|
Smoke |
Desolation or destruction |
Isaiah 34:10; 14:31; Revelation 9:2; 14:11; 15:8; 18:9 |
|
"Mountains, Cover Us" ... "Hills, Fall On Us" |
Desperation for protection from destruction |
Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:15-17 |
|
Fire |
The power of the Word of God |
Jeremiah 23:29; Ezekiel 10:2; Zephaniah 1:18; 3:8; Zechariah 2:4, 5; Hebrews 12:29; Revelation 8:5; 14:9, 10 |
|
Mountain |
An earthly nation opposed to God |
Jeremiah 51:25; Micah 1:3-5; Revelation 6:14; 16:20; 8:8 |
|
Pit Or Abyss |
The destruction of nations by violence |
Ezekiel 26:20; 31:14-16; 32:18-30; Revelation 9:1, 2 |
|
Locusts |
Invading and attacking armies |
Joel 1:4-6; 2:4, 5; Revelation 9:3-10 |
|
Wormwood |
Bitter effects of bad judgments |
Amos 5:7;Revelation 8:10, 11 |
|
Four Living Creatures |
Attributes of God |
Ezekiel 1:5-10; Revelation 4:6, 7 |
|
Cloud |
Power in the spiritual state |
Isaiah 19:1; Ezekiel 1:4; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7 |
|
Voice Like A Noise Of Many Waters |
Powerful Words of God |
Ezekiel 43:2; Revelation 1:15 |
|
Eating Of Scroll With Writing On Both Sides |
The disclosure by God and reception by humans of specific knowledge |
Ezekiel 2:8 - 3:3; Revelation 5:1; Revelation 10:9, 10 |
|
Mark Or Seal In Foreheads |
Indication of righteousness or unrighteousness |
Ezekiel 9:3-6; Revelation 7:3; 9:4; 13:16, 17 |
|
First Resurrection |
A spiritual "resurrection" from threatened defeat to glorious victory |
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (especially 10-12); Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation compares second death in Rev 2:11. Note: The word "resurrection" is "loaded" with various and sundry meanings. Therefore, one thing is used to represent still another, quite a different thing. |
Along with Jesus stating: "I will come again" (John 14:3); He also told the disciples "when" He would come back: "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew 16:28). So apparently some of these disciples Jesus was talking to would be alive when He "came back." Also read John 14:28, 29; Revelation 22:12.
Regarding Christ's promise to "come back" to His disciples; He fulfilled that promise at Pentecost by establishing His Spiritual Church - the Eternal Kingdom Of God: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come; they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:1-4. This was indeed a spiritual coming - not a physical one! Also read John 14:16-20; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:20.
Christ's coming also brought retribution and judgment to those who rejected Him during the Roman/Jewish War of AD 63-70; for the entire Jewish nation was either slain or captured and dispersed elsewhere. All believers obeyed, fled, and were saved from the destruction in their entirety at the same time the siege took place up until AD 73 - or as Jews counted future time as days; were 1260 days for the elect or there would have been no flesh saved. A short time to end "the age".
Christ also told His disciples that the "gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). This prophecy was fulfilled in the Apostle Paul's lifetime as he states: "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world [Greek: "aion" meaning age]; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth." Colossians 1:5, 6. "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." Colossians 1:23. Hope in this verse also is past for all present at that time which the gospel had been preached or ministered to - as [it] was Christ's Second Coming to them - which made them blessed (happy or joyous). We, today, no longer need "that hope" because we sit with Him in Heavenly Places partaking of His Riches in Glory [Victory] and having all things Spiritual In Common with Christ, we need not hope for Christ to acomplish anything for us again; for hope, as [it] is in Him, has already been filled to the brim! See Ephesians 2:4-7.
"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows....And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:5-8, 11. Historians record numerous false Christs: AD 35 - Dositheus the Samaritan and his disciple, Simon Magus; AD 38 - another Samaritan arose, then Theudas. Under Felix, deceivers rose up daily. In AD 55 Egyptian Felix arose and had 30,000 followers; and in AD 60 another imposter arose under Porcius Festus seducing the people and promising them deliverance from Rome if they would follow him into the wilderness! At the time Jesus made this prophecy, the "pax romana" (peace of Rome) was in effect, in which the then known world was apparently at peace. Therefore, when the Jewish wars and revolts broke out, it drew the attention of the people, especially Christ's followers, as they recognized the sign Jesus had given them was being fulfilled. Josephus, the famous historian, documents a great famine occurring during the besiege of Jerusalem. Historians also record many earthquakes, and seven major ones, which occurred in rapid succession during the period before Jerusalem's destruction. As a natural result of the earthquakes, sickness was rampant as a result of unsanitary conditions.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:29, 30. In Old Testament times, the "Day Of The Lord," and "signs in the heavens" meant God's judgment against nations. Following the same spiritual meanings found in the Old Testament, we understand clearly that Christ was referring to the judgments upon nations which, according to history, occurred when the Temple and Jerusalem was completely destroyed in AD 70. Also read Isaiah 13:9, 10; 24:23; Ezekiel 32:7, 8; Joel 2:10, 11; 3:15; Amos 5:20; 8:9;
Jesus' Sacrifice For Sin "At The End Of The World [Age]"
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: now yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world [Greek: "aion" meaning age] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Hebrews 9:24-26. "But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled" (Acts 3:18).
No credibility could possibly be given to any so-called prophet after the summation and conclusiveness of John's Revelations. (Christ's victorious defeat of sin's effects and all the works of Christ fulfilling grace to the complete extent to make every believer a saint and partaker of His Glory of honorable winsomeness.) All in the above verse pronounces whole extent or quantity of all the prophecies being subjected for Christ to have completedly finished or accomplished!
Knowing this is light indeed and no one needs to fear of any so-called "prophet" from John to this day, or futuristically - for all that matters prophetically was settled on earth while Jesus was here so His Word (Himself) could forever settle in Heaven (Psalm 119:89) as the "more sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19) as each obedient believer's Advocate forever!
The Kingdom Of God
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Hebrews 12:28. "The kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." Philemon 1:25.
Modern Christianity has interpreted the prophecies in the books of Matthew and Revelation literally (instead of spiritually) and have applied them to future events yet to come. However, if these prophetic symbols are understood in a spiritual sense, we come to realize that All Biblical Prophecies were fulfilled at the End Of The Age - that "age" ending in AD 73; thus making the terms, "The Rapture," "Left Behind," "Seven-Year Tribulation," "The Millennial Reign," "Second Coming of Christ," "The Day of the Lord," and "The Great Judgment Day" of no significance to any future fulfillment as all the visions of Revelation including the "End of the World" have all been fulfilled and are past; and all the coercive mythological jargon and tangles evaporate and melodramatists find themselves asking: "Who by searching can find out God"?
This is the Preterists World View with nothing lacking, and sharing everything equally in the Kingdom of God. This knowledge of all spiritual things is available through Christ The Perfect Example (John 1:14-18; detailing our Salvation Through Grace (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 9:26); the Eternal Spiritual Realm Of The Heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6); of All Prophecies Being Fulfilled of both Testaments by the time of Jerusalem's besiege with the events ending completely in AD 73 inclusive of the time cut short of 1260 days afterwards - NOT 1260 Years for Heaven's Sake - Mark 1:14, 15; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 24 and the prophecies in the book of Revelation are all written in spiritual symbolic language and were all fulfilled when Christ returned to this earth by bringing retribution and judgment to those who rejected Him - Matthew 16:28; 1 John 5:20; John 14:16-18); and Judgment Of All People (John 3:18; 1 John 5:13). The Bible, spiritually understood as it should be, is undenyingly accurate in the above concepts; and with this correct interpretation understood, all other teachings are invalidated concerning futuristic events of prophecy and "comings" of literal interpretativeness(es).
Considering all the events up to AD 73, we can truly say that Christ fulfilled the entire prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-3: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings [three and a half years of ministry] unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [His death on the cross], and the day of vengeance [Roman/Jewish War AD 63-70] of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."
In any age, inhabitants of earth are predestinated to love God, love self, and love others as being like one's self (God's property). See Psalm 24:1.
Note: Jewish scholars classify the Book of Daniel as part of the " The Writings" and not one of the "Prophetic" Books of the Old Testament.
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