When Christ returns, we shall all be changed, including heaven and earth, actually all things are changed out for something better.

[3 Resurrections]

How in the world can someone look at the Bible through that type of PRISM?
I suppose a question ,at this point is, what does a preterist say, is future?

I guess the New Jerusalem isn't coming down?
or maybe it already came down?

. Maybe the great white throne judgement already happened?
....and we're not aware of it?
Maybe we're living in some kind of fifth ,sixth, or seventh dimension and we don't know anything.
Maybe We don't have any future, and it is just gonna continue exactly like this until the sun burns out?

A Preterist recognizes God's own definition of what an "at hand" prophecy is. The lengthy passage of Ezekiel 12:21-28 lets us know just how God defines this "at hand" term. Any of Revelation's prophecies which were titled as being "at hand" (Rev. 1:3 and 22:10) meant that these prophecies were not going to be "prolonged" into "times that are far off". Instead, God would not only speak the words of the "at hand" prophecies, but God would also "perform" them "in YOUR days" to the ones who were first receiving them in the first century time frame. Scripture defines itself.

The New Jerusalem (which Hebrews 12:22 wrote that the saints had already come to by then) is still a present reality. It is a reality that has been standing unshaken ever since the shaking process of the AD 66-70 years when all the dead "weak and beggarly elements" which had composed the physical temple worship system were dissolved and passed away.

As for the Great White Throne judgment, who says that can only happen one time ONLY? Scripture never says that this is limited to one occasion only. Paul warned Felix in AD 60 about this "judgment about to be" at a resurrection of the just and the unjust which was also "about to be" (Acts 24:15). The imminence of this soon-coming judgment caused Felix's fearful, trembling response in Acts 24:25.

So, AD 70 had its own Great White Throne judgment, but there will yet be another future occasion for it at the culmination of fallen mankind's history on this planet. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." God splits this GWT judgment into two occasions - not just one.

 

[Scott Downey]

The prediction was not that everybody on the entire globe would see that second coming return to the Mount of Olives. That "every eye" is specifically limited to "NAMELY, those who pierced Him". That is limited to the first-century generation of Jews and their time frame, as they were the ones who were the "betrayers and murderers" of Christ, as the martyr Stephen accused them.

It would be the tribes of the nation of Israel who would mourn at seeing their Messiah returning. Zechariah even gives us the names of some of the families and tribes of Israel who would be seeing this (Nathan, David, Shimei, Levi). None of those tribes have existed since the AD 70 genealogical records were burned up - which God fully intended to get rid of those "unprofitable and vain" genealogies.


Then you don't believe Paul meant what he said to Felix in Acts 24:15 around AD 60, "That there is ABOUT TO BE a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust..." This warning of "judgment about to be" caused Felix to tremble with fear. And again to Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:1, written around AD 67, "I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign..."

Acts 24:15 - Bible Gateway

www.biblegateway.com

Only one translation, YLT, uses about to be, all others says will or shall be.
KJ21
And I have hope in God, which they themselves also hold, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
ASV
having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.
AMP
having [the same] hope in God which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of [the dead], both of the righteous and of the wicked.
AMPC
Having [the same] hope in God which these themselves hold and look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous (the just and the unjust).
EXB
I have the same hope in God that they ·have [accept]—the hope that all people, ·good and bad [righteous and unrighteous], will surely be ·raised from the dead [resurrected; C the righteous to salvation, the wicked for judgment; Is. 26:19; Dan. 12:2].
GNV
And have hope towards God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselves look for also, shall be both of just and unjust.
GW
I hope for the same thing my accusers do, that people with God’s approval and those without it will come back to life.
GNT
I have the same hope in God that these themselves have, namely, that all people, both the good and the bad, will rise from death.
HCSB
And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.
ICB
I have the same hope in God that they have—the hope that all people, good and bad, will be raised from death.
ISV
I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish—that there is to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Why would I waste my time on doctrines coming from the unbiblical teachings of Preterits? Here is an example about the magazine of what I would get if I desired to spend my time reading heresy: "Fulfilled! Magazine is the only full-color magazine from a full preterist perspective. Published quarterly (Lord willing), Fulfilled! covers a multitude of preterist topics from a variety of preterist authors, pastors, and speakers."

You just challenged me to prove FROM THE SCRIPTURES how a literal millennium could be proved to take place between 968 / 967 BC until AD 33. I told you the source of where to go to find an article that is replete with Scripture references to proving this. If you choose not to go read this article, that of course is your decision, but at the very least you cannot claim that I have not supplied the Scripture for this viewpoint. I told you where to go to find the Scriptures that I am using.

 

[Scott Downey]

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Abraham was dead and buried, yet he saw the day of Christ.
Abraham was a witness, conscious and aware.

CEB
Look, he is coming with the clouds! Every eye will see him, including those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. This is so. Amen.
EXB
Look [T Behold], Jesus is coming with the clouds [Dan. 7:13–14], and ·everyone [L every eye] will see him, even those who ·stabbed [pierced] him [C a reference to the crucifixion; Zech. 12:10]. And all ·peoples [people groups; tribes] of the earth will ·cry loudly [wail; mourn] because of him. ·Yes, this will happen [So it shall be; L Yes]! Amen.
GNV
Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him: yea, even they which pierced him through: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail before him, Even so, Amen.

Simply, it is including all, both dead and the living will see Him returning.
This is clearly true.
There are witnesses to these things who have passed on into eternity

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The 'clouds of heaven' are spiritual beings, not earthly weather.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Only one translation, YLT, uses about to be, all others says will or shall be.

No, it's not the only translation which translates this verse (and others) in this manner. It is the literal translations that recognize the significance of the original Greek terms, which many translations cast aside. Perhaps you don't, but I prefer to get closer to the original languages that recognize the actual imminent quality of those predictions. But even without the YLT, there is still a way to prove that all the "at hand" prophecies of Revelation (as in Rev. 1:3 and 22:10) were going to be fulfilled in the days of those who were hearing those predictions initially in their generation's time frame. God tells us how He Himself defines when an "at hand' prophecy is to be fulfilled in Ezekiel 12:21-28. I am going to stand by God's own dictionary regarding this "at hand" term for the time when Revelation's prophecies were to be fulfilled. Those "at hand" Revelation prophecies were for that first-century generation who was hearing it in their days.

 

[Scott Downey]

No, it's not the only translation which translates this verse (and others) in this manner. It is the literal translations that recognize the significance of the original Greek terms, which many translations cast aside. Perhaps you don't, but I prefer to get closer to the original languages that recognize the actual imminent quality of those predictions. But even without the YLT, there is still a way to prove that all the "at hand" prophecies of Revelation (as in Rev. 1:3 and 22:10) were going to be fulfilled in the days of those who were hearing those predictions initially in their generation's time frame. God tells us how He Himself defines when an "at hand' prophecy is to be fulfilled in Ezekiel 12:21-28. I am going to stand by God's own dictionary regarding this "at hand" term for the time when Revelation's prophecies were to be fulfilled. It was that first-century generation who was hearing it in their days.

You completely ignore all the other things that happen when Christ returns, that I pointed out in my earlier post about sun, moon, stars.
Those things no longer shine, as the LAMB is the light.
Revelation 21:23
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him: yea, even they which pierced him through: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail before him, Even so, Amen.

Simply, it is including all, both dead and the living will see Him returning.
This is clearly true.

This text does not say that every person on the globe would simultaneously see the returning Savior coming bodily to the Mount of Olives. Pay careful attention to the little word "even" in this verse. The Greek word is "kai", which Scripture often uses in an explanatory sense, meaning "namely, or specifically". It would be every eye that would see Him, "NAMELY" (kai) they which pierced Him. It was the Jewish people who Stephen accused of being the "betrayers and murderers" of Christ. It was those Israelite tribes who pierced Christ who would be mourning when they saw Him bodily return to the Mount of Olives from their own besieged position inside the city of Jerusalem in AD 70.

 

[Scott Downey]

This text does not say that every person on the globe would simultaneously see the returning Savior coming bodily to the Mount of Olives. Pay careful attention to the little word "even" in this verse. The Greek word is "kai", which Scripture often uses in an explanatory sense, meaning "namely, or specifically". It would be every eye that would see Him, "NAMELY" (kai) they which pierced Him. It was the Jewish people who Stephen accused of being the "betrayers and murderers" of Christ. It was those Israelite tribes who pierced Christ who would be mourning when they saw Him bodily return to the Mount of Olives from their own besieged position inside the city of Jerusalem in AD 70.

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Abraham was dead and buried, yet he saw the day of Christ.
Abraham was a witness, conscious and aware.

CEB
Look, he is coming with the clouds! Every eye will see him, including those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. This is so. Amen.
EXB
Look [T Behold], Jesus is coming with the clouds [Dan. 7:13–14], and ·everyone [L every eye] will see him, even those who ·stabbed [pierced] him [C a reference to the crucifixion; Zech. 12:10]. And all ·peoples [people groups; tribes] of the earth will ·cry loudly [wail; mourn] because of him. ·Yes, this will happen [So it shall be; L Yes]! Amen.
GNV
Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him: yea, even they which pierced him through: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail before him, Even so, Amen.

Simply, it is including all, both dead and the living will see Him returning.
This is clearly true.
There are witnesses to these things who have passed on into eternity

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The 'clouds of heaven' are spiritual beings, not earthly weather.

 

[Scott Downey]

Jude​

Bible Gateway passage: Jude - New King James Version

Greeting to the Called - Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Contend for the Faith - Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you...

www.biblegateway.com

Apostates Depraved and Doomed​

12 These are [g]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [h]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

ALL, not just some ungodly people will He judge, when He comes on that DAY.

 

[Scott Downey]

Acts 17

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the [i]Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one [j]blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The judgement of all men happens at His appearing, on the DAY of His return, which is the LAST DAY of this world.

2 Timothy 4
New King James Version
Preach the Word
1 I charge you [a]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Timothy 4 - New King James Version

Preach the Word - I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come...

www.biblegateway.com

 

[rwb]

You just challenged me to prove FROM THE SCRIPTURES how a literal millennium could be proved to take place between 968 / 967 BC until AD 33. I told you the source of where to go to find an article that is replete with Scripture references to proving this. If you choose not to go read this article, that of course is your decision, but at the very least you cannot claim that I have not supplied the Scripture for this viewpoint. I told you where to go to find the Scriptures that I am using.

You've just proven what I have thought all along! You did NOT get the Preterist doctrines from the Word of God, you got them from other Preterists! Preterist doctrines do not come FROM the Bible, they are read INTO the Bible! I have no desire to hear how other Preterists twist and misuse the Word of God, forcing Scriptures to fit their view of biblical discourse to their own detriment!

 

[Scott Downey]

This verse must be the final judgment as it includes the dead. And it happens at His appearing, which is the second coming and the kingdom of God, so we then enter the eternal state after this judgment.

2 Timothy 4
New King James Version
Preach the Word
1 I charge you [a]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

 

[3 Resurrections]

12 These are [g]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [h]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

ALL, not just some ungodly people will He judge, when He comes on that DAY.

That "day" already came and went back in AD 70, with a judgment upon both the living and the dead, as Paul had predicted in 2 Timothy 4:1. Didn't you catch Jude's reference to "THESE" men who were THEN feasting along with "YOU", which was the saints of Jude's day being addressed personally? Enoch had prophesied about those first-century ungodly ones, and about God's judgment coming for them in THOSE first-century days when He returned with ten thousand of His holy ones.

Peter had already spoken on the day of Pentecost that every prophet which had spoken had said at least something about "these days" of the time in which Peter was then speaking (Acts 3:21-24). That included Enoch, which Jude was quoting as having predicted a judgment on the ungodly ones of his own days that were then feasting with the saints at that time.

 

[Scott Downey]

That "day" already came and went back in AD 70, with a judgment upon both the living and the dead, as Paul had predicted in 2 Timothy 4:1. Didn't you catch Jude's reference to "THESE" men who were THEN feasting along with "YOU", which was the saints of Jude's day being addressed personally? Enoch had prophesied about those first-century ungodly ones, and about God's judgment coming for them in THOSE first-century days when He returned with ten thousand of His holy ones.

Peter had already spoken on the day of Pentecost that every prophet which had spoken had said at least something about "these days" of the time in which Peter was then speaking (Acts 3:21-24). That included Enoch, which Jude was quoting as having predicted a judgment on the ungodly ones of his own days that were then feasting with the saints at that time.

I know you cannot see how fully messed up you are about this, which is typical of the human condition. You are cherry picking, and not facing all the other things I and others have brought up. And obviously, I post here so others won't hopefully be sucked in by this awful doctrine you keep going on about.

 

[3 Resurrections]

1 I charge you [a]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

A rather generic translation. Should be "...who is about to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His reign."

1 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Also another rather generic translation. Should be "...a day on which He is about to judge the world in righteousness..."

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Abraham was dead and buried, yet he saw the day of Christ.
Abraham was a witness, conscious and aware.

This isn't really clear in this verse as to which particular "day" Abraham was rejoicing to see. We are told that Abraham "looked for a city whose builder and maker is God", so Abraham seeing in anticipation the New Jerusalem city is probably what was intended by his "seeing my day". And we are told in Hebrews 12:22 that this New Jerusalem "city of the living God , the heavenly Jerusalem" was already an established reality at that time which the saints had already come to as the true "Zion".

 

[3 Resurrections]

I know you cannot see how fully messed up you are about this, which is typical of the human condition. You are cherry picking, and not facing all the other things I and others have brought up. And obviously, I post here so others won't hopefully be sucked in by this awful doctrine you keep going on about.

It is you yourself who cannot recognize the original audience of the Scriptures and the things that were being addressed to them personally in their own days. It's as if you guys want to erase the entire first-century generation from the Scriptures so that nothing at all applied to them. The NT Scriptures were not written in a vacuum. They had an original audience in mind to begin with. Only when you realize how it affected them personally can you use that information as an application to yourself to learn a lesson from. You have the cart backwards.

 

[Scott Downey]

Preterists miss the blessed hope of His appearing which will deliver us from the present evil generation in which we live on the earth.
Which for us is salvation, and the others their destruction.
Yet all the others are still here.

I don't see how they have anything left to look forwards to, all they do is look back to the past.
But for us we look forward to these things, which is a heavenly inheritance, not an earthly one.
For our citizenship is in heaven, and what does it say? And everyone that is a believer today is still in the same flesh and blood body.
But we will be transformed at the return of Christ, as we eagerly wait for our savior to change us into His own glorious type of body. Maybe the others won't be.

Philippians 3
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Titus 2

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 Peter 1, which is a heavenly inheritance

A Heavenly Inheritance​

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance [b]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [c]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not [d]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to [e]us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father​

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

 

[3 Resurrections]

You've just proven what I have thought all along! You did NOT get the Preterist doctrines from the Word of God, you got them from other Preterists! Preterist doctrines do not come FROM the Bible, they are read INTO the Bible! I have no desire to hear how other Preterists twist and misuse the Word of God, forcing Scriptures to fit their view of biblical discourse to their own detriment!

We all are capable of reading other people's viewpoints and selecting from them what agrees with the Scriptures. This is not the sin which you presume it to be. You have an obvious bias against anything at all coming from a Preterist position. I on the other hand chew the meat and spit out the bones from every other person's eschatological viewpoints that I encounter. I read and listen widely - even from those that have totally opposite perspectives. I have many times learned some vital points from those who would not agree with me on eschatology at all.

Preterists miss the blessed hope of His appearing which will deliver us from the present evil generation in which we live on the earth.
Which for us is salvation, and the others their destruction.
Yet all the others are still here.

I don't see how they have anything left to look forwards to, all they do is look back to the past.

That is not the perspective I am presenting. I too am looking forward to the blessed hope of my own bodily resurrection at Christ's next coming in our future. What God has already done twice before on two separate resurrection events in AD 33 and AD 70, He will do yet again for me in my future.

I rejoice that I don't have to anticipate the three Beasts and their operations, neither Armageddon nor Gog and Magog, nor the rest of the disasters that Revelation predicted for those times that were "at hand' for those in the first century. These are ancient history by now. Christ already struck Daniel 2's image back in AD 70, and that "stone" kingdom has been steadily growing ever since, just as predicted. God has an optimistic outcome predicted for the growth of His kingdom in this world in our future, and He WILL accomplish that purpose.

 

[TribulationSigns]

Preterists miss the blessed hope of His appearing which will deliver us from the present evil generation in which we live on the earth.
Which for us is salvation, and the others their destruction.

Present evil generation. Correct!

Not a first-century generation. Not the 1948 generation.

The word translated generation here is the Greek word [genea], which first denotes posterity (family), and then a specific or particular family time line. As one might say "the previous generation," or "the next generation." I would be talking about a family era. It is from the Greek word [genos] literally meaning family or relative. For example as [genos] is used in 1st Peter

1st Peter 2:9

• "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"

That means a God determined "family" or kinfolk chosen to be "children" of light. Indeed, called out of the family of darkness unto light. God is declaring that we are "now" of the family of Christ, just as the wicked are a generation or family of vipers...as indeed we once were the wicked or sinful generation (Mark 8:38). The wicked generation of family exists throughout time, and the blood from Abel to Christ will be required of it. Because it spans that time, even unto today.

Matthew 12:39

• "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

The evil generation that Christ speaks of is not simply the people of the era when Christ walked the earth. It is any children of the family of evil. They are the sinful generation, the generation of evil that Christ referred to. They are the generation that have not yet born again with Christ. And this is the same word [genea] used in Matthew 24. Therefore, this generation or family of evil shall not pass until all be fulfilled. And true to His word, this generation hasn't passed and all is not yet fulfilled. These wicked children are still present in the world today. It is that generation whom the beast will deceive and gather together to assault the camp of the saints whoever remains on Earth before the Rapture. Then, and only then, will all be fulfilled.

Spiritually, it is a family relationship. Just as we are the posterity of Christ (having been born of the Spirit of God), the wicked are the children of the Devil, having the spirit of disobedience (Ephesians 5:6-9). Two distinct and opposing families or generations. We are either the children of light, or we are the children of darkness. There is no other alternative (Ephesians 5:8; 1st Thessalonians 5:5). And the children of wickedness are a generation or family unit. This can be proven quite easily:

Luke 16:8

• "And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."

Christ is declaring that the family of the world is more prudent and wise in their interests and concerns of this life, than the family of the light are in their interests and concerns for the world to come. And we often see this as Christians not really concerned with any preparation for the hereafter, just their own talent hid away in the earth. Not very smart. Here again, this is the same word [genea]. The children of the family of darkness, are in their own way wiser than the children of the family of light "in that they prepared for "their" future. The word generation here means the posterity or family of the children.

So generation most certainly could not mean simply the people of that particular time period in this context. The well oiled myth that generation must mean that era, or as Preterists or Premillennialists like to claim it means, around a 30-40-50-70 year timespan, is found to be quite biblically unsupportable!

 

[3 Resurrections]

Matthew 12:39

• "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

The evil generation that Christ speaks of is not simply the people of the era when Christ walked the earth. It is any children of the family of evil.

It wasn't just any generation whatever of the family of evil who were given that sign of the prophet Jonas. It was that first-century generation which had that single sign given to it directly. They rejected that particular sign by not receiving Christ as their prophesied Messiah the Prince who was to come.

The Queen of Sheba and those of Nineveh would rise up in the judgment against that wicked generation, because a greater than Jonah and Solomon was "HERE" present with them in that single generation to whom the incarnate Christ had come to minister. This tells us that Christ was indeed speaking of that first-century generation of Jews. "But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected of THIS generation." (Luke 17:25). This was speaking of Christ's own first-century generation of Jews who caused these sufferings of Christ. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."