I placed here some recent thoughts on the season / times we are living in.
Not 'the final word' on this topic, or an attempt to put these things together in a coherent thesis.
But ... they serve as a reminder of the trustworthiness of Scripture together with the faithfulness of the God who created the Heavens & the Earth and before whom every knee must bow - will you freely bow in worship now or in bitterness and regret later?
2 Peter 3:8
A day in the Lord is like a thousands years.
God sees the value of us living with an urgency.
Remember: Matthew 24:48 the evil servant who says in his heart ... my master is a long time coming...
Teaching on Second Coming - not important to salvation but important to how you live.
Second biggest topic in the New Testament.
Jeremiah 25:11-14
"Judah and Israel will become a desolate wasteland. They and the surrounding nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and I will make it desolate forever. I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. They themselves will be enslaved by many nations and great kings; I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands".
Daniel 9:1-3
In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
Notice the historical authenticity of this.
Also reminds us of earlier prophecies about the Medes coming to power.
Daniel's following prayer highlighted Israel's sin, iniquities, disobedience, rebellion.
In response Daniel received an Angelic visitation with the promise that the time would come to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness.
This was not some vague 'at some point in the future' promise but a total of 490 years was given
That period began in March 444BC when the order to rebuild Jerusalem was given..
Daniel 9:25
From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.
That 490 years is divided into two parts.
The first part ends after 483 years when the Anointed One (i.e. Jesus) will be killed.
Daniel 9:26 His death make his life appear as if it accomplished nothing.
Doing some calendar conversion arithmetic March 15 444BC plus 483 Jweish years you come out at April 6 32AD
This is the day Jesus road into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people laid palm branches on the road.
This prophecy had a specific beginning and an end.
Jesus rebukes the leaders for not knowing the time of their visitation.
They could read the weather but not pure hearted enough to read the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:1-4; Luke 12:54-56
The Pharisees, Saducees, Teachers of the Law fought against Jesus.
We do not hear about the Essenes ... Dead Sea Scrolls fame, preserved the Jewish calendar.
Between the 483rd and 484th year we have the Church age - when many gentiles get saved.
We have an exact day for Jesus's first coming.
We are explicitly told we do not have an exact day for His second coming.
But ... Jesus does tell us that we will know the season.
Hosea 5:14
Lion to Israel ... the Lord will tear them and go away. There will be no one to rescue them.
At His ascension Jesus went away.
In AD70 Titus destroyed Jerusalem - Luke 21:23-24 Jesus foretold this.
Estd 1+million Jews killed.
Survivors scattered through all nations - in the first captivity they only went to Babylon.
Luke 21:24, Jesus predicted the all nation dispersion of Israel and the Gentile domination of Jerusalem.
He also promised that these would only be temporary.
Jerusalem returned to Jewish control in 1967.
Times of trouble continuing, but clearly the times of the Gentiles are reaching their fulfillment.
Times of Gentiles ended 1967.
Acts 15:14-15 The church age.
Romans 11:25 Israel returns to the Lord
Hosea 5:15 Jeremiah 30:7 Seven year tribulation.
Hosea 6:1 Restored after 2 days.
Good Samaritan gives inn keeper 2 days payment.
Hosea 6:2-3 on the third day.
James 5:7-8 The coming of the Lord is soon.
Isaiah 11:10-11 Gentiles seek Him, the land (Israel) will be glorious.
Why root of Jesse, not David?
Isaiah 11:11-12 A second restoration of the remnant from the 4 corners of the earth.
14 April 1948 Israel became a nation, dispersed but remained a nation, did not get absorbed.
Luke 21:20 Titus
Luke21:25-28 The 2nd coming
Luke 21:29-32 Look at the fig tree and all the trees ... what trees?
1932 Saudia Arabia - Date palm tree
1943 Lebanon - Cedar tree
1943 Syria - Olive tree
1946 Jordan - Palm tree
1948 Israel - Fig tree Hosea 9:10, Joel 1:6-7
5 nations,all trees.
This generation shall not pass away.
How long is a generation? 40, 80, 120.
120 years mentioned in the days of Noah - relevant?
We are in the season 1948-2068? What calendar? Confusing!
In broad terms we are in the season - should create an urgency.
Urgency keeps you healthy.
10 virgins, all have light but 5 are foolish.
Consequences for not recognising the season of his coming.
For further reading:
Oxford Bible Church - The 7 times of the Gentiles