Eschatology – Have You Considered that You May be Wrong? History of the Future – 1st Century by Glen Iverson

Biblical eschatology is written in such a way that there are enough details to point to a specific event at a specific time, but vague enough that events throughout history seem to fit to a certain degree.

There’s a saying that we often hear: ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’.  This basically means that when one is in a situation, it’s difficult to step back and understand the larger picture as one can only see what’s in front of us.  In regards to Biblical Eschatology, one can read the prophets regarding the future reign of the Messiah in Zechariah, Isaiah, Daniel and Revelation and not comprehend how this will come to pass.  Since one can’t comprehend how this will come to pass, historically Believers have wrapped the geopolitics of their existing world into Scripture to ‘figure it out’.

In Judea during the time of Yeshua, Rome was the dominant empire.  Judea was not only oppressed by Roman occupation, Yeshua made a point to call the Pharisees out on their hypocrisy and was a threat to their control.  Rome did not care about a Jewish Messiah, their concern was keeping peace in the empire and suppressing any political uprising.  To make geopolitical matters more complicated, Rome had tensions with Parthia to the east which erupted in War in 53 AD.  To Rome, Judea is strategically a ‘buffer’ region between the Roman Empire and Parthian Empire, so peace in Judea wasn’t taken lightly.  The last thing Rome wants in their occupied state is civil unrest.  On top of all that, there is a movement of Jews who want to throw off the Roman Occupation called the ‘zealots’ of which Simon the Disciple was associated at least in agreement with this movement.  The Zealots eventually started an uprising in 66 AD which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

In Matthew 24 (Mark 13, Luke 21), Yeshua foretells the destruction of the Temple and his disciples come to Him privately to ask about the end of the age:

Matthew 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

At this time the Gospel’s weren’t written, Saul (Paul) was still a Pharisee and most importantly, Yeshua was not yet crucified.  His disciples believed Him to be the Messiah, but had no comprehension that His mission was to become a sacrifice for all mankind on the cross to atone for sin. They would have thought that it’s laughable that gentiles would repent and  be ‘grafted in’ to the New Covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31, Romans 11) as sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:5).  This concept would be utterly ridiculous to them at this point in time.  Their expectation would be that Yeshua would soon overthrow the Roman oppression and take King David’s rightful throne.

Their expectation was written in Zechariah:

Zechariah 14:3-4  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.  (4)  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

In Isaiah:

Isaiah 63:1-3  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.  (2)  Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?  (3)  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

In Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 39:28-29  Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.  (29)  Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Their expectation was of King Yeshua leading a great supernatural battle and swiftly defeating Rome then ruling from the Throne of David to fulfill the Davidic Covenant.  This is why Peter raises his sword in the Garden the night Yeshua was betrayed.  When Yeshua offered Himself as atonement for sin, their mind was blown and despite everything He told them, they still did not understand.  Peter was so devastated that He denied Yeshua 3 times.  Put yourself in Peter’s shoes.  His world was completely shattered as his expectations of Yeshua reigning from David’s throne in Jerusalem ended as Yeshua was savagely beaten and crucified.

Yeshua’s final words to His followers after He conquered sin and death at the cross and then rose again after the third day is what we refer to as the ‘Great Commission’:

Matthew 28:19-20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Luke 24:46-49  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  (47)  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  (48)  And ye are witnesses of these things.  (49)  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

The Epistles which is a fancy name meaning letters written by Paul, Peter, John and Jude to various Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire detail ‘why’ Yeshua came and what that means.  However, these letters didn’t avoid eschatology.  Paul addresses this directly in his second letter to the Thessalonians.  Peter addresses this in his second letter directly referring to the ‘Day of the Lord’ which is the expectation of Messiah’s second doming.  John details the ‘Revelation of Jesus Christ’ in Revelation which reads much like Zechariah, Isaiah and Ezekiel.  While it was their primary focus to establish communities of ‘Christ Followers’ throughout the Roman Empire, they also had an expectation that Yeshua would return ‘soon’.  They would have likely expected this within their own lifetimes, however ‘soon’ is a relative term in regards to God’s timing.  God is not subject to the physical dimensions of time the way we are as God knows the ‘end from the beginning’.

The early rise of Christianity is a fascinating history that All Believers should be encouraged to investigate.  While eschatology was taught, the primary focus was the establishment of Christian communities throughout the known world to be faithful to the Great Commission.  This wasn’t done through revolution and using violence to supplant existing Roman tyranny, it was an underground movement done using love, kindness and persuasion to show that Yeshua is the Messiah and was risen from the dead.  It’s important to note that followers of Yeshua were not bound to a single location.  Christianity thrived despite initial persecution from the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem and later by Roman authorities.  What one may currently view as ‘apocalyptic’ today was a part of everyday life where one may be dragged out of their homes to be stoned, enslaved or placed into the Roman Circus to be killed.   This was the political reality of life in this era.

In the next entry of this series, we’ll look at the reign of Nero and the Jewish rebellion that ended in the destruction of Jerusalem.