John 15:18-24 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.

Jesus makes it pretty clear in this passages that His words and deeds were able to convict these people that were rejecting Him.

Would Jesus' words and deed's not be TWO WITNESSE'S against these people?

What do you think???

A Faculty Forum of Knox Theological Seminary

At the beginning of the 21st century virtually the entire American evangelical community has been captured by a dispensational, pretribulational, and premillennial eschatology. Best-selling book series and sensational movies, reinforced by endless radio talk programs, promote these fantastic interpretations of biblical prophecy as events coming to pass in our generation.

Unfortunately, the response of the Reformed church to this, thus far, one-sided discussion has been to caution that fantastic interpretations of biblical prophecy, especially concerning the book of Revelation, should be skeptically received. But it should be frankly admitted that we have not offered what we could credibly claim is a defensible interpretation of the last book in the canon.

Introduction

Part 001

Part 002

Part 003

Part 004

Part 005

Part 006

Part 007

Over the last number of months my head has been swimming through the gospels, especially the Gospel of John and Revelation, looking for connections between Jesus' ministry and Revelation 4-22.

What I'm finding is that there are a lot of connections. 

Here's a simple one. A very simple working theme of Revelation 4-22.

The judgment of the world(land), the casting down of the enemy(death), and Christ gathering all the nations into the new creation(covenant). 

Jesus while predicting His own death said in John 12:31-33 "NOW is the judgment of this world; NOW the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

Now back to the Gospel of John.

One thing I've been pondering lately is the dating of the Gospel of John. This gospel has significantly more theological development that the synoptic gospels doesn't have. Conversely the synoptic gospels all have accounts of Jesus' Olivet discourse while John's gospel doesn't. 

Most people would say, "Well that's because John wrote Revelation, and so didn't need to include it." Of which I agree completely. Matter of fact I believe that helps my case for a later dating of the Gospel of John. Say somewhere around AD85. After John would have had some time to reflect on what he had seen take place over that last generation. 

There's also a very clear sense of impending doom in the synoptics that is not in John's gospel.

Just compare the baptism accounts of Jesus in the four gospels. The synoptics paint a very negative picture of an impending doom/judgment. John's greeting, "Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Followed by Jesus' little Torah debate with the devil.

John's gospel is a positive theological proclamation of who Jesus was the Lamb of God/Son of God.

In other words, I am suggesting that the Gospel of John may very well been written many years after John had witnessed Jesus' coming in AD70 in judgment on the southern kingdom and more specifically Jerusalem.

The northern kingdom...The house of Israel was dealt with back in 722 BC. 

Yes I still maintain that the synoptics were written before AD70. They contain Jesus' Olivet discourse. But lack theological development. And John had written Revelation before AD70 as well. 

And so if John had seen the events of AD70 come to pass. Would his perspective on the events of Christ's ministry look different than the perspective of Christians being persecuted by Jews before AD70?

I personally think so. 

Finally, John 21:20-25 make even more sense to me now. And seems to positively affirm Christ's coming in judgment on Jerusalem.

 

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

What a great farewell. That last verse is the most ironic piece of prophecy in the Bible. We have quite literally filled the world with books about Jesus. Think about that for a moment. Then ask yourselves these questions.

Did John live till Christ came?

Did he live to see Jerusalem fall?

If so, wouldn't his perspective is much more victorious and theologically developed?

The Jewish persecution would have been dealt a fatal blow. He wouldn't be under any tribulation. That and he wouldn't need an olivet discourse. He already covered that in Revelation. And it had already happened.

That is if my theory is correct...8-)

What do you guys think?

The Heavenly Greeting to the Seven Churches

After the Spirit of God finished his introduction of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ as given to Christ by God, delegated from Christ to his appointed angel and relayed from the angel to the Apostle John, John gets right to the point and broadens the audience of this book to the "Seven Churches".

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:4-7

In addressing this book to the "Seven churches which are in Asia" we again are faced squarely with the issue of

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Greetings, I Would like to Introduce You To...Jesus.

I have always wanted to do a full blown verse by verse study of the book of Revelation. At this point in my life I am rejoicing at reaching the 30th anniversary of my heart being open and my journey of faith beginning with Jesus Christ. As I look back at these 30 years at many victories and successes (ALL HIS) and many many failures and set backs in my walk with Christ (All mine), I admit that for many years I would not have been able to undertake such a huge task of this mysterious and often confusing book of Revelation.

It is not that I have reached some place of grand understanding or tremendous spiritual maturity that I now take up this task, but I no longer fear this book as I have in years past. I believe that the best approach to this great work of the Apostle John is to let the text speak for itself. We also must recognizing that the text itself as it is laid out by John the "Revelator" often times references back to many many Old Testament passages. I will endeavor to point out any and all Old Testament references as I become aware of them in this study.

I know also that most studies of the book of Revelation start with a debate for or against either a late or early date of the books authorship. I would love to talk to any readers who have

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Dr. Mark Hitchcock and Mr. Hank Hanegraaff debate the date of the Book of Revelation. The debate took place on December 10, 2007 at the annual Pre-Trib Study Group meeting in Dallas, TX. Dr. Hichcock will argue for the AD 95 date. Mr. Hanegraaff will argue for the AD 65 date. While the AD 95 date does not impact the futurist interpretive approach of Dr. Hitchcock's view, Mr. Hanegraaff preterist view requires an AD 65 date or his view of Revelation is rendered impossible.

Watch Part 01 here - Watch Part 02 here

Debate on the Date of the Book of Revelation (Part 3 of 3) from Thomas Ice on Vimeo.

 

Part 03 - Debate on the Date of the Book of Revelation

Dr. Mark Hitchcock and Mr. Hank Hanegraaff debate the date of the Book of Revelation. The debate took place on December 10, 2007 at the annual Pre-Trib Study Group meeting in Dallas, TX. Dr. Hichcock will argue for the AD 95 date. Mr. Hanegraaff will argue for the AD 65 date. While the AD 95 date does not impact the futurist interpretive approach of Dr. Hitchcock's view, Mr. Hanegraaff preterist view requires an AD 65 date or his view of Revelation is rendered impossible.

Watch Part 01 here

Part 02 - Debate on the Date of the Book of Revelation

Dr. Mark Hitchcock and Mr. Hank Hanegraaff debate the date of the Book of Revelation. The debate took place on December 10, 2007 at the annual Pre-Trib Study Group meeting in Dallas, TX. Dr. Hichcock will argue for the AD 95 date. Mr. Hanegraaff will argue for the AD 65 date. While the AD 95 date does not impact the futurist interpretive approach of Dr. Hitchcock's view, Mr. Hanegraaff preterist view requires an AD 65 date or his view of Revelation is rendered impossible.

Part 01 - Debate on the Date of the Book of Revelation