BOOK PREVIEW

Perhaps one of the most discussed and debated sections of the Gospels is the 'Olivet Prophecy' of Jesus found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.  What does it tell us about the coming of Christ?  How should we understand Jesus' prediction that “...this generation will not pass away until all these things take place (Matt.24:34)?”  Over the years, there have been a number of differing understandings presented to us.  Some say that Jesus is describing events that will occur just prior to his Second Coming.  He is describing events that are still in the future.  Other scholars are convinced that Jesus is speaking of two events.  He is describing the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.; as well as predicting his Second Coming at the end of the current dispensation.  And then, there are those who hold to a preterist position, claiming that Jesus is speaking only of the 70 A.D. event.  One thing we can be sure of is that all the positions taken can be wrong; but, they can't all be right.  

I was raised in a denomination that was committed to Dispensational theology, and taught that the 'Olivet Prophecy' was describing events yet to take place.  In the United States this is the most public and prominent position held today, and this has opened the door to speculations about the return of Christ.  Some have even set dates for the Second Coming based on their understanding of the 'this generation' statement made by Jesus.  By using the establishment of the Jewish State in 1948 as a 'start-point' in calculating a generation (40 years biblically) many believed that Christ would return in or before 1988.  This didn't occur; so, a new 'start-point' was established.  The Arab-Israeli Six Day War in 1967 seemed appropriate because Israel gained sole control of Jerusalem.  The prophecy experts again predicted that the Second Coming of Christ would occur within the next 40 years.  But, 2007 passed and we're still waiting for Christ's return.  Where do we go from here?  Is there another viable 'start-point' for our calculations?  No.  It seems that we should revisit our understanding of the 'Olivet Prophecy'.  History is telling us that the futurist interpretation of the prophecy is wrong. 

The fact that all the speculations and predictions have proven to be misguided carries some serious pastoral concerns.  Is biblical prophecy reliable?  Is the Bible a true revelation from God?  Is our expectation of Christ's return a legitimate Christian hope?  My concern is that a misguided interpretation of this important prophecy can undermine the faith of some sincere Christian believers.  It can also be a point of proof used by those hostile to the gospel to support their claim that the Bible is not divine revelation, it's not God's Word.  This should concern all of us as faithful followers of Christ! 

There is an interpretation of the 'Olivet Prophecy' that I'm convinced preserves its integrity and demonstrates the reliability of biblical prophecy.  The understanding that I'm presenting for your consideration is that Jesus was predicting the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple that occurred in 70 A.D.  This event brought the Jewish Age to an observable end.  Jesus was not predicting his Second Coming at the end of human history, he was describing his coming in judgment on Apostate Israel before many of his original hearers passed from the scene.  This is prophecy now fulfilled! 

Stan Way