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The fundamental position (and
greatest expectation) of the Christian religion is that Jesus will (sometime in
the future) return in the clouds to rapture (catch away) his Church (those who,
by faith in Jesus, have been redeemed and “washed in the blood of the Lamb”),
and subsequently return to earth (with all His saints) to set up His messianic
kingdom on earth. This is
traditionally understood to be "the millennial reign of Christ." This is the doctrine of eschatology
(the study of future things or things to come.
QUESTIONS: According to the
biblical record…
1. It
is possible that Jesus expected His Messianic kingdom to be established on
earth WITHIN HIS OWN GENERATION and NOT some centuries later?
2. It
is possible that Jesus thought that "the end" (of the evil world
system) was imminent because of a fulfillment of prophecy?
3. It
is possible that what Christians teach is YET to come (viz. The Great
Tribulation, The Second Advent of Christ, The Millennial Reign of Christ, etc.)
has already happened?
Upon careful and prayerful
examination of the (so-called) words of Jesus (as recorded in the gospels of
the New Testament), it is evident that Jesus sincerely held the belief, and taught,
that He was the long looked-for Jewish Messiah, and that in this capacity he
would usher in the Kingdom of God within His own generation. Jesus was
firmly convinced that the Kingdom of God was "AT HAND" (immediately
imminent) and that those who shared his times would actually witness its
physical advent with their own eyes.
The evidence for Jesus' beliefs in these matters is clearly undeniable,
for it is repeated by several who claim to report his very words, and it is
reiterated on several occasions, and in several different contexts. Jesus is speaking: Luke 21:31-32 "Know ye
that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand...Verily I say unto you, THIS
GENERATION shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled...."
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