30-70AD Apostles expected the Kingdom in their lifetime

The Great Tribulation was to end and the Kingdom of the Heavens, the New Heaven, New Earth, New Jerusalem, Millennium & Judgment were to arrive with Jesus' Return: John 14:1-3, Mat 25:31-46, Rev 20:11-15.

Jesus said He would Return with His Kingdom & Power before all those who heard His preaching died, Matthew 16:28 & Mark 9:1

 

John the Baptist

27 AD   "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2) 

27 AD  "Who warned you to flee from the wrath about to come?" (Matthew 3:7)

27 AD  "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees." (Matthew 3:10)

27 AD   "His winnowing fork is in His hand." (Matthew 3:12)

27 AD  "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)

27 AD  "The kingdom of God is at hand." (Mark 1:15)

27 AD  “Who warned you to flee from the wrath about to come?” (Luke 3:7)

27 AD  “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees. " (Luke 3:9)

27 AD  "His winnowing fork is in His hand…." (Luke 3:17)

 

Jesus the Christ

28 AD  "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 10:7)

28 AD  "You shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes." (Matthew 10:23)

28 AD  "....the age about to come." (Matthew 12:32)

28 AD  “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (Luke 10:9)

28 AD  “The kingdom of God has come near.” (Luke 10:11)

30 AD  "The Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds." (Matthew 16:27)

30 AD  "There are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." (Matthew 16:28; cf. Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27)

30 AD  "'When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?' '....He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.' '....Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it.' ....When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them." (Matthew 21:40-41,43,45)

30 AD  "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place." (Matthew 24:34)

30 AD  "From now on, you [Caiaphas, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, the whole Sanhedrin] shall be seeing the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69)

30 AD  "What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. ....They [the chief priests, scribes and elders] understood that He spoke the parable against them." (Mark 12:9,12)

30 AD  "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Mark 13:30)

30 AD  “What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others." …The scribes and the chief priests …understood that He spoke this parable against them.” (Luke 20:15-16,19)

30 AD  “These are days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:22)

30 AD  "This generation will not pass away until all things take place.” (Luke 21:32)

30 AD  "Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'” (Luke 23:28-30; Compare Revelation 6:14-17)

30 AD  "I will come to you. …In that Day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.' …'Lord, what then has happened that You are about to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?'" (John 14:18,20,22)

30 AD  "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?" (John 21:22)

 

The Disciples

30 AD  "We were hoping that He was the One who is about to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21)

 

Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles

52 AD  “…we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord… …We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds… …You, brethren, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15,17; 5:4)

52 AD  “May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

52 AD  “It is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” (2 Thessaloniams 1:6-7) 

56 AD  “The time has been shortened.” (1 Corinthians 7:29)

56 AD  “The form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31)

56 AD  “Now these things …were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

56 AD  “We shall not all fall sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

56 AD  "Maranatha!" [The Lord comes!] (1 Corinthians 16:22) 

56 AD  “Godliness …holds promise for the present life and that which is about to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8)

56 AD  “I charge you …that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Timothy 6:14)

56 AD  “…storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for that which is about to come, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” (1 Timothy 6:19) 

57 AD  “He has fixed a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness…” (Acts 17:31) 

58 AD  “Not for [Abraham's] sake only was it written, that [faith] was reckoned to him [as righteousness], but for our sake also, to whom it is about to be reckoned.” (Romans 4:23-24)

58 AD  “If you are living according to the flesh, you are about to die.” (Romans 8:13)

58 AD  “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

58 AD  "It is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand." (Romans 13:11-12)

58 AD  “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20) 

60 AD  “There is about to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” (Acts 24:15)

60 AD  “As he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment about to come…" (Acts 24:25) 

61 AD  "...not only in this age, but also in the one about to come.” (Ephesians 1:21) 

61 AD  “In the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self… …Avoid these men. For of these are those who enter into households and captivate weak women… …These also oppose the truth… …But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all…” (2 Timothy 3:1-2,5-6,8-9)

61 AD  “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is about to judge the living and the dead…” (2 Timothy 4:1) 

62 AD  “The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5) 

62 AD  "The gospel …was proclaimed in all creation under heaven." (Colossians 1:23; Compare Matthew 24:14; Romans 10:18; 16:26; Colossians 1:5-6; 2 Timothy 4:17; Revelation 14:6-7; cf. I Clement 5,7)

62 AD  “…things which are a shadow of what is about to come.” (Colossians 2:16-17) 

63 AD  “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

63 AD  “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who are about to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)

63 AD  “He did not subject to angels the world about to come.” (Hebrews 2:5)

63 AD  “…and have tasted …the powers of the age about to come.” (Hebrews 6:5)

63 AD  "For ground that drinks the rain which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near a curse, and it's end is for burning.” (Hebrews 6:7-8)

63 AD  “When He said, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)

63 AD  “The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way of the [heavenly] Holy Places has not yet been revealed, while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.” (Hebrews 9:8-10; Compare Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 2:21-22; 3:17; 4:13)

63 AD  “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things about to come…” (Hebrews 9:11)

63 AD  “Now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin.” (Hebrews 9:26)

63 AD  “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things about to come…” (Hebrews 10:1)

63 AD  “…as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)

63 AD  “…the fury of a fire which is about to consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:27)

63 AD  “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.” (Hebrews 10:37)

63 AD  “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the one that is about to come.” (Hebrews 13:14)

 

Peter the Apostle to the Circumcision

30 AD  “This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: 'And it shall be in the last days…'” (Acts 2:16-17)

62 AD  “…salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5)

62 AD  “He …has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.” (1 Peter 1:20)

62 AD  “In the last days mockers will come. …For this they willingly are ignorant of…” (1 Peter 3:3,5)

62 AD  “They shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:5)

62 AD  “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7)

62 AD  "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God.” (1 Peter 4:17)

62 AD  “…as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is about to be revealed.” (1 Peter 5:1) 

62 AD  “We have the prophetic word …which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the Day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19)

62 AD  “Their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2 Peter 2:3)

62 AD  “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” (2 Peter 3:10-12)

 

James

62 AD  "Speak and so act, as those who are about to be judged by the law of liberty." (James 2:12)

62 AD  “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. …It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!” (James 5:1,3)

62 AD  “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” (James. 5:7)

62 AD  “You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James. 5:8)

 

Jude the brother of James

62 AD  “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation. …About these also Enoch …prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly…'” (Jude 1:4,14-15)

62 AD  “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, 'In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.' These are the ones who cause divisions…” (Jude 1:17-19) 

 

John the Apostle whom Jesus loved 

62 AD  “The darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8)

62 AD  “The world is passing away, and its desires.” (1 John 2:17)

62 AD  “It is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)

62 AD  “Even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18; Compare Matthew 24:23-34)

62 AD  “This is that of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.” (1 John 4:3; Compare 2 Thessaloniams 2:7) 

63 AD  “…to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place.” (Revelation 1:1)

63 AD  “The time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

63 AD  “Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.” (Revelation 2:25)

63 AD  “I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is about to come upon the whole world.” (Revelation 3:10)

63 AD  “I am coming quickly.” (Revelation 3:11)

63 AD  “And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is about to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” (Revelation 12:5)

63 AD  "And in her [the Great City Babylon] was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth." (Revelation 18:24; Compare Matthew 23:35-36; Luke 11:50-51)

63 AD  “…to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place.” (Revelation 22:6)

63 AD  "Behold, I am coming quickly. " (Revelation 22:7)

63 AD  "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near." (Revelation 22:10; Compare Daniel 8:26)

63 AD  "Behold, I am coming quickly.” (Revelation 22:12)

63 AD  "Yes, I am coming quickly." (Revelation 22:20)

Timeline: 

Introduction to Last Day Timeline

 

  1. The Great Tribulation was to end and the Kingdom of the Heavens, the New Heavens, New Earth, New Jerusalem, Millennium & Judgment were to arrive with Jesus' 2nd Coming: John 14:1-3, Mat 25:31-46, Rev 20:11-15.
  2. Jesus said He would Return with His Kingdom & Power before all those who heard His preaching died, Matthew 16:28 & Mark 9:1
  3. The Dead in Christ rose first as Jesus
  4. Christ Returned at the Last Day as the Judge, John 6:40 & John 6:54 & 1 Thessalonians 4:16. This was the First Resurrection of the two foreseen in Rev 20:4-6, marking the beginning of the 1000 years. The Wicked One was destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming, 2 Thess 2:8, sending Satan bound, cast & sealed into the Deep (Abyss, Bottomless Pit), Rev 20:1-3.
  5. This 1000 Years was as a Day with the Lord = Day of Judgment = Day of the Lord = Day of God which was still future as of the writing of 2Peter 3:4-12 & Rev 20:1-6. Satan remained bound, cast & sealed into the Deep (Abyss, Bottomless Pit) throughout this 1000 years, fulfilling what was foreseen in Rev 20:1-3.
  6. The Rest of the Dead were raised up at the end of this 1000-year-long Day of the Lord, Revelation 20:5a
  7. Satan was released after the 1000 years for a short time which ended with Fire from Heaven, (Reformation), Rev 20:7-10.
  8. The Reign of God, Christ & the Saints continues on perpetually, forever & ever without end. Amen.

 


Let us look at it again with more detail:

  1. Jesus was to come back before the Apostles' generation passed away. (Matthew 24:30 and Matthew 24:34), Preterism 101.
  2. He was to bring with Him the Home He went away to prepare for His followers, (John 14:1-3), The Heavenly Jerusalem = The Christian Community both Seen & Unseen.
  3. Paul & the churches already had the redemption/resurrection/raising up of their souls (aka "Eternal life"). All New Testament references to already “having been raised up” (Ephesians 2:6) or already “having been made alive” (Col 2:12-13 and Col 3:1) in past/present tense are referring to this redemption/resurrection of their souls that they had already. They had “eternal life” in their souls. They had eternity in their hearts, (Eccl 3:11). They each entered into it individually at baptism, the washing & regeneration, redemption & resurrection of their souls: their souls were saved. This was the guarantee towards that which they each yearned to obtain, "Having Eternal Life" is not equal to "The Resurrection of the Just".
  4. But Paul & the churches were looking forward to the redemption/resurrection/raising up of their bodies at Christ's Return, at the arrival of the Day of the Lord ( Rom 8:11 and Rom 8:23 and 1 Thess 4:13-18 to 1 Thess 5:1-2 and Phillippians 3:10-13 and 1 Cor 15:21-23 and 1 Cor 15:42-53 and 2 Cor 4:14 and 2 Tim 2:11-18). All of the future tense references to "resurrection" and "will be raised up" are correctly placed here, The Expectation and Logic of a 'Literal Catching Up' at AD 70 and Soul & Body: the 2 Parts of Resurrection.
  5. This "will be raised up" was to occur upon arrival of the Last Day, (John 6:54), and is quite distinct from the “having eternal life” they were already enjoying, 70AD: "The Last Day" & Christ Arrive, His Servants Raised to Reign.
  6. Preterism positions the arrival of the Last Day to be around 70AD: at the last day of the last physical Temple, its last animal sacrifices, its last generation of levitical priests, the last day of the ancient, earthly Jerusalem from below, (Gal 4:21-26). "He removes the first that He may establish the second," (Heb 10:9), Preterism 101.
  7. Revelation 1:1 announces that the visions that follow are predictive in nature, they portray in visual poetry "the things that must shortly come to pass" following the giving of the Revelation's visions to John by Jesus Christ around 63AD. Since these visions foretell events on God's itinerary, it is permissible to render John's use of "I saw" as "I foresaw." Rev 4:1 introduces the portrayal of events that were to occur shortly after its writing around 63AD. Rev 20:4 is a visionary vignette foreseeing this "raising up" of Christ’s followers upon arrival of the Last Day, as Jesus had promised in John 6:54. The souls of those who had been slain for serving Jesus, for rejecting the Beast and his mark, come to life, the "Resurrection the First." Blessed and holy are they that were to partake of it, and Paul wanted to be in that number, Phillippians 3:10-13.
  8. Per 2 Peter 3:8, the long anticipated “Day of the Lord" is “the thousand years,” and an actual 1,000 years as humans would count them comprises “the Day.” Just as the manna stopped appearing whenever the last day of the week (the Sabbath) arrived, (Exodus 16:25), Scripture stopped being produced when the Last Day arrived, 2 Peter 3:2-15 Day of Judgment = 1 Day with Lord = 1000 Years = Day of the Lord = Day of God.
  9. At the end of Rev 20:4’s thousand years "the rest of the dead" are raised, Rev 20:5. Christ's faithful martyrs from the Tribulation are raised up at the beginning of the Day, and the rest of the dead are raised up at the end of the Day, Rev 20:4 "come to life" = "come to life" of Rev 20:5.
  10. John established a pattern of introducing each visionary vignette with "And I saw," or perhaps better said, "I foresaw." The visionary vignette of Rev 20:11-15 introduces another immediate consequence of Babylon's Fall (Jerusalem's 70AD fall): the Judgment. Whoever's name was not written in the Lamb's Book of Life was to be tossed into the Lake of Fire, aka “The Second Death,” the final destination of Old Testament Death, Hell, etc. One does not escape Death & Hell by being sentenced to the same destiny. Christ-rejectors among “the rest of the dead” of Rev 20:5, who “lived again” at the end of “the thousand years,” awake to the condemnation of the Second Death, New Heavens, New Earth, New Jerusalem & "The 1,000 Years" each began at Return of Christ.
  11. Introducing again with, "And I foresaw," Rev 21-22 describes yet another immediate consequence of old Jerusalem's 70AD crushing: the coming down from the Heaven of that home for His People that Jesus brings with Him at His Return (John 14:1-13). “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder,” ( Mathew 21:43-45 ). This is good news because, "He removes the first that He may establish the second," (Heb 10:9). And, per Dan 2:34-35, this did not just crush the world of ancient Judaism, it crushed the whole world of Gentile paganism, "You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." Daniel 2:31-45 The Stone that became a Great Mountain The times of the Gentiles' domination over God's People had ended at last. And the era of Christendom's dominion was inaugurated with the vanquishing of its first enemy, Revelation's Harlot. Within 250 years, the last world-dominating, pagan superpower was driven to its knees, declaring itself a Christian nation. And the dominant religion of the dominant world powers has been the religion of Christ ever since. There is neither biblical evidence nor historical trend that this will ever change.
  12. The prophecies of cataclysms, and all about the Beast and the Harlot, all that has happened in the past already. The same generation that saw Jesus minister and then leave also were the very same who saw His Return and all of the Tribulation that preceded that tribulation-vanquishing Return. As great a tribulation God’s People shall never see again. This knowledge fills us with much needed optimism and confidence towards the future: there remains no Bible-mandated cataclysm dooming to futility our good-hearted efforts to make the world a better place. It was this kind of optimism and confidence and energy that overcame every giant obstacle and carried men to the moon and back alive. And with this kind of can-do optimism and confidence we can invigorate our efforts to overcome every giant obstacle to make the world a better place, and bless our children and their children, our home countries, our hometowns. There is no glass ceiling hanging our Mankind's head preventing him from progressing forward and upward into better times ahead. There is no end, no limits, no boundaries to human potential except those caused by our own ignorance & disobedience. Tomorrow is a blank page waiting to be written between God & us. God dwells among men, (Rev 21:3 and John 14:21-23 and Matthew 1:23). And God has invited us to co-author with Jesus -The Word- the great story of Humanity’s future. Tomorrow is strictly determined by what we do with Jesus Christ today - not by fatalistic judgments upon previous generations - generations long since buried & judged. We Christians get to be the Caleb's, the great, optimistic, hope-giving, visionary leaders among every generation, declaring before the daunting, giant obstacles of our times, "Let us go up at once and take the Land, for we are well able to overcome them!" ( Num 13:30 ), The Power of the Preterist View.

A) There are ongoing elements of the New Covenant beginning about the time of Christ's first appearrance and never ending: Eternal Life (aka redemption/resurrection of the souls of believers); the ministry of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit; the Everlasting Covenant in Christ's Blood, that is, the eternal, unchanging Law of Christ.

B) However, the bulk of the events predicted in the New Testament and foreseen in Revelation were completed in full by 70AD and left behind an example of how God judges human affairs: the detailed sequences of trumpets, vials etc. of the predicted vengeance upon ancient Jerusalem/Babylon and the Beast and False Prophet, etc.

C) There are temporary elements that began at Christ's second appearance around 70AD and ended an actual 1,000 years later: the sealing of Satan bound &cast into the Bottomless Pit; and the reign of the Tribulation's resurrected martyrs ruling over human affairs from the invisible, spiritual realm - (much as Middle Age Catholicism perceived the martyred Saints to have received delegated authorities from the Chief Martyr - minus the doctrines about directing prayer to these martyred-yet-living-and-involved Saints, of course).

D) There are ongoing elements beginning at Christ's second appearance around 70AD and never ending: the Resurrection the First, the Judgment, the Second Death aka Lake of Fire; the new order of the New Heavens; New Earth; New Jerusalem, the reign by all of the Saints forever & ever, etc.

E) However, there are certain temporary elements that began an actual 1,000 years after 70AD and ended shortly afterward: the temporary release of Satan to attempt to reprise his ancient role as the organizational head over evil spiritual influences whereby the Pre-Parousia world order was organized into saint-harassing, idol-worshipping empires whose leaders demanded worship. This period was cut short by God's rescuing vindicaton of the New Jerusalem Camp of the Saints with spiritual fire from Heaven, (early Reformation fires), resulting in Satan's final sentence to the Second Death aka Lake of Fire.

F) There are ongoing elements beginning an actual 1,000 years after 70AD and never ending: the rest of the dead coming to life again, awakening to their Judgment sentence.

G) And finally, there is an ongoing element beginning after the period of Satan's release (after the 1,000 years after 70AD) and never ending: Satan remains forever in the Second Death, (aka Lake of Fire), since the time of the coming down of fire from Heaven.

One Fulfillment in History for each Prophecy, but many subsequent applications

Each prophetic-promise (prophecy) was not made available to Mankind (fulfilled) until its appointed time of delivery into human history: from each of those fulfillment-points forward each individual has the opportunity to obtain its promise by his own faith in Christ.

 

Examples:

  •    The Gospel was not made available to Mankind until Jesus began to preach it around 27AD: from 27AD forward each individual obtains Gospel blessings by his own faith in Christ.
  •    The Salvation of the soul was not made available to Mankind until Jesus Christ died on the Cross & Resurrected around 30AD: from 30AD forward each individual obtains the Salvation of his soul by his own public profession of faith in Christ via water baptism.
  •    The Resurrection-transformation-glorification of the mortal-natural bodies of the dead in Christ was not made available until the First Resurrection at the Lord Jesus' Return around 70AD: from 70AD forward each Christian obtains the Resurrection-transformation-glorification of his mortal-natural body at the judgment he receives from the Lord Jesus following his own death, LINK.  This, too, is received by grace through each one's faith in he Lord Jesus Christ.  Throughout Christian history and even through today are reports of Christ, the Shepherd & Bishop of our souls, coming to receive a person at his departure from this biological life.
  •    The Resurrection-transformation-judgment of the mortal-natural bodies of the rest of the dead was not made available until 1000 years after that 70AD First Resurrection:  from 1070AD forward the rest of the dead each obtains the Resurrection-transformation-judgment of his mortal-natural body at the judgment he receives from the Lord Jesus following his own death.  This Resurrection of Judgment (condemnation) comes upon "the Rest of the Dead," (contrasted against "the Dead in Christ"), because of their rejection of faith in Christ. The writers of the Nicene Creed of 325   AD anticipated this Resurrection of Judgment to commence at the close of the Millennium in which they saw themselves living.

 

ProphecyHistory.com attempts to provide a Timeline of fulfillment-points through human history when God made each next blessing available to Mankind. From the time of each of those fulfillment-points in history forward each individual has the opportunity-responsibility to obtain each promise by his own faith in Christ. These things are written to stimulate your faith to obtain the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

John 14:21-24 NIV~"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."  Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."  Matthew 5:8~"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  3 John 11~He that doeth evil hath not seen God.  Revelation 21:3~"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."  Matthew 1:23~And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  God is love ~1 John 4:16

30AD Cross of Christ: Old to New Covenant moment of change

 

Everything that was required to be fulfilled in order to retire the Law of Moses was fulfilled upon the Cross by Jesus Christ, Himself announcing it with His dying shout, "It is finished/fulfilled/paid in full!" (This is classic Christian theology, nothing novel or innovative here even though there is still a way for it to accord with the doctrine of the Lord Jesus' 70AD Return. See also: Everlasting Law of Christ /?q=node/68).

The notion that the Law of Moses carried any authority after Jesus shouted from the Cross, "It is finished!" should be reconsidered. Otherwise, Christ's Apostles Peter & Paul must be considered the least in the Kingdom of the Heavens because although they were true, Biblical Jews, Peter & Paul lived as the believing Gentiles, relying upon the Law of Christ alone for righteousness rather than the Law of Moses.

Matthew 5:17-20 (around 27AD, at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law [of Moses], or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (Strong's #4137). 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law [of Moses], till all be fulfilled (Strong's #1096). 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
30-70AD Millennialism would have us to believe that this statement by Jesus means that the Old Testament Law of Moses was to remain binding and in full effect until all the Law & Prophets are fulfilled; and that this fulfillment did not occur until 70AD. This notion is what drives them to insist that whatever is found in pages of the Bible MUST be fulfilled before 70AD because the Law of Moses remains binding until all is fulfilled.
 
But let us consider something else Jesus said,
John 19:28-30 (around 30AD, at the ending of Jesus' public ministry)
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished (#5055), that the scripture might be fulfilled (#5048), saith, "I thirst!" 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished!" (#5055): and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Whatever 30-70AD Millennialism may say this means, here's what "It is finished! (#5055)" meant to Paul back around 58AD, long prior to 70AD's "all things fulfilled," (so-called).
Romans 10:3-4 (around 58AD, when Paul departs from Corinth, well prior to 70AD's supposed "fulfillment of all [Bible] things")
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end (#5056) of the Law [of Moses] for righteousness to every one that believeth.
And here's a glimpse of how Peter & Paul's understanding of "It is finished! (#5055)" worked out into the daily lives of Christians back around 49AD, long before "all things fulfilled" (supposedly) in 70AD.
Galatians 2:11-21 (around 49AD, Paul, the new guy, publically confronts veteran leader Peter at one of the first Christian conferences ever)
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, "If thou [Peter], being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law [of Moses], but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law [of Moses]: for by the works of the Law [of Moses] shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the Law [of Moses] am dead to the Law [of Moses], that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law [of Moses], then Christ is dead in vain! "
Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a (former) Pharisee son of a Pharisee, (Philippians 3:5-8), was so certain that "all be fulfilled!" sufficiently to retire the Law [of Moses] per Matthew 5:18 that he considered obedience to the commandments of the Law [of Moses] entirely optional. Paul would freely obey or discard the Law [of Moses] depending upon the cultural concerns of whatever people group he was trying to reach for Christ. Obeying even the least of those commandments was for Paul strictly a cultural concern of sensitivity towards reaching followers of Old Testament Judaism for Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:18-23 (around 57 AD, Paul writes to the church at Corinth)
When I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the Law [of Moses], as under the Law [of Moses], that I might gain them that are under the Law [of Moses]; 21 To them that are without Law [of Moses], as without Law [of Moses], (being not without law to God, but under the Law of Christ,) that I might gain them that are without Law [of Moses]. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
So, did Christ, the Apostles, and the Jew-Gentile churches (founded largely by former synagogue members), consider Paul and Peter "the least in the kingdom of heaven" because they "lived after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews"? I dare any 30-70 Millennialist to say that they were. No, it was the Judaizers who went around saying things like, "All things have not been fulfilled enough yet, so the Bible says you need to keep obeying the Law [of Moses] until they are!" So we see that 30-70AD Millennialism has something very much in common with the Judaizers, the NT enemies of the Gospel. (Not to mention again the inescapable connection with Universalism via 30-70AD Millenialism's Gnostic-style deviation from orthodox resurrection. Remember, it was Hymenaeus & Philetus who were saying things like, "Since the 1st Resurrection of the Just that is already past was all about people "coming to covenant life" in Christ (Rev 20:4), the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, Rev 20:5, when Jesus comes back will be about everybody else ‘coming to covenant life’ in Christ (Rev 20:5), too: nobody but the Devil is going to Hell! Yippee!" (2 Tim 2:11-18). But Paul still wanted to be in that number of First Resurrected Saints, Phillippians 3:10-13, therefore the first Resurrection described in Rev 20:4-6 was still yet to be. /?q=node/46 and /?q=node/47).
 
Evidently enough, Christ, the Apostles & the churches of the 30-70AD period believed and taught that all things necessary to retire the Old Testament Law of Moses, all the things Jesus had been talking about in the Matt 5:17-20 context, had already been fulfilled at Jesus' death shout from the Cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
Colossians 2:13-17 (around 62AD, Paul writes to the church at Colossae)
...Having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;... 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Below here is what the Apostles & the churches thought of those still teaching that the Law [of Moses] must still be kept up "until all things be fulfilled" someday, (supposedly) at 70AD. One should study the meaning of the word "justified" and find that it means "declared innocent: having satisfied all the Law's requirements."
Galatians 3:9-15 (around 49AD, Paul still recounting the meaning behind his public confrontation of Peter's hypocrisy)
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law [of Moses] are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law [of Moses] to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the Law [of Moses] in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.12 And the Law [of Moses] is NOT of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law [of Moses], being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto....
Acts 15:5-35
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise THEM [the Gentile converts to Christ], and to command THEM to keep the Law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 11 But WE BELEIVE THAT THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WE SHALL BE SAVED, EVEN AS THEY [the Gentile converts to Christ].19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not THEM, …
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch Syria Cilicia: and … and … 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the Law [of Moses]: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, … 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; … they delivered the epistle: 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced
So again, In review here: Did Christ, the Apostles and the Jew-Gentile churches (founded largely by former synagogue members), identify Paul and Peter as "the least in the Kingdom of the Heavens" because they "lived after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews" per Gal 2:14? NO. (I dare any 30-70 Millennialist to say that they were). No, it was the Judaizers who went around saying things like, "All things have not been fulfilled yet, so Jesus says you need to keep obeying the Law [of Moses] until they are!" So we see that 30-70AD Millennialism has something very much in common with the Judaizers, the New Testament enemies of the Gospel.

 

OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST = LOVE = FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW OF MOSES

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law [of Moses]. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law [of Moses].
NKJV
 

Peter & Paul fulfilled the Law [of Moses] blamelessly because they walked in love, NOT because they preached and obeyed Moses. They obeyed Christ, and obedience to Christ satisfies every law. “And this is love: that we keep Christ’s commandments.” 2 John 6

2 John 6-10
This is love, that we walk according to His [Christ's] commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
NKJV

 

CIRCUMCISION: the bodily sign of one's pledge of allegience to the Law of Moses:

Galatians 1:6-9
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
NKJV

Galatians 5:6-15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 6:13-16
13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the Law [of Moses], but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
NKJV
Again, by loving their neighbors as themselves as the Commands of Christ instruct, Peter & Paul fully satisfied every law even though, "I, [Paul], said unto Peter before them all,
‘If thou [Peter], being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?’ “, (Galatians 2"11-21). THIS is Scripture. Being "justified" means "satisfying the Law." They taught that those Jew-Gentile churches in Galatia & Rome, etc. were justified by faith-inspired obedience to Christ rather than by fear-driven obedience to Moses. “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law [of Moses], but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law [of Moses]: for by the works of the Law [of Moses] shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:15-16).
 
From the Cross onward,
Obedience to Jesus Christ fully satisfies the Law of Moses.
This is how Peter & Paul and the Jew-Gentile churches founded by former synagogue members were blameless before the Law of Moses while "living after the manner of Gentiles." They lived after the manner of Gentiles who obeyed Jesus Christ, King of Israel. And if there is anybody who determines citizenship in Israel, it is the King of Israel, Jesus Christ. And if there is anyone who lays down the criteria of who is a Jew indeed, it is the King of the Jews, Jesus Christ. Is Jesus your King? Then what does that make you? Have you been born-again into Jesus’ immediate family? Then His genealogy is your genealogy and what does that make you?
 
 
Peter, moved by the Holy Spirit of God, preached about Jesus from Deuteronomy 18:15-22 at that first Christian Pentecost to actual, Biblical Jews in Jerusalem:
Acts 3:22-23
22 For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.'
NIV
 
 
 
"Cut off from among his people" is the term Moses consistently used for the penalty for failing to satisfy the Law of Moses. And obeying Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, was part of the Law of Moses. Whoever failed to heed Jesus failed to satisfy the Law of Moses. Jews, real Biblical Jews who actually presented genuine genealogies on file in the last physical Temple, Jews were broken off as branches from Israel for their unbelief in Christ Jesus. (Romans 11:16-23). And Gentiles with pedigrees no better known than that of street dogs were grafted into Israel because of their faith in Christ Jesus. Since the first appearrance of Jesus Christ, the Law of Moses is satisfied ONLY by obeying Jesus Christ, "the Prophet like me," of whom Moses wrote. And failure to obey Jesus Christ meant being cut off from among the People of Moses. Obeying the Gospel of Christ satisfies the Law of Moses: since Christ's first appearrance, it is the ONLY satisfaction of the Law of Moses. And from the Cross forward, anyone who obeyed the Gospel of Christ was blameless before the Law of Moses regardless of circumcision, new moons, sabbaths, animal sacrifices, feast days, etc., which all became moot, empty shadows when compared to the substance that was made available with Christ at His fisrt appearing.

 

John 19:30 & Mark 15:37-39 NKJV
30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished! (#5055)" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. 38 Then the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

Christ is the end (#5056) of the Law of Moses, Romans 10:4, not the destruction of that last levitical temple 40 years later in 70AD.

 
 
 
 
The Scriptures cited here above show plainly enough what the Apostles & the churches thought of those still teaching that the Law [of Moses] must still be kept up "until all things be fulfilled" (supposedly) at 70AD. Evidently enough, Christ, the Apostles & the churches of the 30-70AD period believed and taught that all things necessary to retire the Old Testament Law & Prophets, all the things Jesus had been talking about in the Matt 5:17-20 context, had already been fulfilled at Jesus' death shout from the Cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). The change of the covenants occurred at Christ's offering of Himself at the Cross. God graciously granted 40 years for everyone to voluntarily realize this before making it violently clear at the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem.
 
ProphecyHistory.com

 

Timeline: 

70AD Fall of Jericho | Fall of Jerusalem

70AD: Comparing the Destruction of Jericho with the Destruction of Jerusalem
70AD: Destruction of Jericho | Destruction of Jerusalem