Just to clear things up, Do we really get to recycle scripture from generation to generation or century to century for that matter?
When the bible clearly shows that a certain prophecy has been fulfilled, Do we get to re-use the scripture for something else, or re-use it to show history repeating itself?
I don't know about you but that is not my method of Hermeneutics and certainly not for Audience Relevance.
A lot of history and prophecy has been recorded by Josephus, Tacitus, Eusebius etc. Confirming a lot of fulfillment.
Many believe the bible is written to them! Some even believe the last days or the end of the age is the generation their living in. They interpret the Bible according to their own views, and paraphrase it.
People we have to set some ground rules. What did the people believe 500, 1,000 and 2,000 years ago? Do you not care?
Let me ask you this, If you were standing in front of Jesus and He said "All of these things will be fulfilled while some of you are still alive". What would you think? Are you going to look Jesus in the eye and say "Why are you telling us this if it's not going to happen for 2,000 years?"
Why can't we see that "The Church" has changed the meaning of "Soon, at hand, quickly, near, generation etc. to mean 2,000 years?
Many claim the Olivet Discourse will be carried out in their lifetime. So they recycle Matthew 24 to repeat itself.
The truth is Matthew, Mark and Luke write about The Olivet Discourse in their Epistle. John writes about The Olivet Discourse NOT in his Gospel Epistle, but in The Book of Revelation. Many miss the whole point and deny Matthew 24:3 (When, Coming, End of the Age).
I believe to understand the bible we have to let Scripture interpret Scripture. Many claim they do and a good example showing they don't is where it says "heavens and earth will pass away" they believe it to be the actual Heavens and earth. Which is not true. Most Pastors will not teach on the subject. Another is the "mark of the beast". If we do not understand the language of "forehead" and "right hand", we will never know it's true meaning and stuck in another recycled end time scenario.
Now we have people out there saying all kinds of recycled things. And it's as true as the made up boogie man.
I hear the person out there saying "The Bible is living and active. No part of is dead or ever dies or becomes obsolete". I agree with this to a certain extent but not for Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy is history. An Example would be:
Example One
The Apostle Paul taught that all of the people in his generation were living at the "end of the age" 1 Corinthians 10:11 Paul told Timothy to avoid certain people in the LAST DAYS. If the last days were generations to come, Timothy would have to be alive today.
Example Two
Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-16; Luke 21:20-21
Jesus was speaking to His disciples, not you and I and said, When you see the
armies surrounding Jerusalem, desolation is near, flee to the mountains. Daniel
9:26-27 and Daniel 12:1-12 is about to be fulfilled. Luke 21:22 says all things
written will be fulfilled in this war. The abomination of desolation is not the
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem today. It was the destruction of Herod's Temple in
the Jewish War of 70 AD. It was the Roman armies under General Titus destroying
the Temple. This judgment in Matthew 24 is defiantly a local judgment on Israel.
It has nothing to do with the 21st century. And for the person out there saying
"Yes but history repeats itself and it will happen again." My question to you is
"How can General Titus have his army destroy Herod's Temple in a future
century?"
Most agree the Temple was destroyed in Matthew 24 but then recycle the rest of it to prove a false doctrine.
Today's church will tell you things like as soon as the gospel is preach in all the world (here in the 21st century) then world will come to an end. Have you heard this lie?
The Bible tells us the "world" was the Roman Empire. See: Luke 2:1;
Acts 2:5; Acts 17:6; 1 Tim. 3:16
Paul claimed that the gospel had been preached throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:8, Romans 10:18, Romans 16:26, Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:23, Titus
2:11
The Bible tells us the world will NEVER END - Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever.
See (Genesis 8:21-22, Psalms 72:17 78:69, 89:36-37, 93:1, 96:10, 104:5, 119:90, 148:4-6, Isaiah 45:17, Ephesians 3:21)
Now we have people that don't even read the bible believe this false scare tactic about the "Mark of The Beast" If one would do a serious study on their own, without the false teacher. That person would see that the Beast and the mark of the beast was in the 1st century only. In addition to the bible, it's written by historical writers showing it's fulfillment.
So how can we recycle this scripture? I don't believe we can. I'm not the only one bringing this up, people are starting to see that the bible teaches something entirely different than the traditions of men. And demanding answers!
Daniel and the Apostle John knew nothing beyond Rome. If we apply 1st century fulfillment to the 21st century, Then we're saying it's all going to happen again. Is that what we believe? Where is America in Bible Prophecy? Nowhere!
Now, some churches are telling us
American is Babylon! Really?!
Babylon cannot be America. The Bible tells us
it's Jerusalem.
Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie on the street of the great city
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was
crucified.
Jerusalem is the only city referred to symbolically in the Bible as Sodom see
Deuteronomy 32:28-33; Isaiah 1:9-10; Jeremiah 23:14, and Ezekiel 16:46-57.
Not only that we know where the Lord was slain, Jerusalem. Babylon was judged at
the coming of the Lord, Old Covenant Jerusalem. (Matthew 24:3)
In Revelation 18:20, 24 the apostles and prophets rejoiced at the impending
judgment of Babylon for her persecution of them. In Luke 13:33 A prophet cannot
leave Jerusalem. Jesus said that the blood of all the prophets in history would
fall upon Jerusalem in His own generation Matthew 23:29-39; Luke 11:49-53. In
Revelation 18:24 Babylon could not refer to any other city in any other time
period.
So all you fake prophets out there you better know a prophet was in Jerusalem only. And that was before the bible was written.
There's so much more to be said, but I'll save it for another time.
Conclusion:
For those that put the Olivet Discourse out into the future, they have to recycle scripture to justify their view.
Matthew 24: 3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, WHEN will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your COMING, and of the END OF THE AGE?"
The end of the age came in 70AD when the Temple was destroyed.
IN MATTHEW 24 - One thing for sure nobody can deny there was a "Coming" that took place vs 3. Knowing that a Coming took place eliminates all that End Times Scary stuff. Find the blessings in it. Didn't Jesus tell His Apostles some of them would not die before His coming. Yes, He did say that. (Matthew 16:27-28) If fact Jesus even said that all prophecy would be fulfilled before some of His Apostles died? (Luke 21:22; 31-32; Matthew 24:34)