Episode 15: Biblical Context Under the Microscope

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 15

Gary discusses biblical context and its importance to interpreting all Bible passages, but especially prophetic ones.

When we study Matthew 24 in its biblical context and allow other passages to shape our understanding, we will have no other choice than to embrace a preterist interpretation. Preterism teaches that most prophetic passages in the New Testament—including Matthew 24:1–34—were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Preterism simply means “events that took place in the past.” While the events described by Jesus on the Mount of Olives were future to those who first heard His words, they are fulfilled prophecy for us. There can be no doubt that the fall of Jerusalem was a key eschatological event in biblical history. It marked the end of the old covenant order—the end of the temple, temple sacrifices, and the old-covenant priesthood—and the beginning of the new covenant order in Jesus.

It is important to consider all prophecy, including Matthew 24, in light of the larger covenantal picture. Throughout the Old Testament, God made covenants with His people: if they were faithful He would be a God to them and their children. God would protect and provide for them, and they were required to obey Him and trust in His promises—chief of which was His promise of a coming Redeemer. Jesus came to earth as the fulfillment of all the messianic prophecies (Luke 24:27, 44–49). He was the Savior whom faithful Israelites believed in and anticipated for centuries (2:25–38).

Yet, at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, many of the Jewish leadership had become apostate. Throughout the gospels, most of Jesus’ anger is directed at those who had rejected Him and His commandments by establishing a set of laws designed by man that had the effect of setting aside “the commandments of God” (Mark 7:1–13). The ultimate rejection came, of course, when “the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death” (Matt. 27:20). To add insult to injury, when given the opportunity to embrace Jesus as their king, the chief priests cried out to Pontius Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

Is Jesus Coming Soon?

A great little book to put into the hands of someone who is beginning to study biblical prophecy. The date-setting and prophecy pundits continue to be wrong again and again. How many of these prophecies have failed in your lifetime? Daily on Christian radio and television and the the endless stream of prophecy books we get pumped up with even more “evidence” that Jesus is now “at the door.” World events are matched with prophecies as definitive proof that the end is near. Again we wait and hope. It’s a familiar cycle: time nullifies each prediction, our hopes are deflated, and our trust level smashed. No more! The truth is out!

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Gary discusses biblical context and its importance to interpreting all Bible passages, but especially prophetic ones. Most Christians cherry-pick verses to fit their end-times system, rather than reading entire passages in the context in which they were written.

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American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources