“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 (NIV)
We will conclude the topic of prophecy and fulfillment with Jesus’ prophecy concerning the events that will take place during his return after he died on the cross for the atonement of our sins and ascended into heaven. In this final installment, the focus is on the scriptures rather than the summary. This is to suggest a concentration on the words of Jesus and his apostle Paul regarding the prophecies about Jesus’ second coming.
The New Covenant
“And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Luke 22: 15-20 (NIV)
In Luke 22, Jesus shares a poignant moment with his disciples during the Passover, revealing a new covenant purchased with his blood. He declares, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" and establishes the significance of this new covenant form by Jesus’ sacrifice for mankind. The refrain of not drinking until the fulfillment of the kingdom emphasizes a period of significant change in the future.
The Parable of Wheat and Weeds
“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Matthew 13:24-20 (NIV)
Through the parable, Jesus illustrates the coexistence of good and evil until the harvest. Speaking of the seed of God (wheat) and the seed of Satan (weeds), Jesus is speaking about the world of believers (Christians). This narrative encourages patience, highlighting the eventual separation of the righteous and the wicked when the appointed time arrives. It emphasizes the importance of allowing both to grow together until the time that Jesus and his angels come to harvest.
Faith and Discernment
“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”
Luke 17:20-27
Responding to the Pharisees' inquiry about the kingdom of God, Jesus elucidates that it is not something that can be outwardly observed. This stresses how Jesus would appear like lightning, meaning in a spiritual form, not a physical form. His analogy of the days of Noah underscores the sudden and unexpected nature of his return. Jesus’ warning against false claims emphasizes the need for discernment, meaning one should check and verify all proclaimed fulfillment of prophecies using the scriptures.
The Revealing of the Man of Lawlessness
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our benign gathered to him/ Do not become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come/Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doom to destruction.”
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (NIV)
It becomes evident that the Second Coming of Jesus requires a certain set of events to take place according to the scriptures. The establishment of a new covenant, the coexistence of good and evil until the time of harvest, the coming of the kingdom of Heaven, the challenge to maintain faith, and the prophesied events leading up to the return of Jesus—all bring us to a point of curiosity concerning when these events will take place. Amid uncertainties, these verses offer guidance, assurance, and a call to steadfast faith as we await the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecies during the time of the Second Coming.
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