From: Dick Fischer (dickfischer@genesisproclaimed.org)
Date: Mon Nov 04 2002 - 01:56:49 EST
Jim Eisele wrote:
>One major problem with Christianity is that Jesus' return is 2000 years
>overdue (Mt 24:29-35, Mk 13:24-31, Luke 21:5-36, Rev 1:1-3).
Mt 24:29-35: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun
be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
The sun hasn't darkened and the stars are still in heaven, so the Son of
man isn't due the way I read it.
Mark 13:30: "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass,
till all these things be done."
A "generation" may be thought of as 30-33 years. But the Greek
ghen-eh-ah' is derived from ghen'-os meaning a tribe or "nation," and may
have been the original word changed by a scribal glitch or even the
intended meaning of the phrase just as it was written. And the nation of
Israel has not passed away.
Luke 21:11: "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines,
and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from
heaven."
Again, we haven't seen these "great signs," and we should see these first
before the second coming.
Luke 21:16: "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and
kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death."
True. All were martyred but John as far as we know. So the disciples knew
they would physically die before the second coming. And Christ knew they
would be martyred.
Luke 21:19: "In your patience possess ye your souls."
Yet your souls will be intact.
Rev. 1:1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew
unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John ..."
If the word "shortly" is giving you heartburn, I am not sure I would give
up my faith on the basis of a single word. In a 15 billion year old
universe, 2000 years isn't a big chunk.
>It's really all about the truth and trustworthiness. For practical
>purposes, Christianity takes huge hits every time a YEC opens his or
>her mouth. I used to equate Christianity with people who were
>honest truth-seekers.
Some still are, Jim.
>I guess I've grown up.
Perhaps you've just reached an awkward age.
Dick Fischer - Genesis Proclaimed Association
"Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History"
www.genesisproclaimed.org
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