Consider Hebrews 9:26:
"For then must he often have suffered since
the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the
world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself."
Reading the KJV above, we may have a tendency
to read the future into the passage ; however, the NASB gives a
better sense of what the Greek is actually conveying:
"Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer
often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the
consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself."
The cross of Christ is the apex of all
history, and is the focal point for the consummation of the
ages. The author of Hebrews is not talking about the future
(AD70) in this passage ; rather, he is pointing to the past
(AD30) and the sacrificially shed blood of Jesus Christ.
The Word of God more explicitly declares
this, in that Jesus Christ Himself and His work in us is the
"end" (the "telos" and the "eschaton") to which all prophecy
ultimately points.
Perhaps the best verse which declares this
truth directly is one of those at the very climax of the Bible,
in the final chapter of the Apocalypse:
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last.
In this passage, the Lord Jesus personally
identifies himself as the end (telos) and the
last (eschatos goal of all things). As a third
witness in one verse, He declares Himself to be the Omega
.. which is the name of the the final letter of the Greek
alphabet. (In the Greek texts, the singular Greek letter is
used, not the spelled out form.)
The point being that "in Christ" are
fulfilled all the blessings of God to His people. And in the
person and work of Jesus are fulfilled all of the judgments upon
His enemies, as well as the redemptive acts for His saints. Any
other judgments (such as the falls of Jerusalem) point to this
individual work of Jesus (cf. Heb. 9:27). There is nothing in
the Word which is not pointing to Jesus Christ's work in the
natural and spiritual worlds. Paul declares as much in II
Corinthians 1:
2 Cor. 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and
Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20 For
all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,
unto the glory of God by us. (Weymouth: For all the promises of
God, whatever their number, have their confirmation in Him)
To declare otherwise (i.e. looking in the
natural realm for a greater telos and eschaton) is
to completely miss the entire message of the Word, as well as
the redemption revealed consistently throughout history past,
present and future ("which is, and which was, and which is to
come"). Jesus Christ is everything! And EVERYTHING points to
Him.
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Is. 44:6
To take this glory and to give it to
another... including to some singular 24-hour day in history --
be it in the past or the future -- it to grossly pervert the
Word. This mistake misses the riches of the work He is doing --
making the old new even now. The Bible doesn't say that old is
made new on any particular "last day" of history, but that we
transition from old to new to the uttermost "in Him."
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
This passage is echoed by the Apostle John at
the climax of the Word of God, in the next to last chapter of
the Apocalypse -- in a passage that is rightly considered by
most to be the ultimate moment of prophetic consummation:
Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed
away; and there was no more sea. 3 And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with
men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 5
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these
words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is
done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end (telos).
In the future, I will post on how this
identification of Jesus as Telos and Eschaton figures into
passages which speak of the "last days," "latter times," "at
that day," "at that time," "unto the end" -- as well as many
other words and phrases which are colored by this truth.
Below are Scriptures which identify Jesus
Christ as the "telos" and the "eschaton."
Jesus is the Telos
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is
to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish (teleioo) his
work.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than
that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to
finish (teleioo), the same works that I do, bear witness of me,
that the Father hath sent me.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth:
I have finished (teleioo)the work which thou gavest me to
do.
John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that
all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might
be fulfilled (teleioo), saith, I thirst.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end (telos)
of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher (teleiotes) of our faith.
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending (telos), saith the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is
done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (telos).
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the
water of life freely.
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end (telos), the first and the last (eschatos.
Jesus is the Eschaton
Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his
wellbeloved, he sent him also last (eschatos) unto them,
saying, They will reverence my son.
John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that
he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last (eschatos)
day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live:
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The
first man Adam was made a living soul; the last (eschatos)
Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last (eschatos): and, What thou seest,
write in a book..
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at
his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying
unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last (eschatos)
Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the
church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the
last (eschatos), which was dead, and is alive;
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end (telos), the first and the last (eschatos).
** That is Jesus declaring Himself to be the
Telos and the Eschaton seven times in the climactic book
of the Bible!
Below will be a growing collection of
passages which indirectly teach the same thing, but using
different language:
Jesus is the Fulfillment of All Prophecy
2 Corinthians 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus
Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and
Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him
Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (Weymouth: For all the
promises of God, whatever their number, have their
confirmation in Him)
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
From this point on, the posts will attempt to
re-examine the Hyper Preterist "time texts" in light of the fact
that the cross of Christ is the focal point for consummation,
and not AD70. This is not to say that AD70 is meaningless. The
relationship of AD70 to AD30 is akin to Peter's explanation
about baptism:
I Peter 3:21 "The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
