WHEN DOES CHRIST RETURN?
Part 1
Part 2
WHAT IS THE PASSING OF HEAVEN AND
EARTH?
As already mentioned, the context of
Peter’s two letters is the exhortation to live righteously in view of the
nearness of the Lord’s appearing when He will bring salvation to those who are
looking for Him. As explained elsewhere in this book, the bringing of salvation
translates into the receiving of eternal life, which is the final nail in the
coffin for the Old Covenant system of death. We find that Christ, like Peter,
also spoke of the passing of heaven and earth.
Matthew 5:17-18: Do not think that I
have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, nor the least stroke of a pen, will by any means
disappear from the law until everything is accomplished.
Christ said He came to fulfill the law.
What law is He talking about? Christ then says that until heaven and earth
disappear, not any part of the law will disappear until everything is
accomplished. What is the “everything” that must be accomplished? Is Christ
talking about the physical heaven and earth passing away? The physical heaven
and earth are still here. Is the law still here? It must be if it is the physical
heaven and earth that must pass away. If the law is still here, then Christ
hasn’t yet accomplished everything. Let’s take a closer look at this matter by
seeing what Luke records.
Luke 24:44-47: This is what I told you
while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that was written about
in the Law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms. Then He opened their minds so
they could understand the scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written:
The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance
and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning
at
Here we see “everything” was what was
written in the Law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms that must be fulfilled.
Christ then goes on to show them some of what is written. Notice that one of
the things He lists is the preaching of the gospel to the nations. Preaching
the gospel to the nations is one of the things of the law that must be
fulfilled/accomplished before heaven and earth pass away. Remember, Christ said
that not any part of the law would disappear until everything is accomplished
We see from Luke 24:44-47, that a part
of the law to be accomplished was that Christ must suffer and rise from the
dead. That happened. Preaching of the gospel to the nations was a part of the
law that was to be accomplished. As explained earlier in this book, that
happened. Forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Christ was accomplished
with the voiding of the sacrificial system at the destruction of the temple in
A.D. 70. All this was accomplished in the first century.
These fulfillments didn’t all happen
at the same time. The fulfillment of what was written in the law began with the
death and resurrection of Christ. It proceeded with the preaching of the gospel
to the nations. It ended with the abolishment of the sacrificial system,
priesthood, and legal requirements at the return of Christ in the destruction
of the Jewish temple. Above all, the return of Christ abolished spiritual death
by bringing salvation at His return to fulfill the hopes and expectations of
the saints who were waiting for His return. In Luke’s account of the Olivet
Discourse, Christ is quoted as saying:
Luke 21:20-22: When you shall see
These events happened during the
Roman-Jewish War as history clearly shows. If these events happened in
fulfillment of all that has been written, isn’t it reasonable to conclude that
this is the same “all that has been written,” that Christ spoke of in Luke
24:44-47? Furthermore, Christ said,
Luke 21:31-33: Even so, when you see
these things happening, you know that the
What heaven and earth will pass away?
Christ said this in the context of the fall of
Hebrews 12:25-28: See to it that you do
not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who
warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns
us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has
promised, ‘once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The
words ‘once more’ indicate the moving of what can be shaken-that is created
things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship
God acceptably with reverence and awe.
Here we find the writer alluding to the
giving of the law when the earth shook at
The old order of things was the Old
Covenant system. That covenant was in the process of disappearing between the
death and resurrection of Christ and His return forty years later. That is why
we read in Hebrews 8:13, “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first
one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” The Old
Covenant still existed when this was written. It took the “fulfillment of all that
has been written” to completely abolish the Old Covenant and establish the new.
The New Covenant is synonymous with the Kingdom that cannot be shaken because
it is spiritual. This passing of the Old Covenant was the passing of heaven and
earth. Now let’s return to 2 Peter.
2 Peter 3:6-7: By these waters also the
world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present
heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day
of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
The Greek word for world in this
passage is kosmos. This word refers to the physical
realm or the orderly arrangement of things. The physical world was not
destroyed at the time of the flood. The disobedient people were destroyed.
Their arrangement of things was destroyed. Peter then shows that the present
heavens and earth are reserved for fire in relation to judgment and destruction
of ungodly men. Peter is not saying that the physical earth and heavens will be
destroyed but that the Old Covenant system of ungodly men would be destroyed.
The word “world” is being used of a specific system in association with a
specific generation of people no different from us when we use such phrases as
“the wide world of sports” or “the world of communications” to signify a
specific arrangement of things.
Peter is not referring to the physical
world here any more than he was earlier in this letter when he spoke of the
ancient world not being spared. In 2 Peter 2:5, Peter speaks of God not sparing
the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but
protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. The context of
this verse clearly shows he is speaking of the world of ungodly people, not the
physical world. While it is true that the orderly arrangement of the physical
world was destroyed along with the ungodly people, the physical earth remained
and continues to this very day. Peter writes:
2 Peter 3:10-12: But the day of the
Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the
elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be
laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people
ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to
the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction
of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
Here we see Peter, within the context of
this coming destruction, exhorting the readers of his letter to live holy and
godly lives in anticipation of God’s coming. The first-century Christians were
all expecting the return of Christ to be imminent. We see the same approach
here in Peter’s letters. We therefore must seek an explanation of Peter’s
comments about the destruction of heaven and earth within that context.
Peter speaks of the elements melting in
the heat. The Greek word stoikion which is translated
as elements in this passage can refer to the elements that make up the physical
earth and heavens, or it can refer to what elements make up the letters of the
alphabet, or just about anything else you may want to break down in small
pieces. Once again, context must determine the meaning. In the New Testament,
this Greek word is translated as “elements, rudiments and principles,”
depending on what translation you look at. The apostle Paul used this word
relative to the law. In the NIV it’s translated as principles and in the KJV as
elements. The context shows that it is referring to the Old Covenant law. Let’s
take a look at the context of Paul’s letter to the Galatian
brethren.
Galatians 3:1-5: You foolish Galatians!
Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed
as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive
the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so
foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your
goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was
for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because
you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
Paul is dealing here with the problem of
the Galatian Christians being deceived by the Jews
into ordering their lives according to the Old Covenant. This is the context as
clearly shown in chapters one and two. It is in this context that Paul refers
to being under the slavery of basic principles of the world. By context, Paul
is showing that he is speaking of the Old Covenant law system as basic
principles of the world. Paul is not suddenly changing the subject and speaking
of some other system.
Galatians 4:3-11: So also, when we were
children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when
the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to
redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because
you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who
calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a
slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are
not gods. But now that you know God-or rather are known by God-how is it that
you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be
enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and
seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on
you.
Paul deals with the same problem
relative to the Colossian Christians and here, too, uses the phrase “basic
principles of the world” to reference the law.
Colossians 2:8-17: See to it that no one
takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on
human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have
been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not
with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by
Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your
faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in
your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having
canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that
stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having
disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them,
triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by
what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon
celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come;
the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
Verse 20: “Since you died with Christ to
the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do
you submit to its rules?
In 2 Peter 3: 7&12, the apostle
speaks of the present heavens and earth reserved unto fire against the day of
judgment and perdition of ungodly men and the elements melting with fervent
heat. These elements, elsewhere called principles, are referring to the law
system. It is this system that was going to be brought down. In Luke 12:49
Christ said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were
already kindled!” Let’s now look at what Paul writes to the Thessalonian
brethren.
CHRIST IS REVEALED IN BLAZING FIRE:
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10: Paul, Silas and
Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because
your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each
other is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches
we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials
you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a
result you will be counted worthy of the
Paul, Silas and Timothy congratulate the
Those who teach a future fulfillment of
what is written in Thessalonians will point to chapter two and the narrative
about the “man of lawlessness.” Let’s carefully consider this entire passage.
Keep in mind that the physical temple was still standing in
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7: Concerning the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you,
brothers, not to 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.” Don’t 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 doomed to destruction. He opposes and exalts
himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, and even sets
himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” Don’t you remember
that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what
is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the
secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it
back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
The context here clearly shows this to
be a current events situation. This passage leaves no doubt that the subject is
the return of Christ. The writer reflects on how when he was with the
Thessalonians in person, he had discussed these events with them. He then
relates to them how they presently know what is holding back the man of
lawlessness, and that the power of lawlessness is already at work but will be
held back until the one holding it back is removed. Here we have the writer
showing that these events were already in progress and beginning to occur.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12: And then the
lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will
overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His
coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of
Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in
every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because
they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a
powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be
condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Who is this lawless one? Who or what
prevents him from being removed? Remember that the original thrust of this
letter to the Thessalonian Christians involved their
being granted relief from persecution. Then the writer wants to assure them
that, contrary to some reports, Christ has not returned. The very fact that
some believed that Christ had returned, shows the first-century context of
these events and their spiritual nature. It would have been obvious that Christ
had not returned physically or that any type of physical resurrection had taken
place.
Those who propose a future fulfillment
of this passage have named about every person imaginable as the “man of
lawlessness.” Those who believe this to be a first-century event have at times
considered Nero as this person. Nero, however, was already dead at the time the
temple was destroyed and never set himself up in the
temple. The most practical approach to determining who this man may have been
is to search the writings of the secular historians of the time and see if
their writings identify such a person. John L Bray, a Baptist minister from
Josephus writes that the Roman General Cestius Gallus and his army came against
Once in
John broke off his relationship with the
zealots and joined himself to an even more rebellious group. He was responsible
for burning the stores of corn and other provisions that could have supported a
much longer resistance. He took possession of the temple and its adjoining
parts and melted down the sacred implements used by the priests. He emptied the
vessels of sacred wine and oil, which the priests used to pour on burnt
offerings thus leading to the eventual discontinuance of the daily sacrifice.
Josephus tells of how John began to tyrannize and set up a monarchical power
and how he was a shrewd man, able to entice men to him, both by deluding them
and putting cleats upon them. Josephus wrote that John was so great in activity
that he required guards around him at all times to protect him from his
enemies.
John L. Bray summarizes his reading of
Josephus as follows:
"John [John Levi] had complete
control and authority in the
A careful reading of Josephus will show
that it was the high priest Ananus who stood in the
way of John Levi and others as they attempted to mobilize the Jews in their
rebellion against the Romans. Josephus writes at length of the efforts of Ananus to stop the rebellion and cooperate with
While we can’t be positive that John
Levi was the man of lawlessness that Paul speaks of in his letter to the
Thessalonians, this man and his actions certainly fit the description. To argue
that the appearance of the man of lawlessness is a yet future event is
unnecessary and actually contrary to the context of this letter to the
Thessalonians and the historical events of the first century.
It should be clear from the context of
Paul’s letter, that the apostle is addressing a current situation. He is
writing to the Thessalonian Christians about events
currently happening to them and of events that are about to happen to them. He
writes of the current persecution he and they are experiencing and how he and
they will be given relief from that persecution at the time their persecutors
are punished. He goes on to show how that punishment will take place at the
coming of “our Lord Jesus Christ.” He shows how that coming hasn’t happened yet
but will happen when the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness appears.
He speaks of this man of lawlessness being held back and that they know what
is, at the time of the writing of this letter, holding him back. He speaks of
the power of lawlessness already at work but being presently, at that time,
held back by someone. He speaks of how once this restraint is removed, the
lawless one will be revealed and will be overthrown. As shown above, after the
high priest Ananus was killed, the rebellion became
all encompassing and led to the great slaughter and destruction of the common
people.
Whether John Levi and Ananus were the principals involved in this drama is
speculative. What should not be speculative is the time frame surrounding the
events that Paul is addressing. Paul is addressing current events in the first
century. This places the return of Christ in the first century along with all
associated events such as the establishment of the Kingdom and the occurrence
of the resurrection. These events are tied to the return of Christ.
It should therefore be apparent that
when Paul speaks to the Thessalonians about Christ coming in blazing fire, he
is reflecting on what Christ said about having come to set fire on the earth.
This also associates well with what Peter says about destruction by fire. These
men were not talking about a fire thousands of years
future from them. They were speaking of a fire that was shortly to come to pass
as judgment against
When we look at 2 Peter 3 within the
context of the removal of the Old Covenant system, which is the context of much
of the New Testament, we see how the various scriptural references to “the day
of the Lord” apply. We see how the last days are tied to covenantal change. We
see that destruction by fire and elements burning with fervent heat are
symbolic language for the final removal of the Old Covenant system and judgment
upon its adherents. Much of the New Testament is a history of the battle for
the New Covenant. Much of what is written in the New Testament is about the
struggle that took place between advocates of the old system and advocates of
the new system. This battle came to an end with the destruction and judgment of
the Jewish temple system. Peter, as Christ did in the Olivet Discourse, is
simply using symbolic/apocalyptic language to describe these events. Let’s
again look at what Peter says.
2 Peter 3:10-13: But the day of the
Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the
elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be
laid bre. Since everything will be destroyed in this
way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly
lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will
bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt
in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new
heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
Peter speaks of living holy lives in
anticipation of a soon to occur coming of Christ. That coming will bring
destruction of the heavens by fire. It is the heaven and earth of the Old
Covenant system of death that was destroyed. It was replaced by the new heaven
and earth of the New Covenant system of life. The promise of a new heaven and a
new earth is found in Isaiah.
Isaiah 65:17-18: Behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will
they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I
will create
Isaiah 66:22: As the new heavens and
the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will
your name and descendants endure.
As shown earlier, the apostle John
speaks of a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells
righteousness. John shows the unrighteous to still exist on the outside
of the new heavens and earth. If the physical heaven and earth are what is
being removed, why do we still find the unrighteous hanging around? This is all
symbolic language for being in the Kingdom as opposed to being outside the
Kingdom. Christ has established the pathway to eternal life. He has invited all
who are willing, to enter through the gates into the New Jerusalem. The New
Jerusalem is synonymous with the
The Revelation was written prior to A.D.
70. This message was written to the seven churches existing in