In recent months I have heard a message from some brothers in Christ which is new to me. Briefly, the message is that Jesus has come already. Those who are waiting for Jesus to return are mistaken about the return of Jesus. Their wait is in vain. There is no second coming of Jesus. I have heard this message proclaimed with the glee and giddiness of a child who has just received a new toy or who just made a new discovery. This teaching purports to be the fulfillment of the word of the Lord. Clearly, there is nothing gleeful about it, but a seriously mistaken notion by some men, some brothers in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Advocates and teachers of this message probably package their teaching under a freshly minted catchy name of which I am not aware and I am not given to throwing labels around. For the sake of reference and for working purposes I am going to use in this article the expression the day of the Lord right from the scriptures to refer to this doctrine and the elements of that doctrine. There are different variations of that expression throughout the scriptures including the coming of the day of the Lord.
denying the resurrection
I am not going to cite an abundance of articles or individuals. However it would be good for the benefit of the saints in Christ and other readers if anyone who does teach this doctrine if you would take up this opportunity to respond to this article and engage in discussion with willing participants. As always I am prepared and willing to engage in the discussion. I will state out front that this message, while new to me, is not new in the history of the church. The apostle Paul alluded to some who were spreading a false teaching that there was no resurrection (I Corinthians 15:12-13) in the first century. Granted that the doctrine in discussion in this article does not outright involve a declaration that there is no resurrection, but that is the root of the same message. If, in that false message in the first century there was no resurrection, then today there is no second coming of Jesus for the faithful to long for with hope and expectation. Hence, the same root of the current, modern doctrine. Effectively, it is a roundabout way of denying the resurrection, a charge which I expect the adherents of this doctrine would probably deny. Nevertheless, I say this on the basis of the apostle Paul’s statement concerning his encounter with the above false teaching in the first century. It is not anything that troubles me, but I hope to present a response for the encouragement and edification of the saints in Christ.
My first discussion on this teaching stems from a video on Facebook. The video was of a radio discussion involving this doctrine. The show host was interviewing the author of a book whose teaching was, it appeared, wholly embraced by the host. My first comment in the Facebook discussion thread was to commend the author for his work in a general way. The only response by the author whose Ph.D. credentials were touted by some of his disciples, was a similarly general response which said nothing about the doctrine itself. The reason I state that last point is because when the discussion unfolded with the radio show host and a few others not a word was ever heard from the doctor.
This was not the first time I have seen this nonresponse by similarly credentialed individuals. One similarly credentialed individual simply deleted my thread comments in the discussion. Another individual felt compelled to remind me of his impressive credentials. I think you get the picture. There was one telltale sign which emerged from one individual early in the discussion. I took it as an indicator of just how little he understood this teaching which he was professing. After asking for me to “allow us to teach you” and literally after a couple of comments he advised me to buy the doctor’s book and left the discussion promptly. Like doctor, like disciple.
the elements of the doctrine
Ostensibly, there are three elements which make up this doctrine of men concerning Jesus and his exchange with the disciples and the day of the Lord 1) the sign of your coming, 2) this generation will not pass away, and 3) coming in the clouds with the word coming (more on this word use later) being a vital key. The reason it is a vital key is because of the nine times the word coming appears in Matthew 24. Some of you might recognize these elements as they appear in Matthew 24. There is no problem whatsoever with these phrases inasmuch as these do appear in the scriptures and they do refer to the day of the Lord. The problem arises in the seriously mistaken notions which some have drawn from these phrases to concoct a teaching which declares to the saints in Christ and nonbelievers alike that there will be no second coming of Jesus. These are not my overstatements of the doctrine.
I would not be surprised and it is fair to say that as with any given doctrine that there are probably adherents of this doctrine who would not agree with that part of the doctrine that there will be no second coming. Still I do not see how a separation concerning the second coming from the doctrine overall would solidify or strengthen any notion of truth in this doctrine. Adherents of the doctrine will remain hard-pressed to infuse any credibility into their doctrine. The reason why I refer to these elements of the doctrine as being of men is for two reasons. It has been severed from the overall message of Matthew 24 and it reveals, as I have heard from adherents, a seriously absent understanding of the phrase the day of the Lord as it first appears in the Tanakh, the Old Testament. Therefore, it is the expression the day of the Lord and the coming of the day of the Lord which calls for examination in this article. (If you would like to read some of my understanding on Matthew 24 here is my blog article. The article is not on this particular topic. It is related to women and childbearing.)
the day of the Lord
There are three elements which are associated with and which make up the phrase the day of the Lord. The three elements are found in Matthew 24:29. They are 1) the sun, 2) the moon, and 3) the stars. The appearance of these three together is often referred to as eschatological or apocalyptic, the former (the day of the Lord) referring to events at the end of an age or this present world, the latter (sun, moon, and stars) to what is revealed. Still, such dictionary and textbook definitions do little to enable the saints to grasp the bigger picture which involves these words. The words represent something ominous and terrifying to some people. Certainly, the prophets of the Lord used that sense of sense of awe, omen and terror in the hearts of the children of Israel to awaken them to repentance to avert doom and destruction on themselves.
The phrase the day of the Lord appears numerous times in the history of Israel. It appears with respect to the destruction of Egypt, Jerusalem, Babylon and Jerusalem and beyond among several other instances. The expression, or elements of sun, moon and stars in association with that expression, appear in the sense of the healing of Israel. The three, sun, moon and stars are what clothed the woman who gave birth in the book of Revelation. Yet, as the phrase portends doom and gloom and terror it appears that the expression involving sun, moon and stars is rooted in a plain and clear reality with which Israel was familiar and with which some, perhaps many, of us have experienced without recognizing it.
If you were living close to Mount St. Helens or in the path of the ash cloud from its eruption in 1980 you experienced the sun being darkened in broad daylight. Almost every year there are extensive grass and forest fires in California and the northwest region of the United States which wreak destruction on nature, people’s home and people’s lives. It was the smoke and dust arising from the fires which ravaged Nineveh (and similarly, Jerusalem, and Egypt) on the day of the fulfillment of the judgment of God. The sun was darkened in broad daylight on the day of the Lord when Nineveh was struck with the fulfillment of the judgment of the Lord God.
the moon will not give its light
These same conditions of smoke and dust from cities under destruction filled the air when Egypt fell under the prophetic fulfillment of the word of the Lord in the day of the Lord. The moon loomed over the night skies and because of its relatively close distance to the earth compared to the sun it was visible even in the smoke and dust-filled skies. However, its appearance was not the usual and familiar sight of a bright lit moon. It was blood red and although it was visible it could not give its light because its light could not penetrate the smoke and dust which fill the night sky.
the stars will fall
If the distant and very bright sun is blotted out in broad daylight and the nearby moon cannot give its light how much more so the much more distant stars. They appear to have fallen to earth in the night sky in the sense that although they are certainly out their in the cosmos they are not visible in the night skies. They, too, are blotted out by the smoke and dust of the fire and destruction.
interpretation
I am mindful that there is a deep-seated aversion and fear of making interpretations. This is true among those who lead, teach and preach. This is especially true and even worse of being accused of making an interpretation, but here it is, folks. After the above breakdown on the meaning of the phrases the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall I fully expect that some will utterly reject it. They prefer to keep it at arm’s-length, that is, under ignorance shrouded by a mythic cloud of mystery and fear. The problem with resisting and suppressing the knowledge which leads to understanding is that it will manifest itself in various other areas and we will find ourselves similarly unable to give an account of our understanding and much less edify the saints in Christ.
The meaning of the phrase the day of the Lord with these expressions involving sun, moon and stars is not to say that it necessarily involved a literal doom and destruction every time it was proclaimed in Israel or as it has become a part of the revelation of the word of God for the saints in Christ. We need not look any further than the prophecy of Joel as it was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts. There was no doom and destruction on Jerusalem or its inhabitants on that day of the Lord on Pentecost. It is duly noted that the reference to stars does not appear in the account by Luke in Acts as it also does not appear in the original prophecy of Joel. The reference in Joel to all three, sun, moon and stars, appears in verse 10. The occasion of the original prophecy of Joel is about the destruction of Zion, that is, Mt. Zion, Jerusalem (verse 32) and the salvation of the few, the faithful remnant, in the midst of that destruction.
The day of Pentecost in the book of Acts marks the beginning of the proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is the day of the Lord, that is, it was the fulfillment of the word of the Lord. The expression the day of the Lord marks a day of reckoning when those who believed and those who dismissed with disdain the word of the Lord saw its fulfillment. Later when Rome, as an instrument of God, unleashed its wrath on Jerusalem in 70 AD the faithful, because of their understanding, were unfazed by the event. It was the unfaithful and faithless who foolishly ran back into the city for their coat and belongs to their doom and who scrambled for a hiding place to escape the judgment of the day of the Lord.
what about context?
Jesus and Paul and the hermeneutic of context
what about context?
The adherents of this doctrine see the rightful, correct relatedness between Matthew 24 and I Thessalonians 4 & 5 concerning the coming of the Lord, or the day of the Lord. This is true and undeniable. I am aware of the interpretation efforts to separate and deny any reference of the coming of the Lord in either of these instances with a future, literal second of Jesus. This interpretation is touted and packaged under the age-old trite, shallow claims and cries for readers to "consider the context" of a verse or passage. Readers are implored to consider the context for the sake of sound and faithful interpretation of the scriptures. This call for context is hyped and believed by many as a so-called sound and a zealously, conservative hermeneutic of the scriptures. Here is why this is not necessarily so and can be seriously mistaken.
Jesus and Paul and the hermeneutic of context
When Jesus sent out the disciples to preach in the cities and villages he instructed them to stay and eat and drink in the home that received them because the laborer is worthy of his wages. (Luke 10:7) These words spoken by Jesus are likely taken from Deuteronomy 24:14,15 concerning the prompt delivery of wages to the laborer at the end of the work day by the one who hired him.
Is there anybody who thinks that the passage in Deuteronomy had anyone in mind other than grain or other crop harvesters? Is there anybody who thinks that maybe the context of this passage on laborers had in mind uninvited, Galilean fishermen wannabe-preachers which is as Jesus interpreted and applied the CONTEXT of this passage? These words as interpreted and applied by Jesus were later taken up by the apostle Paul. He took those words and applied them to Timothy who was a preacher, (I Timothy 5:18) but wait. There is more.
Then, Paul added in his words to Timothy the words from Deuteronomy 25:4 on the _ ox treading out the grain? He reiterated this concerning those who make their living through the preaching of the gospel in I Corinthians 9:9-14. Paul did not stop with preachers. He extended his application of that passage to elders who are worthy of double honor. (Here is my blog article regarding context.)
What is the point and how is this supposed non-contextual interpretation and application by Jesus and Paul related to the interpretation of the coming of the Lord? The point is that something which was originally intended (such as laborers, laborer’s wages and ox) can be or have a very different future (preachers and elders) interpretation and application. An interpretation which severs and excises the hope of the second, future coming of Jesus for the faithful because the coming of the day of the Lord was fulfilled in 70 AD is remiss of the non-contextual interpretation and application of scripture by Jesus and his servant the apostle Paul.
Whatever the motives (which remain unknown and undetermined as far as I can tell) for a doctrine which removes and denies the second, future coming of Jesus it appears to be nothing more than a belaboring of the realization that, yes, indeed, the coming of the day of the Lord did occur in 70 AD. It was a prophetic fulfillment. However to conclude that such a prophetic fulfillment nullifies, eradicates or eliminates the future coming of Jesus is to seriously overstate what might originally have been nothing more than someone belaboring their new found realization concerning the fulfillment of the day of the Lord, the coming of the Lord with respect to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. I believe this mistaken doctrine is nothing more than yet another overreaction to another mistaken teaching concerning Matthew 24 as being the destruction of the temple AND the second coming of Jesus. I believe the latter is a valid application for the reason that it is in the same manner as the application of the scripture by Jesus and Paul concerning the labor and his wages.
coming in the clouds
One would think that anyone equipped with an understanding of the above would reassess their doctrine. Israel knew quite well that the expression the coming of the day of the Lord did not mean nor did they should expect that the Lord God himself would appear before their very eyes. They understood, even if they didn’t like or accept the message of the prophets, that the expression referred to the fulfillment of the word of the Lord, that is, the coming of the day of the Lord. Of course, they were a obstinate people of unbelief who rejected the message of the prophets.
This is just one more fundamental component missing in the doctrine of men which has been seized from Matthew 24 the expression coming in the clouds, that is, the day of the Lord to stake its claims. However their misunderstanding of the expression coming in the clouds goes back to their misunderstanding of the coming of the day of the Lord which is marked by a darkened sun, blood moon and fallen stars. The expression coming in the clouds involves the same prophetic fulfillment of the word of the Lord, as attested by the presence of the associated terms of sun, moon, and stars, as in the expression, the day of the Lord.
I am reminded of the response from one brother. I referred him to the testimony (see conclusion) of the scriptures concerning Jesus returning in the clouds. His response was much like I noted earlier in this article. It was with all the giddiness and glee of a child. It was, albeit mistaken, but a genuine, GOTCHA! “Don’t you see that is the key?” was his response. However, his point was that the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the sky [1] was the fulfillment of the promise of the return of Jesus. The Son of Man coming in the clouds, he stated, was precisely in keeping with what the two men said to the disciples in Acts 1. They watched Jesus ascend to heaven before their eyes and declared to the disciples that the return of Jesus would be in like manner in the clouds. Hence, the second coming, according to him, was fulfilled in the first century. Furthermore, he asserted, that second coming of Jesus was in the clouds which he emphasized eliminates the expectation of some saints of Jesus ever setting foot on this earth ever again. This was just before he advised me to read the Ph.D. author’s book and then left the discussion.
conclusion
I will grant adherents of this doctrine this one point. I expect a few may seize it and run with it. The expression of the Son of Man coming in the clouds can mean and it does refer to Jesus coming in the clouds, both figuratively and literally. The former figurative sense is like the prophecy of Jesus as it was fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple by Rome. The latter literal sense is as it was prophesied by the two men in Acts 1:10 and the apostle Paul [2]. However, while the expression coming in the clouds can mean and it does refer to Jesus coming in the clouds any extension of that expression so as to assert and deny that Jesus will ever set foot on the earth is seriously questionable, and more likely outright mistaken. It is mistaken because of the complete disregard and understanding of the use of that expression coming in the clouds and the day of the Lord as these refer to the fulfillment of the word of God, whether it was of doom and gloom or of hope and deliverance. Israel understood that the expression the coming of the Lord did not mean and they did not expect a literal manifestation of the Lord God before their eyes in order for them to see the fulfillment of the word of the Lord as proclaimed by his prophets.
I will not make any guess as to how the misunderstanding of this doctrine involving the day of the Lord or the coming of the day of the Lord has taken hold in modern times. My estimation is that the motives behind this doctrine may be as clear as the origin and meaning of the expressions the darkened sun, blood moon and fallen stars. I trust you have seen that there is nothing deep, dark and obscure in the use of the expression involving sun, moon and stars. So too the motives of men are not deep, dark and obscure for the discerning of those who will simply not be taken in by their mistaken notions concerning the day of the Lord and the coming of the day of the Lord. It is not so much that I have not been willing to engage with adherents of this doctrine as much as it appears they do not have much to say beyond a verse or two and some catchy soundbites. If you have understood the origin and meaning of those expressions than I trust you would also not be troubled by the notions of men. You have this knowledge and confidence that among the faithful you can look forward without fear to the return, the second coming of Jesus in the clouds for the faithful sons and daughters of the kingdom of heaven. Peace be upon the saints in Christ.
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