The Olivet Discourse: Understanding Timeness, Pronouns, and Testing Prophets 3/3
Weeding Gnostic tendencies from our interpretation of prophecy
Let us now look to the Torah regarding biblical standards for testing prophets:
“If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.”—Deuteronomy 13:1-3
And,
“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.”—Deuteronomy 18:20-22
In other words, false prophets perform signs in their attempt to validate worship of strange gods (Deut. 13), or they have prophecies which fail to come to pass despite speaking in the name of the true God (Deut. 18). Jesus checks out as a true prophet according to the first test in Deuteronomy 13 since he did not teach of a false god, although, his prophetic claims in the Olivet Discourse should also be tested according to the Deuteronomy 18 standard.
Notice that the concept of measurable time is important for detecting a false prophet:
“—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken.”—Deuteronomy 18:22
A word not coming to pass or coming true is only meaningful to keep watch of if time indicators matter. If not, then a prophet’s words are impossible to test in a meaningful sense. I will give two examples of false prophets—one ancient and one closer to our day—regarding prophecies that failed to happen within their given time indicators. First, Hananiah, who spoke prophetically regarding Israel’s geopolitical situation and the rise of Babylon:
“Thus says Yahweh: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.”—Jeremiah 28:11
Although Jeremiah exclaimed “Amen!” to this prophecy—because it would have been a merciful thing for God to do—Yahweh had previously revealed to Jeremiah his plan to use Nebuchadnezzar for disciplining the nations until it was Babylon’s turn to be judged (Jer. 27). God even warned Jeremiah four times “Do not listen to them [false prophets]” if they tried to prophesy against the yoke of Babylon in their lands.
Therefore, Jeremiah countered with true prophecy from God, however, Hananiah continued to prophesy from his own heart rather than from God. Due to Hananiah turning the people’s hearts away from God, Jeremiah followed up with a bone-chilling prophecy predicting his opponent’s death within that very year. Sure enough, Hananiah died that same year, within Jeremiah’s predicted timeframe. As history played out, the yoke was not loosed against the nations, but was strengthened, and seventy years passed before Cyrus conquered the Babylonians; restoring Israel and their Temple artifacts.
The reality to Hananiah’s prophecy eventually came true, however, the yoke of Babylon was lifted over sixty years after the two-year timeframe that he gave. One would be an utter fool to argue that he was a true prophet simply on the basis that what he claimed would happen eventually happened, despite being over a generation after the timeframe that he gave.
Note: Sadly, many blind people in the cults do not to see the significance of failed prophecies made by their founding prophets, and will simply rationalize their faults by saying something like, “they were men like you and me—not perfect—and made mistakes at times. One small error doesn’t undo all the good they’ve done.” Such reasoning blurs the sinful nature of man with the divine nature of prophecy, while also making void the Torah’s standards for testing prophets. Although we ought not stone a false prophet in today’s world, one can mark out certain individuals as spiritually dead via the power of the keys.
As for our second example, closer to modern times, let us examine Joseph Smith—the founder of Mormonism. As his theology became sloppier over time, he began to teach of strange gods and entertained corrupt practices (like polygamy) contrary to the Christian faith.
Towards the end of his life, it is well known that he was faced with religious and political opposition as Mayor of the city of Nauvoo in Illinois. Angered by their efforts to expose concerns with his ambitious character and con religion (i.e., something that imitates true Christianity), he ordered that the local newspaper facility (The Expositor) be burned to the ground and executed martial law with his local militia.
Of course, such conflict forced the Governor’s hand to intervene, ultimately resulting in the arrest of Joseph and his brother, Hyrum. June of 1844 in a jail in Carthage, was where they spent their final days as they awaited trial before they were killed by an angry mob. Several months prior, Joseph had prophesied the following:
“I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, anguish and wrath and tribulation and the withdrawing of the Spirit of God from the earth await this generation until they are visited with utter desolation… I defy all the world to destroy the work of God; and I prophesy they will never have power to kill me till my work is accomplished, and I am ready to die.”—Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Volume 6, P.58, Oct. 15,1843
Therefore, similar to how Hananiah felt regarding Babylon’s yoke, Joseph saw the U.S. government as an oppressive beast against his ambitions and true Christianity as a threat to the longevity of his cult. He never did finish his work before being killed, hence “The Pearl of Great Price” is a selection of “choice materials” from his collection of unfinished works.
This in itself, combined with his gamut of heretical teachings, should be sufficient to mark him out as a false prophet. Prior to these things, there are multiple instances on record of him prophesying that some in his generation would witness the final coming of Christ; one occasion which he prophesied Christ’s return to be “fifty-six years nigh” (John Whitmer History of the Church Vol. 1, P. 176, Jun. 1831; Joseph Smith History of the Church Vol. 2, P.172, Feb. 14, 1835). Ironically, despite God’s warnings in Joseph’s life, he suffered the same fate as Hananiah within a year from one of his last failed prophecies against those who opposed his ambitions.
Note: Jesus died as a true martyr for his people juxtaposed to false prophets like Hananiah or Joseph Smith who did not die as martyrs for the Kingdom of God.
Turning back to the Olivet Discourse, if one is to believe that Jesus meant for some distant generation to experience some or all the signs and end of the Age (Old Covenant Age) leading to the destruction of the Temple, we have a few major problems:
1) Jesus would be a false prophet based on the Torah’s standard for testing prophets, since, as I have demonstrated earlier in this work, he indeed specified that it was his generation that would experience these things (hence the use of the nearby demonstrative case). If people claim those things were not fulfilled in his day, if true, he would be a false prophet based on the time indicators he gave to his original audience.
2) History rhymes, therefore, one can turn to virtually an infinite number of scenarios where nations are judged by sword, famine, earthquakes, and pestilence and claim that they are fulfillments of Jesus’ words in the Olivet. Determiners and time indicators help us test prophetic claims in a coherent fashion, otherwise the sky is the limit for endless interpretations of prophecies (just look at the countless failed prophecies centered around the secular state, Israel, situated in the Levant since the 1940’s).
3) God would be a liar, contrary to his nature, if “this generation” really meant “that generation some 2,000 years later.”
Therefore, the disciples knew how to test prophets according to the Torah, which is why they asked the following questions to Jesus:
“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” –Matthew 24: 2-3
They wanted to know when, what sign of his coming, and the close of the age, all in reference to the destruction of the second Temple (not some third temple as some has suggested):
When= Their Generation.
Sign of his coming= not final coming, but a coming in judgement; final coming in the sense of judging the Old Covenant Age.
Close of the age= end of the Old Covenant Age now superseded by the New Covenant Age.
Understand that comings of Yahweh occur multiple times in the Old Testament when he judged nations (Isa. 13:9; 19:1; Jer. 49:2). The disciples understood this; hence they linked the destruction of the Temple with a judgment coming of Christ—God Incarnate. Who else could say with such authority to the scribes and Pharisees,
“Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify…”—Matthew 23:34
None other than Yahweh Himself sent prophets to Israel. As for the Temple being destroyed, a microcosm of the cosmos, it’s destruction would finalize the paradigm shift towards New Covenant worship vested in Jesus. No longer would the nations flow towards the naval of the world, but now all nations flow up to Christ who rules with all authority in heaven and on earth (Isa. 2).
By examining the history recorded in Acts, Josephus’ works, and Roman historians of the first century AD, Christ’s prophetic words indeed came to pass within the generation he spoke to. Many who believed in his words and heeded his council, were able to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of judgement which befell Yerushalaim.
From false Christs; wars; famines; earthquakes; pestilence; massive evangelism; persecution in synagogues; Yerushalaim surrounded by Armies; etc.; the following references offer ample support for Jesus’s words coming to pass within the time indicator he gave (thus passing the Deuteronomy 18 standard for testing prophets):
“And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).”— Acts 11:28, Claudius, AD 41-54
“…many [Christians] ran out of the city… Cestius…who, had he but continued the siege a little longer, had certainly taken the city… and so he recalled his soldiers from the place, and by despairing of any expectation of taking it, without having received any disgrace, he retired from the city, without any reason in the world.”—Josephus AD 37-100, Wars 2.19.6
“…having been commanded by a divine revelation… removed from the city and lived at a certain town beyond the Jordan called Pella. Here, those who believed in Christ removed from Jerusalem...”— Eusebius AD 263-350, Church History 3.5.3
Suetonius (69-122, Twelve Caesars) and Tacitus (55-117, Histories; Annals) both record multiple omens; famines; plagues; earthquakes; wars; and insurrections especially between AD 30-70. Tacitus even mentions the persecution of Christians. The book of Acts also speaks of false prophets in a few places as well (Acts 5:37; 8:9 13:6).
As I have mentioned previously, I made several videos on YouTube explicating each verse to the best of my ability in the various Olivet Discourse accounts. At the end of the day, what is most important to know is when all those things happened (by AD 70) juxtaposed to what every little detail meant (although, I do my best to cover every detail as thorough as possible).
Conclusion
In weighing all that I have written regarding timeness, pronouns, and testing prophets, hopefully I have given a reasonable defense for why I believe Jesus’ prophecies came to pass within the time indicators that he gave, i.e., within the lifetime of the generation he was speaking to.
Second to the vindication of Christ as a true prophet, I hope to have caused those who disagree with me to at least see the concerns I have regarding Gnostic tendencies which blur the meaning of time, near vs. far demonstrative case pronouns, and ignore the biblical standard for testing prophets (especially in accord to Deuteronomy 18).
Lastly, I would like to remind us that getting the timing of the Olivet Discourse right is not merely a matter of “I told ya so,” but rather defending the Lordship of Christ. It also has a critical impact in how one views the trajectory of the Kingdom throughout redemptive history—an ebb and flow process of expanding in both the physical and spiritual realms, rather than dwindling over time—which may dramatically change how one interprets books like Revelation as well (which is quite a humbling experience).
I would like to end with a verse from Hebrews to remind us of the shifting of powers as the Old Covenant Age dissolved and was replaced by the indelible New Covenant Age rooted in Christ:
“In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”—Hebrews 8:13