I am coming back from a hiatus of sorts… Rest assured, I have been studying the Bible and wrestling with God (Genesis 32:24). I have a question for my readers. What did Jesus mean by “I am Coming soon” in His revelation to John (Revelation 3:11, Revelation 22:7 ,Revelation 22:12, Revelation 22:20)?
Considering the 2000 year wait, it is a bit perplexing and I am wrestling with various interpretations by scholars. As a Bible believing Christian, how do you make sense of this ?
Below is some preliminary exegesis with Strong’s concordance numbers. Please comment with your thoughtful explanation.
“I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Re 3:11)
| I | am | coming | soon. | ||||
| → | → | ἔρχομαι1 | ταχύ2 | ||||
| ἔρχομαι | ταχύ | ||||||
| VF1SPID | D|JASN | ||||||
| 2064 | 5035 |
“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Re 22:7)
| “And | behold, | I | am | coming | soon. | |||||
| καὶ1 | ἰδοὺ2 | → | → | ἔρχομαι3 | ταχύ4 | |||||
| καί | ἰδού | ἔρχομαι | ταχύ | |||||||
| C | T | VF1SPID | D|JASN | |||||||
| 2532 | 2400 | 2064 | 5035 |
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.” (Re 22:12)
| Behold, | I | am | coming | soon, | ||||
| Ἰδοὺ1 | → | → | ἔρχομαι2 | ταχύ3 | ||||
| ἰδού | ἔρχομαι | ταχύ | ||||||
| T | VF1SPID | D|JASN | ||||||
| 2400 | 2064 | 5035 |
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Re 22:20)
| “Surely | I | am | coming | soon.” | ||||
| ναί5 | → | → | ἔρχομαι6 | ταχύ7 | ||||
| ναί | ἔρχομαι | ταχύ | ||||||
| D | VF1SPID | D|JASN | ||||||
| 3483 | 2064 | 5035 |
About Cris Putnam
I think it means that those who are aware of His prophecy, and hold onto their beliefs, will recognize the season by the signs that occur, In a short time between events and sometimes simultaneously. Those who are watching will be aware of and ready for when He will come quickly….like a flash of lightning across the sky.
Hi cris, I have appreciated your books and Toms very much .I am a former premil dispensationalist. This is why I had a look a Covenant Eschatology. I realized the context was in that generation. It’s the context of all the new testament writers.They all thought it was at the door and preached that very message.
I love my brothers in Christ and just encourage you too step back as I did and look at other possibilities besides futurism. I figured their arguments would fall apart and I had nothing to lose. I am glad I did. We are labeled replacement theologist and heretics because of the modern misunderstanding of what the kingdom was and is. Eusebius was convinced of It’s fulfillment by 70ad.
Jesus said to the high priest that they would see him coming in power of heaven on clouds. Just like he did in the old covenant many times.
Josephus ,Taticus and others record chariots in the clouds on pass over of 70AD. The high preist record a voice as of a multitude saying let is depart from here. A star in the shape of a sword hung about the city for a entire year. Etc…
Just like Moses led the Jews in the desert for forty years because of their unbelief, Jesus gave that generation forty years to repent ( believe he was messiah) or they were going to be judged and purged with fire .The ones who repented were the firstfruits of the messanic new covenant. A Jew is one who is circumcised ,in the heart not the flesh.God didn’t forsake his people he fulfilled his promise.
The consumation of ages was in pauls day 1 cor 10:11.
The law and the prophets (heaven and earth) has passed .
Jesus said his kingdom was not of this world .
I urge my brothers in Christ to look at
http://revelationrevolution.org/ or preteristarchive.com.
Daniel said in the days of those kings that God would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed. That kingdom was the roman empire of iron and clay.
That’s why dispensationalist theorize of revived roman empires and rebuilt temples.
The scriptures in Deut 30 used for the return of jews to the land were fulfilled in Jesus’s day.
If you read the from verse 17 on you’ll see that it was conditional ,a blessing or a curse.
And it was according to following the law with all their heart. In 1948 they didn’t do that.
Research Rothschild zionist and khazars .These people may be sincere but that old covenant promise was fulfilled in the church .There is neither Jew or gentile …. Abraham looked for a heavenly city whos maker was God. The kingdom is spiritual.
Check DonK Prestons work . Gary Demar or Ken Gentry.
I mean no disrespect, be a good berean and see if these things are so. You may be surprised.
I believe you have analyzed much of it correctly… the apostles certainly did seem to teach Jesus was returning in their lifetime and that seems to support a preterist interpretation. However, it fails to explain Satan being chained and not deceiving the nations as per Rev 20. For that (and other reasons – Nero didn’t control who could buy and sell, 1/3 of humanity wasn’t killed etc.), I just can’t accept that view (at least entirely). It seems to me that the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was a type of what will happen on a massive scale in the future tribulation, a sort of microcosmic preview.
Hi Cris,
This is a excerpt of a article that explains how the whole world can be interpreted the in inhabited land.It is Gary Demars work , I am by no means a scholar.☺ So ill leave it to them . Thanks for your Christian decorum on the matter.
The article source is found here. http://www.preteristarchive.com/Modern/2003_demar_all-the-world.html
Oikoumene In Revelation
How oikoumene is interpreted in Revelation is determined by whether a person holds to an early pre-A.D. 70 or a late mid-A.D. 90 date for the book’s composition. This debate cannot be settled here. I’ve taken the position that Revelation was written some time in the mid 60s A.D., during the reign of Nero.18 The use of oikoumene by John helps to support this conclusion.
In Revelation 3:10, John states that an “hour of testing . . . is about to come upon the whole world [oikoumene].” John is writing to the first-century church of Philadelphia. Notice the time reference: “which is about to come.” Robert Mounce states that the Greek word translated “about to” (mellow) “points to what is about to happen rather than what is destined to be.”19 “Earth” can also be translated as “land,” that is, the land of Israel, or more broadly, the land in which people live. The author of the Revelation commentary in An Illustration of the New Testament, published in 1760, concludes that “by all the World here, as in other Places of the New Testament, is meant the Roman Empire, as Ch. ii.6.”20
Satan is said to be one “who deceives the whole world” (12:9). Once again, Revelation describes those things which must “shortly take place” (1:1) “for the time is near” (1:3). The world (oikoumene) that is being deceived is the one to which the seven churches are written (2–3). Certainly the devil deceives more than this area, but the point of Revelation is to describe what’s about to happen to within a shortened time frame.
We know from history that Jerusalem was surrounded and destroyed by the heathen armies of Rome in A.D. 70, therefore, the use of oikoumene is appropriate in this context. The world of Old Covenant Judaism was about to come to an end when John wrote. Philip Carrington’s comments on Revelation 16:14 are helpful in this regard:
The name Armageddon is significant because it is at Megiddo that the Jewish King Josiah was defeated and killed by an Egyptian army under the Pharaoh; and Titus had just returned from Egypt. Armageddon means Mountain of Megiddo; but Megiddo is a valley. It is the Mountain of Sion which has become Mountain of Megiddo or Mountain of defeat. The name, anyhow, shows that the field of battle is in Palestine. . . .21
The way oikoumene is used in Revelation goes with the larger debate over the dating of the book. Based on the time texts (1:1, 3; 22:10), the local geography of the seven churches (2–3), and the fact that the temple is still standing (11:1–2) when John wrote, demonstrates that only the oikoumene is in view.
Summary
Given all the times that oikoumene is used to define the then-known world, the burden of proof is on dispensationalists to show that Matthew’s one-time use of oikoumene means the entire world as we know it today.
That just seems like a “special pleading” logical fallacy to me.
Also the much of the world’s land was inhabited.., Asia and India for example.
Hey Cris,
Preterism is a failed system. I have studied it through and through over the past 10 years and I have found it wanting in many areas. The main fallacy is a plead from silence. Not one apostle or disciple in 70 AD onward claimed Jesus returned in 70 AD when the temple fell. This didn’t occur until the Oneida Group in the 1800’s who affirmed a full preterist position. Preterism in essence, as purported by their leader Don Preston, believes Christ is in heaven now, in the form of God, that which He took before the incarnation. This is heresy. This position was revealed when he attended a forum at Criswell College. The transcript is available on the internet. If you ever want to talk further about “I am coming soon,” or preterism in general, feel free to email me.
Philippians 2:12King James Version (KJV)
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
ταχύ tachý, takh-oo’; neuter singular of G5036 (as adverb); shortly, i.e. without delay, soon, or (by surprise) suddenly, or (by implication, of ease) readily:—lightly, quickly.
So the emphasis isn’t on the chronology but on the manner and shock of appearing suddenly in judgment. It could refer to a local judgment or to the judgment of the Day of the Lord. In either case when He chooses to come, it will be without notice. That’s how I understand “quickly”.
I agree with you that it is perplexing so I thought on this for awhile. Since the question you posed is about the word “soon”, then I focused on that. “Soon” by definition means immediate. Which also means “prompt.” And “prompt” as an adjective can not only mean immediate, but also “timely” or “in good time.” Since we know that Jesus did not return “soon” by today’s definition of the word, I think it’s safe to say that He basically meant “in good time” or to paraphrase, “when the time is right.”
That being said, I believe He may have also said “soon” to get the point across that even He doesn’t know the day or the hour, only the Father knows. Therefore, you should LIVE like His return IS imminent or soon. Because obviously, if we all went about believing that His return was “a long time off”, then most would live like that and be caught unaware and unprepared when He returned. He was simply saying to –remain prepared– ALWAYS.
Lisa, I am glad to read that you find it perplexing because it really is… I think it is better to be perplexed than offer “too easy” answers that try to explain away the rather obvious meaning the author intended. It does seem to be the case that God willed that believers think Jesus might return in their lifetime for the last 2000 years.
I’ll also say this. From God’s viewpoint – it is quickly, soon, immediate. A thousand years is a blink of the eye to God. From His perspective it is soon. It is Jesus who said, I’m coming back soon. When we move into eternity we will realize how short a thousand years is.
But the book was written to us humans, so why would God obfuscate the situation knowing it would mislead people?
Hi Cris.
I don’t believe God misled His people including the Apostles. Because I don’t believe God is a liar I have to look at how that Greek word was used in John’s day. Indeed you will find that it is used in other ways other than referring to “timing”. “SOON” is not used in the other places where this adverb is used. It is interpreted as “QUICKLY”.
Let’s study the word in question:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5035&t=KJV
The Translation you used translated the word as “soon” but is that accurate? It is misleading.
The KJV translates Strong’s G5035 in the following manner: [b]quickly[/b] (12x), lightly (1x).
Let’s look at those 12 usages. They are all interpreted “quickly” not “soon”. When I read those passages outside of Revelation, I get the impression of “no delay” or of “going into action immediately”.
Is it possible that we should interpret Jesus as saying, “I am coming quickly” as most good translations do? I think so. In that sense this tells us that His return will come suddenly. Jesus did teach that His return will happen quickly, suddenly. And He told us clearly, that no one knows the day of His return, not the angels or even Jesus but the Father only. So all He could really say about His return is that when the time comes for Him to return it will be “quickly”.
Since no one knows the day, Jesus simply wants us to know that when He decides to return it will happen without notice or warning and thus happen “quickly”. He said in Luke 17:26 “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was in the days of Lot—they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulphur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
Just as the world was going about its business in Noah’s day and Lot’s day when sudden destruction happened, so it will be in the Day of the Son of Man. Just as the flood came “quickly” to Noah’s generation and just as fire and brimstone came “quickly” to Sodom and Gomorrah, so Jesus coming will come “quickly” to this world. Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly.”
I don’t see how translating it “quickly” helps much… If you were expecting me to do a job for you (like paint your house) and I told you I was coming quickly and then didn’t show up for 2000 years, wouldn’t you feel misled?
We must remember that John was in the spirit at the time, and as it has been mentioned a thousand years is as one day with the Lord, it was and still is more important for the believers to be prepared for what is to come than for them to know the exact physical or earthly time frame as Jesus said: “…It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power”. The Bible is a spiritual text comparing spiritual things with spiritual and can not be discerned without the Holy Ghost
So Cris, why would you think he would have us in an”always ready” mindset? Not to get this into a”pre/post” discussion but it seems understanding that would be important.
Also understanding the creation week in an eschatological mindset along with the happenings in Israel as of late show that we just may be”the generation” Christ spoke of?
Jesus’s Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mat 25) is good way to answer that question Shannon. Also we will all meet our maker (for most of it will likely be unexpectedly) when we die, so we do need to be prepared, might get hit by a bus tomorrow (who knows?)
Shannon, I believe in a supreme loving creator, but that ”end times” ”always ready” mindset is mainly a perpetual ruse by Religion to have us consistently toe the line…BTW, The term “God”) (Heb. ”Elohim”) in Genesis chapter one, ”Elohim” is a clearly plural term in Hebrew…the truth is, it was the ”gods” that made humanity, and not the Supreme Creator.
Many teachers and preachers will verbally try to jit-jitsu their way out of that one, that ”God” (Heb. ”Elohim), is talking about the “Trinity”, or similar, but there is no evidence of that one in scripture whatsoever regarding the Genesis Creation account of Man.
It’s also curious to note, that some kind of destruction may have occurred between Genesis one and two, because now in Genesis chapter TWO, another Entity arrives on the scene, and a SECOND creation account of Man happens, with a completely different creator! This time in Genesis TWO, it’s not the plural “gods” ( Heb. Elohim) that creates Man, it’s now all of a sudden, the ”Lord God”, and NOTICE CAREFULLY, Man is not ”created” in Genesis TWO like he is Genesis ONE…this time, Man is ”formed” from the ”dust” of the ground by the ”Lord God”. (Heb. YHWH). We ARE the Half Angelic Fallen ones Shannon, made from their DNA,…do you truly think the world has been in chaos ALL because Eve ate some kind of ”Fruit”? Again, ”Elohim”, the BADLY English translated ”God” in Genesis, is plural!…Even Strong’s Concordance says ”Elohim” is a plural term…”Elohim” has never meant, nor will ever mean the supreme creator, never! BTW, Guess who rebelled in the book of Revelation…guess who are part of the ONE THIRD that rebelled pre-Genesis here eons ago…hint: look in the mirror…the supreme creator did NOT make us in current form…Even the much older, PRE-Hebrew, PRE-Greek, PRE-Aramaic, PRE-Bible. Sumerian Tablets say that…all the Jews did was plagiarize those ancient stories from the Sumerian Tablets, and passed them off a their own stories when they were in captivity…more people than you are aware of, and waking up to this fact.
You are on the right track… To understand this “gods” issue you really need to go the Hebrew text and Dr Michael Heiser is the best on this issue. Check this out: http://www.thedivinecouncil.com/ and his book The Unseen Realm goes into depth.
I’ve never really researched the god/gods subject, but I’m curious how that affects my statement on the eschatological creation week?
My curiosity is definitely sparked. I will look at the your links Cris, thank you.
I don’t see how the creation week has anything to do with eschatology.
A day as a thousand years, 7th millennial kingdom is the sabbath rest, 7th day.
But the earth is 4.5 billion years old.
Was that the time when it was without form and void? I don’t claim to be in the same pay grade as you guys . Most times when i ask questions or bring up topics is to learn. Thank you for allowing that. ..
Cris,
I am a Pastor and student of prophecy for the last 40 years but never read anything of H. Gratten Guinness until recently. Take a look at what he wrote here on progressive revelation: http://historicism.com/Guinness/Approaching/aeota1.htm
I think it answers the question of how much did the apostles know about the timing of His return.
I would also encourage you and everyone to read maybe one of the greatest books I have ever read on prophecy and the reformation. It is so good I’ve read it three times and bought copies to give away. Be happy to send you one. Just email me. But the book is online here: http://historicism.com/Guinness/Romanism/Index.htm
God bless you
I read Guinness when I was researching Petrus Romanus. His view is called “Historicism” and it was shared by nearly all Protestants from the Reformation up until the 20th century. Hence, the chapter in Petrus “Historicism Back to the Future” because Historicism identifies the Antichrist as the office of the papacy. It gets a bit messy because historicists try to match the judgments in Revelation to historical events throughout church history and they seldom agree.
I don’t have a problem with what Jesus said. Just like God didn’t really reveal that two thousand years would pass from Abraham to Jesus, I don’t believe God wanted the length of time revealed. Evidently God wanted all of His people to live in expectation of His soon return. What I can’t do is buy into the preterist interpretation of Revelation. The Apostles were clear that Jesus’ return would come as a thief. Unknown to all but the Father.
They ”seldom disagree”, because this virtual ”Chicken Little” game of ‘The Sky Is Falling’, the ‘end is nigh’ perpetual end time nonsense has been going on for thousands of years already….There’s a saying one will never go broke selling books about the end of time…Sorry, that’s been the truth ever since the massive best seller ”The Late Great Planet Earth” close to Half a Century ago already.
More importantly, exegetical principles used by ALL Pastors and Theologians use the principles of ”HERMEneutics”.
It is called that because it’s based on the teachings of Hermes, otherwise known as ”Mercury” or ”Thoth”.
That was the intention of those lying Jewish scribes as they were also plagiarizing the Sumerian Tablets, passing those ”Bible” stories off as their own stories, when they were in captivity…Keep in mind, and do not conveniently bypass the fact that the Sumerian Language is is the OLDEST proto-language on Earth…again it predates Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, the 3 languages in which the Bible was written in…The First Race of Man in the PRE-BIBLE, PRE-Biblical Hebrew ”Genesis” Sumerian Tablets, was created by a group of little ”gods” called the ”Adama”, who was placed in the ”Edin”…sound familiar?? These most Ancient Tablets go back as far as circa 5000 B.C…The ”Bible” wasn’t even compiled and agreed upon until Centuries AFTER Christ by Catholic ”Councils”….And the edited ”Protestant” version of it is a mere 5 Centuries old.
It is perplexing. But when you look deeply at it, here’s what I come up with, and comparing what we read in Scripture that has already happened……
Think about after Yahusha’s death, burial and resurrection, when the talmidim where in the room with the doors locked and “all of a sudden” Yahusha APPEARED! As if He walked right through the wall! Another dimension! SUDDENLY, and WITHOUT NOTICE!
Also on the road to Emmaus, when He appeared to the ones walking and they were like, “where did this man come from, and doens’t he know what’s going on?” He came out of NOWHERE!There are many instances in Scripture where one can show Yahusha/YHVH doing something suddenly,and most of the time it is that way, when he appears or speaks