SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME

The OT prophets viewed the future as an extension of the present. For them the future will be a restoration of geographical Israel. However, even they saw it as a new day (i.e., "new heaven and new earth," cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22). With the continued willful rejection of YHWH by the descendants of Abraham (even after the exile) a new paradigm developed in Jewish intertestamental apocalyptic literature (i.e., I Enoch, IV Ezra, II Baruch). These writings make a distinction between two ages: a current evil age dominated by Satan and a coming age of righteousness dominated by the Spirit and inaugurated by the Messiah (often a dynamic warrior).

In this area of theology (eschatology) there is an obvious development. Theologians call this "progressive revelation." The NT affirms this new cosmic reality of two ages (i.e., a temporal dualism).

  Jesus    Paul Author of Hebrews
  Matt. 12:32; 13:22,39   Romans 12:2   Heb.1:2; 6:5; 11:3
Mark 10:30 1 Cor. 1:20; 2:6,8; 3:18  
  Luke 16:8; 18:30; 20:34-35   2 Cor. 4:4    
      Galatians 1:4      
      Eph. 1:21; 2:2,7; 6:12    
      1 Timothy 6:17     
      2 Timothy 4:10    
      Titus 2:12    

In NT theology these two Jewish ages have been overlapped because of the unexpected and overlooked predictions of the two comings of the Messiah. The incarnation of Jesus fulfilled most of the OT prophecies of the inauguration of the new age (Dan. 2:44-45). However, the OT also saw His coming as Judge and Conqueror, yet He came at first as the Suffering Servant (cf. Isaiah 53; Zech. 12:10), humble and meek (cf. Zechariah 9:9). He will return in power just as the OT predicted (cf. Revelation 19). This two-stage fulfillment caused the Kingdom to be both present (inaugurated), and future (not fully consummated). This is the NT tension of the already, but not yet!

This time period, between the two comings of the Messiah, is referred to in the Bible as

  1. the Last days
  2. the Latter days
  3. that day

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

SPECIAL TOPIC: A SUFFERING MESSIAH

SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR THE SECOND COMING

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DAY OF THE LORD (NT)

 

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