NEWTESTAMENT PROPHECY

Robert C.Newman

 

Cities of Galilee

 

Matthew 11:20-24 (NIV) Then Jesus began to denounce thecities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did notrepent. 21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miraclesthat were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they wouldhave repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will bemore bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 Andyou, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to thedepths. {[23] Greek Hades}If the miracles that were performed in you had beenperformed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you thatit will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

 

            Jesuspronounces curse upon Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for not repenting atmiracles he worked there.

            Thesecities destroyed during Arab period; none survive today; locations lost forcenturies, Bethsaida still lost [when talk given; has since then been found];ruins of Capernaum and Chorazin popular tourist attraction today

 

Jerusalem

 

Luke 21:20-24 (NIV) When you see Jerusalem beingsurrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then letthose who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out,and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time ofpunishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it willbe in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be greatdistress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by thesword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will betrampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

 

            Jesuswarns Christians to flee Jerusalem when surrounded by armies; it will fall,people led away captive; city trodden down by Gentiles until time of Gentilesis over.

           Firstpart exactly fulfilled in AD 70, so liberal theologians claim it was writtenlater.

            ButJerusalem continued to exist as city, trodden down by Gentiles, for centuriesuntil Jews regained control in 1967.

 

The Temple

 

Matthew 24:1-2 (NIV) Jesus left the temple and waswalking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to itsbuildings. 2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tellyou the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will bethrown down."

 

            Notone stone to be left upon another.

            BothPaul (2 Thess 2:4) and Jesus (Matt 24:15) imply temple rebuilt when Antichristappears.

            Templedestroyed by Romans in AD 70 under Titus, though he is alleged to have tried tostop its destruction.

            Julianthe Apostate tried to have temple rebuilt to thwart Jesus' prediction, butproject abandoned due to strange phenomena which prevented work.

 

Second Coming

 

           Frequentlydenied by liberal theologians since Jesus did not return in 1st century AD.

           Yet2 Peter 3:2‑7 predicts just this sort of scoffing about Jesus' return.

 

2 Peter 3:2-7 (NIV) I want you to recall the words spokenin the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviorthrough your apostles. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the lastdays scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 Theywill say, "Where is this `coming' he promised? Ever since our fathersdied, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 Butthey deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed andthe earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also theworld of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the presentheavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment anddestruction of ungodly men.

 

Last Days Characterized

 

2 Timothy 3:1-7 (NIV) But mark this: There will beterrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, loversof money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasurerather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.Have nothing to do with them. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homesand gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and areswayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able toacknowledge the truth.

 

            Menwill be lovers of self & money, proud, rebellious, ungrateful, unholy,unloving, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, lovers of pleasurerather than God, holding to form of godliness but denying its power.

            Our[20th] century characterized by luxury, war, totalitarianism, crime,immorality, lawsuits, rebellion, divorce, dishonest businesses, general (andunprecendented) collapse of moral standards due to rise of"scientific" atheism.

 

Conclusions

 

            Thesenot just lucky guesses or selection to avoid Bible's misses; we need to readBible to see for ourselves.

            Weneed to turn away from our lifestyle of ignoring God, and cast ourselves uponhis mercy; he can forgive us because of what Jesus did in dying to pay for oursins.