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It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I’m just fine
You can say what you want, but you won't around me. Sheep among misfits. A misfit in the trailer park at night. A misprint with the six cents. Been sick ever since my brother died of an OD. My two cents never made sense.
Either to me or anyone else inside of the sheep fence. My 9th Smith on my right side. Why you staring at your cop. Dot sign. And my John Hancock on the dotted line. Tell me what's the bottom line. The bottom line is I'm not right.
I'm not left, but this elephant won't fight. There's nothing left but the spotlight. Hold my beer, you can find me in the moonlight.
Moonlight.
You can say what you want You can say what you want, but you won't around me. You can say what you want You can say what you. I'm wits in the deep end. And I can't find my assigned seat to sit in. My theology don't fit in.
Black sheep of the Reformation sheep pen. To the Reformed, I'm just another Baptist. Baptized again, the bastard child of Anabaptist. Host to child of Reformation society. We don't need your education.
Give me a Bible and a brookship of dead men. Cigars, bourbons, and beer cans. Bow ties, tattoos, and bearded men. Making Reformation great again. You can say what you want You can say what you want, but you won't around me.
You can say what you want You can say what you want, but you won't around me.
Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We are Open Air Theology. And we are live. My name is Jeff Rice. I am one of the pastors of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church. And I'm here with my good buddy Braden Braden Patterson.
Yeah, Braden Patterson From Valley Baptist Church, the pastor over there. It's a great privilege to be able to preach Christ Crucified. I'm XLDS and a Reformed Baptist now. So it's a God-glorifying thing.
So happy to be here. And I just gotta say That was absolutely dope.
You like that?
I absolutely love that. That was awesome.
Yeah.
Yeah, I figured.
I've been working on several different things. And that one right there just kind of kicked off. And I heard the music. And me and my co-pastor just made it happen. Co-elder.
That's cool.
Sweet.
So what are we talking about?
Oh, Matthew 24 Already.
Matthew 24 Yeah, already Not yet for you And already for me.
It's the end of the world as we know it. And I'm just fine. Yes, we hope everyone is doing good. It's been a few weeks since we've been able to get online And have this podcast. Some of you may know if you follow me.
Our church has been meeting in a women's center. And so we've been written one day a week. By God's grace, I found a commercial property. And it's actually two commercial properties That's been brought into one.
So it's 303 and 305 And the Lord has sovereignly put it upon us to get it. And so we've been doing a lot of remodeling. And like today after work I was building a pool pit. It's just been a lot. And so I've been really wore out.
So last week I wasn't able to make it Because I was picking up pews. So we drove to Alabama And I thought I'd be back in time But it didn't happen. So we found 16 pews for $25 each And it was just a blessing that we couldn't pass up.
Anyone that knows anything about sitting. Chairs are expensive. After each service we have a fellowship meal. And it cost us Like close to $3 ,000 just to get tables and chairs. And that was because we got a membership somewhere And we got free shipping.
Everything is just so expensive.
What a good reason though to miss the podcast. Is to be picking that stuff up.
That's super exciting.
I'm happy for you guys.
Yeah, we're extremely stoked man. And we just feel like the Lord's going to use us. And I'll be able to start my discipleship program Remedy. So we're just looking forward to it man. How was your week?
It's been wild and good. Got bit by a dog. And so we're doing a lot of fun stuff. Yeah, it's been really good. I do have to say though. This Sunday, the reason that Haps isn't on here today Is because he's in Idaho right now visiting some family.
He's up at my neck of the woods. And so we got to hang out on Sunday. And that was so awesome. It was such a blessing to be able to worship God with him. It was wonderful. It was truly wonderful.
Yeah, that's really cool man.
Alright, so do you remember where we left off? I meant to listen to it today.
Yeah, so we got right to the parable of the fig tree. In verse 32 I think we might have touched on it a little bit. But I don't think we thoroughly examined it enough.
Alright, well we'll just start there. Yeah, we'll just start there. I feel like my mic isn't working that well.
I'll start off by saying I apologize if I haven't been able to study as much as I've wanted to. For this portion. Just because this week has been wild for myself. And I am not feeling the best tonight.
Well I haven't studied any night that we've worked on this.
Okay, cool.
I'm just letting the scripture speak. The end is the end. Every time it mentions the end It's the same thing The end of the age. Which I can't get you on my side. I'm actually teaching through Matthew 24 During our Sunday school hour.
Cool.
Do you do open dialogue for that portion?
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, I tell them If you have any questions. If you have any objections Let's talk about it. So far, no questions. So far, no objections. That's cool. And I was also on a podcast last night. Someone Asked me to join their podcast.
And the link is on my page.
And we.
Talked about baptism. And so he was just basically asking me questions That are posed to pastors. As Baptist pastors.
By people who.
Are being Introduced to Presbyterianism.
So.
How would I respond to This question and this question And this question. So if you want to hear that You can go to my page and check that out And we might do some Other stuff in the future. Alright, so Matthew.
24 Do you want to give a quick recap?
Um.
Sure, yeah. Jeff, you see Matthew 24 As Preterist And I see that as Modified Idealist.
Is how I would call it.
Well, some of you. Some portions you would see as Preterist.
Absolutely.
We'll just jump into it then. Verse 32 I'll read to 35 And then if you want to come back We'll break it down. From the fig tree learn its lesson As soon as its branches Become tender And puts out its leaves.
You know that summer is near. So also when you Him speaking to his disciples See all these things You know that he Is near at the very gates. Truly I say to you This generation Will not pass away Until all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away But my words Will not pass away.
Amen.
Love it.
How would you see. So the fig tree. The nearest antecedent to the fig tree. Would have to be in chapter 21.
Yep.
Where he curses the fig tree.
Yeah which I'll read that text real fast. So Matthew 21 18 through 22. Now in the morning When he returned to the city he became hungry And seeing a lone fig tree By the road he came to it And found nothing on it except leaves only.
And he said to it No longer shall there ever be Any fruit from you. And at once the fig tree withered. And seeing this the disciples marveled Saying how did the fig tree wither at once. And Jesus answered and said to them Truly I say to you If you have faith and do not doubt You shall not only do What was done to the fig tree But even if you say to this mountain Be taken up and cast into the sea it shall happen.
And all these And all things you ask in prayer Believing you shall receive.
Now there is Interpretation where he says On this mountain Him being on.
Something in my mouth.
Might be a mustache hair.
But it always happens.
Him being on Coming out of the temple. And so they're thinking That the interpretation The Preterist interpretation is That he's speaking of The temple, Jerusalem Being destroyed Tossed into the sea. And then 40 years later it happens.
And so I don't know if you Hold to that interpretation or not.
But I would.
I would and I would also. In my thinking of this too I would also say that.
Because.
Getting back into that whole recapitulation Idea right that the parable The barren fig tree, well not the parable The barren fig tree, that example in front Of it is the beginning Of these Recapitulation Parables that we see whether it be The parable of the landowner, parable of the marriage Feast, so on and so forth.
The barren fig tree I think.
Does specifically.
Have fulfillment in 70 AD With the destruction of the temple. But I do think That the ethnic Jew is never going to produce Fruit again. I think that This is saying that it's done That the evidence of this Doneness is going to be 70 AD.
But that's a reality today That an ethnic Israel Ethnic Jewish people Are not producing the fruit of God Like they were in the Old Testament.
So when you say ethnic Jew You're not speaking In the old covenant sense That whole system Not that a Jew can't become A Christian By faith alone and Christ alone.
Absolutely yeah. And at that point I would say if an ethnic Jew became a Christian. Now they are part of true Israel. They are now more Jewish than what they were prior In that sense that they're actually partaking In the covenant of grace By having faith in the promise, the seed.
And that's how they've now become descendants.
Of Abraham.
Alright.
I'm down with that.
So yeah.
Go ahead.
Verse 35 says. So when you And he's still speaking to his disciples We know he's talking to his disciples From verses 1, 2, and 3. When you see All these things you know That he is near At the very gates.
So Specifically speaking to him And like it carries on In 34 truly I say to you His disciples this generation The Greek word genea Which always is the near demonstrative. So when you go over To chapter 23 And he's speaking to the pharisees He says I say to you That he speak.
Right here he's saying to the scribes and pharisees All these things will come upon This generation That all these things would be. Okay so like Let me just give a quick recap here. So in verse 29 he says woe to you Scribes and pharisees you hypocrites.
Right here he says For you build the tombs of the prophets And decorate the monuments Of the righteous Saying if we would have lived In the days of our fathers We would have not taken part with them In the shedding the blood of the prophets.
Thus you witness Against yourselves that you are Sons of those who murdered the prophets Fill up then the measure of your fathers. You serpent you brood of vipers How will you Escape being sentenced to hell.
Therefore I send You prophets and wise men Scribes whom you will kill And crucify. And some you will flog in synagogues And persecute from town to town So that upon you may come All the righteous blood Shed on the earth From the blood of righteous Abel To the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between The sanctuary and the altar.
I say to you scribes and pharisees All these things will come Will come upon This generation. And so The scribes and pharisees In verse 26 Excuse me in verse 30 They were saying if we would have been Alive in the days of our fathers We would have not stoned the prophets And killed them.
And Jesus is saying I'm sending you prophets And scribes. And you're going to do the same thing That your fathers did to the prophets That were sent to them. And so when he says upon you Upon this generation Meaning that that generation also Is going to do the exact same thing As the previous generation did by Killing the prophets.
And so right here This generation is They're demonstrative. We agree that that was what that is. And when you get over in chapter 24 He starts telling them His disciples that they're going to be betrayed.
They're going to be Verse 9 And they will deliver you over to Tribulation and put you to death. And you'll be hated by all nations. For my namesake Like right here Is him answering like The scribes and prophets that these Pharisees are going to kill.
He's speaking about his disciples His followers. So they're living in the time of that generation Of the scribes and pharisees. And they're the one that the scribes and pharisees Are going to kill because that's who Jesus Sent.
And so when you get over here To 34 of our chapter This generation It says and I say to you His disciples this generation Will not pass away until all these things take place. So everything I see everything from 34.
Like right here I think It's hard to argue that everything from verse 34 Has not already happened. Because it says all these things All these things would be From verses 3 To 34 has to take place And then a continuation of it Would be verse 35.
Heaven and earth will pass away but my words Will not pass away and I would see Heaven and earth as being O covenant Jerusalem.
Yeah yeah yeah. I would disagree to a certain extent. Right to because of course The way that I viewed 29 to 31 Is speaking about in my opinion Verse 29 is saying that the Ethnic Israel right the Old covenant is fallen In this sense that they are being trampled down Until the fullness of the gentiles Has come in right that Thinking of mine that I have.
And I do think that there's stuff in here That leads me to think of the second coming In verse 31 as well as some other Stuff here in chapter 25 and later.
On in 24.
And I agree I think.
The way that you.
Tied verse 34 To Matthew chapter 23 Verse 27 Was it or what verse was that.
30.
This generation that these Things would happen in 36.
36 okay.
So but part of that too.
Though I think in the way That I see this right verse 37 It continues Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem. And he talks about it he says your house is being Left to you desolate. I think that's a still thing Today that their house is still being left.
To them. Desolate today. Well the house Is the temple. And. Absolutely. Yeah and so.
And I think I think it also is speaking about how God's glory resided there and so. Yeah saying yeah but it's glorious.
Jerusalem isn't desolate. Daniel 9 gives You the definition of desolate. It's when It's when Jerusalem is Empty of its people.
And where is that.
Just out of curiosity when where does that say that in Daniel I don't know. Off the top of my head Why you're going there. But that's that's my thinking is That it's saying that God's glory Is is no longer In the ethnic Jewish Nation in that sense and so When I when I come to Matthew 24 32 I think that this is Now so in my Recapitulation thinking verses Three to 31 Has a has a Has a narrowing of the lens and a Widening of the lens that takes place.
And then in Verse 32 it starts over again on that Narrowing referring saying now Listen to this parable. So he said he's Recapitulating something and he's.
Inventing something. Right there man because. The text doesn't lead you there. The text Doesn't lead you there. Yeah it does he says.
Now learn the parable from the fig tree. Right. He's he's saying it's It he's he's continuing like I said. But I think he's narrowing. And why. Because.
I mean before then he's basically You know given the you know the wars. And I mean he's given the birth pains. Absolutely given though. He's given the Warning of what's going to take place On that generation concerning.
The.
His his his the ones that He sent his disciples being persecuted He gives the sign of the coming Yep and And and so now he's saying You know since all that is true. Therefore.
I mean it would be how I.
Think it would be out of Christ's character For him not to be doing that. Narrowing. Widening of the lens. Because in Matthew 22.
Matthew.
22 with parable of the marriage.
Feast.
It I'll just read a couple of these verses Here it says in verses four and On it says again he sent out Out other slaves to tell Those who have been invited behold I prepare My dinner my oxen and my fattens livestock Are all butchered and everything is ready To come.
Everything is ready Come to the wedding feast. But they paid no attention And went their way one to his own Farm and another to his business and the Rest seized his slaves and mistreated Them and killed them.
Which Again that's speaking of Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem you've killed The prophets right. But the king was enraged And sent his armies and destroyed Those murderers and set their city on fire. That's that narrowing of the lens Talking about 70 AD I think.
And it says then he said to the slaves the wedding Is ready but those who were invited were not Worthy go therefore to the main highways. And and as many as you Find there invite them to the wedding Feast.
And those slaves went out into the streets and Gathered together all they found Both evil and good. And the wedding hall was Filled. And and so then it continues On saying that the one that was Without the wedding clothes he's going to have His place in darkness where there we Weaving gnashing of the teeth.
So I think again that's A narrowing of the lens and then a Widening of the lens talking about the entirety Of the interadvental period finally Being capstoned By the second coming in that sense. And so I think it's in Nature with how Christ has already been talking To restart his Recapulations because right after that.
Then he goes into another recapulation. And then another recapulation and another so would you.
Put the wedding feast as Future for us now yeah.
Yep I would Yeah and that part of me would would go To Matthew chapter 24 with the parable of the Of the of the ten virgins In that and so I think that that so that's why When I come to Matthew 24 verse 32 I think he's now narrowing again Back into the destruction of 70 80 and what's going On is he's saying this the Temple being destroyed Jerusalem Jerusalem how you've killed the prophets I'm leaving your house desolate and The Gentiles Walking trotting over This city in that way because the Stars the moon the sun are in a fallen State all those things did Take place in that generation.
And then I think from verse 35 And on it now breaks up it's a Widening of the lens again and so that's Where. That's where I see this narrowing and widening Of the lens that's taking place and I think it's I think It's consistent with how Jesus has been talking Through Matthew 24 up until now too.
Yeah I mean I I just don't Say it anywhere man even in Matthew chapter 25 I don't see that he's speaking of The the the marriage.
I mean of course I see the Matthew 25 as being the In present and future You see what I'm saying so I Believe that this is the already Not yet like yeah and then You know of course and with the talents It's more it's more individual when it comes To the talents and then the final judgment.
Right right like I see This being played out in time Right now but I don't see anything Dealing in Matthew 24 the marriage Feast I mean because Not saying I don't believe the marriage Feast is in the future but I think there's a good argument to say that it's Already happened as well because.
I agree it's an already not yet reality In that sense. I I do agree With that but I do think that the The idea Of the not yet specifically In 25 is.
Is.
I think it's pretty pertinent. Right because.
And we'll talk.
After 25. Yeah 25.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.
But yeah no. That's my thinking on it so I do agree That like this verse 34 this generation Will not pass away is speaking Of the destruction of 70 AD. Like that's that's preterist in that way. They did see those things they saw.
The I think they also see From 22 the the invitation Going out onto the highways and byways. They saw that in that generation right. They saw the gospel going around The world in that sense. Yeah and I would say.
First it was to the tax collectors and The prostitutes and then it Went to the Gentiles who were actually To the Jews were worse than tax collectors And prostitutes. Yeah just straight Up sinners those that that did not Live under the law.
Okay I mean even the tax collectors And prostitutes if you were a Jew You were still under the law. Like you were born under the law in the covenant.
And where is that. And that was.
Yes on Daniel 9.
Oh yeah.
Daniel 9 verse 1 it says In the first year of Darius the Son of Esariah by descent Amin who was made King over the ram of the Chaldeans In the first year of his reign I Daniel perceived in the book the Number of years according to the word of The Lord to Jeremiah the Prophet must pass Before the End of desolation Of Jerusalem namely Seventy years.
Alright. And so when you come over here You know for the sake of having to read the whole thing. If you come over here to verses 17 and 18 It gives the answer Now therefore O God listen To the prayer of your servant And his Plead for mercy and For your own sake.
O Lord make Your face shine Upon your sanctuary Which is Desolate. So at this Time they were removed from The land it is desolate.
Okay and.
Verse 18. O my God Incline your ear and hear Open your eyes and see Our desolation In the city that is called by your Name for we Do not present Our pleas before you Because of Our righteousness but because of your Great mercy.
And then when you go back To Matthew 24 it talks about the desolation. When you see the abomination of desolation And we already conclude. And from Luke it's whenever you see The armies surrounding Jerusalem That's the desolation.
Whenever they come in and remove the people That's the desolation. So when Jerusalem is removed I mean when the people of Israel are Removed from Jerusalem That's desolation. And we know right now That the Jews are back in Jerusalem.
The city is not desolate. But the covenant is no longer there.
Well I still think That it's desolate in the sense That they are not the people of God.
Well no they're not the people of God.
But if you.
I don't think they were the people Of God during the time of Jesus. Jesus told them you're sons of the Satan.
And I think that that's partly That already not yet stuff. That we also see in there too. I think that yes. Verse 15 of 24 Of Matthew 24 says That this is the fulfilled The abomination of desolation I was spoken through by the mouth The word of the prophet Daniel.
I know I just butchered that quote But anyway I'm in such a brain fog right now. It's not even funny.
But yeah I think that.
I think that part of that though. Is that It's still desolate today. I really do. I don't think that by them going back That is now mean that they're no longer desolation.
I think that that.
I believe it's desolate in the sense that Verse 35 speaks of heaven and earth Will pass away but my words will not pass away. Again I see heaven and earth As being Jerusalem O covenant Jerusalem Temple.
Like.
The new covenant the church The bride of Christ I see as being The new heavens and the new earth. And it's already not yet. Speaking of The kingdom of God.
And even talking on that verse I still. You got me on that one. With how. Matthew chapter 5 verse 13.
Is it that talks about it.
I'm still trying to work that through in my mind. Because I always read verse 35 as an authoritative text Rather than Heaven and earth passing away In this predatory sense that you've talked about in the past.
And so I mean like I wrestle through it just because of The theonomy debate. Yeah and I'm not trying to make this about.
Theonomy.
Let's talk about it though. Yeah well it's coming.
Yeah. Yeah.
So like in verse 17 do not think That I have come to abolish the law. Or the prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you Until heaven and earth passes away Not an iota not a dot Will pass away from the law Until all is accomplished.
Well would you say that A part of that law Has. I would say everything but the 10 words Have passed away. And that the 10 words that were written on stone Has actually removed from the stone. And it's now in the heart and mind Of the believer.
The stone tablets have in fact Passed away But the words on them were removed And placed in our heart and mind. The 10 words.
Can I ask you on something like that.
Because I'm still working through this too.
Hold on. If that is true then heaven and earth has passed away.
Yes absolutely.
Heaven and earth has passed away. But we know that the heavens are still there. And the earth is still here. So the heavens and earth can't be a literal heaven and earth. And we can go through this more.
And I can enlighten you some more. But what was your question.
Yeah so in chapter 5. And I've been working through this myself Trying to figure this out a little bit more. Could the smallest. Don't beat me up for this one. Because this might be a dumb question. Do you think that verse 18 Is talking about the entirety Of the law.
Or do you think that that's talking about The entirety of the 10 commandments.
Because sometimes.
Where it uses the word law.
The law has been written on our hearts. That's not talking about circumcision. Being written on our hearts. And following this.
You see what I'm saying.
The only thing written on our heart Is the 10 words. So whenever Moses was given the commandments Chapter 20 So 19 they're approaching the mountain Chapter 20 he receives the commandments 21, 22, and 23 he writes down On the commandments The statutes and rules.
And then so like you see some of those In those chapters. But also when you get to Numbers, Leviticus And all these other. Like it goes into greater detail of what was actually written. So this is what's called The precepts.
The statutes and precepts. I think I'm saying that right. Alright so those things are not written In our mind and on our heart. But we can go back And look at these things. So this is what's called general equity.
We can go back and look at these things And see the righteousness of God. But this was actually given To a geopolitical nation Of Israel. And it's not for the church to establish In our time. So that's where I would differ with the Yeah this theonomist Movement that's out right now.
Because we all want to say that we Love theonomy. I mean it's theos numos God's law. The way that it's been In my opinion perverted Trying to bring us back under the Old covenant system. So if you believe you know like the New testament teaches us Galatians, Romans, Hebrews I mean I can keep going That the law is no more for us.
It's not saying That the ten words are not for us. The ten commandments The Decalogue. But even them Has been kept by Jesus. And in the way that we observe them It's not in the same way that Geopolitical Israel observed them.
It's underneath that idea of General equity.
Well first John chapter. Yeah so first John chapter Two verse three says. This is how we know that we have come to know him If we keep his commandments. Whoever says that I know him And doesn't keep his commandments Is a liar and the truth is not in him.
So you ask yourself well what is the commandments. Chapter three verse twenty three Tells you it says then this Is his commandments that we believe In the name of the son Jesus Christ And love our neighbors as Ourself.
So You want to know how do I love God with all my heart with all my soul With all my mind and with all of my strength. It's by believing in the name of Jesus Christ. Well how do I love my neighbor as myself.
Well there's two Two things I would point you to. One is you treat your. God has given you the fruit of the spirit. You are to treat your Neighbor love Joy peace. Like these are the Fruits that you should be displaying To your neighbor your closest neighbor being your wife Your kids your church family.
And then Directly from that would be your actual Neighbors people in your community And stuff like that. But also Is that whenever Our neighbors are not being Loving to us and not being joyful They're not displaying the fruits of the Spirit we are to forgive.
You see what I'm saying. Absolutely so we're called to To love our neighbors. How. By being loving to them By displaying the fruits of the spirit. And whenever they're not doing so to us We are to forgive.
So the reason I ask that about In Matthew 5 18.
Because Follow me on this In verses 21 and on It talks about stuff that has to deal With the 10 commandments like Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not Murder right.
Could it could it be said.
Like that Law that's talked about in verse 18 Is talking explicitly About the 10 commandments which is still Happening today. Therefore heaven And earth haven't passed away.
Well.
Hear me out.
I know I know this is me like thinking through this.
Yeah so I said earlier That the 10 commandments written in stone Has passed away. Okay but the words The stone has passed away but the words Have left the stone And they are in our mind And in our heart.
We don't need a Visible representation of words Carved on a stone To tell us how to live. They are in our heart And in our mind.
So I got another question on that whole thought too. And I don't want to go down. Too much of a rabbit trail.
So it's the separation of the letter of the Law I mean the written letter Versus the law of liberty. So there's I got it written down in a sermon but there's a There's a verse that tells us that Those statutes and rules were written on the back Of the stone tablets.
Yeah yeah yeah.
In order for The statutes and rules to be done away with I mean like if you're a reformer you owe to The three divisions of the law. But you also owe to the three Uses of the law. And I don't know if we've done a podcast on that.
I mean we can. I don't know if we've got time tonight. But you know it's Really good you know. The three divisions would be you know.
Civil.
Judicial.
Ceremonial.
Ceremonial I mean moral Ceremonial and judicial. And The three functions the three uses.
Of the law.
Is in a different category too Of how it is that we use the law. We use the law as a mirror We use the law as a curb. And we use the law as a flashlight Like just a way to remember. We use the law as a mirror.
We can look at the law See our sins know our need for Christ. Our government uses the law As a curb to keep people From being as evil as they could be. And as we read scripture we use The lens the flashlight Of what Christ has done in our life To interpret the law.
Yeah well the idea of The ten commandments That stones have passed away But it's been written on our hearts. Would you say that any time. Like an old testament saint let's say like Abraham Noah Moses.
Was the law not only written on Tablets for them but was it also Written on their heart when they were credited Righteousness or is that only a New testament reality.
Well I don't think that this. Now you can enlighten me. But I don't know of a bible verse That says something like that.
No I would just use I would Come to the conclusion that it was.
Because the new covenant Well yeah the new covenant Says the new covenant Is that he's writing the law In their minds and on their hearts. So I would say that they was under the Old covenant and so that was not so For them That doesn't mean regeneration Couldn't take place.
I'm tracking ya. I'm like thinking through that because If regeneration took place in the old testament I would also think that that would imply A genuine Following of the 10 commandments With loving God and loving their neighbor.
Well they couldn't Love God and love neighbor. They couldn't love God and love neighbor. Jesus had to love God and love neighbor. Jesus lived the life that we Could not live and took upon himself the punishment.
They were credited by Righteousness by looking forward To the promise. We're credited with that righteousness By looking back.
And so what I'm thinking is In the same way that they had The future looking towards Christ. Is there any sort of future looking towards the heart. I don't know I'm kind of going off on a rabbit trail.
Like I said I got a head fog going on right now.
We can definitely do a podcast on it. And dive deeper. But let's get back to Matthew 24.
Because I.
I don't think heaven and earth have passed away In that sense.
I absolutely do If you believe that The law is no I mean even a little This is not a dot or an iota. And we know. Like even if you don't believe That the Stone tablets have You have to admit that the ceremonial has.
And if that's true The ceremonial is more than a dot and it's more than an iota.
And so if that's true then heaven and earth has passed away. Boom.
There's no other way to interpret it brother.
But I look at other things like.
We're going to go down too much of a rabbit trail.
We'll have a podcast on it.
I'm thinking like Romans 3.
Those that are listening remind us to have a podcast on this subject.
This would be good.
Because right now I'm still thinking this is an authoritative text. That being said I could be wrong on this I still don't think it changes my view. Of how I view the rest of 24.
Well you're letting the system. Interpret it for you.
No I'm letting Christ's word.
Okay it's Christ's word alone.
I hear you. Alright so verse 36 But concerning Are we done with 35? Can we move on?
I'm okay with moving on. Alright.
But concerning that day and hour No one knows. Okay so what day and hour is he speaking about?
I'm going to be adamant. That I think this is talking about the second coming.
The second coming. But in my opinion The second coming has not even been mentioned.
Okay.
So I would say the day and hour is Where it talks about Heaven and earth Passing away. So the nearest antecedent would be heaven and earth passing away. And I would I would also bring it back to The sign of the end of I mean the end of the age.
But concerning That day and hour Not even the angels Of heaven Nor the son of man But only the father. I think I missed a word. But concerning that day and hour No one knows Not even the angels of heaven Nor the son of man But only the father.
So you would say that this is the second coming. And I would say that this is The destruction upon Israel. That when Christ was on the earth Notice Christ did not give a date Whenever they would be destroyed.
He gave generation This generation. So he didn't give a date. He gave a 40 year period of when it would happen. He didn't give a day or an hour.
But I think also On that side On that thinking.
The amount of times that Christ has talked about With 70 A .D. Specifically verses that you and I agree upon. That are 70 A .D. verses. Namely that of 1 or verse 3 to 28 right. There's stuff in there that he says You see this flee.
You see this go. This happens then you need to depart Essentially and so.
I think that this is again.
That knowability versus the unknowability That the day nor the hour No one knows but 70 A .D. Though it's in that generation.
They still.
Can see those things. They know those things are coming.
They know they're coming but they don't know the day and hour. I mean this is exactly what Revelation Chapter 18 talks about Whenever the Lord tells them When he says my people come out. Okay so the voice Where he's saying my people come out.
This would have been the sign Whenever the Army is actually surrounding Jerusalem.
So why would it be that. Christ. And the reason I go here Is because this is a verse that's used by Heretics all the time. I'm not saying that you are. This is a verse that's used by false religions all the time.
Absolutely yeah.
So why would it that Christ.
Speaking about 70 A .D. Says that he doesn't know that date. Why would he say that.
Because I have a reasoning if this is speaking about Second coming I have a reason To say why Christ would say it. Like that.
Well All the way up Chapter 10, chapter 12 Chapter 23, chapter 24 He speaks of this Generation. And so he doesn't give a specific time. He just says this generation. And so when he says that no one knows the day Or the hour it's referring to this Generation.
I mean it's Two verses away. Verse 34 I say to you this generation will not pass Away and all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass Away but concerning that day.
And it's talking about this Generation that's going to pass away that day. No one knows not even.
The angels of.
Heaven nor the son of man but the father Only.
So why is it that the father.
Only knows the 70 AD not the son. Nor even the Holy Spirit.
Well we would both agree. So we would both agree that That Jesus in and of himself In the body Is full deity right.
That even as this infant he was holding all things together.
But would you also agree that.
That.
The scripture says that he learned Knowledge.
Well this is just a knowledge that he hasn't attained. Speaking of the man Christ Jesus This is something that's been veiled from him. But he knew it was going to come. He said this generation.
Right.
But.
I don't see that When I see like him Gaining wisdom and knowledge And growing in stature. This is talking about his human nature 100 right. He was Created like a man Without sin right. The likeness of man but without sin Those things are true.
But I don't see that this verse specifically. I don't see how Christ could turn Offer on his deity.
I'm just leaning on this. It's not well. I would never say I believe that while he was in his Mother's womb he was holding all.
Things together.
Holding all things together. But when he took on flesh I believe that he Could have chose to Not have some knowledge.
Of things. So why then does the Holy Spirit Not know this day then.
It says the father alone.
Knows this.
I don't know I mean I don't think there's A I think any answer I give You is guesstimation.
Absolutely and so this is where.
This is where I think that. Verse 36. Even if we said that nothing.
But if you just go with the context. The context is speaking of that generation. It's not speaking of The context is not speaking of A future generation. He's speaking that generation.
But if he said that this Generation will not pass away until these things have Happened and then there's a verse that If if I think That.
If that day and hour.
But concerning that day. Show me show me the nearest Antecedent to that day.
I'll get to that here in just a second. But verse 34 with this generation not Passing away until these things take place I think that that would have been said After verse 36 if That was meant to be a part of that.
Generation I know.
The where where where is the nearest.
Antecedent that that angels The son and the father are mentioned. I think that that takes place in chapter 22 with the marriage feast that there's Slaves the son and the Father and it's talking about The second coming in that text.
I think that I and I think that that Will also play a factor in These next coming chapters or next Chapter in 25 Where it talks about in Versus 31 the judgment when the Son of man comes in his glory and all The angels with him he'll sit on his glorious throne.
I think and he talks about In verse 34 Come you who are Blessed of my father inherit the kingdom Prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
I think we see that.
These these three I'm just Going to say three characters. That's not probably the right way to say it. But the angels are servants Son and father those three Characters in that text Are repeated every single Time referring to the second coming.
And I think that you see that in Chapter 22 Chapter 24 Now and then chapter 25 With chapter 25 with very Heavily Heavily leaning on Second coming language and so that's Why I'm led to believe 36.
Now would you say the emphasis on Chapter on verse 36 of chapter 24 is on the angels Son and father. Or the emphasis being Concerned in that date.
So that. That day.
So this is how I understand it.
So that's where your nearest sense of seed it would Spring from. Is that Not the son not the father And not The angels. The nearest sense of seed it would have to come from that day. And the nearest sense of seed it is speaking To that generation.
And so What I think is going on In here is Language that the first century Jewish tradition would understand right. That chapter 22 Where he says that when the father Dictates that the wedding feast is ready Then he sends out his servants when he dictates when the Fat and oxen is ready that's when he sends out His servants.
The father gets that privilege not the son. Not the slaves not the angels. It's the father alone that has that.
And let me answer Fred Fred I absolutely believe in the second Coming. I'm a normal analyst. I believe in the second coming. But Matthew 24. I'm a preterist. I believe that all of Matthew 24 has Already been fulfilled that this is Not speaking about the second coming.
It's speaking about Jesus coming in judgment Riding on the cloud. Whenever the Bible In the Old Testament speaks of God riding On the cloud it was judgment Language. One day Will return in the flesh. His feet will touch the earth.
And when that happens The dead in Christ will rise. And also all The dead will rise. Some will rise Clothed in the men of dust Adam and some will rise clothed In the men of heaven Christ. First Corinthians chapter 15.
Those that are clothed in Dust When we get to Matthew 24 I mean Matthew 25 will be the goats. And those that are clothed in the men of heaven Will be the sheep.
Yeah Yeah.
I do I do think though with verse 36. I'm happy that you brought that up. Absolutely our views that we're talking about. Is within Orthodox and the guardrails of Scripture right. And yeah not heretical.
By saying something's happened in 70 AD. That's not. Yeah that's not what.
And understand me and Brayden both. Enjoy this. Oh absolutely.
Absolutely I appreciate though. That's a great.
Question to ask though. Fred. Seriously that that's The right question to ask when somebody is Talking about these things. Do you believe in the second coming. Which that's right you have to say yes.
Is Fred a friend of yours.
No no but I'm happy.
He asked it so that's okay. I didn't know. He might be a part of your church or something.
No no but Verse 36. I do think that what's Going on in there is the same same Characters that we've seen from chapter 22 Are going to be repeated. And in chapter 22 where it talks about marriage Feast it ends that with the day of judgment And him casting the Person that was not clothed in the wedding garment Which is talking about Jesus covering us with his Righteousness those that are not covered by his Righteousness.
Ephesians chapter 5.
Will not.
Partake in this marriage. And so when you look at chapter 22 At the end of that he says that he cast That person into outer darkness where there's weeping And gnashing of the teeth. The last Person here in 24 it says That they'll be cast into the place With weeping gnashing of the teeth.
And then in 25.
It says that again In verse 30 weeping gnashing of the teeth And then also with the final verse 36 46 of 25 it says and these Will go away into eternal punishment But the righteousness into eternal life I think I think again it's this widening And narrowing of the lens and a recalculation Type of wording that's taking place in here.
I think that 36 only. In my opinion I don't see how the sun Angels nor even.
The whole anything because.
If the father alone knows this It excludes all others from knowing this. Right once again. So just so I'm not.
Surprised so just so I'm not surprised. Would you view 36 Onward speaking of the second.
Coming. I do yes I do.
I do.
We got a problem.
I knew I know I know that It's gonna happen but verse I Do think verse 36 is Is that widening of the lens Of talking about the future second coming Of christ. And he is I think the only way that this verse makes Sense in the deity of christ is by Saying that he's talking about the second coming Which is often referred to as the marriage.
Feast which is off.
Is an honorable thing for all right. But in that way. But but but.
The question you raised to me about him. Not knowing 70 ad you can Raise the same question about him not knowing. The second coming he does know.
That what I'm saying though is that he does.
100 so so right. Then you're saying that he knew that he knew.
The day and hour I'm saying he does.
But today in heaven. No no.
I know today I'm telling you that whenever he was Taken up in the heaven he knew The day of 70 ad as.
Well yes but why. But. Why would he say that he does not know.
Because 70 because he did not know. So you're saying I did not know.
But that that I think that.
I'm definitely not going to say that he Knew and said that he did not know because that Would mean that he was a liar.
No no no I think that verse 36 is Giving honor to the father by him saying I do not know because he's talking Again to people that are always to be ready For the second coming. And so he's giving Honor to the father by saying that the father Alone has the right and privilege of the Second coming day.
So in That day right you could walk down the street. And let's say Bob your neighbor has a Son that's being married. You can watch The wedding feast get prepared. You can watch The decorations being put up you can watch The oxen being fattened.
And you Can say it's today this is the Day that it's happening. But it would be Very very dishonorable to go up to the father And say I know the day that Said that the wedding feast is happening Because I see these things.
And so what I Think Christ is doing in here is saying The father reserves this right Of predestination. I'm Giving him honor to That I'm giving him honor to the marriage Feast. I don't think it's saying that Christ Does not know the literal second coming of Himself but that he is Omniscient.
He does know those things but he's Giving honor to the father by saying such.
But couldn't that same answer be Said about 70 AD.
But I just don't see how 70 AD could Apply to marriage language. That's the Issue that I have with that. Where's the marriage.
Language if.
Verse 36. Those Three characters that are called back to chapter 22. Those three characters.
Are not the emphasis of verse 36. That's my argument. The emphasis of verse 36. Is that Concerning that day. It doesn't say. Concerning the father Concerning angels concerning the son.
But it's concerning that day.
That the nearest antecedent To that day is The end of that generation.
Right right right so.
How about this. Yeah. Since you believe that. You know onward from here on. Out is the second coming. How about you.
Take.
Take 10 minutes yeah. Walk through it and give commentary. And then I'll do the same thing. That way we're not bickering over each.
Verse and I do have to get off right at Nine so I'll only take two minutes. So quickly do this if that's all right.
And then we got five minutes. I mean There's no way to do it you know. Just put put it off.
Yeah that's totally fine that's.
Totally totally all right so. Well all right so.
It's a hard place to stop.
Yeah it's hard it's hard. All right. So we'll just put a pen in It here and next week we'll Pick back up at verse. Well not. Next week I think you got something that you have to do.
Yes yeah I'll be working next week.
So I can I'll try to whoever.
You're on here with if you get on. With somebody I'll try to join you but I won't be able to guarantee That if that makes sense.
Yeah so we won't do Matthew 24 We'll probably I'll talk to Austin we might pick back up Into Romans we'll be in Romans chapter Three if that's so. I would definitely Like to do some interviews as well.
I would like to get a Presbyterian on Here and discuss Petal baptism versus credo Baptism like there's a lot of things That I'd like to do. You know discuss the difference Between covenant theology have A new covenant theology someone that Hosts a new covenant someone that hosts a Presbyterian covenant theology as well as.
As the Other.
You know forms of Baptist Covenant theology like I'm a 1689 Federalist there's 20th century And just kind of Walk through this and Of course if you're a dispensationalist And you want and good gracious Can come on here and I mean Be gracious and come on here And have a conversation without You know condemning me to Hell.
Bickering is fun I mean Listen y 'all see me and him going at it.
At the end of the day it's just. You know it's fun for us. Like I don't see how he understands what he Does but I don't see how you see what. You see it's the text.
So any last words from you.
I'm right you're wrong I'm just kidding.
No I really enjoyed tonight.
It's fun to do these kind of things. Again I apologize like I said I'm in this Head fog right now and not feeling the best. And so. Yeah I know it's enjoyable to go through Matthew 24. That being said the day that you have the Presbyterian on here whenever that happens.
If that happens I better be here too. Because I want to be a part of that conversation so.
Maybe we can get like a two on Two conversation find two Presbyterians And me and you and we can Go through baptism Or even A church of Christ or Even you know some churches of Christ If there's some churches of Christ that watch this And they're willing to come on We'd love to have you on and discuss baptism And all that other good stuff.
I think that's a good thing to say like if there is somebody That's watching this right now That disagrees with our views on these different areas. Or even in other areas. Especially with Covenantal Theology.
Like that would be. We would love to have you guys come and talk with that stuff. So it's good I enjoy this.
Alright well As always Hallelujah.
Hollaback!