How many people understand that cartoon there? One in a thousand? I’ll bet that less than one person in a thousand understands what that cartoon is talking about. So I’m going to do what most people don’t like. I’m going to explain a joke
First, you have to know that off and on for years there have been people, sometimes dressed in robes and walking down the street with signs, proclaiming “The End is Near”. And you could even think that I do that at least somewhat with the videos I’ve been producing about the prophecies of Daniel.
But the vast majority of the secular world tends to mock and deride things like this. And the ones dressed in robes, walking down the street with a sign about the End being near, all too often turn out to be easy targets of mockery.
And if you really have no background in this, you may have no idea what it could mean by “the end of the world”. Nowadays of course, you don’t have to be religious or spiritually minded to think we may be near a worldwide precipice of social, economic or ecological collapse. And for those of you who aren’t “religious”, you may not know that the Bible has a string of predictions in it that some very major changes will take place in our world at some point in the future , which could almost be considered “the end”. (Actually the Bible doesn’t predict a total annihilation of the planet like some think it does. It just says there is going to be a huge, monumental change that will usher in the return of Jesus of Nazareth to rule the earth, as the King He is.)
So what in the world is this cartoon talking about when the guy says, “Relax, it all happened in 70 AD”? First hint: if you’re Jewish, you may already know the answer to this. Here’s the deal. One school of thought in the study of Bible prophecy says that all those future predictions of “the end” were fulfilled in 70 AD. But what happened in 70 AD?
This is the date in history when the Roman legions of Titus surrounded Jerusalem, destroyed the city and ended up killing over one million Jews in Palestine. It was the end of Israel as an entity and a group of people living together in that part of the world. Within a generation or so, the Romans had made it completely illegal for any Jewish person to be living in their former homeland there. As their prophet Hosea had told them centuries before, they became “wanderers among the nations.” (Hosea 9:17)
And that’s where the idea comes from for this cartoon. It’s like the guy is saying there, “Relax, there’s not going to be any “the End”. That already happened in 70 AD.” And there are certainly Bible teachers today who teach that.
Well, this is all “right down my alley”, as they say in English. At the moment I’m finishing up a video on Daniel chapter 9 which talks about this very thing. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was clearly foretold by the angel Gabriel to Daniel the prophet 600 years before it happened. He said it would happen after the death of the Messiah who was yet to come. Gabriel told Daniel that, “After …Messiah is cut off… the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.” (Daniel 9:26)
But just to be clear, most Bible prophecies of “the endtime” were not fulfilled in 70 AD. Far from it. I’m what’s called a “futurist” and I strongly believe that the main events Jesus talked about in Matthew 24, or what Paul talked about in II Thessalonians 2, or much of Daniel and basically all of the book of Revelation are still ahead of us, perhaps soon to come.
Was “the end” in 70 AD? It was certainly an end for the nation of Israel at that time. But was this what Bible prophecy has pointed to and what the prophecies in the Bible have been predicting? I don’t think so. “The end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6), as Jesus said.
My goal is not to go around scaring people with gloom and doom proclamations. My goal is to try to inform, to clarify and bring into view the original writings of the prophets of the Bible as to what God has said will be the future events which He has ordained to bring the world back to His rule and direction. It will be a cataclysmic time leading up to that. It will seem for many like “the end”. It will be “the end” of a lot of things which need to end. But it will bring in a new and better world, a world liberated from the hate and foolishness that dominate it now. Like Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, “In the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other peoples. But it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. And it shall stand forever.” (Daniel 2:44 & 45)
True.
Good article! Thanks Mark. Looking forward to the finished videos, they sound interesting.
Btw, have you thought of putting a ‘Donate’ tab on your website(s). You are obviously putting a great deal of effort into these two sites of yours and ministering to people, and the Word says, ‘They that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel’. People might like to contribute to your efforts!
Just a thought! It’s really easy to put in a Paypal tab if you have an account. I’m pretty sure Paypal gives you all the information on how to do it!
GBY!
Good idea, I may try that. Thanks.
It’s a good article Mark, and a lot of what the world needs to hear and know. God bless you. Keep going.
Thank you Mark for you labor to inform and not cause fear and panic as I have seen some (Actual some are even brethren in the Lord) insinuate in their writings on the end time. As things grow dark and the love of many wax cold, I see and feel that people need more encouragement when their eyes are first opened to end time events.
It is shocking enough, and as Jesus said:”Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.” I love reading end time prophecy about end time events and I appreciate your efforts in creating the Daniel series. Jesus said his sheep will hear his voice and follow him. Thousands of Christians are being persecuted everyday around the world. They have gone on to their reward. I only pray I can be as brave. Whether the end time happens in our life time or not, or time is always ready. As all those who have gone on before us since Jesus left nearly 2000 years ago.
Thank you Mark. I read this when posted but was unable to return or comment at that time.
I liked the way you introduced the subject, indeed many people scoff at our sayings, so I am glad nice lucid explanations are available, such as yours.
Needless to add, these posts of yours add to my sources of teaching materials to newbies in India and in the sub-continent.
Thanks again.
Thank you so much for clarifying about the events of 70 AD. I had seen some things on the internet written by those who don’t discern the signs of the times, but instead prefer to think nothing is happening nor will anything happen which would indicate the end time is in the future. (It hasn’t already happened!) There certainly have been antichrist figures throughout history, but as you reminded us of Jesus’ words, “the end is not yet,” not until all these things (in Matthew 24) be fulfilled.