Jerry Shugart
Well-known member
Firstly, you are suggesting that the fulfillment of the ages that Paul refers to in I Cor 10 is the same thing that Paul talks about in I Thess 4.
Yes, Paul was told that the coming of the Lord to catch up the saints was "imminent" so he assumed that they were living during the time when the fulfillment of the ages was happening.
In my opinion, the only thing that links those verses is a theological framework, not the texts themselves. They are two different things, as I see them. I imagine Paul did expect to be raptured up to meet Christ in the air - but Paul's statement in I Cor 10 is a factual statement, not a supposition - as is the statement in Hebrews about Jesus coming at the coming at the end of the ages.
Since Paul thought that he would experience the rapture then it would be natural for him to refer to the time in which he was living in the following way:
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor.10:11).
I'm sure you are aware of instances where "world" does not refer to every corner of the planet. For instance, Colossians 1:6 says the gospel was bearing fruit "all over the world". (almost sounds like a worldwide harvest of fruit). The same Greek word is used here as in Matthew 13.
Furthermore, my paradigm does not suggest the harvest takes place solely in Israel. While most of the early converts to Christianity were Jewish - the greatest growth of the Kingdom in the years ahead was outside Israel.
After the great tribulation is over we see the following events which will happen:
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth (oikoumene): for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (Lk.21:25-27).
In the same discourse the Lord Jesus used the same word at another place:
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world (oikoumene) for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Mt.24:14).
Then later in the same discourse the Lord made it plain that He was referring to the whole world:
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory...take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Lk.21:27,34-35).
Is this your response to my questioning who will be removed from the kingdom in the Matthew 13 harvest? Are you suggesting this "kingdom" is simply God's general authority over the earth? And not the Kingdom of salvation, which can only be entered by being born again?
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil" (Mt.13:41).
It is certain that these who will be weeded out of this kingdom will not be born of God so the kingdom spoken of by the Lord at John 3:5 is not the kingdom spoken of at Matthew 13:41.
Or do you want to argue that those who will cause sin and will do evil will be in the kingdom mentioned by the Lord at John 3:5?
If so, what exactly is this parable stating? That the bad plants will be removed from God's general rule of the planet, ie: destroyed? And then the good plants are brought into God's general rule of the planet from where????
The meaning of the parable is saying that at the end of the age the unbelievers from all over the world will be taken out of the world and only the believers will be left. Then the only ones who will be left are those who are born again and the will all enter the earthly kingdom where the Lord will rule from the throne of David.
That certainly has not happened yet so the events of which the Lord Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 remain in the future.