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BIBLICAL
PROPHECY |
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In The Fulness Of Time, Part 60
by Dr. Dr. Thomas O. Figart |
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The Disruption of the Messengers: Division of
Families. Matthew 10:21
10:21 "And
the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and
the father the child; and the children shall rise up
against their parents, and cause them to be put to
death."
As this account of opposition proceeds, it becomes
increasingly more evident that it is referring to
something future, some things exceeding any opposition,
which has already occurred. While it has always been true
that orthodox Jewish families hold funerals for a family
member who has converted to Christianity, this is not the
hatred described in our verse. When the Old Testament
Scriptures are compared, it does follow that such extreme
hatred will be experienced during the period known as the
Great Tribulation, preceding the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus actually quoted from Micah 7:6 in Matthew 10:36: "A
man’s foes shall be they of his own household." Of course,
this could conceivably happen at any time, but when this
is stated in Zechariah 13:3 with regard to parents killing
false prophets in their own families "in the last days,"
then it makes sense not only to compare this with Matthew
10:21, but in turn, to compare Matthew 10:21 with the
parallel passages in Mark 13:9-26 and Matthew 24:9-14,
which are definitely in the prophetic context of the Great
Tribulation.
The Rejection of the Messengers: Endurance
Through Hatred. Matthew 10:22
10:22 "And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake, but he
that endureth to the end shall be saved."
Some of those who reject the future aspect of this
prophecy, relegate this verse to an expression of the
perseverance of the saints, comparing it with Hebrews 3:6,
14; 2 Peter 1:10 and other passages which show the proof
of salvation by endurance. However, the context of this
passage, linked with the others previously mentioned would
rather seem to refer to a specific time of endurance
(through to the end of the Great Tribulation) and a
specific application of the word "saved" (sodzo).
In the New Testament this word sodzo is used in
various ways other than salvation from sin (Matthew 1:21).
For example, in Acts 7:25 Moses supposed that the Jews
would understand that "God by his hand would deliver (sodzo)
them," referring to physical deliverance from Egypt. In
Acts 27:34 Paul admonished those aboard ship to take food,
"for this is for your health" (sodzo), referring to
physical sustenance. In Mark 5:23 Jairus asked Jesus to
lay hands on his daughter, "that she may be healed (sodzo)
and she shall live," referring to physical life. It is not
unthinkable, therefore, that the endurance and being saved
in Matthew 10:22 are physical endurance through, and
physical deliverance at the end of, the Great Tribulation,
awaiting the "coming of the Son of Man" from heaven.
The Expectation of the Messengers: The Coming
of Christ. Matthew 10:23
Matthew 10:23
"But when they persecute you in this city, flee into
another; for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have
gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be
come."
From that which
has already been stated, this concluding verse of the
section refers to the future ministry of those messengers
of Christ, enduring persecution through the years of the
Great Tribulation, who will be reaching out to the cities
of Israel. Daniel 12:1 describes it as "a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even to that
same time, and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book." This
deliverance will come when "there shall come out of Zion
the Deliverer" (Romans 11:25, the expected Messiah, when
"the Son of Man be come." Christ in the Olivet Discourse
in Matthew 24-25 will give details of events connected
with this expectation. Meanwhile, He has some words of
comfort and challenge for His disciples present with Him,
as well as for us who are waiting for the "fulness of
time."
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Copyright 2006, Ankerberg Theological Research Institute
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