Understanding the Fulfilled View The End of the Age Was Not the End of the World Part 3 of 10

By Dan Maines

Understanding the Fulfilled View
The End of the Age Was Not the End of the World
Part 3 of 10, all posted same day, links at bottom

Introduction
Many people assume that when Jesus spoke of the end of the age He was describing the end of planet earth. But scripture interprets scripture, and every passage shows that Jesus was referring to the end of the Old Covenant age, the age of Moses, temple sacrifices, and national Israel as God's covenant people. The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 marked the end of that age. The Bible never predicts the end of the physical world, only the end of the covenant world. Understanding this distinction is essential for interpreting prophecy correctly.

The Disciples Asked About the End of the Age, Not the End of the World

Matthew 24:1-3
Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He said to them, Do you not see all these things. Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down. And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age.
† The disciples connected the destruction of the temple with the end of the age. They were not asking about the end of planet earth. Their entire religious world centered on the temple, the priesthood, and the Old Covenant.
† The Greek word for world is not used in this question. Instead, the word for age is used, referring to a covenant period.
† Jesus answered their question by describing events that would happen before that generation passed away.

Daniel Saw the End of the Covenant Age

Daniel 12:1-7
Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time, and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the time of the end, many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.
Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long will it be until the end of these wonders. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
† Daniel links the time of the end to the shattering of the power of the holy people. This is covenant language referring to national Israel's collapse, not global annihilation.
† Jesus quotes Daniel directly in Matthew 24, proving that Daniel's time of the end is the same end of the age Jesus described.
† Scripture interprets scripture. Daniel's end is the end of the Old Covenant system.

The Harvest at the End of the Age Was the Judgment of Old Covenant Israel

Matthew 13:39-40
And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
† Jesus identified the harvest judgment with the end of the age, not the end of the universe.
† This judgment is the separation of true Israel from rebellious Israel.
† It mirrors Old Testament covenant judgment, fulfilled in AD 70.

The Old Covenant Was About to Vanish

Hebrews 8:13
When He said, A new covenant, He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear.
† The Old Covenant system was already fading and was about to disappear. That disappearance occurred when the temple fell.
† This is the end of the age Jesus foretold.
† The writer did not speak of the end of the material world.

Paul Said the Ends of the Ages Had Come on THEM

1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
† Paul wrote that the end of the ages had already arrived in the first century.
† If the end of the age is still future, Paul was mistaken. But scripture is not mistaken.
† The end Paul spoke of is the end of the Old Covenant.

The Old Covenant Heaven and Earth Would Pass Away

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
† Heaven and earth here refer to the covenant order of Israel as God's people under the Law.
† That heaven and earth passed away when the Law was fulfilled and the temple was destroyed.
† Scripture interprets scripture. The phrase does not refer to the physical universe.

The Old Covenant Was Removed in the Time of Reformation

Hebrews 9:8-10
The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food, drink, and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.
† The outer tabernacle was a symbol of the Old Covenant system. It had to be removed for the New Covenant to be fully revealed.
† The time of reformation is the same end of the age Jesus described.
† This happened when the temple fell in AD 70.

Jesus Described Two Ages, Not the End of the World

Mark 10:29-30
Jesus said, Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, and in the age to come, eternal life.
† The present age is the Old Covenant age. The age to come is the New Covenant age.
† Jesus was not describing the end of the cosmos. He was describing a covenant transition.
† We now live in the age to come, the kingdom age.

The Old Covenant Heaven and Earth Were Being Shaken and Removed

Hebrews 12:26-28
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven. This expression, Yet once more, denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude.
† Heaven and earth being shaken refers to God's removal of the Old Covenant system, not the physical universe.
† The unshakable kingdom is the New Covenant, which believers received in the first century.
† This is another clear covenantal end, not a global destruction.

Paul Said the Old Covenant Was Fading Away

2 Corinthians 3:6-14
Who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory. For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory.
For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Therefore, since we have such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away.
† Paul taught that the Old Covenant was fading away in his time.
† That fading ended in AD 70 when the temple was destroyed, ending the covenant system permanently.
† Scripture interprets scripture. This is the end of the age described consistently.

The Old Covenant World Was Passing Away

1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
† John spoke of the world that was passing away, meaning the Old Covenant world, not the planet.
† The language matches Paul, Peter, Hebrews, and Jesus.
† The covenantal world passed away. The physical world did not.

How It Applies To Us Today
† Understanding the end of the age sets believers free from fear based futurism and restores confidence in what Jesus actually fulfilled.
† We live in the New Covenant kingdom, not waiting for the destruction of the planet.
† Fulfilled prophecy strengthens faith, honors Jesus' words, and reveals the consistency of God's plan.

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index
† Matthew 24:1-3, Daniel 12:1-7, Matthew 13:39-40, Hebrews 8:13, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Matthew 5:17-18, Hebrews 9:8-10, Mark 10:29-30, Hebrews 12:26-28, 2 Corinthians 3:6-14, 1 John 2:17

Series - Understanding the Fulfilled View

01 The Time Statements Mean What They Say Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894198244801641/

02 Audience Relevance, Their Generation Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894198808134918/

03 The End of the Age Was Not the End of the World Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894199314801534/

04 The Last Days Were Their Last Days, Not Ours Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894199971468135/

05 The Coming of the Son of Man Was a Judgment Coming Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894200534801412/

06 The Judgment of Babylon Was the Judgment of Jerusalem Website