More Precision
No one likes to be wrong. A fear of being proved wrong can affect the presentation of prophecies. Two common ways are:
These two types of word can never be proved wrong. The problem is that no one can be sure if they have been fulfilled, so God is not honoured.
Giving dates is not necessary, but listeners need to know, if the word is for the next few months (urgent), the next few years (get prepared), or later in the century (hope for long-term victory).
2 comments:
This makes sense.
I can tell....mostly. EVEN IF, John the Apostle couldn't.
"Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." Rev 22:7
You should not malign John. He is a good example of precise delivery of vision and prophecy.
There are two word for “come” in Greek: parousia and erchomai. The NT always uses parousia for Jesus second coming. Erchomai is used to describe a coming in judgment.
The verse you quote uses erchomai and refers back to the use of erchomai in Rev 2:5, 2:16 and 3:11, where John warned that Jesus was bringing judgement against the church. These judgments happened soon after, so John was being precise by warning that those judgments were coming soon (not now).
The widespread belief that the apostles thought the second coming was coming soon is nonsense.
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