I think that the New Testament's dealing with "end time" topics is broader than just what will happen in our future. Some topics related to events which happened around AD67-70.
But I also think some end-times topics referred to events on both sides of AD70.
For example, in Hebrews it says Christ was crucified "in the end of the world". That was some 40 years before AD70!
And Jesus was already saying "the time is fulfilled" at the start of His ministry, some 3 1/2years before the cross. "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand," He said - even then.
At the cross He said, "It is finished". He said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood..."
There was also an aftermath of that generation in Israel's unbelief, in AD70, with the destruction of the Temple and city - although covenantally, spiritually and in truth AD70 didn't change anything. The cross changed it. Israel's unbelief in the next 31/2years after the resurrection unfortunately made the events of AD70 inevitable.
Yet although we already now have a New Covenant, already have seen the end of the Old Covenant, and already enjoy the Kingdom of God, and have already seen the terrible destruction of AD70, still there is a sense in which we are still waiting for the "end of all things", for the Kingdom of God, still waiting for "all things to be made new".
So it's like the entire Gospel-time is a time when both the full end and the full beginning are upon us. There's been a timespan in-between - but the timespan is not of the essence. Covenantally and spiritually all of it is called, Today. And no man, no angel, not even the Son of Man, knows when it will end - only the Father knows.
It's like Daniel's 70th week ended 31/2 years after the cross, at the martyrdom of Stephen, from which point onwards the Gospel went to the Gentiles (although Jews could still be saved, of course, if they continued not in unbelief - for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance). We are living now in the aftermath of those seventy weeks - which is the Kingdom of God.
But the Kingdom of God has both inauguration and consummation phases. An already and not yet sense.
We live in a time when the end of all things, and all things being made new, are both "upon us" - both "at hand". The time is "fulfilled". The Old Covenant has seen its end, although the end of all things is still at hand; similarly we already have the new birth, although the newness of all things is still at hand. Eternal judgment awaits. New heavens and a new earth await. The resurrection awaits.
Bible eschatology encompasses all of those topics. It can't all be thrown into AD70. Some began before. Others are still to come.
So, beloved, "It is the last hour".
As John said, so too we can say that we are "in the Kingdom of our Lord" despite present imperfections.
But I also think some end-times topics referred to events on both sides of AD70.
For example, in Hebrews it says Christ was crucified "in the end of the world". That was some 40 years before AD70!
And Jesus was already saying "the time is fulfilled" at the start of His ministry, some 3 1/2years before the cross. "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand," He said - even then.
At the cross He said, "It is finished". He said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood..."
There was also an aftermath of that generation in Israel's unbelief, in AD70, with the destruction of the Temple and city - although covenantally, spiritually and in truth AD70 didn't change anything. The cross changed it. Israel's unbelief in the next 31/2years after the resurrection unfortunately made the events of AD70 inevitable.
Yet although we already now have a New Covenant, already have seen the end of the Old Covenant, and already enjoy the Kingdom of God, and have already seen the terrible destruction of AD70, still there is a sense in which we are still waiting for the "end of all things", for the Kingdom of God, still waiting for "all things to be made new".
So it's like the entire Gospel-time is a time when both the full end and the full beginning are upon us. There's been a timespan in-between - but the timespan is not of the essence. Covenantally and spiritually all of it is called, Today. And no man, no angel, not even the Son of Man, knows when it will end - only the Father knows.
It's like Daniel's 70th week ended 31/2 years after the cross, at the martyrdom of Stephen, from which point onwards the Gospel went to the Gentiles (although Jews could still be saved, of course, if they continued not in unbelief - for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance). We are living now in the aftermath of those seventy weeks - which is the Kingdom of God.
But the Kingdom of God has both inauguration and consummation phases. An already and not yet sense.
We live in a time when the end of all things, and all things being made new, are both "upon us" - both "at hand". The time is "fulfilled". The Old Covenant has seen its end, although the end of all things is still at hand; similarly we already have the new birth, although the newness of all things is still at hand. Eternal judgment awaits. New heavens and a new earth await. The resurrection awaits.
Bible eschatology encompasses all of those topics. It can't all be thrown into AD70. Some began before. Others are still to come.
So, beloved, "It is the last hour".
As John said, so too we can say that we are "in the Kingdom of our Lord" despite present imperfections.
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