Advanced Rightly Divided.... NOT...!

This illustration is full of holes.... http://www.gracebiblestudy.net/Charts/HD1920X1080/Doctrinal-differences.jpg
The “access” which the “both,” NOW, enjoy is an access which the Gentile had never known before in all Acts period. As we think on “The Acts of the Apostles,” we can see the contrast. Peter and Cornelius may have looked to Christ as the Savior. They, both, were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; nevertheless, during the Acts Period, Peter could have passed beyond the wall of partition but had Cornelius done so, his life would have been in jeopardy. Peter and Cornelius were saved by the same grace. They believed the same report from God; yet, Peter withdrew himself from the table of the Gentiles as recorded in Galatians Two. Remember, Peter even said, “Not so Lord,” to the vision in Acts Ten. He even told Cornelius that he would not have hesitated to refer to him as “common and unclean.” When the Church of God, at Jerusalem, heard about the incident with Cornelius, they were shocked and said, “Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them?”(Acts11:3). Even the door of faith was opened to Gentiles in Acts Ten; the “Epistle to the Romans” makes it, abundantly, clear in the Eleventh Chapter. Dispensationally, the Gentile was a “wild olive branch” grafted into the “natural olive tree, contrary to nature.”
The conditions, mentioned, prevented true unity during “The Acts of the Apostles.” However, when the Mystery was introduced after the Pentecostal era, Acts 1 to 28, the Hebrew advantages were abolished. Those who were reconciled to God in ONE BODY, NOW, have access to God “by ONE SPIRIT” (Eph. 2:18). In Ephesians 3:12, it is written, “In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.”
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 Advanced Rightly Dividing

Study of The Word Perish

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Perish

The Biblical word 'perish' has an extremely interesting translational profile. It is the rendering of thirteen different words or word patterns and yet eleven of those account for only twelve verses. The other one hundred and six references come from two words; one Hebrew and one Greek. In this paper I shall aim to look first at the eleven minor definitions of 'perish' before moving on to the two dominant ones.

The first time we encounter 'perish' in the Bible is in Gen 41:36 where Joseph states that food should be stored for seven years so that the land should not perish through famine. The word perish is a rendered of kârath (H3772). The word literally means to cut down or asunder[1]. It is rendered 'cut' on 175 occasions and 'make' 81.

The second occurrence of 'perish' is in Exo 19:21 when it is a rendering of nâphal (H5307). The Lord is instructing Moses not to allow the people to gaze lest they perish. The word literally means to fall[2] which is how it is rendered 355 times. It is also translated 'cast' (24), down(9), divide(4), failed(4) and others.

The third 'perish' is in Exo 21:26 where it describes the condition of a slave that has had an eye perish through being struck. The word perish here is shâchath H7843; which means to decay or ruin[3]. It is rendered destroy(95), corrupt(22) or mar(6).

The next of the more minor definitions of perish occurs in 1Sa 26:10, 27:1; it is used by David to describe a possible fate of someone in battle. The word rendered perish is sâphâh (H5595) but it is used in contrast to death. The word literally means 'to scrape' or to 'snatch away'[4]; thus David is probably viewing this person as being captured by the enemy. It is otherwise rendered: consume(5), destroy(5), add(3)

Another word rendered 'perish' is ‛âbar (H5674) which really means to transition between two things[5]. It is generally rendered: over(177), pass(154), passed(117), go(52) and others. However in Job 36:12 it is used to describe the fate of the wicked by the sword. Thus it is describing that transition between life and death.

The last of the Hebrew words that have a minor 'perish' rendering is dâmâh (H1820) which occurs in Psa 49:12,20. On other occasions it is part of the expression 'beasts that perish'. Strong's suggest that dâmâh really means to be dumb or silent; in which case that would strike me as a perfectly reasonable translation here: 'beasts that are dumb'. Brown, Driver & Briggs rather suggests the word means to cause to cease or to cut off: which would support 'perish' as a translation. The word is otherwise rendered: cut(5), brought(2), silence(2) and others once.

The first of the minor Greek sources of 'perish' is really an expression 'eiēn eis apōleia' which is literally 'might go into ruin or loss'[6]. The word for ruin and loss is also rendered perdition (8), destruction(5) and waste(2). The phrase was used by Peter to describe his preferred fate of the money he had been offered to purchase the gift of God (Acts 8:20).

Paul offers the next Greek word rendered 'perish'; this time in Acts 13:41. Here he is describing his preferred fate of those that refuse to believe the Gospel. This time the word is aphanizō (G853) and means to 'render unapparent' or 'disappear'. The word is rendered as corrupt(2), disfigure(1), perish(1) and vanisheth(1).

The next word for perish is diaphtheirō (G1311) which means to 'rot thoroughly' or to completely decay[7]. It is used to describe the condition of the outward man in 2Co 4:16. It is also rendered as destroy on three occasions and corrupt twice.

The next Greek expression rendered as 'perish' also focuses upon the notion of decay; but this time describes the condition of heading towards decay. The expression is eis phthora (G1515, G5356) and occurs in Col 2:22 and describes the fate of the law (which of course is designed to restrict the outward man whom we saw in the previous paragraph is rotting thoroughly!) Phthora is also rendered corruption(7) and destroyed(1).

The final of the minor Greek sources of 'perish' is really 'utterly perish' and has a similar root to the previous word. It is kataphtheirō (G2704) which means to 'rot down'[8]. The word is used in 2Pe 2:12 to describe the outcome of false teachers; whom we are told just 'rot down in their own corruption'. The word is also rendered 'corrupt' on one occasion.

Reading the above one might readily imagine that just about every form of perishing has been covered. We have seen people being cut, falling down, being beaten, dying, entering perdition, rotting thoroughly, beginning to rot and even rotting down to nothing. Yet none of the above is the dominant meaning of 'perish'.

The dominant meaning of 'perish' in the Bible is provided by 'âbad H6 and the Aramaic equivalent ăbad H7. This is described by Strong as a primitive root meaning to wander away or to lose oneself. The word is rendered perish(98), destroy(60), lost(9) and a number of others once.

The commonest Greek source of the word perish is similar but rather more aggressive. The word is apollumi (G622); which essentially means to 'cut away'[9]. The word is rendered perish(33), lose(28) and destroy(26). We see that the end effect is thus the same as 'âbad; namely that you should be 'apart from'. The difference is that in the Hebrew the focus is that one should put oneself in that position; the Greek view is rather that you could be put in that situation.

I think that in many ways this word study forms a message in its own right. There are many ways in which people and things can and do perish. Many of them are violent and, to use a modern expression, 'totally gross'. Nonetheless, from the Biblical perspective, by far the commonest method of perishing is to cut oneself off or to be cut off from the fellowship of God and His people. May this encourage us in our pursuit of the lost.

[1]  (Strong, H3772)

[2]  (Strong, H5307)

[3]  (Strong, H7843)

[4]  (Brown, Driver and Briggs, H5595)

[5]  (Strong, H5674)

[6] From the Strong's descriptions of G1498, G1519 and G684

[7]  (Strong, G1311)

[8]  (Strong, G2704)

[9]  (Strong, G622)

  

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MLA: Bayliss, D.A. "Perish." Bible Exposition. 02/22/2015. Web. February 22, 2015----------

The Wicked Shall Perish: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). A double enunciation of the truth is couched in this short text. It is that eternal life is to be obtained only through Christ, and that all who do not thus obtain it will eventually perish. John testifies further on the same point in his first epistle (1 John 5:11): "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." From which it follows, as a most natural consequence, that "he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." Verse 12.

Biblical references of the word PERISH

Genesis 41:36

that the land PERISH not through the famine

Exodus 19:21

lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them PERISH

Exodus 21:26

if a man smite the eye of his servant…that it PERISH

Leviticus 26:38

ye shall PERISH among the heathen… the land of your enemies shall eat you up

Numbers 16:33

went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they PERISHED

Numbers 17:12

Behold, we die, we PERISH, we all PERISH

Numbers 21:30

Heshbon is PERISHED even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste

Numbers 24:20

his latter end shall be that he PERISH for ever

Numbers 24:24

he also shall PERISH for ever (Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! v. 23)

Deut. 4:26

ye shall soon utterly PERISH… ye shall not prolong your days… but shall utterly be destroyed

Deut. 8:19

I testify against you this day that ye shall surely PERISH

Deut. 8:20

As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye PERISH

Deut. 11:17

the LORD's wrath… no rain… and lest ye PERISH quickly from off the good land

Deut. 26:5

A Syrian ready to PERISH was my father

Deut. 28:20

until thou be destroyed, and until thou PERISH quickly

Deut. 28:22

consumption… a fever… the sword… (etc.) they shall pursue thee until thou PERISH

Deut. 30:18

ye shall surely PERISH… ye shall not prolong your days

Joshua 22:20

that man PERISHED not alone in his iniquity (Achan, who was stoned and burned- 7:25)

Joshua 23:13

they shall be snare and traps… until ye PERISH from off this good land

Joshua 23:16

then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall PERISH quickly

Judges 5:31

So let all thine enemies PERISH, O LORD

1 Samuel 26:10

his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and PERISH

1 Samuel 27:1

I shall now PERISH one day by the hand of Saul

2 Samuel 1:27

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war PERISHED (Cf. v. 25- slain)

2 Kings 9:8

the whole house of Ahab shall PERISH: and I will cut off from Ahab

Esther 3:13

to destroy, to kill, and to cause to PERISH, all Jews

Esther 4:16

and if I PERISH, I PERISH (Cf. v. 11- to put him to death)

Esther 7:4

to be destroyed, to be slain, and to PERISH

Esther 8:11

to destroy, to slay, and to cause to PERISH

Esther 9:28

days of Purim should not fail… nor the memorial of them PERISH

Job 3:3

Let the day PERISH wherein I was born (Cf. v.5- Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it)

Job 4:7

who ever PERISHED, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Job 4:9

By the blast of God they PERISH, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed

Job 4:11

The old lion PERISHETH for lack of prey

Job 4:20

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they PERISH for ever without any regarding it

Job 6:18

They go to nothing, and PERISH (Cf. v. 17- they vanish… they are consumed)

Job 8:13

the hypocrite's hope shall PERISH (Cf. v. 12- withereth; v. 14 – cut off; v. 15 – not endure)

Job 18:17

His remembrance shall PERISH, and he shall have no name in the street

Job 20:7

Yet he shall PERISH for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Job 29:13

The blessing of him that was ready to PERISH came upon me

Job 30:2

whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was PERISHED?

Job 31:19

If I have seen any PERISH from want of clothing

Job 33:18

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from PERISHING by the sword

Job 34:15

All flesh shall PERISH together, and man shall turn again unto dust

Job 36:12

they shall PERISH by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge

Psalm 1:6

the way of the ungodly shall PERISH

Psalm 2:12

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye PERISH from the way

Psalm 9:3

When my enemies are turned back, they shall fall and PERISH at thy presence

Psalm 9:6

a perpetual end… destroyed… their memorial is PERISHED with them (Cf. v. 5- for ever and ever)

Psalm 9:18

the expectation of the poor shall not PERISH for ever

Psalm 10:16

The LORD is king for ever and ever: the heathen are PERISHED out of his land

Psalm 37:20

the wicked shall PERISH… they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away

Psalm 41:5

Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name PERISH?

Psalm 49:10

he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and brutish person PERISH

Psalm 49:12

man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that PERISH

Psalm 49:20

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that PERISH

Psalm 68:2

as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked PERISH at the presence of God

Psalm 73:27

they that are far from thee shall PERISH: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee

Psalm 80:16

It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they PERISH at the rebuke of thy countenance

Psalm 83:10

Which PERISHED at Endor: they became as dung for the earth

Psalm 83:17

Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and PERISH

Psalm 92:9

thine enemies shall PERISH; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered

Psalm 102:26

They shall PERISH, but thou shalt endure (Cf. v. 27- thy years shall have no end)

Psalm 112:10

he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall PERISH

Psalm 119:92

Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have PERISHED in mine affliction

Psalm 146:4

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts PERISH

Proverbs 10:28

the expectation of the wicked shall PERISH (Cf. v. 27- the years of the wicked shall be shortened)

Proverbs 11:7

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall PERISH: and the hope of unjust men PERISHETH

Proverbs 11:10

when the wicked PERISH, there is shouting

Proverbs 19:9

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall PERISH

Proverbs 21:28

A false witness shall PERISH: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly

Proverbs 28:28

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they PERISH, the righteous increase

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people PERISH

Proverbs 31:6

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to PERISH

Ecclesiastes 5:14

those riches PERISH by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand

Ecclesiastes 7:15

a just man that PERISHETH in his righteousness… a wicked man that prolongeth his life

Ecclesiastes 9:6

their love…hatred… envy, is now PERISHED, neither have they any more portion for ever

Isaiah 26:14

dead, they shall not live… deceased… destroyed them, and made all their memory to PERISH

Isaiah 27:13

they shall come which were ready to PERISH

Isaiah 29:14

the wisdom of their wise men shall PERISH

Isaiah 41:11

ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing: and they that strive with thee shall PERISH

Isaiah 57:1

The righteous PERISH, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away

Isaiah 60:12

the nation and kingdom… shall PERISH; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted

Jeremiah 4:9

the heart of the king shall PERISH

Jeremiah 6:21

the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbor and his friend shall PERISH

Jeremiah 7:28

truth is PERISHED, and is cut off from their mouth

Jeremiah 9:12

the land PERISHETH and is burned up like a wilderness

Jeremiah 10:11

even they shall PERISH from the earth

Jeremiah 10:15

in the time of their visitation they shall PERISH

Jeremiah 18:18

the law shall not PERISH from the priest

Jeremiah 27:10

that I should drive you out, and ye should PERISH

Jeremiah 27:15

that I might drive you out, and that ye might PERISH

Jeremiah 40:15

wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews… and the remnant in Judah PERISH?

Jeremiah 48:8

the valley also shall PERISH, and the plain shall be destroyed

Jeremiah 48:36

he riches that he hath gotten are PERISHED

Jeremiah 48:46

he people of Chemosh PERISHETH (Cf. v. 45- a fire… a flame… shall devour)

Jeremiah 49:7

Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel PERISHED from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?

Jeremiah 51:18

in the time of their visitation they shall PERISH

Lamentations 3:18

My strength and my hope is PERISHED from the LORD

Ezekiel 7:26

the law shall PERISH from the priest

Ezekiel 25:7

I will cause thee to PERISH out of the countries: I will destroy thee

Daniel 2:18

that Daniel and his fellows should not PERISH (Cf. v. 13- the wise men should be slain)

Joel 1:11

the harvest of the field is PERISHED

Amos 1:8

I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod… the remnant of the Philistines shall PERISH

Amos 2:14

the flight will PERISH from the swift

Amos 3:15

I will smite the winter house… houses of ivory shall PERISH, and the great houses shall have an end

Jonah 1:6

if so be that God will think upon us, that we PERISH not

Jonah 1:14

let us not PERISH for this man's life

Jonah 3:9

Who can tell if God will turn and repent… that we PERISH not?

Jonah 4:10

the gourd… came up in a night, and PERISHED in a night (the worm smote it that it withered- v.7)

Micah 4:9

is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor PERISHED?

Micah 7:2

The good man is PERISHED out of the earth: and there is none upright among men

Zechariah 9:5

the king shall PERISH from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited

Matthew 5:29

that one of thy members should PERISH, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell

Matthew 5:30

that one of thy members should PERISH, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell

Matthew 8:25

his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we PERISH

Matthew 8:32

the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and PERISHED in the waters

Matthew 9:17

else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles PERISH

Matthew 18:14

it is not the will of your Father… that one of these little ones should PERISH

Matthew 26:52

all they that take the sword shall PERISH with the sword

Mark 4:38

Master, carest thou not that we PERISH?

Luke 5:37

else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall PERISH

Luke 8:24

they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we PERISH

Luke 11:51

From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which PERISHED

Luke 13:3

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise PERISH

Luke 13:5

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise PERISH

Luke 13:33

it cannot be that a prophet PERISH out of Jerusalem (Cf. v. 31- for Herod will kill thee)

Luke 15:17

How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough… and I PERISH with hunger!

Luke 21:18

But there shall not an hair of your head PERISH

John 3:15

That whosoever believeth in him should not PERISH, but have eternal life

John 3:16

that whosoever believeth in him should not PERISH, but have everlasting life

John 6:27

Labour not for the meat which PERISHETH, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life

John 10:28

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never PERISH

John 11:50

that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation PERISH not

Acts 5:37

he also PERISHED (Cf. v. 36- who was slain)

Acts 8:20

But Peter said unto him, Thy money PERISH with thee

Acts 13:41

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and PERISH

Romans 2:12

For as many as have sinned without law shall also PERISH without law

1 Corinthians 1:18

the preaching of the cross is to them that PERISH foolishness; but unto us… it is the power of God

1 Corinthians 8:11

And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother PERISH, for whom Christ died?

1 Corinthians 15:18

Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are PERISHED

2 Corinthians 2:15

in them that are saved, and in them that PERISH

2 Corinthians 4:16

though our outward man PERISH, yet the inward man is renewed day by day

Colossians 2:22

Which are all to PERISH with the using

2 Thessalonians 2:10

with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that PERISH

Hebrews 1:11

They shall PERISH; but thou remainest

Hebrews 11:31

By faith the harlot Rahab PERISHED not with them that believed not

James 1:11

the grace of the fashion of it PERISHETH: so also shall the rich man fade away

1 Peter 1:7

being much more precious than of gold that PERISHETH

2 Peter 2:12

as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed… shall utterly PERISH in their own corruption

2 Peter 3:6

Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, PERISHED

2 Peter 3:9

not willing that any should PERISH, but that all should come to repentance

Jude 1:11

and PERISHED in the gainsaying of Core

The wicked shall perish.

The saved shall never perish.

The sincere reader will understand that the primary meaning of perish is to die, to lose life, to come to an end, or to be destroyed.

PERISH is paralleled with die, kill, destroyed, consumed, slain, being eat up, laid waste, go to nothing, be as nothing, vanish, withereth, cut off, turn again unto dust, deceased, fade away and utterly wasted.

PERISH is illustrated by dung, turning again to dust, consuming into smoke, melting like wax before a fire, melting away, a vine being burned by fire, breath leaving a body, years being shortened, a city being uninhabited, and bottles breaking.

PERISH is contrasted to prolonging days, days not failing, enduring, abiding, having no end, living, eternal life, everlasting life, being renewed, and remaining.

Things that perish are land, an eye, people, weapons of war, dung, beasts, names, expectations, riches, wisdom of wise men, nations, kingdoms, houses, body members, bottles, hair, meat, and money.

That which causes things to perish are famine, God's wrath, smiting, warring nations, sickness, the sword, battle, fire, want of clothing, evil travail, and hunger.

As to any secondary meanings of perish, NONE express a continual process without an understood end.

As to any secondary meanings of perish, NONE even remotely express the theory of endless torment.

---------

N. T. Use of the Word Apollumi (Perish, Destroy)

(excerpts from the book "The Wages of Sin" by Charles Walsh)

A consideration of the words used in the Greek New Testament.

In the preceding papers of this series we have submitted to a careful examination some of the words most frequently used in the Hebrew Scriptures to denote or to describe the end of the unsaved. We now would direct the reader to the New Testament, and the examination of the words used therein in the teaching, warning, or demonstration of the wages of sin.

Apollumi.- This word is translated in the A.V. as follows: "Destroy," 23 times; "lose," 21 times; "be destroyed," 3 times; "be lost," 10 times; "be marred," once; "die," once; and "perish," 33 times.

In examining "the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth" we must ever remember that the literal sense of the words is prima facie their true sense. It is this literal sense which is the common, ordinary, fundamental basis of all language, and accurate communication of thought. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth to age-abiding life" (John 6:27). "They shall perish, but Thou remainest" (Heb. 1:11). None can fail to see that the word perish in these passages is the opposite of enduring or remaining. By what system of contrarieties do men seek to explain the Bible when the object of perishing is the sinner? Why should perishing in this special case mean remaining or enduring in conscious suffering? Dean Alford is responsible for the following statement:

"A canon of interpretation which should be constantly borne in mind is that a figurative sense of words is never admissible except when required by the context."

To this all will heartily agree who believe that God's Word is His revelation, and to this we seek to adhere. When we read in Heb. 11:31, "By faith, the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not," we do not understand the word "perish" to signify living in agony or remorse, but that Rahab was saved from the fate which awaited the inhabitants of the city of Jericho. Let God be true, though it makes every man a liar. Let Scripture tell us what "perishing" in Heb. 11:31 means:

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and ass, with the edge of the sword .... and they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein .... and Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive" (Josh. 6:21D25).

Here inspired comment is absolutely opposite to the orthodox teaching concerning this word "perish."

In Luke 6:9 the Lord Jesus, speaking with reference to healing on the Sabbath Day, says, "Is it lawful .... to save life or to destroy it?" Here the word "destroy" (apollumi) is used in its simple primary meaning, and is contrasted with "save." A reference to Matt. 12:will show, further, that the Lord used as an illustration the case of saving the life of an animal. In Luke 17:27 the same word is used of the flood which "destroyed them all," and in verse 29 of the effect of the fire and brimstone which fell upon Sodom and "destroyed them all." When we read Luke 9:56, "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them," why should we distort the meaning of the word? Why not believe that the Lord used a fit and proper word, indeed the most suitable word which the language provided?

It is the same word translated "perish" that occurs in that oft-quoted passage John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Here the subject is lifted to the highest level. Here is no ambiguous phraseology, neither figure, nor parable, but plain gospel spoken in solemn earnestness by the Lord Jesus Himself. He says that there are two alternatives before men, the one - life everlasting, the other - perishing, utter destruction (Heb. 11:, Josh. vi.), and from this doom He came to save those who believed in Him. Hence we read in Luke 19:10, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (apollumi). Man by nature was on the road which leadeth to destruction.

The primary meaning "perish," or "destroy," becomes changed in the transition of language to the derived and secondary meaning "lost." Thus we read of the "lost" sheep, and the "lost" son in the parables of Luke 15, and in the "lost" sheep of the house of Israel in Matt. 10. The fragments left over after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand were gathered so that nothing should be "lost" (John 6:12). It is pitiable to hear those who should know better arguing that because we read of a "lost" sheep, which could not mean a "destroyed" sheep, that therefore the plain, primary meaning of the word must be ignored and the secondary derived meaning be understood in such clear, solemn passages as John 3:16, etc..

Notice the way in which the Lord uses the word in Matt. 10:28. "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (gehenna)." Here we have an argument which proceeds from the lesser to the greater. Man can only kill the body. God can destroy body and soul. Man may kill, but he cannot prevent resurrection: The murdered man will as surely rise in the resurrection as the one who dies of natural causes. It is different, however, with God. He can cast men into the lake of fire, which is the second death, from which there is no resurrection. Those who are thus cast in are destroyed body and soul, as being no more fit to live.

The parallel passage to this, Luke 12:4, 5, shows that to "cast into gehenna" is to be taken as synonymous with "to destroy," or "to perish." This is further evidenced by Matt. 5:29, "It is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into gehenna." Here the plain meaning is that it is better that a limb should perish than that the whole body should perish. There is no thought of agony and torment, for the Lord would have used the word in Matt. 10:28, "Fear Him who is able to torment both body and soul in hell," had He meant to convey such teaching.

The fact that men are "perishing" and need salvation is emphasized again and again. We have noticed the word in John 3:16. In 1 Cor. 1:18 we read, "For the preaching of the cross is to them who are perishing - foolishness, but unto them who are being saved - unto us it is the power of God." It is the same word (translated "lost" in A.V.) in 2 Cor. 4:3, "If our gospel is veiled, to them who are perishing it is veiled."

Yet again in 1 Cor. 15:18 we read, "If Christ hath not been raised, to no purpose is your faith, ye are yet in your sins, hence also they who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished." What does this mean? Does it mean that believers, apart from the resurrection of Christ, are at this moment suffering the agonies of hell fire? Certainly not. It means exactly what it says. Without resurrection the believer, like the unbeliever, will have perished, will have passed out of being, will have been destroyed. The idea of a conscious intermediate state, with departments in some mythological hades, is foreign to the Scriptures and antagonistic to this passage. Death ends life, and apart from resurrection death means utter destruction. Praise be to God for this blessed hope. Resurrection, which is everywhere the one theme of hope in the Scriptures, is set aside by orthodoxy, and death instead is eulogized as the gate to life.

We have yet further evidence as to the meaning of this word apollumi by considering the inspired interpretation of the word Apollyon (Rev. 9:11), which is a derivative of apollumi. The passage gives us the Hebrew equivalent of apollumi, it is the word Abaddon, from abad, which we considered on page 8 of this Volume. The unmistakable meaning of abad is to destroy, and thus we are given, to confirm our faith, the divine warrant that the word under consideration means to "destroy." In the context of Rev. 9:11 the locusts, whose king is Apollyon, are definitely withheld from destroying or killing (their normal work), and are only permitted to torment men for five months, after which other horsemen receive power to kill those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads. Before passing on to the consideration of the next word, we would like to quote the primary meaning of apollumi as given by Liddell and Scott:

"Apollumi. To destroy utterly, to kill, slay: of things, to demolish, to lay waste, to lose utterly."

Apoleia. - This word is a noun derived from the word apollumi, and means destruction. It is rendered by the A.V. as follows: "damnation," once; "damnable," once; "destruction," 5 times; "to die," once; "perdition," 8 times; "pernicious ways," once; and with eimi eis and accusative, "perish," once; "waste," twice. The words "damnation " and "damnable" both occur in 2 Peter 2:1, 3, "damnable heresies," and "their damnation." The same word is rendered "pernicious ways" in verse 2, and "destruction" in verse 1: Here the one word apoleia is rendered by four words in those verses. The R.V. renders the word "destruction," and destruction consistently (the word "pernicious" in verse 2 is not apoleia in the best Greek MSS. and is rendered "lascivious doings" in R.V.). In Pet. 3:7 the word occurs again, translated "perdition," and finally in verse 16 it is translated "destruction," which passage the R.V. renders as in the second chapter - "destruction."

Once again we shall find that this word, like apollumi, is contrasted with life, "Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction .... narrow is the way that leadeth unto life" (Matt. 7:13, 14). The context immediately continues, "Beware of false prophets," which connects this passage with its inspired exposition in 2 Pet. 2:3. In John 17:12 we have a solemn passage wherein the Lord uses both apollumi and apoleia. "None of them is lost, but the son of perdition." This is also the title of antichrist in 2 Thess. 2:3. Again the word occurs in Acts 8:20, "Thy money go with thee to destruction." In Rom. 9:22 we read of "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction." The apostle uses the word twice in Philippians, "token of perdition" (i. 28), and "whose end is destruction" (3. 19). In I Tim. 6:9 we have a collection of words, of which the Greek language does not possess any stronger, to express literal death and extinction of being. Hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction (olethros) and perdition (apoleia). Does it not appear unreasonable to say continually that men will perish or be destroyed if they are, in fact, to be kept alive in suffering, and that they are to be miraculously preserved from perishing or from being destroyed?

There is one more point which we must bring forward before closing this article. The subject of the soul, its nature and immortality, is discussed at great length by Plato in the Phaedon, a dialogue on Immortality, and therein is discussed the question of the literal destruction and extinction of the soul. Plato wrote in Greek, his native tongue, and the Phaedon became the great classic treatise on the subject of Immortality, read, studied and debated throughout the Greek-speaking world during the four hundred years between its writing and the ministry of Christ. Plato's words practically stereotyped the philosophical phraseology of the time. The purpose of the dialogue is to show that in death the soul does not become extinct, that it cannot die, perish, or be destroyed. Modern orthodoxy, therefore, is found ranged with Plato against the Word of God. These words of Plato were known and of fixed meaning in the days of Christ and the apostles. Christ came to reveal the truth. Shall we say that, knowing as He did the meaning of the words used on the subject of the soul, He willfully, and without explanation, took those very words concerning the very same subject, and used them in an altogether contradictory sense! The idea is impossible. With reference to the philosophic usage of apollumi, we give the following extract from the Phaedon:-

"Socrates, having said these things, Cebes answered: I agree Socrates, in the greater part of what you say. But in what relates to the soul men are apt to be incredulous, they fear .... that on the very day of death she may be destroyed and perish .... blown away and perishes immediately on quitting the body, as the many say? That can never be . . . the soul may utterly perish ..... the soul might perish .... if the immortal be also perishable. The soul when attacked by death cannot perish."

To those who knew these words, who taught them, and argued about them, was sent a "teacher from God," and standing in their midst He reiterated the fact that Plato was wrong, that the soul could be destroyed, that it would perish. What would any of that day have thought of the suggestion to make such words convey the sense of endless misery, so diametrically opposed to their meaning? Would he not have been justified in replying in the language of a well-known public school head master:

"My mind fails to conceive a grosser misinterpretation of language than when the five or six strongest words which the Greek tongue possesses, signifying 'destroy,' or 'destruction,' are explained to mean maintaining an everlasting but wretched existence. To translate black as white is nothing to this." —Dr. Weymouth

We believe sufficient has been shown to establish the fact that, in the usage and meaning of apollumi and apoleia, destruction, utter and real, is the true meaning, and that this is the wages of sin.

The Coming Kingdom of God

SEED & BREAD Number 194: NEXT

THE KINGDOM IS COMING

(Originally published 10 Oct. 86)

In regard to the emphatic and unqualified declaration made in the subject of this study, I will even be more positive and say that of this I am sure — as sure and certain as anyone can be concerning things to come — the kingdom of God is coming. Yes, as sure as God exists, as sure as the sun will be in the sky tomorrow, the day is surely coming when God in Christ will take unto Himself His great power (Matt. 28:18), judge the peoples of the earth righteously (Acts 17:31), and govern the nations upon the earth (Psa. 67:4).
As to when this great divine action will take place, I do not know. It may take place today, or it could be next week or next year, or it may not be for a hundred years. Waiting for it is a definite part of our walk before God. Thus, we wait for that "one divine event to which the whole creation moves."
There is no prophecy that must be fulfilled before God assumes sovereignty. All God needs to do is speak in heaven and its inauguration will take place upon the earth. Then we can truthfully say: "The Lord reigneth’ and praise Him because "He has taken to Himself His great power and does reign’ (Psalm 96:10, Rev. 11:17).
Due to the manifest sway of evil upon the earth today we know we are living in the last (concluding) days of God’s long display of grace. From Scripture we know that the manifest kingdom of God will be the next condition of things upon this earth. However, no one knows the date when God will speak in heaven and assume sovereignty over this world. It has not been given to me or to anyone else to know "the times or the seasons which the Father has put in His own power" (Acts 1:7). The restoration of the kingdom (divine sovereignty) to Israel is one feature of God’s government of the world, and it was not given to the Lord’s most favored disciples to know as to the time of this. But we can be sure it will take place, even as we are told in God’s Word (Zech. 14:9).
In handling this great truth of the coming of divine government upon the earth, we must be careful not to confuse events or to scramble times and seasons. God’s initial act when His benevolent rule over mankind begins is the divine assumption of sovereignty. He takes to Himself His great power and governs the earth and all men upon it. The Lord does not descend from heaven with a shout as described in 1 Thess. 4:16, for this imposition of government will be as described in Matt. 12:18-21. "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon Him, and He will show judgment to the nations. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the nations trust."
Jesus Christ will remain seated and acting upon the rights of God until His foes are made His footstool. "For he must reign (govern) until He has put all enemies under His feet" (1 Cor. 15:25).
"The LORD’S throne (seat of government) is in heaven (Psa. 11:4). "The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens" (Psalm 103:19). Three times in the Word, God has declared that heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool. See Isa. 66:1, and Matt. 5:34, 35. So again I say, when God’s administration of grace ends and His administration of government begins, that government will proceed from the throne and not from the footstool.
Many contemporaneous events are included in the initial act of God, the divine assumption of sovereignty, and these works of God will form the foundation of the just rule of God over the earth and its inhabitants. But we must be careful not to relate to it events which have no place. Common sense will tell us that an event in which there is no cry, neither will any voice be heard, cannot be the same as an event in which the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. Matthew 12:18-21 cannot be the same event as 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
The magnificent things that take place at God's assumption of sovereignty are numerous and they lay the foundation and provide the framework for His righteous government over mankind. Without these the kingdom would be like a man without a skeleton. Briefly stated these acts of God are the enlightenment of the world (Psalm 97:4); the pouring out of God's Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28); the unveiling (apokalupsin) of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:7); the manifestation (epiphaneia — blazing forth) of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13); the divine evaluation (judgment) of all the living and all the dead (2 Tim. 4:1); plus many other related events which are clearly enunciated in Scripture.
In proclaiming that the kingdom is coming, by "kingdom" I mean government." I do not mean that a "land" is coming or even that a "king" is coming. I mean that a divine adminstration, oversight, rule, reign, guidance, control, or regulation, is coming from God. And let no one say that I believe in a kingdom without a king. One has already been established a King, now the question is when will He take to Himself His great power and do the things everyone knows a good King should do. And remember, that if Jesus Christ cannot govern this earth from heaven, then He cannot govern heaven from the earth.
To me there is not one shade of difference in the phrases "the kingdom of God" and "the government of God." In fact, if I were translating the whole Bible, I would render the Hebrew word malkuth and the Greek word basiliea by the word "government" in every occurrence, except in a few cases where synonyms such as rule, control, or sovereignty would more clearly set forth the nuances indicated by the context.
Thus, it is God’s government that is coming upon the earth, and this government will include every human that has ever lived in this world, those who are among the living at the time it comes and all who are among the dead. This truth is expressed in the usually ignored and neglected declaration found in 2 Timothy 4:1, which faithfully translated reads: "I charge you therefore before God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead at His epiphaneia (blazing forth) even His kingdom."
This epiphaneia, a blazing forth of the glory of our great God and Savior, is the first positive manifestation that the government of God is a reality. From that point on every man living upon the earth will know Who Christ is and What He is, fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah: "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (Isa. 40:5). It will also fulfill God's promise made through Habakkuk; "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (2:14).
This blazing forth and the start of God’s manifest government are one and the same. This passage troubles many readers of 2 Timothy since it describes a universal judgment, the living and the dead — all inclusive, but this is because they read far too much into the word "judge’ They give to this word an unlimited meaning, making it cover every detail of one’s life, settling all destinies and rewards once for all. The believer is to come into no such judgment as this as we are told in John 5:24, but he will come into another judgment as declared in 2 Tim. 4:1.
This judgment, limited as to its purpose, is a divine evaluation, and it will determine who among all mankind are to have a place in the kingdom of God. If you and I are among the living when God assumes sovereignty this evaluation of all who are then living will determine if we are to be blessed by continuance among the living. And if we are among the dead this evaluation of all the dead will determine if we are to be raised from among the dead to enjoy the rich blessings that will be the portion of those upon this earth.
Let it be carefully noted that when the kingdom of God becomes a reality, our entrance into it or our exclusion from it is going to be determined by the life we have lived during our days upon this earth. Can anyone read 1 Cor. 6:9-11 and Gal. 5:19, 21 and say that exclusion from the kingdom of God is not determined by the life one has lived upon this earth? Furthermore, can anyone read John 1:12; 3:16, 17, 18; Acts 10:35 and say that entrance into eonian life (which is life in the kingdom of God) is not to be determined by things done upon the earth?
Let no one think that the enlightenment of mankind which takes place upon God’s assumption of sovereignty will give to anyone a "second chance:’ an opportunity to reconsider and do right by the God who is our Savior. God is not running a lottery. The Bible reveals and it is also quite evident that some individuals have so lived that their conduct has made them persona non grata (an unacceptable person) so far as life under God's benevolent government is concerned. Let no one deceive himself. The life you are living today, our present attitude toward the God who is our Savior may be the facts that will exclude you from the kingdom of God. Remember, the Bible says "He that has the Son has life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12).

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The Glory of God

Posted in: 2004
By Tom L. Ballinger
Feb 26, 2008 - 6:10:06 PM

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Wednesday, August 11, 2004

PLAINER WORDS … THE GLORY OF GOD

While the Old Testament prophets each had different messages from the LORD concerning specific things for their time and place, they all had one message in common—the future world-wide appearing of the glory of God. The Apostle Peter summed up a common theme which all of the prophets proclaimed in the following verses.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).

God spoke “by the mouth of all of His holy prophets, since the world began,” concerning the restoration (re-creation) of the world. Very little attention is paid to His promise that there would be a new creation to replace the one ruined by sin and death (cf. Isaiah 65 & 66). This was the constant theme of the Old Testament Prophets. It was also a constant theme of the New Testament Apostles and Prophets. Not only that, but the Apostle Paul wrote concerning it in his post-Acts epistles.

Why do most teachers of “right division” ignore the splendor of this future event? Why is it they can see no value of it in their writings or teaching? In order to avoid having to deal with the issue of the “the restitution of all things,” they ignore its relevance as it relates to Present Truth.

We purpose to show that the Hope of today’s calling is intimately linked to “the restitution (restoration) of all things.” While Present Truth was “hid in God” from ages and generations, and not made known to the sons of men until the Prisoner of the Lord received the revelation, it’s Hope was not “hid from ages and generations” (Col. 1:26).

“Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing (epiphaneia) of the GLORY OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST” (Titus 2:13). Young’s Literal Translation of the New Testament.

The coming manifestation of the Glory of God was not a secret. All of the prophets spoke about it. His glory will be seen, comprehended, and displayed when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11).

Every effort has been made to identify every passage of Scripture which relates to the glory of God being manifested. We have selected some for this article in order to give a glimpse or highlight of what we can know about the next coming attraction—the Epiphany, to wit the Epiphaneia.

Notice what the LORD told Moses;

“And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” (Numbers 14:20-21).

This is very emphatic; “But as truly as I live” all the earth will be filled with the glory of God. From the creation of Genesis 1 until the Flood in Noah’s day, Genesis 7, the earth had been filled with God’s glory. When all things are restored again to the pre-Flood conditions, once again the earth will be filled with the “glory of the Lord.” Between the Flood and the present day the glory of the LORD has not been displayed.

Habakkuk spoke as one of the prophets concerning the “restitution of all things” when he said;

“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

In that day, all of mankind will know the “glory of the LORD,” even as did the ancients before the Flood.

King David was also a prophet. In one of his recorded prayers, he mentioned the coming restoration of God’s manifest glory.

“Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen” (Psalm 72:18-19).

Psalm 97:6 speaks concerning the future display of God’s glory, saying the heavens will declare His righteousness, and all of the people shall see His glory.

In Isaiah 6:3, it is written what the serpahims response is when they are given a glimpse of the glory of God being manifested in that future day:

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”

Again, Isaiah mentioned the prophetic fact that the LORD (Yahweh/Jesus) will do a work of rejuvenation in which the glory of the LORD will be revealed;

The prophet describes the revealing or appearing of the glory of God results in the earth being full of the knowledge of the LORD (Yahweh/Jesus).

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth [i.e. the restored earth] shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

“And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 40:5).

This truth is not connected with the Parousia [Second Coming] of Christ, nor is it connected with the millennium. The appearing (Epiphany) of the glory of God comes well in advance of both, yes, even hundreds of years.

The glory of the LORD being manifested will be associated with the “restitution of all things” in which the cosmos will be restored to its original state.

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

The “new heavens and a new earth,” here, is new in respect to the current heavens and earth. This does not refer to the “new” of 2 Peter 3:13 or Revelation 21:1 (see note in The Companion Bible, page 1012). “The former” refers to the present heavens and earth.

The “appearing of the glory of God” is an integral part of the “restitution of all things” which all of the prophets spoke about as we are reminded by Simon Peter in Acts 3:19-21.

One of the most overlooked Scriptural facts is that the gospel of the glory of God was committed to the Apostle Paul.

“According to the glorious gospel [the literal translation is; the gospel of the glory] of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust” (1 Timothy 1:11).

The Apostle of the good news of the GLORY OF GOD said that we, as members of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head, should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world …

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing [literally, the appearing of the glory] of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

“The glorious appearing,” to a certain degree, veils the actual meaning of the phase, which is: “the appearing of the GLORY of God.”

“Young’s Literal Translation of the New Testament” shows that in the cases of
1 Timothy 1:11 and Titus 2:13, the subject is the GLORY, not the appearing.

While many truths related to the Holy Secret were “hid in God” and not made known to the sons of men as it is now revealed, the appearing of the GLORY OF GOD was not a secret. Our hope will become an actuality when the Lord Jesus Christ speaks from heaven, and all beings in the universe, both human and spirit, acknowledge that He is the Lord, and then the GLORY OF GOD blazes forth.

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing [Epiphany] and his kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1).

The blazing forth of His glory ushers in the Day of His Exaltation—the Day of Jesus Christ. What a magnificent Day or age this will be!

“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11).

Tom L. Ballinger

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True Meaning of The Parousia

SEED & BREAD Number 25: NEXT
THE PAROUSIA OF THE LORD JESUS
In the pre-recorded history (prophecies) of the future benevolent services which the Lord Jesus Christ will yet perform for mankind, one of the most important is that which will be accomplished in His thousand year parousia. Having established in Issue No. 23 the meaning of the Greek wordparousia, I shall henceforth use it as an English word in the confidence that my readers will understand that by it I mean a personal presence when one is present because of who or what he is and what he does in view of this.
The great truth of the parousia of the Lord Jesus is unknown and unrecognised by most readers of the English Bible since the word is not found there. It is wrongly translated "coming" in twenty-two of its twenty-four occurrences. It is the parousia of Jesus Christ that will prepare and qualify mankind for the place he will have and the services he will perform in the new heaven and new earth. Under that new order the tabernacle of God will be with men and He will dwell with them and they will be His people and He will be their God (Rev. 21:3). Not even that long term of school in the kingdom of God will fully prepare men for this position and service. We will yet need the learning and discipline that comes from Christ being personally present because of Who He is and what He will do.
When we consider that the event which is commonly called "the rapture" is one that is related to the parousia, and which so many are saying is the next event in God's prophetic program, it causes us to realise the need for an objective study of the parousia of the Lord Jesus.
It is in Matthew 24:3 that we find the first mention of this great event. The Lord's twelve apostles came to Him privately upon the Mount of Olives and asked the question, "What will be the sign of your parousia, even the consummation of the eon?"
The eon here is the kingdom eon, that pre-advent time of divine government that prepares mankind for the parousia of Jesus Christ. The eon consummates in the parousia, and it is the consummation of that eon. In justification of the above translation I would cite the following:

• There is a rule of Greek grammar which is as follows. When two nouns in the same case are connected by the word kai (and), and the second noun lacks the definite article, then the second noun refers to the same person or thing as the first noun and is a definition of it. An example of this will be found in 1 Cor. 15:24 where Paul speaks of "God, even the Father" (Theo kai patri).

This rule applies to the two nouns found in the question asked by the apostles (parousia and sunteleia). They are asking about one thing, not two things. The parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ is the consummation of the eon -- not this present evil eon, but the glorious eon of the day of Christ, that eon of divine government which is next to come upon the earth.
I am fully convinced that the word sunteleia means a coming together of all that is necessary to produce a desired goal or end, so I have used the word consummation to translate it. The word here is not telos (the actual end) but sunteleia, the act of completing to produce a desired result.
It will help us to fix the meaning of sunteleia in our minds if we will remember that the consummation of a woman's pregnancy is the birth of a living child. A child born dead would be the end of her pregnancy but it would not be the consummation of it. The goal would not have been reached.
There is nothing in this passage about the coming of Christ. How could there be when He was then present with them? The disciples' question concerns His parousia, which they further describe as being "the consummation of the eon". As said before, the eon spoken of here is the eon of the kingdom of God. The consummation of the kingdom eon is the parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, His parousia will not be ushered in without a great struggle of opposition on the part of Satan. The developments and the outcome of this struggle are set forth in the ensuing portion of Matthew 24.
In answer to their question the Lord sets forth certain significant events that will precede His parousia. They asked for the signs of it and this is what He gives to them. These are:

1. Men coming in His character claiming they are the Anointed One,
2. Battles and reports of battles,
3. Nation rising up against nation and government against government,
4. Famines,
5. Pestilences, and
6. Earthquakes.

And since these things have always been prominent in the earth from the time of the entrance of sin (they were prominent when the Lord spoke these words and have been prominent ever since) the logical mind will wonder how they can possibly be signs of the nearness of His parousia.
The answer is that they cannot be and it is illogical to cry "signs of the times" every time a famine or earthquake or pestilence occurs. However, when we understand the flow of events set forth in the time periods of the New Testament we realise that these things have ceased under God's government which precedes these events and the parousia. The rigid restraints (Isa. 30:31) and the swift punishments that will characterise the government of God will keep all such things from happening. But when these restraints are lifted and the restrainer Himself (the Holy Spirit) is removed, evil men and evil conditions will again appear and be highly significant. It should also be apparent that the great drama that is written out in detail in Matthew 24 can never be acted out until the twelve apostles have been raised from the dead and are in their positions as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. These words and warnings were spoken to them, and not to us. Nevertheless, all readers are cautioned, "Whoso readeth, let him understand" (Matt. 24:15).
The actual period of time being dealt with here is the seventieth week, a seven year period, of Israel's seventy weeks as revealed in Daniel 9. This seven year period is divided into two parts and it is the last three and one-half years that makes up "the great tribulation". This begins the great struggle for it in the middle of the week that Satan is cast down to earth, raging with great wrath because he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).
It is then that all the governing people in Israel ("them which be in Judea" Matt. 24:16) must flee to the mountains. This will be an orderly migration, a work of faith, and the apostles will be in absolute charge. They are to take nothing, since the same Lord who fed and clothed their murmuring fathers in these same mountains for forty years can certainly supply the needs of this righteous band for forty-two months.
It is the presence of Satan, the great deceiver, upon the earth, that makes this to be a time of affliction such as has never been before. But they are safe in their divinely appointed place in the mountains and the forces of antichrist do not dare to go in and bring them out, so they spend their time marching up and down the streets of Jerusalem. This is the time when "Jerusalem shall be trodden of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". See Eze. 30:2, Luke 21:24, Rev. 11:2. But it seems they begin to look foolish marching up and down the streets of Jerusalem when the ones they seek to capture and destroy are in the mountains. And it is when they assemble at Megiddo in preparation for turning into the mountains that the Lord comes and fights against them. This is the battle of Armageddon, in which not one life is lost except those who are in revolt against Israel and against God's government. Remember that the "man of sin" is destroyed by the blazing forth (epiphaneia) of His parousia (2 Thess. 2:8).
In answering their question concerning the signs of His parousia He warns them to disregard all declarations that He has returned to the earth and is in the desert or hidden away in some secret chamber in the city, thus to avoid all stratagems that would lure them out of their divinely appointed place of safety. He then states with absolute finality:

• "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the parousia of the Son of Man be." (Matt. 24:27.)

From this we know that His parousia will be sudden, dramatic, and public. The idea of a secret parousia is unknown in the Word of God.
As the Lord continues His message He declares that it is "immediately after the tribulation of those days" that they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt. 24: 29, 30). This is the coming that results in His parousia.
One evident fact that will be apparent to all who examine the four occurrences of the word parousia in Matthew 24, is that it is an event that comes after the great tribulation and not before. It cannot be moved around to suit the whims of faulty prophetic schemes. It is also seen to be one definite event. Any attempt to make two parousias will not stand the test of Scripture.
One of the most important references to the parousia of the Lord is found in 1 Thess. 4:15-17 where Paul prefaces his declaration by saying, "This we say unto you by the word of the Lord," which indicates a new revelation not made by anyone before. He continues by saying that those who are alive and remain unto the parousia of the Lord shall in no wise be a step ahead of those who are asleep. He declares that the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the chief messenger, and with the trump of God. This is His coming, His coming in order to be personally present. As He descends those who are then "dead in Christ", a martyred group who gave up their lives in the great tribulation, will be raised and these with the living shall be caught up with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air. It is wrong to twist this into the idea that He is coming to take these people to heaven. He is coming to be personally present upon the earth and here to accomplish all the great works that His many offices indicate. He is not coming to govern. After the kingdom experience those who still need government have not acquired the maturity that is necessary for a place on earth when He is personally present in view of all that He is and all that He will do.
The words of the scoffers who ask, "Where is the promise of His parousia?" (2 Pet. 3:4) are tantamount to saying, "There is no promise of a parousia in the Bible." The amillennial school of interpretation is doing this today. They are a sign that we are in the closing days of this dispensation. Don't listen to them. NEXT

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