Now with regard to the previous citations....I have been doing some reading....
Mic 4:1-4
"And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the house of YHWH will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it peoples must stream. 2 And many nations will certainly go and say: Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. 3 And he will certainly render judgment among many peoples, and set matters straight respecting mighty nations far away. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. 4 And they will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making [them] tremble; for the very mouth of YHWH of armies has spoken [it]."
This is a repeat of Isaiah's prophesy (Isa 2:2-4).....It is talking about "the final part of the days".
I believe that we are living in "the final part of the days" right now because the events on earth fulfill prophesy uttered by Jesus concerning his return. (Matt 24:3-14)
Just because the prophesy is yet to be completely fulfilled doesn't mean it is false. It is in its outworking with many features already unfolded. Some yet to come.
Jesus words went beyond just the events of 70 C.E, they applied on into the future when he promised to return to judge the nations.
He will fulfill Isaiah 11:1-5.
His words also coincide with Daniels prophesy about "the time of the end". (in Dan 12:4, 9, 10)
Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem including its temple (Matt 24:1, 2) and he warned his followers to flee to the mountains to escape the Roman seige that would cause immense suffering for Jerusalem's inhabitants. (Luke 21:21-24) Obedient ones escaped with their lives and little else, fleeing to the city of Pella.
After the first seige in 66C.E was abandoned, the Jews thought that they had repelled the Romans as political victory, but it opened up the opportunity for Christians to escape. The return of the Roman legions in 70 C.E was not expected. The seige of Jerusalem was horrendous.
Should God not have warned his people? Why were the Christians the only ones get the warning and escape?
The Bible book of Zechariah foretells: When that time comes, ten men will take hold speaking all the languages of the nations will grab hold of the cloak of a Jew and say, We want to go with you, because we have heard that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:23 CJB.)
Who is this Jew?
Who are the "ten men"?
When we examine the history of God's people, one thing stands out....only a remnant of the original group ever remained faithful.
In the global deluge of Noah's day a mere remnant of humanity survived. (Gen 7:23) Used by Jesus Christ to describe the situation at the conclusion of the days. (Matt 24:36-39)
Only a remnant of Israel returned from exile. (Isa 1:9; 11:11, 16; 37:31, 32; Jer 23:3; 31:7-9)
"For, although your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea,only a remnant of them will return.
Destruction is decreed, overflowing with justice." (Isa 10:22, 23; 1:9 CJB)
When fleeing for his life Elijah said to God's angel, I have been very zealous for Adonai the God of armies; because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, broken down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. Now Im the only one left, and theyre after me to kill me too. (1 Kings 19:10)
God's messenger spoke to him of a remnant who had remained faithful.
God said, (in verse 18) "Still, I will spare seven thousand in Israel, every knee that hasnt bent down before Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.
Only 7,000 out of the nation had not worshipped Baal.
When Christ came, only a remnant in Israel accepted him, treading the same path that they had always followed.
If this is the pattern, then why are we surprised that the majority of Jews today are still awaiting the Messianic prophesies to be fulfilled?
When the Christ comes again, "in the final part of the days" it will be to "render judgment among many nations and set matters straight". Those not already aligned with Messiah's kingdom will lose their inheritance and their right to live under kingdom rule. How sad for them.
When Jesus came as Messiah he was baptized by John, not for repentance for breaches of the law, but because he was dedicating himself from that moment on the the work of the Messiah. He indicated on one occasion, that Isaiah 61:1 ("The Spirit of Adonai Elohim is upon me, because Adonai has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark") was fulfilled in him.
His activity as recorded in the Greek scriptures certainly fulfilled those words. The Jewish religious leaders at the time did not accept him.
So we are left to decide who is telling the truth.
What do the facts show?
