Studies by Larry
Books by Larry
Not One Stone

When the typical modern Bible reader comes across such language as, "stars falling from heaven, heaven and earth passing away, the sun and moon going dark, the elements melting, the heavens being shaken," they naturally think of this material universe coming to an end.
However, many are surprised to learn that this Apocalyptic Language is used by Jesus and His Apostles, not to describe the end of the world as we know it, but the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in AD 70. There is a vast amount of prophecy which this event fulfills. This type of language is not new with Jesus and His Apostles, but is borrowed from the language of the OT Prophets.

What's Inside:

The reader will learn the difference between the Coming of the Son of man, and the Second Coming of Christ

Learn what was the concept of the Parousia, from the Apostles' point of view.

Learn how to understand this language of the OT Prophets.

Learn how this type of language is used to describe the many different judgments, called the "Day of the Lord".

And Much More!

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Creating the Israel of God

Before the foundation of the world, before light and darkness were divided, before the man and woman walked in the garden, God conceived a body of humanity, holy and blameless, chosen in Christ. [Eph. 1:4] This body would be called the Israel of God, which He predetermined would be adopted into His household through a spiritual birth, in His Son. [Eph. 1:5; Jn. 1:13, 3:5]

As part of bringing this plan into reality, God promised land and seed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He fulfilled these promises in their children. It took both the Sinai Covenant and the New Covenant to fulfill these promises. The Sinai Covenant was a shadow of the “good things to come” in the New Covenant through the Messiah. The Sinai Covenant was to continue until the Promised Messiah should come. [Gal. 3:19]
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The Only Sign Given

When someone points out that Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is not three days and three nights, many will be quick to make their parrot-like remark, “Don’t you know that the Jews counted any part of a day, as a whole day?”

After reading the evidence inside, that tired and worn-out answer will no longer be usable.

What's Inside

Most are unware that during the week of Passover, there are always two days counted as a sabbath.

Smoking Gun Evidence from Ante-Nicean documents, that the tradition was a Tuesday night Passover was held.

The women who followed Jesus play a key role in the chronology of the three days and nights.

The Sign of the Prophet Jonah explained as Jesus intended it to be understood.

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The Determined Time

Would it interest you to know, that God gave Israel a prophecy that told them exactly when the Messiah would come. When the Messiah came, He told them as clear as day, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” The time fulfilled was the Sixty-nine weeks of years from the commandment to return and rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah.

God told Daniel in the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, that He had set a determined time to deal with “thy people and thy city.” This determined time was a period marked off out of Israel’s history, with a beginning and an end, lasting 490 years, without interruption, or gaps.
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Did Jesus Descend Into Hell?
Well, Yes and No

Where Jesus went and What He did during the three days and nights that transpired between His death on the cross and His resurrection, is not a matter of simple curiosity, but of Biblical integrity.

What's Inside

A look at the 4 different words translated as “Hell”, and which ones are associated with Jesus’ descent into the lower parts of the earth

A fresh look at Isaiah 52:14, which sheds light upon Paul’s teachings of Christ’s “emptying Himself” and His “becoming poor, for our sakes.”

An alternative view to 1 Peter 3:18-20, which makes much more sense that the two conventional views held.

Exposing the Word of Faith doctrine that Jesus went into the fiery torments of hell to accomplish man’s salvation.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He descended into the lower parts of the earth, and led captivity captive. Who or what were these captives?

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Historical
- Rabbis Reveal Why Hitler Kicked out Jews
- Tribute to Wade Hampton Wishon
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The Day of the Lord

How Many?

Part Two

By Larry M. Wishon

The Apostolic Expectation

It is obvious from what we just read from Hebrews, the expectation was that the Day of the Lord was near for Judea.

James, chapter 5

James, the (half)brother of our Lord, begins his teaching on the last days, with a warning for the rich.

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

In his denunciation of the rich, he says they have, "heaped treasure together for the last days," thinking that their heaped treasure will deliver them from the coming judgment. However, that which they are trusting in, has corrupted and turned to rust. These rich men obviously thought that they were going into the last days, else why would they need to stockpile their wealth.

In verses 4-6, James continues his indictments against the rich and powerful. They had refused to pay the laborers who reaped their fields. However, the cries of those who have been defrauded, have come into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth, or the Lord of armies. While they defrauded those who reaped their fields, they pampered themselves in a life of plenty and luxury. They have made themselves fat for the coming slaughter. They were responsible for the death of the just ones of God, who did not resist them. In the destruction of Jerusalem, AD 70, many of the wealthy attempted to hide their wealth, by swallowing their gold and silver coins, or jewels. However, this did them no good. Many of them, if they were able to bribe their way out of the city, wound up with their bellies cut open. For their enemies had become wise to this trick of hiding their wealth.

In verses 7-8, James turns his attention to those who had been the victims of the treacherous rich men. James encourages them,

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

The word that James uses here, translated as coming, is Parousia, in both verses. If you have not read the study here on Parousia,, I would encourage you to do so. In essence, this Greek word, means presence, specifically, in this context, it points to the Messianic Kingdom presence of Jesus Christ. It points to His presence as it is seen in His Kingly Authority. Here, in verse 8, James tells his brethren, to strengthen your hearts, because the parousia of the Lord is drawing near. He was encouraging his brethren to remain firm in their faith, for the Kingly Presence of Christ was at hand. This Parousia was two-fold; it was deliverence for the saints, and coming judgment for their enemies.

We can see these two concepts folded into one, in Peter's second letter.

2 Peter, chapter 3

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Peter opens with the commonly stated idea, that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. A thief comes in a time of darkness, and when no one is expecting him. He then states that the result of the coming of the day of the Lord, will be the heavens will pass away with a great sound, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth, or the land, and its works shall be burned up. This is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. We don't have time to flesh this out here, however, in another study we shall address this.

Where Peter says, "Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God." This is our key phrase. The words, "Looking for and hastening," can also be translated as, "expecting and earnestly desiring." Peter exhorts these believers to expect and earnestly desire, the parousia of the day of God. The word here, "coming," is the Greek word, parousia. Peter links the parousia of Christ, with the day of God, or the Lord. With this in mind, this can be understood as the day of Christ, as Paul terms it [2 Cor. 1:14; 1 Thess. 5:2].

Notice also, that Peter states that the heavens and the earth will pass away with fire, while he encourages the believers to expectantly look for and anticipate a new heaven and new earth. In other words, the Old Sinai economy was going to pass away (dissolve and melt) in a ball of fire, while the new heaven and new earth of the New Covenant and the Kingdom of Christ would be established in righteousness.

"Hereafter, you shall see"

It is clear that the Apostles of the Lord, and all New Testament writers, expected the Day of the Lord, spoken of by Jesus, to happen within their lifetime. That this time frame is true, is seen not only because of what Jesus taught them on the Mount of Olives, concerning the coming destruction of the temple, but also because of what He said to the high priest, when they interrogated Him.

On the morning of His crucifixion, the high priest asked Jesus, "Are you the Christ?" Jesus responded, "I am" He then said to the high priest and the members of the council that had gathered together,

"Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God." Matthew's account reads, "From this time," or "From now on."

Jesus informs the Great Council that from the time that He is standing before them, into the near future, they would see Him assuming the Power of the Kingdom of God, and coming in judgement, or the "clouds of heaven." Concerning this, Terry remarks,

We maintain that this language cannot be naturally interpreted as a reference to an event belonging to a far distant period of time. It is something that is to take place from this time onward, and something which the high priests and his associates are to see.

Many mistakenly think Jesus is speaking to them of His Second Coming. However, this cannot be for at least two reasons. The first reason is, He is speaking to them in tones of something that they themselves would live to see. Secondly, it is a grave misunderstanding to think of the Coming of the Son of man, as being equal to the Second Coming. The reasons this cannot be the case, is stated in Coming of the Son of man. This has been the cause of many misunderstandings among both Christian and non-Christian readers alike. By equating the two as the same, we confuse the words of Jesus, making Him out to be a false prophet. A matter His enemies are quick to pickup on. Jesus told His disciples that the coming of the Son of man would be within their lifetimes. This is the point of confusion. Many think Jesus was prophecying that His Second Coming would be within the apostles' lifetime. This is not what He said. The phrase, coming of the Son of man, has a very specific meaning, and is not related to His Second Appearing.

If you are willing to go further in this study, I strongly suggest you read my offering on the Coming of the Son of man.

Not One Stone

What's Inside:

Creating the Israel of God

The Only Sign Given

What's Inside

The Determined Time

Did Jesus Descend Into Hell? Well, Yes and No