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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Most Embarrassing Verse

In The Bible

Part Two

By Larry M. Wishon

The Coming of the Son of man is Time Restrictive

Everywhere a time element is given concerning the coming of the Son of man, it is said to occur before that current generation expired.

Matt. 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

When Jesus instructed His disciples, to flee a city when they encountered persecution, He plainly told them, they would not, “have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.” In this, He says that they will not have visited every city or town of Israel, before the Son of man has come. The phrase, "cities of Israel," can refer to those of Judea, or to the cities in which Israelites are found, throughout the empire. Whether they understood this as His coming in judgement against Judea, Jerusalem, and its temple, is not clear at this point. What is important is the time limitation. He makes this time restriction clearer to them, the closer they come to the end of His ministry.

Matt. 16:28 “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”

The occasion of this statement was when Jesus took His disciples to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, and asked the question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” After they gave various answers, He asked them, “Whom do you say that I am?” This is the question that every person must answer for themselves. Peter responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It was during this time with the disciples, that Jesus said to them that, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” Here Jesus stated that the Son of man would come in His Kingdom before all of his original 12 disciples died. This is virtually the same as the following,

Matt. 24:34 “This generation shall not pass away until all these things be done.”

In the Olivet discourse, found in Matthew 24 (also Mark 13 & Luke 21), Jesus is answering the disciples’ questions regarding His comments about the destruction of the temple. Among some of the things He describes, He said,

Matt. 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Matt. 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

(For a discussion on the meaning of the cosmic distress language described above [vs. 29], see my studies,The Prophet's Tongue and The Day of the Lord, How Many?.)

After the tribulation of those days, meaning the days in which the Judeans are in the midst of a great national catastrophe, ending in the destruction of their temple, their city and their way of life, the sign of the Son of man in heaven would appear. All the tribes of the land would mourn and they would see “the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” What is the meaning of the “sign of the Son of man in heaven?” John Gill gives us this explanation of the sign, which I fully agree with.

“It may be observed, that the other evangelists make no mention of the sign, only speak of the son of man, ( Mark 13:26 ) ( Luke 21:27 ) and he shall appear, not in person, but in the power of his wrath and vengeance, on the Jewish nation which will be a full sign and proof of his being come: for the sense is, that when the above calamities shall be upon the civil state of that people, and there will be such changes in their ecclesiastical state it will be as clear a point, that Christ is come in the flesh, and that he is also come in his vengeance on that nation, for their rejection and crucifixion (of) him, as if they had seen him appear in person in the heavens. They had been always seeking a sign, and were continually asking one of him; and now they will have a sign with a witness.”

Here, the sign of the Son of man in heaven, is the end of the Jewish State, along with the destruction of its visible, covenantal symbol, i.e., the Jerusalem temple. With the razing of this edifice, the unbelieving Jews would know that the Messiah has come and established His kingdom. This would explain why all the tribes of the land would mourn. Regardless of how we may interpret these verses, there is one thing that we cannot doubt. After making these statements about His coming, He then says,

“Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” [Matt. 24:34]

The generation to whom He was then speaking, would in no wise pass away “till all these things be fulfilled.” What things? Everything He had just previously spoken of. Everything from Matthew 24:4 through Matthew 24:33, would be accomplished before that generation to whom He was speaking passed away.

Regardless of how we understand the “sign of the Son of man” or His coming “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” it had to occur before that generation expired. There is no doubt in that.

Matt. 26:64 “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

After the arrest of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, He was brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. After several failed attempts to find witnesses against Him that agreed, Caiaphas said,

“I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.”

This was meant to force the truth from Jesus. It is similar to today when someone places their hand on the Bible in court and swears to tell the truth, the whole truth “so help me God.” Caiaphas was requiring Jesus to answer in the absolute truth “by the living God.” Jesus, who is the Truth, could answer with nothing less. He said,

“I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)

You may have heard some advocate that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah. However, this exchange between Caiaphas and Jesus puts that nonsense to rest. Here and in other places, Jesus clearly admits His identity. When asked if He is the Messiah, the Son of God, He responds, “I am.” This answer is actually much more emphatic in the Greek. This simple phrase, I am (Ἐγώ εἰμι), can be translated, I myself am, to the exclusion of anyone else. We should also note that this phrase, “I am,” is also taken as the name of the Almighty (Exodus 3:14). This is important to remember when you come to all the “I am” sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John. The use of this by Jesus is also another claim to His divine identity.

The answer to their question signifies that He is the long awaited Anointed of God (Messiah/Christ), and because He is, “ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Remember, Jesus is addressing the whole council, the Great Sanhedrin. He says to them, “You shall see.” The you is plural, so He is addressing the whole council. He is telling the Great Sanhedrin that they will see “the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” You might not realize it, but this is a time restrictive statement. The Great Sanhedrin ceased to exist at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. So this meant that the great council would see this coming of the Son of man before the temple and city was completely destroyed.

It is important to note that in Matthew’s account, Jesus states, “Hereafter ye shall see.” The word “hereafter” means from this point in time forward. Jesus is telling them from the time of His condemnation forward, they shall begin to see the signs and evidences that He has attained to His rightful place at the right hand of Power (Ps. 110:1). The tearing of the veil of the temple and the resurrection was the first two major signs of this. The final sign would be on public display, for every eye to see [Rev. 1:7], at the destruction of the temple and the city.

Jesus is telling the council, "I may be presently standing before you bound, beaten, bloodied and not much to look at. However, after this is over you are going to see me and know I am on the throne of my Father and I will come to you in power and judgment. The tables will be turned. It shall not end well for you."

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

What's Inside

Most Embarrassing Verse

In The Bible

Part Two

The Coming of the Son of man is Time Restrictive

Did Jesus Descend Into Hell?
Well, Yes and No