Okay, so tell me something...
In John 4:21-24 we have Jesus talking to the woman at the well. Here is some of what He said:
"21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
So here is our Lord saying that people"will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. " The time was coming, and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. " With this in mind what are we to do with Zechariah 14:16-17, clearly a prophecy at some point in the the future, where people will go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts. Is what Jesus told that woman at the well merely a temporary experience in God's plans? How about the possibility that Zechariah 14:16-17 is not some prophecy of the future at all; but a description of the history of the church between His first coming and His second?
Looking at Zech. 14:18-19 we see that the LORD shall strike those nations that do not go up to worship with some plague and with no rain. I've been to Egypt. Without the Nile it is arid and desolate. Are they now experiencing that which Zechariah said would happen if they did not go up to worship the King? ... Read Hebrews 12:22-24 to see where I'm going with this.
Mark
Labels: Normative Dispy challenge
posted by mark pierson at 8:36 PM
3 Comments:
Interesting! Looking forward to your conclusion.
April 19, 2008 11:20 PM
Wayne, Jesus Christ and His finished work is central throughout scripture. We are in Christ like the children of Israel dwelt in booths. That system has everything look backwards. Suddenly we go backwards and the worshipers are back worshiping in Jerusalem reversing what Jesus told the woman at the well. The Millenium sees sacrifices reintroduced when Hebrews says they were types and shadows, Christ being the substance. That system is "Israel-Centric" while the other systems are "Christo-Centric". All things in the OT pointed Heavenward, and ultimately to Christ. Christ is central. Thus I conclude that the non Dispy view of Zechariah 14 is closer to the Bible's overall Christocentric theme. Matthew Henry provides a great alternative commentary on Zechariah 14; alternative to dispyism that is.
April 20, 2008 2:37 PM
http://www.christchurch-virginiawater.co.uk/articles/hermeneutics.htm
April 22, 2008 12:20 PM
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