Understanding the Message

Simple lessons in hermeneutics, the science of interpreting scriptures is to know (1) whose speaking, (2) to whom the speaking is done (3) about whom or what is being spoken. These simple principles often used by rational minds are jettisoned when speaking about bible prophecy.

John Spoke About the Coming Wrath

It is a theme shared by several writers of the Bible. Many today speak of a yet to come wrath. They hold people in fear and trepidation.

Seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, John asked, Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)Using the principles above, we first identify John, the immerser, as the speaker.

Secondly, he addresses his contemporaries, Pharisees and Sadducees as a brood of vipers. He wants to know why they, in addition to penitent disciples have come to his baptism? Who had warned them to flee from the coming wrath?

Thirdly, he speaks concerning the wrath to come or the about to come wrath, literally, the coming wrath. John's message grew out of a contemporary ongoing event, his baptisms, to a contemporary people, those who had come out from Jerusalem and Judea and from around the Jordan river to be baptized of him.

Next was the reason and motivation that drew them there in large numbers, a desire to escape what he styles the coming wrath. It is apparent that John's hearers believed this coming wrath would happen in their lifetime and that their present action of repenting and confessing their sins could avert its effect on them.

Paul and the Coming Wrath

For Paul, the wrath is once again contemporary and applicable to the same people in the same locale. Identifying those who murdered the Messiah, a geographical link is made to the same area where John preached and baptized.

"For you became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost." (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

As with John the baptizer, Paul targets the impenitent antagonists of Judea and people around Jerusalem as those marked for the coming wrath. Likewise he sees the event as contemporary to his generation.

Using the same words as John, he urges that his readers wait for the Lord from heaven who delivers us from the wrath to come, literally, the about to come wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Luke's Prophecy Concerning Wrath and The Temple

Describing what is commonly known as the overthrow of the Jewish temple and their theocratic state, (Luke 21:5,6), Luke says there would be great distress in the land [of Judea] and wrath upon this people. (Luke 21:23).

He too cites Jerusalem and Judea as the scene of this wrath. He marks it as the time when all things written are fulfilled, (21:22) connecting it to the coming of the Son of Man (v. 27), the coming of the kingdom (v. 31) all within that generation which would by no means pass away till all these things take place, (v.32).

Thus for all those who spoke of the coming wrath, they saw it related to Jerusalem and Judea, to John and Jesus' contemporaries and murderers. It was imminent in their day and happened before that generation passed. A simple lesson on hermeneutics, who's speaking, who's spoken to and what is spoken about will go far to cure the prophetic madness afflicting the church and society today.

William Bell is a minister, a speaker on Covenant Eschatology and author of "The Re-Examination" a study of the Second Coming.

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