An eschatological question:
When did the so-called "end of the world" take place?
Answer:
Hebrews 9:26 (KJV),
The so-called "end of the world" occurred when Jesus died on the cross, that is, when He appeared to put away sin by sacrificing Himself, circa 33AD.
How is this possible? The key is understanding the Greek behind the phrase "end of the world". It is as follows:
...συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων (
synteleia tōn aiōnōn)...
See:
https://biblehub.com/interlinear/heb...bG0FDKfBb4_Vz4
In fact, wherever in the King James Version of the Bible the phrase "end of the world" exists, you will find the Greek phrase above. So, what does "...συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων (
synteleia tōn aiōnōn)..." mean?
It means "the consummation of the age/s" (sometimes the last word is found in the singular, sometimes in the plural).
One key place you can find this phrase is in
Matthew 24:3 (KJV):
Many millions of Christians over the years have believed and insisted that
Matthew 24 is a long-term, even far future prophecy of the so-called end of the world. But note the Greek used here in
Matthew 24:3:
...συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος (
synteleias tou aiōnos)...
See:
https://biblehub.com/interlinear/mat...kZKhPygmPzyvxE
It's the same phrase. The disciples didn't want to know anything about some far-flung concept of global, even planetary destruction. They were not concerned with the end of a "what", but rather, with the end of a "when". That "when" was the age in which THEY were living, that would come to an end. And Jesus told them plainly throughout the rest of the chapter: When the Romans destroy Jerusalem, in particular the temple, as happened 40 or so years later in 70 AD.
What does this mean for us today? It means the church needs a radically differently eschatological paradigm. Said more bluntly, it's high time believers got their head out of the news and back into the Book.
Ephesians 3:21 (KJV),
Jesus is not glorified in the church through all ages, world without end, if He smashes to bits the planet and annihilates the people He came to save, the very ones He sacrificed Himself at the consummation of the ages nearly 20 centuries ago, to rescue and redeem. To think otherwise is to admit Christ is defeated, and that God cannot save to the uttermost all who come to Him through His Son, at least not everyone. Just some.
The truth is your world might end today. You've got enough to worry about without fearing some so-called always in the future but never seems to happen "end of the world" scenario that isn't taught in the Holy Scriptures.
And if you know these things, dear brothers and sisters, you might find the strength, courage, and resolve, to start putting things back together that have fallen apart, starting with the Tabernacle of David, that is, the Church, and then, you might find the strength, courage, and resolve to help the Lord Jesus save the world God loved enough to send His Son to, to bring it back from the dead.
Matthew 28:20 (KJV),
Tikkun Olam 2021.