#preterism

// exploring #preterism and #preterist eschatology //

If our views of Genesis are faulty our views of Revelation will also be faulty.  In other words, having a faulty understanding of “first things” invariably leads to a faulty understanding of “last things.”  [ Futurist paradigms and modern mystical ‘theories’ like Covenant Eschatology and the Immortal Body at Death view are classic examples of this. ]

However, if we set Genesis in its ‘proper historical context’ the message of scripture becomes far more intelligible.

Christ and His ministers cited many texts from Genesis but they never claimed that Moses wrote them.  Indeed, scripture nowhere claims that Moses wrote the narratives and genealogies recorded in Genesis.

Moses’ name is completely absent from Genesis.  However, when we come to Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, phrases such as, "The Lord said to Moses," and, "God spoke to Moses saying," are frequently used.  This is a strong indication that he did not write Genesis.

Although Genesis makes no claims to mosaic authorship the discovery that Moses was not its primary author comes as a surprise to many.  Why?  Because our fathers have told us that Moses is the author of Genesis and we are taught not to question their authority.

Before ancient Clay Tablets were unearthed in the Near East it was not known that writing had been used in this region for thousands of years before Moses’ time (circa. 1500BC).  Lacking such vital information led to imagination running wild concerning the authorship of Genesis.

However, thanks to the efforts of archaeologists we are now in a position to better understand the historical context in which Genesis was written.

As we shall see, the ‘key’ to understanding the structure of Genesis can be found in the recurring motif, “these are the generations of.”  Without this ‘key’ we can never fully understand the first book of the bible.

Does this matter?  Yes.  Because already mentioned, having a faulty understanding of “first things” invariably leads to a faulty understanding of “last things.”  But once we set “first things” in their proper historical context “light” is shed upon both ends of the bible.

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For more, please read on. :)

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Max King, The “Second Coming” of Jesus – What Is It?

“The Jewish people knew that Messiah was coming, and they expected him in that generation, but they had been led to look for something that was contrary to what actually came. In this manner many of them were blinded to the first coming of Christ.

In the same way many are blinded to the second coming of Christ. Both comings were to transpire within the same generation. But what is the reaction of people today when told that Christ came the second time at the end of the Old Covenant age? It is similar to the majority of the Jewish people’s reaction to his first coming: They didn’t believe it, even though they knew the signs for the coming of the Messiah. Christ was not in person, purpose, and work what many of the Jewish people thought he should be, so many today are still waiting for one to come who will fulfill their desires and concepts.

The church was originally taught to look for the second coming of Christ in that same generation of his first coming. Time-wise, we know his second coming was then at-hand (James 5:8). But many do not believe that he came then. Why? Because that second coming of Christ was not in manner, purpose, and result what they think it should be, therefore they are waiting for a second coming that will meet their demands and fulfill their expectations.

// exploring #preterism and #preterist eschatology //

As scholarship advances our understanding of scripture, guided by our God-given commonsense, should be advancing with it.

Tragically this is not possible for many religious people because they have convinced themselves that scholarship passed away with the Reformers.

Traditionalists view any kind of change with suspicion.  However, continually striving for a better understanding of scripture is the cornerstone of full preterism — just as continually striving for a better understanding of creation is the cornerstone of science (Ps 111:2).

Full preterism is built around the principle known as ‘audience relevance’.  Consistent eschatological paradigms like the Essential Body View (EBV) start with ‘audience relevance’ before considering ‘personal relevance’.

Conversely, futurism and inconsistent eschatological paradigms like Covenant Eschatology and the Immortal Body at Death view start with ‘personal relevance’ then consider ‘audience relevance’.  This invariably leads to damaging application.  (It is especially damaging to the young, uniformed, vulnerable, and proud.)

Scripture predicted that “the end" would come after the "power of the holy people” had been “completely shattered" and “every stone” of their Temple “thrown down” (Daniel 12, Matthew 24).

The record shows that this was fulfilled when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem during the Great Jewish Revolt and burned their Temple to the ground (circa. 70AD).  This was not the “the end" of history.  Rather, it was the establishment of God’s Kingdom in history.

Consistent full preterism does not undermine people’s “faith in God."  On the contrary.  It strengthens people’s "faith in God" by severing it from gross superstitions and erroneous traditions.

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For more, please read on. :)

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We are fast approaching a world that is steadily becoming saturated with the type of thinking that what is wrong, is right and vice versa. A world where heretical views are seen as right and those who hold to these views are perceived to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, with a mindset that believes the success of one’s ministry is measured by either the number of one’s followers, those on one’s…

Preterism.  If this is what the earthly kingdom looks like, the King should be fired… I encountered this many years ago among some who professed to be Dispensational Right Dividers, particularly a person by the name of Martin Ran. The Preterist view interprets some or all biblical prophecies as having already been fulfilled in the first century with respect to Jesus’ earthly ministry, the…