.

.III a. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Paul)

• If the Apostles believed the coming of the Lord Jesus was at the end of the "1000 years" Millennium of Rev 20:1-7 and 2 Peter 3:8-10, Paul could not have taught the likelihood of himself being among those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord as he plainly does in 1 Thess 4:16-17. A Postmillennial eschatology would have forced him to plainly place himself among those "fallen asleep" at the coming of the Lord. Futher, all apostolic alarm of Christ's "soon" return would have been replaced by the comforting doctrine of a "1000 years" Millennium countdown to Christ's coming. (That's a long snooze button). Read more ...

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

III b. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Universalism)

1. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. The Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 the Raising of the Dead in Christ because that would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4), was an event a "1000 years" Millennium prior to 1 Thess 4:16, that it was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles, thus driving the conclusion that Rev 20:4 was a "coming to covenant life," (being born-again). This, in turn, would drive the conclusion that the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a was a "coming to covenant life," as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse. The implication, then, would be that whether one lives & dies as "Blessed & Holy" or as "the Rest of the Dead," he still eventually "comes to covenant life," making faith & obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. That conclusion is Universalism, a cancerous doctrine at odds with Scriptures' command to obey to the Word of God the Judge of all men. Note also, Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 because there is no mention of non-Christians, ("the Rest of the Dead" of Rev 20:5a), being raised up alongside "the Dead in Christ" in 1 Thess 4:16. However, there is mention in 1 Thess 4:13 of "the rest who have no hope" which does, in fact, correspond to Rev. 20:5a "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

III c. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Satan)

1. Along with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a), the "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

2. Satan cannot be released at Jesus' "soon" Return since Jesus promised to "soon crush Satan under your feet," (Rom 16:20), not "soon release Satan from the Abyss beneath," (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

3. Satan cannot be released as Jesus Returns. Therefore, the "1000 years" Millennium cannot end as Jesus Returns.

Romans 16:17-20
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS. 7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

.

1. Jesus taught His Return would come to pass before the Apostle's generation passed away, LINK.
2. Jesus' Apostles understood, expected & taught Christ's Return before their generation passed away, LINK.
3. Though "neither the day nor the hour," (date & time), of Christ's Return was known by Jesus & His Apostles, they did plainly understand which generation would see it, their generation, LINK. The individuals who saw the Master go away were to be the very ones to see Him come back, as all the parables of a returning master describe, LINK.

.

.ERROR II: Counting the "1000 years" Millennium not an actual 1000 years

The Millennium, (Latin for "1000 years" as are the Bible's actual words), is a finite period of time with epoch events marking its start and end points:

1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

---

 

.III a. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Paul)

• If the Apostles believed the coming of the Lord Jesus was at the end of the "1000 years" Millennium of Rev 20:1-7 and 2 Peter 3:8-10, Paul could not have taught the likelihood of himself being among those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord as he plainly does in 1 Thess 4:16-17. A Postmillennial eschatology would have forced him to plainly place himself among those "fallen asleep" at the coming of the Lord. Futher, all apostolic alarm of Christ's "soon" return would have been replaced by the comforting doctrine of a "1000 years" Millennium countdown to Christ's coming. (That's a long snooze button). Read more ...

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

III b. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Universalism)

1. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. The Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 the Raising of the Dead in Christ because that would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4), was an event a "1000 years" Millennium prior to 1 Thess 4:16, that it was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles, thus driving the conclusion that Rev 20:4 was a "coming to covenant life," (being born-again). This, in turn, would drive the conclusion that the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a was a "coming to covenant life," as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse. The implication, then, would be that whether one lives & dies as "Blessed & Holy" or as "the Rest of the Dead," he still eventually "comes to covenant life," making faith & obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. That conclusion is Universalism, a cancerous doctrine at odds with Scriptures' command to obey to the Word of God the Judge of all men. Note also, Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 because there is no mention of non-Christians, ("the Rest of the Dead" of Rev 20:5a), being raised up alongside "the Dead in Christ" in 1 Thess 4:16. However, there is mention in 1 Thess 4:13 of "the rest who have no hope" which does, in fact, correspond to Rev. 20:5a "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

III c. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Satan)

1. Along with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a), the "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

2. Satan cannot be released at Jesus' "soon" Return since Jesus promised to "soon crush Satan under your feet," (Rom 16:20), not "soon release Satan from the Abyss beneath," (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

3. Satan cannot be released as Jesus Returns. Therefore, the "1000 years" Millennium cannot end as Jesus Returns.

Romans 16:17-20
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS. 7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

.

1. Jesus taught His Return would come to pass before the Apostle's generation passed away, LINK.
2. Jesus' Apostles understood, expected & taught Christ's Return before their generation passed away, LINK.
3. Though "neither the day nor the hour," (date & time), of Christ's Return was known by Jesus & His Apostles, they did plainly understand which generation would see it, their generation, LINK. The individuals who saw the Master go away were to be the very ones to see Him come back, as all the parables of a returning master describe, LINK.

.

.ERROR II: Counting the "1000 years" Millennium not an actual 1000 years

The Millennium, (Latin for "1000 years" as are the Bible's actual words), is a finite period of time with epoch events marking its start and end points:

1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

---

 

.III a. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Paul)

• If the Apostles believed the coming of the Lord Jesus was at the end of the "1000 years" Millennium of Rev 20:1-7 and 2 Peter 3:8-10, Paul could not have taught the likelihood of himself being among those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord as he plainly does in 1 Thess 4:16-17. A Postmillennial eschatology would have forced him to plainly place himself among those "fallen asleep" at the coming of the Lord. Futher, all apostolic alarm of Christ's "soon" return would have been replaced by the comforting doctrine of a "1000 years" Millennium countdown to Christ's coming. (That's a long snooze button). Read more ...

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

III b. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Universalism)

1. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. The Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 the Raising of the Dead in Christ because that would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4), was an event a "1000 years" Millennium prior to 1 Thess 4:16, that it was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles, thus driving the conclusion that Rev 20:4 was a "coming to covenant life," (being born-again). This, in turn, would drive the conclusion that the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a was a "coming to covenant life," as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse. The implication, then, would be that whether one lives & dies as "Blessed & Holy" or as "the Rest of the Dead," he still eventually "comes to covenant life," making faith & obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. That conclusion is Universalism, a cancerous doctrine at odds with Scriptures' command to obey to the Word of God the Judge of all men. Note also, Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 because there is no mention of non-Christians, ("the Rest of the Dead" of Rev 20:5a), being raised up alongside "the Dead in Christ" in 1 Thess 4:16. However, there is mention in 1 Thess 4:13 of "the rest who have no hope" which does, in fact, correspond to Rev. 20:5a "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

III c. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Satan)

1. Along with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a), the "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

2. Satan cannot be released at Jesus' "soon" Return since Jesus promised to "soon crush Satan under your feet," (Rom 16:20), not "soon release Satan from the Abyss beneath," (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

3. Satan cannot be released as Jesus Returns. Therefore, the "1000 years" Millennium cannot end as Jesus Returns.

Romans 16:17-20
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS. 7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

"9) 40 year Millennium? Mt.23, Rev.20, Revelations Recapitulation Structure

My Response: UNIVERSALISM and the 30-70AD MILLENNIAL VIEW

Blue = those martyred for the Word of God, for refusing to worship the Beast (aka Nero Ceasar), rejecting the Beast's mark.

Brown = those who accepted the Mark of the Beast (aka Nero Ceasar), that is, “the rest of the dead” of Rev 20:5.

By Todd Dennis, a relevant excerpt from his' PreteristArchive.com website:
http://preteristarchive.com/Preterist/Idealism/dennis-todd_06-03.html

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT TODD DENNIS USES THE TERM "FULL PRETERISM"
TO REFER TO THE SAME THING CALLED BY PROPHECYHISTORY.COM AS "30-70AD MILLENNIALISM"
THAT IS: "FULL PRETERISM" = "30-70AD MILLENNIALISM"

INVESTIGATING THE "HYMENAEAN CHARGE"

Some wonder: "How can Christ be 'The Firstfruits from the Dead' if other people have been raised from the Dead first?"

One way to answer that is to recall how a tree's first offering of fruit was actually its fourth year of producing fruit as described below:

Lev 19:23-25

23 'And when you enter the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it shall not be eaten. 24 'But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 'And in the fifth year you are to eat of its fruit, that its yield may increase for you; I am the Lord your God.
NASB
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Don't worry, Jesus is still "The Firstfruits from the Dead" even though He is not the first person to be raised from the dead.
Even as, Jesus is still "The Firstborn of All Creation" even though He is not created nor the first to be born into Creation.

As "The Firstfruits from the Dead," Jesus is the select representative of those raised from the Dead.
As "The Firstborn of All Creation," Jesus is the select representative of all born into Creation.

Let us remember that "select" = "chosen"
and that the oil of anointing signified that God had chosen the one anointed
and that "The Anointed One"(English) = "Christ" (Greek) = "Messiah" (Hebrew)
When we say, "Jesus Christ" which is the same as saying "Jesus is the Christ"
we are saying all of the above.

*Feel FREE to claim as your own anything I write - while I retain the right to do the same the same with it.*

More than one former "Full" Preterist has felt drawn to publically list me (at least briefly) as a "Former Preterist." That may be accurate, afterall, since I dropped the word "Preterist" a lot from my websites because of the negative associations the term has come to take on. ("ProphecyHistory.com" used to be "TulsaPreteristAssociation.com")

But the fuller record is that my eschatology has not changed significantly since around this time in 1996 when it dawned upon me after reading my One-Year Bible (December always ends with Revelation) that the putting in of the 2 different sickles in Revelation must have been the climaxes of the tribulation of Saints (rapture) and the destruction of the wicked (slaying of Jews throughout the Roman world during Rome's war against the Jews 66-73AD).

Since early 1997 I've held, (like Augustine & most of the Church during the Middle Ages & Martin Luther & Reformers that followed), to a 1000-year Millennium encompassing the 1000-year period of the Middle Age(s). This was followed by the challenging age in which Satan was released, (as Martin Luther & other Reformers taught concerning the times in which they lived). That period of Satan's release, in turn, terminated as the heavenly fires of the Reformation stoked the fires of holy enlightenment once again and ushered in the subsequent age of Discovering the New World; Modern Science; and Government by all the People, for all the People and of all the People, etc. in which we ourselves now live. God has been faithful to keep His every promise and has guided Mankind into paths of modern marvels & conveniences. "By the goodness of God are men drawn to repentance." To the appreciative heart, we are all surrounded by expressions of God's love for the common man, calling him to repentance, to faith in Christ Jesus.

When I first began to fellowship with "Full" Preterist folk, the above paragraph is what I imagined they were also embracing. But I was sadly disappointed, finding their brand of Preterism, that of a 30-70AD Millennium, lends itself to a whole host of errors, notably Universalism & lawlessness. And once "Full" Preterists learned what I stood for, they quickly labeled me a Partial-Preterist.

Ironically though, Partial-Preterists would reject me as a "Full" Preterist because I declare the Resurrection of the Just (the first Resurrection of Rev 20:4-6) to have begun with Christ's circa 70AD Return/Rapture and that the resurrection of "the rest of the dead" began 1000 years later circa 1070AD.

So my position is kind of a hot potato rejected by both "Full" and "Partial" Preterists who are too busy casting anathemas at each other to give my view proper consideration: I get caught in the crossfire between "Full" and "Partial" Preterists. That's okay, though, I present my view as a sacrifice of incense to God - I only care that He be pleased with it and really do not feel threatened for my ego's survival when they turn their noses away from it.

Todd Dennis (http://PreteristArchive.com) went back and forth trying to categorize me until he settled in on Modern Preterist but not "Full" Preterist. The reason being this: I hold that all the major prophecies have all been fulfilled in our past - just not at those times decreed by "Full" Preterists. I start with historical, "Partial" Preterism and boldly end the Millennium an actual 1000 years after its 70AD start; no funny math. Satan is released as the Millennium ends around 1070AD and he is cast into the Lake of Fire as the heavenly fire of the Reformation comes into flame. I cannot say when, exactly, but that heavenly fire may actually have begun before Martin Luther's appearrance. I see Wycliffe as very monumental, perhaps the beginning of that heavenly fire that continued for centuries and, continuing into our times, vanquishes every high thing that attempts to organize evil again into an idol-worshipping, saint-subjugating superpower empire of the pre-Christian age.

I am not sure that my view of a 70-1070AD Millennium, which remains unchanged, properly places me as a "Former Full Preterist" since I never adhered to any form of the 30-70AD Millennium advocated by them. Since I was never a "Full" Preterist I am not now a "Former Full Pret." Since I have not changed my eschatology since I began to share it in 1997, I cannot be labeled a former anything. The truth be known, I had inklings that the Bible's Millennium was the Middle Age(s) since I made an adult decision to follow Christ back in 1986. And I carefully followed up on that hunch over the years until it culminated in a Bible-supported conviction early 1997. It both tickles and annoys me that certain out there label me alternately as Partial-Preterist, Hyper-Preterist or Former Preterist. I just do not understand those who profess Christ but focus so much upon denouncing others who profess Christ. I suppose they would quiet if I just parroted their views, paying them intellectual homage akin to what a schoolyard bully seeks when he yearns for the moment you say, "uncle," and fall in line under his pecking order. I just firmly believe Christ has called us higher to a higher way. We have one Teacher, one Master, one Rabbi, and He is the Christ Jesus, and we are all brothers.

Take care and may God guide your studies and your steps through Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior.

I am very pleased by the current wave of critical scrutiny debunking the awkward & forced conjecture called "Full" Preterism which in no wise provides basis for the smug conceit which too often accompanies the propagation of "Full" Preterism.

"Better a faithful nobody than a famous fool."

A certain "Full Preterist", (aka 30-70AD Millenialist), argued saying:

"Please allow me to go back to the basics for a minute. As Jesus was explaining to His disciples sitting around Him in Matt 24 what the signs of the end would be, Jesus established the "time frame". Matt 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. As Preterists we believe all these things came to pass with the fall of Herod’s temple in AD 70."

What the 30-70AD Millennialist writes here is accurate enough IF we confine his statements strictly to the actual events described in Matt 24. But he does not. The very fact that his comments were in response to my rejection of his 30-70AD Millennium is evidence that he, (as those he studies), mentally insert Rev 20:1-10's events into the text of Matt 24. Simply nowhere to be found in Matt 24 is any mention of a 1000, 40, or 13 year "Millennium" which:

1. Starts with Satan being bound/Abyssed/sealed while Nero-Beast-Martyred Saints "come to [spiritual] life" & ruling with Christ (pre-Parousia) and then
2. Ends with Satan's release as the wicked "come to [spiritual] life" as Jesus comes back. Its just not there. Look again, Mat 24.

What the "Full Preterist", (30-70AD Millenialist), is really getting at here as "The Basics of Preterism," (as has been presented to him), is 30-70AD Millenialism's overarching notion for Bible interpretation:

#1) "Not just Matt 24's events, but ALL LAW & PROPHETS MUST BE FULFILLED BY 70AD."

A great expose' of this error may be found here: http://www.preteristarchive.com/Preterism/Progressive/2001_mckenzie_not-fulfilled-ad70.html by Duncan McKenzie. For the sake of brevity, I will go on to add to Duncan McKenzie's arguments with the following:

[Take particular note of how different Greek words, (significantly different Strong's #'s), still find connection between Prophetic Utterance & Historic Fulfillment. Why? Because the connections of word-meaning are every bit as strong as connections of word-grammar, if not more so]. CONTEXT.

Matthew 5:17-20 (around 27AD, at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry)
Think not that I am come to destroy the Law [of Moses], or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (Strong's #4137). 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law [of Moses], till all be fulfilled (Strong's #1096). 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Pre-70AD Millennialism, (a la Max King-era preterism), would have us to believe that this statement by Jesus means that the Old Testament Law of Moses was to remain binding and in full effect until all the Law & Prophets are fulfilled; and that this fulfillment did not occur until 70AD. This notion is what drives them to insist that whatever is found in pages of the Bible MUST be fulfilled before 70AD because the Law of Moses remains binding until all is fulfilled. But let's consider something else Jesus said:

John 19:28-30 (around 30AD, at the ending of Jesus' public ministry)
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished (#5055), that the scripture might be fulfilled (#5048), saith, "I thirst!" 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished!" (#5055): and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Whatever Pre-70AD Millennialism may say this means, here's what "It is finished! (#5055)" meant to Paul back around 58AD, long prior to 70AD's "all things fulfilled," (so-called).

Romans 10:3-4 (around 58AD, when Paul departs from Corinth, well prior to 70AD's supposed "fulfillment of all [Bible] things")
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end (#5056) of the Law [of Moses] for righteousness to every one that believeth.

And here's a glimpse of how Peter & Paul's understanding of "It is finished! (#5055)" worked out into the daily lives of Christians back around 49AD, long before "all things fulfilled" (supposedly) in 70AD.

Galatians 2:11-21 (around 49AD, Paul, the new guy, publically confronts veteran leader Peter at one of the first Christian conferences ever)
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, "If thou [Peter], being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law [of Moses], but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law [of Moses]: for by the works of the Law [of Moses] shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the Law [of Moses] am dead to the Law [of Moses], that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law [of Moses], then Christ is dead in vain!"

Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a (former) Pharisee son of a Pharisee, (Philippians 3:5-8), was so certain that "all be fulfilled" already to retire the Law [of Moses] per Mat 5:18 that he considered obedience to the commandments of the Law [of Moses] entirely optional. Paul would freely obey or discard the Law [of Moses] depending upon the cultural concerns of whatever people group he was trying to reach for Christ. Obeying even the least of those commandments was for Paul strictly a cultural concern of sensitivity towards reaching followers of Old Testament Judaism for Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:18-23 (around 57 AD, Paul writes to the church at Corinth)
When I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the Law [of Moses], as under the Law [of Moses], that I might gain them that are under the Law [of Moses]; 21 To them that are without Law [of Moses], as without Law [of Moses], (being not without law to God, but under the Law of Christ,) that I might gain them that are without Law [of Moses]. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

So, did Christ, the churches, and Paul and Peter themselves consider themselves "the least in the kingdom of heaven" because they broke the commandments of the Law of Moses and "lived after the manner of Gentiles"? I dare any Pre-70 Millennialist to say that they were. No, it was the Judaizers who went around saying things like, "All things have not been fulfilled yet, so Jesus says you need to keep obeying the Law [of Moses] until they are!" So we see that Pre-70AD Millennialism has something very much in common with the Judaizers, the NT enemies of the Gospel. (Not to mention again the inescapable connection with Universalism via Pre-70AD Millenialism's Gnostic-style deviation from orthodox resurrection). Remember, it was Hymenaeus & Philetus who were saying things like, "Since the 1st resurrection of the just that is already past was all about people "coming to spiritual life" in Christ (Rev 20:4), the resurrection of the rest of the dead when Jesus comes back will be about everybody else "coming to spiritual life" in Christ (Rev 20:5), too: nobody but the Devil is going to Hell!" (2 Tim 2:11-18 Phillippians 3:10-13).
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Evidently enough, Christ, the Apostles & the churches of the 30-70AD period believed and taught that all things necessary to retire the Old Testament Law & Prophets, all the things Jesus had been talking about in the Matt 5:17-20 context, had already been fulfilled at Jesus' death shout from the Cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).

Colossians 2:13-17 (around 62AD, Paul writes to the church at Colossae)
...Having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; ... 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Below here is what the Apostles & the churches thought of those still teaching that the Law [of Moses] must still be kept up "until all things be fulfilled" someday, (supposedly) at 70AD.

Galatians 3:9-15 (around 49AD, Paul still recounting the meaning behind his public confrontation of Peter's hypocrisy)
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law [of Moses] are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law [of Moses] to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the Law [of Moses] in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the Law [of Moses] is NOT of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law [of Moses], being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. ...

Acts 15:5-35 
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. … 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they [Gentile converts to Christ]. … 19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, … 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, Cilicia: and 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, … 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; … they delivered the epistle: 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced …

So again, In review here: Did Christ, the churches, and Paul and Peter themselves consider themselves "the least in the Kingdom of Heaven" because they broke the commandments of the Law of Moses and "lived after the manner of Gentiles" per Gal 2:14? NO. (I dare any Pre-70 Millennialist to say that they were). No, it was the Judaizers who went around saying things like, "All things have not been fulfilled yet, so Jesus says you need to keep obeying the Law [of Moses] until they are!" So we see that Pre-70AD Millennialism has something very much in common with the Judaizers, the New Testament enemies of the Gospel. (Not to mention again the inescapable connection with Universalism via Pre-70AD Millenialism's Gnostic-style deviations from orthodox resurrection). Remember, it was Hymenaeus & Philetus who were saying things like, "Since the 1st resurrection of the just that is already past was all about people "coming to spiritual life" in Christ (Rev 20:4), the resurrection of the rest of the dead when Jesus comes back will be about everybody else "coming to spiritual life" in Christ (Rev 20:5), too: nobody but the Devil is going to Hell!" (2 Tim 2:11-18 Phillippians 3:10-13). Nowhere to be found in Matt 24 is any mention of a 1000, 40, or 13 year "Millennium" which 1) starts with Satan being bound/Abyssed/sealed while Nero-Beast-Martyred Saints "come to [spiritual] life" & ruling with Christ and then 2) ends with Satan's release as the wicked "come to [spiritual] life" as Jesus comes back. Its just not there.
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The Scriptures cited here above show plainly enough what the Apostles & the churches thought of those still teaching that the Law [of Moses] must still be kept up "until all things be fulfilled" (supposedly) at 70AD. Evidently enough, Christ, the Apostles & the churches of the 30-70AD period believed and taught that all things necessary to retire the Old Testament Law & Prophets, all the things Jesus had been talking about in the Matt 5:17-20 context, had already been fulfilled at Jesus' death shout from the Cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).

Evidently enough, understanding phrases "all things fulfilled" requires more than a few connect-the-dots Greek word associations that 30-70AD Millennialism puts so much, too much, stock into. Understanding requires we look at what the Apostles understood it to mean, as well, comparing Scripture-Text with Scripture-Text, Scripture-Meaning with Scripture-Meaning, considering date/place/time/audience/expectations CONTEXT as well as well-informed, external confirmations from objective historical evidences, ie, unimaginary, real, live Scripture-History connections. This is not a religion that's all in the head.

Again, a great expose' of the 30-70AD Millennialism: "All Things Fulfilled 70AD" error may be found here: http://www.preteristarchive.com/Preterism/Progressive/2001_mckenzie_not-fulfilled-ad70.html by Duncan McKenzie. I differ with him in that I actually name an ending date to the Millennium that started at Christ's circa 70AD Return. I place it an actual thousand years later. /node/506

• Jesus did NOT bind Satan during His earthly ministry - He was simply describing the process by which a demon is cast out of man so that he can be saved, (Matthew 12:25-29 and Mark 3:22-27 and Luke 11:17-26). Whether in a vision or otherwise, Jesus relates in Luke 10:17-20 that He saw Satan fall from Heaven: Jesus did NOT say He had already cast Satan into the Bottomless Pit and Seal him in there per Rev 20:1-3. The plain fact is that Luke 10:17-20 simply communicates that Jesus saw Satan fall from Heaven to Earth, NOT from Earth to the Bottomless Pit, bound and sealed.
• The urgent reminders of Christ's impending Return placed at the beginning and middle and end of the vision recorded in Revelation in no wise dictate that everything described in the vision must end at His Return. Jesus is simply reminding of the timing of that key event around which the vision is organized. Sullivan's logic, when not applied selectively, necessitates that the New Heavens, New Earth and New Jerusalem must end at Christ's Return, as well. Please reference the actual time statements listed for that last Revelation portion of Dave Green's Preterism 101 and see how they look forward to the blessings about to begin, not end, with Christ's Return.

• Which exact passage of Scripture tells us that Satan was bound, cast & sealed into the Abyss around 30AD?
• Which exact passage of Scripture tells us that Satan was released a full 40 years later around 70AD?

~ The Letter of Christ's Apostle Paul to Christians living in Rome around 56-58AD, (Rom 16:20)

ONE QUESTION for those who insist that Revelation 20:1-10's

"The 1000 Years"+"The Little Season of Satan's Release"

all took place in the less than 14 years between Romans 16:20's "soon" fulfillment and A.D.70:

(Much less than 14 years unless we assume that God crushed Satan beneath their feet the very day after Romans was written).

DURING WHICH OF THESE VERSES BELOW WAS SATAN BOUND, CAST & SEALED INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT?

Every attempt to posit The 1000 Years+The Little Season of Satan's Release into period between the fulfillment of Romans 16:20 and 70AD presents a self-refuting credibility problem: It demands one lay aside the very hermeneutic that deduces the A.D. 70 Return of Christ in the first place, "Take all the time texts strictly serious."

First, a quick review of the Text in question, Rev 20:1-10:

1) "The 1,000 Years" is demarked by epoch events which define distinct beginning and ending points.

2) "The 1,000 Years" begins with Satan being bound, cast & sealed into the Bottomless Pit (Abyss) so that he could deceive the nations no more.

3) "The souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" - those who were beheaded during the Beast's reign for refusing the mark of the Beast are made to live and reign with Christ while Satan is bound - the reward of their faithfulness.

4) "The 1,000 Years" ends with Satan being released for "a little season" to deceive again the Nations (the Gentiles).

5) After "The 1,000 Years," and after "The Little Season," and after the Satan-led armies are destroyed by fire from Heaven, Satan is then cast into the Lake of Fire where the Beast & the False Prophet have been awaiting his arrival.

Revelation 20:1-10

20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands [ie during "The Tribulation"]; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here it is now,

BETWEEN WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING VERSES WAS SATAN BOUND, CAST & SEALED INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT?

FOR 1,000 OR 40 OR EVEN 5 YEARS?

FOR EVEN 5 MINUTES?

.

And if you are gutsy enough:

1) Which exact verse shows Satan being bound, thereby demarking the beginning of "The 1,000 Years"?

2) Which exact verse shows Satan being released, thereby demarking the end of "The 1,000 Years"?

3) Can you organize these verses into 3 categories: a) BEFORE, b) DURING, and c) AFTER "The 1,000 Years" that Satan was bound & cast in the Abyss?

.ERROR II: Counting the "1000 years" Millennium not an actual 1000 years

The Millennium, (Latin for "1000 years" as are the Bible's actual words), is a finite period of time with epoch events marking its start and end points:

1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
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.III a. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Paul)

• If the Apostles believed the coming of the Lord Jesus was at the end of the "1000 years" Millennium of Rev 20:1-7 and 2 Peter 3:8-10, Paul could not have taught the likelihood of himself being among those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord as he plainly does in 1 Thess 4:16-17. A Postmillennial eschatology would have forced him to plainly place himself among those "fallen asleep" at the coming of the Lord. Futher, all apostolic alarm of Christ's "soon" return would have been replaced by the comforting doctrine of a "1000 years" Millennium countdown to Christ's coming. (That's a long snooze button). Read more ...

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

III b. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Universalism)

1. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. The Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 the Raising of the Dead in Christ because that would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4), was an event a "1000 years" Millennium prior to 1 Thess 4:16, that it was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles, thus driving the conclusion that Rev 20:4 was a "coming to covenant life," (being born-again). This, in turn, would drive the conclusion that the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a was a "coming to covenant life," as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse. The implication, then, would be that whether one lives & dies as "Blessed & Holy" or as "the Rest of the Dead," he still eventually "comes to covenant life," making faith & obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. That conclusion is Universalism, a cancerous doctrine at odds with Scriptures' command to obey to the Word of God the Judge of all men. Note also, Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 because there is no mention of non-Christians, ("the Rest of the Dead" of Rev 20:5a), being raised up alongside "the Dead in Christ" in 1 Thess 4:16. However, there is mention in 1 Thess 4:13 of "the rest who have no hope" which does, in fact, correspond to Rev. 20:5a "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

III c. ERROR: Theories ending the "1000 years" Millennium at Christ's Return. (Satan)

1. Along with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a), the "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

2. Satan cannot be released at Jesus' "soon" Return since Jesus promised to "soon crush Satan under your feet," (Rom 16:20), not "soon release Satan from the Abyss beneath," (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7).

3. Satan cannot be released as Jesus Returns. Therefore, the "1000 years" Millennium cannot end as Jesus Returns.

Romans 16:17-20
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS. 7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

.

1. Jesus taught His Return would come to pass before the Apostle's generation passed away, LINK.
2. Jesus' Apostles understood, expected & taught Christ's Return before their generation passed away, LINK.
3. Though "neither the day nor the hour," (date & time), of Christ's Return was known by Jesus & His Apostles, they did plainly understand which generation would see it, their generation, LINK. The individuals who saw the Master go away were to be the very ones to see Him come back, as all the parables of a returning master describe, LINK.

Postmillennialism teaches the following points:

(A) "…postmillennialism teaches that the 'thousand years' of Revelation 20 occurs prior to the Second Coming. (p. 10); An essential doctrine of postmillennialism is that prior to the Second Coming, the messianic kingdom will grow until it has filled the whole earth." (p. 191)

(B) “As far as Paul knew, Christ could have returned in his lifetime.” (p. 194)

(C) "When the word 'thousand' is used in Scripture, it refers to a literal thousand or to an indefinite, but very large, number." (p. 209)
[Cited from Keith A. Mathison's Postmillennialism: An Eschatology of Hope, (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1999]

Point (A) is what distinguishes Postmillennialism & Amillennialism from the other end-time views: it is what gives "Postmillennialism"' its name.
Point (B) is accepted by virtually all Bible interpreters based upon 1 Thess 4:17 and like passages, LINK.
Point (C) is accepted by all but the few "Full" Preterists.

Clearly, however:
(A) and (B) oppose (C): If Paul thought the Millennium preceded the Second Coming (A) that could have occurred within his lifetime (B), there is no way he would believe the Millennium to last 1000 or more years (C).

(B) and (C) oppose (A): If Paul thought Jesus could have returned within his lifetime (B) and that the Millennium is 1000 or more years (C), there is no way he would have believed the Millennium precedes the Second Coming (A).

(C) and (A) oppose (B): If Paul thought a 1000+ year (C) Millennium preceded the Second Coming (A), there is no way he would have expected Jesus to return within his lifetime (B).

Simply put, (A), (B) and (C) cannot each be true (unless the Apostle Paul be discredited, which is unthinkable, or that he thought his natural lifetime might extend over 1000 years, which is unsupported by Scripture). The accepted truth of (B) and (C) reject the conjecture of (A). Postmillennialism & Amillennialism are self-refuting. Read more ...

**
"Full" Preterists hold (A) and (B) by denying (C), claiming the "1000 years" was 40 years or less.
Idealists hold (A) and (B) by denying (C), claiming the "1000 years" is a mystic number without historical import.
Premillennial Dispensationalists deny (A), hold on to (C) but downplay (B), claiming "coming soon" can mean anywhere between zero to 2000 years or beyond.
70-1070AD Millennium denies (A) while holding (B) and (C), claiming "soon" means "soon" and "1000 years" means "1000 years" and Saints' reign with Christ begins at their Resurrection at Christ's Return, 1 Thess 4:17 = Rev 20:4.

From: http://www.preterism.info/mathison.htm

In his book Postmillennialism: An Eschatology of Hope, (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1999), Keith Mathison says this:

…postmillennialism teaches that the “thousand years” of Revelation 20 occurs prior to the Second Coming. (10); An essential doctrine of postmillennialism is that prior to the Second Coming, the messianic kingdom will grow until it has filled the whole earth. (191)

This is why Mathison cannot accept preterism: there is no room for his millennium which has already spanned more than 1,900 years; and there is no sign this bloated era is about to end anytime soon. Mathison despises the preterist position so much, he edited another book devoted to debunking it (When Shall These Things Be? [Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2004]). However, he, evidently, became so confused with the task he ended up debunking postmillennialism instead. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul refers to the “coming of the Lord” and twice uses the phrase “we who are alive and remain” (1 Thess. 4:15, 17). Clearly, Paul thought he might be alive until the second coming. This is not something one would expect a postmillennialist to admit. However, amazingly, Mathison does. He writes,

“As far as Paul knew, Christ could have returned in his lifetime” (194).

What is Mathison thinking? Does he not recognize the implication? If Paul thought Jesus could have returned within his lifetime, there is no way he could have believed in the postmillennialism Mathison promotes. If Paul was a Mathison-style postmillennialist, he would not have expected the second coming for at least a thousand years! So, with one sentence, Mathison has obliterated postmillennialism.  A few pages later, he reiterates his previous position contradicting himself again:

When the word “thousand” is used in Scripture, it refers to a literal thousand or to an indefinite, but very large, number. (209)

It doesn’t take great insight to see that if Paul thought Jesus “could have returned within his lifetime,” then, obviously, he did not foresee the “very large number” of years required to fill “the whole earth” with the messianic kingdom; and if Paul didn’t know anything about an enormous millennium, it’s hard to believe that any of the other apostles did. In fact, we know they didn’t. See The Apostles Predicted a First-Century Return of Christ.

From: http://planetpreterist.com/news-5441.html

The Pretzel Logic of "Orthodox" partial Preterism
Posted on Sunday, February 03 @ 14:33:19 PST by Duncan McKenzie
 

by Duncan McKenzie
This is an excerpt from my book, The Antichrist and the Second Coming. The book is done but I am still revising and refining it. I am still not sure how I am ever going to get the thing into print. It has three strikes against it: 1. It is written from a preterist perspective. 2. It is too long (about 850 pages). I am technically not qualified to write it. I have a Ph.D. but it is in psychology not theology. Please pray that God makes a way.

While I am what Kenneth Gentry would term a hyperpreterist (I believe the Second Coming, resurrection and judgment happened at AD 70, or more correctly the resurrection and judgment began at AD 70 cf. Rev. 14:13), I am not a full preterist. I do not think all prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70 (I still look for Rev. 20:7-10 to be fulfilled). I find J.S. Russell’s position to be correct. He saw the Second Coming, resurrection and judgment as happening at AD 70 but saw that as the beginning of the millennium (full prets. say AD 70 was the end of the millennium). I think the book of Daniel backs up Russell on this (see my article, “J.S. Russell’s Position on the Millennium, the Neglected Third Way of Preterism” http://planetpreterist.com/news-5017.html (or click on my name on the left under columnists).

The sequence shown in Daniel 7 is the following: God comes and defeats the Antichrist (the little horn) and then thrones are put in place as the court is seated and the saints receive the kingdom. This sequence is shown three times: .Dan. 7:7-11, 19-22; 23-27. The same sequence is shown in Revelation 19:11-20:4. The Word of God comes and defeats the Antichrist (the beast) in Rev. 19:11-21 and then the saints receive the kingdom in Rev. 20. This sequence explains why some of those who come alive at the beginning of the millennium had been killed for not taking the mark of the beast (Rev. 20:4). This is a direct reference to the events of Revelation 13 (which were about to happen when John wrote). These souls of believers (cf. Rev. 6:9) had been killed during the tribulation of AD 67-70 (Rev. 13:4-7) and are being resurrected at AD 70 to share in the millennial reign. The martyrs of the beast being resurrected at the beginning of the millennium in no way fits the AD 30 beginning of the millennium that full preterists teach. It is a huge red flag that should not be ignored.

Enough about that, however, I am here to critique traditional partial preterism, not full preterism. I just want the reader to know that just because partial preterism is wrong, that does not mean that full preterism is 100% right. There is something in-between. Now that I have stepped on the toes of my full preterist brethren let me get back to the task at hand, stepping on the toes of my partial preterist brethren.

DANIEL 12

One does not have to look too hard to find problems with partial preterism. The partial preterist position argues that the tribulation happened at AD 70 but the resurrection happens in the distant future. Look at Daniel 12, however. It shows the resurrection happening right after the great tribulation. These events were to happen at the AD 70 shattering of the Jewish nation:

At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt…it shall be for a time, times, and half a time, and when the power of the holy people has bee completely shattered all these things shall be finished. Dan. 12:1-2, 7

Partial preterists usually try to get around this in two ways:

1. They say there is really a gap of thousands of years between vv 1 and 2. That is about as convincing as the gap of thousands of years that dispensationalists claim happen between the 69 and 70^th week in Daniel 9:26-27

2. They say that this is not the resurrection but is some sort of national resurrection. This is wrong because it is clearly showing a resurrection of individuals. If one wants to see what a national resurrection looks like see Ezekiel 37. Added to this, Daniel’s people are shattered at this time (Dan. 12:7); that is hardly showing a national resurrection. By the way Revelation 11:15-18 shows the same thing, the resurrection happening at the AD 70 destruction of those who were destroying the Land (gē is often better translated as “Land,” the Land of Israel, in Revelation rather than “earth”).

PRETZEL LOGIC

The partial preterist position of two separate comings of Jesus can lead to some very questionable distinctions between the supposed comings. Consider the following comments by Gentry in discussing 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2.

Though he [Paul] speaks of the Second Advent just a few verses before ([in 2 Thess.] 1:10), he is not dealing with that event here [in 2 Thess. 2:1-2]. Of course, similarities exist between the Day of the Lord upon Jerusalem in AD 70 and the universal Day of the Lord at the Second Advent. The one is a temporal betokening of the other, being a distant adumbration of it. The Second Advent provides a final hope for the eternal resolution to their suffering; the A.D 70 Day of the Lord affords an approaching temporal resolution (cp. Rev. 6:10). Orthodox scholars from each of the millennial scholars agree that Christ brings these two events into close connection in the Olivet Discourse, Indeed, Christ’s disciples almost certainly confuse the two (Matt. 24:3). The same connection seems to exist here as well. [Kenneth L. Gentry, Perilous Times: A Study in Eschatological Evil (Texarkana AR: Covenant Media Press, 1999), 100]

I invite the reader to look at first and second chapters of 2 Thessalonians (see below). See if you can find the two different comings of Jesus supposedly found there; they are three verses apart! Maybe I am missing the adumbration. Gentry maintains that the first coming (2 Thess. 1:7-10) is a reference to the future Second Coming and the next (2 Thess. 2:1) is to the AD 70 coming. I have underlined the supposed two different comings of Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-2:3

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed [Gentry sees the preceding as referring to a future Second Coming]. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, [Gentry sees this as referring to the AD 70 coming] we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. brackets mine

Gentry is saying that Paul is talking about a future final advent in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 but a mere three verses later switches to the AD 70 coming 2 Thessalonians 2:1! Gentry is forced into this far-fetched position because 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 is talking about the judgment (which Gentry says is still future) while 2:1 is talking about the AD 70 gathering of God’s people (cf. Matthew 24:29-34, which Gentry correctly believes is AD 70). Such are the extremes that partial preterists are forced into to try and maintain their distinction between an AD 70 coming of Jesus and a supposed future final advent.

Do Different Greek Words Refer to Different Comings?

Gentry’s defense for his distinction of the two separate comings in 2 Thessalonians 1-2 is that the word that Paul uses for the Lord’s final advent in 2 Thessalonians 1:10 (Gr. elthe) is different from the word he uses for the advent in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 (Gr. parousia). [Gentry, Perilous Times, 100-101] It is hard to take this distinction very seriously, however, since Gentry himself says that the word parousia (which he applies to AD 70 in 2 Thess. 2:1) refers to the final advent in 1 Thessalonians 4:15. Thus Gentry makes his elthe/parousia distinction in 2 Thessalonians 1-2 where it suits his position and ignores it in 1 Thessalonians 4 where it doesn’t!

Preston astutely critiqued the inconsistencies in Gentry’s attempts to use the Greek to differentiate the AD 70 coming of Jesus from a supposed final Second Coming:

Gentry says 1 Thessalonians 4:13f and 2 Thessalonians 1[:7-12] are the same event, i.e. the Final Advent. But there is a major problem here for Gentry. Remember that he delineates between 2 Thessalonians 1[:10] and chapter 2[:1] because of the use of elthe in chapter 1 and parousia in chapter 2. [But] 1 Thessalonians 4[:15] and 2 Thessalonians 1[:10] contain the same ‘different words’ as do 2 Thessalonians 1[:10] and 2 Thessalonians 2[:1]! In 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul uses the word parousia (v. 15, the same world used in 2 Thessalonians 2:1), to describe the coming of the Lord. However, remember that in 2 Thessalonians 1:10 Paul uses elthe, and Gentry insists that this word indicates a different coming than parousia. Why then does he not delineate between [parousia and elthe in] 1 Thessalonians 4[:15] and 2 Thessalonians 1[:10]? This is inconsistency exemplified.

Here is what Gentry does:

1 Thessalonians 4:15- parousia is final coming

2 Thessalonians 1:7f- elthe, is final coming.

So, Paul uses different words to describe the same event, and Gentry has no problem with this.

However,

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 is parousia, and is AD 70, but,

1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17 is parousia and is the “final coming.”

So, Paul uses the identical words, and in both contexts he speaks of the gathering of the saints. But, Gentry insists that these are two totally different events, disparate in nature and time.

If the use of different words (parousia-v-elthe), does not demand different events in Gentry’s application of 1 Thessalonians 4 [:15] and 2 Thessalonians 1[:10], then why does the use of those same different words demand two different events in 2 Thessalonians 1[:10] and 2 Thessalonians 2[:1] (elthe-v-parousia)? And, if different words can be used describe the same event, then why does not the use of the identical words demand the reference to the same event (1 Thessalonians 4:15, parousia / 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, parousia)? [Don Preston The Elements shall Melt with Fervent Heat: A Study of 2 Peter 3 (Ardmore OK: JaDon Productions LLC, 2006), 223-224 Great stuff Don!]

Is Paul talking about a different coming in the first chapter of 2 Thessalonians than he is in the second chapter? How could the coming in 2 Thessalonians 1:10 (These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes in that Day to be gloried in His saints…”) be referring to end of time and the coming in 2 Thess 2:1 (Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him…) be referring to AD 70? Again, the supposed two different comings are only three verses apart and no distinction is made between the two!

If that isn’t bad enough, the coming of Jesus with His angels in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 (which Gentry says is the end of time) is said in Matthew 16 to happen within the lifetime of some of Jesus’ hearers. Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 with Matthew 16:27-28; I have included A and B for points of comparison.

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us [A] when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire [B] taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who don’t not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8

[A] For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and [B] then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Matt. 16:27-28

Gentry says 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 is the end of time but is forced to admit that Matthew 16:27-28 is AD 70 (because of the time referent it contains in v. 28). Both of these sections, however, are talking about the same thing: A: Jesus coming in God’s glory with the angels, and B: the judgment. Again, Gentry’s partial preterist distinction doesn’t hold up to biblical scrutiny.

If Paul is talking of two different comings of Jesus in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-2:3 he certainly did not make it very clear. Gentry seems to be suggesting that Paul didn’t make the distinction because he wasn’t totally clear on it himself (“Christ’s disciples almost certainly confuse the two [comings in] Matt. 24:3. The same connection seems to exist here as well”). For Gentry to suggest that the distinction between the supposed two comings of Jesus may not be clear because the NT writers may not have been clear about the comings puts him on very thin ice. If the NT writers were not clear on two separate comings of Jesus then it would mean that they were not making the distinction between two comings of Jesus that partial preterists do. If that is the case then the teaching of partial preterism on this issue is superior to the revelation of Scripture. This is thin ice indeed.

It is indefensible distinctions between an AD 70 coming and the supposed true Second Coming at the end of time that leads me to reject the traditional partial preterist position; it just doesn’t hold up to biblical or logical scrutiny. The Coming of Jesus in Revelation 19 is referring to the one and only Second Coming at AD 70. With harlot Israel destroyed, Jesus comes and defeats the beast from the abyss. This was the Parousia; it was the beginning of the judgment and resurrection (Dan. 12:1-7; Rev. 11:15-18) as well as the millennium (Dan. 7:7-12, 21-22; Luke 19:11-27; Rev. 19:11-20:4).

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Duncan McKenzie is a columnist for PlanetPreterist.com. Duncan has Masters and Ph.D degrees in Psychology and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

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RELEVANT LINKS:

Honestly, does the Bible really teach that Satan was bound, cast & sealed into the Deep (Abyss) while Christians ruled with God & Christ throughout the bulk of the 30-70AD period? (Actually, wasn't such blessings what they were expecting to arrive with Christ's soon Return?)

.

1. Jesus taught His Return would come to pass before the Apostle's generation passed away, LINK.
2. Jesus' Apostles understood, expected & taught Christ's Return before their generation passed away, LINK.
3. Though "neither the day nor the hour," (date & time), of Christ's Return was known by Jesus & His Apostles, they did plainly understand which generation would see it, their generation, LINK. The individuals who saw the Master go away were to be the very ones to see Him come back, as all the parables of a returning master describe, LINK.

.

.ERROR II: Counting the "1000 years" Millennium not an actual 1000 years

The Millennium, (Latin for "1000 years" as are the Bible's actual words), is a finite period of time with epoch events marking its start and end points:

1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

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I know you are busy, but could you take just a brief moment and fill me in on

• [Part A] how you view the Rev. 20 passage and
• [Part B] how a wrong view there can open the door to universalism.

Being slow of mind, it will help me to get up to speed. So thanks so much for doing this. Don't take a lot of time, just a brief response. ~WH

1.    Revelation 20:4 describes the coming to life of the souls of those slain for their witness for Jesus and for rejecting the mark of the Beast. This is the first of two groups of souls resurrected from the dead in Rev 20:4-6. Since the participants of this first resurrection are declared blessed and holy, we may justly call this, "The Blessed & Holy Resurrection." Its participants are rewarded by reigning with Christ for a thousand years and are granted immunity from the anticipated Second Death.
2.    Revelation 20:5 describes the coming to life of "the rest of the dead" at the end of the thousand years. We may call this, "The Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead."
3.    Whether one understands the term "thousand years" to mean 1000 years, 1000 hours, or a 1000 seconds, it is still describing a span of time with the aforementioned events marking its starting and ending points.
4.    When this span of time is made to terminate at 70AD, the starting point is made to be some time before the disappearance of the New Testament writers. This forces the Blessed & Holy Resurrection (Rev 20:4) to become an experience already available to the New Testament writers while yet in their mortal-natural bodies of flesh, (error of Hymenaeus, 2 Timothy 2:18). To accommodate this, the "come to life" of Revelation 20:4 is made to mean "come to covenant life."
5.    Someone who buys into point 4) then reads Revelation 20:5a and sees that "the Rest of the Dead" eventually "came to covenant life" with the same grammar and vocabulary by which the Blessed & Holy of Revelation 20:4 "come to covenant life" a thousand years earlier.
6.    He concludes, then, that whether one dies as a Blessed & Holy witness for Jesus (Rev 20:4) or as the Rest of the Dead (Rev 20:5), his final stance with God is the same: he still "comes to covenant life." That belief is commonly known as Universalism.

Revelation 20:4-5 ~foreseen around 63AD in the predictive vision given to the exiled Apostle John of "things shortly to come to pass," Rev 1:1 & Rev 4:1
And I foresaw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I foresaw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to convenantal life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to convenantal life until the thousand years were completed.
NASB

Having eternal life is not being raised up at the Last Day, John 6:39-40 & John 6:44 & John 6:54.
Having eternal life is not the Resurrection unto Life, John 5:28-29.
Having eternal life is not the Resurrection of the Just to which Paul predicted, Acts 24:15.
Having eternal life is not the Resurrection of the Dead for which Paul still yearned, Philippians 3:1-14.
Having eternal life is not the dead in Christ rising first at Christ's Return, 1 Thess 4:16.
Having eternal life is not the First Resurrection, Rev 20:4-6.

Someone else has written, "Preterism is an interpretive system that is locked on the events of 66-70 A.D. It views this as the decisive eschatological event. The Second Coming, Resurrection of the Dead and Great Judgment are seen as having taken place in and around these years."

I agree with this statement. And I would be considered a Preterist for doing so. But I see an inconsistency is its author's system of thought as layed out in other places. Though he admits that the Last Day and its associated events began somewhere around 66-70AD, he continues to confuse the blessing of Eternal Life that was granted BEFORE these events with the Resurrection that was to come AFTER these events. But Jesus made a distinction between the two:

"Whoso eatheth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath Eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day." ~ Jesus, circa AD 28.
Jesus uses present tense "hath" to describe what Lord's Supper partakers ALREADY HAD BEFORE the Last Day, ("Hath Eternal Life").
Jesus uses future tense "I will" to describe what Lord's Supper partakers WERE TO RECEIVE AT the Last Day, ("I will raise him up").
(This promise would be innane if Jesus was going to raise up everybody else at the Last Day, too).

The Scriptures that speak in past or present tense of what believers already had in Christ are talking about them already having "Eternal Life."
The Scriptures that speak in future tense of what believers would receive at the anticipated Resurrection are talking about "Being Raised Up."
But many Preterists gladly confuse the two: they like to equate John 6:54's "Eternal Life" with John 6:54's "Being Raised Up."
(As mainstream Christianity would put it, "They confuse Justification with Resurrection").

So when someone gladly and consistently and insistently and publically equates
A) all the Scriptures that describe what pre-Parousia Christians ALREADY HAD BEFORE the Last Day, ("Hath Eternal Life"),
with
B) all the Promised blessings that were TO BE GRANTED AT the Last Day, ("I will raise him up"),
he is only attempting to spread his confusion. (Why not just back up and quietly think again?)



IN SUMMARY:

IF we hold to a Preterism defined strictly in this wise: "Preterism is an interpretive system that is locked on the events of 66-70 A.D. It views this as the decisive eschatological event. The Second Coming, Resurrection of the Dead and Great Judgment are seen as having taken place in and around these years," that is, the Last Day occured in or about 66-70 A.D.

AND we agree with Jesus in John 6:54 that those who were regular partakers of the Lord's Supper already had Eternal Life
and were to receive Resurrection at the Last Day,

THEN we should agree that there is no honest way any of those Scriptures describing what Christians already had prior to the Parousia can be employed to describe the Resurrection for which those Christians yearned. Already received pre-Parousia blessings (Eternal Life) are distinct from anticipated post-Parousia blessings (Resurrection). "Eternal Life" and "The Resurrection of the Just" are not the same thing.

For a fuller explanation of the distinction between "Eternal Life" and "the Resurrection of the Just" please follow this link:

Soul & Body: the 2 Parts of Resurrection

In brief,

1) "Eternal Life" = Resurrection of the Inner Man, the Soul

2) "Raised Up" = Resurrection of the Outer Man, the Body

"Whoso eatheth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath Eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day." ~ Jesus, around AD 28, (John 6:54)

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell." (Matthew 10:28)

*Feel FREE to claim as your own anything I write - while I retain the right to do the same the same with it.*

From: http://planetpreterist.com/news-5174.html

The Postribulational (i.e. post AD 70) Beginning of the Millennium
by Duncan McKenzie
Revelation 20:1-4 shows the binding of Satan and the beginning of the reign of the saints that is commonly known as the millennium.

1. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

3. and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousands years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

4. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

This is the famous passage of the binding of Satan and the reign of Jesus and His people. On the surface this passage appears relatively simple; on closer inspection, however, it turns out to be one of the most difficult and debated passages in the Bible. One of the first matters to attend to in understanding the millennium is the question of how it fits in sequentially in relation to the rest of Revelation. Is the binding of Satan in Revelation 20:1 a continuation of the events of Revelation 19 (the AD 70 fall of Babylon and the Second Coming) or is there a recapitulation (a going back and restating events that happened earlier)? Some say that there is a recapitulation here, that Revelation 20 is going back to the time of Pentecost (c. AD 30) or even the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (c. AD 26). My position is that Revelation 20 is a continuation of the (AD 70) events of Revelation 19, not a recapitulation to the time around AD 30.

In considering the sequence of Revelation 19-20, it is helpful to broaden one’s focus. Here is Revelation 19:11-20:4 without the chapter separation (chapter separations were not part of the original manuscript). For brevity I have left out Revelation 19:12-18 which is mostly a description of the One on the white horse (the Word of God, Rev. 19:13).

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True and in righteousness He judges and makes war…And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Then I saw an angel coming down form heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 19:11, 19-20:4

Notice the sequence in Revelation19-20. The individual beast and false prophet (the one who made people take the mark of the beast Rev. 13:11-18) are captured at the Second Coming in chapter 19 and put in the lake of fire. Satan is then taken and thrown in the abyss as the kingdom is established in chapter 20. Those who had lost their lives for not taking the mark of the beast (cf. Rev. 19:20; 13:15-16) are then resurrected in Revelation 20:4 at the beginning of the millennium. God was letting His first century audience know that the one who was faithful to Him to the point of death (cf. Rev. 2:10-11) would still get to participate in the soon coming millennial reign (Rev. 2:25-27; 3:21).

Notice the reference to the mark of the beast as a past event in both chapter 19 and 20. Revelation 20 is a continuation of the AD 70 narrative of the Second Coming not a recapitulation to AD 30.

Rev. 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

In Revelation 13:1-10 the seven churches were warned about the soon coming individual beast (cf. Rev. 17:18) that would overcome the saints. In Revelation 13:11-18 they were warned about his mark on the head and hand (cf. Rev. 14:8-11). These events of the tribulation were to happen in the forty-two month period (of AD 67-70) immediately preceding the Second Coming.

And he [the beast] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months…It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation…[and] as many as would not worship the image of the beast [were] to be killed. Rev. 13:5, 7, 15 brackets mine

In Revelation 19 we are shown the defeat of the beast by the Second Coming. The saints that had been killed for not taking the beast’s mark are shown among those that come to life in chapter 20 as the millennium begins. Revelation 20 is thus a continuation of the AD 70 narrative of chapter 19; it is not a recapitulation back to AD 30. Again, One of the groups that come alive at the beginning of the millennium consists of those who had been killed for not taking the mark of the beast. They had gone through the great tribulation (cf. Rev. 7:9-17) and are being resurrected at AD 70 to participate in the millennium.

The sequence I have proposed above is shown in Daniel 7. 1. The Antichrist (the little eleventh horn, Dan. 7:19-20) overcomes the saints. 2. He is defeated by the coming of God. 3. The court is seated (thrones are put in place as the kingdom reign begins, Dan. 7:8-11) as the saints possess the kingdom.

I was watching; and [1] the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, [2] until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and [3] the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Dan. 7:21-22

Again, the same sequence that is shown in Daniel is shown in Revelation. 1. The Antichrist (the individual beast) overcomes the saints (Rev. 13:5-7). 2. He is defeated by the coming of God (Rev. 19:11-21). 3. The saints then possess the kingdom as the millennium begins (Rev. 20:4). This is a pre-millennial sequence; the Second Coming happens right before God’s people possess the kingdom of God. This was James Stuart Russell’s position; he considered any attempts to fit the millennium in before AD 70 to be “violent and unnatural.” [J.S. Russell, The Parousia (Baker, 1999), 514]. It is at the AD 70 coming of God that the saints inherited the kingdom. This explains why one of the groups the come alive at the beginning of the millennium consists of believers who had been killed for not taking the mark of the beast. The millennium began right after the great tribulation at the AD 70 Second Coming, not at AD 30. Again, it was at the coming of God (what the NT will show as the Second Coming) that God’s people possessed the kingdom of God (Dan. 7:21-22; cf. Rev. 19:11-20:4).

Now a full preterist can not accept what I have written here, at least not if he or she wants to stay a 100% full preterist. Full preterism necessitates that all Bible prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70. Thus full preterists have to reject an AD 70 beginning to the millennium; if the millennium did begin at AD 70 it means there is still prophecy yet to be fulfilled (e.g. Satan’s loosing from the abyss at the end of the millennium, Rev. 20:7-10). Full preterists are left with a choice of either accepting what I am saying about an AD 70 beginning of the millennium (which is not going to happen) or attempt to separate the millennial kingdom (which they see as being from around AD 26-30 to sometime before AD 70) from the saints possessing the kingdom at the AD 70 Second Coming (Dan. 7:21-22). Most full preterists (wanting to stay card carrying full prets.) will attempt the latter option (differentiating the beginning of the millennium from the saints possessing the kingdom at the AD 70 Second Coming). Again if a full preterist acknowledges the start of the millennium as being the same as the AD 70 coming of the kingdom (cf. Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:4) then they violate their basic premise of all prophecy fulfilled by AD 70.

Comparing Daniel 7 with Revelation 20, it is impossible to make a legitimate case that the AD 70 establishment of the kingdom of God of Daniel 7 (vv. 19-27) and the millennium of Revelation 20 are speaking of two different reigns. Of the AD 70 establishment of the kingdom, Daniel 7:9-10 (NRSV) reads, [A] “As I watched, thrones were set in place…[B] The court sat in judgment” (brackets mine). Of the millennium, Revelation 20:4 (NRSV) reads, [A] “Then I saw thrones, and [B] those seated on them were given authority to judge.” I don’t see how one can make these to be two separate events, the first starting at AD 70 the second supposedly starting at AD 30.

It is the AD 70 defeat of the Antichrist (the little eleventh horn) by the coming of God that begins the kingdom reign (Dan. 7:8-11, 21-27). The thrones put in place (Dan. 7:9) at this time (AD 70) of the establishment of the kingdom correspond to the thrones that God’s people occupy at the beginning of the millennium (Rev. 20:4). The beginning of the millennium similarly shows believer’s victory over the Antichrist (the individual beast). Revelation 20:4 speaks of “… [those] who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands” (Rev. 20:4; cf. Rev. 13:11-18; 15:2; 19:11-21). The saints inheriting the kingdom of God in Daniel 7 corresponds to the beginning of the millennium in Revelation 20. They are talking about the same event, the setting up of thrones and judgment as God’s kingdom is fully established on earth at AD 70.

Again the sequence that is shown in both Daniel and Revelation is the same. 1. The little horn/beast overcomes the saints. (Dan. 7:21, 25; Rev. 13:5-7). 2. He is defeated by the AD 70 Second Coming (Dan. 7:22; Rev. 19:11-21). 3. It is at this time that the saints possess the kingdom as the millennium begins (Dan. 7:9-10, 22, 25-27; Rev. 20:4). Daniel 7:21-22 presents this sequence simply and clearly.

I was watching; and [1] the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, [2] until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and [3] the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Dan. 7:21-22

There is much more to be said. I will hopefully be saying it soon. I am reaching 900 pages (double spaced) with my book, The Antichrist and the Second Coming, A Preterist Examination. I have two or three more months of revisions and then need to get the manuscript to an editor (Is there an editor in the house? If so contact me at Duncan@peoplepc.com ).

For more on J.S. Russell’s position on the millennium see, http://planetpreterist.com/news-5017.html

For more on the Connection between the little horn of Daniel 7 and the beast of Revelation see, http://planetpreterist.com/news-2622.html

ONE QUESTION for those who insist that

"The Tribulation"+"The 1,000 Years"+"The Little Season of Satan's Release"

all took place during the 40 years between A.D. 30 and A.D. 70:

And this is love, that we walk after Christ's commandments ~2 John 6

So again, these passages actually demonstrate that Jesus was merely describing the process and Power by which He cast out an individual demon in order to redeem an individual man on an individual occasion. Only someone desperate to force a contrived scheme upon the Scriptures would attempt to force a different conclusion. They certainly DO NOT equate with that anticipated by the Revelation's predictive vision granted 35 years later to the persecuted & exiled Apostle John:

Revelation 20:1-3 ~foreseen around 63AD in the predictive vision by Christ's exiled Apostle John; recalling that Rev 1:1 and Rev 4:1 inform that the Revelation predicts things still yet to come as of its writing
Then I foresaw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. NKJV

CONCLUSION:
Contrary to the reckless claims of "Full" Preterists (30-70AD Millennialists) there remains to be seen any Bible evidence that: before the time, during the Gospels, Jesus bound Satan and cast & sealed him into the Deep (Abyss, Bottomless Pit) , thus beginning the 1000-year Millennium and fulfilling the predictive vision of Revelation 20:1-3 that Jesus was to give about 35 years later. Satan was NOT bound around 30AD in the Gospels, rather, Satan was very much loose and walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, LINK.

Revelation 20:1-3 is NOT fulfilled by Matthew 12:28-29, Mark 3:26-27, Luke 11:21-22

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by Duncan McKenzie

There is no indication in the New Testament of Satan being bound in the abyss during the time between AD 30 and the AD 70 parousia. To the contrary, Satan is portrayed as being active in the world during this time (as my position would predict). Some try to prove that Satan was bound at AD 30 by citing Jesus' comment about his ministry binding the strong man (Matt. 12:28-29). There is no doubt that Jesus' ministry was curtailing the powers of Satan (cf. Luke 10:17-20). Yet Revelation 12:1-12 shows that it was only at the ascension (i.e., the male Child being caught up to God's throne, v. 5) that Satan was fully cast out of heaven (cf. John 12:31-32). Notice that he is cast unbound to the earth at this time (Rev. 12:7-12)—not bound and thrown into the abyss. This would result in a time of trial for the earth (v. 12) that would last until the AD 70 end of "a time and times and half a time" (v. 14)—a time period that Scripture always shows as ending at the AD 70 full establishment of God's kingdom (cf. Dan. 7:25-27, Dan. 12:7).

Consistent with this, in 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul (c. AD 55) calls Satan "the god of this age" (i.e., the pre AD 70 age). In Ephesians Paul (c. AD 60) refers to Satan as "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Eph. 2:2). Peter writing in the early AD 60's said Satan "walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). James (c. 48-62) said that the Devil needed to be resisted (James 4:7). Similarly, Paul (c. AD 60) exhorts believers to put on the whole armor of God so they could stand against the "wiles of the devil" as well as the "fiery darts" that he was then shooting (Eph. 6:11, 16). In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Paul (c. AD 50) writes of being "hindered" by Satan (cf. 2 Thess. 2:9). John (c. AD 60-65) said that the whole world was "in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19 NASB). That does not sound very bound to me!

The NT paints a picture of Satan being loose and active on the earth rather than bound in the abyss during the period of AD 30 to AD 70. Some full preterists attempt to get around this by saying that the scriptures cited above speak of the time at the end of the millennium when Satan is loosed (Rev. 20:7). To do this, however, they would have to put the end of the millennium around AD 50 or 60 (to explain why Paul told the Thessalonians that he was hindered by Satan in AD 50 or why he would say to the Ephesians that Satan was currently working in the sons of disobedience around AD 60). This would cut the millennium down to around 20-30 years in length (from around AD 30 to around AD 50-60). If this were true then it would mean that John was writing (c. AD 65) about a millennium that had already ended! It would mean that the "thousand years" during which Satan was bound and God's people fully shared in Jesus' reign was over before the readers of Revelation had even heard of it! That of course makes no sense whatsoever. The millennium was being held out as an incentive to those who would face the soon coming individual beast (cf. Rev. 11:3-12); the promise was that even those who were killed for not taking his mark (Rev. 13:11-18) would have a part in the soon coming full establishment of Jesus' kingdom reign (Rev. 20:4, cf. 2:26-27; Luke 19:11-27).

Norman L. Geisler and "This Generation"
by Gary DeMar
7/10/2007

One of the foundation stones of dispensationalism in particular and futurism in general is the claim that “this generation” in Matthew 24:34 either refers to a future generation (“the generation that sees these signs”) or the Jewish race. Norman Geisler, in his critique of Hank Hanegraaff’s The Apocalypse Code, argues that the Greek word genea should be translated “race.” He writes: “as virtually all acknowledge, it can mean ‘this [Jewish] race’ will not pass away—which it has not. Greek experts Arndt and Gingrich acknowledge that the term genea can have an ethnic use of ‘family, descent, . . . clan, then race’ (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 249, emphasis added).” Notice that Geisler says “can have.” The problem is, there is no place in the NT where genea is translated as “race,” and the lexicon cited by Geisler does not point to a verse where “race” would be the appropriate translation.1 Moreover, Geisler does not tell his readers that the Greek-English Lexicon also states that genea (generation) means “the sum total of those born at the same time, expanded to include all those living at a given time. Generation, contemporaries.”2 The passages referenced as examples of this definition are Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, and Luke 21:32 where the text reads “this generation.”

I’m surprised that Geisler would even consider the genea–as–race argument. While the Scofield Reference Bible takes this position, almost no one today, including dispensational authors, argue that “this generation” should be translated “this race.”

There are two problems with the “race” translation. First, as we’ve seen, the Greek word used in Matthew 24:34 is genea, a word that in other contexts means “generation.” Try using “race” where “generation” appears in these verses: Matthew 1:17; 11:16; 12:39, 41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; Mark 8:12, 38; 9:19; 13:30; Luke 1:48, 50; 7:31; 9:41; 11:29, 30, 31, 32, 50, 51; 16:8; 17:25; 21:32. Geisler even admits this, but claims that it can have a different meaning in a “prophetic context.” What is the basis for this line of argument? He never tells us.

Second, if Jesus wanted to say that “this race will not pass away until all of these things take place,” He would have used the Greek word genos to clear up any possible confusion. He uses genea (“generation”) not genos (“race”).

Third, there is a logical problem if genea is translated “race.” Since “race” is a reference to the Jewish race, Matthew 24:34 would read this way: “This Jewish race will not pass away until all these things take place. When all these things take place, then Jewish race will pass away.” This doesn’t make any sense, especially for a premillennialist like Geisler who believes the Jews will reign with Jesus for a thousand years after the period described by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. Fellow dispensationalist Stanley Toussaint dismisses Geisler’s line of argument:

It is difficult for dispensational premillennialists to take this view because this would imply that Israel would cease to exist as a nation after the Lord’s return: “This race of Israel will not pass away until the Second Advent.” But Israel must continue after the Second Advent into the millennium in order to fulfill the promises God made to that nation.

Fourth, each and every time “this generation” is used in the gospels, it refers to the generation to whom Jesus was speaking. The use of the near demonstrative “this” locks the time of “this generation” that was near to Jesus. If Jesus had a future generation in mind, He would have said “that generation,” as in, “that generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Consider what these Bible commentators say about the meaning of “this generation”:

• D.A. Carson: “[This generation] can only with the greatest difficulty be made to mean anything other than the generation living when Jesus spoke.”4
• William Sanford LaSor: “If ‘this generation’ is taken literally, all of the predictions were to take place within the life-span of those living at that time.”5
• John Lightfoot: “Hence it appears plain enough, that the foregoing verses are not to be understood of the last judgment, but, as we said, of the destruction of Jerusalem. There were some among the disciples (particularly John), who lived to see these things come to pass. With Matt. xvi. 28, compare John xxi. 22. And there were some Rabbins alive at the time when Christ spoke these things, that lived until the city was destroyed.”6
• Thomas Newton: “It is to me a wonder how any man can refer part of the foregoing discourse to the destruction of Jerusalem, and part to the end of the world, or any other distant event, when it is said so positively here in the conclusion, All these things shall be fulfilled in this generation.”7
• “[T]he obvious meaning of the words ‘this generation’ is the people contemporary with Jesus. Nothing can be gained by trying to take the word in any sense other than its normal one: in Mark (elsewhere in 8:12, 9:19) the word always has this meaning.”8
• John Gill: “This is a full and clear proof, that not any thing that is said before [v. 34], relates to the second coming of Christ, the day of judgment, and the end of the world; but that all belongs to the coming of the son of man in the destruction of Jerusalem, and to the end of the Jewish state.”9
• William Lane: “The significance of the temporal reference has been debated, but in Mark ‘this generation’ clearly designates the contemporaries of Jesus (see on Chs. 8:12, 38; 9:19) and there is no consideration from the context which lends support to any other proposal. Jesus solemnly affirms that the generation contemporary with his disciples will witness the fulfillment of his prophetic word, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the dismantling of the Temple.”10
• “Matthew uses genea here for the tenth time. Though his use of the term has a range of emphases, it consistently refers to (the time span of) a single human generation. All the alternative senses proposed here (the Jewish people; humanity; the generation of the end-time signs; wicked people) are artificial and based on the need to protect Jesus from error. ‘This generation’ is the generation of Jesus’ contemporaries.”

Norman Geisler needs to take a second look at his claim that “this generation” can be translated as “this race.” All the evidence points to the generation Jesus was addressing and not the “Jewish race” or a future generation.

From: http://www.americanvision.org/garyblog/?p=26

A Response to Ray Comfort’s “The End of the Age?”: Part 1

Ray Comfort has put himself on the front lines defending the Christian faith by confronting the spirit of the age and those who promote it. So Ray, if you ever read this, don’t take it as an attack on you or your ministry. It’s just my attempt to get you to take a fresh look at prophecy. After reading your short article, it seems to me that you have repeated the arguments of others without actually studying the issue for yourself. If I’m wrong about this, I apologize in advance. Either way, it’s my firm conviction that your views on Bible prophecy cannot be supported by a careful reading of the Bible. (Comfort’scomments from his article “The End of the Age?“ are in bold and appeared on the website of Christian Worldview Network on May 14, 2008.)

Don’t let doomsday prophets fool you. Just because there’s been another big earthquake, it doesn’t signal the end of the world. It does, however, bring us closer to what the Bible calls “the end of the age.” Do you want evidence that the Bible is the Word of God? Of course you don’t, but here it is anyway: Look at the signs the Bible speaks of (combined from Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 1 Timothy 4; and 2 Timothy 3), and relate that to contemporary life on earth.

I was hopeful when you began your article with “Don’t let doomsday prophets fool you” and your admonition that another big earthquake does not “signal the end of the world.” Then you had to throw in “however” and appeal to the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). The Olivet Discourse is describing what will take place before “this generation” passes away” (Matt. 24:34). The events of Matthew 24 take place before “this generation” passes away (v. 34). Jesus always uses “this generation” to refer to His contemporaries (Matt. 11:16; 12:41, 42; 23:36; Mark 8:12; 13:30; Luke 7:31; 11:29, 30, 31, 32, 50, 51; 17:25; 21:32). He never uses “this generation” to refer to a future generation.

For those who claim that “generation” (genea) really means “race,” there are two problems. First, the Greek word genea cannot be made to mean “race,” as in the “Jewish race.” Genea means “generation” (e.g., Matt. 1:17; Luke 1:48; 9:41; Acts 14:16; 15:21; Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26). The Greek word for “race” is genos. If Jesus had wanted to identify the Jewish race, He could have used genos. He didn’t. Second, there is the logic of the verse. If genea is translated as “race,” as in the “Jewish race,” then Matthew 24:34 would read, “This Jewish race will not pass away until all these things take place.” So when “all these things take place,” the Jewish race will pass away. One additional argument needs to be dealt with.

A popular way to interpret Matthew 24:34 is to have it read like this: “The generation that sees these signs will not pass away until all these things take place.” I can get a verse to say almost anything if I get to add words to it. Also, notice how “the” is substituted for “this.” We are told by Jesus which generation will see “all these things”: “so, YOU too, when YOU see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33). The “you” is a reference to Jesus’ audience. Follow the use of “you” throughout the chapter and notice that the second person plural refers to Jesus’ present audience (Matt. 24:2, 4, 6, 9, 15, etc.). If Jesus had a future generation in mind, He would have said “when that generation passes away.” Jesus uses the near demonstrate “this” to indicate the generation that was present with Him. One last point needs to be considered. Let’s suppose, for the sake of argument, that Jesus was referring to a future generation. What words would He have used if He had wanted to specify that it was His first-century audience that would see all these things? He couldn’t have used “you” or “this generation” since futurists claim these words refer to a future time and audience. To be continued. . .

Seven Problems with Futurist Theology.
An objective measure of ‘Biblical’ Knowledge
Christianity cannot take the place of thinking, but it must be founded upon it. Albert Schweitzer.
By
Morrison Lee

Morrison Lee lives in South Korea and has a background in Communications, Theology, and Analytic Philosophy. He lectures in Rational Preterism – the measurement of Preterism by right thought.

In endtimes there are, most simply, three competing schemas of prophetic fulfillment, each with variations; firstly the Futurist view, secondly the Partial-Preterist view, and thirdly the Preterist (past) view. Together they teach all, some and none respectively.

The Futurist view asserts all the biblical facts of the second coming point to our future. The compromise Partial (part past, part future) view asserts some facts are past, and some point to our future. The Preterist view asserts no biblical prophecy remains to be fulfilled.

The Issue: objectivity and the measure of a ‘biblical’ view

A great deal has been written on these three views and a multitude of verses quoted on each side, but as yet no common measure has arisen upon which a determination can be made. Futurist and Partial-Preterists argue their own conclusions are ‘biblical,’ so the problem then is one of objectivity: what is the measure of ‘biblical?’ Is ‘biblical’ orthodoxy measured by traditional creeds? Is ‘biblical’ practical measured by usefulness? Is ‘biblical’ measured by the quantity of verses quoted? Is it the evidence theory of truth: ‘known to be true?’ Or is ‘biblical’ the consistency theory of truth: if it is consistent with our beliefs it is true. How to measure objectively which explanation is ‘biblical?’

The Facts

For simplicity of discussion both all future and some (partially) future are grouped together, both asserting a future second coming beyond the span of 2,000 years between the bible authors and now.

Q. What are the seven main assertions of Futurist theology?

1. 2,000 year period of time asserted.
2. Jesus’ coming Personally’ ‘Physically’ and ‘Visibly’ asserted.
3. ‘Delay’ in coming asserted.
4. ‘Gaps’ between verses and passages asserted
5. Jesus coming asserted to be ‘literal.’
6. ‘Many comings’ asserted by partial school.
7. Asserts Jerusalem temple to be destroyed future to 2008.

Q. What are the seven main assertions of Preterist theology?

1. Things promised and written to that generation fulfilled to them.
2. All things to come upon [Jesus’] generation. Mtt 23:36
3. All things fulfilled in [Jesus’] generation. Lk 21:32
4. [Jesus’] generation not to pass away till all fulfilled. Mtt 24:34
5. Jerusalem temple and end of age occur at the same time Mtt 24:1-3
6. Jerusalem temple destroyed in AD70. History (Josephus. ‘Wars’)
7. 2,000 years not a necessary concept

The Rule for Objective Biblical Knowledge

All knowledge is an acquaintance with facts, and all biblical knowledge is an acquaintance with biblical facts. A thing cannot be said to be ‘biblical’ unless there are biblical statements in the same terms to declare it so. The only objective measure of biblical-reality is this correspondence between statement with biblical fact in the same terms. This means that 2000 years can only be ‘biblical’ if a chronological term equal to 2000 years is observable in the Bible; again, a delay is only ‘biblical’ if a delay is observable in the Bible. The rule here is correspondence between statement and fact in the same terms. Which of the three explanations is ‘biblical’ by the measure of a correspondence between assertion and biblical fact in the same terms?

Apply Correspondence Rule to Assertions of Each

Futurism. What occurs when we apply the rule – does the assertion correspond with bible facts in the same terms - to the futurist view?

1. No 2,000 year facts are observable in the bible.
2. ‘Personally’ ‘physically’ and ‘visibly’ asserted, but ‘personally’ ‘physically’ and ‘visibly’ nowhere occur in an exhaustive concordance of the scriptures.(Strong’s)
3. ‘Delay’ in coming asserted, but second coming ‘delay’ asserted by no bible author
4. ‘Gaps’ between verses and passages asserted, but no ‘gaps’ stated by bible authors
5. Jesus coming ‘literal.’ ‘Literal’ occurs nowhere in the biblical datum.
6. ‘Many comings’ asserted by partial school. ‘Comings’ occurs only once in Ezek 43:11 with no observable relation to second coming.
7. No Jerusalem temple exists in 2008 to be destroyed.

#1 In futurism the passing of 2000 years after the first coming is a necessary concept, yet no single biblical fact exists to prove #1. 2000 years because “it is literal” is assumed, yet 2000 years is nowhere observable in the facts.

#2 The terms found in the statements of #2 are nowhere observable in Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the KJV bible. I challenge you to do the experiment with Strong’s concordance. For example futurism asserts Jesus will return ‘Physically.’ In Strongs’ the term ‘Physically’ should occur alphabetically between ‘Phylacteries’ and ‘Physician,’ correct? ‘Physically’ is not there, because no such term as ‘Physically’ occurs in the bible! Do the experiment: look it up - ‘Phylacteries’ in Strong’s is followed immediately by ‘Physician.’ It is not there because it is a human invention, and similarly ‘Personally’ and ‘Visibly’, yet these three terms lie at the foundation of futurism.

#3 Again the assertion of a ‘delay’ corresponds to no observable bible fact in the same terms, in fact the bible author of Hebrews asserts precisely the contrary of what is asserted in #3, that there would be no delay. Heb 10:37 - ‘For yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry’ [delay] Statement #3 of futurism fails on two counts of objectivity: (i) it cannot justify itself on evidence and (ii) it actually denies the bible statement; ‘He shall not tarry’ [delay], scarcely a ‘biblical’ proof to convince the candid enquirer, but essential to the ‘literal and therefore future’ theory.

#4 Here no objective division between passages is made by any biblical author, nor are any divisions suggested by biblical time facts at those places where a future division is supposed to occur. Lacking biblical statements for these claims, they must remain conjectural and merely mental constructs to prop up literalism.

#5 Figurative language is a common literary device of the Hebrew prophets. (eg. Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel). A literal Psalm 23 ‘thy rod and thy staff they comfort me’ demands the nonsensical idea that God has a literal rod and staff in heaven, when a metaphorical explanation would answer the import sufficiently. Literalism is not a rule stated in the biblical datum, nor can the notion of only and always literal axiom work in practice. To quote the moderate position of Alexander Campbell: ‘Now while we agree that there is but one meaning in every passage, we are not prepared to say that meaning is always literal.’ (Campbell 1831, p 431)

#6 Another error is the claim of a plurality of Jesus’ second comings. The claim corresponds to no relevant statement in biblical observation. Comings is only found once in Ezek 43:11, and merely relates to the progress of priests and their goings out thereof and their comings in therefrom, a context disconnected entirely from a discussion of the second coming. Further, a plurality of comings makes the term a ‘second’ coming a meaningless nonsense. ‘Many second comings’; eg.a ‘third’ or ‘fourth’ second comings? It is another fact-less device to prop up a literalism absent from the facts it claims to present.

#7 In AD 70 the holy city of Jerusalem was utterly desolated and never rebuilt. (See Josephus’ Antiquities and Wars of the Jews). Futurism places more emphasis on reading the scuttlebutt of modern-doomsayers in daily newspapers than reading the history of Jesus’ own generation. What happens when we close the newspaper and look at history?

A sample Preterist synthesis of prophecy and history informs us that Vespasian’s Roman army under his son Titus surrounded a Jerusalem besieged by civil war, and a holy temple occupied by: a generation of villains so mad, that had the Romans made a longer delay the city would have been swallowed up by the earth, or destroyed as Sodom… (Josephus. Wars 5:13:566) a national event described by this eyewitness as the greatest [national] misery since its foundation, (Wars 6:8:408) in which the number of those which perished [over 1,100,000] exceeded all the destructions ..ever brought on the world (Wars 6:9:429), a time when false prophets abounded, (Wars 6:5:285) “the daily sacrifice” failed (Wars 6:2:94) when famine affected the estimated 3,000,000 people in the city, (Wars 5:12) a famine so bad people searched the sewers for dung, (Wars 5:13:571) and one mother ate her own child for food (Wars 6:3:207 ) when a measure of wheat was sold for a talent of money (Wars 5:13:571) when men sought by death [by sword over death by starvation], but found it not, (Wars 5:12:517) a context when fire and blood mingled together, the blood in the lanes in such quantities that the whole city ran with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with these men’s blood (Wars 6:8:406ff) earthquakes (Wars 1:19:370 ) and signs in the heavens: (Antiquities 17:6:167 Eclipse, comet) a time when the sounds of trumpets (Wars 6:1:68) and the noise of horses (Wars 3:2:33) were sounds to inspire dread and torment, when the great plain in front of Jerusalem (Wars 5:2:67, 5:3:106ff) was leveled even wider by the four legions of the Roman army as numerous as locusts to make a greater plain for battle. The entire city was shut up, the national population captured in a kind of net. (Wars 6:1:160) The futurist cannot tell us anything of Jesus’ generation, but Preterism tells us it was an unsettled world revolved by wars, a world that saw the Roman government in great internal disorder by the continual changes of its rulers, and understood that every part of the habitable earth under them was in an unsettled and tottering condition.. (Wars 7:4:79)

To this near correspondence between biblical prophecy and fulfilled history futurism attaches no significance at all, revealing that historical ignorance is the true basis for futurism. The need to re-build a 1st century temple (so it may be re-destroyed in the 21st century) to prop up a theory lacking facts is so silly as to be almost fabulous. It is further evidence of futurism’s inferior explanatory power: it cannot explain the deeper significance of bible facts. These seven topics are major tenets of the futurist theory of the second coming.

Preterist. What occurs when we ask for biblical correspondence with the seven Preterist assertions? In this case –

1. Things promised and written to that generation had a first meaning to them. A standard principle of modern historiography.
2. All things to come upon [Jesus’] generation. Mtt 23:36 Correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms.
3. All things fulfilled in [Jesus’] generation. Lk 21:32 Correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms.
4. [Jesus’] generation not to pass away till all fulfilled. Mtt 24:34 Correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms.
5. Jerusalem temple and end of age occur at same time Mtt 24:1-3 Correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms.
6. Old covenant of Moses located in Jerusalem temple. 1 Kgs 8-9 Correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms.
7. Jerusalem temple destroyed in AD70, (Josephus: Wars of the Jews). Correspondence between historical statement and biblical fact in nearly the same terms.

In Preterism tragic Jewish prophecy (Revelation) is explained by tragic Jewish history. Preterism has a very simple basis:

#1 Things promised and written to that generation had a first meaning to them. In thought the simplest view is always to be preferred. This principle is called Occam’s razor, where no more complexity is introduced than what the facts allow.

#2 Preterism simply accounts for genuine time facts relative to the time they were written, thus the generation spoken to is the same generation as ‘this generation’ to whom the things were promised. This is called ‘fact-for-fact’ correspondence’: it is express. The same also with statements #3 and #4.

#5 Asserts that the Jerusalem temple - which contained the institutions of Moses - also maintained them. This means that because the Mosaic covenant is in the Mosaic temple, the temple supports the Mosaic age. The conclusion is that when you end the temple you end the age. This is correspondence between statement and fact in the same terms.

#6 Explains the reason for #5 - the temple and the age end together – the reason being that the covenant was located in the Jerusalem temple. 1 Kings 8 – 9:1-9.

#7 Asserts that Jesus’ divine revelations to His generation may be answered by a correspondence with the historical state of affairs in that generation, (Josephus. Antiquities, Wars) which restores the prophetic credibility futurism steals from Jesus.

Clearly a Preterist (past view) has far more explanatory power of the temple’s historical and redemptive significance than futurism, and posses the firmest foundation in fact.

Conclusion of Comparison

Where biblical objectivity is measured by a correspondence between statement and biblical fact in the same terms, it must be concluded by all candid observer that the yet future premises are embarrassingly absent in every particular, while first century (Preterist) assertions are, by observation, legitimate statements of biblical authors.

Futurism springs from a rigid literalism which conjures, as if by magic: a delay not observable in the datum, gaps which correspond to no biblical datum in the same terms, multiple and fictitious comings which correspond to no biblical datum in the same terms, and the magical reappearance and re-destruction of a temple destroyed 2000 years ago. The most disturbing particular is that none of this speculation matches observable biblical fact (inthe- same-terms) at any single point, yet its followers claim complete certainty for it. The basis for all this mental machinery is literalism.

Proof of futurism’s entire structure is silence: Jesus hasn’t come back yet has He? The problem here is that the conclusion cannot be falsified or proven, even after 2000 years of failure. For 2000 years futurism has ignored the past and gazed off into the dim future offering; fictions instead of biblical facts, conjecture for proof, unbiblical terms as evidence, novelties like ‘comings’ as truth, and excuses like Christ was ‘delayed’ to explain its weakness. The yet-future-to-us view reminds one of a wobbly shack on a loose foundation, propped up by human buttresses and broken beams glued together and taped up, a patchwork of inventions. The real problem of futurism is not the formwork but the foundation of Knowing: it is not founded on any real, solid, biblical fact.

Futurists may believe they are right, but one may believe anything. True facts are the only measure of objective Knowledge, and without biblical facts to measure statements there can be no objective Knowledge. I will close with a quote from Karl Popper who wrote about ‘knowing’ in the absence of real facts. He said without real facts there can be no rational defense, but rather in their absence; ‘Our ‘knowledge’ is unmasked as being not only in the nature of belief, but of rationally indefensible belief – of an irrational faith.’ (Popper 1972 p5)

While little known and unfamiliar at present, Preterism possesses the singular merit of objectivity as the basis for a more rational and biblical explanation of the end time facts. I recommend it to the impartial Christian. morry_lee@yahoo.com.au

Campbell, A. The Millennial Harbinger. 1831 Reprinted College press 1987, Mo..
Popper, K.R. Conjectures and Refutations. Routledge, 5th ed revised 1989 UK.
Popper,K.R. Objective Knowledge. Oxford Press, 1972. USA
Strong, J. Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nelson 1990. USA
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