Victorious Eschatology

A Partial Preterist View

Second Edition

Harold R. Eberle

&

Martin Trench

Worldcast Publishing

Yakima, Washington

Untied States

Victorious Eschatology

A Partial Preterist View

Second Edition, Revised Jamuary 2009

by Harold R. Eberle and Martin Trench

© 2006 by Harold R. Eberle

Worldcast Publishing

P.O. Box 10653

Yakima, WA 98909-1653 USA

(509) 248-5837

http://www.worldcastpublishing.com

office@worldcastpublishing.com

First Edition:       First Printing, 2006

Second Printing, 2007

Second Edition: First Printing, 2007

Second Printing, 2008

Third Printing, Revised 2008

ISBN 978-1-882523-33-7

Cover by Paul Jones

Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California 90631.

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Requests for translating into other languages should be addressed to Worldcast Publishing. Printed in the United States of America.

What Others Are Saying

When I first read Victorious Eschatology, a light bulb went on in a dim part of my brain! Since I have become a strong advocate of dominion theology, I have realized that my previous Scofield Bible eschatology would no longer cut it. However, while I knew what I wasn’t, I didn’t quite know what I was until Harold Eberle and Martin Trench came along. This is one of the most important books I have read in a long time!

C. Peter Wagner

Presiding Apostle, International Coalition of Apostles

I cannot imagine getting up every morning with a defeatist attitude about life. Nor can I imagine serving a God who cannot overcome evil, but simply snatches away a few poor souls. Harold Eberle and Martin Trench’s new book, Victorious Eschatology, gives us a clear understanding of what to expect as kings of the King.

Don Atkins

President, Kingdomquest International Ministries

We need a reformation in the area of eschatology, and I believe Harold Eberle and Martin Trench’s new book is a step in that direction. It gives a clear understanding of the Olivet Discourse and corrects present teaching that has taken the words of Jesus out of context. Victorious Eschatology will help shift your paradigm concerning the endtimes, and I highly recommend it as a foundational book in the present reformation.

John J. Eckhardt

Presiding Apostle, IMPACT Network

Credits and Dedication

We have drawn from the writings of numerous authors whose names and works are mentioned in the bibliographies of this book. They have done research from which we benefited and hope to bless you.

Pastors Mike and Ruth Lightfoot deserve a special thank you for their input and encouragement. Pastor Ted Hanson is a pioneer in Christian thought, and he has been a constant inspiration. Herb Frizzel is a scholar on the subject of eschatology and in addition to adding a few comments to this book, he has written his own which we recommend to anyone wanting more in-depth studies. We also need to thank the thousands of Christians who listened to us teach these truths while we were still studying and developing our own understanding of the Church rising in victory and power before the return of Jesus Christ.

James Bryson is our hardest and most critical editor. Lori Peckham is the expert and a great asset to our team. Tristan Kohl, our final editor, is brilliant and amazing at finding mistakes no one else can see. Harold R. Eberle cannot release any book until his wife, Linda, puts on her final stamp of approval.

Thanks to all of you.

We dedicate this book to Annette Bradley, who served for many years editing our books and the books of many Christian authors. If heaven is truly heaven for her, she is now editing books for the saints who are with the Lord in eternity.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

1: Understanding Matthew 24

Introduction to Matthew 24

Question #1: “When Will These Things Happen?”

Question #2: “What will Be the Sign of Your Coming?”

Question #3: “What About the End of the Age (World)?”

Summary

2: Understanding the Partial Preterist View

The Partial Preterist View: Victorious View

Advantages of the Partial Preterist View

Multiple Fulfillments of Prophecy?

Challenges to Our Present Beliefs

Things Are Getting Better

Summary

3: Prophetic Messages Given to Daniel

The Message of Daniel 2

The Message of Daniel 9

Summary

4: Understanding the Book of Revelation

Introduction to Revelation

When Did John Write Revelation?

Overview of Revelation

Revelation 2 and 3: Seven Letters to Seven Churches

Revelation 4 and 5: Heavenly Scene of Christ’s Reign

Revelation 6: God’s Army Is Arrayed for Battle

Revelation 7-11: Judgment of the Jews

Revelation 12-14: Judgement of the Roman Empire

Revelation 15-18: God’s Worldwide Judgments

Revelation 19: The Kingdom of God is Victorious

Revelation 20: The Millennial Reign of Jesus

Revelation 21 and 22: The New Heaven and Earth

Summary

5: The Jews, Israel, and the Temple

The Jewish Rejection of the Messiah

Christians Honoring the Jews

The Coming Jewish Awakening

What About the Land of Israel?

What About the Temple in Jerusalem?

Summary

6: The Antichrist

Pertinent Passages About the Antichrist

John’s Description of the Antichrist

The Man of Lawlessness

Summary

7: The Rapture

Futurist View of the Second Coming

Partial Preterist View of the Second Coming

Examining Pertinent Passages

Summary

8: The End-times

The Apostles Believed They Were in the End-Times

The Futurist View of the End-times

The Partial Preterist View of the End-times

Summary

Conclusion

Bibliography 1

Bibliography 2

More Books by Harold R. Eberle

Foreword

Read this book with the help of the Holy Spirit. Do not approach it with religious or denominational filters, but allow the Holy Spirit to witness truth to you. What Harold Eberle and Martin Trench have written here will cause a shift in your thinking of eschatology or end-time events. We need a shift that will move the Church from a rapture mentality to a harvest theology. We must take off the grave clothes and put on the wedding gown as the Bride of Christ. We are the Bride of Christ, and the Groom is coming for His Bride, but He is coming for a Bride in victory that is bringing the kingdom of God on the earth by fulfilling the will of the Father.

Christians who focus on the harvest don’t really have much time to worry about a rapture. Their goal is to get as many people into the kingdom as possible in preparation for the wedding. A victorious eschatology will put a rapture mind-set behind and a harvest work before you.

We are not the Church in failure, running out the back door while the devil kicks in the front door. We are the Church of Luke 10:19 that has authority over all the power of the enemy.

Cal Pierce

Director, Healing Rooms Ministries International

Introduction

Eschatology refers to the study of end-times. The eschatological view presented in this book reveals that the kingdom of God will grow and advance until it fills the earth. The Church will rise in unity, maturity, and glory before the return of Jesus. We will present to you a victorious eschatology.

Most of the great leaders throughout Church history held to a victorious eschatology.

However, during the twentieth century, Christians became increasingly skeptical and pessimistic about the future. During World War I, Christians in Europe began to embrace a negative view of the world. Christians in North America followed suit during the Depression and World War II. As the world was thrust face-to-face with challenges and the wickedness of war, people embraced a negative view of humanity and a pessimistic view of the future.

It was during those trying periods when many Christians embraced a more pessimistic eschatology. They came to believe that the world is gradually slipping under the influence of wicked leaders and eventually Satan will take control of the economic and religious systems of the world. Preachers who embraced that pessimistic view began to teach that an antichrist figure will soon rise to prominence and then deceive most of humanity. They also taught about a coming great tribulation during which God will pour out His wrath, judging and destroying the earth.

As we mentioned, most of the great leaders in Church history held to a more victorious eschatology. The pessimistic view did not enter into Christianity in any significant way until the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible (1909), which proposed in its footnotes a very negative scenario of future end-time events. Since that time, hundreds of scary end-time books have been promoted within Christianity. The most widely read are known as the Left Behind series, written by Tim La-Haye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Such books and the associated teachings have become so commonly accepted in the modern Church that the negative eschatology has become the most popular view. It is important to note, however, that this view has been popular in Christianity for only the past 60 years. It reached its zenith of acceptance just before the close of the last millennium, when Christians became fascinated with the possibility of the world ending in the year 2000.

Now that we have crossed into the new millennium, Christians are lifting their eyes to the future. Many leaders are discovering that the Scriptures give us a more optimistic view than they previously had believed. They are embracing a victorious eschatology that teaches that Jesus Christ and His Church are going to reign over this world, not Satan.

The theological label that is used to refer to the victorious eschatology presented in this book is the partial preterist view. In contrast, today’s popular view is called the futurist view.

Eschatological View

Theological Name

Victorious View

Partial Preterist View

Popular View

Futurist View

These theological labels, the partial preterist view and the futurist view, refer to when the prophecies in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation are fulfilled. The word “preterist” comes from the Latin praeteritus, meaning “that which has past.” So the partial preterist view is that which sees part of the prophecies in Matthew 24 and part of the book of Revelation as already fulfilled. In contrast, the futurist sees virtually all of the prophecies in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation fulfilled in the future.

Theological Name

Matthew 24 & Revelation

Partial Preterist View

Part Past, Part Future

Futurist View

All Fulfilled in the Future

This is what we show you in the pages to follow. In section 1 we go through the prophecies recorded in Matthew 24. In section 2 we discuss some issues that are key in considering the partial preterist view. In section 3 we study the prophecies in chapters 2 and 9 of the book of Daniel. In section 4 we work through the book of Revelation. Then in sections 5, 6, and 7 we present the partial preterist views concerning the Jews, the antichrist, and the rapture. Finally, in section 8 we clarify what is meant by “the end-times.”

As pastors, we (Harold Eberle and Martin Trench) used to believe and teach the futurist view. However, even as we taught our church congregations the related ideas, we both realized that there are many scriptures that simply did not fit into the scenario of events proposed by the futurists. After several years of in-depth study, we have come to believe that the partial preterist view is more true to the Scriptures. This we will show you in the pages to follow.

In addition to studying specific Bible passages, we will insert a few quotes from well-known preachers, teachers, and reformers that show how the fathers of the faith shared a victorious eschatology. Not every leader throughout Church history would explain every verse of the Bible the same as we will; however, the fundamental view that the Church will rise in victory and power before the return of Jesus Christ has been the predominant view of the Church for the past 2,000 years.

Origen

It is evident that . . . every form of worship will be destroyed except the religion of Christ, which will alone prevail. And indeed it will one day triumph, as its principles take possession of the minds of men more and more every day.

(Origen Against Celsus, 1660, 8:68)

John Wesley

All unprejudiced persons may see with their eyes, that he [God] is already renewing the face of the earth: And we have strong reason to hope that the work he hath begun he will carry on unto the day of the Lord Jesus; that he will never intermit this blessed work of his Spirit until he has fulfilled all his promises, until he hath put a period to sin and misery, and infirmity, and death; and re-established universal holiness and happiness, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to sing together “Hallelujah.”

(The Works of John Wesley, 1985, p. 499)

Jonathan Edwards

The visible kingdom of Satan shall be overthrown, and the kingdom of Christ set up on the ruins of it, everywhere throughout the whole habitable globe.

(The Works of Jonathan Edwards, 1974, p. 488)

Charles Spurgeon

I myself believe that King Jesus will reign, and the idols be utterly abolished; but I expect the same power which turned the world upside down once, will still continue to do it. The Holy Ghost would never suffer the imputation to rest upon His holy name that He was not able to convert the world.

(The Life and Work of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1992, 4:210)

Section 1: Understanding Matthew 24

In this section we will study Matthew 24, a passage that has become known as the “Olivet Discourse” because Jesus gave this teaching to His disciples while they were gathered on the Mount of Olives.

We will begin in Matthew 24:3, where the disciples asked Jesus some key questions.

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

In the verses that follow this one, our Lord gave answers that we will be examining. How you understand His answers determines what you believe about the end-times, the tribulation, the antichrist, and the unfolding of all future events.

Introduction to Matthew 24

After the disciples asked Jesus their questions in Matthew 24:3, Jesus answered by talking about false leaders claiming to be Christ, wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, and people falling away from the faith. He also talked about the gospel being preached around the world, followed by destruction, tribulation, and people being taken away.

Christians who believe the futurist view study our Lord’s answers and conclude that all of the events listed are going to happen in the future, shortly before the end of the world.

Partial preterists come to very different conclusions when studying Matthew 24. We will go with you through Matthew 24, verse by verse, to explain, but first we need to identify clearly the questions Jesus was asked by His disciples.

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

(Matt. 24:3)

Some translations (e.g., King James Version) end this verse with “end of the world,” because the word aion, which is used in the original Greek, may be translated as “age” or “world.” Using the term “world,” futurist teachers tend to summarize the questions asked by the disciples into an inquiry about the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world. Therefore, when Jesus gives His answers in the verses that follow, all His comments are thought to be about the short period of time leading up to the end of the world.

Partial preterist teachers begin by noting that in Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus three questions, not just one.

Question #1: “When will these things happen?”

Question #2: “What will be the sign of Your coming?”

Question #3: “What about the end of the age (world)?”

Recognizing three distinct questions dramatically changes how we understand the answers Jesus gives in the verses to follow. We will see how our Lord first answers question one in Matthew 24:4-28. Then He answers the second question in Matthew 24:29-35. Finally, He answers the question about the end of the age (or the end of the world) in Matthew 24:36-25:46.

Question #1: “When Will These Things Happen?”

The first question which the disciples asked Jesus was, “When will these things happen?” Before we look at Jesus’ answer, we need to identify what are “these things” about which the disciples were asking.

Christians who have been taught the futurist view immediately think that “these things” refers to the events that will precede the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world. We will come to a very different understanding if we read the context of this Bible passage.

Matthew 23 tells us about a day when Jesus was speaking in the Temple in Jerusalem. First, He warned the crowds and His disciples to watch out for the scribes and Pharisees (verses 2-12). Then beginning in Matthew 23:13, Jesus turned from the disciples and directed His words directly toward those religious leaders. We can sense the flavor of His message by glancing at the first few words of each verse that follows. Note the harshness of His words:

verse 13:

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”

verse 14:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”

verse 15:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”

verse 16:

“Woe to you, blind guides.”

Jesus was rebuking the religious leaders right there in their Temple. Glance down a few verses and pick up the intensity of His rebuke:

verse 23:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

verse 24:

“You blind guides.”

verse 25:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

verse 26:

“You blind Pharisee.”

verse 27:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

verse 29:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

Jesus built up to a climax in which He declared a severe judgment against those religious leaders.

“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.”

(Matt. 23:33-36)

At that moment, you wouldn’t have wanted to be sitting with the scribes and Pharisees.

As Jesus declared coming judgment, He referred to the blood of every righteous person, from Abel to Zechariah. That is significant because in the Hebrew Bible, Abel is in the first book and Zechariah is in the last book.

Therefore, Jesus was saying to the religious leaders that the judgment for the blood of every righteous person—from the beginning of their Holy Book to the end— would come upon them and on their generation!

Judgment had been decreed!

Typically, we understand a generation to be 40 years in length (e.g., the Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until a generation passed away). So if Jesus’ words were to come true literally, then we should expect the judgment He declared to have fallen upon those religious leaders who were listening to His words and to those who were around during the following 40 years.

In Matthew 23, Jesus went on to tell more specifically how this great judgment was to occur. In verses 37 and 38, He cried out:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”

Jesus declared these words while standing in the Temple in Jerusalem. He cried out to the scribes and Pharisees, saying that destruction would come upon them, their city, and their Temple.

John Chrysostom

So now a punishment is appointed, one that brings exceeding dread and implies the overthrow of the entire city.

(The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 74.3)

The Judgement Fulfilled in A.D. 70

Did the words of Jesus come true? Well, they would have had to have been fulfilled by A.D. 70, because Jesus made His declaration around A.D. 30. Historically, did anything happen? Yes, in A.D. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed. Within 40 years after Jesus declared judgment, 20,000 Roman soldiers, under the command of General Titus, surrounded the city and cut off all supplies of food for four months so the people would starve. Then the soldiers came into the city and mercilessly killed more than one million Jews. The soldiers set the Temple on fire and led away 97,000 Jews as captives.[1]

At that time the Jewish population was decimated. Historically, little is known about the Jews’ lives for the following 60 years. It was not until A.D. 130-135 that they began reassembling with enough strength to attempt one last rebellion against Rome. Then after three years of battling, the Romans were able to crush that rebellion killing 580,000 Jews, and Israel was no longer recognized as a nation (until 1948). It was also at that time that the Roman commander ordered the Temple in Jerusalem to be demolished so completely, that each and every stone was carried away and the land upon which the Temple had stood was plowed over. The Temple was totally destroyed, as Jesus said it would be.[2]

Historians have a good number of documents from that time period that give us information about the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. However, most of our information comes from Josephus, a Jewish historian (not Christian) who was employed by the Roman government during that time to watch and record what actually took place. Concerning the war against and destruction of Jerusalem, Josephus wrote many things, including the following:

When they [the Roman soldiers] were come to the houses to plunder them, they found in them entire families of dead men . . . that is of such as died by the famine; they then stood in a horror at this sight, and went out without touching anything. But although they had this commiseration for such as were destroyed in that manner, yet had they not the same for those that were still alive, but they ran every one through whom they met with, and obstructed the very lanes with their dead bodies, and made the whole city run with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with these men’s blood.

(The Wars of the Jews, 1998, vi:viii:5)

It is worth reading the whole of Josephus’ writings about the fall of Jerusalem. What is so astounding about them is how clearly—sometimes word for word—they fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 23 and 24. The writings of Josephus are available in most Christian bookshops or libraries, and can be accessed freely on many web sites.

Eusebius

All this occurred in this manner in the second year of the reign of Vespasian [A.D. 70], according to the predictions of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

(Ecclesiastical History, III:7)

John Wesley

This was most punctually fulfilled: for after the temple was burned, Titus, the Roman general, ordered the very foundations of it to be dug up; after which the ground on which it stood was ploughed by Turnus Rufus . . . this generation of men now living shall not pass till all these things be done—The expression implies that a great part of that generation would be passed away, but not the whole. Just so it was; for the city and temple were destroyed thirty-nine or forty years after.

(The Works of John Wesley, 1985)

The Context of Matthew 24

We will discuss the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple more fully later, but here we are noting the context in which Matthew 24 begins. We know that in the original Greek manuscripts of the New Testament there are no chapter breaks. Matthew 23 flows right into Matthew 24 with no interruption. Matthew 24:1 goes on to say:

Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

(Matt. 24:1-2)

After repeating that the Temple would be completely demolished, Jesus walked away from the Temple, and His disciples followed Him.

Then the next verse starts off saying,

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives . . .

(Matt. 24:3)

Where is the Mount of Olives? It is the hill just outside of the Temple mount in Jerusalem. As Jesus sat down with His disciples, they were looking right at the Temple from which they just had exited.[3]

Put yourself in the disciples’ shoes. If you had been sitting there with Jesus, what would you have asked? On the forefront of the disciples’ minds was the judgment that Jesus had just decreed over Jerusalem and the Temple. The disciples asked:

“Tell us, when will these things happen?”

They were asking, “When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed?”

As we mentioned earlier, futurist teachers assume that the disciples were asking about the end of the world. However, it is not until the third question that they asked Jesus about the end. The reason that they asked about the end at the same time that they asked about the Temple being destroyed was because in their Jewish minds, what Jesus had just predicted was so cataclysmic that they must have wondered if it would be the end of the world. They were shocked at the thought of God’s holy Temple being destroyed. How could life go on without it? Could it possibly coincide with the end of the world? If not, when would that occur?

We will examine our Lord’s answers to the second and third questions, later. Here we need to realize that the first question the disciples asked Jesus was, “When will these things—Jerusalem and the Temple—be destroyed?”

Charles Spurgeon

The disciples enquired first about the time of the destruction of the temple...

(The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1974, p. 212)

Within a Generation

As we go on to study our Lord’s answers, keep in mind His time frame. Jesus said that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed within a generation. He repeated that time frame in Matthew 24:34, saying:

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

Can we accept these words of Jesus literally? Yes!

Futurist teachers see all of the events of which Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 happening not by A.D. 70, but about 2,000 years later, in our future. Therefore, they cannot accept the time frame of that generation which Jesus declared in two separate passages (Matt. 23:36 and 24:34). Some futurist teachers will explain their position by redefining the word “generation” to mean “race,” and hence, they can say that the race of Jewish people will not pass away before the end of the world. Others claim that the generation about which Jesus was talking was the generation that would see all of the end-time events listed in Matthew 24:4-33—that generation will not pass away until Jesus returns.

We believe that Jesus knew exactly what He was speaking about. Everything that is prophesied between Matthew 23:36 and Matthew 24:34 took place exactly as Jesus declared, during the generation that was alive when Jesus declared those words. This is what we will explain in the following pages.

Origen of Alexandria

I challenge anyone to prove my statement untrue if I say that the entire Jewish nation was destroyed less than one whole generation later on account of these sufferings which they inflicted on Jesus. For it was, I believe, forty-two years from the time when they crucified Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem.

(Origen Against Celsus, IV:XXII)

Jesus Answers the First Question

Jesus gives His answer to the first question in Matthew 24:4-28. We have not randomly chosen these verses as the verses in which Jesus answers the disciples’ first question. As we proceed, we will show you the clear breaks given within the context of Matthew 24. Also, we will later examine Luke 21 and Mark 13, which also record the Olivet Discourse, but leave no doubt that the first question is being answered in these verses. Now let’s examine, verse by verse, our Lord’s answer to the question concerning when Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed.

Matthew 24:4, 5: Many Claiming to Be Christ

“See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”

Christians who have heard only the futurist view immediately place these words of Jesus in the future, shortly before the end of the world. They are looking for some evil leader or several leaders to start claiming that they are the Christ.

That is the first error we need to correct. Jesus was answering the question concerning when Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed. That event happened in A.D. 70, within 40 years of the time in which Jesus prophesied it. Jesus told His disciples that soon many people would come claiming to be the Christ. For Jesus’ words to be fulfilled, those imposters would have had to come in the first century.

Did that happen historically? Yes. Right after the death of Jesus, many leaders arose capturing the hearts of the Jewish people. That may seem difficult for us to understand today, but we need to keep in mind the culture of that day. The Jewish people were desperately looking for a Messiah—someone to free them from Roman domination. Their hope and much of their religious system were based on a coming Messiah. When Jesus died, many of His followers gave up believing that He was the Messiah. Other leaders quickly arose, drawing large followings.

John Wesley

And, indeed, never did so many imposters appear in the world as a few years before the destruction of Jerusalem, undoubtedly because that was the time wherein the Jews in general expected the Messiah.

(Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament.Dec.1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/w/ wesley-john_methodist.html)

Eusebius

After the Lord was taken up into heaven the demons put forth a number of men who claimed to be gods.

(The History of the Church, 1965, II:13)

The Venerable Bede

For many came forward, when destruction was hanging over Jerusalem, saying that they were Christs.

(Cited in Thomas Aquinas’ Golden Chain, 1956)

Charles Spurgeon

A large number of imposters came forward before the destruction of Jerusalem, giving out that they were the anointed of God . . . .

(The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1974, p. 213)

Matthew 24:6, 7: Wars and Rumors of War

“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

Approximately 2,000 years ago when Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, He prophesied of coming wars. Interestingly, there were no signs of “wars and rumors of wars” when Jesus prophesied this. The power of Rome seemed to be stable, strong, irresistible, and permanent. Historically, the period was referred to as Pax Romana, that is, “Roman Peace.” Of course, the enemies of Rome would not have spoken of the time so graciously, but Rome definitely was established in that region of the world. It was at that time that Jesus prophesied of coming wars.

Did the prophecy of Jesus come true within that generation? Indeed, wars began to break out all over the empire. The Jews lived in constant fear, with 50,000 Jews being slain in Seleucia and 20,000 in Caesaria. Then in A.D. 66, 50,000 Jews were killed in Alexandria. Within a period of 18 months, four emperors in Rome were violently murdered. Civil war broke out in the city of Rome. It was a time of great turmoil, and there were constant rumors of new rebellions.[4]

Matthew 24:7: Famines

“in various places there will be famines.”

Did famines occur during the generation of the disciples?

In Acts 11 we are told about the “great famine.”

Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

(Acts 11:28; underlining added)

That famine was so severe in the region of Judah that we can read two places in the New Testament where Christians took offerings to collect money for believers suffering there (Acts 11:29-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-3).

The historian Josephus wrote about the devastation of that period:

But the famine was too hard for all other passions, and it is destructive to nothing so much as to modesty . . . insomuch that children pulled the very morsels that their fathers were eating out of their very mouths, and what was still more to be pitied, so did the mothers do as to their infants; and when those that were most dear were perishing under their hands, they were not ashamed to take from them the very last drops that might preserve their lives . . . but the seditious everywhere came upon them immediately, and snatched away from them what they had gotten from others; for when they saw any house shut up, this was to them a signal that the people within had gotten some food; whereupon they broke open the doors, and ran in and took pieces of what they were eating, almost up out of their very throats, and this by force; the old men, who held their food fast, were beaten; and if the women hid what they had within their hands, their hair was torn for so doing; nor was there any commiseration shown either to the aged or to the infants, but they lifted up children from the ground as they hung upon the morsels they had gotten, and shook them down upon the floor.

(The Wars of the Jews, 1998, v:x:3)

Knowing about this famine and the destruction of Jerusalem to follow, Jesus said to the women of Jerusalem:

“Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’”

(Luke 23:28-29)

Eusebius

In his [Claudius’] time famine descended on the whole world, a fact which writers whose point of view is very different from our own have recorded in their histories.

(The History of the Church, 1965, II:8)

Matthew 24:7: Earthquakes

“in various places there will be . . . earthquakes.”

Not only did the earth quake when Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:51-52) and again when He rose from the dead (Matt. 28:2), but history tells us that the few years just previous to the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was a time of unusually high seismic activity. The most famous earthquake was the destruction of Pompeii in A.D. 63. The writers of the period also tell us about earthquakes at Colossae, Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, Samos, Laodicea, Heirapolis, Campania, Crete, Rome, and Judea.[5]

Matthew 24:9: Birth Pangs

“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

It is common today for people trained in the futurist view to look at present-day natural disasters and claim that they are signs of the imminent return of Jesus, yet that is not what Jesus said. He was very clear that these signs would happen within that generation; furthermore, they would not be signs of the end of the world but “merely the beginning of birth pangs.” These birth pangs were to precede the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

John Chrysostom

He speaks of the preludes to the troubles of the Jews. “All this is but the beginning of the birth pangs,” that is, of the troubles that will befall them.

(The Ancient Christian Commentary, 2002, Ib: 190)

Matthew 24:9: Persecution

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

The first persecution was instigated by the Jewish religious leaders. Saul was among those leaders who oversaw the men who were putting Christians to death. The book of Acts describes that persecution, saying:

And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

(Acts 8:1)

That “great persecution” continued to spread, and soon government officials such as King Herod got involved (Acts 12:1).

The persecution became even more intense in A.D. 64. That was the year when more than one third of the city of Rome burned to the ground. The significance of that event is difficult for modern people to grasp. If we compared it with the recent destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City, we would have to say that the fire in Rome was far more devastating.

Rome was considered the center of the civilized world, and more than one third of the city was destroyed. Nero, who was the emperor at that time, blamed Christians for that terrible fire, and then he began what Church historians call “The Great Persecution.” The historian, Tacitus (c. A.D. 55-120), wrote how thousands of Christians were tortured, being covered in animal skins then torn to death by dogs, or being nailed to crosses, or being covered in tar and then lit on fire to illuminate Nero’s gardens while he entertained guests in the evenings.[6]

Matthew 24:10-13: Apostasy and False Prophets

“At that time many will fall away and will be tray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

Soon after the death of our Lord, false prophets began appearing on the scene. Several times Paul warned his followers to watch out for the false prophets. John explained that during his lifetime “many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Similarly, Peter warned, “False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).

The first major group was the Judaizers, who taught that Gentiles had to become Jewish proselytes and adhere to the Law of Moses as well as have faith in Christ.

Then came the Gnostics. They arose as soon as Christians brought the gospel to Greek-minded people, but by the year A.D. 150, about one third of all Christians were involved in Gnosticism. To grasp the influence of this heresy, imagine how it would be today if one third of all Christians in your own community were taken in by a certain heretical teaching. That is exactly what happened during those early days when the Church was struggling to survive.

Since our understanding of Gnosticism is key to understanding the problems of the first and second century Church, we will discuss it in more depth in section 6.

Matthew 24:14:Preaching the Gospel

What about Matthew 24:14?

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

If you have been trained under the futurist view, you know that this verse is often quoted to encourage Christians to help get the gospel spread around the world so that Jesus Christ can return.

Let us show you another way to understand this scripture. Jesus said that all of the events of which He spoke would happen in that generation. If we are going to believe the words of Jesus literally, then we must look to see how this verse could have been fulfilled in the first century.

Any serious study of Scripture must apply the foundational principles of biblical study, one being that other Bible passages that talk about the same topics should be read before drawing any conclusions about what a specific passage means. In this way, we allow the Bible to interpret itself, with less misunderstandings due to our own biases and cultural influences.

For example, for us to understand Matthew 24:14, it will be helpful to find out if there are other Bible passages that talk about the gospel being preached to the whole world. If you do this in your own study, you will discover five passages that address this subject. Amazingly, all five passages reveal to us how the gospel was proclaimed to all nations within the generation of the apostles. Let’s look at those five passages.

First, examine the words of Paul in Romans 1:8:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Their faith is being proclaimed—in Paul’s lifetime— throughout the whole world. Paul makes this even clearer in Romans 10:18:

But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Paul says this again in Romans 16:25-26:

according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ . . . has been made known to all the nations.

Paul tells us this again in Colossians 1:5-6:

the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing.

There it is again. The gospel was bearing fruit in all the world—in Paul’s lifetime. Finally, let’s look at the clearest statement Paul made on this subject:

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

(Col. 1:23; underlining added)

Could Paul have stated it any clearer? The gospel was proclaimed “in all creation under heaven.”

As people read these passages they may wonder if the words “whole world,” “ends of the world,” “all the world,” and “all creation under heaven,” really mean the whole world in the way we understand today. Some may question if these words perhaps meant the world as far as the disciples knew it or just the Roman Empire.

In these passages there are two different Greek words that have been translated into the word “world.” Paul used the Greek word kosmos in Romans 1:8 and in Colossians 1:6. The word kosmos can be translated as “world” or “earth,” but either way, it includes the entire world. The other Greek word for world is oikoumene, which can be translated “inhabited earth” or “civilized earth.” Paul used this word in Romans 10:18, when he declared that the Word had gone out “to the ends of the world.” Jesus also used this word, oikoumene, in Matthew 24:14. Hence, we understand that His original declaration was that the disciples would have time to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the civilized world.

However we look at it, the words of Jesus were fulfilled within the generation of the first disciples. They did turn the world upside down.

Eusebius

The teaching of the new covenant was borne to all nations, and at once the Romans besieged Jerusalem and destroyed it and the Temple.

(The Proof of the Gospel, 1920, I:6)

John Chrysostom

You will preach everywhere . . . . Then he added, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and the end will come.” The sign of this final end time will be the downfall of Jerusalem.

(The Ancient Christian Commentary, 2002, Ib: 191)

Justin Martyr

From Jerusalem there went out into the world, men, twelve in number . . . by the power of God they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach to all the word of God.

(The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1989, First Apology, XXXIX)

Charles Spurgeon

There was a sufficient interval for the full proclamation of the gospel by the apostles and evangelists of the early Christian Church, and for the gathering out of those who recognized the crucified Christ as the true Messiah. Then came the awful end which the Saviour foresaw and foretold, and the prospect of which wrung from his lips and heart the sorrowful lament that followed his prophecy of the doom awaiting his guilty capital.

(Spurgeon’s Popular Exposition of Matthew, 1979, p. 211)

After they preached the gospel successfully, Jesus said, “and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). What end was He referring to? Remember, He was answering their question, “When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed?” That is the “end” about which Jesus was speaking. Indeed, that destruction is what Jesus talked about next.

Matthew 24:15-20: Warning of Destruction

Jesus told the disciples that after they successfully preached the gospel, they needed to be ready to flee from Judea, because destruction was about to occur.

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.”

(Matt. 24:15-20)

Christians trained in the futurist view envision this passage being fulfilled in the future, before the end of the world. Typically, they think of the abomination of desolation as the antichrist who will walk into the Temple (one that will be built in the near future) in Jerusalem, set up an idol of himself, and declare himself as God. That event is thought to begin a terrible worldwide tribulation.

To understand this passage from the view of the partial preterist, note that Jesus is talking about tragic events that will happen not throughout the world, but right there in Jerusalem and the surrounding area of Judea. We know this because He is talking to His disciples and answering their question about when Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed. Jesus said that when the abomination of desolation (which we will define later) stands in the holy place, people “in Judea” are to run to the mountains. He did not say that people all over the world should flee.

Further, we know that Jesus was addressing His warning to the Jews, for He warned people to pray that their flight may not be on the Sabbath—a warning that is particularly relevant to Jewish people, as they kept the Sabbath in a fashion that did not allow them to work or run—even in the event of a tragedy.

Also, He said that people on their housetops must not go into their houses to get their possessions; that, too, indicates that He was talking about people in that region of the world, for houses in Jerusalem often were constructed in a way in which people could gather on their rooftops. Jesus’ warning tells us nothing about people living outside of Judea. Jesus was speaking of something terrible about to happen in Judea, and there is nothing in the passage to indicate a worldwide event.

The Parallel Passages in Mark 13 and Luke 21

To confirm that Jesus was speaking in Matthew 24:15-20 of events to happen around Jerusalem and Judea, it is helpful to glance at the Gospels of Mark and Luke where the Olivet Discourse is also recorded. In looking at these parallel passages, it is worth noting how closely they correspond with Matthew 24.

1. Jesus exposed the wickedness of the Jewish religious leaders (Matt. 23:1-35; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47).

2. Jesus declared the Temple’s destruction (Matt. 23:37-24:2; Mark 13:1-2; Luke 21:5-6).

3. The disciples questioned Jesus about the coming destruction (Matt. 24:3; Mark 13:3-4; Luke 21:7).

4. Jesus answered, talking about:

people claiming to be Christ (Matt. 24:5; Mark 13:5-6; Luke 21:8),

wars and rumors of war (Matt. 24:6-7; Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:9-10),

earthquakes and famines (Matt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11),

and the gospel being preached all over the world (Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10).

These passages are amazingly similar, although each writer used slightly different terminology. This may have been the result of the different writers recording what they each remembered or considered most important. The differences also could be the result of different occasions on which Jesus talked about this subject. They often were in the Temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus would have had many opportunities to talk about the incredible destruction about to occur. Whatever the reasons for the slight differences, we can see that the answers Jesus gave were very similar in each of the three Gospel accounts.

After Jesus talked about the signs that would take place, He went on in each Gospel to warn that people would have to flee from Judea. Let’s examine the accounts in the three parallel passages.

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”

(Matt. 24:15-16)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”

(Luke 21:20-21)

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”

(Mark 13:14)

Notice that in all three passages Jesus clearly states that it is the people in Judea who are to flee. Nowhere in any of the passages does He speak of or refer to any broader region.

The Abomination in the Holy Place

Now we need to examine what Jesus was referring to when He warned the disciples about an abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.

As mentioned earlier, futurist teachers assume that the abomination is the antichrist who will set up an idol in a future temple or actually step into that temple and declare himself as God.

To see how unfounded that understanding is, first note that the antichrist is never mentioned in Matthew 24 (nor in any of the Gospels). Also, note that Jesus was talking to His disciples and telling them that they will witness this event. Jesus was not talking about an antichrist who would come hundreds or even thousands of years later, but rather some abomination that would be seen in their lifetime.

Next, we can identify where the abomination was to stand. Matthew refers to the “holy place” and Luke refers to “Jerusalem.” Which author is correct? Both. When Matthew mentions the holy place, he was referring to the same location as Luke when he referred to Jerusalem. We can confirm this by examining the terminology “holy place,” which has been translated from the Greek words hagios topos. This terminology is never used anywhere in the Bible to refer to the Temple or the holy of holies in the Temple. As anyone with a Greek dictionary can learn, the word hagios means holy and the word topos refers to a locality. It is used in expressions such as a “desert place” but never in reference to a building.

Since we have Luke referring to this holy place as “Jerusalem,” it follows that Jesus was referring to Jerusalem in the parallel passage of Matthew.

Next, what is the abomination of desolation? When we speak of an abomination, we are referring to a horrible, detestable, disgusting thing. Luke tells us that the abomination was the armies surrounding Jerusalem. What could be more detestable to Jewish people? The heathen armies would gather to make the holy city a desolation.

Does this correspond with historical evidence? Perfectly! As we have noted, in the year A.D. 70, 20,000 Roman soldiers lined the mountains around Jerusalem, surrounding the holy city.

John Chrysostom

. . . the abomination of desolation means the army by which the holy city of Jerusalem was made desolate.

(The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/c/ chrysostom_homily.html)

This description also matches the one we read in Daniel 9. Remember that Jesus referred in Matthew 24:15 to the abomination of desolation “about which Daniel spoke.” We will examine the book of Daniel more later (section 3), but here note Daniel’s reference to the abomination:

“The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

(Dan. 9:26)

Indeed, the soldiers came to destroy Jerusalem. For four months they starved the people; then they descended upon the city as a flood pouring into the valley.

Fleeing Jerusalem and Judea

When the abomination—that is, the Roman soldiers— began lining the mountains around Jerusalem, there was a short time during which people could flee. Hence, we can understand our Lord’s exhortation for those on the housetops not to go down to get their possessions, nor those in the field to return to get their cloaks. Jesus was telling them that they must flee immediately. After those Christians in Jerusalem were allowed to escape, the Roman soldiers sealed off the city. No one else was allowed to go in or out. The Romans cut Jerusalem off so the people would starve. Josephus wrote:

So all hope of escaping was now cut off from the Jews, together with their liberty of going out of the city. Then did the famine widen its progress, and devoured the people by whole houses and families; the upper rooms were full of women and children that were dying by famine; and the lanes of the city were full of the dead bodies of the aged; the children also and the young men wandered about the marketplaces like shadows, all swelled with the famine, and fell down dead, wheresoever their misery seized them.

(The Wars of the Jews, 1998, v:xii:3)

Historically, we know that the early disciples fled Jerusalem before the destruction of the city. Why did they flee? Because they remembered the warning that Jesus gave them, that the city would be surrounded by armies and they must flee to escape the devastation to follow.

Eusebius

The members of the Jerusalem church, by means of an oracle given by revelation to acceptable persons there, were ordered to leave the City before the war began and settle in a town in Peraea called Pella.

(The History of the Church, 1965, III:5)

The Venerable Bede

. . . when on the approach of the war with Rome and the extermination of the Jewish people, all the Christians who were in that province, warned by the prophecy, fled far away, as Church history relates, and retiring beyond Jordan, remained for a time in the city of Pella.

(Cited in Thomas Aquinas’ Golden Chain, Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/b/ bede_venerable.html)

Charles Spurgeon

The Christians in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns and villages, “in Judea”, availed themselves of the first opportunity for eluding the Roman armies, and fled to the mountain city of Pella, in Perea, where they were preserved from the general destruction which overthrew the Jews. There was no time to spare before the final investment of the guilty city; the man “on the house-top” could “not come down to take anything out of his house”, and the man “in the field” could not “return back, to take his clothes.” They must flee to the mountains in the greatest haste the moment that they saw “Jerusalem compassed with armies.”

(The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1974, p. 215)

John Chrysostom

“Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” When does he mean by “then”? These things will take place, he says, “when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place.” He seems to me to be speaking of the armies and wars. So flee. There is no hope of safety for you in the cities.

(The Ancient Christian Commentary, 2002, Ib: 193)

Matthew 24:21, 22: A Great Tribulation

Jesus warned the disciples to flee from Judea (Matt. 24:15-20). Then He prophesied the great destruction to follow:

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

(Matt. 24:21-22)

Futurist teachers say that this great tribulation will come in the future, just before the end of the world, and it will spread over all the earth. This coming tribulation is talked about so much in some Christian circles that it has developed its own identity and is called “The Great Tribulation.”

In reality, Jesus was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He was answering the disciples’ question, “When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed?”

If Jesus truly was talking about the events of A.D. 70, then we have another question to answer. How could He have said that nothing so terrible has occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will? Haven’t there been more wicked things happen than the destruction of Jerusalem? What about the twentieth-century Holocaust when 6 million Jews were murdered? What about other times of war and mass destruction?

The destruction of Jerusalem was not the greatest in magnitude, but Jesus was talking in terms of it being the greatest calamity in the sense of suffering and anguish.

Josephus describes for us what actually took place in A.D. 70. After the city was sealed off by the Roman soldiers, Josephus tells how the Jews committed terrible atrocities to each other, even horrific actions, such as cannibalism, which occurred during the famine. He narrates a vile account of a woman murdering her small son, cooking him, and eating half of him, then arguing with thieves, who broke into her house looking for food, as to who would eat the other half.

During the famine, Jews also swallowed diamonds and precious stones in hopes of escaping and safely carrying them to new locations. Knowing this, the Roman soldiers would capture individuals from the city and cut open their stomachs and entrails, searching for whatever they could find.

After General Titus put an end to those searchings, a new form of torture began. Josephus wrote that as men tried to escape the city or to crawl out to gather food, the Roman soldiers would cut off their hands and send them back inside the city. When the Roman soldiers finally were given the order to descend upon Jerusalem, Josephus tells us that more than 500 men were caught per day, then whipped, tortured, and crucified. Men were nailed to crosses in front of the city until there was no more space. Finally, the soldiers entered the city, and every person was killed except for 97,000, who were taken away to be slaves in the Egyptian mines or as gifts to various provinces so that they might be killed in the theatres.[7]

When Jerusalem was destroyed, a genocide of Jews was triggered throughout the surrounding regions. Josephus said:

There was not any one Syrian city which did not slay their Jewish inhabitants, and were not more bitter enemies to us than were the Romans themselves.

(The Wars of the Jews, 1998, vii:viii:7)

History provides many similar reports of what took place throughout the whole of the Roman Empire.

When we compare the genocide of A.D. 70 to the Jewish Holocaust of the twentieth century, we must admit that the more recent Holocaust was greater in number, with 6 million Jews killed over a six-year period. Living in labor camps and being killing with poisonous gas was horrific, but as far as we know, no one was crucified. In A.D. 70 more than one million Jews were starved, tortured and killed in a four-month period. Despite the twentieth century Holocaust’s larger magnitude, the violence during the A.D. 70 tribulation ended the lives of a much greater percentage of the Jewish population and was far more extreme in the atrocities that were committed.

John Chrysostom

And this doubtless applies to the Jews at home and abroad. For the Romans were fighting not only against those in Judea but also against those Jews that were dispersed everywhere.

(The Ancient Christian Commentary, 2002, Ib: 197)

Charles Spurgeon

The destruction of Jerusalem was more terrible than anything that the world has ever witnessed, either before or since. Even Titus seemed to see in his cruel work the hand of an avenging God. Truly, the blood of the martyrs slain in Jerusalem was amply avenged when the whole city became a veritable Aceldama, or field of blood.

(Spurgeon’s Popular Exposition of Matthew, 1979, p. 211)

Eusebius

Thousands and thousands of men of every age who together with women and children perished by the sword, by starvation, and by countless other forms of death. . . . all this anyone who wishes can gather in precise detail from the pages of Josephus’s history. I must draw particular attention to his statement that the people who flocked together from all Judaea at the time of the Passover Feast and—to use his own words—were shut up in Jerusalem as if in a prison, totalled nearly three million.

(The History of the Church, 1965, p. 69)

Matthew 24:23-27: False Christs Appear

As people were being slaughtered throughout Judea, many Jews held to their hopes of a Messiah appearing to deliver them at the last moment. Several leaders took advantage of this belief, which was so fundamental to the Jewish heart and mind. Knowing that this would happen, Jesus gave a warning:

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

(Matt. 24:23-27)

Josephus wrote of many false prophets and leaders claiming to be the Christ. One example he gave was of a false prophet who publicly declared to the desperate Jerusalem dwellers, that on a certain day, God was going to supernaturally deliver them. Many Jews followed that leader and ended up losing their lives because of their false hope. Josephus also described how extraordinary signs appeared, including a star resembling a sword over Jerusalem and then a light around the Temple for a half hour.[8] Just as Jesus had prophesied, the false Christs demonstrated “great signs and wonders.”

Jerome

At the time of the Jewish captivity by Rome, many Jewish elders claimed to be the Christ. There were so many, in fact, that there were three distinct camps of them when the Romans besieged Jerusalem.

(The Ancient Christian Commentary, 2002, Ib: 197)

Jesus warned the disciples not to listen to any rumors or declarations of Christs or false prophets appearing. Then He made a declaration contrasting the false to the real. He said:

“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

(Matt. 24:23-27)

From this they were to know that Jesus’ coming would not happen in the wilderness or in some secret place. When the Messiah truly came, Jesus said, it would happen up above.

Matthew 24:28: The Corpse and Vultures

“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

Envision thousands of soldiers gathered on the mountains encircling Jerusalem. Now add to that picture the banner under which they assembled—the banner of the vulture, which Roman soldiers carried on flags and often painted on their shields. As a prophet, Jesus declared that the vultures would gather, and Jerusalem would be the corpse.

Confirmation From the Parallel Gospels

Jesus finished answering the first question, having explained all of the signs that would lead up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Before we go on to examine His answer to the second question, it is worth pointing out the confirmation of two other Gospels.

We discussed how closely Mark 13 and Luke 21 parallel Matthew 24. There is, however, one key difference. In Matthew 24:3 the disciples asked Jesus three questions:

Question #1: “When will these things happen?”

Question #2: “What will be the sign of Your coming?”

Question #3: “What about the end of the age (world)?”

In contrast, neither Mark nor Luke record the second or third questions. Luke 21:5-7 goes like this:

And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.” They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

Mark 13:1-4 reads very similarly to this passage, without asking anything about the signs of our Lord’s coming or of the end of the world.

This is significant because it gives us a clear framework in which to understand Matthew 24. Since Mark and Luke record only the question about when the Temple would be destroyed, we know that our Lord was answering that question when He talked about people claiming to be Christ, wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, etc. The answers Jesus gave in Mark and Luke are almost identical to the answers Jesus gave in Matthew 24:4-22. Therefore, it is only reasonable to conclude that Jesus was talking about the Temple’s destruction when He talked about people claiming to be Christ, wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, etc. This is confirmation that Matthew 24:4-22 is answering the first question only.

Acknowledging the parallels in the Gospels shows again how wrong futurist teachers are when they try to combine all three questions recorded in Matthew 24:3, as if they all are asking about the Second Coming and the end of the world. We will look at the answers Jesus gave to the two remaining questions, and, indeed, we will talk about His coming and the end of the world, because those are the second and third questions. However, make no mistake that the first question was about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. That happened in A.D. 70, within the generation of the disciples, exactly as Jesus prophesied.

Concluding Remarks about the First Question

We cannot emphasize enough how significant an event it was when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. Jerusalem was the “holy city.” Mount Moriah, upon which the Temple stood, was the site where Abraham was willing to offer his son Isaac (Gen. 22:2). It also was the place where God appeared to David (2 Chron. 3:1). It was the site upon which Solomon had built the first Temple. It was there that the high priests offered sacrifices for the sins of the people. It was the center of Jewish life, a deeply sacred site. When the Temple was destroyed, the Jewish heritage was destroyed. In one sense, they were cut off from God. They lost their identity. Their religious system was abolished.

The writer of Hebrews explained how the Jewish religious system was abolished and replaced with the new covenant established through Jesus.

When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

(Heb. 8:13)

We have a new covenant with better promises. We have a High Priest who has made the ultimate and final sacrifice.

The transition from the old to the new stands at the center of history and the Bible. It is a pivotal point in God’s plan through the ages. When the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, it finalized the end of the old religious system.

Question #2: “What will Be the Sign of Your Coming?”

Matthew recorded the second question that the disciples asked Jesus as follows:

“What will be the sign of Your coming?”

Futurist teachers understand this question to be about the second coming of our Lord. They say that Jesus will return to earth after all of the signs of Matthew 24:4-22 have occurred. In other words, at some point in our future, after wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, etc., then Jesus will return.

Partial preterists offer a very different understanding. We have already explained how all of the signs, such as wars, earthquakes, famines, etc., were signs preceding the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. Those signs were fulfilled. They are not for our future.

Now we need to determine what the disciples meant when they asked, “What will be the sign of Your coming?”

When people read that question today, they have a very different mind-set than the disciples had 2,000 years ago. When the disciples were sitting with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, they were not thinking about the second coming of our Lord. In fact, at that time in their lives they were not convinced that Jesus was going to die (Matt. 16:21-23), let alone return to earth someday. Therefore, they could not have been asking about the Second Coming.

What, then, were they asking? Look again at the question: “What will be the sign of Your coming?” What is meant by His “coming?”

At that time in history, the Jews were looking for a Messiah. That was their primary hope. They were looking for a Messiah to come and set up a kingdom in which the Jews would have dominion over the whole earth and reign forever. Knowing this, gives us an entirely different outlook on the thinking of the disciples. Remember when the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus if her two sons could sit, one on His right and the other on His left (Matt. 20:20-23)? That reveals what was on their minds.

When the disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of Your coming?” they were asking Him, “When will You come into Your kingdom?” “When will You take Your position and reveal Yourself as king?”

When did that happen? After Jesus died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, He sat down on a throne at the right hand of God. All authority was given to Him, both in heaven and earth. Jesus came into His kingdom the moment He ascended into heaven and sat down next to the Father. It happened almost 2,000 years ago, in the generation in which the disciples lived.

To confirm this, read the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:28:

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Similarly, Mark records the words of Jesus:

“There are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

(Mark 9:1)

Could Jesus have said it any clearer? He declared that some of the people who were alive at that time in history would live to see Him come into His kingdom. Indeed, Jesus sat down on His throne 2,000 years ago. With that understanding of “coming into His kingdom,” we now can look at our Lord’s answer.

As we look at this, do not jump to the conclusion that we reject a belief in the Second Coming. We know that Jesus will return to earth at some point in the future, and we will talk about His second coming later when we look at our Lord’s answer to the third question. What we are saying at this point is that the disciples’ second question was not about Jesus’ second coming, but about His coming into His kingdom.[9]

Jonathan Edwards

Tis evident that when Christ speaks of his coming, his being revealed, his coming in his Kingdom, or his Kingdom’s coming, He has respect to his appearing in those great works of his Power, Justice and Grace, which should be in the Destruction of Jerusalem and other extraordinary Providences which should attend it.

(The History of Redemption, 1199, 1776. Dec. 1, 07, http.//preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/e/edwards-jonathan_revival.html)

Jesus Answers the Second Question

It is helpful to see how closely associated the destruction of Jerusalem was with the coming of Jesus into His kingdom. Jesus said:

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days ...”

(Matt. 24:29)

Jesus said that “immediately” after the destruction of Jerusalem, the disciples would know that He had come into His kingdom. He talks about that coming in the verse which follows.

Matthew 24:30a: The Sign of the Son of Man

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.”

Futurist teachers look at these words and envision Jesus appearing in the sky. But look carefully. Does this verse say that Jesus will appear in the sky? It says that “the sign” will appear. A sign is similar to a billboard declaring something. What is the sign? It is the sign of the Son of Man. It is not Jesus who will appear, but the sign will appear.

The King James Version of Matthew 24:30 reads like this:

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.”

Again, careful reading leads us to see that it is not Jesus who appears, but the sign that appears. And what will that sign indicate? That the Son of Man is in heaven. He has arrived. He has sat down on His throne. He made it!

The King James Version refers to the Son of Man in “heaven,” while the New American Standard Bible (which we quoted earlier) refers to the Son of Man in the “sky.” Either translation is correct because the Greek word ourano may be translated as either “heaven” or “sky.” However, if we use the word “sky,” the reader may envision Jesus up above in the clouds. On the other hand, if we understand that Jesus is in “heaven,” then we may envision Him with His Father sitting on His throne. It is this vision in heaven that corresponds with Jesus’ coming into His kingdom.

Put yourself in the shoes of the disciples 2,000 years ago sitting on the Mount of Olives. They soon were going to lose the One whom they had been following. He would die. After Jesus ascended into heaven, how were they to know that He actually had made it into heaven? How would they know that He had been given all authority over heaven and earth?

That is precisely what Jesus was telling them. He was answering the question, “What will be the sign of Your coming into Your kingdom?”

And what is that sign?

Jesus had just told them about all the signs that would end in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. That destruction was the sign. It was the billboard. Once they saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, they were to know without a doubt that Jesus Christ was on His throne in heaven.

To gain an understanding of the impact that sign had on the first-century Jewish disciples, compare it with what happened to Japan in 1945 when two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When those bombs decimated the two cities, Japanese people watching from a distance realized that the war was over. They had lost; the United States had taken control. Now compare that with what happened when Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. More people died in Jerusalem than when the two atomic bombs were dropped in Japan. The Jewish nation fell. The Temple was destroyed. That was the sign.

When the Temple was destroyed, the Jewish religious system was ended. No longer could people approach God through the Temple with animal sacrifices. There was a new High Priest. The Stone that the builders had rejected had become the Chief Cornerstone. There was a new Temple being built out of living stones. That was the sign that Jesus came into His kingdom. The throne of David had been lifted to heaven. From there Jesus Christ would rule over His eternal kingdom.

Matthew 24:29: The Signs of Judgment

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

To understand this passage, first notice the time frame. Jesus said that these things would happen “immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Since the tribulation that Jesus described happened in A.D. 70, we should look for the fulfillment of this verse “immediately” after A.D. 70.

To see this fulfillment, we need to be familiar with certain Jewish idioms. The sun, the moon, and the stars frequently were used to refer to governing authorities. For example, Joseph had a dream in which the sun, moon, and stars all bowed down to him (Gen. 37:9); when Joseph relayed this dream to his family, they did not conclude that the sun, moon, and stars would literally bow, but that Joseph would be raised above governing authorities. Similarly, we can read in Revelation 12:1 that a woman appears with the sun and moon under her feet and a crown of stars on her head, meaning that she had great authority. In modern times we often use similar terminology when speaking of a movie star or a superstar. In biblical terminology, the fame and glory of large cities were said to shine as the sun, moon, or stars. When a certain city was destroyed, the sun, moon, or stars were said to darken.

For example, in the book of Ezekiel we can read about the judgment and coming destruction of Egypt.

“And when I extinguish you,

I will cover the heavens and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with a cloud

And the moon will not give its light.

All the shining lights in the heavens

I will darken over you

And will set darkness on your land,”

Declares the Lord God.

(Ezek. 32:7-8)

This destruction that was prophesied by Ezekiel happened to Egypt, but there is no record of the sun, moon, and stars literally going dark.

We can understand this when we realize that prophets sometimes spoke in this apocalyptic terminology. We can compare it with modern-day idioms that people may use when tragedy strikes: “His life caved in around him!” “They pulled the rug out from under him!” “The sky is falling!” or “The lights went out!” It may be difficult for modern-day Christians to think of Jesus using such terminology, but that is exactly what He did. In fact, that is the only way we find this terminology used anywhere else in the Bible (as you will see in more examples listed below). It was a Jewish idiom in reference to coming destruction and the transfer of authority.

Consider how Isaiah decreed destruction upon a region south of Israel known as Edom:

And all the host of heaven will wear away,

And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;

All their hosts will also wither away

As a leaf withers from the vine,

Or as one withers from the fig tree.

For My sword is satiated in heaven,

Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom

And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.

(Isa. 34:4-5)

At that time in history the sky was not literally “rolled up like a scroll.” The hosts of heaven did not literally fall to the ground as leaves from a fig tree. Yet, Edom was destroyed.

Finally, consider God’s declaration of judgment through Isaiah upon Babylon:

For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not flash forth their light;

The sun will be dark when it rises

And the moon will not shed its light.

(Isa. 13:10)

When Babylon was judged, there was no record of stars and constellations ceasing from shining. The sun was not dark when it came up. The moon did not dim. Yet destruction came.

If we are going to allow the Bible to interpret itself, we will conclude that Jesus was using apocalyptic language to declare destruction. Just as the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel spoke judgments against Egypt, Edom, and Babylon, so also Jesus as a prophet declared destruction upon Jerusalem. The disciples of Jesus would have recognized that phraseology. They knew the Old Testament. Such terminology was part of their cultural expressions.

This fits perfectly with what actually took place after Jesus died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven. Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father. He was given all authority over heaven and earth. The evidence on earth of Jesus ruling in heaven was that the old Temple was destroyed. There was a new High Priest sitting in heaven. There was a new ruler: the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

(1 Pet. 3:22)

The heavens were shaken because Jesus Christ came into His kingdom.

Matthew 24:30b: The Son of Man in Glory

We have already examined the first part of Matthew 24:30 (pages 54-56); now let’s consider the rest of the verse.

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”

What is the meaning of “then all the tribes of the earth will mourn”?

To answer this, we need to examine the Greek word ge, which has been translated in this version to “earth.” When this word ge is translated in other passages of the New Testament, it is most often translated as “land.” In fact, this word is often used when referring to the Promised Land of the Jews. This is what we believe is truer to the context of this passage. Hence, we are told that all the tribes of the land shall mourn. Who are the tribes of the land? The land that is spoken of in this passage is the Promised Land. Therefore, all of the tribes of Israel will mourn.

When news of the destruction of the Temple and the whole of Jerusalem reached the tribes of Israel, great mourning took place in their synagogues and homes. The “sign” (the destruction of Jerusalem) caused the “tribes” (of Israel) to mourn greatly, yet they still missed the significance of the sign. It was the sign that “the Son of Man” was “in heaven,” that He had ascended to His Father.

When Jesus referred to “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory,” He did not say that the Son was coming back to earth. This event was to happen in the sky (or in heaven, according to the King James Version). In heaven Jesus was clothed with power and glory.

This is exactly what Daniel had prophesied as he saw in a vision Jesus Christ taking His position at the right hand of the Father:

“I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before Him.

And to Him was given dominion,

Glory and a kingdom,

That all the peoples, nations and men of every language

Might serve Him.”

(Dan. 7:13-14)

Daniel prophesied it. Then Jesus fulfilled it when He received the right to rule from His Father.

Matthew 24:31: Angels Gathering the Elect

“And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

To many people, this can speak only of the second coming of Christ at the end of history. But that is not what Jesus said it meant. Only three verses after this, He states that “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Jesus said that this verse was descriptive of one of the things that would happen within the span of one generation.

How can we understand this? As Jesus sat down on His throne, all authority was given to Him in heaven and earth. Everything changed the moment Jesus came into His kingdom. The blowing of a trumpet meant to the Jews that a royal decree was going out. And what was that decree? It was time to release the angels of God to go and gather His people from every nation. At the same time, the disciples of Jesus were commissioned to go and preach the gospel, making disciples of every nation. No longer was the Jewish nation the only people allowed within a covenant relationship with God. Jesus had become the Good Shepherd who was gathering His sheep from across the world.

The word “gather” is significant, for it literally means “to synagogue.” Christ’s messengers would be gathering people together into His new synagogue. The end of the old Temple would only help to hasten the building of the new temple, which is the Church. It is a simple fact of history that the Church began its vigorous growth after Jerusalem fell.

Matthew 24:32, 33: Know That He Is Near

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”

Jesus told the disciples here that just as the budding of a fig tree is a sure sign that summer is near, so also these warning signs would signal the beginning of a new spiritual season—the end of the old age and the flourishing of a new one. Our Lord’s lesson of the fig tree is even more powerful if we realize that Jesus and the disciples were sitting on the mountain which overlooks Jerusalem and the Temple. Our Lord could have easily taken a tender branch from a nearby tree and given them the lesson to watch for the obvious signs that would indicate the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming into His kingdom.

Some teachers of the futurist view claim that the fig tree is a symbol of Israel and that when Israel is reborn as a nation, the generation that sees it happen will also see the second coming of Christ. This is an astounding interpretation. In the Bible, Israel typically is pictured as an olive tree rather than a fig tree (e.g., Jer. 11:16; Rom. 11:17). Furthermore, there is no mention of a rebirth of Israel in this context. Jesus already listed all of the signs for which they were to watch, and none of them implies anything about Israel being reborn. In the context, Jesus was not talking about an event 2,000 years in the future. Jesus was answering His disciples’ questions about His coming into His kingdom—an event that they would see in their lifetime.

We can know that the fig tree illustration was not about the future rebirth of Israel and the second coming of Jesus because the next verse is the Lord’s declaration that all of the signs would happen in that generation (24:34). Furthermore, that would contradict what Jesus says two verses later (24:36) about there being no signs to indicate when His second coming would occur (a subject we will discuss shortly). Jesus would not talk about looking at the obvious signs and then immediately say that He does not even know the day and the hour of His return.

For anyone who needs more proof, we can also know that the fig tree illustration was not about the rebirth of Israel and that generation seeing the second coming of Jesus, because it simply is not true! Israel became a nation in 1948, and more than 60 years have passed without Jesus’ return.

The obvious, simple lesson of the fig tree was to watch for all the signs listed in Matthew 24:4-28. When those signs were fulfilled, the disciples were to know that Jesus had come into His kingdom.

Matthew 24:34: In This Generation

Jesus ended His answer to the disciples’ second question by saying:

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

If we take these verses literally, then we will believe that everything Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:5-34 was fulfilled by A.D. 70.

Of course, futurist teachers cannot accept the words of Jesus literally. Sometimes they redefine the word “generation” (genesis, in Greek) to be “race,” and hence, they claim that all of the events listed in Matthew 24 will happen before the race of the Jews passes away. In reality, that reinterpretation is inconsistent with the rest of the New Testament. The Greek word genesis is used 34 times in the New Testament, and never is it translated as “race” in any commonly used translation of the Bible.

If we simply accept the natural and literal meaning of Jesus’ statement, we will conclude that all of the events recorded, including the coming of the Lord, happened within the lifetime of the disciples who were listening to Jesus at that time.

John Calvin

Christ informs them, that before a single generation shall have been completed, they will learn by experience the truth of what he has said. For within fifty years the city was destroyed and the temple was razed, the whole country was reduced to a hideous desert.

(Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 1949, vol. 3, p. 151)

Charles Spurgeon

The King left his followers in no doubt as to when these things should happen: “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.” It was just about the ordinary limit of a generation when the Roman armies compassed Jerusalem, whose measure of iniquity was then full, and overflowed in misery, agony, distress, and bloodshed such as the world never saw before or since. Jesus was a true Prophet; everything that he foretold was literally fulfilled.

(The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1974, p. 218)

Question #3: “What About the End of the Age (World)?”

The third question the disciples asked pertains to the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). As we mentioned earlier, the Greek word for age, aion, is translated in some Bible versions as “world,” and, therefore, it may be understood that the disciples were asking about the end of the world. In the following discussion we will use the term “age,” but the end of the age definitely will be the end of the world as we know it.

Jesus Answers the Third Question

Jesus answered the third question of the disciples in Matthew 24:35-25:46. Christians who have a red-letter edition of the Bible (that is an edition where all the words of Jesus are printed in red) will notice that Matthew 24:35-25:46 are all the words of Jesus. It is one long discourse in which Jesus answers the question about the end of the age.

We will go through these verses passage by passage, but first it is important to identify how we know that Matthew 24:35 is where Jesus begins answering the third question. We did not arbitrarily choose this as the verse in which He began, but a quick examination of the Scriptures reveals that this is, indeed, where Jesus started talking about the end of the age. Allow us to explain.

We already studied Matthew 24:34, where Jesus said that everything preceding that verse would happen in that generation. He was giving a notable break and a reasonable place for us to see how the events after Matthew 24:34 could happen at a later date, in a later generation.

Further, we can note the next verse, where Jesus begins answering the third question:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

(Matt. 24:35)

Jesus is emphasizing how His words certainly will come true, but He is also making a statement about the end of things—heaven and earth passing away. That is what the disciples asked in their third question: “What about the end of the age (world)?”

Finally, we can know that this is where Jesus began answering the third question because He starts talking about the “day and hour”:

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

(Matt. 24:36)

When the Bible uses the terminology “the day and hour,” or “the Great Day,” or “the last day,” or in some contexts “the day,” it refers to judgment day, and not just any judgment day, but the final great judgment day when God will call all people to account at the end of the world (e.g., Matt. 7:22; Luke 10:12; John 6:39; 12:48; Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; Phil. 1:6; 1:10; 2 Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:18; 4:8; Heb. 10:25; 2 Pet. 3:10, 12; Jude 1:6).

That final great judgment day is the topic of the rest of Matthew 24 and all of Matthew 25. Jesus compares the great judgment day with the judgment of Noah’s flood (Matt. 24:37-39), two men in a field (24:40-41), a thief coming in the night (24:42-44), a master returning to demand that his servants give an accounting (24:45-51), a groom returning for his bride (25:1-13), and a master returning to see how his servants have used their talents (25:14-30). Jesus ends this great teaching by talking about the Son of Man coming in glory with all of the angels, and then the nations being gathered before Him (Matt. 25:31-46).

We briefly will examine each of these passages, but notice that each talks about the coming judgment and the returning Judge. Hence, we understand that Jesus is answering the third question concerning the end of the age (or world).

Charles Spurgeon

There is a manifest change in our Lord’s words here, which clearly indicate that they refer to His last great coming to judgment.

(The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1974, p. 218)

Matthew 24:36: No One Knows When

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

The key point of this passage is that the day of the Lord will be a surprise. Jesus does not know when it will come. The angels do not know. Only the Father knows. Jesus went on to explain that it will come with no warning.

Notice how different our Lord’s answer is to this question than to the other two questions. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus said that there would be time to preach the gospel, and then armies would surround Jerusalem. Concerning our Lord’s coming into His kingdom, Jesus said that the primary visible sign would be the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. However, concerning the end of the age, Jesus said, “no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son.”

This surprise element of the end of the age is a fundamental theme of each of the parables that Jesus gave in the rest of Matthew 24 and all of Matthew 25.

Matthew 24:37-39: As the Days of Noah

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Jesus wanted to impress upon the disciples’ minds (and our minds) that the final day of judgment will come as a surprise. Just as in Noah’s day, people will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; then suddenly Jesus will appear, and judgment day will have arrived.

Matthew 24:40-42: As Two Men in a Field

“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

The primary point of this passage is that the great judgment day will come suddenly, and therefore, people should always be alert.

Matthew 24:43, 44: As a Thief in the Night

Next, Jesus taught the surprise element with a parable of a thief coming in the night.

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Not only will the great judgment day arrive without warning, but it will come when we do not expect it. Therefore, be ready at all times.

Matthew 24:45-51: As a Master Returning

“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

There are many lessons that can be taken from this passage, but the most fundamental truth is that judgment day will arrive as a surprise with no warning, and therefore, the listener is exhorted to continue being diligent in service and living righteously.

Matthew 25:1-13: As Ten Virgins Waiting

In the next passage, Jesus told a parable of 10 virgins who were waiting for their groom to come and take them. Five of the virgins were foolish, not ready for the return of the groom, while the other five were wise, staying prepared for the groom.

The most obvious lesson, again, is that God’s people must be ready because Jesus could return at any time without warning.

Matthew 25:14-30: As Servants With Talents

Jesus then offered a parable about a man entrusting his possessions to three servants. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to the last servant one talent. When the master returned, he demanded that each servant give an account of how he had used the talents. Then he rewarded them each accordingly.

The primary lesson of coming judgment is so obvious that we do not need to comment.

A secondary lesson is that there would be a great delay before the return of Christ. We see that delay in verse 19, which says:

“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came.”

(underlining added)

This delay is unlike the judgment upon Jerusalem, which was to happen in that generation.

Matthew 25:31-46: The Great Day of Judgment

In the final passage of Matthew 25, Jesus gave a description and summary of the coming great day of judgment.

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom . . . .’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire . . . .’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Again, the lesson is clear: Jesus will return to judge the righteous and the unrighteous.

The third question that the disciples asked—“What about the end of the age?”—Jesus clearly answered.

Summary

The partial preterist understanding of Matthew 24, which we have just presented to you, is held by a significant portion of the Body of Christ around the world. The reason we mention this is to make clear that we have not presented some bizarre doctrine that no one else believes. Thousands of Bible teachers would explain Matthew 24 similarly to the way we have just explained it.

If you come to accept the partial preterist view of Matthew 24, then you will embrace many ideas that may be new to you, the most important point being that there will be no signs preceding the second coming of Jesus or the end of the world. Jesus did not know of any signs, and no one else will be able to figure it out either. Jesus was emphatic about this point, giving no less than six different parables to make sure His followers would understand that it will be a total surprise to everyone except the Father.

This is contradictory to what is spoken of by futurist teachers, who love to create in their listeners anticipation of the Second Coming by talking about increasing wars, famines, earthquakes, false religious leaders, and people falling away from the faith. In reality, all of those signs preceded the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. When Jesus returns at some point in the future, you will be eating and drinking, driving your car, sleeping in bed, or working at your job. Then suddenly Jesus Christ will appear in the sky. No warning, no signs.

Section 2 Understanding the Partial Preterist View

In this section we will discuss issues that are important for any individual to consider before embracing the partial preterist view. This is the only section in this book in which we will not be focusing on specific Bible passages. Instead, we will address issues related to eschatology that, unless discussed, may become stumbling blocks to people considering the partial preterist view.

The Partial Preterist View: Victorious View

Partial preterists sometimes refer to their view as “the victorious view.” This is objectionable to some futurists because they think of their view as victorious. After all, Jesus will return, conquer all evil, and win in the end. It is true that futurists see victory in the end, but compare the unfolding of events in the two views.

The futurists teach that in the near future there will be great earthquakes, famines, and wars. Then an antichrist will take over the world by establishing one world government, one economic system, and a false religion. This antichrist will then deceive the mass of humanity into following him and cut off the heads of Christians who will not receive his mark. Then God will release His wrath upon the world, burning up one third of the earth and inflicting great pain upon humanity during a seven-year tribulation. Even more discouraging is the futurist’s belief that the Church will experience a great falling away before the tribulation, with tens of thousands of people abandoning the true Church. Indeed, God will have the victory in the end, but the road between now and then is devastating according to the futurist view.

Compare this with the partial preterist view that sees the tragedies and destruction reported in Matthew 24 as already fulfilled. As we study the book of Daniel in section 3, we will see that the kingdom of God is here, and it will continue to grow until it fills the whole earth. In section 4 we will study the book of Revelation and learn how all of the enemies of Jesus are progressively being placed under His feet until the end, when all of the kingdoms of this earth become the kingdom of our God. Then in section 5, when we study the future of the Jews, we will see the future awakening God has promised to them, along with His promise that the Jews and Gentiles will worship Him as one new man. Throughout the coming pages we will see how the Church rises in victory, maturity, unity, and power before the return of Jesus Christ.

When the two views are placed side-by-side, there is no doubt as to which one is the victorious view.

Advantages of the Partial Preterist View

In addition to the futurist view and the partial preterist view, there is a third view called the full preterist view (or simply the preterist view). Christians holding to the full preterist view see all of the prophecies of Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation as already fulfilled.

Eschatological View

Matthew 24 & Revelation

Futurist View

All Fulfilled in the Future

Partial Preterist View

Part Future, Part Past

Full Preterist View

All Fulfilled in the Past

For those interested in further study, we have listed in the bibliography some books that offer the full preterist view.

We will not say anything further about the full preterist view other than to point out one major weakness. Adherents come to the Scriptures with the supposition that all of the end-time prophecies have been fulfilled. Therefore, they must try to figure out how each and every passage was fulfilled in the past.

The futurists also approach the Scripture with a major supposition—that all of the pertinent prophecies will be fulfilled in the future. Both of these views have the same problem—they have to make every passage fit their presupposition. In contrast, teachers who hold to the partial preterist view are not obligated to fit any specific passage into the future or into the past. They try to understand each passage in its own context and historical setting. Partial preterists look for indications within the text as to whether a prophetic passage is about to be fulfilled “very soon” or “within that generation” or “a long time off.” Then partial preterists consider the historical record to see if there are any clear historical events that correspond to the prophetic passage. In this way, partial preterists let both the Scripture and history speak for themselves. This pattern allows for an understanding of Scripture without having to force passages into predetermined expectations.

Multiple Fulfillments of Prophecy?

When futurist Christians first hear about the historical fulfillment of Matthew 24 and other related scriptures, they often try to hold to their futurist view by saying that there must be more than one fulfillment of those Bible passages. They give examples of multiple fulfillments such as God’s promise to King David that one of his descendants would build a Temple and establish a kingdom (1 Chron. 17:11-12). Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem and reigned over a large region in the Middle East. However, we also know that Jesus, another descendant of David, is building a house and establishing a kingdom. Futurists like to take examples like this of a twofold fulfillment and then say that God may have a twofold fulfillment of passages such as Matthew 24:4-34.

As partial preterists, we agree that it is possible that there may be such twofold fulfillments of some end-time prophecies; however, we have reasons to be cautious in this.

First, it is worth noting that the 1 Chronicles 17 passage that records the promise of God to David says that the kingdom will endure forever. This is a clear indicator that Solomon did not fulfill the promise. Since his Temple and kingdom were destroyed, we immediately know that we must look for another descendent of David to fulfill that promise. To be accurate, we must recognize Solomon not as the first fulfillment, but rather as merely a foreshadowing of the true fulfillment. Jesus was the only fulfillment.

Unlike the promise to King David, we can find in Matthew 24:4-34 no clear indicator in the passage that there will be a later fulfillment. In fact, we are clearly told twice that all those events will take place within a generation (Matt. 23:36; 24:34).

As we mentioned in the previous chapter, we must look for time indicators within the passage being discussed. If there are no indicators of a future fulfillment, then there is no reason to look for a future fulfillment.

We must also say that any future fulfillment must be taught as a possibility rather than as a fact. It is irresponsible to teach as doctrine something that may or may not happen.

Finally, we should consider the fact that people tend to see what they believe, both because they are looking for it and because faith has power to cause the related events to take place. We do not mean to imply that every careless thought we have changes the world around us, but in some cases our faith can move mountains. Therefore, when futurist teachers tell their followers that there will be famines, earthquakes, wars, and a great falling away, the faith of the people has some power to open their eyes to see negative things and to activate that for which they are believing.

Is it wise to create faith for such negative possibilities? We think not.

Challenges to Our Present Beliefs

Most Christians—futurists and partial preterists— will claim that their beliefs are based on the teachings of the Bible. But every one of us—no matter how sincere we may be—brings to the Bible a mind full of presuppositions, beliefs, views of reality, and experiences that influence the way we see things and interpret Scripture. Because we look at the Bible through the lens of our culture and our view of reality, anyone can misinterpret the Bible.

Test yourself: Have you ever changed your beliefs about something? Everyone who has been a Christian for very long has to answer in the affirmative. The truth is that we (Harold Eberle and Martin Trench) used to believe the futurist view. As ministers, we used to teach that view, but we came to be convinced that we had been influenced by these factors, leading us to misunderstand Jesus’ words.

Now we are hoping that you will lay aside—to the best of your ability—your presumptions and preconceived beliefs about the end-times—presumptions that you may have picked up, not from the Bible itself, but from novels, movies, televangelists, and your favorite teachers. See the Scriptures through new eyes. Only if you approach this subject with a willingness to change do we have any chance of showing you end-time truths from another perspective.

Through many years of presenting biblical truths to various Christian groups, we have observed how people react and struggle when challenged. Christians say they believe the Bible, but most Christians cannot tell you from where in the Bible their own beliefs originated. In fact, we dare say that most Christians believe what they believe not because they can support those beliefs with the Bible, but because they believe what they were taught by their favorite pastor, Sunday School teacher, Bible teacher, denomination, or television preacher. Of course, we all need teachers to help us see in the Bible things that we have missed. God is the One who gives us teachers. However, we should be concerned when Christians are so loyal to one teacher or denomination that they cannot consider seriously the views of other teachers who also are trying their best to serve the Lord.

Most Christians will struggle to hold to their present beliefs no matter how compelling the historical and biblical evidence is to the contrary. They will hold to those beliefs not because they can defend them biblically, but because of their own loyalty to a spiritual leader whom they love and admire. For them, to question their own beliefs is to be disloyal to the leaders who taught them. It is easier to not question. It is easier to let things remain as they are. Of course, it can be difficult to change. It is difficult to consider other ways of thinking because you must entertain the possibility that you have been wrong, that teachers whom you love and admire have been wrong.

It is also unsettling to have your present beliefs challenged because you may not know with what to replace your present beliefs if they crumble. We want to reassure you that if you embrace the partial preterist view, you will soon have a victorious, optimistic view that will give you confidence and energy to plan for the future and live today.

Things Are Getting Better

The futurist view is deeply intertwined with the belief that this world is getting worse and worse, while at the same time, balancing on the brink of destruction. Jack Van Impe, one of the most popular futurist teachers, warns, “All hell will break loose on planet earth—a furious time of pain, mayhem, and agony for millions,” and “the signs of global economic chaos are on the horizon.”[10] Hal Lindsey starts off his tremendously popular book, The Late Great Planet Earth, by telling the reader about the “World in a Mess.”[11] John Hagee, one of the strongest radio and television personalities promoting the futurist view, writes that the world is “standing on the brink of nuclear Armageddon” and “teetering on the brink of World War III.”[12] Such phrases and ideas permeate futurists’ teachings because their view is fully interdependent with the belief that things are getting worse and the world is about to self-destruct.

Therefore, it is difficult to let go of the futurist view without also releasing the pessimistic view of the world and the future.

Indeed, if we focus on what the television news brings into the living rooms of our homes each day, things can look pretty dismal. There are terrible events going on in the world, and evil is very evident. However, let’s lift ourselves higher and take a broader look over history. Let’s compare our world today with what the world was like in the past.

Start by taking a snapshot of what life was like in the United States 200 years ago. In the early 1800s there were about 5 million immigrants in the United States, but 20 percent of them were slaves. That alone reveals a great evil, but consider what else was happening. The age of sexual consent in many states was 9 or 10 years old.[13] Abortion was legal throughout most of the nineteenth century, and records tell us that more than one fifth of all pregnancies were aborted, with Michigan having the highest rate at 34 percent.[14] Alcoholism was much higher than it is today. Prostitution was also higher, with New York City having approximately one prostitute for every 64 men; the mayor of Savannah estimated that his city had one for every 39.[15] The percentage of Americans going to church was about equal to what it is today: 30 to 45 percent.[16] Thousands of people were moving West, and most of them had no churches to attend until years after they had settled and communities had been developed. Native Americans were being forced off of their lands and in some cases murdered. Thousands of Chinese people were being brought into the West Coast of the United States to serve as forced laborers. When gold was discovered in various regions of the West, gold rushes occurred, which produced some of the most vile and dangerous communities in the world. Many people in the West carried guns for protection because murder was commonplace. Throughout the United States, women could not vote, and men could legally beat their wives as long as they did not maim or kill them. Things in the United States were not better morally, ethically, or spiritually.

Of course, there were some godly individuals laying the foundations of the United States government, but the moral and ethical climate of America was much worse than it is today. The “good ole days” were not so good.

Let’s go back further in time and take a snapshot of the whole world around the time Jesus came as a baby. The Roman Empire dominated civilization centered around Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. In Italy approximately 40 percent of the population consisted of slaves. Throughout the empire homosexuality was commonplace, especially between a master and slave. Most of the Roman and Greek people worshipped many gods, such as Jupiter, Juno, and Neptune.

Outside of the Roman Empire, people in Africa, Asia, and Australia worshipped nature, demons, and their own dead ancestors. In North America, people had no revelation of the Messiah. In South America, millions worshipped a bloodthirsty god, and they offered human sacrifices, often numbering in the thousands in one ceremony.

When Jesus came to the earth, there was only one tiny nation located in the Middle East that had a revelation of the one true God, and even its citizens were living in a time of great doubt. All of the rest of the world was lost in darkness. As the apostle Paul wrote:

Formerly you, the Gentiles . . . were at that time separate from Christ . . . having no hope and without God in the world.

(Eph. 2:11-12)

That was the condition of the world 2,000 years ago.

As Ernest Hampden Cook wrote:

The fact is that bad as the world still is, yet morally it is vastly better than it was when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. . . . Few people in these days have an adequate conception of the misery and degradation which were then the common lot of almost all mankind, owing to the monstrous wickedness of the times, to continual war, to the cruelties of political despotism, and of everywhere-prevailing slavery.

(Earnest Hampton Cook, The Christ Has Come, 1895, p. xvi.)

Now think how blessed the world is today. The gospel is being preached in every corner of the earth. Christianity is exploding in growth across the world, with more than 200,000 people becoming born-again Christians every day. In China there are more than 20,000 per day becoming Christians, and in South America there are 35,000 per day. All totaled there are more than a million people per week becoming Christians. The tiny seed that came into the earth in that little nation of Israel has grown to permeate the earth. With more than two billion people claiming to be Christians today, Christianity is the largest, most influential block of humanity in the world.

Are things getting better? Yes, they are. Of course, there are many tragic things still happening, and we have a long way to go before we can say that everything is wonderful. But things are much better in the world today than they were when Jesus came into the world 2,000 years ago.

This optimistic view can be difficult to accept for Christians who have been submerged in the a pessimistic worldview. Indeed, there are many Christian preachers who regularly rally the troops and motivate people to action by emphasizing the dire conditions of the world around us. Of course, Christians must stay vigilant—we have much work ahead of us—but we must not lose sight of the fact that we are gaining ground. Jesus Christ is Lord, and the kingdom of God is advancing.

Summary

As you continue studying the partial preterist view with us, you will learn what tens of thousands of your other brothers and sisters in Christ believe. You will embrace a victorious view similar to that which was held by most of the noted leaders throughout Church history.[17] And you will learn truths that will give you an optimistic view of life and the future.

Section 3 Prophetic Messages Given to Daniel

Living several hundred years before Jesus came into the world, Daniel recorded visions, dreams, and prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, the end-times, the future of the Jews, and the coming of the kingdom of God. Here we will examine the divine messages recorded first in Daniel 2 and then in Daniel 9.

The Message of Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had a dream in which God revealed the future. Daniel was able to tell the king his dream and give its interpretation. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that he saw in his dream a tremendous statue with a head of fine gold, a breast and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Daniel then told the king that in his dream a rock appeared and hit the feet of the statue, causing the statue to collapse. The statue was then blown away as dust in the wind. Finally, the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth (Dan. 2:31-35).

Daniel then revealed to the king what the dream meant.

“You, O king, . . . are the head of gold. After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze . . . then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron.”

(Dan. 2:37-40)

Daniel told the king that the four parts of the statue represented four kingdoms, one following after the other. Daniel also told King Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom—the Babylonian kingdom—was the first kingdom.

Other passages in the book of Daniel talk further about these four kingdoms. They identify the Medo-Persian kingdom as the second kingdom (5:28; 8:20) and the Greek Empire as the third kingdom (8:21). Indeed, we know from history that there were four consecutive kingdoms in that region of the world: the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire.

Time Line Showing the Revelation of Daniel 2:

Weather readers believe the futurist view or the partial preterist view, they will agree that God revealed to Daniel that there would be these four earthly kingdoms.

Daniel then explained the rock in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which crushed those kingdoms and grew into a mountain that filled the earth.

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”

(Dan. 2:44)

Daniel revealed that the rock will come into the earth, crush all other kingdoms, and bring in the kingdom of God. Then God’s kingdom will grow as a mountain that fills the earth.

Whether readers believe the futurist view or the partial preterist view, they will agree that the Rock is Jesus Christ coming into the world to establish God’s eternal kingdom. The two views disagree concerning when the Rock comes into the earth and when the kingdom of God gets established. Please allow us to explain.

Futurist Understanding of God’s Kingdom

The futurist teachers say that God’s kingdom will be brought into the earth in the future. They say that at the second coming of Jesus Christ, after a seven-year tribulation, Jesus will bring the kingdom from heaven down to earth. Then the kingdom of God will remain upon the earth for 1,000 years.

Time Line of Daniel 2 According to the Futurist View:

Partial Preterist Understanding of God’s Kingdom

Those who hold to the partial preterist view believe that Jesus was enthroned over God’s kingdom 2,000 years ago when He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Since that day the kingdom has been growing in the earth, and eventually it will fill the whole earth, as did the mountain in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Time Line of Daniel 2 according to the Partial Preterist View:

The Partial preterist view teaches that the kingdom of God eventually will fill the earth; however, evil will remain in the earth until the second coming of Jesus. We can see this by examining our Lord’s parable concerning the man who sowed seeds in his field. Those seeds grew to maturity, but an enemy sowed tares in the same field, and those tares also grew. As Jesus explained this parable to His disciples, it became clear that both good and evil are growing in the earth. Both the good and the evil will be allowed to grow together until the day Jesus returns and separates one from the other (Matt. 13:24-43).

In another parable, Jesus compared the kingdom with a mustard seed growing into the biggest tree in a garden. In similar fashion, the kingdom of God has been growing in the earth and one day will be the biggest, most influential entity on the earth, even though there will be other plants that are not of God’s kingdom (Matt. 13:31-32).

This is exactly what we see happening historically since Jesus sat down on His throne. Christianity started off in one small region in the Middle East with one Leader and 12 followers. Today, 2,000 years later, it is the largest religion covering the face of the earth. Out of six billion people, more than two billion claim to be Christians today.

God’s Kingdom Destroys the Roman Empire

Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dream reveals that the Rock comes into the earth at the time of the fourth kingdom, which is the Roman Empire. The Rock grows into God’s kingdom and destroys the Roman Empire.

Since the futurist view teaches that the kingdom of God will come into the earth at the second coming of Jesus, they must identify some Roman Empire that will be in a ruling position at the time Jesus returns. Some futurist teachers say that there must be a revived Roman Empire in the earth at that time. Some teachers are looking at the United Nations, the European Union, or some confederation of Muslim nations as this revived Roman Empire. Others say that the Roman Catholic Church is the Roman Empire that the Rock soon will come and crush.

Since futurist teachers envision the antichrist playing a central role in the end-times, they typically place that evil ruler as head or in a place of great influence in the Roman kingdom that will be destroyed by the Rock. That belief leaves them very critical and suspicious of the Roman Catholic Church or any Roman governmental entity that they think may be in power at the time of our Lord’s return.

In contrast, partial preterist teachers are not looking for a revived Roman Empire. Adherents believe that the Rock came into the earth 2,000 years ago. Jesus came and established the kingdom of God during the first century when the Roman Empire was actually in power. God’s kingdom has already destroyed the Roman Empire.

Summary of Daniel 2

If you embrace the partial preterist understanding of Daniel 2, you will believe that the kingdom of God was established when Jesus came to earth 2,000 years ago. You will not be looking for a revived Roman Empire. You will not be suspiciously watching various governments associated with that area of the world where Rome once ruled, nor will you be suspicious of the Roman Catholic Church becoming that Roman Empire. The Rock that came into the earth 2,000 years ago caused the Roman Empire to crumble exactly as the words of Daniel revealed.

If you embrace the partial preterist view, you will realize that it is possible to experience and walk in God’s kingdom today. That kingdom consists of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). As you seek first God’s kingdom, you will experience the blessings of God through which “all these things [food, clothing, and other provisions] will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).

Many Christians who believe the futurist view claim these benefits but then a moment later teach that the kingdom of God will not be available until the second coming of Jesus. Hence, they vacillate between the two beliefs.

If you embrace the partial preterist view, you will know without a doubt that the kingdom is already here. It is growing and advancing every day. When Jesus Christ returns, He will subdue all remaining evil and establish His perfect will throughout the world. Since God’s kingdom is advancing progressively in the earth, you can confidently say that God’s kingdom is here, and it is growing.

The Message of Daniel 9

In Daniel 9, we read about Daniel praying for his people, the Jews. At that time in history, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. Their holy city, Jerusalem, was in ruins. Daniel knew that God would free His people from their bondage, for it had been promised through earlier prophets (Dan. 9:2). Daniel confessed the sins of his people and asked for mercy (9:3-19). Then God sent the angel Gabriel to Daniel, and Gabriel told Daniel what would happen in the future.

The words that Gabriel declared revealed the future of the Jews and Jerusalem, along with some significant facts about the future of the whole world. However, Gabriel’s words are understood differently by those who hold to the futurist view than those who believe the partial preterist view.

Seventy Weeks for the Jews and Jerusalem

Gabriel’s declaration about the future began as follows:

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.”

(Dan. 9:24)

Whether Christians hold to the futurist view or to the partial preterist view, they will agree about the meaning of this verse: God had decreed that the Jews and their holy city, Jerusalem, were to experience 70 weeks of God’s favor, during which time God would fulfill the prophecies and promises that He previously had made to them.

Both futurist and partial preterist teachers hold that God’s promise of “seventy weeks” equals 490 years. This is because there are seven days in a week, and 70 times seven equals 490. A study of the prophetic language of that time period leads us to understand these as years (see Gen. 29:27; Lev. 25:8; Num. 14:34; Ez. 4:4-6); hence, the Jews were promised 490 years of God’s favor. Indeed, as we apply this period of time to the actual historical facts, it reveals some remarkable—obviously divine—predictions that are worth our attention.

As Gabriel went on speaking to Daniel, he divided the 490 years into three periods. First he talked about seven weeks (seven times seven, or 49 years), and then 62 weeks (62 times seven, or 434 years). Finally, he talked about the last week (seven years). Together these three periods total 490 years.

The First 69 Weeks

Consider Gabriel’s decree concerning the first 69 weeks (7 weeks and 62 weeks joined together).

“So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.”

(Dan. 9:25)

Gabriel gave a precise time for the coming of the Messiah. He said that from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah, there would be seven weeks and 62 weeks, that is, 69 weeks or 483 years.

In 457 B.C., Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, decreed that the Jews were free to return to their homeland and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple (Ezra 7:12-26). If we add 483 years to that date, we come to the year A.D. 27.[18]

Historians tell us that Jesus was born in 4 B.C., which means that He was 30 years old in A.D. 27.[19] That was the year in which Jesus was water baptized and a voice came out of heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:17). After a period of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah and began His public ministry.

Time Line Showing the 483 Years between the Decree and the Messiah:

Indeed, there were 483 years between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the revealing of the Messiah. Gabriel’s prophecy was remarkably accurate and must have been inspired by God, seeing as how it was given five and a half centuries before Jesus came into the world.

Gabriel went on to declare what would happen after the Messiah came.

“Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come like a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

(Dan. 9:26)

As this verse tells us, Jesus was “cut off.” He was put to death.

Then Gabriel said that the people of the prince would come and destroy the city and the sanctuary. Notice how similar Gabriel’s wording is to the wording that Jesus used in Matthew 24 and Luke 21: desolations, the end, and destruction as a flood. As we explained earlier, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in A.D. 70.

Daniel’s Seventieth Week

Generally speaking, both the futurist teachers and the partial preterist teachers agree on how to understand the first 69 weeks (483 years) of God’s favor. It is the remaining one week (seven years) about which they disagree. They have different ways of understanding what has become known as “Daniel’s Seventieth Week.”

Those who hold to the futurist view believe that God has not yet given the Jews their last seven years of favor, and, therefore, they conclude that Daniel’s seventieth week will have to come in the future. In contrast, partial preterists teach that Daniel’s seventieth week already occurred, and, therefore, we are not still waiting for it to be fulfilled. Allow us to further explain these different understandings.

The Futurist View of Daniel’s Seventieth Week

Futurist teachers say that before the end of the world, God will turn His favor to the Jews and allow them to return to the Promised Land. Then they will be given seven years of favor, during which time God will fulfill His remaining promises to them, including elevating them as a nation to great authority in the world. During that time the Jews will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and restore their ancient religious system of offering sacrifices.

With that picture of the Jewish nation arising, futurist teachers insert the last verse of Daniel 9.

“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.”

(Dan. 9:27)

Futurist teachers understand that the pronoun “he” mentioned in this verse refers to the antichrist who, at some point in the future, will make a covenant with the Jews, promising them peace and safety. That covenant will mark the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week. But in the middle of that seven-year period—that is, three and a half years into it—the antichrist will break his covenant, turn against the Jews, and put an end to their religious practice of offering sacrifices to God. Futurist teachers understand that God will then begin pouring out His wrath upon the earth, destroying much of it, but most of all destroying the antichrist and all who follow him.

Futurists see a huge gap—approximately 2,000 years—between the 69 weeks of God’s favor and the seventieth week of God’s favor upon the Jews. They explain that in between those two periods God has been focusing on and dealing with the Gentiles, but at some point in the future, He will turn His attention back to the Jews and fulfill His promises to them.

Time Line Showing the Futurist View of Daniel’s Seventieth Week:

Partial Preterist View of Daniel’s Seventieth Week

The partial preterist view offers a very different understanding of Daniel’s seventieth week. Instead of inserting 2,000 years between the 69 weeks and the seventieth week, they see no gap. Teachers will explain that in Daniel 9, there is no gap stated nor implied. The natural reading of Daniel 9 leads us to believe that the seventieth week follows immediately after the sixty-ninth week.

This understanding has also been the understanding of the historic Church. Most of our forefathers saw no gap between the 69 weeks and Daniel’s seventieth week.

Augustine

For let us not suppose that the computation of Daniel’s weeks was interfered with . . . or that they were not complete, but had to be completed afterward in the end of all things, for Luke most plainly testifies that the prophecy of Daniel was accomplished at the time when Jerusalem was overthrown.

(Epistle of Augustine, 199:31, cited in Thomas Aquinas’ Golden Chain, 1956)

If the last seven years of God’s favor upon the Jews began immediately after the 69 weeks, then it began in A.D. 27, the year Jesus was water baptized and began His public ministry.

If we say that the year A.D. 27 is the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week, then we must explain how God fulfilled the words of Gabriel when he said, “in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.” Partial preterist teachers say that the “he” spoken of in this verse is Jesus Christ, not the antichrist. In the preceding two verses (Dan. 9:25, 26), the Messiah was the main subject, and therefore it is most natural to conclude that the “he” referred to in the next verse is the Messiah.

To see the fulfillment of this, first note that Jesus’ public ministry was three and one half years in length.

Eusebius

Now the whole period of our Saviour’s teaching and working of miracles is said to have been three and a half years, which is half a week. John the evangelist, in his Gospel makes this clear to the attentive.

(The Proof of the Gospel, 1920, VIII:I)

At the end of those three and one half years, Jesus gave His own life on a cross. On Passover, He shared the Last Supper with His disciples, during which time He took bread and said, “This is My body,” and then He took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (1 Cor. 11:24-25). After sharing that meal, Jesus fulfilled His words by dying on the cross. At that time, He put an end to sacrifice and grain offerings. As the writer of Hebrews explained, Jesus made obsolete the Jewish religious system. A New Covenant had been established, and the old system had been abolished. Once the ultimate sacrifice had been made, there was no longer any need for further sacrifices (Heb. 8-9).

Notice how different this understanding is from the futurist view. They are looking for the antichrist to put an end to the Jewish blood sacrifices someday in our future. Partial preterists believe that Jesus put an end to those sacrifices approximately 2,000 years ago. That explains the first three and one half years of Daniel’s seventieth week, but what about the last three and one half years? The Jews were supposed to experience God’s favor and the fulfillment of His promises for a seven-year period. Indeed, they had the Messiah in their midst for the first three and one half years, but what about the three and one half years following the death of Jesus?

If we add three and one half years to the time when Jesus was crucified, we come to another historic event. Although it cannot be proven, many believe that it was the year in which Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:59-60). After Stephen gave a clear presentation concerning who Jesus was, the religious leaders rejected the Messiah. This event was especially significant because the high priest was among those who rejected our Lord (Acts 7:1).

Shortly thereafter, Jesus revealed Himself in a blinding light to Saul (Acts 9:1-6). Jesus renamed Saul as Paul and told Paul to go and preach to the Gentiles (Acts 26:15-18). Shortly after that appearance, God spoke to Peter and gave him a vision in which all types of animals were presented to him. “A voice came to him, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’” (Acts 10:13). At first Peter refused because he was faithful to the Jewish laws concerning abstaining from unclean animals. After meditating on the vision and witnessing a Gentile group receive God’s favor, Peter realized that God was declaring that no longer were any people—including Gentiles—to be considered unclean (Acts 10:28). All were welcome to come to God through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:34-35).

What did all this mean? In the beginning of the book of Acts, the disciples presented the truths of Jesus Christ only to the Jews, for as Paul said to the Jews, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first” (Acts 13:46). However, after three and one half years, God spoke to both Paul and Peter, telling them that now they were to present the gospel to all the world.

It is with this understanding that we see Daniel’s seventieth week fulfilled. Beginning the day Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah in A.D. 27, the Jews were given seven years of favor: three and one half years during which Jesus walked among them, and then another three and one half years during which the disciples preached the good news to the Jews. The Jews received God’s greatest favor ever extended to humanity in that they were the first to be exposed to the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Also, they were the first to hear the good news preached to them. Indeed, they were chosen by God to be the people from whom the Messiah came into the world, and they were the most privileged among all people because God first offered salvation to them.

Time Line Showing the Partial Preterist View of Daniel’s 70th Week:

Summary of Daniel 9

If you accept the understanding of Daniel 9 that we have just explained, you will realize that all 70 weeks of God’s favor upon the Jews were fulfilled almost 2,000 years ago. Look again at Gabriel’s initial words of prophecy and see how beautifully they were fulfilled. He said:

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.”

(Dan. 9:24)

The greatest, most wonderful prophecies ever given to the Jews were those pertaining to the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus came, the Jews had the opportunity to accept or reject Him. They were given the opportunity “to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, [and] to bring in everlasting righteousness.” However, they did not recognize Jesus, the Messiah whom God had promised to send to them. Hence, the Jewish 70 weeks of God’s favor are finished. This includes Daniel’s seventieth week. Those final seven years of God’s favor began when Jesus started His public ministry, and it ended when the high priest rejected the message preached by Stephen.

Summary

If you come to believe the partial preterist view of Daniel 2 and 9, then you will embrace many ideas that may be new to you, but there are two key points.

First, you will understand that the kingdom of God may be experienced by Christians now. The kingdom is growing in the earth and will come upon the earth in full power at the second coming of Jesus.

Second, you will realize that there will be no seven-year-long period of Jewish favor coming in the future. In section 5, we will discuss how the Jews still have God’s promise for a future spiritual awakening; however, Daniel’s seventy weeks have already passed.

Section 4 Understanding the Book of Revelation

In this section we will study the partial preterist view of the book of Revelation. We will see that a portion of Revelation has already been fulfilled and the rest remains to be fulfilled. We will not examine every verse, but will progressively work through key passages that allow us to see it, not as a book of God’s destruction upon an evil world, but rather a description of God’s kingdom expanding over the whole earth and Jesus Christ being revealed in glory.

Before we proceed, it is helpful to recognize the proper title of the book we are studying. It is the book of Revelation—that is, singular—not Revelations. This is important because it was written to be the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is not a book focusing on the revelations of destruction, nor the revelations of judgments, nor the revelations of the antichrist. It is a book revealing Jesus Christ as King and Lord of all. It is the Revelation.

Introduction to Revelation

The futurists and partial preterists generally agree about the meaning of the first three chapters of the book of Revelation. They recognize chapter 1 as a record of John’s encounter with Jesus. Chapters 2 and 3 are seven letters written to seven churches. It is concerning chapters 4 through the end of the book that the futurists and partial preterists disagree.

The Futurist Understanding

Futurists believe that Revelation chapters 4 through 22 will be fulfilled in the future. In particular, the judgments described in Revelation 4 through 18 will be fulfilled during a seven-year period of tribulation. After that they envision a 1,000-year reign of Jesus on earth followed by the creation of a new heaven and new earth.

The Futurist Understanding of the Book of Revelation:

Different Futurist teachers make minor modifications of this view. For example, some teachers place the new heaven and new earth during the 1,000-year reign of Jesus. Another variation has to do with when to place the rapture of the Church into heaven. Other minor modifications are numerous, but the main point is that futurists see almost all of the book of Revelation (chapters 4 to the end) being fulfilled in our future, with chapters 4 to 18 compressed into a seven-year-long tribulation beginning at some undefined point in the future.

The Partial Preterist Understanding

Partial preterists believe that much of the book of Revelation has already been fulfilled. In support of this, they point out the time references made within the biblical text. For example, Jesus begins the book by saying that He was going to reveal “things which must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). Jesus was not revealing things that would take place hundreds or thousands of years later. He was revealing things that would begin to unfold in the lives of the original readers. Lest people rationalize that “soon” does not really mean soon, we can note that Jesus reemphasized this by saying, “the time is near” (Rev. 1:3). Christians with a partial preterist view of the book of Revelation take these words literally and understand that what John saw and reported began during his lifetime in the first century.

To place the book of Revelation in its proper time frame, we can note that after John recorded the seven letters to the seven churches (Rev. 2 and 3), he wrote that a voice from heaven said to him, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things” (Rev. 4:1). John was taken up into heaven and got to see what was to take place from his lifetime forward. Therefore, people with a partial preterist view envision Revelation 4 starting during the lifetime of John in the first century.

There are variations among different teachers, but most partial preterists say that Revelation 4 through 18 was fulfilled in the first through fifth centuries, with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Roman Empire. Chapters 21 and 22 remain to be fulfilled in our future.

Some partial preterists see no time gap between the fulfillment of the first 18 chapters and the last 4 chapters. Instead, they see the whole book of Revelation progressively unfolding from John’s lifetime forward. This view, that the book of Revelation unfolds throughout the course of history, is labeled in theological circles as the historicist view. This is the view which is presented in the pages to follow.[20]

The Historicist Understanding of the Book of Revelation:

This historicist view was the most predominant view held by the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. They may not have explained every passage the way we will in the following pages,[21] but leaders like Luther, Knox,

Calvin, and Huss understood that the book of Revelation was a picture of God’s plan unfolding throughout the course of history. The historicist view was so commonly held during the Protestant Reformation that it was referred to as “the Protestant view.”

When Did John Write Revelation?

The historicist view sees that the first set of judgments described in the book of Revelation are those which came upon the Jews and Jerusalem in A.D. 70. We will look at those judgments shortly, but first we should address the problem concerning when the book of Revelation was written. You see, many Christian teachers say that the book was written around A.D. 96. If indeed it was not written until the end of the first century how can we say that the book of Revelation speaks prophetically of the coming destruction of Jerusalem? This question is worth answering now before we begin examining the actual text.

The primary reason some Bible teachers claim that the book of Revelation was written around A.D. 96 is because John noted in chapter 1, verse 9, that he was on the island of Patmos at the time he received the Revelation. There is some historical evidence that John was exiled to Patmos under the reign of Domitian between A.D. 81 and 96. Therefore, the book must have been written during that time—or so some Bible teachers claim.

In reality, there are also historical documents that tell us that John was exiled to Patmos at a much earlier date. For example, we have the witness of one of the most ancient versions of the New Testament called The Syriac. The second-century Syriac Version, called the Peshito, says the following on the title page of the book of Revelation:

The Revelation which was made by God to John the Evangelist in the island Patmos, into which he was thrown by Nero Caesar.

We know that Nero Caesar ruled over the Roman Empire from A.D. 54 to A.D. 68. Therefore, John had to have been on the island of Patmos during this earlier period.[22]

Tertullian similarly places John on the island of Patmos during the reign of Nero, saying that John was boiled in oil in Rome and then sent away.

Tertullian

Rome . . . where Peter had a like Passion with the Lord; where Paul bath for his crown the same death with John; where the Apostle John was plunged into boiling oil, and suffered nothing, and was afterwards banished to an island.

(Exclusion of Heretics 36. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/t/ tertullian_premillennialist.html)

We also have the writings of Epiphanius (c. 315-403), which state that John was first imprisoned under Claudius, who reigned from A.D. 41 to 54.[23]

It must have been during one of these earlier periods when John received the Revelation. Confirmation can be seen by noting that in chapter 11, John was instructed to measure the Temple in Jerusalem. We know that it was the actual physical Temple because at the end of the chapter we are told about a heavenly Temple that replaces the earthly Temple. The earthly Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, and since John had to measure it, we know that the book must have been written before that destruction took place.

We will be explaining later how a portion of John’s writings are visions of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. To be consistent with this and with the historical evidence, the book must have been written before A.D. 70.

Another reason to believe that the book of Revelation was written at the earlier date is because Jerome (c. 340-420) noted in his writings that John was seen in A.D. 96, and he was so old and infirm that “he was with difficulty carried to the church, and could speak only a few words to the people.”[24] We must put this fact together with what Revelation 10:11 says: that John must “prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” It is difficult to imagine that John would be able to speak to many nations and many kings at any date after A.D. 96, since he was already elderly and feeble.

A final reason that the Revelation must have been written during his earlier period on Patmos is because the actual text seems to be written to serve as an encouragement to the early Christians who were experiencing persecution. In fact, John refers to himself as a “fellow partaker in the tribulation” (Rev. 1:9). John was writing as one who was going through those persecutions with his initial readers.

As we have studied in earlier portions of this book, the first waves of persecution were brought on by the Jewish religious leaders. In Acts 8:1, we are told that such a “great persecution” rose against the Church that the Christians in Jerusalem had to leave their homes and were scattered throughout the surrounding regions. The persecution increased in intensity when Roman leaders got involved. The Christians were accused of many things, foremost that they were unwilling to worship the gods of the empire and recognize Caesar as Lord. Then in A.D. 64, after one third of the city of Rome burned to the ground, Emperor Nero began the terrible persecution in which tens of thousands of Christians were beaten and tortured, many being taken into coliseums and publicly murdered.

This was the context in which the book of Revelation was written. It was meant to be an encouragement to suffering Christians. In the midst of the judgments and destruction being foretold in the book, the early Christians were being reassured that God was ruling from heaven and He will subdue all of their enemies.

There are additional reasons to believe that John wrote the book of Revelation at the earlier date, but we will not expound on this any further. David Currie, in his excellent book Rapture, offers a more thorough discussion of this topic. So also Kurt Simmons, in his book The Consummation of the Ages, explains this in a scholarly fashion.

Overview of Revelation

Chapter 1 of Revelation is an introduction where Jesus revealed Himself to John. Jesus also declared the purpose of His appearance: “to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). Then Jesus commissioned John to write the things to be revealed (Rev. 1:19).

We will not examine chapter 1 any further because the partial preterist view and the futurist view agree on its straightforward content and meaning. The only thing they disagree about is the meaning of the word “soon.” Partial preterists say that the events prophesied in the book of Revelation began to unfold during John’s lifetime in the first century. Futurists say that those prophesied events will not be fulfilled until at least 2,000 years later. Chapters 2 and 3 are seven letters to seven churches that existed in the first and second centuries. For each church Jesus had a message for John to deliver.

In chapters 4 and 5, we read that John was taken up into heaven to see the throne room of God. There Jesus was seated at the right hand of the Father and He was revealed as the One who is worthy.

In chapters 6 through 18, the kingdom of God is progressively extended over the whole world until all of the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God. The bulk of our discussion to follow will be spent explaining this kingdom expansion.

Within this expansion of the kingdom, there are three major prophecies of judgment that had to be fulfilled. The first had to do with the Jews: the kingdom being taken away from them (Matt. 21:33-43) and Jerusalem being destroyed (Matt. 23:34-38). We will see this first judgment as we study chapters 7 through 11.

Second, there is a judgment of the Roman Empire that had to be fulfilled for the expansion of God’s kingdom. As we studied earlier (section 3), Daniel wrote that the Rock would come into the earth and crush all other kingdoms (Dan. 2:31-45). That Rock came about 2,000 years ago and crushed the Roman Empire. We will see this judgment as we study Revelation 12 through 14.

Third and finally, we will see that the kingdom of God must expand until it fills the whole earth as Daniel prophesied (Dan. 2:35, 44).

The Historicist Understanding of the Book of Revelation:

These three prophesied events—concerning the Jews, the Roman Empire, and then the whole earth—were not minor, insignificant prophecies. They were and are central to Scripture and to the establishment of God’s kingdom. Throughout the book of Revelation we will see God progressively extending the kingdom rule over the earth. It is a kingdom takeover in progress, wherein the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdom of our God.

Chapter 19 shows us the second coming of Jesus and the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride.

Chapter 20 shows us the reign of Jesus Christ and His final judgment of the wicked.[25]

Chapters 21 and 22 describe the rewards awaiting those whose names are written in the Book of Life. There will be a new heaven and new earth. In the midst of that revelation, New Jerusalem is lowered down to earth, from where Jesus will rule forever. Hallelujah!

This is what we will see as we progressively work through the chapters of Revelation.

Revelation 2 and 3: Seven Letters to Seven Churches

In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, John recorded seven letters to seven churches as instructed by Jesus. Our Lord started off each letter by declaring who He is and His awareness of what they each were experiencing: “I know your deeds;” “I know your tribulation and your poverty;” “I know where you dwell.” Jesus knows, and He cares.

These letters were written to real churches that existed in Asia Minor during John’s lifetime. Indeed, we have historical evidence that each of those churches existed in the first century. Of course, we can learn from those messages and apply them to our lives today. Jesus even encouraged us to do so by ending each letter saying, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” We should pay close attention to what Jesus said to those churches. However, we also should keep them in their historical context, realizing that they were written to real churches that existed during John’s life.

Many futurist preachers have taught that the seven churches represent seven time periods spreading over the last 2,000 years, the first church being the Church of the first century, the second church being the Church of the second and third centuries, and so on, with the last church being our modern-day Church. Since the last church addressed in the book is the Laodicean church, which is called lukewarm and harshly rebuked by Jesus, that would make us the lukewarm Laodicean church. Such a negative view of the present Church fits well with the futurist view that there will be a great falling away during the last days and the Church will grow cold.

We hope you immediately reject that way of interpreting Revelation 2 and 3. The churches are not time periods. They are literal churches that existed in the first century. Furthermore, we are not the Laodicean church. The Church today is alive and healthy. Perhaps your corner of Christianity is struggling, but worldwide the Church is exploding in growth. Today, there are more on-fire Christians, evangelists, missionaries, and others giving their lives for the gospel than at any other time in history. Please don’t accept any of the inferences that we are the Laodicean church. As we will see in the following pages, Jesus is raising His Church to a position of unity, power, and glory.

Revelation 4 and 5: Heavenly Scene of Christ’s Reign

Chapter 4, verse 1 is the transition where John just finished writing to the seven churches, and then he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Come up here!”

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here.”

(Rev. 4:1)

Futurist teachers typically claim that this verse marks when the Church is raptured to heaven.[26] They claim this because it fits with their view that Revelation 4 through 18 is to be fulfilled during a future seven-year period of tribulation and that the Church will not be on earth during the judgments described in those chapters.[27]

In reality, there is no mention in Revelation 4 of the Church, let alone of it being raptured to heaven. We are specifically shown that John was taken to heaven. Furthermore, the literal timing of this “taking up” was during John’s lifetime in the first century. This verse is not about some event that will happen in our future. It is about John and his being taken up into heaven 2,000 years ago.

This is important to note because futurist teachers tend to think of themselves as the ones who interpret the Bible literally. That is not the case. We will see throughout our study of the book of Revelation that the futurist teachers spiritualize, allegorize, and mythologize many passages. We have already seen this in the way they explain the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 as seven time periods. Here in Revelation 4:1, note how they envision the Church being taken up to heaven, rather than accept what is actually shown— that John was taken up.[28]

Of course, there are some passages that we must see as apocalyptic, symbolic, or representative language. Many passages use Old Testament imagery, and in particular, symbols used by the prophet Daniel are used by John in the book of Revelation. Indeed, both the futurist view and the partial preterist view recognize such uses of language, but one of the reasons we have switched from the futurist view to the partial preterist view is because it is a more literal understanding of the Scripture.

Revelation 4: Vision in the Throne Room

In Revelation 4:1, John was lifted into heaven and saw the throne room of God:

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.

(Rev. 4:2)

John saw God sitting on His throne. We know it was God the Father because a few verses later we read about Jesus coming up to God as He was sitting on His throne (Rev. 5:7).

There were 24 elders sitting around the throne of God, each on their own throne. John was overwhelmed as he saw flashes of light and heard peals of thunder. He saw four living creatures around the throne, and he heard them saying:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

(Rev. 4:8)

The majesty of the moment cannot be adequately conveyed with words, but certainly John does a better job than we can, as you can see if you read the entire chapter.

For our purposes here we need to see how the stage is set for the rest of the book of Revelation. John is in heaven. It is from this perspective that he gets to see everything that would take place from his life forward: “I will show you what must take place after these things” (Rev. 4:1). John gets to watch events unfold as God acts from His throne in heaven.

Revelation 5: Jesus is Worth to Open the Book

In chapter 5 of Revelation, John watched what happened in the throne room:

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.

(Rev. 5:1)

The seals on this book signify that the book had not yet been opened. This brings to remembrance the words that Daniel wrote as he recorded the visions that were to be fulfilled at some point in the future. Daniel was told to “conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time” (Dan. 12:4). As those words of Daniel were sealed until the time of their fulfillment, so also the book held in the hand of God in Revelation 5 was sealed until the day its contents should be fulfilled. The day of fulfillment had come. The seals were about to be broken. As we continue in our study, we will see how the judgments of God were executed as the seals were broken.

When we think of these judgments, we should not think of a judge declaring punishments for criminals. Rather, think of a king rendering judgments to extend his government. These are kingly decrees to establish the will of the King. It is in this sense that God renders judgments and expands His kingdom.

In Revelation 5, we see that all God had decreed concerning His kingdom was about to be executed. Indeed, the day of fulfillment had come, but first there had to be found one who was worthy to break the seals and open the book. Emphasizing this truth, Revelation 5 is the record of searching for Him who is worthy to open the seals, and, of course, it is the Lamb who is Slain, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the One who took the book from the Father, while the elders, the angels, and the living creatures cried out in worship.

Revelation 6: God’s Army Is Arrayed for Battle

Beginning in chapter 6 of Revelation, we read about Jesus breaking the seals of the book one at a time. With the breaking of each of the first four seals, a horse is commanded to come before God and each is given power to destroy. The first horse is a white horse, having the power to conquer. The second horse is red, having the power to take peace from the earth. The third horse is black, having power to make supplies and sustenance difficult to obtain. The fourth horse is ashen, with the power to kill with the sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.

The futurists see these horses as God actually releasing destruction upon the earth. In reality, none of these horses are shown coming to the earth. They are each told to “come” in the sense of presenting themselves to God. Each horse is given power to destroy and then released—not to go to earth but to take their positions in heaven where they can exercise authority over the earth. This is best compared to how a natural king would position his forces at the battlefront before the battle begins. In like manner, God was setting the stage for the ensuing battles. The warriors were arrayed and waiting for the call to action.

This waiting is confirmed when we read about the fifth seal being broken and John seeing the souls of people who had been previously slain for their faith. They were watching and crying out to God:

“How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

(Rev. 6:10)

Put yourself in John’s position in heaven. The four horses took their positions and prepared for battle. Those who had been martyred for their faith saw this, and they immediately wondered if it was the time that their blood would be avenged. God would be answering the prayers of His saints when He released His judgments. In anticipation, the saints cried out, but they were told to wait just a little longer, even though the battle was impending.

Revelation 6: Breaking of the Sixth Seal

With the breaking of the sixth seal John watched signs of catastrophic events:

And there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up.

(Rev. 6:12-14)

As we explained earlier (pages 56-59), the sun, moon, and stars were frequently used to refer to governing authorities. When governing authorities were removed or diminished, the sun, moon, or stars were said to fall or darken. In this passage we see these authorities being shaken by the presence of God. The apocalyptic reference to earthquakes meant that God was intervening and acting in judgment to remove established authorities and replace them with His authority. To see this in another passage we can read Hebrews 12:26-28:

And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet, once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude.

In light of such promises we should see the earthquake that began with the breaking of the sixth seal as God shaking authorities and establishing His own authorities within His kingdom.

Once the sixth seal was broken, we are told:

Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

(Rev. 6:15-17)

John was seeing a vision of what “must soon take place.” God had arrayed His horses—that is, His power—for battle. In His glorious presence and the presence of His power, the authorities of the earth were struck with terror. They could see that judgment and war were about to begin.

Now put all of this in its proper time frame. Two thousand years ago, Jesus ascended into heaven. The Father then spoke to His Son:

“Sit at My right hand,

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

(Acts 2:34-35)

John was up in the throne room about to witness the fulfillment of God’s promise to His Son. The decrees of God were about to be released. The horses were aligned at the battlefront. The war was about to begin.

The Book Is Opened and the Decrees of God Are about to be Released

Revelation 7-11: Judgment of the Jews

Judgment began with the house of God. In this context, we are speaking of God’s Old Testament people, the Jews. As Paul warned in Romans 2:9:

There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek.

(underlining added)

It is the way of God to first judge His own people before judging the world (see also 1 Pet. 4:17).

Many Christians today have a difficult time conceiving of God harshly judging His people. Yet a fundamental declaration of God’s covenant with the Jews was that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them; if they forsook Him, they would be judged (Deut. 28). The Old Testament tells us about how the Jews forsook God, and hence, suffered judgment. It was because of their disobedience and hardness of heart that their enemies were able to defeat them. During the fifth and sixth centuries B.C., the Jews were driven from their land, Jerusalem was destroyed, and those who were not killed were taken away as slaves into Assyria and Babylon.

We see a similar pattern in the New Testament. John the Baptist called the Jews to repent, but when they would not, he declared that the axe was already laid to the root, meaning that judgment was falling upon them (Luke 3:7-9). Jesus bemoaned the fact that God had sent many prophets to the Jews, but they had persecuted and even killed them (Matt. 23:29-35). Of much greater offense was the Jewish rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.

Several times Jesus declared the destruction about to come upon Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple:

“so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth. . . . Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”

(Matt. 23:35-38)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.”

(Luke 21:20)

“And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

(Luke 21:24)

Jesus decreed destruction.

In section 1, we discussed the Jewish holocaust of A.D. 70. We do not need to repeat that discussion, but we are concerned that some of our readers may be jumping ahead to this section on the study of Revelation instead of reading from the beginning. If readers are not aware of the first century Jewish holocaust, they will be unable to grasp how clearly it was the fulfillment of the judgment described in Revelation chapters 7 through 11. If you have not already, please take a moment to read the brief description of the Jewish holocaust on pages 41 to 43. After four months of starvation and torture, more than one million Jews were killed—thousands of them were crucified.

Of course, not all of the Jews rejected Jesus, and, in fact, much of the early Church was made up of Jews who had embraced our Lord. However, the vast majority rejected Him. The apostle Paul wrote how he yearned for the Jews to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, but only a remnant had accepted Him (Rom. 11:5). Paul wrote how the great majority of Jews had become enemies of the gospel (Rom. 11:28).

Jesus declared to the Jews that He was the Stone that the builders rejected (Matt. 21:42). He then went on to say that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to a people producing the fruit of the kingdom (Matt. 21:43). Finally, in that context He declared that the Stone—He, Himself—would crush and scatter like dust whoever rejects Him (Matt. 21:44).

Arethas of Caesarea

Here, then, were manifestly shown to the Evangelist what things were to befall the Jews in their war against the Romans, in the way of avenging the sufferings inflicted upon Christ.

(Synopsis ex comm. in Apocalypse, notes on Rev. 7:1. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/Study Archive/a/arethas_caesarea.html)

Revelation 7: Sealing 144,000 Sons of Israel

Before the judgment began, God sealed a number of Israelites so a remnant would remain alive after the holocaust of A.D. 70.

“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads . . . one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.”

(Rev. 7:3-4)

This marking would have been understood by the Jewish readers of that period as God’s mark of protection. As blood was placed on the doorpost of the homes of the Hebrews to protect them from the death angel at the first Passover in Egypt (Ex. 12), so also a number of the

Israelites were marked by God so that a remnant would be spared from the slaughter to come. This seal is not to be understood as a physically visible mark, but rather that God knew those who were His.

There may have been exactly 144,000 children of Israel protected from the destruction, but Hebrew people in Bible days often used numbers in a symbolic sense. For example, when the Bible says that God owned the cattle on 1,000 hills (Ps. 50:10), it does not mean that God owned only the cattle on 1,000 hills. It means that He owned all of the cattle everywhere. In a similar way, Hebrew people understood numbers such as 144,000 as a chosen multitude.

In Revelation 7:5-8, we are further told that 12,000 were marked from each of the 12 tribes.

Who were the 12 tribes of Israel? During the times of Christ, the Jews in Palestine were mostly made up of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, along with some Levites. The other tribes had been scattered throughout the surrounding regions, due to migrations, persecutions, and the exile into Assyria around 720 B.C. By the first century, the 12 tribes were not actually the descendants of all of the 12 sons of Israel, but the tribe of Dan was omitted, and the sons of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) became the heads of tribes so that there remained 12 tribes of Israel.

When the Bible tells us that 12,000 from each tribe were marked, we can say that there may have been a literal 12,000 from each tribe marked, but the ancient Hebrew reader would have understood this number in a less strict sense and concluded that God was favoring each tribe equally and He was marking a plentiful, sufficient number.

Some Western readers may hear us using these numbers in a nonliteral sense and accuse us of “spiritualizing” Scripture. We would respond by saying that they are “Westernizing” Scripture. It is the Western mind that insists on taking such numbers in their strictest sense. If we are going to understand Scripture from the framework in which the authors wrote it, we must acknowledge the poetic, symbolic, and apocalyptic language that they used. Indeed, God marked a significant number from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. They were marked so as not to be destroyed in the impending war.

Spiritual Dynamics With Natural Consequences

As we go on to discuss the war, we will see it as a spiritual war that has catastrophic effects in the natural world. We must see it through John’s eyes. He is up in the throne room of God. He is in the Spirit. He is watching the spiritual dynamics that will impact this world in natural ways.

To see how spiritual dynamics relate to natural consequences, consider how the prophet Elisha and his servant once became surrounded by enemy soldiers. When Elisha prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened to the spiritual world, “he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Knowing that God was with him, Elisha had no fear. He prayed that God would strike his enemies with blindness, and they immediately went blind for a season.

This story is enlightening concerning how the spiritual realm appears to the one who can see into that realm. God communicates through visions. He uses pictures we can relate to in order to communicate what is going on in the spiritual world.

Concerning Elisha and his servant’s vision, it is difficult to say whether horses and chariots actually existed in the spiritual world or if the horses and chariots that they saw represented the power of God that was available to defend them. For us today, horses and chariots would not be a very effective representation of God’s power because one modern military machine such as a tank could defeat thousands of horses and chariots. Perhaps, then, if God wanted to reveal His power to us, He would show armies with all of the latest, most deadly equipment.

That reveals how realities in the spiritual realm are communicated to us in the natural realm. It is similar to the pictures one sees in dreams. There are true messages behind spiritual images, but the images are merely a form of communication.

It is with this understanding that we must examine the visions recorded throughout the book of Revelation. For example, we are told in chapter 1 of Revelation that the seven lampstands represent seven churches; seven stars represent the angels of the seven churches. Jesus said to the Laodicean church that He is standing at the door and knocking, but we do not need to conclude that there is a literal door that must be opened; rather, we understand this terminology to be figurative. People must open the door to their heart for Jesus to come in. So also when we read our Lord’s words saying He has the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18), we do not need to conclude that death and Hades actually have doors requiring a key to open, but rather that this is figurative language representing how Jesus has the authority over both death and Hades.

The things that John saw throughout the book of Revelation actually did appear to him. He “saw” them. However, we must understand that he was “in the Spirit” (Rev. 1:10). He was receiving images that communicated spiritual dynamics that the human mind can receive only in image form.

Spiritual dynamics have a corresponding impact upon the natural world, but that impact may appear different from what it looked like in the spiritual realm. For example, consider the death of Herod as recorded in Acts 12:23:

And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

In the spiritual realm an angel struck Herod. In the natural Herod died and was eaten by worms.

It is with this frame of mind that we must consider the judgments released in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 8: Trumpets Blow and the War Begins

In chapter 8 of Revelation we read that the Lamb broke the seventh and final seal of the book. Then “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Rev. 8:1). It was the calm before the storm. The stage was set; the war was about to begin. The book that consists of the decrees of God was about to be opened. The strategy of God to take over this world was about to be executed.

The blowing of trumpets started the war.

And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

(Rev. 8:2)

To grasp the dramatic event that followed, envision a war in ancient times. A king would have his soldiers take their positions and form a tremendous battlefront. Before any of the army would advance, a trumpet would be blown, and typically the archers would release their arrows. In Revelation 8 we read that when the first angel sounded the first trumpet,

there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up.”

(Rev. 8:7)

As arrows being launched from thousands of archers, so destruction was launched from heaven.

When the second angel sounded the second trumpet,

something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

(Rev. 8:8-9)

When the third angel sounded the third trumpet,

a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. . . . and many men died from the waters.

(Rev. 8:10-11)

When the fourth angel sounded the fourth trumpet,

a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck.

(Rev. 8:12)

Before we go on to see what happened as the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets were blown, we need to look carefully at who was at the receiving end of this judgment and destruction. We are making the case that judgment began first with God’s people, the Jews.

Making this difficult for some readers to accept is the fact that in chapters 8 through 11, in some translations of the book of Revelation, there is an unfortunate translation of the Greek word ge. This word may be translated as “earth,” “ground,” or “land,” and each Bible translator decided which word to use according to his or her own understanding of the text. When we study the rest of the New Testament, we learn that in most versions the word ge is usually translated as “land.” To be consistent, translators would also translate ge as “land” in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 7 through 11 tell of the battles involving the land of the Jewish people. Therefore, when Revelation 8:5 tells us that an angel threw fire to the ge, it means that fire was thrown to the land of Israel, rather then upon the entire earth.

This terminology was commonly used in other passages of the Bible. For example, in the Greek Old Testament, which was the version used by the early Church, there are many references to the Gentiles being driven out of the ge, or land, and the land being referred to was the land God promised to the Jews (e.g., Num. 32:17; 33:52, 55; Josh. 7:9; 9:24; Judges 1:32; 2 Sam. 5:6; 1 Chron. 11:4; 22:18; Neh. 9:24). This same term, land, was frequently used by the Old Testament prophets when they spoke of the Jews being driven from their land in the fifth and sixth Centuries B.C. (e.g., Jer. 1:14; 10:18; Ezek. 7:7; Hosea 4:1; Joel 1:2, 14).

So also when John used the term ge in Revelation 8 through 11, he was referring to the land once promised to the Jews rather than to the whole earth. Therefore, when John described in Revelation 8:7 one third of the ge being burned up, he was actually saying that one third of the land was burned, and that land was the land of Israel.

So also Revelation 8:8-13 tells us about the second through fourth angels sounding their trumpets and releasing destruction; that destruction was upon the land of Israel. Indeed, such destruction did come upon the land in A.D. 70 and the surrounding few months.

To see this, we must realize (again) that John was in heaven watching a spiritual war that had consequences on this natural earth. When John saw stars falling, along with the sun and moon darkening, he was seeing the judgments of God coming upon authorities that had previously been ruling over Israel. Spiritual authorities were being judged, and, as a consequence, natural authorities were losing their positions of authority. Indeed, rulers were removed from their positions as hundreds of thousands of Jews suffered and died when these spiritual dynamics occurred in the spiritual realm.

Revelation 9:1-11: The Fifth Trumpet Is Blown

When the fifth angel sounded the fifth trumpet (Rev. 9:1), a bottomless pit (called an abyss, in some translations) opened and out came locusts with power like scorpions to harm the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads (Rev. 9:1-4). We are told that the locusts had faces like the faces of men, hair like that of a woman, and teeth like a lion. In their tails was the power to sting people and inflict great pain for five months.

Some of the most well-known futurist teachers say that these locusts from the bottomless pit are futuristic helicopters that swarm out of the sky and shoot out of their tails a poison that inflicts great pain. Other noted futurists have observed the recent uprising of Islamic terrorists and concluded that the locusts must be the Muslim extremists who will someday attack God’s people.

These interpretations of the futurists are interesting because these are the same futurist teachers who claim to be taking the Bible literally. If we take those verses literally, then we have to believe that actual locusts with gold crowns, faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions, and tails like scorpions will swarm across the earth. Furthermore, if the futurist teachers were taking the Scriptures literally, they would have to say that their helicopters or their Muslim terrorists were coming out of a bottomless pit. Of course, no futurist could reasonably say that. The idea that futurist Christians take the book of Revelation literally is a myth.

Partial preterists understand these locusts in a different way. We attempt to see the context in which locusts are referred to in other passages of Scripture. The earliest mention of swarming locusts is in Exodus 10, when Moses released God’s judgment upon the Egyptians. After that time, locusts were thought of as a symbol of judgment. The prophet Joel used this symbol:

What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten;

And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten;

And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.

(Joel 1:4)

In this passage Joel was speaking about the destruction that came upon the Jews in Old Testament times. Locusts did not actually come upon them, but armies from the East came and destroyed their land, killed hundreds of thousands of people, and took away the rest as captives.

The prophet John was using this same terminology in Revelation 9 to describe the Roman armies that came like locusts descending upon Jerusalem. Therefore, our focus should not be upon literal locusts but rather how they manifest in the natural realm. What effect did they have upon people? The point is that powerful forces were released, and people suffered in unimaginable ways.

Revelation 9:12-21: The Sixth Trumpet Is Blown

When the sixth angel sounded the sixth trumpet (Rev. 9:13), four angels who had been bound at the great river Euphrates were released to kill a third of the people. It is more than coincidence that General Titus used four legions in his war against Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Those four legions had been quartered in the region of the Euphrates before the great war.[29]

John wrote that the number in the cavalry of the army was 200 million (or as some translations word it, 200 thousand thousand). It would be wrong to take this literally for several reasons.

First of all, the Greek word translated cavalry specifically tells us that this cavalry was made of men riding horses. These horses are spoken of further in the verses that follow. But modern armies no longer depend upon men on horses or even upon great numbers of soldiers. Instead, modern armies are organized around intelligence, air power, and technology. A cavalry of 200 million would be ineffective against a modern, well-organized military machine of even 50,000 soldiers. In light of this, it is more reasonable to think of the 200 million horsemen as representing a host of incomprehensible strength. This is what came against the Jewish people in A.D. 70.

To the Jewish people this number—200 million— would have had special significance because it is, as some translations word it, “twice ten thousand times ten thousand.” The number 10,000 had special meaning to every Jew because their greatest military hero, King David, was said to have conquered 10,000. The Jews even had a song in which they honored David for being able to kill 10,000 (1 Sam. 18:7; 21:11). Jews under threat of war encouraged themselves, claiming that God was with them, and hence, they could defeat their Goliath. But when John declared that “twice ten thousand times ten thousand” were coming against them, they would have been overwhelmed by the vision of an army so large that they had no hope of resistance.

At the hands of this army, John said, one third of all people were killed. From this we need not conclude that one third of the whole world was killed. We are talking in these chapters about the land of Israel and the war against the Jews. The armies that came from the great river Euphrates under the command of General Titus slaughtered one third of the Jews.

This, however, was not the end of the war. John notes how the rest of the people still alive did not repent of their sins (Rev. 9:20-21). Hence, judgment would continue as he recorded in the chapters that follow.

Revelation 10: John Eats the Book

In chapter 10 of Revelation, John recorded how he watched another angel bringing further judgments. This was a strong angel with a rainbow on his head, a face like the sun, and feet like pillars of fire. This angel held in his hand a little book that was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. Then he cried out with a voice like a lion’s roar. Seven peals of thunder sounded and John was about to record what had been thundered, but a voice told him not to, but rather to seal up those things.

John was then told to take the book of God’s decrees and eat the book. This brings to remembrance how Ezekiel was told to eat a book upon which were written “lamentations, mourning and woe” (Ez. 2:10). Just as Ezekiel did, John found the book as sweet as honey, which is fitting for we know that the words of God are sweet and wonderful (Ez. 3:1-3; Rev. 10:10). However, the words written in this book were decrees of coming judgment, and hence, they caused a bitterness in John’s stomach. Both Ezekiel and John were told that they would have to go speak the words of the prophecy to the people (Ez. 3:4; Rev. 10:11). They were both sent to declare coming judgments.

Revelation 11: The Jewish Temple Is Destroyed

Chapter 11 of Revelation makes it most obvious that the battles up to this point occurred in the spiritual realm with destruction manifesting in natural Israel and especially Jerusalem. The most direct and critical decree against Jerusalem is made in Revelation 11:8: “the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” We know that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem, but there are also several Bible passages that associate Israel with Sodom (Deut. 32:32; Isa. 1:9-10; Jer. 23:14; Ez. 16:48-49, 53). God was most disappointed with the Jews because of their rejection of the prophets and the crucifixion of our Lord. Jesus expressed His disappointment when He cried out: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!” (Matt. 23:37).

John was given a measuring rod and told to measure the Temple in Jerusalem (Rev. 11:1). We know this was the actual Temple in Jerusalem, and not a spiritual Temple in heaven, because he was told to measure it before it was trampled underfoot by the Gentiles (Rev. 11:2). This confirms an earlier point we made that the Temple in Jerusalem must have still been in existence when John wrote the book of Revelation.

Teachers holding the futurist view have a different explanation. Thinking that chapters 4 through 18 are to be fulfilled during a seven-year period of tribulation in the future, they have to believe that the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt before the unfolding of the events of Revelation. Therefore, even today, the futurist teachers are hoping for and wanting to help the Jews rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

In contrast, partial preterists recognize that the Temple was still standing when John wrote the book of Revelation. It was destroyed by God’s decree in A.D. 70, and He wants it to remain in ruins. Jesus declared:

“Your house is being left to you desolate!”

(Matt. 23:38)

Again, we can point out that the desolation was significant in the fact that we no longer need the Temple, nor the Jewish high priest, nor the animal sacrifices that were carried out in that Temple. The ultimate sacrifice had been made, which put an end to all other sacrifices.

Revelation 11:2 tells of the city of Jerusalem being destroyed:

it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.

Indeed, the war against the Jews in Jerusalem lasted exactly forty-two months. Vespasian was commissioned by Nero in February of A.D. 67, and the city fell in August of A.D. 70.[30]

Revelation 11:3-12: Two Witnesses in Jerusalem

Chapter 11 of Revelation tells us about God’s two witnesses who were present in Jerusalem during her judgment:

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

(Rev. 11:3)

Who are these two witnesses?

Futurist teachers envision two men walking through the streets of Jerusalem during part of a future seven-year tribulation.

Partial preterists see something entirely different. First, the context is the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. We are told that two witnesses prophesied for 1,260 days, which is three and one half years, the same length of time the war in Jerusalem lasted.[31] The two witnesses were clothed in sackcloth, signifying that they were in mourning. They had a tragic message to bring. Under Mosaic law, two witnesses were required before a person could be put to death. These two witnesses were present in Jerusalem, witnessing to the impending destruction.

John told us more about these two witnesses:

These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

(Rev. 11:6)

To any Jewish person reading this, there would have been an immediate association with Elijah and Moses. Elijah was the one who shut up the skies so it would not rain. Moses is the one who struck the waters and turned them into blood. Moses also is the one who released plagues.

Even though we recognize this association of the two witnesses of Revelation 11 with Moses and Elijah, we need to broaden our understanding. John also told us the following:

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

(Rev. 11:4)

Olive trees represent the source from whence oil comes, that is, from where the anointing of God flows. The lampstands represent the source of light.

Now ask yourself: What were the two witnesses who gave witness to the Jewish people throughout their history? It was not only Moses and Elijah, but in the broader sense, it was the Law and the prophets. Moses is the one who gave the Law, and Elijah was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. So we see the Law and the prophets, but also Moses and Elijah as the personification of the Law and the prophets.

Therefore, when we read about the two witnesses in Jerusalem, we must see the voice of God, which Moses and Elijah brought into the world. It was that voice— the Law and the prophets—that was sounding throughout the streets of Jerusalem before destruction came. The Law and the prophets were witnesses against the Jewish people. The Jews had been unfaithful in their covenant with God, and therefore, judgment was coming upon them.

However, the Law and the prophets were also the authoritative witnesses of the early Church. As Christians witnessed to the Jews about Jesus Christ, they did not have a New Testament from which to preach. They spoke from the Law and the prophets, convincing many that Jesus was the Christ. Again, we see how the Law and the prophets were sounding throughout the streets of Jerusalem.

John explained how a beast (who we will later show is the spiritual power behind a Roman emperor) made war with the witnesses and killed them.[32] Their bodies laid in the streets of Jerusalem, and the people rejoiced (Rev. 11:10). In what way were the Law and prophets put to death? When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army, it appeared that everything in which the Jews had put their trust had failed. All had ended. How could they ever rise again? It seemed impossible.

While the two witnesses were silent, the people throughout the Gentile world rejoiced because the Law and the prophets also bore witness against them and their sins.

After the dust from Jerusalem’s destruction settled, “the breath of life from God” came back into the two witnesses (Rev. 11:10). The voice of the Law and the prophets rose again. Then the two witnesses were called back into heaven (Rev. 11:12), but at that same time “there was a great earthquake” (Rev. 11:13). As we have discussed before, in apocalyptic language earthquakes represented a demolition or transfer of authority. Indeed, two witnesses were taken to heaven, but the Law and the prophets continued to sound through the Church. The voices of two witnesses were transferred to the Church, and hence, the Law and prophets continue sounding forth the voice of God even today.

Revelation 11:19: The New Temple Was Opened

At the end of chapter 11, we see that God replaced the Temple on earth with a new temple in heaven:

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

(Rev. 11:19)

The significance of this event can be realized when we recognize that earlier in Revelation 11, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. The old Temple was gone. A new Temple was opened in heaven. The lightning, thunder, earthquake, and hailstorm mark the changing of authorities. There was a new High Priest in the new Temple.

Revelation 11:15-18: Rejoicing in Heaven

When the destruction of Jerusalem was completed in A.D. 70, a celebration broke out in heaven with loud voices declaring:

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

(Rev. 11:15)

This signifies the fact that the kingdom had been taken away from the Jews exactly as Jesus said it would be (Matt. 21:43). Following this, the 24 elders in heaven fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.”

(Rev. 11:17)

The judgment of the Jews was completed, but notice how God was praised that He had “begun to reign.” This meant that this was only the beginning and there would be more advancement of His kingdom to follow.

John then described how “the nations were enraged” (Rev. 11:18). In the natural realm the Roman Empire was victorious over the Jews; however, the spiritual powers and authorities that governed the nations had seen God win His first battle, and they knew that God would soon come to expand His kingdom over their regions. Indeed, in the chapters that follow, we see God turning His attention away from the Jews and releasing His judgments toward the Roman Empire and then toward all of the nations throughout the world. The resulting expansion of God’s kingdom across the world is something we will learn about as we continue our study of Revelation 12 and onwards.

Concluding Remarks About the Jewish War

As we complete this portion about the judgment of the Jews, it is worth commenting about our attitude toward the Jews today. Some have taken God’s judgment and used that to justify anti-Semitism. That misses what the judgment was all about. When someone has been judged, they have paid their debt. They no longer can be held accountable for the offenses that they once committed. God finished His judgment of those first century Jews in A.D. 70.

Later generations are responsible for their own actions. Indeed, the Jews today still have a covenant with God in which they are held accountable for their actions. If they obey, they will be blessed; but if they forsake God, they will be judged (Deut. 28). That covenant, we are told, is an eternal covenant (Gen. 17:7, 13; 1 Chron. 16:16-17; Ps. 105:9-10). However, present-day Jews are not held accountable for the sins of their forefathers any more than you and I are held accountable for their sins. Each person is accountable for his or her own sins (Ez. 18:20).

Finally, we should note that God’s ongoing covenant with the Jews assures them of a day in the future when He will open their eyes so that they may recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Rom. 11:24-31). We will discuss this further in section 5.

Revelation 12-14: Judgement of the Roman Empire

Before we go into chapter 12 of Revelation, it is helpful to take another bird’s-eye view of God’s overall plan.

While Jesus was alive on earth, He declared that the kingdom of God was at hand, meaning that it was available, within reach, and near. This is the kingdom that was prophesied throughout the Old Testament, a kingdom that would never be destroyed (e.g., 1 Chron. 17:11-12). Two thousand years ago Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Jesus took His rightful position on His throne.

Since the day Jesus sat down on His throne 2,000 years ago, the Father has been actively subduing enemies and establishing the reign of His Son. After the kingdom had been taken away from the Jews, God dealt with the Roman Empire. As we learned earlier when we studied Daniel 2 (section 3, pages 97-103), the kingdom of God was to crush the Roman Empire and then continue to grow until it fills the earth.

It is this understanding that we must carry into our study of Revelation. John was in heaven watching “what must take place after these things” (Rev. 4:1). From Revelation 4 and on, we are watching from heaven as the kingdom of God is advancing to the point where all the kingdoms of this earth become the kingdoms of our Lord.

As we continue our study, we should expect to see all of the enemies of our Lord subdued, but in particular, we should expect to see the Roman Empire subdued as Daniel had prophesied. This sets the stage for understanding Revelation 12 through 14, where the next set of judgments lead to the destruction of Rome in A.D. 410 and the fall of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476.

Revelation 12: The Mother and Her Mail Child

Revelation 12 begins with a vision:

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

(Rev. 12:1-2)

Who is this woman? And who is the child to whom she gives birth?

We know that this woman had great authority with a crown of stars on her head and the moon under her feet. To understand more concerning who she is, let’s identify her child.

We are told:

And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.

(Rev. 12:5)

Several times in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is described as the One who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Glance ahead to chapter 19 of Revelation, where heaven opens and Jesus rides out on a white horse:

He who sat on it is called Faithful and True . . . and His name is called The Word of God. . . . From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.

(Rev. 19:11-15)

From verses like these we know that Jesus is the Male Child who was destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron.

As a side note, we can say that Jesus does not rule in the sense of tyranny, but of firmness. Hence, other Bible translations refer to this rod as a staff or a scepter.

But Jesus does not rule alone. His Bride is being raised to rule with Him. Throughout the book of Revelation we can read of this raising and maturing of God’s people occurring simultaneously with the judgments of God being released. In several passages we are told that those who overcome will rule with Jesus for eternity (e.g., Rev. 2:26-27; 21:2). In the end we will see Jesus ruling with His people, but for now, make no mistake: Jesus is the Male Child who was given birth to by the woman of Revelation 12.

Who then is this woman?

The Roman Catholic Church has historically taught that it is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Some teachers have declared that it is the Jewish nation. Still others have taught that it is the Church.

We are thinking too small if we settle for any of these explanations. We must think in spiritual terms. John was seeing these visions while in heaven, receiving spiritual communication of spiritual dynamics.

To identify the concept of spiritual mother or father, consider how Jesus talked critically of the Jewish religious leaders: “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” (John 8:44). Jesus said that the devil was their father, but He did not mean that the devil literally had sexual relations with their human mothers. Rather, He was speaking of how their thoughts, motivations, and desires were being birthed and nurtured by the devil.

In another passage Jesus explained:

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

(John 3:6)

It is in this sense of being born that we must understand the spiritual dynamics of a father or mother.

Hence, when we read of a mother giving birth to the Male Child, we see this mother throughout the ages. Beginning way back in the Garden of Eden, God promised to Eve that her seed would crush Satan’s head (Gen. 3:15). He promised to Abraham that his seed—that is, Jesus—would become a blessing to all of the earth (Gal. 3:16). To David, God promised that one of his descendents would establish a kingdom that would endure forever (1 Chron. 17:11-12). To the Jewish people, He repeatedly promised that a Messiah would come forth from them. Finally, Mary did indeed give birth to the Son.

Who then is this mother who gave birth to Jesus? It is Eve. It is Abraham. It is David. It is the Jewish people. It is Mary. It is God’s heart, His promises being received by God’s people. It is God’s Spirit mothering His own Son so that the Son could come into the world.

By the end of Revelation 12, we learn that this woman has other children (Rev. 12:17). Indeed, the heart of God has always been to raise many sons and daughters. Jesus was the firstborn, but the Spirit of God has come upon the Church and birthed millions into His family.

Revelation 12 shows us that the firstborn—the Male Child—was in this world for only a short time: “her child was caught up to God and to His throne” (Rev. 12:5). Indeed, Jesus did His work on earth during a relatively short period of time and then ascended into heaven, where He was seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Since we have identified Revelation 12 starting off with the birth of Jesus, we must see this set of visions as separate from those of Revelation 7 to 11. John was seeing the destruction of the Roman Empire, but the visions go back to the birth of Jesus. He was born and then taken up into heaven. Once He sat down at the right hand of the Father, God’s judgments began but the verses to follow describe the second set of judgments— those which deal with the Roman Empire.

Revelation 12: What Is the Great Read Dragon?

Next, chapter 12 tells us about a dragon trying to devour the Male Child at His birth. Who is this dragon? It is the spiritual power behind the Roman Empire. Allow us to explain how we come to this conclusion.

In apocalyptic language various beasts referred to kingdoms, kings, or the spiritual forces behind those kingdoms. For example, Daniel explained how the beasts in his visions represented various kingdoms (e.g., Dan. 7:23: “The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth”). He also noted how beasts can represent the kings over certain kingdoms (e.g., Dan. 7:17: “These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth”). In some passages Daniel specified various types of beasts that represent certain kingdoms. For example, in Daniel 8:20, he explained that a ram with two horns signified the two kings of Media and Persia. He stated that in one of his visions a goat represented the kingdom of Greece (Dan. 8:21). In that vision he also referred to other kingdoms as other beasts (Dan. 8:4).

Who then was this beast referred to as the great red dragon in Revelation 12?

Well, we are told that the dragon tried to kill the Male Child. So who tried to kill Jesus at His birth? It was Herod, but he acted in his authority under the Roman government. Herod reasoned that he must stop the birth of the One who threatened the throne.

We have further indicators that the dragon was the Roman government when we read that the great red dragon had “seven heads and ten horns” (Rev. 12:3). In the book of Daniel we are shown that heads and horns represent various authority figures within governments. For example, Daniel 7:24 tells us: “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise.” Later on in Revelation we are specifically told that “the ten horns which you saw are ten kings” (Rev. 17:12). So then, the seven heads and ten horns of the dragon represent seven and ten ruling authorities within the Roman Empire.

As we study history, we learn of an amazing correspondence between the leaders of the Roman Empire and the seven heads and ten horns mentioned in Revelation. There were seven Caesars over the Roman Empire: Julius Caesar, followed by his adopted son Augustus and the five members of Augustus’ family, who ruled up until A.D. 68. These seven correspond to the seven heads of the dragon.

Seven Caesars of the Roman Empire:

We also know that the Roman Empire[33] was divided into ten regions with ten leaders governing those regions. This corresponds to the ten horns of the dragon.

The 10 Provinces of the Roman Empire:[34]

Achaia

Gaul

Africa

Germany

Asia

Italy

Britain

Spain

Egypt

Syria

Now think of the Roman Empire in spiritual terms. John is in heaven watching spiritual dynamics that have consequences in this natural world. Hence, we understand that the dragon is not just the Roman government, but it is the spiritual force behind the Roman government. Revelation 12:9 tells us that the great dragon is “the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” This does not mean that everything about the Roman Empire was evil, but the Roman Empire was the strongest government in the world at that time, and Satan was god of the world. Satan—in the form of the great red dragon—was able to manipulate and control humanity through the Roman leaders. The most obvious evidence of this is the fact that the Roman leaders tried to kill Jesus at His birth and eventually became the ones to crucify Him. Later, they became the ones to kill hundreds of thousands of Christians during the great persecutions of the first and second centuries.

Revelation 12: What Is the Great Red Dragon?

Once we have identified the dragon as the spiritual power (Satan) working through the Roman Empire, we can understand the war that John watched from heaven:

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

(Rev. 12:7-9)

This was a spiritual war in heaven that had natural consequences on earth.

Many Christians have incorrectly understood this war to be a picture of what happened way back before this world was created. They use this passage to teach that Satan once was a good angel who fell from heaven thousands or even millions of years ago.

In truth, this passage describes the war that took place after Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down next to the Father 2,000 years ago. We know this because John was in the throne room of God. Jesus told John that He would show him things to take place in the future—that is, in John’s future (Rev. 4:1). God was executing His judgments and expanding His dominion throughout the heavens. That is the war between Michael and the dragon.

After Satan and his angels were cast out of the heavens, John heard a loud voice in heaven, saying:

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”

(Rev. 12:10)

Some Christians have a difficult time accepting this idea that Satan was cast out of heaven during the first century. Instead, they have fixed in their mind the idea that Satan was cast out of heaven before this world was created. Indeed, Satan had no authority in the throne room of God during the first century, but notice how in the passage we just quoted Satan was accusing the brethren before God day and night. This could not be referring to Satan being cast out of heaven before this world was created because “the brethren” did not exist at that time. No, this passage was fulfilled in the first century.

Even in the first century, Satan still had access to heaven. Remember how, in the days of Job, Satan walked right into the presence of God (Job 1:6, 2:1; see also Zech. 3:1)? Satan was the prince of the power of the air. In fact, he was still god of this world during the beginning of the first century. That is why he could offer to Jesus all the kingdoms of this world if Jesus simply bowed down to him (Matt. 4:8-9).

The good news is that 2,000 years ago, the Rock— that is, Jesus—came into this world, and the kingdom of God began crushing all other kingdoms. Jesus told His disciples that the time had come:

“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

(John 12:31)

First, the rights to the kingdom of God were taken away from the Jews, and then God’s kingdom began crushing the Roman Empire. The evil power behind the Roman Empire was cast out of the heavens. Satan’s hold over the nations was broken.

Once Satan was cast out of heaven, we are told:

“Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

(Rev. 12:12)

We cannot say for sure when Satan was cast down to the earth, but according to John it corresponded with the time the dragon went after the children of the woman:

So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children.

(Rev. 12:17)

Historically, we know that the Roman Empire began its intense persecution of Christians during the reign of Emperor Nero between A.D. 54 and 68. After the fire in Rome in A.D. 64, Nero had thousands of Christians crucified, sewn in the skins of wild animals and then eaten by wild dogs, tied to mad bulls and dragged to death, or dipped in tar and lit on fire.[35]

When we study the fall of Satan to earth, we should also consider the time when the Roman emperors began to demand worship from people. The earlier emperors refused to receive worship, but gradually temples to the godhead of the emperor were constructed throughout the empire. Each emperor took on the title Augustus or Sebastos, which meant “one to be worshipped.” By the time of Emperor Decius (A.D. 249-251), emperor worship was demanded of all races (except for the Jews) and nations within the empire. Every Roman citizen had to come into the Temple of Caesar on a certain day of each year, burn a pinch of incense, and then declare, “Caesar is Lord.”

No one can say for certain, but a likely time when Satan was cast out of heaven to earth was when the Roman Empire turned against Christians and the emperors demanded to be worshipped as god. That is likely the time when Satan came down to earth with great wrath knowing he had only a short time.

Satan Falls to Earth With Great Wrath:

Revelation 13: The Beast of the Revelation

Chapter 13 starts off with the dragon—the evil force behind the Roman Empire—standing on the sand of the seashore. Indeed, the Roman Empire did seem to rise out of the Mediterranean Sea upon the Italian peninsula. We also should consider how the sea in prophetic language sometimes represents the mass of humanity (e.g., Rev. 17:15). Hence, we can identify the Roman Empire arising out of the sea of humanity.

Then John described a beast:

I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads.

(Rev. 13:1)

Who is this beast?

Well, we are shown this beast rising out of the same place as the dragon does. Then John explained that the dragon gave the beast “his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev. 13:2). Since beasts often referred to rulers we see this beast as one of the rulers of the Roman Empire.

When we study the events of history, it is amazing how clearly Emperor Nero fits this description and how he acted in accordance to the visions that John described in passages to follow in the book of Revelation. John described how this ruler blasphemed God and was extremely evil (Rev. 13:5-7). Indeed, it is difficult to imagine any ruler more evil than Nero. Enjoying the worship that people offered him, he had a 120-foothigh image of himself built in Rome. In Ephesus there have been found inscriptions calling Nero “Almighty God” and “Savior.” He had many members of his own family killed, including his own pregnant wife, whom he kicked to death. Nero was blatant and public with his homosexual activity. He married a boy with all of the usual public ceremonies, and then castrated him to treat him as his wife. He also carried on an incestuous relationship with his mother. At times Nero dressed up as a wild beast and attacked, raped, and murdered male and female prisoners. He enjoyed attacking their sexual organs with his teeth. Nero took great pleasure in watching people being tortured and suffering the most heinous deaths. Finally, at age 31, he killed himself.

Jerome

And there are many of our viewpoint who think that Domitius Nero was the Antichrist because of his outstanding savagery and depravity.

(Commentary on Daniel,notesonDaniel11:27–30.Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive / j/jerome_saint.html)

F. W. Farrar

All of the earliest Christian writers on the Apocalypse, from Irenaeus down to Victorious of Pettau and Commodian in the fourth, and Andreas in the fifth, and St. Beatus in the eighth century, connect Nero, or some Roman emperor, with the Apocalyptic Beast.

(The Early Days of Christianity, 1884, p. 541. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/ f/farrar-fw_westminster.html)

It was commonly believed throughout the early church that Nero was the beast of Revelation. Nero was also referred to as a beast by some outside of the Christian world. For example, Apollonius of Tyrana wrote:

In my travels, which has been wider than every man yet accomplished, I have seen many, many wild beasts of Arabia and India; but this beast, that is commonly called a Tyrant, I know not how many heads it has, nor if it be crooked of claw, and armed with horrible fangs. . . . And of the wild beasts you cannot say that they were ever known to eat their own mother, but Nero has gorged himself on this diet.[36]

Revelation 13:3: Slain and Then Healed

John wrote more about the beast:

I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed.

(Rev. 13:3)

This near-death experience corresponds with the period during which the Roman Empire was almost destroyed. Not only was a third of Rome burned to the ground in A.D. 64, but in the years surrounding Nero’s reign four emperors were killed, there were three civil wars, and numerous foreign wars broke out around the empire. Josephus wrote that Rome was near “ruin”[37] and “every part of the habitable earth under them was in an unsettled and tottering condition.”[38] Tacitus further described the conditions of the empire and wrote that it was almost the end.[39] It was not until Vespasian took over as emperor that the Roman Empire experienced a return to peace and order.

Revelation 13:5-8: Persecution of the Saints

As we mentioned several times, Nero was the emperor who ordered the great persecution of the early Church after the city of Rome burned. John explained how the beast was given authority for 42 months, that is, three and one half years, to blaspheme and “to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” (Rev. 13:7). Amazingly, Nero’s persecution of Christians did last exactly 42 months, from the middle of November in 64 to the beginning of June in 68, when he committed suicide.[40]

This fits perfectly with the description John gave of a beast (Roman emperor) that was given power by the dragon (Satan), persecuted the saints for 42 months, and had all of the people worship him (Rev. 13:8).

Some Bible translations state that all of the people throughout the earth worshipped him, but it is worth pointing out again that the word “earth” is translated from the Greek word ge, which also can be translated as “land.” Hence, we understand that John was describing what took place in the land, and in this context, it was the land of the Roman Empire where all of the people were required to worship the emperor.

Revelation 13:16-18: The Mark of the Beast

John gave a number by which the beast could be identified: 666. This number has raised tremendous controversy in the modern Church and has been used by preachers, writers, and moviemakers to instill fear in the hearts of millions. We, however, should try to understand it as it would have been understood by the people who first read the writings of John.

It is a well-known fact that Nero’s name is equivalent to 666. This is true because the letters of the Hebrew alphabet possessed numeric values. It is similar to how certain letters in the Roman alphabet are used as numerals: “I” means 1; “V” means 5; “X” means 10; “L” means 50; “C” means 100; and “D” means 500. Therefore, if we see the following Roman letters, DCLXVI, we know that this is equivalent numerically to 666. This is not difficult to figure out for anyone who understands Roman numerals. Nor was it difficult for any literate Jew to read the number of Nero’s name. The Hebrew spelling of Nero Caesar was Nrwn Qsr (pronounced Neron Kesar). The Hebrew equivalent of this name is 666.[41]

Why did John use the number 666 rather than just use Nero’s name? John was writing to Christians who were under terrible persecutions. Their families and friends were being tortured and killed throughout the empire. If any Christian had been caught with a book in which Nero was put in a bad light, that Christian could expect to be immediately hauled off to prison or sent to the coliseums. Yet the early Christians were primarily Jewish converts, and therefore they could understand the meaning of the number 666. To them there would have been no question that Nero was the one to whom John was referring. He was the one who was killing their leaders, friends, and family members.

It is worth taking a moment to talk about the endless discussion in futurist circles about some future person represented by this number. The most captivating stories are centered around the futurist teachings that someday there will be an antichrist who will literally take over the economic systems of the world and then control all of humanity’s expenditures. This control will be possible because the antichrist will demand that every person receives a computerized chip in their forehead or right hand.

In reality, the word “antichrist” is never mentioned even once in the entire book of Revelation. The only place the word “antichrist” is used is in 1 and 2 John. There is no biblical basis to equate the beast of Revelation with the antichrist mentioned in the letters of John (we discuss the antichrist in section 6).

Next, it is worth noting how out of balance futurist teachings really are about the mark of the beast. Consider how a person today can walk into most Christian bookstores and find several books that talk about the mark of the beast, each book giving the author’s interpretation of some future antichrist figure. At the same time we can find few Christian authors who have written about the mark of God. Did you know that the mark of God, the seal of God, and the name of God, which is written on the foreheads of His people, are mentioned in the book of Revelation exactly the same number of times as the mark of the beast? Both are mentioned seven times. That should tell us something. The fact that futurists are always talking about the mark of the beast and never even mention the mark of God should tell us that things are out of balance in their teachings. As Christians, shouldn’t we be more interested in the mark of God—who is alive today and active in our lives—than we are in the mark of some beast that we do not even know exists?

Furthermore, we must understand the mark of the beast from a similar frame of mind as the mark of God. By this we mean that if the mark of the beast is to be understood literally, then we should understand the mark of God literally. On the other hand, if we take the mark of the beast spiritually, then we should take the mark of God spiritually. That is simple honesty and integrity in the way we interpret Scripture. Both marks are spoken of in the book of Revelation and even together in the same chapter (chapter 14).

Then why do the futurists put fear in people by talking about a computerized chip being placed in the foreheads or right hands of people? Do they also believe that the mark of God will be a computerized chip? Of course not. That points out the foolishness of the whole chip scare. Again, we say that if one is literal, then the other is literal. If one is spiritual, then the other is spiritual. We must be consistent in the way we use Scripture.

Partial preterists believe that both marks must be understood in a spiritual sense. Those people who give themselves over to the works of Satan will have the mark of evil in their thoughts and the works of their hands. Those who give themselves over to God will have the mark of God upon their minds and the works of their hands. The seal of God upon His people is His Spirit. Similarly, those who give their lives and hearts to Satan will be marked by the spirit of the evil one.

However, now we have to place this whole discussion back in the context in which the book of Revelation was written. The apostle John was writing to real Christians who were enduring real persecution. That persecution was being carried out under a man whose name is equivalent to 666. To the first century Christians the meaning was obvious.

Revelation 14:1-5: What Is Babylon?

Chapter 14 of Revelation starts off with 144,000 of God’s people standing before the throne in heaven, singing a new song. Unlike the 144,000 mentioned in chapter 7, these are not from the tribes of Israel. These are early Christians having the name of Jesus and the name of His Father written on their foreheads (Rev. 14:1). These are the faithful who did not deny Him as they faced torture and death during the great persecutions. We are told that:

These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

(Rev. 14:4)

History tells us that there were two great persecutions during the first century, the first during Nero’s reign (A.D. 64-68) and the second during the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81-96). Revelation 14 tells us that the martyrs numbered 144,000, but again, we can take this number literally or as representing a multitude. These 144,000 Christians gave their lives as martyrs.

Revelation 14:6-7: The Gospel Goes Forth

After seeing the martyred saints in heaven, John watched an “angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth” (Rev. 14:6). From this we should expect to see a harvest of souls, and indeed we do, but to identify it in history we need to see the event which we are told accompanies this great harvest.

Revelation 14:8: The Spirit of Babylon

Immediately after the harvesting angel went forth another angel followed, declaring:

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

(Rev. 14:8)

What is this Babylon? And why does Babylon’s fall correspond with an angel going out to preach the gospel across the world?

To identify Babylon, remember that John is up in heaven watching spiritual dynamics that have natural consequences. Therefore, we should not think of Babylon as the city with that name, but we should look deeper and see the power behind that city.

It is easier to see the spiritual powers behind cities when we realize that for thousands of years the Gentiles in almost every city worshipped their own gods. Of course, they were not really gods, but were dead statues, imaginary beings, or demons. Satan and his cohorts accepted the worship of human beings, and in the process, became associated with certain cities.

Throughout history Babylon had been known as a place of sin, especially the sin of human pride. That was where the Tower of Babel was built. That tower represented people’s efforts to exalt themselves. Then later in the days of the prophets, the king of Babylon displayed the height of arrogance when he declared, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God” (Isa. 14:13). Similarly, in the book of Revelation we read how Babylon had “glorified herself and lived sensuously” (Rev. 18:7). John noted her arrogance and wrote how she said in her heart, “I sit as a queen” (Rev. 18:7).

In describing this, we do not mean to reduce Babylon to a demon spirit that only induces pride in people, but since pride is the most obvious characteristic, we will simply refer to the evil power behind Babylon as a spirit of pride. If we think of Babylon in this way, then we can understand how she could take hold of a king and pervert his mind with pride and self-exaltation. Hence, Babylon can be seen as the spiritual power behind leaders who had great success, but the kind of success that merely glorified humanity.

The city of Babylon was destroyed along with its empire, but the spirit of pride continued working in the earth. For this reason we can see that same pride active to various degrees in the leaders of the empires which displaced the Babylonian Empire: the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire. The caesars and emperors of Rome even displayed some of the same thought patterns of claiming to be deities and believing that they could exalt their thrones to heaven.

Revelation 14:8: The Fall of Babylon

We already noted how there was a correspondence between the fall of Babylon (Rev. 14:8) and an increase in the preaching of the gospel (Rev. 14:6-7). John gives us an even better image of this when he describes Jesus going out to reap the harvest:

And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

(Rev. 14:15-16)

Jesus brought in a harvest of souls.

When did this happen, and why did it correspond with the fall of Babylon?

When we study history, we learn that the single most significant event (other than the death and resurrection of Jesus) that happened in the Roman Empire, as far as Christianity is concerned, took place in the years A.D. 312 and 313. Preceding that time, Christians were persecuted, with some periods more intense than others. Hundreds of thousands of Christians were tortured and murdered. Then came Emperor Constantine. Before going into a great battle he saw a vision that indicated to him that if he fought under the sign of Christ, then he would have victory. Constantine had his soldiers mark their shields with the first two letters of Christ’s name (chi and rho) and then go out to battle. They won a great victory, and so Constantine became a strong supporter of Christianity. In A.D. 313 Constantine made a law legalizing Christianity. In the following years, he made many gifts to the Christian Church, including extensive donations of property. Constantine also built the first great Christian cathedral in Rome, and he built many churches in cities around the empire.

Christianity exploded in growth during that period. Millions of people claimed new allegiance to the Christian faith. Today as we study history we do not know if that multitude joining the Church was actually serious in their commitments to Christ, yet the overwhelming majority of the Roman Empire claimed to be Christian by the end of the fifth century.[42]

The day Constantine bowed his knee to Jesus, the world changed. Constantine humbled himself. The ruling spirit of pride (Babylon) lost its position of authority. Jesus immediately began harvesting the empire. An angel was released with the gospel (Rev. 14:6-7), and Jesus swung His sickle (Rev. 14:14-16).

Note the correspondence between Babylon falling and the gospel being preached. Such a correspondence is similar to the one we see in the Gospel of Luke, where the disciples went out preaching. When they returned, Jesus said, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). There was a direct correspondence between the gospel being preached and Satan falling from heaven. So also when Babylon fell, the great harvest of the Roman Empire occurred.

In describing these events, we do not mean to imply that this is the only reasonable explanation for the fall of Babylon. No one can say for sure what actually happened in the spiritual realm at a specific time in history. We are simply taking the commonly accepted facts of history and looking to see how the historical events could correspond with what John described in the spiritual realm. We know that the expansion of the kingdom of God was to crush the Roman Empire. It is difficult to find any time in history that was more crushing to the rule of Satan, accompanied by a harvest of souls, than Constantine’s conversion and the resulting harvest during the fourth and fifth centuries.

Babylon Falls and Jesus Harvests:

During that time the spirit of Babylon lost its position of dominance. The emperor bowed to Jesus instead of Babylon. That spirit of pride was no longer in authority to control the empire. The evil spirit remained active in the earth, and indeed, it is still active today. However, it had fallen from its position of dominance. It could work in the hearts of individuals from that day forward, but it will never again be able to rise to a level where it can deceive such a large region of the world— because Jesus Christ is Lord!

Revelation 17: Who Is the Harolot?

Right alongside Babylon, John tells us of a harlot. Who was this harlot?

First, we can note that a harlot is a woman who lures away the hearts of men. Indeed, John said that she is the one “with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality” (Rev. 17:2). John also described how the harlot was drunk on the blood of the saints (Rev. 17:6). As the harlot worked with Babylon, we are told that “all the nations were deceived by . . . sorcery,” and “in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” (Rev. 18:23-24).

Most teachers of Revelation make some association between the harlot and religion. It is difficult to be conclusive about this, but we are told that kings had joined with her to commit their indecent acts (Rev. 17:2). Indeed, rulers had used religion for centuries to justify the killing of the prophets and saints. Even Jesus’ death was orchestrated by the religious leaders of His day.

In this context, as we use the word “religion,” we are not talking about Christianity in a good sense of being a religion. Rather, we are using the term in the negative sense of people’s ritualistic behaviors and futile attempts to please divine beings. Throughout history many kings and rulers partnered (committed adultery) with religion (the harlot) in order to control people through the use of fear, shame, manipulation, and domination. It is in this sense of control that we are talking about a “spirit of religion.” To be more accurate we would say that it is a demon or demons that control people through religion. Religion is not necessarily evil, but the demons that may work through religion are.

It is interesting to note the pretenses under which the Roman Empire persecuted the early Christians. The single most common accusation against them was that they were atheists. This may seem strange to us since we know they worshipped the true God, but before A.D. 312 the Roman Empire encouraged worship of many gods. When the Christians refused to offer such worship, they were seen as rejecting the gods and therefore atheists. With this against them, they were tortured and martyred. Hence, we can see how a spirit of religion became drunk on the blood of the saints.

John told us that the harlot sits on seven mountains (Rev. 17:9). In the same context he said that those seven mountains are seven kings. This is similar language to that used earlier to describe Rome. Not only did the Roman Empire have seven caesars, but the city of Rome was surrounded by seven mountains and was widely known as “The City on Seven Hills” (in antiquity, called Septimontium). Finally, we are told, “The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:18). Indeed, the emperors in Rome ruled over many kings, and the emperors before Constantine’s time employed religion to control the masses.

Some have understood this harlot to be the city of Jerusalem rather than Rome, noting that it too was surrounded by seven mountains. Certainly we can consider both because we are looking into the realm of the spirit, and in that realm demons have worked through religion in many regions of the world.

We are shown how the harlot was closely associated with a beast. If we see this beast as Emperor Nero, we can identify a correspondence with the description given to us in chapter 17:

The seven heads . . . are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.

(Rev. 17:9-10)

We have already explained (page 172) that the kings are the seven caesars of the empire: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, and Galba. From the phrase “five have fallen,” we can know that the first five of these caesars had died. Therefore, when John wrote “one is,” we know that he is talking about Nero, who was the sixth caesar and who was in power at the time of John’s writing. Finally, John tells about one who is yet to come and must remain a little while. This fits the last caesar, Galba, who reigned for only seven months. Throughout the rest of Revelation 17 and 18 we read about the diminishing influence and the destruction of Babylon, the harlot, and the beast. God’s judgment came upon them, and they fell.

As the spirit of pride did, so the harlot also lost her position of dominance in the earth. She remained active and continues to influence people even today. What happened when she fell is that she lost her position of authority over the nations of the earth. Preceding that time, every nation had its own god or gods whom the people worshipped. As Paul wrote, every nation except Israel was lost in darkness (Eph. 2:12). When God judged the harlot, she fell like lightning to the earth, and therefore, she will never again be able to deceive the nations on such a broad worldwide scale.

Revelation 14:17-20: Roman Empire Destroyed

Chapter 14 of Revelation ends with an angel coming out of the Temple in heaven, swinging a sickle to harvest the earth. That angel was not to harvest souls, but to remove evil. We are told:

So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.

(Rev. 14:19-20)

Blood up to the horses’ bridles is figurative language. We know this because some teachers more tedious in their studies than us have taken the time to calculate that all of the blood from all six billion people in the world today would fill only a fraction of the amount mentioned here. Therefore, it is more reasonable to understand this passage to mean that God would continue His judgments and none would escape.

In the context of Rome being judged, we can see the fulfillment of this passage as the empire was destroyed. Invaders from the North repeatedly looted and killed the people of various regions surrounding Rome. Then in A.D. 378, the Goths had a decisive victory over the Roman legions. In A.D. 410, the Visigoths descended upon Rome and ransacked the city. Things continued to decline from that point forward until A.D. 476, when the Western portion of the Roman Empire collapsed. The Eastern portion survived as the Byzantine Empire until 1453, when the Turks captured and took control of Constantinople.

Exactly as Daniel told us, the Roman Empire was crushed, and the eternal kingdom of God continued to increase (Dan. 2:40-44).

The Roman Empire Destroyed:

Revelation 15-18: God’s Worldwide Judgments

In the next set of chapters in the book of Revelation (chapters 15-18), we see God continuing to pour out His judgments. Primarily we read about Babylon and the harlot being judged until they are completely defeated. Many partial preterist teachers see these continuing judgments as the final destruction of the Roman Empire. Indeed, these chapters can easily be seen as the completion of that great judgment.

Yet, in the following pages we will present a further judgment encompassing the whole world. God told His Son that He must sit on the throne until every enemy was made a footstool for His feet. Even after Rome was destroyed there were still many enemies to be subjected. This included Babylon and the harlot; they were dethroned from their positions in the Roman Empire, but they continued to operate in the earth.

Revelation 15-16: Seven Bowls of Wrath

Chapter 15 of Revelation shows us seven angels receiving seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (verses 1, 5-7).

Chapter 16 starts off with the commissioning of the seven angels:

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

(Rev. 16:1)

We are told that when these bowls of wrath are finished being poured out, then God will have finished His judgments (Rev.15:1). So we see these seven bowls of judgment as extending from the time of the Roman Empire’s fall all the way to the present and beyond. Indeed, the pouring out of these seven bowls brings us to chapter 19 of Revelation where Jesus is revealed as King.

When we are told that the Father instructs seven angels to pour out seven bowls of His wrath, we should not limit our understanding to a literal seven bowls. The Jewish people thought of seven as the number of completion. They would have understood this to mean that God is executing judgments on behalf of His Son and He will continue to do so until He has subdued every enemy—until the job is completed.

God’s Judgments Being Poured Out:

As the first six bowls are poured out, destruction is released. In the vision, John sees people suffering terribly, but we must first see the destruction happening in Revelation 15-18: God’s Worldwide Judgments the spiritual realm. The angels are spiritual beings. The bowls are spiritual entities. The pouring of these bowls out is God’s act of extending the rule of His kingdom. Certainly people may suffer because of God’s judgments, but first and foremost, God is undoing the works of darkness in the spiritual realm that influence the natural world.

No one knows for certain how the battles in the spiritual realm are manifest in the natural. However, we will point out a few significant historic events since the Roman Empire fell that may correspond to the expansion of God’s kingdom. In particular, we will focus on events that may correspond with the continuing judgments of Babylon and the harlot.

Babylon, the Spirit of Pride

As we discussed earlier, Satan was god of this world before Jesus came. As the great red dragon, Satan had placed himself in a position where he could influence the largest block of humanity in the world—the Roman Empire.

In a similar fashion, demons try to gain influence in this world by coming alongside of people and deceiving them. If they deceive a leader, then they can influence the people under the authority of that leader. Hence, it is in their interest to try deceive the most influential leaders they can.

Of course, God is not going to allow them total freedom. Since the day Jesus sat down on His throne, God the Father has been asserting His authority and causing demons to lose their positions of influence. Every year their abilities to deceive large groups of people are decreasing. The kingdom of God is advancing and demons are losing their positions of influence in the spiritual realm.

We can see this as we consider the activity of Babylon (the spirit of pride) through the ages.

In ancient times many leaders were so deceived by pride that they believed themselves to be gods or the descendants of gods. For example, the Pharaohs of Egypt declared that they had descended from the sun god, Re. In other regions of the world, kings and other rulers were totally sovereign in the sense of dictators answering to no one but themselves. Many leaders demanded to be worshipped by their people.

Once Emperor Constantine bowed to Jesus in A.D. 312, the spirit of Babylon fell to a position of lesser authority. Never again would it be able to rule over such a large region of the world. However, it continued to look for leaders whom it could deceive. No one knows for sure when or where the spirit of Babylon has been active, but we have reason to suspect its activity whenever leaders have exalted themselves above others and declared themselves as divine.

For this reason we may be suspicious of the Roman Catholic Church which arose from the same location as the Roman Empire and quickly asserted its authority over the rest of Christianity. Certain popes began to declare that they alone were the “vicar of Christ” in the whole earth. This is not to say that the Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages was demonic, for it accomplished much good, keeping society together, doing tremendous acts of charity, and still being the strongest voice for Christianity in the earth. However, Christians today who study the history of the period may wonder if that same spirit of pride that had deceived so many kings, emperors, pharaohs, and other rulers in the past came alongside of some of the leaders of the Roman Church. These suspicions grow even stronger when we study the Crusades of the eleventh through thirteenth centuries and the Inquisition of the sixteenth century in which hundreds of thousands of dissenting Christians were killed for their beliefs.

We say this not for the purpose of condemning modern Roman Catholics. If Protestant Christians had been around and in power during the Middle Ages, they may have become subject to the same spirit of pride that was active at that time in history. Indeed, many Protestant leaders throughout the past 500 years have claimed sole revelation from God and have been deceived into believing that they alone were God’s chosen vessel for a specific time.

The spirit of pride has been active in not only the Church but also the secular world. During the time of the Protestant Reformation, the Renaissance of the sixteenth century emerged. Secular leaders were motivated for the specific purpose of bringing back to life the spirit of human achievement that was predominant during the Greek and Roman Empires. It would be wrong to label the Renaissance as totally evil, but a spirit of pride may have been at work through it, for it did give birth to humanism and eventually to the rationalism of the eighteenth century. Many elements of pride emerged from rationalism, not the smallest being higher criticism, in which scholars exalted themselves above the authority of the Bible and seated themselves as judges over the Holy Scriptures.

It also may have been spirits of pride which led many European nations from the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries to dominate larger regions of the world and thus build their own empires. Nations such as England, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain established colonies in any region not yet dominated by other empires. The people of those colonies were typically oppressed as their wealth and resources were stripped away. The common people were often seen as servants of the empire, with no representation in the government controlling them.

Since 1800 most colonies have won their independence, and hence, they are governed on a more local basis. Also, the number of countries that embrace democracy continually increases, with over 60 percent of all nations now embracing some form of democracy. Along with this comes freedom of speech and literacy for the masses. Of course, there remain regions of the world where people suffer greatly, but the size and extent of oppressors’ influence decreases year by year.

Much of the oppression that remains is the result of corruption within the governments of developing nations. It is those countries where there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor, the poor having little to no hope of rising out of their conditions. However, even that is changing as the whole world is getting more involved in humanitarian efforts, and pressure is applied to corrupt government leaders.

Slavery has also had a clear decline as history has progressed. In ancient times conquered people were commonly forced into slavery by their victors. In Italy during the first century, as many as 40 percent of the people were slaves. Preceding the sixteenth century leaders of most European nations did not even think their societies could survive without slaves. It was not until recent history that actions have been taken to abolish slavery on nationwide levels.

Today slavery is still practiced, but it is in smaller, less influential circles. Hence, we can see how any demons that cause one group of people to exalt themselves over others have been losing their positions of authority. As truth goes forth, demons fall.

It may have been a demon of pride that deceived Hitler into leading his nation to believe that the white race is superior to all others. That demon made an attempt to take dominion in the earth, but it is unlikely that it will ever again be able to capture such a large region of the world.

Even though evil spirits of pride continue to raise their ugly heads, they will never be allowed to recapture the authority they once held in the earth. Leaders of smaller nations may become seduced, and dictators may oppress their people. Spirits of pride that instill prejudice may work in smaller circles. But year by year the kingdom of God grows so that demons have less authority to deceive whole nations.

The Harlot, the Spirit of Religion

The spirit of religion has been working right alongside the spirit of pride. By “spirit of religion,” we are referring to the demons that try to control humanity through religion. This control was especially evident in ancient times, when almost every group of people on earth had their own set of gods whom they worshipped. Governments often employed priests, prophets, medicine men, and other spiritual guides to increase their own authority. With a marriage between government and the harlot of religion, people were held under the control of their leaders.

When Constantine bowed to Jesus, the demon of religion began to lose its position of control. However, we can study history and see that demons continued to work through religion, but not on such a government-controlling, worldwide scale.

No one can say for sure how changes in the spiritual realm influence the natural, but it is possible that the spirit of religion that once dominated the Roman Empire became active in various dimensions of the Roman Catholic Church. We can see this first in how the church at Rome began to rise immediately after the fall of Rome and claim that it had authority over the rest of Christianity. Historians attest to the fact that throughout the Middle Ages, the Roman Church exercised tremendous control over the people, often using fear, shame, manipulation, and domination. People lived as if they were helpless under the overbearing influence of spiritual powers—whether those powers were real or imagined. Sickness was thought of either as an act of God or the result of demonic activity. Superstition was prevalent. Hope for the righteous rested in the pleasures awaiting in the afterlife. The possibility of being thrown into hell was real, and writings such as Dante’s Inferno kept hell on the forefront of people’s minds. The Church, which was thought of as God’s spiritual authority, dominated the people, and they were subject to its dogma.

If an evil spirit of religion was active in the medieval Roman Catholic Church, then a blow was delivered to that spirit during the Protestant Reformation. When people became convinced that God’s favor is given by grace rather than works of the law, the spirit of religion lost a major foothold in the lives of millions. So also when Christians were taught that they are all priests unto God, the established Church lost even more control. Finally, when the Bible was raised as the ultimate authority rather than the pope, the medieval Roman Catholic Church was disabled to the point where it never again could dominate so many nations of the world.

If this happened in the realm of the spirit, then we can see the correspondence between it and how the people received revelation from God. As people heard good news, demons continued to fall like lightning, losing their positions through which they could control humanity across the whole of Europe and beyond.

Although the spirit of religion was knocked one step lower during the Protestant Reformation, countries in Europe then established state religions: Anglicanism in England, Lutheranism in Germany, Christian Reformed in the Netherlands, Roman Catholicism in Belgium, etc. With an ongoing marriage between government and religion, the people in the associated countries continued to live under the dominating influence of religion. In fact, in many countries of Europe it was illegal to support any branch of Christianity other than the Church established by the government under which one lived. Hence, the people in the various countries were subject to strong controls, but those controls were on the level of countries rather than the whole of Europe as was true during the Middle Ages.

Over the past 300 years state religions have diminished in their influence. The Bible has also been made available in the languages of the common people, and hence, people have stood much more independently before God.

Since then we have seen numerous Christian denominations arise, and unlike the preceding years when citizens of countries were automatically members of a certain group, the members of the denominations have typically been willing participants. Those denominations have done much good in the world, being the primary instruments of God to extend the gospel around the world. But it also is true that as certain denominations grew and developed, they began controlling their members rather than helping them relate to God. In some situations denominations became so rigid that they have hindered people from pursuing and knowing God. It is at that point that we can wonder if demonic influences have found a level at which they can control people.

Denominations continue to envelop the majority of Christians today, but their level of control of the individual has greatly diminished. This is partly due to the fact that before the mid-twentieth century, most Christians stayed for their entire life in the denomination of their parents. They felt obligated to stay and rarely considered leaving. That is no longer true. Christians regularly visit other denominations and often change from one to another. Plus, Christian books, television, radio, the internet, and other forms of communication carry information across denominational lines. Therefore, it is difficult for any one denomination to exercise strong control over its members.

In noting this diminishing level of control that religion has had through the years, we are not suggesting that denominations, state religions, or the Roman Catholic Church are or were evil. God has used all of them to accomplish His will on the earth. What we are noting is that certain aspects of these organizations may have become access points through which spirits of religion have attempted to control large groups of people. Many of the disruptions that have occurred within these organizational structures have had tragic results in one sense, but in another sense they may have been in the plan of God to disrupt evil spirits of religion, and hence, diminish the ability for demons to control people through religion.

Christians who do not understand that this is what has been going on in the realm of the spirit may misunderstand and think that the established Church is losing influence in the earth. In reality, it is losing its ability to control, but it is increasing in its ability to influence. This fact is bore out by statistics. Again, we point out that more than 200,000 people around the world are becoming Christians every day.

This understanding becomes clearer as we see the overall plan of God to bring all of the kingdoms of this world under the authority of His kingdom. Anything that rises up to control people and hinder them from obedience and relationship to Him will be made to bow. This is happening within all spheres of civilization, including Christianity.

The main point is that a tremendous worldwide transition has occurred since Jesus sat down on His throne 2,000 years ago. At that time, Satan had authority to deceive whole nations. All of humanity except the Jews were enslaved to and worshipped demons. Today billions of people have freedom to worship the true God.

Revelation 16: Armageddon

In Revelation 15 to 18 we see God pouring out His judgments. With each bowl of wrath poured out on the world, God extends His kingdom’s rule. Enemies bow; they lose their positions of authority to control humanity. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken.

After the sixth bowl was poured out, but before the last bowl was poured out, John saw a vision of a final battle:

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. . . . And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

(Rev. 16:13-15)

This battle has become known as the battle of Armageddon because we are told that the enemies of our Lord gathered in a place called Armageddon (Har-Megiddo, in its Hebrew form). There are several facts about this battle that we know from the passage quoted above:

1) We know that demon spirits will be released to stir humanity to fight against God (Rev. 16:14).

2) We know that all of the kings of the earth will come against God (Rev. 16:14).

3) We know that the timing is close to the end just before the last angel pours out his last bowl of judgment and just before God has finished subduing all of His enemies.

Consider the context—God has been making all enemies bow. Think of the kings mentioned in this passage not as rulers over nations, but as spiritual rulers over all people groups—big or small. In this battle the rulers are not being destroyed, but they are being made to bow so they no longer stand between God and the rest of humanity. The world will continue to have natural governmental leaders, but they will not be allowed to interfere with the individual’s relationship with God.

That will result in every person on earth standing before God and being responsible to Him. No longer will people be able to say, “I am not responsible because those in authority over me would not allow me to hear the gospel, or go to Church, or act righteously.”

What then is the battle of Armageddon? It is when every human being must face God.

To see this more clearly, consider how the term “Armageddon” may have been understood by the early Jewish Christians who first read the writings of John. This term is not used anywhere else in the Bible; however, it is taken from two Hebrew words: Har, meaning mountain, and Megiddo, referring to a city about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. In Jewish history, Megiddo was a place where there had been many great battles. Megiddo is mentioned 11 times in the Old Testament. We can understand this reference generally to be a great battleground.[43]

In modern times we may similarly refer to battlegrounds and apply them to our lives, such as when a person says that they have “met their Waterloo,” or “it is D-day,” or “remember the Alamo.” To those familiar with such terminology, these phrases bring to remembrance great battles, but they are meant to be applied to present, personal battles.

We all have an Armageddon. It is the battle that we all face. It is the war that every human being must wage in his or her personal life. It is the war of light versus darkness, righteousness versus unrighteousness, right versus wrong, the kingdom of God versus the works of the enemy.

Readers familiar with the futurists’ teachings will know that their understanding of Armageddon is very different. Futurists portray images of millions of soldiers from Russia and China coming against Israel toward the end of a seven-year tribulation. They develop this image by taking other Bible passages that talk about various battles—in particular, those described in Ezekiel 38 and 39—and then associate them with this battle of Armageddon. In doing so, they can develop their teachings and build in the minds of listeners images of huge destruction coming upon the world right before the end.

Discussing the battles of Ezekiel 38 and 39 should be beyond the scope of this book; however, we are forced to mention them because futurists pull these battles into their scenario of end-time events. In reality, Ezekiel 38 and 39 are not descriptions of modern warfare but about “horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords” (Ez. 38:4). Futurists have to say that these primitive means of warfare are to be understood as symbolic, but the context gives us no indication of that. When the war is over, Ezekiel described the leftover weapons: “shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears” (Ez. 39:9). To imagine that this is the description of a war to take place in our lifetime or further in the future requires a stretch of the imagination.

In spite of this, many teachers claim that the battles described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 will happen in the future before the end of the world. Other teachers believe that the battles of Ezekiel 38 and 39 happened before the birth of Jesus and most likely took place in 175 to 164 B.C. with the Seleucids and Antiochus IV Epiphanes.[44]

Whatever the case, there is no biblical basis to equate the battles of Ezekiel 38 and 39 with the battle of Armageddon. The enemies at war are not even the same in the different passages. Ezekiel 38 and 39 tell us how Gog and Magog (whom futurists typically say mean Russia and China), along with other armies from the north, come against Israel. The passage in Revelation says that “the kings of the whole world” come against God (Rev. 16:14). Gog plus Magog is not the whole world. Furthermore, neither Gog, nor Magog are even mentioned in Revelation 14 through 18. The only place Gog and Magog are mentioned in the book of Revelation is in chapter 20, verse 8, which is after the millennium.

Once we have separated in our minds the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 16 from the battles of Ezekiel 38 and 39, then we can read Revelation 16 and develop an understanding from what the text actually tells us. And what do we read? About a battle in which all of humanity must face God.

A helpful comparison is to the Muslim’s understanding of “jihad.” Many fundamentalist Muslims envision jihad as a war in which Muslims are called to actually kill infidels, that is, those who do not follow the teachings of Muhammad. In contrast, there are many other Muslims who understand jihad as a call for each and every Muslim to battle temptation and evil in their own personal life.

Just as jihad has two different understandings, so does the Christian battle of Armageddon. Futurists see it as a coming battle in which Gog and Magog come against Israel (even though Gog, Magog, or Israel are never mentioned in the passage), while partial preterists see it as a battle that every believer must wage in his or her personal life.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

(Eph. 6:12)

The war is in our minds, in our hearts, with our finances, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our governments, etc. We are in Armageddon, the only war that will ever encompass every human being on earth.

Notice that this understanding fits with the context of Revelation 16. We have been learning of the judgments of God being poured out upon the spiritual world and every enemy being subdued. They are subdued in the sense of losing their positions of deceiving and controlling nations and groups of people. It is before the last bowl is poured out that Armageddon takes place. When all of the demons in positions of authority have been subdued, then humanity has no excuse. Each and every person must choose for or against the kingdom of God. Each person, the whole world over, will be given the opportunity to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. The battle of Armageddon is every living person facing God. As Joel prophesied, there will be a great outpouring of God’s Spirit and then “multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!” (Joel 3:14).

Revelation 17-18: Future Kingdom Expansion

Revelation 17 and 18 tell of the final subduing of God’s enemies. His victory is inevitable, but how His victory manifests itself in the future is not clearly known to us. Please allow us to take liberty in the next few paragraphs. You may accuse us of veering away from explaining scriptures, and you may be correct, but we will go ahead and say just a few words concerning how we believe the future will unfold between now and the day Jesus returns. We are speaking from the belief that every demon spirit that exalts itself to a position between God and humanity must bow.

In our own lifetime we saw the spirit behind Communism fall like lightning. When many of us were children, one half of the world was under its control. Since that demon has fallen, walls have been torn down, and we are now able to preach the gospel throughout that previously closed region of the world.

If, indeed God is expanding His kingdom over the whole world, then we should soon expect the evil spirit that presently holds one fifth of the world under the cloak of Islam to be dethroned. This does not mean that every Muslim will become Christian, but they will be freed to hear and understand the gospel, and hence, make decisions for or against Jesus.

Some of those demonic authorities may try to control humanity by working through other institutions and organizations of influence—perhaps through multinational corporations, the media, terrorist organizations, or the entertainment industry. However, they will not be allowed to hold people in bondage for long because Jesus Christ is Lord and every knee will bow.

This includes all demons in the religious world. For example, if there is a demon associated with Mormonism, then that demon will lose its power to deceive, and Mormons will see the truth more clearly. If there is a demon at work in the Roman Catholic Church that causes some Catholics to worship rather than honor Mary, then that demon will bow, and Catholicism will become more in line with the King’s desires. Demons at work among all Christianity will diminish in influence, and therefore, deception, division, and strife will lessen. As a consequence, we will see the Church rising in unity and maturity.

When all of the judgments of God are finished and the spirits of pride and religion are totally defeated, what will happen? John answers that question as he tells us of a voice he heard in heaven:

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”

(Rev. 18:20)

When God has finished rendering His judgments against her (Babylon and the harlot), then His apostles and prophets will be freed in the earth. They will walk in the full authority of God and truly establish His kingdom rule here on earth. When spirits of pride and religion are defeated in the hearts of God’s people, then the saints will rise in glory.

Revelation 19: The Kingdom of God is Victorious

At what point will Jesus return? No one knows the day nor the hour, but we know that the Father told His Son to sit down on His throne until every enemy has been made a footstool for His feet. In Acts 3:21, we are also told about Jesus:

whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

Only when all things have been restored and every knee is bowing will Jesus return to the earth.

This does not mean that all evil will be eliminated before Jesus returns. In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus told a parable explaining that the kingdom of God may be compared to the tiniest of all seeds but it would grow to be the biggest plant in the garden. Hence, we know that the kingdom of God will be the biggest entity in power at the time of our Lord’s return. However, we also know that there will still be evil in the earth, for an enemy has sown his seeds which are also growing to maturity (Matt. 13:36-43). We also know that Jesus will come in judgment subduing all remaining enemies, separating the chaff from the wheat, the goats from the sheep, the bad seeds from the good seeds.

Not everyone will be Christian at the time of our Lord’s return, but every person will have an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. There will be a tremendous worldwide revival. In fact, there will be nations bowing to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

This idea that the nations will bow to Jesus is central to the truth of God advancing His kingdom. For Christians who have never been exposed to this truth, it can seem almost too good to be true. The idea that nations will bow to Jesus is—to say the least—optimistic.

We did not always have such an optimistic, victorious view. As we have mentioned, we used to hold to the futurist view, along with its belief that an antichrist will take over this world, establish one economic system, create one world religion, and cut the heads off of Christians who refuse to receive the mark of the beast. For many years we believed and taught that the world is getting worse and worse, but that a day will come when Jesus will return and save us from this terrible mess.

The transition in our thoughts took a long time. We started to hear fresh voices talk about the Church rising in glory before the return of Jesus. They often quoted Isaiah 60:1-2:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come,

And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness will cover the earth

And deep darkness the peoples;

But the Lord will rise upon you

And His glory will appear upon you.”

This promise of God’s glory rising upon His people caused our hopes to soar. We began to envision a future glorious Church in the midst of a dark world. Later our hopes reached even higher as we gave ourselves to study the Scriptures in ways we had not previously considered—ways that are presented in this book. Even the Isaiah passage that we just quoted came to new light as we read the very next verse:

“Nations will come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.”

(Isa. 60:3)

Seeing this verse, we came to believe that the Church will not only rise within a dark world, but that the dark world will respond to the glorious Church. Nations will come to her light. This means that the world will not get darker and darker until the very end, but the world will get lighter as humanity comes to God.

Promises to this end are scattered throughout the Scriptures, but we never saw them until we embraced a whole new perspective.

“For the earth will be filled

With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,

As the waters cover the sea.”

(Hab. 2:14)

God declared to Moses:

“as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.”

(Num. 14:21)

Jacob declared:

“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.”

(Gen. 49:10, NIV)

God promised His Son:

“I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,

And the very ends of the earth as Your possessions.”

(Ps. 2:8)

God will fulfill His promise to the Son.

Revelation 19: Jesus Is Revealed as King

In Revelation 19 we see Jesus appearing in glory. Let the celebration begin! John wrote:

Then I heard something like a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

(Rev. 19:6)

After this the marriage feast is announced:

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

(Rev. 19:7)

Then the Groom comes into the picture:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True. . . . His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.

(Rev. 19:11-14)

Jesus Returns to Earth as Victor and King[45]:

This is the procession of victory. It is a parade of glory. The war is over. Jesus is declared as King:

From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

(Rev. 19:15-16)

Revelation 20: The Millennial Reign of Jesus

We are told in Revelation 20 that Christians are raised from the dead in what is called “the first resurrection.” Those Christians rule and reign with Jesus for 1,000 years. This is called the millennial reign of Jesus. How do we understand this millennial reign? And when does it take place?

In order to answer this, the two authors of this book, Harold Eberle and Martin Trench, must each answer for themselves. Even though we both are partial preterists, we understand the millennial reign differently. This may be puzzling to some readers because up to this point we have offered you a united front. Now we are going to offer two views. We see this as a strength rather than a weakness. You can be a partial preterist and still hold to different views of the millennium. You can even hold to different views and be good friends.

Revelation 20: The Postmillennial View

Most partial preterists, including Martin Trench, hold to the postmillennial view. This view sees Revelation 20 as a recapitulation of the preceding 19 chapters. Therefore, adherents understand that the millennial reign of Jesus started 2,000 years ago when Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down on His throne. This means we are living in the millennial reign now. Postmillennialists believe that Jesus will return to earth at the end of His millennial reign. Hence, their view is called postmillennialism, referring to Jesus’ return after (post) the millennium.

The Postmillennial View:

Revelation 20 tells us that Jesus reigns for 1,000 years, but postmillennialists explain that the number 1,000 does not mean a literal 1,000. To the Hebrew people 1,000 could refer to an indefinite number or even forever. Hence, Jesus can reign for as long as He wants. Indeed, the Hebrew people did not take numbers such as 1,000 in a literal sense as Westerners do. As we referenced earlier, God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills (Ps. 50:10), but this does not mean God owns the cattle only on 1,000 hills; He owns all cattle everywhere. Similarly, the Psalmist says that one day in the house of God is better than 1,000 elsewhere (Ps. 84:10); again we see the number 1,000 being used in a non-literal sense (see also Ex. 20:6; Deut. 1:11; Ps. 68:17; 90:4). Postmillennialists say that 1,000 is a figure of speech and in the context of Revelation 20, it is referring to all of the years that transpire between the first coming of Jesus and His second coming. This understanding of the 1,000 years being an indefinite period of time has been held by many of the Revelation 20: The Millennial Reign of Jesus great leaders in Church history, such as Augustine, Eusebius, John Calvin, John Knox, and John Wesley.[46] The postmillennial view was the most popular view of the millennium among Evangelical Christians during the 1800s.

Epiphanes

There is indeed a millennium mentioned by St. John; but the most, and those pious men, look upon those words as true indeed, but to be taken in a spiritual sense.

(Heresies. 37. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/e/ epiphanes_revelation.html)

John Calvin

But a little later there followed the chiliasts, who limited the reign of Christ to a thousand years. Now their fiction is too childish either to need or to be worth a refutation.

(Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 2:995. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/c/ calvin-john_calvinism.html)

Revelation 20: The Premillennial View

Even though most partial preterists hold to postmillennialism, some—Harold Eberle included—hold to a premillennial view. This view sees the events of Revelation 20 following the events of Revelation 1 through 19. Therefore, Jesus will return to earth before (pre) His millennial reign.

It is important to understand that there are two different premillennial views: dispensational premillennialism and historic premillennialism.

The first, dispensational premillennialism, is held by today’s futurists. As we have explained, they see the events of Revelation 4 through 18 happening during a seven-year period of tribulation preceding the second coming of Jesus. Therefore, they envision their end-time scenario (earthquakes, famines, wars, antichrist, destruction) preceding the millennial reign of Jesus.

Futurists’ Dispensational Premillennial View:

The futurist’s view of the millennium is referred to as “dispensational” because it is closely associated with and developed out of dispensational theology, which divides history up into different time periods. The Scofield Reference Bible is most known for popularizing this way of thinking.

The other form of premillennialism—historic premillennialism—sees that Jesus will return before His millennial reign, but it is referred to as “historic” because throughout Church history we see this view appearing among various leaders. For example, this view was held by many of the early Church fathers, including Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Papias, and Tertullian.[47]

Some opponents of historic premillennialism confuse it with dispensational premillennialism and assume that various catastrophic scenarios are implied with historic premillennialism. That is a misunderstanding. When various leaders throughout history refer to a future millennial reign of Jesus, they are not typically implying anything more than that. It is simply a future millennial reign—nothing more, nothing less. That millennial reign may be a literal 1,000 years or it may be understood in a figurative sense, and hence, Jesus may reign for however long He chooses.

When a partial preterist embraces historic premillennialism, an interesting view results. You see, the partial preterist believes that the kingdom of God was established at the first coming of Jesus. The kingdom is growing in the earth like seeds in soil or like yeast in dough. It is Daniel’s Rock that is growing and will continue to grow until it fills the whole earth (Dan. 2). The kingdom is here, and it is progressive in the sense of continually advancing here on earth.

This distinction between the futurist’s dispensational premillennialism and the partial preterist’s historic premillennialism is critical. The futurists believe that the kingdom of God will not come to earth or even be available to Christians until after the second coming of Jesus. In contrast, the partial preterists believe that the kingdom of God has been operational, growing in the earth, and available for the past 2,000 years.

Still, a partial preterist makes a distinction between the kingdom now and the kingdom during a future 1,000-year reign. Presently God the Father is ruling over the kingdom. During the future millennium, Jesus will be ruling over the kingdom.

Partial Preterist, Historic Premillennial View:

This understanding becomes clear when we read Peter’s explanation on Pentecost day concerning how Jesus ascended into heaven and then the Father spoke to His Son:

“The Lord said to my Lord,

‘Sit at My right hand,

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ ”

(Acts 2:34-35)

Jesus has been sitting at the right hand of the Father for 2,000 years, but it is the Father who has been actively subduing enemies and establishing the reign of His Son.

Paul told us the same truth:

For He [Jesus] must reign until He [God the Father] has put all His enemies under His feet.

(1 Cor. 15:25)

In the verses that follow this one, Paul confirms that it is God the Father who is making all things bow to Jesus (verses 27-28).

This is important for partial preterists who embrace the historic premillennial view because they believe that the kingdom of God is here now (being ruled over by the Father) and it is growing in the earth. After the Father subjects everything to the Son, then He will turn the kingdom over to the Son who will fully manifest the kingdom on earth. Then Jesus will rule over the kingdom with His Bride for a millennium.

Revelation 20: The Two Victorious Views

Now let’s set aside the futurist’s dispensational premillennial view and focus on the two views of the millennium held by partial preterists. Both partial preterist views (Harold’s and Martin’s) are victorious. Both believe that the kingdom of God came to earth 2,000 years ago. Both believe that Christians can experience the kingdom of God now while we are alive on this earth.

One difference, though, has to do with who is presently in control of the kingdom. The postmillennial partial preterist (Martin Trench) sees that we are now in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, and therefore, Jesus has been ruling over the kingdom for 2,000 years. In contrast, the historic premillennial partial preterist (Harold Eberle) sees that God the Father is ruling over the kingdom, and He will continue to do so until He makes every enemy bow to Jesus and then turns the kingdom over to His Son for a future millennial reign.

Supporting his own position, Harold likes to point out that we are taught to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven . . . Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . . for Yours is the kingdom” (Matt. 6:9-13). The kingdom is the Father’s. It is to Him that we pray. It is His kingdom that we are seeing released here upon this earth.

Harold would further make his case that God the Father is conquering all enemies before He turns the kingdom over to His Son. This is the reason that in Revelation 4 through 18 it is the Father who we see executing judgments. It is the Father’s book of decrees that is opened. It is the Father who sends out angels. It is the Father whose bowls of wrath are poured out. The only things we see Jesus doing throughout all of these chapters are breaking the seals of the Father’s book (chapter 6) and bringing in a harvest of souls (Rev. 14:14-16). Jesus is not handed over the kingdom until after the marriage feast in chapter 19. Then the kingdom is given to Jesus and His Bride.

On the other hand, Martin Trench likes to point out how the postmillennial view is even more victorious than the premillennial view. This is true for two significant reasons.

First, Revelation 20 starts off saying that Satan was bound at the beginning of the millennial reign (verses 1 and 2). If, indeed, the millennial reign of Jesus began 2,000 years ago, then Satan has been bound for 2,000 years. Postmillennialists say that Satan was not totally bound, but only in the sense that he can no longer “deceive the nations” (Rev. 20:3), and hence, the gospel has been freely going forth for 2,000 years. Postmillennialists point out how this corresponds with our Lord’s first coming, when He bound the strong man so that we can easily plunder his house (Matt. 12:28-29). Seeing Satan bound 2,000 years ago, rather than at the beginning of a future millennial reign, does create a greater confidence in which Christians can walk today.

St. Athanasius

For the Lord touched all parts of creation, and freed and undeceived them all from every deceit. As St. Paul says, “Having put off from Himself the principalities and powers, He triumphed on the cross” so that no one could possibly be any longer deceived, but everywhere might find the very Word of God.”

(On the Incarnation, 1946, p. 4)

The second reason the postmillennial view is more victorious than the historic premillennial view is because Revelation 20 tells us that the first resurrection takes place at the start of the millennial reign of Jesus so that believers can rule and reign with Jesus (Rev. 20:4). If the millennial reign started 2,000 years ago, then the first resurrection took place 2,000 years ago. How could this be? Postmillennialists see that the first resurrection is the power that was released when Jesus rose from the dead. That power is released into each individual when he or she is born again. At that time the life of Jesus is released into their being, and they resurrect to new life in Christ. At the same moment they are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Hence, they can rule and reign with Christ now while alive on earth.

Much more could be said about this perspective, and indeed several of the books listed in the bibliography support this postmillennial view. One of the best explanations is in David Chilton’s book Paradise Restored. We now leave this discussion of the millennial reign, noting that our goal is not to defend our different views but simply to make you aware of them.

Revelation 20:7-10: Satan Released

After the millennium, John explained how “Satan will be released from his prison” (Rev. 20:7). Then Satan will attempt one last coup by gathering many to himself so they can rebel against our Lord. This, however, will simply result in identifying those who are against Jesus. They will quickly be destroyed by fire coming out of heaven.

Revelation 20:11-15: White Throne Judgment

After the millennial reign, Jesus will take His seat on the great white throne of judgment. Then all of the dead, the great and the small, will stand before Him. Books will be opened, including the book of life. The people then will be judged according to the things written in the books.

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

(Rev. 20:15)

The final judgment will not be arbitrary or unjust, but everything from the books will be weighed and all made clear.

The image is sobering.

Revelation 21 and 22: The New Heaven and Earth

Chapters 21 and 22 are the most glorious and thrilling passages in Revelation—perhaps in the whole Bible. We will not need to spend much time discussing these, for their message is straightforward and to expound too much would be like pushing pearls through mud.

Revelation 21: New Heaven and New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

(Rev. 21:1)

In this opening verse it is unclear whether this present world actually is obliterated and then a new world created, or if the present heaven and earth simply go through a metamorphosis like a caterpillar into a butterfly.

We have reason to believe that the second is the case because several verses in the Bible indicate that the earth is eternal and will never be destroyed (Eccl. 1:4; Ps. 78:69; 104:5). Peter wrote about the destruction of this present world, saying that it will be destroyed with fire (2 Pet. 3:7, 10); however, in the context he draws an analogy to how the earth was once destroyed with water (2 Pet. 3:6). Hence, we can see how this world may be destroyed in the sense of going through a fiery purging, only to come out pure and holy. Then creation, which has been groaning for the revealing of the sons of God, will be set free from all curses and decay.

This will be our eternal dwelling where there will be no more “mourning, or crying, or pain” (Rev. 21:4).

Revelation 21: New Jerusalem

On center stage is New Jerusalem being lowered down out of heaven to the new earth: “having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone” (Rev. 21:11).

We see this city both literally and symbolically.

It should be taken literally because of descriptive points such as the fact that it is measured with a rod “according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements” (Rev. 21:17). This indicates a correspondence between the spiritual and the natural.

However, we must also see this city as symbolic, for we are told that New Jerusalem is the Bride. Furthermore, we can read throughout the New Testament phrases in which the Church is pictured like a building being fitly framed together, built on the foundation of apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:19-22). Paul wrote how we must all be careful how we build with gold, silver, and precious stones (1 Cor. 3:11-12). John also wrote how people who overcome will be pillars in the temple of God, and they will not have to go out of it, but they will have written on them:

“the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God.”

(Rev. 3:12)

John described how New Jerusalem will be lowered from heaven like a Bride adorned for Her Husband.

Revelation 21-22: God’s Presence

Then God will dwell among His people forever and they will see the face of our Lord (Rev. 22:4). Selah.

Revelation 21-22: Our External Dwelling

In chapter 22, John describes a river flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. That river will carry the life of God out toward the nations. There will also be a tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit, and its leaves will be for the healing of the nations. In other words, God will provide an abundance, more than what we need or want.

It is worth noting that this new heaven and new earth will be our dwelling place forever. Contrary to what many Christians have been taught, we will not float around in the clouds forever. Instead, we will be on a real earth, and we will have real, yet glorified, bodies. Revelation 22:3 tells us that God’s servants will be serving Him, implying that we will have things to do. We will not be singing praises forever, but we will have responsibilities, with some people having positions of greater authority than others (Rev. 2:26-27). We will be happy, have purpose, and be busy, forever.

Summary

If you come to believe the partial preterist view of the book of Revelation, then you may embrace many ideas that may be new to you. One of the most important ideas is that there is a kingdom takeover in process. The kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ.

Second, you will understand that Satan is already defeated. Paul explained what happened to Satan and his demons through our Lord’s death, resurrection, and ascension:

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

(Col. 2:15)

Two thousand years ago when Jesus sat down on His throne, He was given all authority over heaven and earth. Satan is still active, but his influence is diminishing as the kingdom of God advances. When Satan was cast out of heaven (Rev. 12), he was dethroned. Too many Christians think that Satan is still in control of this world, but in reality, his kingdom has been conquered.

To see this more clearly, consider the fact that the terminology “kingdom of Satan,” or “Satan’s kingdom,” is used in only one context in the Bible. When Jesus was casting a demon out of a certain man, some Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by the authority of Beelzebub, the ruler of demons (Matt. 12:24). Jesus responded by saying,

“Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?”

(Matt. 12:25-26)

This is the only context in which “his kingdom,” that is, Satan’s kingdom, is referred to (although this conversation is also recorded in Mark 3:23-27 and Luke 11:1718). Notice that in this context Jesus was declaring the fall of Satan’s kingdom. Our Lord went on to say:

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

(Matt. 12:28-29)

Two thousand years ago the kingdom of God came into the earth. One stronger than Satan came and dethroned him. Ever since that day his realm has been crumbling. What remains is for his house to be plundered.

In another passage the apostle Paul explained that when people commit their life to Jesus, they are transferred from the domain, realm, or authority (exousias, in Greek) of darkness and brought into the kingdom of Jesus (Col. 1:13). Hence, we can appropriately call Satan’s region of influence a domain, realm, or region of authority, but to call it a kingdom is to give him too much credit. Satan is still active, and his demons are busy here on earth, but he has no kingdom.

For this reason we are taught to pray to God, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matt. 6:13). There is only one kingdom now, and it is the kingdom of God.

God’s people must plunder what remains of Satan’s realm. Of course, we are not alone in this. God has been rendering judgments throughout the ages, and He is continuing to extend His kingdom throughout the whole earth. We are partners with Him in that venture.

In addition to this understanding of Satan’s ruin, there is one other major point which you will understand if you accept the partial preterist view of the book of Revelation. You will understand that there will be no future seven-year-long Great Tribulation. This understanding comes from the fact that futurists take Revelation 4 through 18 and squeeze it into a future seven-year-long period during which God will pour out His wrath upon the world. We have just shown how chapters 4 through 18 are not meant to be understood as a prophecy of a future seven-year-long tribulation, but rather are fulfilled throughout the course of history.

Futurists also teach their doctrine of a seven-yearlong tribulation by tying Matthew 24 and Daniel 9:2427 into their doctrine of a seven-year-long Great Tribulation. In section 1, we explained how the tribulation described in the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in the first century. In section 3, we explained how Daniel’s seventieth week was also fulfilled during the first century. Other than those passages there is no Bible verse which futurists can use to build their doctrine of a future seven-year-long period of tribulation. Once we understand these passages in their historical contexts, we realize that there is no biblical basis to believe in a future Great Tribulation.

Of course, there will be tribulations and troubles in the future. Jesus explained how His disciples would always have difficult times (John 15:18-20). Indeed, many Christians around the world are experiencing terrible persecutions even now. Until the day Jesus returns there will be struggles between the righteous and the unrighteous.

However, there is no biblical basis to say that there will be a future seven-year Great Tribulation.

Futurist Christians often argue about pre-trib, midtrib, or post-trib doctrines, meaning they question whether there will be a rapture of the Church before a tribulation, in the middle of a tribulation, or at the end if it. Partial preterists are not pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib. We are no-trib, meaning that we do not believe there will be any seven-year tribulation period in the future. Of course, there will always be tribulations because there will be difficult times until Jesus comes back. However, a seven-year Great Tribulation—there is no such thing in the Bible!

Section 5: The Jews, Israel, and the Temple

Issues concerning the future of the Jews are central to our understanding of how the future will unfold. The related topics are seen very differently by those holding to the futurist view and those holding to the partial preterist view.

The Jewish Rejection of the Messiah

On more than one occasion, Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for rejecting Him and the prophets whom God had sent before Him.

Our Lord told a parable of a landowner who planted a vineyard, placed it in the care of some vine growers, and then went on a journey. When the harvest came, the landowner sent servants to collect the produce, but the vine growers refused to give it to them. The vine growers even beat the landowner’s servants and killed one. So the landowner sent a larger group of servants, and they were beaten and given nothing. Then the landowner sent his own son, for he thought the vine growers would respect his son, but even he was abused and then killed by the vine growers (Matt. 21:33-46). Matthew

21:45 tells us that when the religious leaders heard this parable, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. Jesus confronted them and said:

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.”

(Matt. 21:43)

This truth, that the kingdom of God was taken away from the Jewish leaders, is difficult for many Christians today to receive, especially Christians grounded in the futurist view, for they continue to look for God to restore Israel and use the Jews to bring in the kingdom of God here on earth.

Jesus went on to tell another parable, speaking of the consequences upon the Jews for their rejection of Him as the Messiah. Jesus spoke of a king who invited many honorable people to the wedding feast of his son, but those people all had excuses for why they could not attend. After his invitation was rejected a second time, the king became enraged and sent his armies to destroy some of them and to set their city on fire (Matt. 22:7). The king then invited common people from the streets to the wedding feast; the people who came in honorable fashion were welcomed by the king to attend (Matt. 22:1-14).

It is in the very next chapter of Matthew where we read about Jesus rebuking the Jewish religious leaders and ending His rebuke by declaring that destruction would come upon Jerusalem and the Temple within a generation (Matt. 23:36-38). As we have shown, that destruction was fulfilled in A.D. 70. The guilt of all of the righteous blood shed on earth from the blood of Abel to Zechariah came upon that generation (Matt. 23:35-36).

Christians Honoring the Jews

Even though the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, Gentile Christians are to continue honoring them for the sake of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even when the Jews were persecuting Christians, Paul explained that Christians must respect the Jews because God chose Abraham and his descendants.

From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

(Rom. 11:28)

Paul then stated that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29), meaning that God called the Israelites, and He will keep His commitments to them.

Paul further explained this truth using an analogy of an olive tree.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

(Rom. 11:17-18)

Gentile Christians may make the mistake of embracing negative attitudes toward the Jews. They need to be reminded that it was the Israelites who were entrusted with the Law and the promises of God. They are the ones whom God selected to establish the very foundation of the Christian faith.

For these reasons, Gentile Christians must continue—even today—to honor the Jews.

The Coming Jewish Awakening

God has not rejected the natural descendants of Abraham (Rom. 11:1-2, 28-29). Though they rejected Jesus and the kingdom was taken from them, they still have a place in the plan of God that assures them a special opportunity in the future.

Paul explained in Romans 11:25:

that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

From this phrase “partial hardening,” we can expect some Jews to believe in Jesus, but the majority will remain in unbelief until the “fullness” or the vast majority of Gentiles are saved. When God is satisfied with the Gentile harvest, He will open the eyes of the Jews, and the vast majority of Jews then will be saved (Rom. 11:2329). Indeed, there will be a great awakening among the Jews before Jesus Christ returns.

But that won’t be the end of the great harvest. The Jews embracing the gospel will bring an even greater awakening among the Gentiles. Paul explained this when he wrote that the Jews were hardened for a time in order that the Gentiles might be brought in, but if the Jewish “rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Rom 11:15). Indeed, when the Jews get saved, it will cause the faith of all to come alive in a way unknown before.

That future awakening will bring unity among Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians. It will be the fulfillment of God’s promises to make “one new man,” Jews and Gentiles worshipping and serving God together (Eph. 2:13-22).

What About the Land of Israel?

Prior to 1948, the Jews had almost no governmental authority in the land of Israel since Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. The city was destroyed, and the Jews were scattered, exactly as Jesus had prophesied:

“And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

(Luke 21:24)

For almost 2,000 years Jerusalem has been trampled underfoot by Gentiles. The whole land of Israel has experienced many wars and been under the control of various people groups. It was not until 1948 that Israel became a sovereign nation under the control of Jewish leaders.

Some Christians believe that 1948 was the historic fulfillment of God’s timetable when Jerusalem no longer would be trampled underfoot and “the times of the Gentiles” had been fulfilled. Perhaps that date is, indeed, upon us, but there is reason to doubt it because Jerusalem, to some extent, is still being trampled underfoot by non-Jewish people. Though Jews hold the political control, other people groups—in particular, Arabs in that region—battle for control of the area. In addition, the Muslim temple known as the Dome of the Rock stands where the Jewish Temple stood 2,000 years ago. This Dome of the Rock is the third most holy site for Muslims, but it is an abomination in the sight of Jews.

There is also reason to doubt that the times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled because God is continuing to work powerfully among the Gentiles. In fact, there are more Gentiles becoming born-again Christians today than at any time in history (approximately 200,000 per day). The facts do not support the idea that God has shifted His attention from Gentiles to Jews, who for the most part remain hardened to the gospel, with only a small percentage believing Jesus is the Messiah.

When the times of the Gentiles are truly fulfilled, what will happen to the land of Israel? Those who hold to the futurist view believe that God will fulfill His promise to give the land back to the natural descendants of Abraham. They cite the promise that God made to Abraham many years ago:

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.”

(Gen. 15:18)

Adherents of the futurist view believe that God will cause the Jews who have been scattered around the world to migrate back to Israel (a migration called Aliyah), and then establish them as a nation that will be a light to the world. The Jews will experience God’s blessings, and they will be elevated as a nation to a position of great authority in the earth.

Adherents of the partial preterist view see a very different future for the Jews and Israel. As we already explained (section 3), God’s 490 years of favor have passed. The Jews will experience a future awakening, but the land will not be brought back under the exclusive control of the Jews. Please allow us to explain.

Futurist teachers often state or imply that Jews are presently migrating from all over the world back to Israel, and so God must be fulfilling His promise to Abraham. It is true that approximately 800,000 Jews have emigrated from Russia to Israel in recent years; however, a large percentage of them have used Israel as a transfer station to gain entrance into the USA. Jews have been migrating in from other locations, as well, but the Israeli daily, Yediot Ahronot, reported on April 4, 2007 that there is actually a net exodus of people from the country.[48] The truth is that there are more Jews in the USA today than in Israel, and the largest population gathered in any one location is in New York City. The idea that Jews are now returning en masse to Israel is simply a myth.

Too understand what God intends for the Middle East it is important to point out that God’s promise to Abraham was not only for the land that today is known as Israel. God promised all the land, “From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen. 15:18). The Euphrates River runs through present-day Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait. The land God promised to Abraham also includes Jordan and Lebanon, along with parts of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. If God is going to give the land promised to Abraham to the modern Jews, as futurist teachers say, then the Jews will have to possess all of the land between the two great rivers.

Yet the Bible clearly tells us of the most significant future transformation that will happen in that region. Isaiah prophesied, saying:

Thus the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. . . . In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

(Isa. 19:21-25)

This passage reveals to us how a day will come when the people of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel will worship the true God together. When these words were written, Egypt and Assyria were large empires, with Assyria encompassing most of the land promised to Abraham. Isaiah prophesied that a day would come when the people of these three lands would be traveling from one region to another for the purpose of worshipping together.

Isaiah’s prophecy sounds almost too good to be true. The people groups he mentioned have battled with each other for generations. Egypt and Assyria lie at the very foundations of the Arab world, and a large percentage of Arabs are Muslims. Isaiah said that even Arabs and Jews will be worshipping together.

Isaiah’s prophecy also reveals God’s heart for Egypt and Assyria, for God called Egypt “My people” and Assyria “the work of My hands.” To hear God speak this way can be difficult for Christians (and Jews) who think of the Jews as God’s only chosen ones. Of course, God did choose the Jewish people, but it never was His intention to make them the only humans to receive His favor. Rather, they were chosen as a light to the nations. With the same love that God dealt with the Jews, He has always desired to deal with every people group. He loves the world. The Jews were not the only ones chosen, but they were the firstfruits of the earth to reveal God’s heart to all people.

Jesus told us of a day when He will gather people from outside of the Jews to Himself.

“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

(John 10:16)

This is the promise that we are waiting to see fulfilled— one flock consisting of many different people groups.

Where will this happen? All over the world, but most prominently in the Promised Land. God is going to take the most tumultuous region of the world and make it His showcase where different people groups will become one flock with Jesus Christ as their Shepherd.

God is not giving the land that He promised to Abraham exclusively to the Jews. He is going to give it to all of His children. Paul made this clear when he wrote:

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

(Gal. 3:16)

Paul explained how the promises were not for Abraham and his descendants (plural). They were given by God to Abraham and his descendant (singular)—Jesus Christ. Paul further explained how all who put their faith in Jesus will inherit the blessings promised to Abraham.

Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. . . . There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

(Gal. 3:7-29)

Paul is giving us the proper way to understand the promises of God to Abraham. To whom does the Promised Land belong? Who are the heirs of the land between the river of Egypt and the river Euphrates? All who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

What then should we expect for the Promised Land? We know that the Jews must have a significant presence there because Isaiah prophesied that the Jews would worship God together with the neighboring countries. However, it is also true that God is giving the land to His children who have been born of the Seed—Jesus. Therefore, we should expect many people groups to settle in that region. As all of those people bow to the lordship of Jesus Christ, they will be a light to the nations, for that region shall be the most visible place in the earth where various people groups will come together under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

What About the Temple in Jerusalem?

Futurists believe that the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt. This fits their understanding of end-time events because they believe that in the middle of the seven-year-long tribulation the antichrist will put an end to the Jewish offerings and sacrifices. According to the Jewish religious system, those offerings and sacrifices must be accompanied by certain religious practices that can be performed only in the Temple. Because of this, believers of the futurist view teach that the Temple in Jerusalem must be restored before or soon into the Great Tribulation.

Those embracing the partial preterist view have very different expectations. The Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and God has no intentions of allowing the Temple to be rebuilt. Jesus declared to the Jews, “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!” (Matt. 23:38). That Temple was meant to be left desolate. God does not want to see reconstructed the Jewish religious system that He destroyed. He does not want people to approach Him through animal sacrifices, nor through a high priest in the Jerusalem Temple. He does not want that to happen—ever again. Jesus is the only mediator between God and humanity.

We can gain further confirmation of this by considering how Jesus and the apostles viewed the temple. The only temple in which they were interested was the new temple of Christians who were indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Nowhere can we find any statement indicating or implying that the Temple in Jerusalem would ever be rebuilt. In fact, both Jesus and Stephen were sentenced to death, and central to triggering their deaths were their bold declarations that God did not dwell in stone temples, that the Jewish Temple would be destroyed, and a new spiritual temple would be raised (John 2:19; Mark 14:58; Acts 6:13-14, 7:44-50).

The New Testament writers’ understanding of the future temple must be our understanding of the temple. We believe that they were inspired by the Holy Spirit; therefore, we need to embrace their understanding of how the promises of God would be fulfilled.

Paul talked about the new temple consisting of both Jews and Gentiles being fitly framed together to become a dwelling place for God. That temple, Paul explained, is being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone (Eph. 2:11-22). That is the temple that Jesus is building, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18).

Summary

Some readers may confuse the view of the Jews that we are presenting with a teaching called replacement theology. That would be a mistake. Replacement theology teaches that God has ended His covenant relationship with the Jews, and Christians have replaced the Jews in reference to inheriting all of the promises that were originally made to Abraham.

At the other extreme of replacement theology is Zionism, which envisions God favoring the Jews to such an extent that He will cause them to migrate back to Israel, rebuild the Temple, and become a nation dominant in the earth. The futurists hold to Zionism, and call it Christian Zionism.

We are not teaching either Replacement Theology or Christian Zionism. We are teaching One New Man, which is the view that sees God still having a covenant with the Jews, a covenant ensuring them of a future spiritual awakening. However, God’s promises to Abraham concerning the land are available to all who put their faith in Jesus. The ultimate end will be to make Jews and Gentiles into one new man, worshipping God together (John 10:16; Eph. 2:11-22).

1) Replacement Theology: Christians have replaced the Jews in reference to all of the promises God made to the Jews, including the land promises.

2) One New Man: God still has a covenant with the Jews that assures them of a future awakening; however, the promises God made to Abraham, including the land promises, are available to all of God’s people.

3) Christian Zionism: The Jews will still see the fulfillment of all God’s promises to them, including the land promised to Abraham.

Christian Zionists show great loyalty to the Jews and the nation of Israel. It should be no surprise that Christians love the Jews since Judaism forms the foundation of Christianity and God will mold the hearts of Jews and Gentiles together in the final great revival. However, partial preterists see Christian Zionism as a misunderstanding of how God will fulfill His promises.

Most importantly, the land promised to Abraham will never be possessed exclusively by the Jews. Like branches cut off from the tree, so the Jews were severed from the blessings promised to Abraham (Rom. 11:1719). A day will come when those Jews who receive Jesus as Messiah will be grafted back in (Rom. 11:24), but they will be joined with all of God’s children. Hence, Christian Jews and Gentiles will possess the land together.

If you embrace the view which we have been explaining, then you will anticipate a great harvest of souls as the times of Gentiles is fulfilled. That harvest will trigger jealousy in the hearts of Jews, who will then respond to the gospel. Then and only then will Jews and Gentiles worship Jesus Christ together. Then and only then will there be peace in Jerusalem. Let’s pray for that day to come quickly.

Section 6 The Antichrist

When Christians raised with the futurist view hear the word “antichrist,” images come into their minds of an evil ruler possessed by Satan who will soon take control of the world by establishing one world government, a united econonic system, and a false religious system.[49]

Is this view of the antichrist really in the Bible?

Pertinent Passages About the Antichrist

The word “antichrist” is mentioned in only four passages of the Bible. All four are in 1 and 2 John. We will look briefly at each of those passages to learn what the Bible actually says about the antichrist, but first you should realize how little the Bible has to say about this topic.

Some Christians trained with the futurist view think that the book of Revelation is about the coming antichrist and his activity in the world during the end days. In truth, the word “antichrist” is never mentioned even once in the book of Revelation. This fact can be shocking to Christians who have sat for years under futuristic teachings. The antichrist is discussed extensively in those circles, and much of their discussion results from equating the antichrist with the beast mentioned in Revelation. As we studied in section 4, the beast is more accurately associated with the Roman Empire. As partial preterists, we see no justifiable basis for associating the antichrist mentioned in 1 and 2 John with the beast of the Revelation. As we will see in the coming pages, the description that the Bible gives us of the antichrist is very different from the description of the beast of Revelation.

Futurists also like to associate the antichrist with the person mentioned in Daniel 9:27, who put an end to sacrifice and grain offering. The antichrist is never mentioned in Daniel 9, and as we discussed in section 3 (pages 111-112), it is more accurate to understand that Jesus is the One who put a stop to the sacrifices and grain offerings.

Futurists also like to see the antichrist in Matthew 24:15, where Jesus referred to the abomination of desolation. As we studied in section 1 (pages 36-38), this is more accurately understood as the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem. In fact, Luke recorded the same discussion of our Lord and clearly told us that the abomination of desolation referred to those armies (Luke 21:20).

The only other Bible passage that futurists typically use to teach about the antichrist is 2 Thessalonians 2:310, where Paul talks about the man of lawlessness (also called the man of sin or son of perdition). This passage also has nothing to do with a future antichrist, as we will see. This issue is so important that we will include a discussion about the man of lawlessness in this section, but first let’s examine the four Bible passages where the word “antichrist” actually appears.

John’s Description of the Antichrist

As we mentioned, there are only four passages in the Bible where the word “antichrist” can be found and all four are in 1 and 2 John. To understand how John uses this term, we must identify the historical setting in which John was living and the people to whom he was writing his letters.

John’s primary ministry was in Asia Minor, which was the center of Gnosticism, an aberrant version of Christianity. To understand John’s ministry we must understand this first-century cult.

First-Century Gnosticism

At the foundation of first-century Gnosticism was a worldview in which the spiritual world was distinctly separated from the natural world. The spiritual world was considered good, and the natural world was considered corrupt. As leaders with this worldview attempted to embrace Christianity, they concluded that God could not have taken on flesh or come into this corrupt world in the form of Jesus. This led to several false teachings about the nature of Jesus (which we discuss below). Thinking of this natural world as corrupt also led them to believe that a person must be very spirit-conscious to be a good Christian. Hence, they developed mystical understandings and taught that a person must have secret knowledge to know God. From this the word Gnosticism came, for it literally means “knowledge.”

During the first century, Gnosticism took many forms, but one of the most influential Gnostic groups completely rejected the Old Testament. They declared that the God of the Old Testament was the devil and Jesus had come to reveal an “unknown Father” to us. Other Gnostics taught that the Old Testament rituals were still valid for Christians. Some were hyper-ascetic and taught vegetarianism and were opposed to any sexual expression—even within marriage—while others taught “freedom” from all laws and held orgies as part of their rituals.

One of the most prominent Gnostic teachers was a man called Cerinthus. He was a Jew who lived in Asia Minor, teaching that Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary (not born of a virgin)—an ordinary man. A heavenly spirit called “the Christ” came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him at the crucifixion. Jesus had brought secret teachings that would enable people to overcome enslavement to the physical world, but the Jewish customs also had to be observed. Those who proved faithful to these teachings and observances would live for a literal 1,000 years of sensual pleasures. These teachings of Cerinthus flourished throughout Asia Minor.

Historical records tell us that John was so horrified at Cerinthus’ teachings that on one occasion when John walked into the public baths with his disciples at Ephesus, he saw Cerinthus and ran out of the bathhouse, warning his disciples that the house may fall down because “Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is inside.”[50]

This is the setting in which John ministered. History tells us that by the year A.D. 150, one third of all Christians were under the influence of Gnosticism. It was a huge cult and a major concern of the Church fathers. John was on the front lines of that battle.

John Wrote to Correct Gnostic Teachings

As soon as we learn about the historical setting in which John ministered, we can more easily understand his writings. For example, his Gospel starts off saying:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory.

(John 1:1-14)

Do you see how profound this statement is? Because the Gnostics thought of the natural world as evil, they could not believe that Jesus could have been God and at the same time have taken on human flesh. John boldly told the reader that he saw Jesus. Jesus was real. Jesus came into this world. John declared that Jesus is God and Jesus took on flesh.

John was also countering Gnosticism when he wrote his first two epistles. First John starts with a declaration that is diametrically opposed to the Gnostic view of Jesus.

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us.

(1 John 1:1-2)

Do you see how clearly and forcefully John is confronting Gnosticism? John said that he and the other apostles heard Jesus, saw Him, and touched Him with their hands. Jesus manifested Himself in this world. He was God, and He took on flesh.

This battle that John had with Gnosticism is common knowledge among Bible scholars. In fact, any student serious about understanding John’s writings will be ever conscious of this fact.

The Antichrist in 1 and 2 John

It is with this historical understanding that we must read John’s writings. Toward the middle of his first letter, John warned about the false prophets of Gnosticism.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

(1 John 4:1-3)

Knowing that John was addressing his letter to first-century Christians who were being influenced by Gnostic thought and culture, we can understand his warning to judge various teachers. The most fundamental basis for judging them, John declared, pertains to what they teach about Jesus Christ. The true prophets and teachers will confess “that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.” The false will deny this and/or deny that Jesus is from God.

This is the spirit that John referred to as the antichrist. According to John, the antichrist is a spirit or that which has a spirit that does not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh or that Jesus is from God.

According to John’s words, when was this antichrist active in the earth? John said that it was “already in the world,” that is, it was active in the first century while John was alive. More specifically, John was attributing the activity of the antichrist to the “many false prophets [who] have gone out into the world.” According to John, these false prophets were active during his lifetime.

Accepting these time references is difficult for futurists. Remember how we discussed earlier (pages 81-82) how futurists must force every end-time passage into their presupposition that it all must happen in the future? In contrast, partial preterists are not obligated to fit any specific passage into the future or into the past. They try to understand each passage in its own context and historical setting. The partial preterist looks for indications within the text as to when the passage applies. Then the partial preterist considers the historical record to see if there are any clear historical events— and in this case, individuals—corresponding to the biblical reference.

If we take this perspective as we read the passage from 1 John, we note the two time references that John gave in the text:

1) “have gone out into the world”

2) “now it is already in the world”

If we are going to read these references without trying to force them into our preconceived time references, there is no question that John was writing about an antichrist active during his lifetime.

Now let’s examine the other passages that mention the antichrist.

First John 2:18 tells us:

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared.

In this verse, John does not give us a description or a definition of the antichrist, but he does expand our understanding, telling us that there are many antichrists, not just one. Further, he tells us that they already “have appeared,” that is, in John’s lifetime.

First John 2:22 adds to our understanding:

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

This description of the antichrist is similar to that which we have already seen. The antichrist is the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ and denies the Father and the Son.

Finally, let’s look at the fourth and last passage in which the antichrist is mentioned:

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

(2 John 1:7)

Notice John’s description of the antichrist: the deceiver who does “not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.” Do you see how clearly John is fighting the first-century heretical teaching of Gnosticism? John was speaking of a deceiver that was active in his lifetime.

That’s it. There is no other passage in the Bible that uses the word “antichrist.”

For Christians who have studied the historical setting of John’s writings, it is obvious that he is speaking of the Gnostic teachers with whom he was battling during the first century. In three of the four passages in which John refers to the antichrists, he describes them as those who deny Jesus as coming from God or deny that Jesus came in the flesh. Furthermore, in three of the four passages John specifically told the reader that the antichrist was active during his lifetime in the first century:

1)      “now many antichrists have appeared”

(1 John 2:18)

2)      “now it is already in the world”

(1 John 4:3)

3)      “have gone out into the world”

(1 John 4:1)

4)      “have gone out into the world”

(2 John 1:7)

This can be very disturbing to Christians who have been indoctrinated into futuristic teachings. In fact, one minister friend who was presenting the truths of 1 and 2 John to a congregation had a woman speak out in protest, demanding, “Don’t take my antichrist from me!” It is sad, but it is true. Some Christians have their faith so bound up with futuristic teachings of the antichrist that they cannot bear to have them challenged.

The Man of Lawlessness

Because futurist teachers like to equate the antichrist with the man of lawlessness (also called the man of sin or son of perdition) mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2, we need to briefly discuss this.

People come to the Scriptures with all kinds of predetermined understandings, and so, we have to be very careful in examining what is actually stated about this man of lawlessness:

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. . . . the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

(2 Thess. 2:3-10)

To understand who this is, we must consider the historical setting of Paul’s words. To whom was Paul writing? He was writing to the Christians who lived in Thessalonica. Paul had a relationship with these people. They were people who Paul knew would understand his words. He was not writing mysterious messages that would have baffled their minds. In fact, Paul indicates (2 Thess. 2:5) that he is clarifying things about which he had previously taught them orally while present with them. How would they have understood his words?

Key to our understanding is the time when this man of lawlessness was to be active. Paul said that the apostasy must come first, but as we discussed in section 1 (page 28), the apostasy came during the first century.

Cyril of Jerusalem

The majority have fallen away from the sound doc-trines and are readier to choose what is bad than to prefer what is good. So there you have the “falling away,” and the coming of the enemy is to be expected next.

(Ancient Christian Commentary, 2000, XI, p. 109)

Paul gave us other time references for the man of lawlessness when he wrote:

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

(2 Thess. 2:6-7)

There are three time references here that tell us that the man of lawlessness was around during Paul’s lifetime:

1) “what restrains him now”

2) “already at work”

3) “now restrains”

Paul also told the Thessalonians, “you know what restrains him,” implying that they were familiar with this man of lawlessness and that it had to do with things happening right around them at that time.

Further, we know that Paul was put to death around A.D. 68, so he must have been writing about some ruler at or before that time.

To whom, then, does this man of lawlessness refer? Actually, we have to give you three answers. Of course, we know this would be much easier if we had only one answer to offer, but dozens—perhaps hundreds—of individuals have been proposed throughout Church history as this man of lawlessness. After extensive study we have concluded that there are three different answers that have significant credibility.

Because this is only a side issue and this book is not concentrating on the man of lawlessness, we will only briefly discuss each of three options. More information can be found in the books listed in the bibliography.

Emperor Nero as the Man of Lawlessness

First, we must consider who would have come to the minds of the people to whom Paul wrote his letter. Remember that Paul was writing to real people who lived in Asia Minor. Of course, today we accept 2 Thessalonians as part of the sacred Scripture, and therefore, we can apply its teachings to our own lives. However, we must keep in mind the historical setting. Two thousand years ago when Paul was writing, he was addressing his letter to friends and disciples who were going through difficult times.

Putting ourselves in the shoes of those first century Christians, it is possible that we would have equated the man of lawlessness with Emperor Nero. It is difficult to imagine any person more lawless than he was. As we explained, he killed many of his own family members, including kicking his pregnant wife to death. He tortured and murdered Christians in great numbers and demanded to be worshipped as god. There are inscriptions from that time period that referred to Nero as “Almighty God” and “Savior.” In light of this, it seems that the Thessalonians who first read Paul’s letter may have easily concluded that the man of lawlessness was Nero.

Many preterist teachers would agree that Nero was the man of lawlessness. Perhaps most noted would be Kenneth Gentry, Jr., who has written extensively on this subject. Two of his books are listed in the bibliography.

John Chrysostom

“For the mystery of lawlessness does already work.” He speaks here of Nero . . . .

(Ancient Christian Commentary, 2000, XI, p. 111)

Augustine

What means the declaration, that the mystery of iniquity already works? . . . he always expected that what he said would be understood as applying to Nero.

(Cited in Apocalypse by Stuart. Dec. 1, 07, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/a/ augustine_amillennial.html)

John Levi as the Man of Lawlessness

John Bray, another respected eschatology teacher and author, makes a very good argument that the man of lawlessness was a first-century man named John Levi of Gischala.[51]

John Levi was a leader among the Zealots who were trying to overthrow the Roman government. He was lawless in the sense that he rebelled against both Jewish and Roman rule. When Paul wrote his letter to the Thessalonians, John Levi was active in Jerusalem stirring up the Jews to rebel against Rome, but he was restrained because of the priests and, in particular, Ananus the high priest. John incited the Idumaeans to come against Jerusalem with 20,000 soldiers. They led a great massacre, killing more than 8,000, including the high priest.

Once the high priest, that is, the restrainer, was killed, John stirred up the Zealots, along with many other Jews, to rebel against the Roman government. It was that rebellion—prevalent among many Jews and further stirred up by John Levi—that caused Rome to descend upon Jerusalem and destroy it in A.D. 70.

John also had the city’s supply of corn burned, along with other provisions, and as a result, the famine came and thousands of Jerusalem dwellers starved to death while the Roman armies had the city enclosed. As the city was being attacked, John Levi and his followers took control of the Temple. John had the Temple defiled by using the sacred vessels and putting a stop to the sacrifices. In this sense, John was taking the place of God while he was in the Temple.

John was taken away as the Temple was burning to the ground. This, John Bray would say, was the time when Jesus came in judgment and slayed that man of lawlessness.

The Carnal Man as the Man of Lawlessness

One other reasonable explanation of Paul’s man of lawlessness is not an individual, but humanity as a whole in its carnal, sinful state. When Christians first hear this, they often have a difficult time even conceiving of it because they have always thought of an individual when thinking of the man of lawlessness. However, once a person allows their mind to think along these lines, it can make a lot of sense.

To consider this explanation, we must see humanity as divided into two groups—the unsaved and the saved, those in Adam and those in Christ, the old man and the new man, those who are lawless and those who are righteous. It is reasonable for us to think of people in these two groups because the apostle Paul often talked about people, not as individuals, but collectively as corporate bodies with all of the other individuals who are in a similar spiritual condition (e.g., Rom. 5:12-21; 6:5-6; 1 Cor. 2:14; 3:1, 16; 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 6:14-16; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:22-24; Col. 3:5-11). So then the whole collective body of Adam is the man of sin. In contrast, the collective body of Christ is the Temple of God. The man of sin is everyone who is dead in sin. The body of Christ is everyone who is alive in Christ. Since Paul uses this terminology frequently in his writings, it is not surprising to find him using the same ideas when writing to the Thessalonians.

With this understanding we can read Paul’s description of the man of lawlessness,

who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

(2 Thess. 2:4)

Paul may be explaining how carnal people reject the true God and set themselves up as god.

In the above passage, Paul also writes how the carnal man is being restrained. This may be understood as the effect that Christians have upon the world since they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. A day will come when Jesus returns, and then the true believers will be caught up with Him. At that time Jesus will remove the restrainer, and hence, there will be a revealing of the carnal man. It will be as the separation of the sheep from the goats or the wheat from the chaff. Once God’s people are removed, the lawless one will be revealed.

Paul then wrote:

Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.

(2 Thess. 2:8)

At His second coming, Jesus will appear in glory; then He will slay the wicked and do away with carnality.

Of the two authors whose words you are reading, this view of the man of lawlessness is most favored by Martin Trench.

Who Was the Man of Lawlessness?

Even though we may prefer one explanation over another, no one knows with certainty who the man of lawlessness was. The time references within the text make it clear that he was alive during the time of Paul’s writings in the first century. As we discussed, it could refer to humanity as a whole in its carnal, sinful state. It could also be some leader such as Nero or John Levi. Historically, we know that it was a very difficult time, with evil, oppressive leaders at many levels of government. It could have been any one of them and even some unknown government leader who operated at a very local level and with whom the Thessalonians had to deal.

Summary

In recent years, hundreds of books, movies, and videos have developed the image of a soon-coming world leader called the “Antichrist.” Active imaginations have been at work building one idea upon another until a fully developed myth has taken hold of the minds of millions of modern-day Christians.

Much of that myth has been built on the mistake of equating the antichrist of 1 and 2 John, the beast of Revelation, and the man of lawlessness of 2 Thessalonians. As we discussed, there is no biblical basis for equating these. Certainly they are each evil, but that is no reason to equate them any more than a person today would equate Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and Osama bin Laden.

Furthermore, the biblical descriptions of the antichrist, the beast, and the man of lawlessness are very different from one another. The antichrist of John’s letters was a leader or spirit that denied that Jesus came in the flesh. The beast of the Revelation was a leader of the Roman Empire and most likely Emperor Nero. And the man of lawlessness could be one of several entities, but there were hundreds of evil leaders during the first century. There is no reasonable basis to claim that the antichrist, the beast, and the man of lawlessness were the same individual.

Concerning the antichrist, there are only four verses in the Bible which even mention it and all four verses state or imply that the antichrist(s) was (were) alive during the first century. Furthermore, when we understand the historical struggle that the early Church had against Gnosticism, we realize that those brief comments about the antichrist(s) were in reference to false prophets who promoted that heretical way of thinking.

Of course, Christians today can accept the historical evidence of those antichrists in the first century and still imagine some antichrist coming in the future. However, we have to be honest and say that people can imagine anything they want, but it is clearly wrong to say that there is any biblical evidence telling us that there will be some antichrist coming in our future.

We boldly challenge any futurist to write in the line below, any Bible verse that states or implies that there will be a future antichrist:

______________________________

Forgive us for being melodramatic, but unless people are made to face reality, they have a difficult time giving up cherished beliefs and doctrines. In truth, no one can fill in the blank because there is no Bible verse telling us there will be a future antichrist.

Section 7 The Rapture

Both the futurist and the partial preterist believe in a rapture. Both also believe in the second coming—that Jesus will return in power and glory, appear in the sky, and judge the world.

However, they disagree as to how and when these events will unfold.

Before we explain these differences, it is helpful to point out that the word “rapture” is never used in the Bible. It is an English transliteration of the Latin word rapio. That Latin word appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in the Latin translation of the Bible. The actual Greek word used in the original manuscripts is harpazo, which is more accurately translated “caught up.”

We will use the words “rapture” and “caught up” interchangeably; however, the term “caught up” best conveys the literal meaning intended by the Bible writers.

Futurist View of the Second Coming

The futurist view usually depicts the rapture in the following way. Very soon Jesus will return and secretly appear in the sky so only believers can see Him. Then all the believers will vanish from planet Earth, being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. Cars will crash as Christian drivers disappear. Piles of clothes will be left behind as Christians vacate this habitation. Also, the bodies of dead believers suddenly will vanish from their graves, being taken up to Jesus.

Jesus will take all the believers to heaven for seven years. During that period in heaven, they will enjoy the marriage banquet of the Lamb, which is the feast of the wedding between Jesus and His Bride.

During those seven years, the antichrist will rule on the earth, and most of humanity will follow him. Then there will be a time of tribulation as the events of Revelation 4 through 18 occur and God pours out His wrath, destroying much of the earth, including one third of all the people.

Now, here is where it gets a bit confusing: Although futurist teachers say that the rapture is the second coming of Jesus, it will be only part one of the Second Coming; seven years later, at the end of the heavenly banquet and earthly tribulation, part two of the Second Coming will take place. Teachers of the futurist view say that Jesus will return again, bringing all of the believers with Him. This time His return will not be in secret, but rather, every eye shall see Him. He will come in judgment, and His army will conquer His enemies at the battle of Armageddon.

There are slight differences among futurist teachers, but this is a very popular version.

The Futurist View with Two Parts to the Second Coming of Jesus:

This view—that the rapture and the return of Jesus are different events separated by seven years—was relatively unknown before the nineteenth century. The only earlier historical references to that doctrine have been found in the writings of Dr. John Gill (1748) and Morgan Edwards (1788).

The rapture theory was not accepted by any known group until a British religious leader named John Nelson Darby publicly brought it up at the Powerscourt Conference in Ireland in 1830-33. Darby claimed to have received the rapture revelation about 1827. (Some writings say that Darby picked it up from a prophetic utterance delievered by a 15-year-old Scottish girl named Margaret MacDonald.) Along with other leaders, Darby formed the Plymouth Brethren movement which became the strongest advocate of the “any moment” doctrine.

Darby brought this view to America when he visited around 1864. It grew in acceptance in the United States after the Civil War when William E. Blackstone wrote Jesus Is Coming. D. L. Moody was a supporter of this doctrine; however, it did not become popular until after Darby’s thoughts were inserted into the footnotes of the famous Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909.[52]

Darby and Scofield’s view developed into the modern futurist’s view. The seven-year period of Christians in heaven is where the futurist teachers place Daniel’s seventieth week, which we discussed earlier (section 3). While the Christians are in heaven, God will give the Jewish people seven years of favor, during which time they will be given a place of prominence in world events and government. In the middle of the seven years, futurist teachers say that the antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews, walk into a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself as god. At that time, God will begin pouring out His wrath upon the world and a great tribulation will occur over the whole earth. At the end of the seven years, part two of the Second Coming will happen, as Jesus returns to the earth.

Partial Preterist View of the Second Coming

As we explained earlier (section 3), teachers of the partial preterist view believe that Daniel’s seventieth week was completed during the first century, immediately following the 69 weeks revealed in Daniel 9. Therefore, they do not envision any special seven-year period in the future. They do not see two parts to the Second Coming, separated by seven years. Rather, they see Christ’s coming all happening in one grand event.

Partial preterists understand that Jesus will continue to build His Church, and although Christians will face many trials and setbacks, they will experience more successes than failures. This progressive building will continue until the “last day,” a day that only God knows. On that day, without any warning signs, Jesus Christ will return in the clouds and every eye will see Him. All believers—living and dead—will be “caught up” to meet Him as He returns.

In this rapture, Christians will not be taken away to heaven for seven years. They will be “caught up,” much as a hen would gather her chicks under her wings. Jesus will protect His people while He purges the earth of evil, then bring the believers down to earth with Him. For this reason we made the distinction earlier that the Greek word harpazo is more accurately translated “caught up” rather than “caught away.” Christians will not be taken away into heaven, but they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and then continue with Him as He descends back to earth to rule and reign.

Teachers of the partial preterist view will compare this catching up with people going to meet a friend who just arrived at the local airport. When their friend arrives, they may come to meet him. They will not fly away with him in another airplane, but they will accompany him as he comes to their home. In similar fashion, Jesus is returning, not to take believers away, but to be with them on earth. Christians will meet Him in the air, and they will hesitate in that place only for as long as it takes for Jesus to purge the earth of evil—a process that will be instantaneous, or almost so, because His glorious appearing will transform everything.[53]

Partial Preterist View of the Second Coming:

Examining Pertinent Passages

Allow us to show you why the partial preterist view of the rapture is more Scriptural than the futurist view. Although there are a number of passages of Scripture that speak of the return of Christ, there are three main passages (and a controversial fourth passage) that are usually referred to when discussing the rapture.

The first two passages speak about Christians receiving glorified bodies:

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

(1 Cor. 15:51-52)

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

(Phil. 3:20-21)

These passages speak about our new bodies and do not deal with the “catching up” aspect of the rapture. Since both the futurists and the partial preterists see Christians being transformed instantaneously at the rapture, these scriptures can be used to support either view.

A third passage used to teach about the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:

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 will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

This is the key passage. It is the only one that speaks of us being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. As we noted earlier, it does not say we will be “caught away” to heaven for seven years. It says we will be “caught up” to “meet” the Lord in the air.

This same term “meet” (apantesis, in Greek) is used when Paul was travelling to Rome:

And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. When he entered Rome . . . .

(Acts 28:15-16)

We see here that the disciples met Paul, but then Paul did not reverse directions and go away from Rome. He continued on to Rome with the disciples accompanying him.

Similarly the word “meet” is used twice in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). There we read how five wise virgins went out to “meet” the bridegroom. They did not go with him to fly away to another location. Rather they met and welcomed him. It is in this same sense that Christians will meet the Lord in the air—not to fly away with Him—but to welcome Him and then accompany Him back down to earth. In other words, Jesus is truly coming back to earth.

Earlier, we said that there was a fourth passage of Scripture usually discussed in connection with the rapture and that this was a controversial passage. In fact, most scholars who teach the futurist view readily admit that this passage is used incorrectly by the more popular “science fiction” type of futurist teachers and novelists. It is the famous “Left Behind” passage in Matthew 24:

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. . . . there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

(Matt. 24:37-39)

When we discussed Matthew 24 in section 1, we explained how this passage is not talking about a secret rapture of Christians, but the second coming of Jesus, when He will wipe the unbelievers off of the earth.

To confirm this, we can note that the ones who are seen taken away in this passage are not believers, as some futurist teachers say. Jesus is explaining just the opposite. In Noah’s day judgment came suddenly and swept the ungodly away. Noah and his family were left behind to inherit the earth. If we apply this, as Jesus did to His coming in judgment, then we will see Christians being protected in the arms of Jesus, as Noah was protected in the ark. Then the ungodly are swept away. After that the righteous are “left behind” to rule and reign with Jesus on earth.

This is exactly what Jesus had taught His disciples in Matthew 13 in the parable of the wheat and tares:

“So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

(Matt. 13:40-43)

Jesus is very clear. It is the ungodly who will be removed, gathered, taken. It is the righteous who will be left behind to shine as the sun.

Contrary to what the futurist would have Christians believe, we want to be “left behind” so we can rule and reign with Jesus in His kingdom on earth. Or as Matthew 5:5 tells us, the meek will inherit the earth.

Summary

If you embrace the partial preterist understanding of the second coming of Jesus, you will not see it happening in two parts. You will see that there is no seven-year period during which Christians are in heaven while the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. When Jesus returns, He actually and literally returns to the earth.

Another major difference between the futurist view and partial preterist view is the focus on what will happen in the near future. The futurist teachers emphasize the coming rapture so much that it remains on the forefront of the listeners’ minds; it is the next great event to which they are eagerly looking forward. In contrast, Christians who embrace the partial preterist view believe in a coming rapture for sure, but their main focus is on the Church rising in glory with a great harvest of souls across the world.

Most futurist teachers will also say that they are looking for a great harvest, but they contradict themselves when they say this because their understanding of Matthew 24 necessitates a great falling away. Their view also dictates a belief that the world is going to get worse and worse, the antichrist will take over, and Jesus will rapture them away before God pours out His wrath on the earth. Futurist teachers try to hold to both opposing views.

The futurist teachers are most conscious of their soon-coming escape by way of the rapture. Partial preterists are most conscious of the Church arising and the coming great harvest.

Section 8: The End-times

The following terms are used interchangeably:

end-times

end days

last days

latter days

Since the plural form is used in each of these, we can gather that the related events will not happen in a single day, but will extend over a period of time.

When the Bible speaks of “the day” in its singular form, it is usually referring to the final great judgment day in which all people will be gathered before the Lord for judgment. “The day” or what is also called “the day of the Lord” will be the climax of history and should be distinguished from the end-times.

In the discussion to follow, we will not be talking about “the day of the Lord,” but we will examine the Bible’s use of “end-times,” “end days,” “last days,” and “latter days.”

The Apostles Believed They Were in the End-Times

Several Bible passages reveal that the first-century apostles believed they were living in the end-times. For example, when Peter preached on Pentecost day, he quoted from the book of Joel, applying the term “last days” to the experience of the Holy Spirit being poured out at that time in their lives.

“For these men are not drunk, as you suppose... but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind.’ ”

(Acts 2:15-17; underlining added)

Peter was convinced that he was living in the last days, and he was so confident of this that he quoted a passage from Joel declaring that it was being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Peter also wrote in his first letter with this understanding that he was living in the last times:

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.

(1 Pet. 1:20; underlining added)

Note how Peter defined the last times as the times in which Jesus appeared to them during their lifetime.

Paul also spoke in such terms as he explained how we should learn from the events that happened in the Old Testament:

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

(1 Cor. 10:11; underlining added)

Was Paul wrong? Was Peter wrong? Were they confused?

If we study the teachings of other New Testament writers, we learn that they too believed they were living in the last days.

The writer of Hebrews wrote:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.

(Heb. 1:1-2; underlining added)

The writer was convinced that he was living in the last days, and he defined the last days as the period during which God spoke through Jesus while Jesus was alive on earth.

We see that James had the same belief when we read how he rebuked some greedy rich people, telling them of the destruction about to come upon them, saying:

It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

(James 5:3; underlining added)

James believed that the “last days” was then, at that time in history during the first century.

The apostle John stated this belief with even greater conviction:

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.

(1 John 2:18; underlining added)

John was convinced that he was living in the last hour, based on the presence of antichrists. John expected his disciples to realize this, too.

Were the New Testament writers wrong? Did they live in the end-times? Or are the end-times coming in our future? Did the apostles miss it by 2,000 years?

The Futurist View of the End-times

A major point of the futurist teachers is that we— living 2,000 years after the first-century apostles—are in the last days, or at least approaching closely to those days. When they talk about the last days or end-times, they are referring to the scenario of events that they believe will culminate in the second coming of Jesus. Whenever the futurist teachers speak of the rapture, the great tribulation, the antichrist, and the end of the world, they are referring to this end-time period. They also speak of “signs” of the end-times, including earthquakes, famines, disasters, and people falling away from the faith. All these things are discussed in the context of the end-times as a period that will come in the near future or perhaps has recently begun.

The End-times According to the Futurist View:

If a futurist teacher is pressed on the point that the New Testament writers believed they were in the last days, the futurist will concede and then say that the apostles missed it, or they will say that the end-times is the period from the resurrection of Jesus to the end of the world. They will say that the last days have extended for more than 2,000 years. Though they make this adjustment in their definition of the end-times when necessary, they will quickly return to their discussions about the end-times being the few short years right before the end of the world.

The Partial Preterist View of the End-times

Teachers holding to the partial preterist view believe the words of the New-Testament writers literally. Peter, Paul, James, and John were not wrong. The apostles were living in the last days. We do not live in the end-times.

Please, allow us to explain.

First, we need to define what the Bible meant by the end-times or last days.

Joel defined the last days as the period in which the Holy Spirit would be poured out on the world. Peter accepted Joel’s definition and believed that it was fulfilled on Pentecost Day (Acts 2:16-17).

Peter also identified the last days as the period during which Jesus walked on earth (1 Pet. 1:20).

James understood the last days to be in his lifetime, when destruction was about to come upon his generation (James 5:3).

John defined the last hour as the period during which antichrists were active, and John believed those antichrists were active in his lifetime (1 John 2:18).

The writer of Hebrews used the terminology “last days” to refer to the period in which God spoke to humanity through Jesus Christ while Jesus was alive on earth 2,000 years ago (Heb. 1:1-2).

According to every one of these definitions of “endtimes,” the apostles did live in the end-times.

If we believe that the Bible writers were inspired by God to write what they wrote, then we cannot say that they missed it. For example, John emphatically said, “It is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). Since we believe that God inspired John, we have to conclude that God believed— knew—it was the last hour 2,000 years ago.

Partial preterists agree with what the Bible clearly says. The end-times took place during the first century.

How could it be possible that the period called the end-times was in the first century?

Put yourselves in the shoes of the Jewish people in the days of Jesus. Those who knew their Scriptures— the Old Testament—knew the promises of God. The most hopeful promises centered on a coming Messiah, a new kingdom, and God making a new covenant with His people. Devout Jews centered their lives around these promises. So important were these promises that they were always looking for the days promised to them by the Old Testament prophets.

When Jesus came, He brought in the new kingdom. He established the new covenant. The Temple was destroyed. The old religious system ended. The end of the old came in the first century. That was the end-times. It ended the old. The end-times was the period in which God abolished the old by establishing the new. It went from the day Jesus revealed Himself as Messiah to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The apostles were not wrong. They did live in the end-times We live in new times! In a new kingdom and a new covenant!

The End-times According to the Partial Preterist View:

This understanding can be shocking and unsettling when first heard by Christians trained under the futurist view. They have heard the terms end-times and last days used so many times in reference to the end of the world that they cannot conceive of so great an error in their thinking.

Yet if we are going to interpret Scripture with any sense of integrity, we must see it in its historical setting. As we have emphasized, we must look within the context of a passage for time references:

1) “this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel ‘in the last days’ ” (Acts 2:16-17)

2) “in these last times” (1 Pet. 1:20)

3) “the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11)

4) “in these last days” (Heb. 1:1-2)

5) “It is in the last days” (James 5:3)

6) “it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18)

7) “we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18)

If we read any of these Bible passages without the preconceived idea that they have to fit into the future, there is no question that the time references refer to the past, and in particular, to the period during which the first apostles lived.

This issue is important not only for Christians, but also for our defense of the faith before non-Christians. One of the most influential atheists of modern times was a scholar named Bertrand Russell. In his book, entitled, Why I Am Not a Christian, Russell points out how wrong and misled the disciples were by believing that they were living in end-times. More importantly, Russell declared that Jesus was a false prophet since the events of Matthew 24 (at least to his understanding) did not happen within a generation.[54] Russell and many other influential atheists have ridiculed Christianity, pointing out how wrong Jesus and the disciples were to believe that they were living in the end-times.

Instead of making excuses for our Lord and the disciples, let’s believe them. Let’s accept the fact that they did live in the end-times, and we do not.

Summary

If we shift our understanding of the end-times from being in our future to our past, we will also change our expectations of the future spiritual and moral conditions of the Church and the world.

You see, there is one Bible passage that tells us that in latter days many will fall away from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1; quoted below). Then there is another passage that talks about evil people increasing in the last times (Jude 1:18; quoted below). Since futurist teachers maintain that the latter days are coming in our future, before the end of the world, they teach from these two Bible passages that the world is going to get worse and worse, spiritually and morally.

In reality, the Bible writers were not talking about our future, but rather the end-times in which they were living, which is evident when we read the context in which they wrote. Paul wrote to Timothy:

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

(1 Tim. 4:1)

Paul was exhorting Timothy that he should not be surprised at the evil around him, for indeed, the Holy Spirit had revealed to them that such things would happen in latter times—that is, in their times.

Jude wrote similarly in his letter, explaining that the evil people that they were facing should be expected since the apostles had warned about the evil people who would come in the last times.

“In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”

(Jude 1:18)

Jude was not talking about mockers to come 2,000 years later. In the context, he was referring to the mockers living in his day with whom he was having to deal.

This makes perfect sense when we recognize the terrible spiritual and moral conditions of the people under the rule of Rome during the first century. The Jewish people were known for their depravity. The Jewish historian Josephus described the conditions of his own people, that is, the generation that witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem:

Neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world.

(The Wars of the Jews, 1998, v:x:5)

Add to this picture the cruel persecutions that were going on, with Christians being tortured and killed by the Jews and Romans. Also, many people were being taken in by false messiahs, prophets, and teachers. That was a terribly deceived and corrupt generation.

If we recognize the spiritual and moral conditions of the time, we can easily understand the two New Testament passages that warn of mockers and evil people during the end-times. When we study the time references and contexts of both passages, we cannot deny that the authors were talking about evil people active in the first century.

This understanding is important because it disarms futurist teachers who misuse these two Bible passages to say that evil will increase as we approach the return of Jesus Christ.

Partial preterist teachers do not have a negative view of the future or the world. They believe that we live in the new times, and that in these new days the Church is being raised to a position of unity, maturity, and glory. Furthermore, the kingdom of God will continue to grow until it fills the earth.[55]

Conclusion

This book may leave some unanswered questions in the minds of readers who have never before been exposed to the partial preterist view. We can assure you that there are victorious ways of understanding each and every Bible passage, and we have listed in the bibliography books that offer those views.

We are not concerned that you understand every Bible passage the way we do. In fact, we realize that many scholarly teachers holding to the partial preterist view explain various verses in slightly different ways than we have. However, our primary concern is that you embrace a victorious view.

A victorious view will inspire you to plan for the future, move ahead with courage, invest in the next generation, and believe God for greater things yet to come. Satan is not taking over this world. Jesus Christ is Lord, and He will rule until every enemy is put under His feet.

Bibliography 1

The books listed below are those which have been used as references in gathering material for this book.

Aquinas, Thomas. Golden Chain. New York: Mowbray, 1956.

Athanasius. On the Incarnation. Translated and edited by Sister Penelope Lawson, S.C.M.V. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1946.

Augustine. Confessions. Translated by Maria Boulding. New York: Vintage Spiritual Classics, 1998.

Bray, John. Matthew 24 Fulfilled. Lakeland, FL: John Bray, 1996.

Bray, John. The Man of Sin of II Thessalonians 2. Lake-land, FL: John Bray, 1997.

Calvin, John. Calvin’s Commentaries (1847). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1984.

Calvin, John. Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Translated by William Pringle. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1949.

Chilton, David. Paradise Restored. Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1994.

Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. New York, NY: Basic Books, 1992.

Currie, David. Rapture: The End-times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind. Manchester: Sophia Institute Press, 2003.

D’Emilio, John and Freedman, Estelle. Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America. New York, NY: Harper and Row, 1988.

Edwards, Jonathan. The Works of Jonathan Edwards (1834). Edited by Edward Hickman. 2 volumes. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1974.

Epiphanius, The Panarion of St. Ephiphanius of Salamis. New York: E. J. Brill, 1987.

Eusebius, Pamphilius. The History of the Church. London, England: Penguin Press, 1965.

Eusebius, Pamphilius. The Proof of the Gospel (c. A.D. 300). Translated by W. J. Ferrar. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1920.

Farrar, Frederick. The Early Days of Christianity. New York: AL Burt, 1884.

Gorday, Peter, ed. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament IX. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Hagee, John. Jerusalem Countdown. Lake Mary, FL: Frontline, 2006.

Hutchins, Robert Maynard, ed. Great Books of the Western World. Volume 15, Tactius’ Annuals and Histories. Chicago, IL: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1952.

Josephus, Flavius. Josephus: The Complete Works. Translated by William Whiston. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998.

Kik, J. Marcellus. An Eschatology of Victory. Nutley, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1971.

Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity, Vol. 1, New York: Harper and Row, 1975.

Lindsey, Hal. The Late Great Planet Earth. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1975.

Mauro, Philip. The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation. Clackamas, OR: Emissary Publications, 1921.

Merrill, Dean. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1997.

Origen. Origen Against Celsus. Translated by James Bellamy. London: B. Mills, 1660.

Pike, G. Holden. The Life and Work of Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Edinburgh, UK: Funk and Wagnalls Co., 1992.

Roberts, Alexander, and Donaldson, James, eds. The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325. 10 volumes. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989.

Russell, Bertrand. Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1957.

Simmons, Kurt. The Consummation of the Ages. Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003.

Simonetti, Manlio, ed. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament Ib. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002.

Sproul, R. C. The Last Days According to Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.

Spurgeon, Charles. Spurgeon’s Popular Exposition of Matthew, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1979.

Spurgeon, Charles. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1974.

Tacitus, Cornelis. Annuals of Imperial Rome. New York: Penguin Books, 1989.

Van Impe, Jack. Millennnium: Beginning or End? Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999.

Varner, Kelley. Whose Right It Is. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1995.

Wells, Ronald A. History Through the Eyes of Faith. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1989.

Wesley, John. The Works of John Wesley. Edited by Albert C. Outler. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1985.

Also helpful in gathering information for this book have been the preterist archives which may be found at: http://www.preteristarchive.com

Bibliography 2

Although we do not endorse everything taught in all of the following books (some offer the full preterist view and others the partial preterist view), each author will broaden your understanding of victorious eschatology.

Bray, John. Matthew 24 Fulfilled. Lakeland, FL: John Bray Ministry, 1996.

Bray, John. The Man of Sin of II Thessalonians 2. Lake-land, FL: John Bray Ministry, 1997.

Chilton, David. Paradise Restored. Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1994.

Chilton, David. The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation. Fort Worth, TX: Dominion, 1987.

Currie, David. Rapture: The End-times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2003.

DeMar, Gary. Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church. 3rd ed. Atlanta: American Vision, 1997.

Eberle, Harold R. Bringing the Future into Focus. Yakima, WA: Worldcast Publishing, 2002.

Gentry, Kenneth L., Jr. Before Jerusalem Fell. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1989.

Gentry, Kenneth L., Jr. The Beast of Revelation. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1989.

Hamon, Bill. The Eternal Church. Point Washington, FL: Christian International Publishers, 1981.

Josephus, Flavius. Josephus: The Complete Works. Translated by William Whiston. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998.

Kik, J. Marcellus. An Eschatology of Victory. Nutley, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1971.

Krupp, Nate. The Church Triumphant. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1988.

Ladd, George Eldon. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959.

Mauro, Philip. The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation. Clackamas, OR: Emissary Publications, 1921.

Murray, Iain H. The Puritan Hope. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998.

Noe, John. Shattering the Left Behind Delusion. Bradford, PA: International Preterist Association, 2000.

Pate, Marvin C., ed. Four Views on the Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan, 1998.

Simmons, Kurt. The Consummation of the Ages. Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003.

Sproul, R. C. The Last Days According to Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.

Varner, Kelley. Whose Right It Is. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1995.

A wealth of information can also be found at:

http://www.preteristarchive.com

and

http://www.victoriouskingdom.com

More Books by Harold R. Eberle

The Complete Wineskin

(Fourth edition)

The Body of Christ is in a reformation. God is pouring out His Holy Spirit and our wineskins must be changed to handle the new wine. Will the Church come together in unity? How does the anointing of God work and what is your role? What is the 5-fold ministry? How are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers going to rise up and work together? Where do small group meetings fit in? This book puts into words what you have been sensing in your spirit. (Eberle’s best seller, translated into many languages, distributed worldwide.)

God’s Leaders

for Tomorrow’s World

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Christianity Separated from the Western Worldview Most Christians in the Western world have no idea how profoundly their beliefs have been influenced by their culture. After untangling some Western traditions of the last 2,000 years of Church history, Harold R. Eberle offers a Christian worldview that is clear, concise, and liberating. This will leave you shouting in victory! This book is now available as a downloadable book from the web site of Worldcast Publishing. However, it will soon be available in hard copy.

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Co-authored by

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“Kings” is what we call Christian leaders who have embraced the call of God upon their life to work in the marketplace and from that position transform society. This book explains how marketplace ministry will operate in concert with local churches and pastors. It provides a Scriptural basis for the expansion of the Kingdom of God into all areas of society. It paints a picture of kings who are naturally competitive, creative, and decisive—who are being used to fulfill the Great Commission.

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(Second edition)

Releasing God’s Power for Romance, Sexual Freedom and Blessings in Marriage

The keys to a thrilling, passionate, and fulfilling marriage can be yours if you want them. Kindle afresh the “buzz of love.” Find out how to make God’s law of binding forces work for you rather than against you. This book is of great benefit to pastors, counselors, young singles, divorces, and especially married people. Couples are encouraged to read it together.

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The first five volumes of Harold R. Eberle’s series of books entitled, Spiritual Realities, have been condensed into this one volume, 372 pages in length. Topics are addressed such as how the spiritual and natural worlds are related, angelic and demonic manifestations, signs and wonders, miracles and healing, the anointing, good versus evil spiritual practices, how people are created by God to access the spiritual realm, how the spirits of people interact, how people sense things in the spirit realm, and much more.

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Challenging the traditional Western view of God, Harold R. Eberle presents God as a Covenant-maker, Lover, and Father. Depending on Scripture, God is shown to be in a vulnerable, open, and cooperative relationship with His people. This book is both unsettling and enlightening— revolutionary to most readers—considered by many to be Harold’s most important contribution to the Body of Christ.

Jesus Came Out of the

Tomb...So Can You!

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Forgiveness of sins is at the cross. Power over sin is in the resurrection and ascension. Unfortunately, too many Christians have only benefited from the death of Jesus and not His life. If God raised Jesus from the tomb in power and glory, then we can experience that resurrection power. If God raised Jesus into heaven, and us with Him, then we can live in His victory!

To place an order or to check current prices on these and other books call:

1-800-308-5837 within the USA or 509-248-5837 from outside of the USA

Worldcast Publishing P.O. BOX 10653 Yakima, WA 98909-1653

E-mail: office@worldcastpublishing.com

Web Site: www.worldcastpublishing.com

[1] Flavius Josephus, Josephus: The Complete Works. Translated by William Whiston (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998), The Wars of the Jews, vi:ix:3.

[2] Today’s Western Wall (also called the Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem was never a part of the Temple that existed in Jesus’ day. It was a part of the parapet that king Herod had built around the Temple.

[3] This is confirmed in Mark 13, where the Olivet Discourse is also recorded, but we are specifically told in verse 3 that Jesus and the disciples were facing the Temple when they asked their first question.

[4] Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 1998, ii:xviii.

[5] J. Marcellus Kik, An Eschatology of Victory, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1971), p. 93; David B. Currie, Rapture, (Manchester, NH: Sophis Institute Press, 2003), p. 159.

[6] Cornelius Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome (New York: Penguin Books, 1989), XV, p. 44.

[7] Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 1998, v:xi:1-2; vi:ix:2-3.

[8] Flavius Josephs, The Wars of the Jews, 1998, vi:v:3.

[9] Some partial preterists teach that the “coming of Jesus” was not only His receiving of authority over a kingdom, but also His coming in judgment upon the Jewish nation.

[10] Jack Van Impe, Millennium: Beginning or End? (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999), pp. 5, xvi, 1.

[11] Hal Linsey, The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1975), p. 7.

[12] John Hagee, Jerusalem Countdown (Lake Mary, FL: Frontline, 2006), pp. 6, 17.

[13] Stephanie Coontz, The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap (New York: Basic Books, 1992), p. 184.

[14] Ronald A. Wells, History Through the Eyes of Faith (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1989), p. 179.

[15] John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America (New York: Harper and Row, 1988), pp. 65, 133-134.

[16] Dean Merrill, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1997), pp. 96-97.

[17] Again, we want to mention that not every leader would explain every verse the same way we are, but the fundamental idea that the Church will rise in unity, maturity, and glory before the return of Jesus was the common belief of the historic Church before the mid-twentieth century.

[18] Some historians will give slightly varying dates, but it is beyond the scope of this book to discuss those minor discrepancies.

[19] Some historians will give slightly varying dates, but it is beyond the scope of this book to discuss those minor discrepancies.

[20] Some teachers consider the historicist view a variation of the partial preterist view. Others completely distinguish it from the partial preterist view.

[21] The most obvious distinction between the historicist view presented here and that of the Protestant reformers is in their eagerness to see the Roman Catholic Church and the popes as the evil power and individuals mentioned in the Revelation.

[22] Moses Stuart, Commentary on the Apocalypse,1845, Vol. I, p. 267; Kurt Simmons, The Consummation of the Ages (Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003), pp. 17-18.

[23] Epiphanius, The Panarion of St. Epiphanius of Salamis, Frank Williams, trans. (New York: E. J. Brill, 1987), pp. II, 12, 33.

[24] Cited in Kurt Simmons, The Consummation of the Ages (Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003), p. 13.

[25] We are not yet discussing the millennium, because later (pp. 221-230) we will present two different partial preterist views of the millennium.

[26] Jack Van Impe, Millennium: Beginning or End? (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999), p. 43.

[27] Although most futurist teachers see the Church being raptured at Revelation 4:1, some, such as the post-tribulationalists, do not.

[28] Futurists often say that the Church is never mentioned in chapters 4 to 18 of the Revelation, and they say this because they want to add support to their view that the Church will not be on the earth during the difficult period described in these chapters. In reality, the saints who make up the Church are mentioned at least 11 times in these chapters.

[29] Kurt Simmons, The Consummation of the Ages (Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003), p. 198; Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, V, I, 6; III, iv, 2; Tacitus, Annuals, V; Cassius Dio, Roman History, IV, xxxiii.

[30] Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, VI, ii, 1, fn; David Currie, Rapture (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2003), p. 225.

[31] This time period varies slightly from the 42 months referred to earlier, only because the Jewish calendar is based on lunar months, which have 30 days per month.

[32] Some teachers like to equate the roles of Peter and Paul as the two witnesses of the Law and prophets, for they both preached throughout Jerusalem and both were put to death by Nero, probably in A.D. 68.

[33] Most futurist teachers also associate the great red dragon with the Roman Empire. However, they envision Revelation 4 through 18 as being fulfilled during a future seven-year period of tribulation, and therefore, they have to believe that there will be a revived Roman Empire that will emerge between now and the second coming of Jesus.

[34] Some historians identify as many as twelve regions because the regions were divided differently during certain periods.

[35] Cornelius Tacitus, Annals of Imperial Rome (New York: Penguin Books, 1989), XV, 44.

[36] Philostratus, Life of Apollonius, cited in John T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament (Philadelphia, PN: Westminster, 1976) p. 235. 180

[37] Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, iv:xi:5

[38] Ibid., vii:iv:2.

[39] Cornelius Tacitus, Histories, 1.11.

[40] David Chilton, Paradise Restored (Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1994), p. 179. 181

[41] Kurt Simmons, The Consummation of the Ages (Carlsbad, NM: Bimillennial Preterist Association, 2003), p. 268; R. C. Sproul, The Last Days According to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), pp. 186-188.

[42] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity, vol. 1, (New York: Harper and Row, 1975), p. 97.

[43] Kelley Varner, Whose Right It Is (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1995), pp. 178-179.

[44] One of many places this can be researched is in Adam Clark’s Commentary, which may be accessed at: http://www.godrules.net/ library/clarke/clarkeeze38.htm.

[45] We are not dealing with the rapture yet, because we deal in-depth with that subject in section 7.

[46] They understood the 1,000 years to represent an indefinite period of time; however, most of them were amillennialists.

[47] Kelley Varner, Whose Right It Is, (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 1995), p. 137; R. C. Sproul, The Last Days According to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), p. 198.

[48] An interesting and confirming reference may be found at: http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/10/18/1802.shtml

[49] Noted futurist teacher, Jack Van Impe, writes, “Logic dictates that this man is alive today, waiting to make his move.” (Millennium: Beginning or End? [Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999], p. 5).

[50] Pamphilius Eusebius, The History of the Church (London, Eng- land: Penguin Books, 1965), III, p. 28.

[51] John Bray, The Man of Sin of II Thessalonians 2, (Lakeland, FL: John Bray Ministry, 1997), pp. 27-41.

[52] Kelley Varner, Whose Right It Is, (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 1995), pp. 143-145.

[53] Since Martin Trench holds to the postmillennial view, he sees this event as the great day of judgment. In contrast, Harold Eberle holds to the premillennial view, and therefore, he sees a second judgment day at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus.

[54] Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not a Christian and other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects, Paul Edwards, editor (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1957), p. vi.

[55] In some contexts, partial preterist teachers may use the terms “end-times” or “last days” to refer to the future period during which Jesus returns. However, they do not confuse that future reference with how the terminology is used in the Bible to refer to the first-century transition from old to new.

Table of Contents

What Others Are Saying

Credits and Dedication

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Section 1: Understanding Matthew 24

Introduction to Matthew 24

Question #1: “When Will These Things Happen?”

The Judgement Fulfilled in A.D. 70

The Context of Matthew 24

Within a Generation

Jesus Answers the First Question

Matthew 24:4, 5: Many Claiming to Be Christ

Matthew 24:6, 7: Wars and Rumors of War

Matthew 24:7: Famines

Matthew 24:7: Earthquakes

Matthew 24:9: Birth Pangs

Matthew 24:9: Persecution

Matthew 24:10-13: Apostasy and False Prophets

Matthew 24:14:Preaching the Gospel

Matthew 24:15-20: Warning of Destruction

The Parallel Passages in Mark 13 and Luke 21

The Abomination in the Holy Place

Fleeing Jerusalem and Judea

Matthew 24:21, 22: A Great Tribulation

Matthew 24:23-27: False Christs Appear

Matthew 24:28: The Corpse and Vultures

Confirmation From the Parallel Gospels

Concluding Remarks about the First Question

Question #2: “What will Be the Sign of Your Coming?”

Jesus Answers the Second Question

Matthew 24:30a: The Sign of the Son of Man

Matthew 24:29: The Signs of Judgment

Matthew 24:30b: The Son of Man in Glory

Matthew 24:31: Angels Gathering the Elect

Matthew 24:32, 33: Know That He Is Near

Matthew 24:34: In This Generation

Question #3: “What About the End of the Age (World)?”

Jesus Answers the Third Question

Matthew 24:36: No One Knows When

Matthew 24:37-39: As the Days of Noah

Matthew 24:40-42: As Two Men in a Field

Matthew 24:43, 44: As a Thief in the Night

Matthew 24:45-51: As a Master Returning

Matthew 25:1-13: As Ten Virgins Waiting

Matthew 25:14-30: As Servants With Talents

Matthew 25:31-46: The Great Day of Judgment

Summary

Section 2 Understanding the Partial Preterist View

The Partial Preterist View: Victorious View

Advantages of the Partial Preterist View

Multiple Fulfillments of Prophecy?

Challenges to Our Present Beliefs

Things Are Getting Better

Summary

Section 3 Prophetic Messages Given to Daniel

The Message of Daniel 2

Futurist Understanding of God’s Kingdom

Partial Preterist Understanding of God’s Kingdom

God’s Kingdom Destroys the Roman Empire

Summary of Daniel 2

The Message of Daniel 9

Seventy Weeks for the Jews and Jerusalem

The First 69 Weeks

Daniel’s Seventieth Week

The Futurist View of Daniel’s Seventieth Week

Partial Preterist View of Daniel’s Seventieth Week

Summary of Daniel 9

Summary

Section 4 Understanding the Book of Revelation

Introduction to Revelation

The Futurist Understanding

The Partial Preterist Understanding

When Did John Write Revelation?

Overview of Revelation

Revelation 2 and 3: Seven Letters to Seven Churches

Revelation 4 and 5: Heavenly Scene of Christ’s Reign

Revelation 4: Vision in the Throne Room

Revelation 5: Jesus is Worth to Open the Book

Revelation 6: God’s Army Is Arrayed for Battle

Revelation 6: Breaking of the Sixth Seal

Revelation 7-11: Judgment of the Jews

Revelation 7: Sealing 144,000 Sons of Israel

Spiritual Dynamics With Natural Consequences

Revelation 8: Trumpets Blow and the War Begins

Revelation 9:1-11: The Fifth Trumpet Is Blown

Revelation 9:12-21: The Sixth Trumpet Is Blown

Revelation 10: John Eats the Book

Revelation 11: The Jewish Temple Is Destroyed

Revelation 11:3-12: Two Witnesses in Jerusalem

Revelation 11:19: The New Temple Was Opened

Revelation 11:15-18: Rejoicing in Heaven

Concluding Remarks About the Jewish War

Revelation 12-14: Judgement of the Roman Empire

Revelation 12: The Mother and Her Mail Child

Revelation 12: What Is the Great Read Dragon?

Revelation 12: What Is the Great Red Dragon?

Revelation 13: The Beast of the Revelation

Revelation 13:3: Slain and Then Healed

Revelation 13:5-8: Persecution of the Saints

Revelation 13:16-18: The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 14:1-5: What Is Babylon?

Revelation 14:6-7: The Gospel Goes Forth

Revelation 14:8: The Spirit of Babylon

Revelation 14:8: The Fall of Babylon

Revelation 17: Who Is the Harolot?

Revelation 14:17-20: Roman Empire Destroyed

Revelation 15-18: God’s Worldwide Judgments

Revelation 15-16: Seven Bowls of Wrath

Babylon, the Spirit of Pride

The Harlot, the Spirit of Religion

Revelation 16: Armageddon

Revelation 17-18: Future Kingdom Expansion

Revelation 19: The Kingdom of God is Victorious

Revelation 19: Jesus Is Revealed as King

Revelation 20: The Millennial Reign of Jesus

Revelation 20: The Postmillennial View

Revelation 20: The Premillennial View

Revelation 20: The Two Victorious Views

Revelation 20:7-10: Satan Released

Revelation 20:11-15: White Throne Judgment

Revelation 21 and 22: The New Heaven and Earth

Revelation 21: New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21: New Jerusalem

Revelation 21-22: God’s Presence

Revelation 21-22: Our External Dwelling

Summary

Section 5: The Jews, Israel, and the Temple

The Jewish Rejection of the Messiah

Christians Honoring the Jews

The Coming Jewish Awakening

What About the Land of Israel?

What About the Temple in Jerusalem?

Summary

Section 6 The Antichrist

Pertinent Passages About the Antichrist

John’s Description of the Antichrist

First-Century Gnosticism

John Wrote to Correct Gnostic Teachings

The Antichrist in 1 and 2 John

The Man of Lawlessness

Emperor Nero as the Man of Lawlessness

John Levi as the Man of Lawlessness

The Carnal Man as the Man of Lawlessness

Who Was the Man of Lawlessness?

Summary

Section 7 The Rapture

Futurist View of the Second Coming

Partial Preterist View of the Second Coming

Examining Pertinent Passages

Summary

Section 8: The End-times

The Apostles Believed They Were in the End-Times

The Futurist View of the End-times

The Partial Preterist View of the End-times

Summary

Conclusion

Bibliography 1

Bibliography 2

More Books by Harold R. Eberle

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