Preterism

Why Preterism Is An Enemy To Church Freedom

Preterism is less a position about the End Times than it is an effort at end-time prophesy deconstruction. Its bolder proponents seek to spoil the hope in Christ's return for the church at large, purporting that all prophetic events had occurred shortly after the Resurrection of Jesus, leaving nothing for the church to expect in the future other than continued societal disarray at the hands of the Prince of This World.

"Why do you think that Preterism is an enemy to church freedom when its proponents claim to be Christians?"

The answer lies in the Preterist goal. If a member of the church of God believes that his religious freedom, based on any specific Biblical prophesy regarding the End Times, is being threatened or diminished, the Preterist considers the matter to be a waste of time or even heretical. He tends to ridicule, mock, scorn, or take an active position to thwart the cause of the futurist. In any case, anti-Christian activity is the motus operandi, no matter how innocuous it seems.

That which they offer in place of an end-time position primarily focuses on a denial of the main passages the Church has used since its inception to speak authoritatively on the topic of end times!

Think for a moment what commitment the Preterist would have to promote the cause of a futurist in court as he seeks remedy from persecution. A secular judge, attorney or jurist would likely have little qualm to consider the opinion of the futurist, even if he thought the issue was based on myth. However, a Preterist is pressed against his own opinion which is diametrically opposed with the futurist. Fairness would mean giving credence and consideration to someone he considers a heretic.

In general matters of Christian persecution, such as prayer in school, religious t-shirts, Bibles in libraries, etc., the Preterist seems united with the futurist for cause, but there is no Preterist parallel to the unique persecution the futurist suffers. He escapes for lack of concern for end-times issues; a position from which to gloat over his opponent.

The Nature of Preterism

If your quest is to find an alternate meaning to the Gospel of Hope, an endless exegesis obfuscating the obvious, there is an abundance of it on the net. Have at it. This article offers a simple means to handle Preterist advocates and to perhaps help initiates that have not been glazed over with religious stupor.

The JW Analogy

When encountering Jehovah's Witnesses, studied believers are wise to test the sincerity of 'openness' presented at their doorstep by doctrinal trainees. The defender of Christ's divinity realizes that a true discussion is not possible with JWs in most cases, and will resort to a test of reason:

"Do you accept that the single-letter article 'a' was added to the Gospel of John by your religion's founder?"

The Watchtower's insertion of the article has been substantially repudiated by the world’s best New Testament Greek scholars. If a dialog cannot resolve that it was, your visitation should be terminated by handing the proselyte an article discussing the inception of the JWs, the nature of their founder, and how the group has altered the Bible to suit it's doctrine. Unfortunately, any opposition to Watchtower propaganda is considered direct persecution by Satan, so your offerings will likely be avoided like the plague.

Should the proselyte asks further earnest questions without parroting propaganda, one must determine if s/he is trying to overcome bias or ignorance.

Discussion of hope with a Preterist is like a damp towel after an ice-cold shower. Partial Preterists - confused enough to offer a warm towel.

Forgoing Contention

So it is with the Preterist. Should the conversation mire with contextual argument, time is better spent having them research grammatical rules on their own. The test:

"Do you believe that the object of Irenaeus' statement about what was seen at the end of Domition's reign was John's vision, or John himself?"

If the answer is "John" the conversation cannot move ahead until the respondent passes remedial classes in grammar and logic.

To The Subverting Of The Hearers

¹⁴Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. ¹⁵Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ¹⁷And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; ¹⁸Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. - Paul, 2 Timothy 14-19, circa A.D. 66 or 67

Paradox or Paradise

From Last Days to Past Days

The preterist denies any future fulfillment of the book of Revelation and purports that the apocalyptic events written by John were fulfilled within the first century after Christ. This hypothesis enjoys conflict with normal dating methodology, but nothing that a twist of reasoning can’t remedy.

In their view, after obscuring a few simple facts, there isn't much to look forward to: the Great Book is closed to two thousand years of left-behinders following one short generation of raptured true believers … vanished, no mention, without leaving a trace of existence. The future is lackluster, without promise for the abandoned, the non-true believers. Evidently, Jesus never showed up for all to see as promised. Blame it on surgical exegetics, but paradise never looked so grim.

The Long List

Problem:

Did the Creator leave us a forensic nightmare in 70 A.D. with two millennia of trial and tribulation to follow? Did He spin up great expectations of end-time events only to secretly fulfill prophetic statements by Jesus and the Apostles, yet causing them to appear errant in their proclaiming the times to come? This seems to be the theme with religions that hijack the common understanding of Scriptures and their obvious meanings. First they cause you to doubt what you have read, then demean the writer and his cause. Once the basis for understanding is mangled their hearers are open to any suggestions, even if they are contrary-wise to their own position.

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. - James 1:8

Reformation of the Israeli State
Rapture of Believers
People side-by-side disappearing
Rise of the Antichrist
Two fire-breathing witnesses left dead in the streets for days
World-wide gift-giving to celebrate their demise
The witnesses are resurrected
Mark of the Beast brands all people
World-wide restrictive commercial system established
Angels blowing trumpets
All mankind witnesses the second coming of Christ
Resurrection of the dead
Transformation of the living
Jesus ruling in Jerusalem
Judgment Day for everyone

had taken place that someone would have been so moved as to carve it in stone, or inscribe it on a copper plate for the angel Moroni to deliver by now. Where are the cave drawings and scrolls!

Solution:

We have futurist statements from Apostle John’s student lineage, decades after 70 A.D. … anticipating … speculating ... the Antichrist is yet to come, and all that 666 business.

So the list is pending, not fulfilled.

No ordinary fix

Just as a cult positions itself to gain control over the unwitting, a parallel reality is fashioned with circular logic to keep them mesmerized.

In the case of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, add a single-letter word to the Book of John. Voila! Jesus becomes a creation, a lesser god. Declare the Holy Spirit to be a thing and a self-defined religion is born. Efficient! Genius.

Alright, someone new aspiring to try their hand at this shifts a date, wrangles a single word regarding John’s apocalyptic vision, ignores a set of events that create a crucial time-frame … the advent of Preterism. Mission accomplished.

It took a smidgen of whiteout, a revised calendar, convoluted rationale and exegesis ad infinitum to keep the captive captivated. Not as efficient, but effective. B+for trying.

The squeaky hinge, easy to grease

For the Preterist everything pivots on Matthew 16 and 24; the basis for initial arguments foist upon the unwitting. In the article "A New Way to Introduce Your Friends to Preterism", the author says:

For the individual, stupor. For the group, fear locks them in subtle hysteria.

"... Matt. 16:27-28 ... is printed out in full, concluding with the words "there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Since they agreed that God does not lie, mislead or deceive, this verse begins to shake them up a bit. Next, they are confronted with the "this generation" phrase of Matt. 24:34, followed by a "yes" or "no" question as to whether these two Scriptures have been fulfilled or not, in view of the first century targeted fulfillment time just alluded to. This makes him think ... he immediately senses that all of this is new and strange to him, he is encouraged to read on about what Preterism is all about and how most of us have been taught the futurist view in our churches. In this setting, what your friend is learning is that a 2000 year delay in fulfilling these promises of Jesus just doesn't make sense. Even worse, the very trustworthiness of the Bible is at stake!"

Sounds a bit divisive. Note that their goal is to make the victim question his faith, God and the Bible to introduce a "new and strange" truth. The technique is similar to Jehovah's Witnesses targeting people steeped in meaningless ritual having not read the Bible in order to dominate the victim with half-wit reasoning and fear of lost salvation.

Let's look at their two crucial arguments, and leave the rest to a healthy Internet search.

First, Matthew 27 - 28:

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. ²⁸ Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Verse 27: Before His crucifixion, Jesus makes it clear that He would return "with the angels" to judge "every man", not just those existing prior to 70 A.D. That was never fulfilled, otherwise the world would have been cleansed of all evil and things would be much different today. Chalk one up for the futurist.

Verse 28: Without wrangling words, no damage is done to recognize the private return of Jesus to the Apostles after His resurrection as fulfilment. Remember the episode where Thomas challenged the appearance of Christ? Perhaps the Preterist would do himself justice to settle the matter as Thomas did, and simply bow the knee. Christ returned to His audience as He promised. This was not with the angels (v. 27), but it definitely was in His kingdom.

Christ's early appearance in Matthew 28 demonstrated to the disciples that He would be resurrected as foretold, and that their hope was not in vain; our hope. Without, Christianity would be another false religion. Chalk two ...

This desert topping had just as much promise to the Lord's audience as would a motivational speaker predicting that his audience would become millionaires with his sales plan, and not only that, some sales people will have over a hundred thousand dollars in their accounts by year's end. We've heard it on Saturday infomercials. It's not uncommon in normal speech ... no exegetics required to understand the obvious. The visitation happened as promised and the apostles, even Thomas, would eventually testify unto death of the Lord's Resurrection.

Next, Matthew 24:34

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

It doesn't matter that you point out the simplicity of the error, members of both groups ignore it and say their minds are made up.

Looks harmless enough by itself. Add that to any random short-list and perchance you might make a valid argument. But there's a long list of events, with conditions, that precedes that statement delivered by Jesus Himself, so it can't be attributed to some "senile apostle" hypothesis. It's in plain speech without allegory or parable. The "generation" spoken of is that generation which experiences ALL of the Olivet long-list, not the Preterist short-list. Chalk three and we're done.

The Preterist Paradox

The Preterist posits that the abandoned church were not true believers whose testimony should not be relied upon, yet they use the testimony of those living after 70 A.D. for argument.

John lived for another 25+ years after his "apocalyptic vision" was fulfilled, yet Jesus purportedly returned in 70 AD. John never wrote or preached about the fulfillment of his vision in those remaining years. He was left behind when supposedly all true-believers were called up to be with Christ. If he was abandoned, then he was not a true-believer and his apocalyptic vision could not have been true. Therefore, the entire Preterist reliance on his vision is an act of futility and circular logic.

The Preterist depends heavily on the destruction of the temple to kick start prophesy fulfillment, though it was the second time the temple had been destroyed with the Jews removed from their homeland. In light of the Jews currently preparing to rebuild the temple for the third time, and this after a recent re-establishment of a physical Israeli State, with more accurate and visible fulfillment of other facets of the vision, wouldn't you think the Preterist would drop their fragmented and virtual arguments for the real thing?

Well, it's hard for the Jehovah's Witnesses to admit that the word "a" was not in the original Book of John, and equally hard for Mormons to admit their founder was a treasure hunter, so consider it to be the nature of the self-proclaimed Preterit religion.

The advent of many other paradoxical establishments in the past century is just another fulfillement of end-times prophesy, which seems to have Preterism in tow.

Historical Parallel

The "future was then and gone" hypothesis dredges the pool of history for similarities between past events and future prophecy. That same dredging exhumes a Jewish Sadducee sect that had similar beliefs to Preterism. Jesus challenged the reliability of their interpretation of Biblical doctrine. Furthermore, Matthew depicts them as a “brood of vipers,” and a perversion of the true Israel. The Sadducee believed, in part:

no resurrection of the dead
no spirit realm
they were true Israel.

Most Preterists continue to partake of the Lord's Supper regardless that Paul said the eating and drinking serves to "proclaim the Lord's death UNTIL HE COMES"
(1 Corinthians 11:26)

Is it coincidence that the preterist declares that their transformed church of God has been in serious error for thousands of years, a people requiring enlightenment? The folly becomes apparent: If Jesus had fulfilled John's vision, then why are transformed people left in the dark about the transformation until the Preterists come on the scene? Nothing has changed pre/post 70 A.D. The argument is not unlike that of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Mass and Deliberate Ignorance

The masses seem to have totally forgotten the incredible events that took place which was to be witnessed by all. When two are at the threshing floor and one disappears, there is no doubt there would be a lasting report of such an occurrence. However, several decades after John's revelation ... nothing.

Imagine today what we can remember in great detail from one, two, three, even four decades ago. If there had been a mass disappearance, you would surely scratch it into the rocks for posterity, yet ... nothing. There is mention of the temple being destroyed and the Jews scattered, but no fantastic Day of the Lord is ever mentioned.

Vandals of Hope

The Preterist dichotomy of 'imminent hypothesis' eventually consumes hope and eliminates a bright future for the saints. What joy to be caught in a black-hole of despair sparked by ingenious ignorance and stupidity; Pauline terms intended to comfort, not affront.

The Amazing Thing About Time

The amazing thing about time is that it is unobservable while the observer is unconscious. One falls asleep then awakens typically hours later not knowing how much time has progressed. If it were not for the observable movement of the earth and time keeping devices one cannot not meter time.

One-third of the average person's lifetime is spent in unawareness, having to sleep for 8 of every 24 hours. He cannot account for any activity other than rest. He is not aware that his mind waits to be brought back to consciousness by his own biological clock. In fact, those that sleep have no expectations and thus there is no waiting. Pending matters can only be acknowledged before and after sleep, when the passing of time becomes a concern.

An average lifespan is approximately 70 yrs. with some terminating early and others later. Some of us enter life and awareness as others are in full bloom ... others exit. We will live, die and unconsciously wait without experiencing the passing of time until the Resurrection of the Dead awakens us.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27

So it is for all that expect the Lord's Return, and those that do not. We will all wait a lifetime until the Lord's return regardless of its actual length. No one waits for several lifetimes, five hundred years, a thousand, or two thousand years in his own conscious observation.

What the Bible predicted as being "at hand" is anticipated the same for every person in every generation since Christ's Resurrection, and desired from the beginning of time. The anticipation of judgement ends with the death of the anticipator.

We believers enter this world, become aware of the Lord's Return being "at hand" (unless obfuscated by Preterist mischief) and wait for it's occurrence; some to be resurrected from death/decay and brought back to physical consciousness, and others caught up while they are still conscious.

No one will 'wait' in expectancy for more than one lifetime to witness the Lord's Return, regardless of the generations that have occurred from Christ's Resurrection until His Return.

"If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." Job 14:14

As Yet to Be

Timeline: Nearly a century past the temple destruction

Since, then, we prove that all things which have already happened had been predicted by the prophets before they came to pass, we must necessarily believe also that those things which are in like manner predicted, but are yet to come to pass, shall certainly happen. For as the things which have already taken place came to pass when foretold, and even though unknown, so shall the things that remain, even though they be unknown and disbelieved, yet come to pass.

For the prophets have proclaimed two advents of His: the one, that which is already past, when He came as a dishonoured and suffering Man; but the second, when, according to prophecy, He shall come from heaven with glory, accompanied by His angelic host, when also He shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality, and shall send those of the wicked, endued with eternal sensibility, into everlasting fire with the wicked devils. And that these things also have been foretold as yet to be, we will prove. - Justin Martyr (103 A. D. to 165 A. D.)

Await the Fulfillment of the Prophecy

It is therefore more certain, and less hazardous, to await the fulfilment of the prophecy, than to be making surmises, and casting about for any names that may present themselves, inasmuch as many names can be found possessing the number mentioned; and the same question will, after all, remain unsolved.

For if there are many names found possessing this number, it will be asked which among them shall the coming man bear. It is not through a want of names containing the number of that name that I say this, but on account of the fear of God, and zeal for the truth: for the name Evanthas (ΕΥΑΝΘΑΣ) contains the required number, but I make no allegation regarding it.

Then also Lateinos (ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ) has the number six hundred and sixty-six; and it is a very probable [solution], this being the name of the last kingdom [of the four seen by Daniel]. For the Latins are they who at present bear rule: I will not, however, make any boast over this [coincidence].

Titan 2 Rocket Takeoff Teitan too, (ΤΕΙΤΑΝ, the first syllable being written with the two Greek vowels ε and ι, among all the names which are found among us, is rather worthy of credit. For it has in itself the predicted number, and is composed of six letters, each syllable containing three letters; and [the word itself] is ancient, and removed from ordinary use; for among our kings we find none bearing this name Titan, nor have any of the idols which are worshipped in public among the Greeks and barbarians this appellation.

Among many persons, too, this name is accounted divine, so that even the sun is termed Titan by those who do now possess [the rule]. This word, too, contains a certain outward appearance of vengeance, and of one inflicting merited punishment because he (Antichrist) pretends that he vindicates the oppressed. And besides this, it is an ancient name, one worthy of credit, of royal dignity, and still further, a name belonging to a tyrant. Inasmuch, then, as this name Titan has so much to recommend it, there is a strong degree of probability, that from among the many [names suggested], we infer, that perchance he who is to come shall be called Titan.

We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign. (96 A.D.) - Iraneaus, Against Heresies, Book V, Chapter 30, written many decades after 70 A.D.

Preterist Lexicon

By establishing limited definitions with an exclusive lexicon a normal exegesis becomes a controlled litany. Take for example some of the following:

"He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him." The words “all” and “every” means “only some”.

“Generation” means 'one lifetime' excluding a ‘lineage spanning more than a lifetime’.

"This generation" means those living right now, compared to "the generation that exists when all fortold events take place".

“Imminent” means has to happen very soon, whereas it also means “pending”.

“You” means only those in one specific life-span, whereas it is used many times prior to include future generations.

“Resurrection” means a spiritual, but not physical, return to life.

The Olivet Discourse

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. ⁵For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. ¹¹And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. ¹²And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. ¹³But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) ¹⁶Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: ¹⁷Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: ¹⁸Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

¹⁹And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! ²⁰But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: ²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

²³Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. ²⁴For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. ²⁵Behold, I have told you before. ²⁶Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. ²⁷For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ²⁸For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

²⁹Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: ³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³²Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: ³³So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. ³⁴Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. ³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

³⁶But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. ³⁷But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, ³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴⁵Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. ⁴⁷Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; ⁴⁹And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; ⁵⁰The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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