GRADUALISM IN ESCHATOLOGY

Interpretation, Kingdom November 13, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-089 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Since Hal Lindsey originally burst on the scene in 1970, biblical prophecy has become a fun game that the whole family can play. Biblical prophecy has thus become a toy and has led many game winners (who have sold in excess of 100 million books to qualify) to be excitedly declared “Prophecy Experts.” But as for me and my house, once I hear the term “prophecy expert,” I turn the channel. Even if I do not have the TV on. I don’t take chances.

When I was first converted in 1966, I got caught up in prophecy rage, especially when The Late Great Planet Earth was published in 1970. I longed to watch new Olympic sports events, such as “Pin the Horns on the Antichrist” or “Guess the Date of Rapture.” Or even to see a new TV game show: “I’ve Got a Secret (Rapture). Eventually I even received a B.S. degree in Biblical Studies from a college committed to such dispensational activities. “Those were the days, my friend, / I thought they’d never end.” But fortunately I grew up and walked away from such. And have not looked back (though, admittedly, I like salt).

One of the most important principles for understanding biblical prophecy is known as the “Now but Not Yet Principle,” also known as the “Already/Not Yet Principle” (it is never called the “See You Later Alligator Principle” or “Take It Easy Greasy Principle”). If Christians would take this interpretive principle to heart (or better: to mind), a lot of embarrassment from failed prophetic expectations could be avoided. And a lot of money saved on books that give the latest Rapture predictions. Continue reading →

VICTORY FIRST; THEN THE END

New Testament, Optimism November 10, 2026 Leave a comment

Cross over worldPMW 2026-088 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Postmillennialism differs from the other evangelical eschatologies in a very important respect: Postmillennialism is optimistic about the progress of the gospel in history. We believe that Christ’s victory on the cross will exercise a tremendous influence in history — before the end, before the return of Christ.

We see this throughout the Scriptural record. Some amillennialists charge that postmillennialism is built solely on Old Testament texts, and that its optimistic outlook cannot be found in the New Testament. But that is absolutely mistaken. Let us consider one text in Paul as an example of Christ’s victory in history before his return: 1 Corinthians 15. Continue reading →

REV 17 AND THE BEAST AS “AN EIGHTH” (2)

Revelation November 6, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-087 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my previous article I began focusing on Rev. 17:11 which reads:

“The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.”

I pointed out that the idea of the “eighth” pictures a resurrection, a new beginning. But now we must ask: Who is this “eighth,” this resurrection of the beast?

In Rev. 17:9–10 we read:

“Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.”

Continue reading →

REV 17 AND THE BEAST AS AN EIGHTH (1)

Revelation November 3, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-086 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a three-part study of the confusing verses in Revelation 17. I now move on to consider Rev. 17:11 and:

The eighth among seven?

In previous studies I argued that Nero is the personification of the beast. The evidence is quite clear and most compelling. But in Revelation 17:11 we read a statement which causes some difficulties with this interpretation. In fact, it “presents all interpreters with a real difficulty.” [1]

And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. (Rev 17:11)

Of course, the main difficulties have been solved for I show above what he means by “the beast which was and is not” (cf. Rev 17:8). But now who is this “eighth”? How can there be an eighth in a series of seven? And how is he “one of the seven”? Continue reading →

REV 17 AND THE BEAST THAT “WAS, IS, AND IS NOT”

Objections, Revelation October 30, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-085 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In previous studies I presented evidence that the sixth head of the seven-headed beast of Revelation was Nero Caesar, the sixth emperor of Rome. Thus, in Revelation the sixth head of the beast represents the then reigning sixth head/king of Rome. But now we must deal with a passage that seems to contradict this identification. In Revelation 17 the interpreting angel states that:

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. . . . The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.” (Rev. 17:8, 11)

As we focus on these statements, two important questions arise: (1) What is the significance of the beast being the one who “was and is not, and is about to come”? Is this one of the many instances of the beast’s divine pretensions, wherein he parodies divine eternality, which is the view of most commentators? And (2) does this description undercut the early-date position and preterist approach by declaring the beast (Nero) is already dead when John writes? After all, the angel states that he “was and is not [ouk estin].”

Continue reading →

“AGE” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Age(s) (Two Ages) October 27, 2026 Comments: 3

PMW 2026-084 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Continuing from my previous article, we now come on the second “age” term to consider as we study the two age doctrine of redemptive history is the Greek noun ain, including its adjectival form ainios. The noun is frequent in the NT, occurring over 100 times, while the adjective appears seventy times. It also occurs in the LXX 450+ times, which includes 150 times in the Apocrypha (NIDNTT 3: 829). This common word is the equivalent (and frequent LXX translation) of the Hebrew ôlâm.

Thus, like ôlâm, the word aion also means “a long period of time” or “a segment of time as a particular unit of history, age” (BAGD 32). It can be defined “as an Indefinite Time … an indeterminate period of time” (EDT 19). Or we may more fully explain it as indicating “a long time, duration of time … an age, epoch, era (of the world)” (NIDNTT 3: 829). As Cullmann (1962: 39) notes it differs fundamentally from the Greek kairos, which “has to do with a definite point of time which has a fixed content, while aion designates a duration of time, a defined or undefined extent of time.” Continue reading →

“AGE” IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Age(s) (Two Ages) October 23, 2026 Comments: 2

PMW 2026-083 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Introduction
As noted previously I am working on the book dealing with the two ages in Scripture. These two ages make up the two ages of redemptive history, which is widely misunderstood by dispensationalists and hyperpreterists. I will now provide a brief, two-part series on the two biblical terms that are foundational to the two-age conception.

What are the particular terms framing the Two Age doctrine? Basically two words are used to establish the concept, one from Hebrew/Aramaic texts, the other from Greek texts. Those words are: ôlâm in Hebrew and aiõn in Greek. I will consider the lexical meaning of the older term first. Later we will see how it functions in specific contexts as a theological construct. Continue reading →