Category Archives: AD 70

IS PRETERISM SPIRITUALLY DEPRESSING? (4)

AD 70, hyperpreterism, Interpretation, Revelation April 17, 2015 Comments: 4

Future lookPMT 2015-047 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

As I continue considering the question whether preterism is depressing, I come to my fourth article in answering a reader’s concern. It is at this point that we actually get to the reason that Rick sees preterism as potentially depressing. I have summarized this portion of his concern as follows:

Does preterism discount our eternal hope in a glorified estate? If the new Jerusalem and the new heavens and new earth have already begun, what comfort is that since so much in the world is in such bad shape? Such thinking has almost ruined the writer’s faith. Continue reading →

IS PRETERISM SPIRITUALLY DEPRESSING? (3)

AD 70, Interpretation, Revelation April 15, 2015 1 Comment

SymbolismPMT 2015-046 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the third in a series responding a reader named Rick. As he looks at preterism, it seems to reduce supernatural actions of God to mundane historical events and apply glorious images of eternity to contemporary history. This was leaving him spiritually depressed. He wonders if preterism is inherently deflating for the Christian hope.

I reduce his lengthy question to several focused observations. I am dealing with the second summary observation in this article:

2. Why can we not interpret Rev 8:8 as referring to a meteor strike and the enormous consequences resulting from it? Why should we discount a more literal understanding when it is entirely feasible? Are we limiting the supernatural power of God?

Continue reading →

IS PRETERISM SPIRITUALLY DEPRESSING? (2)

AD 70, Interpretation, Israel, Revelation, Temple April 13, 2015 Comments: 10

Burn mountain 2PMT 2015-044 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a series answering a reader’s (Rick) question as to whether preterism leaves us empty and spiritually depressed (see PMT 2015-043). I did not think that telling him that I feel pretty good on most days would be all that helpful. He obviously is seriously considering the implications of preterism, and I commend him for that.

In the introductory article I presented his question, then reduced it to a series of focused observations. In this article I will consider the first implication.

What is the mountain burning with fire in Rev 8:8? That text reads: ‘The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood.’ Preterism seems to reduce this enormous catastrophe to a relatively minor occurrence.

Continue reading →

IS PRETERISM SPIRITUALLY DEPRESSING? (1)

AD 70, Interpretation, New Creation, Preterism, Revelation April 10, 2015 Comments: 2

Burn mountain 1PMT 2015-044 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

A reader named Rick wonders if preterism is spiritually depressing. Here is his lengthy question. As you can tell from the involved nature of the inquiry, I will have to break it down into manageable chunks.

In this article I will basically present his question, then break it down into numbered sections for later analysis.

Reader’s Question

Dr. Gentry:

I checked out your website and that makes a lot of sense. I can understand most of your teaching regarding Revelation, but some of it is fuzzy. I can really see most of the history you describe and what has happened, but I have a hard time believing that much of the judgement is over unless it’s a foretaste/foreshadow of what’s to come. I know that some hold this view even though I didn’t pick it up from anyone else. Continue reading →

DISTANT EVENTS IN REVELATION?

AD 70, Revelation March 25, 2015 Comments: 3

DistantPMT 2015-037 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I often receive e-mail questions from readers. Here is a good question from Micah Thompson:

Question

“I have appreciated your teachings regarding Revelation. Through personal study, I came to believe that each book of the Bible was written to benefit those of its day and to which it was written, otherwise it really didn’t make much sense excluding, of course, the redemptive weave throughout the OT. So when I was given your presentation I felt it was confirmed even more.

The question I did have is in regard to Revelation. Since John did say “shortly” in the beginning and ending as you mentioned: Is there anything in between those chapters that we could speculate could still happen or is yet to happen other than the return of Christ?

Do you feel all the apocalyptic language stuff has ALREADY happened since it does fall between the beginning and ending chapters? Continue reading →

REVELATION’S PROPHECIES WERE NEAR (2)

AD 70, Interpretation, Preterism, Revelation March 23, 2015 Leave a comment

clearl visionPMT 2015-036 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my last blog article I began a two-part series showing that the text of Revelation clearly expects that the prophecies were coming soon in John’s own first-century time-frame. I will conclude this study in this article.

5. Didactic placement

John places his two leading terms in his introduction and conclusion (1:1, 3; 22:6, 10): (1) He places these expressions early (1:1, 3) to alert the readers and hearers in advance that the following prophecies are near at hand. Before anyone could form any opinion about when they think these things might occur, he informs them right up front. Thus, the audience hears these statement upon entering the book and are reminded of them upon exiting it. Furthermore, (2) these statements appear in the more didactic portions of the book before and after the dramatic symbolism confronts — and confounds — the reader/hearer.

We must recognize that the first-century recipients of Revelation were not privy to Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Roman Empire. Nor to Tim LaHaye’s, Left Behind a Rock. They were stuck only with John’s own words. Continue reading →

REVELATION’S PROPHECIES WERE NEAR (1)

AD 70, Interpretation, Preterism, Revelation March 20, 2015 Comments: 2

close behindPMT 2015-035 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Most commentators attempt to get around John’s near-term statements in his opening and closing chapters. But it is with great difficulty that they make the effort. The reason it is so difficult to discount John’s statements is because they are so clear. In this and my next article, I will be providing some textual insights for understanding his statements. But first, I will cite two of his statements:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon [en tachei] take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John.” (Rev 1:1)

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near [eggus].” (Rev 1:3)

Continue reading →