Category Archives: Preterism

THE BOOK OF THE “STRONG ANGEL”

Preterism, Revelation July 13, 2018 Comments: 2

PMW 2018-056 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my last blog article I argued that the strong angel in Rev 10 is Christ. He appears several times in Revelation by means of angelomorphism. In this article I will focus on the open book in his hand.

The strong angel (Christ) of Rev. 10 comes down out of heaven holding a little book which was open: “He had in his hand a little book which was open” (Rev 10:2a). Commentators have long debated the identity of this “little book” (biblaridion) and its relationship to the “book” (biblion) of chapter 5. Though many scholars distinguish the two, a significant number hold that the little book in Revelation 10 the scroll taken by the Lamb in Rev. 5. Continue reading →

REVELATION’S “STRONG ANGEL”

Preterism, Revelation July 10, 2018 1 Comment

PMW 2018-055 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In Rev. 10:1 John records the appearance of a strong angel:

“And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.”

This appears to be Christ himself.

All commentators agree that Christ appears under a variety of symbols in Revelation, including gigantic Christophany (1:13-16), redeeming lamb (5:6; 14:1), glorious Son of Man (14:14-15), and conquering warrior (19:11-16). This opens the possibility that he could also appear in angelic form and that John is reporting what he sees without interpreting it. Continue reading →

CHALLENGING REVELATION’S NEAR-TERM EXPECTATION

Preterism, Revelation July 6, 2018 Comments: 8

PMW 2018-054 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The “near” statements in Revelation befuddle many Christians who only read those sections of Revelation that are exciting, such as those dealing with the beast, Armageddon, the millennium, and so forth. However, those texts occur in a prophetic work that is book-ended with declarations that the events within are near in John’s own day.

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

And he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true’; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. (Rev. 22:6)

But sometimes a thinking Christian (may their tribe increase) will ask a penetrating question in challenging the preterist position on Revelation. One such correspondent asked:

“If Revelation was written in AD 65-66 about events in AD 70, how could John have expected it to be widely circulated in so short a period of time? It seems the book’s grandiose vision would be largely wasted because of the time frame involved. It couldn’t do much good, especially since the bulk of its actions (on your view) occur in Palestine.”

Continue reading →

GENTRY COMMENTARIES

AD 70, Books, Matthew 24, Olivet Discourse, Preterism, Revelation April 24, 2018 Comments: 23

PMW 2018-033 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Gentry Commentary on Revelation

I have just received notice from the publisher that my commentary on Revelation will be released this Summer. It’s title is: The Divorce of Israel: A Redemptive-Historical Interpretation of Revelation. It will be around 1800 pages in two volumes.

I am excited that the long wait for it may be over. A day waiting for one’s book to be published is like a 1000 years. Only more so. I never thought I would interpret a 1000 years so literally!

But what does a used Revelation commentator do in his spare time, such as it is? He gets started on Revelation’s best friend, the Olivet Discourse. After all, Revelation opens with “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1), and has four key passages from Christ that greatly impact its drama, each one taken from the Olivet Discourse. Continue reading →

THE GLORY TO BE REVEALED

Preterism, Resurrection February 16, 2018 Comments: 2

PMW 2018-014 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

A reader recently wrote to me, asking the following question:

“I would like to know if the Greek word mellousan in Romans 8:18 would indicate that “the glory that will be revealed to us” would be “about to happen” in the early church days, as preterism in its entirety teaches.”

My reply:

This was a good question so I thought it deserving of an answer. Especially since it is the type of lexical error that is often made by Hyper-preterists. Here is my brief response. I hope it is helpful. Continue reading →

RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS (Acts 3:21) (2)

Amillennialism, Dispensationalism, Preterism February 9, 2018 Comments: 4

PMW 2018-012 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second of a two-part study of Acts 3:19–21. This is an important passage from dispensationalists and premillennialists as they attempt to find some New Testament confirmation of their view of Israel. It is also an important passage in itself, because of how it can easily be misconstrued.

The passage reads:

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 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. (Acts 3:19–21)

Now as I continue, perhaps the Jews would lament their having destroyed the only One who could bring them divine consolation — a fear much like Peter had encountered before (Acts 2:37). In order to circumvent such, the Apostles sets a promise before them. That promise is that Christ will yet come to them in salvation: ‟and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you” (Acts 3:20 NASV). It is true that He is in heaven physically away from them; in fact, ‟heaven must receive [Him] until the times of restoration of all things” (3:21). Still, there is the promise that God will send Him to them in salvation. [1] Though He is in heaven He is not beyond their reach, for He comes to dwell in those who have faith in Him (John 14:23). As the gospel is preached, the hearers discern the voice of the living Christ (Eph. 2:17). Continue reading →

RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS (Acts 3:21) (1)

Amillennialism, Dispensationalism, Preterism February 6, 2018 Leave a comment

PMW-2018-011 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Acts 3:19–21 is an important passage in the eschatological debate. I have treated this passage on a previous occasion, but continue to get inquiries. So I thought it would be good to offer some insights again.

This is a favorite passage for the dispensational and premillennial search for a special future for Israel in the New Testament record. It is thought to establish the premillennial expectation against all others. This passage reads:

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 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. (Acts 3:19–21)

Continue reading →