THE KEY TO OPENING REVELATION

AD 70, Preterism, Revelation October 18, 2022 Leave a comment

PMW 2022-079 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

There are several keys to interpreting the Book of Revelation. But the key key is that of John’s statement regarding the prophetic events being near. When I discuss Revelation with folks I begin by urging them to read the first three verses. Once the shock wears off their faces, the gears in their head will often begin to turn.

Thus, the leading preterist evidence derives from John’s temporal delimitations, which he emphasizes by strategic placement, didactic assertion, frequent repetition, and careful variation. Continue reading →

THE PLAGUES AND EGYPT’S GODS

Optimism, Theology October 14, 2022 Leave a comment

PMW 2022-078  by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The ten plagues that befall Egypt during the period of the exodus, were not only designed to get Israel released from bondage. They were also designed to directly confront the puny gods of Egypt. We need to recognize that the same God who sent the plagues against the gods of the mightest nation in that era is the same God we serve today. And he will overthrow the modern gods of the nations. In this article I will highlight the ten plagues as challenges to Egypt’s gods

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STRUCTURAL STRANDS IN NT ESCHATOLOGY

Last Days, Two Ages October 7, 2022 Comments: 7

PMW 2022-078 by John Murray

(Gentry Note: The material below was given by Professor John Murray of Westminster Theological Seminary at the Evangelical Theological Society meeting in 1954.)

INTRODUCTION

There are three distinct strands in the structure of New Testament eschatology: (1) the strand represented by “the last days”; (2) the strand expressed in the contrast between “this age” and “the age to come”; and (3) the strand intimated in such expressions as “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20) and “we have been raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6; cf. Col. 3:1-3). We might speak of these three strands respectively as anticipated eschatology, prospective eschatology and projective eschatology.

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THE TWO-AGE STRUCTURE OF ESCHATOLOGY

Uncategorized October 4, 2022 Comments: 3

PMW 2022-082 by Richard B. Gaffin

Ken Gentry Introduction

The following material is quoted from Richard B. Gaffin, In the Fullness of Time (ch. 10). It helpfully introduces the biblical concept of the two-age redemptive-history construct, including the overlap of those two ages in post-incarnation history. I highly recommend getting, reading, and studying this book as an excellent Reformed analysis of the structure of redemptive-history, which has Christ as its center-point. The book may be ordered at ChristianBooks.com

Conservative evangelical Christians who believe in the physical resurrection of Christ will find this book valuable for understanding redemptive history from Christ’s first coming in the first century to his second coming at the end of history. Those who reject the historic, corporate, public, universal, systematic Christian faith’s commitment to the historic, physical resurrection of Christ and his continued incarnational existence in heaven (e.g., Col. 2:9) and his future, visible, glorious, physical second coming to call forth the resurrection of the dead and establish the consummate new creation to replace the fallen original creation will probably just want to skip reading this material and move on to other things. In fact, my last sentence was so long, you may want to skip that too. I know I do!

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THE LAND BEAST & GREAT SIGNS (2)

Revelation September 30, 2022 Comments: 5

High priestPMW 2022-074 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a two-part study of the heavenly fire by the beast from the earth in Revelation 13. In the previous study I showed that the beast is from the “Land,” and not just the “earth.” That is, he is the beast from Israel. I see the Land beast as picturing the high priestly aristocracy. And in the last article I noted how this fire from heaven reflected several OT episodes in which God himself lit altar fires miraculously. John’s imagery here is echoing those events. Continue reading →

THE LAND BEAST & GREAT SIGNS (1)

Revelation September 27, 2022 Comments: 3

FirePMW 2022-073 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In Rev 13:11 we see a beast “coming up out of the earth” in order to serve the beast from the sea (which is Rome). I argue that we might better translate the beast from “the earth” as the beast from “the Land,” i.e., the Promised Land, Israel. Specifically I hold that this Land Beast refers to the high-priestly aristocracy of Israel (as I have argued elsewhere).

But in Rev 13:13 we read of a remarkable action of the Land Beast: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” (Rev 13:13). What is going on here? How is this relevant to the first century high-priesthood? Continue reading →

KEY PRETERIST PRINCIPLES

AD 70, Interpretation, Preterism September 23, 2022 Comments: 2

PMW 2022-072 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Modern postmillennialism is largely, though not solely, committed to a particular interpretive tool known as “preterism.” This tool is helpful for explaining many of the catastrophic judgment passages as features of the founding of Christianity in the first century rather than evidence for the decline of Christianity in the final century.

However, postmillennialists do not adopt this interpretive approach in order to avoid a negative impact on their eschatological system. Rather, preterism arises naturally from a careful reading of the biblical text. Continue reading →