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The glory! The glory! If I don't release it, I'll blow up. If I don't release the anointing, I'll blow up. I got to release it on somebody. The demon must bow to the name of the master Jesus ... Yes Lord I'll do it! I place a curse on every man and woman that will stretch his hand against this anointing. I curse that man who dares to speak a word against this ministry.
-- Benny Hinn, TBN, Denver CO
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Advanced Eschatology (Part 1)
Posted on Thursday, July 17 @ 14:46:45 PDT by Virgil |
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plymouthrock submitted: "Advanced Eschatology (Part 1)
“The harvest is the end of the age.” (Matt. 13: 39)
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This is the first in a series of articles dealing with Biblical eschatology. They are labeled ‘advanced,’ for it is my intention to pierce through and beyond the blundering limitations imposed by Full Preterism– that imperfect understanding of Scripture which masquerades as ‘exalted’ knowledge. Thus anything that soars above it must really be “advanced.” I will try to be as brief and to-the-point as possible. I’ve found it always takes longer to prove something that is false. Therefore, if I can keep these articles from becoming prolix, I’ll have done well. Big pat on the back for me!
There is much talk nowadays concerning the “end of the age.” In His analogy of the wheat and the tares, Christ says “The harvest is the end of the age.” Of what age is he speaking? The Full Preterists will say that it is the Mosaic age, which ended in A.D. 70. Therefore, they conclude that the devil was cast into the lake of fire at the destruction of Jerusalem. Let us see if this is actually correct.
Does Christ give us any indication in His parabolic discourse of what “age” He is talking about? In Matt. 13, the word “aion” is used twice. The example Full Preterists use to bolster their theory is Matt. 13: 39: “The harvest is the end of the age.” Yet they are forcing a false context on Christ’s words. For Christ is not at all talking about the Mosaic age. He is speaking of the Adamic age. The indicator is the other example of the word “aion” which occurs in Matt. 13: 22: “He also that received seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word; and the care of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” Note that the translators have correctly rendered “age” as “world.” For that is exactly what Christ meant.
If Christ were referring to the Mosaic age, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that the “cares of this age” ended in A.D. 70? But the varying effect of the Gospel on the hearts of men is the same now as it was prior to A.D. 70. Is the Word of God still received among thorns? Absolutely! Therefore, it is impossible that “this age” ended in A.D. 70. Christ is not speaking of the Mosaic age, but the Adamic age. Now, another part of the parable says: “When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside” (Matt. 13: 19). If the Word is still received among thorns, then it must be still received by the wayside. And so the manner of its “catching away” must be the same. Is the devil really in the lake of fire???
The devil functioned prior to the Mosaic age. Thus his supposed destruction in A.D. 70 has no theological significance. It is clearly out of context. Those who claim that death and hell were cast into the lake of fire in A.D. 70 are still trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The events of A.D. 70 were strictly Mosaic in nature. Realities such as death, sin, hell, and devil are not in any way confined to the Mosaic age or the Jewish temple. They belong to the Adamic age. Sin entered the world through Adam, bringing death upon all men (Romans 5: 12). This sin came about through the temptation of the devil. Death reigned from Adam to Moses (Romans 5: 14). Thus, the realities of sin and salvation by Jesus Christ were not in the least affected by the dissolution of the Mosaic economy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is exactly the same now as it was then.
Let me give you another example of our Lord’s use of the word “aion.” He says: “For the children of this age are in their generation wiser than the children of light” (Luke 16: 8). Now, if we make this refer strictly to the Mosaic age, what sense can we make out of Christ’s teachings? The context shows that He is speaking of the worldly-wise ones, who deal cleverly according to the flesh, as opposed to those who deal in honesty and truth. Is it safe to say that the “children of this age” are no longer present among us? Of course not. And yet such is the logical conclusion of claiming that “this age” ended in A.D. 70.
Yet another example of our Lord’s use of “aion” occurs in Luke 20: 34: “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage. But they which shall be accounted to obtain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage.” Unless we choose to distort the very meaning of language, we’ll easily perceive that Christ is not referring to the Mosaic age at all. He is referring to the Adamic age. The institution of marriage began in the Garden of Eden. Thus the translators rendered “age” as “world”– for marriage is applicable to “this world” alone, and not the “world to come,” or resurrection of the dead. This ought to be clear to everyone.
There are several other examples in Scripture in which the word “aion” is clearly intended to mean “world,” or ‘Adamic age.’ Here are just a few:
(Romans 12: 2) “And be not conformed to this age: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
(Romans 16: 25) “According to the revelation of the mystery, which hath been kept secret since the age began.”
(1 Cor. 1: 20) “Where is the disputer of this age? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?“ [Note that ‘age’ and ‘world’ are used interchangeably].
(1 Cor. 2: 6-7) “Yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the princes of this age that come to nought. Howbeit we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden mystery which God ordained before the age unto our glory.”
(1 Cor. 3: 18-19) “If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” [Once again, note that ‘age’ and ‘world’ are used interchangeably!].
(Galatians 1: 4) “That gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of God and our Father.”
(1 Tim. 6: 17) “Charge them that are rich in this age, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches.“
(2 Tim. 1: 9) “Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the age began.”
It is fairly obvious– or should be– that the term “aion” often embraces the whole world system. The world is the field in which the Gospel is sown (Matt. 13: 38). To make “this age” refer to the Mosaic economy alone, is to rob Christ’s teachings of their relevance. Full Preterists need to understand the massive reductio ad absurdum in which their system really results. Certainly Christ says “The harvest is the end of the age,” but the context shows that He is speaking of the Adamic age. The Mosaic age must embrace those things that are applicable to it alone– such as the natural temple, the Mosaic ordinances, etc. All these things were dissolved in A.D. 70. But death, sin, the law, hell and the devil had their origin outside of the Mosaic economy. They belong to the Adamic economy. If these things functioned prior to the institutions of Moses, then their supposed destruction in A.D. 70 has no relevance.
I’ve called this a study in “advanced eschatology.” But really, these truths are not in any way abstruse or recondite. They are easy to comprehend, provided you have the proper state of heart to receive them. That state of heart involves dealing fairly with all the evidence, keeping words inside their proper context, and the willingness to amend one’s theories in light of reason and common sense. Of course full Preterists must realize that by pressing their doctrines they throw the church into an utter confusion regarding the tenets of Christian faith. I’ve already demonstrated this in previous articles. Now is a great time for us to identify our errors, embrace the truth, and move to a higher comprehension of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Brian Simmons
Read article in context here."
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Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
 by judge on Friday, July 18 @ 01:37:42 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hi Brian :-) You wrote: "The Full Preterists will say that it is the Mosaic age"
Full preterists might or might not say this. The only thing full preterism says is that all "end times stuff" is over with.
After that preterists can (and do) argue amongst themselves or with others about the details.
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Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
by judge on Friday, July 18 @ 01:49:45 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hi again, Just to make myself clear, I am full preterist and I dont think Jesus was talking about the Mosaic age.
Let's face it, full preterists come out, at times, with just as much nonsense as any other sect within the christian religion.
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Mosaic Age? (Score: 1)
 by JL (j.l.preterist@gmail.com) on Friday, July 18 @ 05:47:07 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Brian,
Glad to have you aboard Brian. Tim Martin and I wrote a book demonstrating that the Adamic Age ended in AD 70.
JL Vaughn
Coauthor Beyond Creation Science |
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- by judge on Friday, July 18 @ 15:10:45 PDT
- by JL on Friday, July 18 @ 15:51:35 PDT
- by Ransom on Saturday, July 19 @ 06:21:39 PDT
- by judge on Saturday, July 19 @ 06:49:45 PDT
- by Ransom on Saturday, July 19 @ 06:59:45 PDT
- by judge on Saturday, July 19 @ 07:06:38 PDT
Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
by davecollins on Saturday, July 19 @ 21:02:28 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Brian, Thanks for an interesting article. Your points regarding the "natural" mans difficulty in receiving God's Truth are very evident,even in this age.
I believe you would find a better track to run on if you would think " covenantally" and spiritual vs. natural. The realities of the New Covenant super cedes and grants victory, over the difficulties of sin and death, in the spiritual realm which is God's kingdom. The new covenant was firmly established at the parousia of the King in A.D. 70. The timing of the promises reveal the nature of the kingdom.
BTW, the church was in "utter confusion" before I discovered preterism..have you ever sat through a "traditional" Bible study on Revelation?
Obviously, the visible church has many thoughts and practices which do not line up with God's plan in purchasing and calling out the body of Christ. I would recommend Viola and Barna's book; Pagan Christianity? for samples of confusion, if you really want to know the truth about these things.
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I think you have very faulty assumption in one place. (Score: 1)
by judge on Sunday, July 20 @ 02:24:13 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hi again Brian, you wrote..."If Christ were referring to the Mosaic age, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that the “cares of this age” ended in A.D. 70? But the varying effect of the Gospel on the hearts of men is the same now as it was prior to A.D. 70. Is the Word of God still received among thorns? Absolutely! Therefore, it is impossible that “this age” ended in A.D. 70."
I say..Why on earth is it reasonable to assume the cares of this age ended in 70 AD?
There is just no reason to assume that mortal men, born as tiny babies, growing up needy and dependent,by necessity, wont be prone to the same cares that have presented themselves to mankind since Adam was a boy. |
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Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
by Kent on Sunday, July 20 @ 05:36:26 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | I guess, we now have another name to add to a long list of Full Preterism names or doctrine.
Richard
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Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
by mazuur on Sunday, July 20 @ 07:41:21 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | The answer is it is both.
Eph 3:5
"which in other ages (plural) was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets"
Col 1:26
"the mystery which has been hidden from ages (plural) and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints"
Heb 9:26
"He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages (plural), He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
There were other past ages, but they had already pasted. The age to which Paul was living in was the (Mosaic age) and it was coming to an end. This is the age addressed throughout the NT as ending, which did finally come to a close in AD70.
So, while God surely finished His plan of redemption which started in Genesis, the final age that ended when he completed this plan was the OC age. That is why it is presented as ending.
Conclusion: the age referred to in the NT is the Mosaic age. But God was bring to conclusion His plan of redemption which started in Genesis. The reason you try to push the "age" that Paul addressed to some "Adamic age" prior to Israel is because you fall to see the connection between Israel and the ending of her age and God's completing of His plan of redemption.
The prefect example, the death that God was dealing with was the death brought into the world by Adam correct.
Yet Paul connects the passing away of this death with the passing of the Law (Israel's Law, the Mosaic Law).
1 Cor 15:56
"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."
-Rich
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- by davo on Sunday, July 20 @ 08:01:30 PDT
- by mazuur on Sunday, July 20 @ 10:22:33 PDT
- by davo on Sunday, July 20 @ 11:37:47 PDT
- by mazuur on Sunday, July 20 @ 11:53:16 PDT
Re: Advanced Eschatology (Part 1) (Score: 1)
by Hawk on Wednesday, July 23 @ 10:41:47 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Rich (Mazuur) is correct in that there were other ages which are now past (see the scriptures cited in his post). The "end of the age" is not the Mosaic age nor the Adamic age, but it refers to the end of the Old Covenant system (Hebrews 8:13).
In regards to "the harvest is the end of the age"...
Jesus points out in John 4:35 "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
The field was ready for harvesting THEN. Only it needed more laborers for the gathering.
Matthew 9:37-38 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
This occurred in 70 AD with the end of the Old Covenant system.
- Hawk, a potential full preterist
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- by davecollins on Wednesday, July 23 @ 20:31:10 PDT
- by mazuur on Thursday, July 24 @ 06:06:03 PDT
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