Many commentators note John’s demonstrating Jesus’ fulfillment of the temple (John 2) as one of the purposes of his Gospel, as well as his fulfilling the Sabbath (John 5), the Passover (John 6), and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7).(1) His people in mystical union with him are called his “body” (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor [...]
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Israel plays an important role in Scripture. She represents God’s people throughout most of the Old Testament: she is God’s elect nation (Deut 7:7–8 ; 10:15; Zech 2:8; Rom 3:1–3; 11:1), the focal point of his redemptive mercies in history (Deut 4:7–8; Psa 147:19–20; Amos 3:2; Rom 9:4). Because of her commanding presence in old [...]
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Dispensationalists like to argue that the Church was not revealed until the New Testament. They claim all prophecy of the Old Testament is silent about any idea of the Church, so that the Old Testament is wholly wind-swept empty regarding the Church. But we should not deem the new covenant era, international Church as a [...]
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Though dispensationalists hold a distinct and elevated status for Israel in God’s kingdom in the future, the Bible actually sees prophecies regarding Israel coming to fulfillment in the church. This creates serious problems for the dispensational system in that they sing: My hope is built on nothing less than Scofield’s notes and Moody Press. Not [...]
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Does Israel have a special future in which she will rule the world? Or does the Bible’s view of Israel have her coming to full-flower in the Church of Jesus Christ? We have been studying this question and surveying the evidence that supports a transformation of the people of God from geo-political Israel to the [...]
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In a posting yesterday, I quoted Charles C. Ryrie who points to the centrality and exaltation of Israel as the first of the three sine qua non of dispensationalism: “A dispensationalist keeps Israel and the Church distinct.” He defends this position over against all other evangelical theologies by arguing that: (1) The Church is not [...]
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I believe that Revelation deals with Christ’s judgment-coming against Israel for crucifying Christ. This view is known as the preterist approach to Revelation. More specifically, I distinguish it as “redemptive-historical preterism,” in that it focuses on redemptive history rather than secular history. Redemptive-historical preterism looks at John’s prophecy as having mostly occurred (“preterist” is based on the Latin [...]
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Christians have the lowest growth rate among the Israeli population, according to a recent report from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. According to the Jan. 6 report, the Christian growth rate of 0.9 percent lags behind the Jewish rate of 1.7 percent and the 2.7 percent growth rate among Muslims. Christian Arabs have a [...]
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For the past few days I have been focusing on some of the difficult elements in the Olivet Discourse that seem to counter the preterist interpretation. Today I would like to focus on the great tibulation as the worst-ever catastrophe. Since I am arguing that the great tribulation occurred in the first century, I must [...]
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As a preteristic postmillennialist, I believe that the first portion of the Lord’s Olivet Discourse deals with the approaching destruction of the temple in AD 70. Consequently, the future “great tribulation,” does not encumber the postmillennialist’s optimistic outlook on the historical long run. But why do I believe this? Why do I believe the tribulation [...]
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KINGDOM LEAVENThe Parable of the Leaven reads: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid i...
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