Preterism

This is a video by Laura from Magical Mystery Church on Preterism and below her video is my response.  Firstly, let me state clearly that I am not a Preterist as someone who believes that all scripture was fulfilled in the first century must explain why  the world is still in a fallen state. If you must stick a label on me then call me a partial preterist but even that is not accurate. I have created my own term which is a “patternist” as scripture is repeated patterns.  It is for that reason that I chose Pattern Recognition in the Apocalypse (PRITA) as the title for my Apocalypse commentary.

Prophecy always has an initial fulfilment to legitimize and test the authority of the prophet.  It is all very well giving a prophecy that will only be fulfilled in the distant future (2,000 years) as no will will be alive to verify it.  A prophecy must be verifiable in order for the prophet to be trusted.  So, for example, messianic prophecies and psalms had an initial fulfilment in the lives of David, Hezekiah etc. and ultimately a primary fulfilment in Christ. It is also obvious from Scripture that the first Century Church expected the return of Christ during their lifetime but it was contingent on national repentance and that did not occur.  Instead, the Gospel was extended to the Gentiles.  Their loss was our gain.

So, although I reject Preterism I believe that many Christians are throwing out the baby with the bathwater and in so doing they diminish their understanding of Scripture. We are told that there are many antichrists.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)

What does he mean by “it is the last time” (??) and note the reference to “many antichrists”.

We are talking about repeat patterns.  The worst antichrists (in my opinion) were Nero (666) and Bar Kochba (666) and more recently Sabbatai Zevi who “officially” announced his messiahship in 1666.   Many antichrists until we get the full revelation of the man of sin. Repeat patterns.   In this list Bar Kochba stands out because he persecuted Christians for three-and-a-half-years, introduced his own coinage (buy or sell) and attempted to reinstitute sacrificial worship.  His coin depicts his star above the “temple” which is actually a depiction of the torah ark.  Kochba was above the Law and the Temple and was recognized as the Messiah by the chief rabbi Akiva. The false Messiah Kochba oversaw the utter destruction of Judea and the dispersal of the Jewish people for nearly two millennia.  He was an antichrist but not THE ANTICHRIST.  Repeat patterns. It was the last time (1 John 2:18) and the end of the Jewish Christian Church which ceased to exist.

Why I’m NOT A PRETERIST (41 min)

 

Here is my response:

Patternism not Preterism.  Repeat…repeat…repeat… (1:05 min)

See the full Commentary on Revelation -hyperlinks below:

Table of Contents (TOC) for PRITA (Pattern Recognition in the Apocalypse)

PRITA in PDF format Biblaridion Media, 2018, 695 pages

First Century Expectations
The church expected Jesus to return in the first century:

Dating Matters
Digression on Revelation Chapter 1-footnote 12 (see also Chapter 13 footnote 38)
This digression demonstrates that the Epistle to the Hebrews is dependent on the Apocalypse. Hebrews expands on the warning given in the Apocalypse concerning the removal of the temple thereby confirming that the Apocalypse was written before 70 AD :

Dating the Seven Churches excerpt from John A. T. Robinson (Excerpt)
Redating the New Testament (1976)
John A. T. Robinson
Complete Book here

 

I added this because I saw people commenting on “it is finished”….

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Gen 2:1)

People (even many Christians) do not understand scripture. In dying on the cross Jesus had “finished” the creative work (the host of heaven) because everything was created in him and through him. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”. (Colossians 1:16-17). This is not talking about some kind of literal pre-existence but rather that a new creative work had begun and it focused on the “express image” who would create a new way of access and reconciliation. Thus, a new beginning (In the beginning was the word) a new creation (the Church) and a new host of the heavens (the saints). And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:3). So, just as Yahweh had declared that host was finished in Genesis, so also Jesus that bore the Yahweh name could declare that his work was finished. That did not mean that the kingdom had arrived but that from that point forward a people would be created to bear the divine name because all things are created through him (his work on the cross). Psalm 22 ends with similar words. It is done. (Amen, may the Father be praised for evermore).