Preterist Problems interpreting Prophecy
The main question of biblical eschatology comes back to our foundational issue of how to interpret the scripture. The vast majority of examples in scripture of biblical writers quoting other biblical writers is understood literally at face value and not metaphorical. We see this distinction made by Jesus himself here:
Matthew 17:10-13 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? [11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. [12] But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. [13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Notice here that Jesus positively affirmed what the disciples understood the scribes to be teaching in a literal manner. Just as they knew literally where Christ would be born. “And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” (Mt.2:5-6) So, indeed Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. This is what Malachi said in 4:5-6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord…” The scribes understood this literally as it was written, and Jesus confirms this- “Elias truly shall first come”. Then, in addition to this he uses a figure or type of this coming in the person of John the Baptist (Mt.11:14-5, Mk.1:2-3). John was not literally Elijah (any more than William Branham was), as he himself affirmed. “And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” (Jn.1:21) However he would go before Christ “in the spirit and power of Elias” (Lk.1:17) preparing the way of the LORD (Mal.3:1, 4:5-6). The Jews were very acquainted with similitudes and shadows and figures; with God speaking in divers manners in times past (Heb.1:1, Hos.12:10, 1:2, 3:1, Ezek.4, Jer.13:7-11, Isaiah 20:2-5, 5:7) and should have had ears to hear.
We see the New Testament writers also making applications of the Old Testament scriptures to us while they did not clearly apply to Gentiles when they were written- Matt.6:29, Rom.4:23, 11:2-5, 15:4, 1 Cor.9:9, 10:11, 2 Cor.6:17-7:1, 11:3, 1 Tim.5:17-18, Heb.11, James 5:16-17, 1 Pet.3:6, 2 Pet.2:4-6, 15, 1 Jn.3:12, Jude 5-7, 11. Other ways would be through allegories (Gal.4:24-31) figures, and shadows (Acts 10:12-15, 28, Rom.5:14, 1 Cor.4:6, 10:3-4, 2 Cor.3:13-18, Col.2:16-17, Heb. 7:15, 8:5, 9:9, 24, 11:19, 1 Pet.3:21).
This leads us to examine the ways the scriptures are understood and interpreted. Consider for example, what the New Testament says about Abraham’s son Isaac. We see Isaac referred to in the literal, physical, historical sense as the offspring and literal physical seed of Abraham (Mt. 1:2, Lk.3:34, Ac.7:8, Heb.11:17-8); which is exactly how you would understand it when reading the story in Genesis. But we also see Isaac as a child of promise and representing all the children of Abraham by faith (Rom.9:7-8, 4:16). And we see Isaac representing in an allegory, the new covenant (Gal.4:21-31); and also representing Christ (Gal.3:16, 29) in figures (Heb.11:18-9). Does the use of the story of Isaac in an allegory mean that we should not interpret the Old Testament story of Isaac literally and conclude he was not a real person? No, we take both interpretations. Just like we see here:
Matt.2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Both Christ and Israel have applications from this passage, but they do not nullify each other. But this is the issue preterists have interpreting the scriptures. They nullify the literal instead of allowing for both. They conclude the church replaced Israel because Paul makes a spiritual application of children of promise as Israel. Paul started Romans 9 referring to literal physical descendants of Abraham. Notice v3-5 “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Very clear. Next however he moves to the spiritual non-literal application in v6 “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” (v6-8) We should not conclude the replacement of literal Israel for the spiritual seed of Abraham anymore than denying the literal Isaac for the “children of promise”. We take both passages to be true with neither disannulling the other. But you must know the literal interpretation before you can utilize figures and types and allegories. This is how preterists err not knowing the scriptures.
Now, once we understand this and have a grasp of the literal interpretations of prophecies we can begin to see types and figures and shadows opening to us. Let’s work out the figures and patterns the Lord gave us:
We know baptism is a figure (1 Pt.3:21) of God’s wrath as in Noah’s day. We know Israel as a son of God is a figure of Christ the Son of God. So, we see John baptizing Jesus and the Spirit descending upon him. The pattern pointing to Israel suffering the wrath of God (law worketh wrath- Rom.4:15, the law prophesied till John- Mt.11:13) and coming through to have his spirit poured out upon them (Joel 2:28, Zech.12:10, Isa.44:3-5). Then we see the kingdom of God manifested in Israel (Mt. 3:2,10, Mt.11:5, Lk.4:18-9) and the devil cast out of the land (Zech.13:2, Mt.12:28, Lk.10:19-20).
Also, we see Christ suffering the wrath of God on the cross and rising from the dead which in a pattern has Israel suffering God’s punishment (chastisement not propitiatory) followed by their dead rising. (Mt.27:45-53, Jesus drank the cup God will pour out unto the wicked at that day- Jer.25:15-17, 27-28, Mt.26:39, Rev.14:10). If we press the pattern further Judas can be a figure as the son of perdition betraying Christ in the ‘midst of the week’ (Jn.13:26-7, 17:12, 6:70, 2 Thes.2:3 & Jn.17:12, Dan.9:27). We further see "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed..." Psa.2:2, w/Act.4:25-7. When he died the land was covered in darkness (Mt 27:45) and there was an earthquake (Matt.27:51, Rev.16:18). We then see the Jews returning to Israel and Jerusalem and the Spirit being poured out upon them (Ac.2) and they are speaking a pure language. (Zeph.3:9) And Christ sits upon the throne (of God not David- Ac.2:33-5).
We can see figures and patterns in the church age also. In the time of the Gentile gathering we see some references to the church as in the millennial reign and others verses as though we are in the tribulation period. Look first at the church in figure as in the tribulation:
Are in the last days- 1 Jn.2:18, Ac.2:17, Jam.5:3, Jude 18
Spirit of antichrist now operating- 1 Jn.2:18, 4:3, 2 Thes.2:7
Are in tribulation- Jn.16:33, Ac.14:22, Rom.5:3, 1 Pt.4:12, Rev.1:9
Must endure to the end (of our faith) 1 Pt.1:9, Heb.3:6, 6:11, 2 Cor.1:13
The end of all things is at hand- 1 Pt.4:7, Rom.13:12, Rev.1:1-3, Phil.4:5
Looking for the appearing of Christ- 1 Th.1:10, 4:17, 5:1-2, Tit.2:13, Jam.5:8-9
Also, in figure the church is in the millennial reign: Already resurrected- Eph.2:1, Rom.6:4-11, 8:11, Col.2:12, 3:1 Powers of the world to come- Heb.6:5, 2:4, 13, Isa.8:18 Already overcome- 1 Jn.4:4, 5:4-5 Seated with him in him in his throne- Eph.2:6 Devil is destroyed- Heb.2:14, Jn.12:31, 1 Jn.3:8 Tabernacle of David raised up-Act.15:16-17, Amos 9:11-2
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