Studies in Eschatology
The Seventy Sevens of Daniel. This outline examines the meaning of the word "weeks" in the book of Daniel. It demonstrates that the "weeks" are intervals of Jewish Sabbatic years. The Sabbatic year occurs every seven years and the "clock of weeks" can only tick when the Sabbatic year is observed. Thus, a week (Sabbatic year) can only tick if there is a nation of Israel as a distinctive nation before God. The conclusion is that since Israel has been set aside, the seventieth week has not yet ticked. God has delayed His dealings with the nation of Israel according to the prophetic program while the Dispensation of the Secret revealed exclusively to Paul is in place. This understanding of the weeks avoids all the fatal chronological problems which beset other interpretations.
Table of the Hopes. A summary table of the hopes of all of the elect with supporting Scriptures. Every student of geometry is aware that one cannot make a straight line fit through three noncollinear points. All of the false eschatological positions commit a similar error: They attempt to fit the texts of Scripture that describe three distinct households with the "straight line" of their eschatological presuppositions. As a result, they have to distort the text to move it to fit their false line, or concede that "all eschatological" schemes have problems. This should be a sign to them to search for the truth outside their false theological presuppositions. When one sees that there are three households of God's elect, there are no longer any difficulties. The "competing" so-called "historical" eschatological camps (and all who hold them admit their "systems" have problems) will continue their division until the Lord returns -- unless they wake up to the glorious truth of the dispensation of the mystery.
Smoking Guns. All it takes to disprove a whole theory is one small certain fact. Follow this link for a discussion of the arbitrary nature of covenantal eschatological "explanation."
Romans 4:11,12; 9:1-6 & Galatians 6:16. Covenantalism claims that believers today, the Body of Christ, are the "Israel of God" based on Galatians 6:16; but that is not what the text says. Paul says in Romans that the true Jews (Romans 2:17-3:2) are those who are circumcised both inwardly and outwardly (like Abraham) -- this is the Israel of God. The rest of the Jews are those who are unregenerate and are only outwardly circumcised, ("they are not all Israel which are of Israel:" Rom 9:1-6). Covenantalism also misinterprets Romans 4:11,12 to argue via a false analogy that water baptism replaces circumcision -- something else the text does not say. Follow this link for an illustration of the coherent meaning of Romans 4:11,12; 9:1-6 & Galatians 6:16 .
Study on Matthew 24. Post-millenialists ( “preterists”) believe that all of Matthew 24 and Revelation were fulfilled in 70 AD when Titus destroyed the temple, and they use Matthew 24 as one of their major “proof” texts. Their argument is that the phrase “this generation” in verse 34 and the ”you-all’s” throughout the passage can only apply to the listeners who were then present. In this study we consider Matthew 24 in light of context, previous revelation, and other passages dealing with the consummation of Israel’s hope and show that the preterist view does not comport with Scripture.