(2.2) GENERAL INTERPRETATIONS

FUTURISM

The belief that many Bible prophecies will be completely fulfilled, in a literal sense, at some point in the future.

PRETERISM

The belief that most prophecies found in the Bible have been completely fulfilled, without any further eschatological fulfillments remaining.

Objections

|| Preterists believe that most of the prophecies found in the book of Revelation were completely fulfilled during the first century CE. However, this is not the case.

* At no point between Jesus’ crucifixion and our current timeframe has all life in the sea perished (see Revelation 16:3).

|| Some preterists believe that Jesus’ second coming has already happened. However, according to various passages, the second coming has not happened.

* According to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, the second coming will not happen until the Antichrist (man of lawlessness, son of destruction) has been revealed. To this day, the Antichrist has yet to be revealed.

* According to Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:26-30, and Revelation 6:12-17, Jesus’ second coming will be a highly visible, highly supernatural event witnessed by the entire planet. It will be impossible to miss. Obviously, the events described in Matthew 24:26-30 and Revelation 6:12-17 have yet to occur.

* According to Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, a major (supernatural) global event, known by some as the “rapture”, will occur at the second coming. This is when Jesus gathers Christians in the heavens. This event can be used as another indicator of Jesus’ second coming. Obviously, this has yet to occur.

|| Preterists believe that Matthew 24:15 was completely fulfilled in the events leading up to, or during, the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. I disagree.

* Matthew 24:15 cannot be read in isolation to the rest of the chapter. Matthew 24:15-31 describes an unprecedented time in history that has yet to occur.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” (Matthew 24:21-22, ESV)

“‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31, ESV)

NOTE: I believe Revelation 1:7 is a reference to Daniel 7:13-14 and Zechariah 12:10. The phrase “those who pierced him” seems to be a reference to national Israel, to which Jesus is returning to rescue (among others).

NOTE: There are preterists who believe that the prophecy found in Daniel 9:27 was completely fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes invaded Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple in 168 BCE. I disagree with this view.

* Over a century after Antiochus Epiphanes, Jesus would refer to the “abomination of desolation” as a future event (see Matthew 24:15).

There are many more arguments against preterism, but I will stop there.

HISTORICISM

The belief that prophecies are largely symbolic and representative of historical events pertaining to Church history. For example, some historicists believe that all 7 seals of Revelation have already been opened.

Objections

|| All 7 seals of Revelation have not been opened.

* As discussed earlier, Jesus returns after the 6th seal is opened (see Revelation 6:12-17). He will return in an extremely obvious, highly supernatural context which is both literal and witnessed by the entire planet (see Revelation 1:7 and Matthew 24:26-30). Obviously, that event has yet to take place. Furthermore, Jesus said that the tribulation leading up to His return would be unprecedented, and that it would not be repeated.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” (Matthew 24:21, ESV)

None of the past events that historicists link to the seals (e.g., European historical events) are unprecedented or unique in the context of tribulation.

|| Some historicist believe that trumpet judgements described in Revelation 8-9 are symbolic and occurred during the Middle Ages. I disagree.

* The trumpet judgements of Revelation are described as occurring in the future, at the closing phase of the age—not at some point in the past. The second coming of Jesus occurs after the 6th seal is opened (compare Matthew 24:29-30 to Revelation 6:12-17). The 7 trumpets are issued after the 7th seal is opened (see Revelation 8:1-2). Only AFTER Jesus has returned and raptured the saints, are the seven angels given the 7 trumpets used in Revelation 8,9, and 11. As previously noted, the second coming and the rapture have yet to take place.

NOTE: I do not believe that the “last trumpet” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 is the same as the 7th trumpet in Revelation 11. I will explain why in the Post-Tribulation Rapture section.

|| It is true that some prophecies are symbolic and that some prophecies apply to Church history. It is also true that some prophetic fulfillments are foreshadowed through various forms of typology. However, I believe that historicists have misinterpreted a large number of prophecies. I also believe that they’ve applied symbolic interpretation to text that is supposed to be taken literally and vice versa.

GENERAL ESCHATOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIONS—CONCLUSION

I believe that FUTURISM is the most biblical position in this category. I believe that the other two positions are incorrect.