Michael Bennett
December 6th 2004, 08:58 PM
Rom 11 = Heb 9 & 10 = 1Cor 15 = Rev 7 & 11 - time texts and markers EVERYWHERE
Please keep in mind that PARTIAL PRETERISTS are to hold to the TIME TEXTS. This short article will also deal with the SECOND COMING to occur at the COVENANT CHANGE too. So it is relevant to ANY futurist view.
Gene Cook Jr. PARTIAL PRETERIST:
"I hold to all of the time texts"
Jonathan Seraiah PARTIAL PRETERIST:
“If a text says something is ‘near,’ then we must accept it as true”
Ken Gentry PARTIAL PRETERIST:
"Evangelical (and reformed) preterists (e.g., R. C. Sproul) take seriously the time texts of Scripture and apply those prophecies to A.D. 70, a redemptive-historical event of enormous consequence."
“Think of it: If these words in these verses do not indicate that John expected the events to occur soon, what words could John have used to express such? How could he have said it more plainly?”
Gary Demar PARTIAL PRETERIST:
John would later write that the events depicted in Revelation "must shortly take place" (1:1), "for the time is near" (1:3). Spargimino dismisses these clear statements of biblical fact and maintains that the Bible does not mean what it says.
Compare Hebrews 9 and 10 to Romans 11. Hebrews is in regards to the COVENANT CHANGE.
Hebrews 9
8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. <= Destruction of Jerusalem AD 70.
28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, <= Second coming is the destruction of Jerusalem AD 70. not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 10
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. <= Covenant change. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, <= Same event as 1Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15
27For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16"This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds." 17Then he adds:
"Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more." <= Covenant change.
37For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay. <= Time text. Covenant change to occur when Christ comes back.
Romans 11
5So too, at the present time <= Time text there is a remnant chosen by grace. <= Please note: Romans 11 is in regards to a REMNANT at the PRESENT TIME.
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. <= The GOSPEL went out to the WHOLE WORLD already.
Romans 10 16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world." 19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."
26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion; <= The Second Coming.
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins." <= The Covenant change was going to occur when the Second Coming occurred.
Also - isn't Romans 11 the EXACT SAME EVENT as Revelation 7 and 11 which ALL PARTIAL PRETERISTS say is a past event. Isn't it the GATHERING OF THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL?
Revelation 7 (Partial Preterists say that this is PAST)
4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. <= Remnant of Israel both Jew and Gentile grafted together.
13Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"
14I answered, "Sir, you know."
15And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. <= All Partial Preterists say that the tribulation occurred in 70 AD. Therefore,
"they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst. <= Same promises as in Revelation 21 and 22. The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." <= Same promises as in Revelation 21 and 22.
Revelation 11 (Partial Preterists say that this is PAST)
1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. <= Temple was still standing. 2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. <= Jewish war lasted for 42 months.
18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, <= Time text. and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- <= The RESURRECTION and JUDGMENT was to occur when the temple was destroyed. This is the same event as the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20.
The Partial Preterist often tries to say that Romans 11 is about a future Coming of Christ and about ALL ISRAEL, meaning the entire church throughout history. However, Romans 11 is clearly about a REMNANT that was to be saved and the ALL in context must be in regards to that group. We also see reference to the COVENANT CHANGE which is a marker for us to recognize when the event in Romans 11 was to occur AT THE COVENANT CHANGE.
These events in Romans 11 match up perfectly with the COVENANT CHANGE and the SECOND COMING spoken of in Hebrews 9 and 10 which have TIME TEXTS attached to them. Which also matches up with 1Corinthians 15 (THE RESURRECTION).
We see that Revelation 7 and 11 WHICH ALL PARTIAL PRETERISTS SAY IS A PAST EVENT matches up perfectly with this event that occurs in Romans 11. In Revelation 7 we see Israel (THE REMNANT) being gathered. In Revelation 11 we see the TEMPLE and the JEWISH WAR, and at that time the DEAD WERE JUDGED.
Conclusion: Romans 11 and the SECOND COMING is a PAST EVENT. The Partial Preterist is supposed to hold to the TIME TEXTS and the MARKERS. Any FUTURIST type of view must also acknowledge that the SECOND COMING was to occur at the COVENANT CHANGE.
Please keep in mind that PARTIAL PRETERISTS are to hold to the TIME TEXTS. This short article will also deal with the SECOND COMING to occur at the COVENANT CHANGE too. So it is relevant to ANY futurist view.
Gene Cook Jr. PARTIAL PRETERIST:
"I hold to all of the time texts"
Jonathan Seraiah PARTIAL PRETERIST:
“If a text says something is ‘near,’ then we must accept it as true”
Ken Gentry PARTIAL PRETERIST:
"Evangelical (and reformed) preterists (e.g., R. C. Sproul) take seriously the time texts of Scripture and apply those prophecies to A.D. 70, a redemptive-historical event of enormous consequence."
“Think of it: If these words in these verses do not indicate that John expected the events to occur soon, what words could John have used to express such? How could he have said it more plainly?”
Gary Demar PARTIAL PRETERIST:
John would later write that the events depicted in Revelation "must shortly take place" (1:1), "for the time is near" (1:3). Spargimino dismisses these clear statements of biblical fact and maintains that the Bible does not mean what it says.
Compare Hebrews 9 and 10 to Romans 11. Hebrews is in regards to the COVENANT CHANGE.
Hebrews 9
8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. <= Destruction of Jerusalem AD 70.
28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, <= Second coming is the destruction of Jerusalem AD 70. not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 10
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. <= Covenant change. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, <= Same event as 1Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15
27For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16"This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds." 17Then he adds:
"Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more." <= Covenant change.
37For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay. <= Time text. Covenant change to occur when Christ comes back.
Romans 11
5So too, at the present time <= Time text there is a remnant chosen by grace. <= Please note: Romans 11 is in regards to a REMNANT at the PRESENT TIME.
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. <= The GOSPEL went out to the WHOLE WORLD already.
Romans 10 16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world." 19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."
26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion; <= The Second Coming.
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins." <= The Covenant change was going to occur when the Second Coming occurred.
Also - isn't Romans 11 the EXACT SAME EVENT as Revelation 7 and 11 which ALL PARTIAL PRETERISTS say is a past event. Isn't it the GATHERING OF THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL?
Revelation 7 (Partial Preterists say that this is PAST)
4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. <= Remnant of Israel both Jew and Gentile grafted together.
13Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"
14I answered, "Sir, you know."
15And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. <= All Partial Preterists say that the tribulation occurred in 70 AD. Therefore,
"they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst. <= Same promises as in Revelation 21 and 22. The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." <= Same promises as in Revelation 21 and 22.
Revelation 11 (Partial Preterists say that this is PAST)
1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. <= Temple was still standing. 2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. <= Jewish war lasted for 42 months.
18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, <= Time text. and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- <= The RESURRECTION and JUDGMENT was to occur when the temple was destroyed. This is the same event as the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20.
The Partial Preterist often tries to say that Romans 11 is about a future Coming of Christ and about ALL ISRAEL, meaning the entire church throughout history. However, Romans 11 is clearly about a REMNANT that was to be saved and the ALL in context must be in regards to that group. We also see reference to the COVENANT CHANGE which is a marker for us to recognize when the event in Romans 11 was to occur AT THE COVENANT CHANGE.
These events in Romans 11 match up perfectly with the COVENANT CHANGE and the SECOND COMING spoken of in Hebrews 9 and 10 which have TIME TEXTS attached to them. Which also matches up with 1Corinthians 15 (THE RESURRECTION).
We see that Revelation 7 and 11 WHICH ALL PARTIAL PRETERISTS SAY IS A PAST EVENT matches up perfectly with this event that occurs in Romans 11. In Revelation 7 we see Israel (THE REMNANT) being gathered. In Revelation 11 we see the TEMPLE and the JEWISH WAR, and at that time the DEAD WERE JUDGED.
Conclusion: Romans 11 and the SECOND COMING is a PAST EVENT. The Partial Preterist is supposed to hold to the TIME TEXTS and the MARKERS. Any FUTURIST type of view must also acknowledge that the SECOND COMING was to occur at the COVENANT CHANGE.