7/23/03
CONTRA PRETERISM
By J. Parnell McCarter
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to
shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and
signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John.” These words begin and describe the Apostle John’s book of
Revelation. And these words have
generated debate as to the purpose of John’s book. Preterists, like Dr. Kenneth Gentry, have asserted that these
words imply the book of Revelation is simply laying out church history in the
first century A.D. Dr. Gentry has succinctly stated his
preteristic hermeneutic thus: "I hold that passages specifically
delimiting the time-frame by temporal indicators (such as "this
generation," "shortly," "at hand," "near," and
similar wording) are to be applied to A. D. 70." (July 1997 issue of
Chalcedon Report, in an article entitled "A Brief Theological
Analysis of Hyper-Preterism)
Now we should
readily grant that temporal indicators like “shortly” or “quickly” in scripture
be generally interpreted according to human time reference. But within the context of the book of
Revelation, there are significant reasons to believe this general rule finds
exception. Here are but some of those
reasons:
So while ordinarily temporal indicators like
“quickly” and “shortly” should be understood according to human time reference,
within the context of the book of Revelation there are multiple reasons to
believe they should be understood according to divine time reference. Divine time reference is characterized this
way: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of
this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day.” (II Peter 3:8)
But let’s be thoroughly honest here. If the preteristic hermeneutic were correct, then according to Revelation 1:1 all of the elements of Revelation would have been fulfilled in the first century A.D. And if all of its elements were fulfilled in the first century A.D., then that means the Great Day of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21) were fulfilled in the first century A.D. But if the Great Day of Judgment and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth were fulfilled in the first century, then that means the full preterist position is correct. That is the logical conclusion of the preteristic hermeneutic, that is why so many partial preterists have become full preterists, and that is one important reason we should regard the preteristic hermeneutic as heretical.
But having concluded that the preteristic hermeneutic is
flawed, and that the book of Revelation provides an outline of
history from the Apostolic era to the future Second Advent of Jesus
Christ, we must next consider that historical outline itself. There we discover this basic outline of
church history:
1. The situation for the Christian Church as it appeared at the time of John’s writing, as represented by 7 typical churches of the time. (Revelation 2-3)
2. The time period leading up to and including the sealing of the Seven Seals (Revelation 4:1-8:1). At the conclusion of the sealing of the Seven Seals the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
3. The time period leading up to and including the sounding of the Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:2-11:19). At the conclusion of the sounding of the Seven Trumpets the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
4. The time period leading up to and including the pouring of the Seven Vials (Revelation 15-19). At the conclusion of the pouring of the Seven Vials the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
5. The Millennium when the nations are no longer deceived by the beast and false prophet (Revelation 20:1-6)
6. The release of Satan for a short season (Revelation 20:7-10)
7. The Great Day of Judgment, accompanying the Second Advent of Jesus Christ season (Revelation 20:11-15)
8. The establishment of the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22)
In the midst of the book of Revelation what the Apostle John calls a “little book” is described (Revelation 10,12-14). The actual contents of this “little book” extend from Revelation 12-14. The little book profiles the oppression of the church by a beast, and the ultimate fall of that beast. Most fascinating, the description of the oppression and fall of a beast seems to encompass the life of the beast during its 3 separate manifestations of intense oppression and deception. In each of these periods there is a common pattern and order. As already noted, these 3 manifestations of peculiarly intense beastial oppression occur during the following 3 periods of history:
1. The time period leading up to and including the sealing of the Seven Seals (Revelation 4:1 – 8:1). At the conclusion of the sealing of the Seven Seals the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
2. The time period leading up to and including the sounding of the Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:2 – 11:19). At the conclusion of the sounding of the Seven Trumpets the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
3. The time period leading up to and including the pouring of the Seven Vials (Revelation 15-19). At the conclusion of the pouring of the Seven Vials the church is relieved from a beastial oppression.
All three instances involve one chief figure that lived
during the Apostolic era and yet still lives today: Pontifex Maximus. Pontifex Maximus is the “highest
priest of Roman religion and official head of the college of pontifices. As the
chief administrator of religious affairs he regulated the conduct of religious
ceremonies, consecrated temples and other holy places, and controlled the
calendar. During the time of the empire, and until Christianity became firmly
established, the emperor was designated pontifex maximus. After the
supremacy of Christianity, the popes assumed the title.” (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth
Edition.) So before Pagan Rome
became Papal Rome, the Pagan Roman Emperor claimed the title of Pontifex
Maximus, that is, the Greatest Religious Ruler. As a demigod, in some sense
descended from their heathen deities, he was worshipped and his statues adored. In Latin, Pontifex comes from pontem
faciens, and means "bridge-maker". The Pontifex Maximus
then has declared himself to be the supreme bridge-maker, or mediator, between
God and man- in essence usurping the place of Christ Himself.
The 3 periods of
intense beastial oppression I believe correspond to 3 periods of concentrated
oppression by Pontifex Maximus in church history, followed by
deliverance for the people of God:
· The 1260 days of intense persecution by the Pontifex Maximus Nero in cahoots with the Judaistic Jews, followed by the deliverance in 70 AD.
· The 1260 years (according to the year-day principle of prophetic interpretation) from 70 AD to the birth of the Morningstar of the Protestant Reformation, John Wyckliffe. During this time the Pontifex Maximus oppressed Christ’s church and greatly deceived humanity, but this was followed by the deliverance of the Protestant Reformation.
· The rise of the Age of Enlightenment and secular humanism, which I believe will culminate in a yet future 1260 day period of intense persecution, but followed by the millennial restoration.
The Neronic oppression serves as a type of the oppression of the line of Pontifex Maximuses in the 1260-year period from 70 – 1330 AD, and the yet future intense persecution by a Pontifex Maximus during the third period of church history before the millennium. To limit the Beast described in Revelation chapters 4-20 to Nero, rests on the false preteristic assumption that only the history before 70 AD is in view. But preterism is in great error.
And not until Pontifex Maximus is finally brought down and extirpated will the earth enjoy its millennial restoration. Only then will this false prophet and Man of Sin no longer be able to torment and deceive on earth.
And God has given His church a great source of hope and encouragement in the book of Revelation. He has laid out His wonderful plans for Christ’s church, culminating in glory. This is most helpful in the midst of continuing struggle.