• Adherents: Adherents: Most modern evangelicalsMost modern evangelicals

Three types of Millennialism:Three types of Millennialism:• Amillennialism:Amillennialism: Belief there will be a Belief there will be a continuous parallel of good and evil in continuous parallel of good and evil in the world between the 1st and 2nd the world between the 1st and 2nd Coming of Christ. The Kingdom of God Coming of Christ. The Kingdom of God is now present in the world through is now present in the world through the Word, His Spirit and His Church.the Word, His Spirit and His Church.

• Adherents: Adherents: Church of Christ, Church Church of Christ, Church of God (Anderson, IN), many Reformed of God (Anderson, IN), many Reformed theologians, Roman Catholic Churchtheologians, Roman Catholic Church

• Postmillennialism: Postmillennialism: Belief the Kingdom Belief the Kingdom of God is now extended through of God is now extended through teaching, preaching and evangelism. teaching, preaching and evangelism. The world is to be Christianized The world is to be Christianized resulting in a long period of peace and resulting in a long period of peace and prosperity, followed by Christ’s return.prosperity, followed by Christ’s return.

• Adherents: Adherents: Most modern Reformed Most modern Reformed theologians, “Christian theologians, “Christian Reconstructionists”Reconstructionists”

• Premillennialism:Premillennialism: Belief in the Belief in the concept of two-stages in the Coming concept of two-stages in the Coming of Christ. He will come of Christ. He will come forfor His Church His Church (Rapture) and then (Rapture) and then withwith His Church His Church (Revelation). There is a consistent (Revelation). There is a consistent distinction between Israel and the distinction between Israel and the Church throughout history.Church throughout history.

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““A Christian belief system in A Christian belief system in which some or all of the end-time which some or all of the end-time events specified in the New events specified in the New Testament are believed to have Testament are believed to have already been fulfilled. They were already been fulfilled. They were accomplished in the past, accomplished in the past, particularly during the Roman-particularly during the Roman-Jewish war of AD 66 to AD73”Jewish war of AD 66 to AD73”

Preterism: From Latin word meaning Preterism: From Latin word meaning pastpast

Four possible ways to relate to time:Four possible ways to relate to time:

Past:Past:

Present:Present:

Future:Future:

Timeless:Timeless:

PreterismPreterism

HistoricismHistoricism

FuturismFuturism

IdealismIdealism

Reformed, Reformed, PresbyterianPresbyterian

Some Reform-Some Reform-ers, SDA, ers, SDA, LutheranLutheran

Most Modern Most Modern EvangelicalsEvangelicals

RCC, Some RCC, Some Reformed, Reformed, Liber-al Liber-al TheologyTheology

The Preterist believes that most, if not The Preterist believes that most, if not all prophecy has already been fulfilled.all prophecy has already been fulfilled.The Historicist believes that prophecy The Historicist believes that prophecy has been and will be fulfilled during the has been and will be fulfilled during the current church age.current church age.

The Futurist believes that prophetic The Futurist believes that prophetic events will be fulfilled in the future.events will be fulfilled in the future.

The Idealist does not believe that the The Idealist does not believe that the Bible indicates the timing of events. Bible indicates the timing of events. Therefore, idealists see prophetic Therefore, idealists see prophetic passages as teaching great truths about passages as teaching great truths about God to be applied to our present lives.God to be applied to our present lives.

Three kinds of Preterism:Three kinds of Preterism:• “ “Soft” or “Mild” Preterism teaches the Soft” or “Mild” Preterism teaches the Book of Revelation was fulfilled in the Book of Revelation was fulfilled in the first 3 centuries of the Church age (from first 3 centuries of the Church age (from the fall of Jerusalem to the Edict of Milan the fall of Jerusalem to the Edict of Milan – AD 313)– AD 313)

• “ “Partial” or “Moderate” Preterism Partial” or “Moderate” Preterism teaches most prophecy was fulfilled by teaches most prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70. All that is left is Jesus’ 2AD 70. All that is left is Jesus’ 2ndnd ComingComing• “ “Full” or “Extreme” Preterism teaches Full” or “Extreme” Preterism teaches that even Christ’s 2that even Christ’s 2ndnd Coming was Coming was fulfilled by AD 70fulfilled by AD 70

Jesus’ prophecies in the Olivet Discourse:Jesus’ prophecies in the Olivet Discourse:• Wars, famines, pestilences, Wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakesearthquakes

• Persecutions, betrayals, tribulationsPersecutions, betrayals, tribulations

• False messiahs, lawlessness, False messiahs, lawlessness, “abomination of desolation”“abomination of desolation”

• Matt. 24:34 ~ Matt. 24:34 ~ Assuredly, I say to you, Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. away till all these things take place. (also 10:23 and 16:28)(also 10:23 and 16:28)

Matt. 23:33- 36 ~ 34 Matt. 23:33- 36 ~ 34 Therefore, indeed, Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,persecute from city to city, 3535 that on that on you may come all the righteous blood you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the murdered between the temple and the altar.altar. 3636 Assuredly, I say to you, all Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this these things will come upon this generation. generation.

Rev. 1:1 ~ Rev. 1:1 ~ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must things which must shortlyshortly take place. take place.

Rev. 22:12 ~ Rev. 22:12 ~ “And behold, I am “And behold, I am coming coming quicklyquickly, and My reward is , and My reward is with Me, to give to every one with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”according to his work.”

Some of the conclusions held by most Preterists:• The “Great Tribulation” = Fall of The “Great Tribulation” = Fall of

Jerusalem in AD 70Jerusalem in AD 70

• The “Last Days” = “last days of The “Last Days” = “last days of Israel”Israel”• The “Antichrist” = any apostate The “Antichrist” = any apostate teacher teacher • The “Beast” = Nero The “Beast” = Nero

• The “False Prophet” = the Jewish The “False Prophet” = the Jewish leadershipleadership• The “Great Harlot” = JerusalemThe “Great Harlot” = Jerusalem

• “ “Israel” = ChurchIsrael” = Church

When was the Book of Revelation written?• It is crucial to the Preterist position It is crucial to the Preterist position for it to have been written prior to AD for it to have been written prior to AD 7070• Irenaeus says it was at the end of Irenaeus says it was at the end of Domitian’s reign (AD 81-96) Domitian’s reign (AD 81-96) • So do Clement of Alexandria and So do Clement of Alexandria and TertullianTertullian

• Laodicea was destroyed in AD 61Laodicea was destroyed in AD 61

• Polycarp states in his letter to the Philippians (chapter 11) that his city of Smyrna had not even heard the Gospel in Paul's day (d. AD 64)

2 Thess. 2:8 ~ 2 Thess. 2:8 ~ And then the lawless one will And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.with the brightness of His coming.• How could Nero be the How could Nero be the Antichrist when he committed Antichrist when he committed suicide in AD 68 – two years suicide in AD 68 – two years before the Fall of Jerusalem?before the Fall of Jerusalem?

Matt. 24:34 ~ Matt. 24:34 ~ Assuredly, I say to you, this Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till generation will by no means pass away till all these things take placeall these things take place• “ “AllAll these things” did not take these things” did not take place in AD 70 place in AD 70 • No “abomination of desolation” No “abomination of desolation” (24:15)(24:15)• Son of Man didn't appear (24:27)Son of Man didn't appear (24:27)• Sun wasn't darkened (24:29)Sun wasn't darkened (24:29)• The Jews were not rescued The Jews were not rescued (24:31)(24:31)

Matt. 24:32-33 ~ 32 Matt. 24:32-33 ~ 32 Now learn Now learn this parable from the fig tree: this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already When its branch has already become tender and puts forth become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is leaves, you know that summer is near.near. 33 33 So you also, when you So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! near—at the doors!

Problems stemming from Preterism:Problems stemming from Preterism:• No warning of apostasy • Tends to arbitrary allegorizing of Tends to arbitrary allegorizing of other Scripturesother Scriptures• Blurs the “Blessed Hope” of Christ's Blurs the “Blessed Hope” of Christ's appearing appearing

• Obscures the exhortation to “watch Obscures the exhortation to “watch therefore”therefore”• Can even affects our view of Can even affects our view of salvationsalvation• Affects our view of God's plan for Affects our view of God's plan for Israel todayIsrael today