We receive many questions from visitors to our website. We would like to share with you our answers to some of these commonly asked questions:
1. Why do you reject preterism
and futurism in favor of historicism?
We believe there are many reasons to believe that the book of Revelation, along with other prophetic portions of scripture, outline the entire history of Christ’s Church between His First and Second Advents, and do not merely focus on the beginning or ending of that time period. In the on-line readings at this website, we offer many of those reasons.
2. Are there any modern reformed Christians who
are historicistic?
By all means. Many of the books and articles on this website were authored by current day historicists.
3. If historicism is true, why are there so many
different historicistic interpretations of Biblical prophecies?
That is analogous to asking, ‘if Christianity is true, why are there so many Christian denominations?’ The answer, in brief, to that question is that people who are agreed that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God may have different interpretations of various and sundry other issues raised in the Bible. And the answer regarding historicism is, in brief, that people who are agreed that the book of Revelation, along with other prophetic portions of scripture, outline the entire history of Christ’s Church between His First and Second Advents, may yet having different interpretations of various and sundry other issues raised in the prophecies. Historicism – like futurism and preterism – offers a framework for interpreting scriptural prophecies. But within each framework, there are multitudinous elements which may be variously interpreted.
4. Why does this website reject pre-millennial
historicism, and opt instead for post-millennial historicism?
We believe Rev. Brian Schwertley provides compelling reasons to reject pre-millennialism of any form at http://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/milenium.htm . As he notes there:
“The
premillennial position is that Christ will return and the saints will be
resurrected, then after 1000 years of earthly rule the final judgment will
occur and the wicked will be judged. Note that the premillennialist believes
there is a 1000-year gap between the second coming of Christ and the final
judgment. The resurrection of the saints and the resurrection of the wicked are
also separated by 1000 years. Does the Bible teach that there is a 1000-year
gap between the second coming of Christ and the final judgment? Does it teach
that there is a 1000-year gap between the resurrection of the righteous and the
wicked? Actually, there is no gap between these events. In fact, as will be
shown, the Bible teaches that these events are to occur on the very same day.
Thus, premillennialism is theologically and biblically impossible.
The
gospels and epistles present a unified picture of the second coming and the
judgment by Jesus Christ. The second coming of Christ, the rapture, the
resurrection of the righteous and wicked, and the judgment of the righteous and
the wicked all are to occur on the same day. The Apostle Paul teaches that when
Christ returns, He will take vengeance on the wicked. The wicked will receive
everlasting destruction, but Christ will dwell with the saints. All who believe
will admire and glorify Christ. When will this occur? On “that day” (singular),
“when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming
fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not
obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His
power, when He comes, in that day, to be glorified in His saints and to be
admired among all those who believe” (2 Th. 1:7-10). [1] Is there a
1000-year gap between the destruction of the wicked and the glorification of
the saints? No, they both occur on that day. Does Christ crush the wicked from
His throne in Jerusalem? No, He is revealed from heaven. On the final day
Christ comes from heaven to judge all men, both the righteous and the wicked.
“The reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked are interwoven
with each other as to time, and made to follow, both of them, immediately on
the coming of the Lord. Surely this passage should make perfectly clear that
there is no secret rapture to be followed at an interval of seven years by an
open revelation of the Lord and His glory to the world. Surely it is perfectly
clear also that since the coming of the Lord brings upon the wicked ‘eternal
destruction away from the face of the Lord,’ there are no wicked who will
survive His coming to be ruled over a millennium to follow. But there must be
wicked people surviving, according to the premillennial scheme.” [2]
Does
the Apostle Paul teach that Christ will return to earth, and then set up a
1000-year reign which is to be followed by a final judgment? No, he does not.
Paul says that the second coming of Christ and the glorification of the saints
will occur immediately prior to the final state. Paul does not teach that a
1000-year gap exists between the second coming and the end of earthly, human
history: “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward
those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the
kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.... Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption
inherit incorruption. Behold I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality.... Then shall be brought to pass the saying
that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Cor. 15:23-25, 50-54).
Christ returns, the saints receive immortal, glorified bodies; “then comes the
end.” There is no 1000-year earthly kingdom, for when Christ returns, He
delivers the kingdom to the Father. Furthermore, after Christ’s return, death
is completely destroyed and abolished. How can there be converts in the
millennium who live, have children and die, if death is abolished at the second
coming? “The whole design of the latter portion of this chapter is to show that
after the resurrection, the bodies of believers will be like the glorious body
of the Son of God, adapted to a heavenly, and not earthly condition.” [3]
The
Apostle Paul teaches that both the righteous and the wicked will be judged on
the same day: “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart
you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of
the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his
deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for
glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath” (Rom. 2:5-8).
The inspired apostle says nothing of a 1000-year gap between the judgment of
the righteous and the wicked. Christ’s second coming is always associated in
Scripture with the final judgment of all men. This will occur “in the day when
God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel”
(Rom. 2:16).
The
Apostle Paul always teaches in his epistles that the second coming of Christ,
the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, the reward of the righteous
and the condemnation of the wicked occur on the same day—the day of the Lord.
He says, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need
that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and
safety!’ then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a
pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in
darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief.... For God did not
appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who
died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him”
(1 Th. 5:1-4, 9-10). “Paul associates the second coming with the resurrection
and the ensuing glory of the saints and the sudden destruction of the wicked.
Without the shadow of a doubt, that day has its reference to both
parties:—believers are to look for it (1 Th. 5:4-10), for then they shall
obtain salvation in all its fullness (vs. 9), then they shall ‘live together
with him’ (vs. 10); while that same day will bring the false security of
unbelievers to an end in their ‘sudden destruction.’” [4] Paul
does not tell the Thessalonians that a secret rapture will occur seven years
prior to the second coming. The rapture occurs on the same day that the wicked
are judged. [5] If
the wicked receive “sudden destruction” and the saints are glorified, no one is
left to populate the earth during the premillennialists’ 1000-year reign. After
Christians receive their heavenly, glorified bodies, they do not marry and bear
children. Who, then, is there to rebel against Christ at the end of the
1000-year earthly reign? The glorified saints certainly cannot rebel, and the
unbelievers are all suffering torment in the lake of fire.
The
Apostle Peter fully concurs with Paul’s teaching regarding Christ’s second
coming. In his second epistle he deals with scoffers who deny the second coming
of Christ: “‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’... But the
heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved
for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.... But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass
away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the
earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all
these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy
conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements
will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Pet. 3:4-12). Peter teaches that the second
coming, the day of judgment and the beginning of the final state occur
contemporaneously. Like Paul, Peter says that these events occur on “the day of
the Lord.” According to premillennialism Christ does not come on the day of
judgment, because He is already on earth ruling from Jerusalem. But Peter says
that when Christ returns, the judgment occurs and then the heavens and earth
are destroyed. The premillennialist believes that Christ will return and rule
on earth for 1000 years before the elements are destroyed. Thus Peter’s account
of Christ’s coming totally contradicts premillennial doctrine…”