This article offers a Preterist view of Christian eschatology that is entirely consistent with a literal reading of the Bible while providing a new perspective based on a careful study of history.
What is Eschatology?
Eschatology is a theological term derived from the Greek eschaton – which literally means ‘end-things’. So, eschatology is the study of the end-times. In Biblical terms, it is commonly understood as the events predicted in the New Testament that come after the ascension of Jesus into heaven following the resurrection.
What will happen in the end times?
The events of the end-times are mentioned in a number of New Testament books; most famously the Book of Revelations, but also in the Gospels and the letters of Paul. The events themselves can be grouped together under a few general headings:
- The persecution of the saints by an ‘antichrist’ and his collaborators drawn from across the nations.
- The Second Coming of Christ in glory from heaven to defeat the forces of evil and pass judgment on the wicked.
- The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the departure of the divine presence
- The 1,000 year reign of Christ on Earth
- The Resurrection of the dead into eternal life
What is Preterism?
Preterism comes from a Latin term, Praeter, which means ‘as it has past’. Theologically, Preterism believes that the prophecies of the end-times laid out in the Bible refer to events that took place in the first century A.D. This includes the second coming and last judgment. This flies in the face of the opinion of most Christians, who believe the end-times prophecies to denote events that have not yet come to pass. How can this be the case?
The Jewish War
The Jewish war was a revolt against the Roman Empire that took place between A.D. 66 and A.D. 70. It was a disaster for the Jewish people and culminated in the complete destruction of the Temple and the exile of many Jews from the Holy Land. The war is very well documented by two reliable, non-Christian historians; the Jewish writer Josephus and the Roman historian Tacitus. Interestingly, the details of the war precisely match up with the prophecies of the New Testament, up to and including the destruction of the Temple, the resurrection of the dead and the identity of Antichrist himself.
Revelation Revolution offers a radical Preterist interpretation of Biblical prophecy that is true to Scripture. View their website to gain further knowledge on the Preterist view of Eschatology and other related subjects that may take your interest.
