What is the topic of preterism?
In biblical eschatology, there is a weird teaching called preterism. This group teaches that the apocalyptic end times that we refer to in the future, have already been fulfilled in the first centuries. The preterist eschatology states that all the apocalyptic events and Antichrist refer to the fall of Jerusalem around 70AD, not referring to future destruction of Jerusalem.
Preterist scholars are going to use Acts 2 to match with chapter 6 in the book of Revelation.
What is the Preterist’ claim?
Acts 2:14 “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:”
Acts 2:16-21 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Peter is supposedly claiming that this event that they’re doing in Acts 2 is fulfilling verse 17 by Joel.
Acts 2:16-21 shows that what’s supposed to happen at the sixth seal is instead happening during the first century timeline. They argue that these weird blood, fire, and vapour of smoke are what John the baptist prophesied that he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.
They’re going to try to apply Matthew 24 to a first century timeline. Matthew 24:29 matches with Revelation 6.
Matthew 24:32 “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:”
Matthew 24:34 “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
The preterist interpretation is that this generation has to witness all these events happening, that’s how they go around it.
How to debunk preterism?
Matthew 24: 34 says that this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled, but look at what else is passing away at verse 35.
Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
When did that happen at that generation? Revelation 6:14 says that the heaven departed as a scroll and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. What time period are you going to put that one?
They always come up with figurative interpretation and try to find some historical events that can match up with that.
There is a lack of coherent arguments, because look at Revelation 6:15-16, all the kinds of people are fleeing for their lives, that did not happen in the first century. They’re running away from Jesus Christ who was coming down, that did not happen at the first century.
You can play figurative with verse 14 and 15 but you can’t do that with verse 16: the whole world is running away from the face of God.
Matthew 24:30 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Jesus is coming down from heaven, and all the tribes of the earth are seeing that and they’re mourning.
Some of the Calvinists might admit that Jesus will be coming down literally and there’s a final resurrection at the end, but these events in Matthew 24, they still happened during the first century. Later on, Jesus Christ will come down.
But they just made a gap over here. Bible believers have been made fun of for making double application on something historical and yet prophetic at the same time, but they are doing the same here?
If you want to combine the coming of Son of Man with the stars falling down, the moon turning blood and the sun darkening and apply that to first century timeline, you really can’t do that because that never happened where Jesus came down and all the earth is running away. It’s a faulty understanding.
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
Remember it says all the tribes of the earth mourn when they see Him, this might be Israelite tribes. The verse talks about their mourning when they’re seeing him. But look at verse 12.
Zechariah 12:12-14 “And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.”
This did not happen with the nation of Israel.
It makes sense to put this at a future prophetic timeline.
Going back to Acts 2 where Peter talked about this fulfillment. The simple answer is it’s like every other prophecy and scripture that you find in the Bible with Psalms, Isaiah, minor prophets, major prophets.
They gave so many prophecies about the timeline of Israel being destroyed by Babylon but within that same context, they gave a prophecy concerning their coming Messiah Jesus Christ. David talked about what happened historically to himself at his timeline but he switched himself forward to Jesus Christ.
Double application is undeniable no matter what Christian denomination or doctrine you believe in. Everyone has to admit there’s double application otherwise you’re going to have to deny all Messianic prophecies of Jesus.
There’s a partial fulfillment that Peter gave at Acts 2 but the remaining application applied to a future timeline. It’s the same thing when you read the Bible with the major prophets, minor prophets, book of Psalms and all the other prophecies, partial prophecy fulfilled at their timeline (historical application) but a doctrinal, future prophetic application had to be fulfilled in the future.
For further reading,
– Church history – and how we got our Bible today
– Learn basic biblical doctrines to have proper understanding on how to interpret the Bible (scripture with scripture)
– Study dispensationalism and King James Only issue to avoid false teachings
– The book of Revelation is not a challenging book