SPELLING EDITED X-4. PRETERISM, TRUE OF FALSE? -PART 3
Let us start section five in part 3 of this study to learn if preterism is true or false by taking a close look at Luke 24:1-53. For you see, ALL preterist Christians teach that there is NOT BODILY resurrection. But the Bible ITSELF definitely teaches us of a bodily resurrection.
SECTION FIVE.
Luke 24:1-53.
“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, (The tomb or the grave where the dead BODY of Jesus was buried) bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. 3. And they entered IN, (Or they wen INSIDE of the TOMB were the dead BODY of Jesus had been laid and where the tomb was SEALED with a large stone and Roman guards were set to watch the tomb for three days to make absolutely sure that no one stole the dead BODY of Jesus) and found NOT the BODY of the Lord Jesus. (In other words, the old dead physical BODY of Jesus was MISSING. So what happened to the BODY of Jesus? According to the Scriptures, the MORTAL BODY of Jesus was CHANGED to an IMMORTAL BODY. For you see, we will be LIKE Jesus at his coming for we will see him as his IS, according to 1 John 3:2. And, according to 1 Corinthians 16: 50-54, we shall be CHANGED from mortal to immortal as well. The flesh that cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven is CORRUTABLE flesh. And corruptible flesh means MORTAL flesh and also SINFUL flesh) 4. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek you the LIVING among the dead? 6. He is not here, (Neither Jesus NOR his dead BODY was there) but (He speaking of Jesus) is risen: (BOTH the spirit AND the dead BODY of Jesus was resurrected from the dead) remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (Remember how Jesus spoke saying that he would raise up the TEMPLE in three days speaking of his BODY made WITHOUT HANDS and not the temple at Jerusalem. See John 2:19-22) 7. Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day, rise again. 8. And they remembered his words, 9. And returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. 13. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus HIMSELF drew near, and went with them. (NOT some “spirit” or some “ghost”, but rather Jesus HIMSELF. NOT some VISION or apparition, but Jesus HIMSELF. Not some SPIRIT being without a BODY, but Jesus HIMSELF) 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. (In other words, God, for what ever reason, kept their eyes from recognizing Jesus for a little longer) 17. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have one to another, as you walk, and are sad? 18. And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19. And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. But we TRUSTED that it had been HE which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. 22. Yea and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 23. And when they found NOT his BODY, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was ALIVE. 24. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw NOT. 25. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe ALL that the prophets have spoken: 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their EYES were OPENED, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. (Now, some preterist Christians will argue and say that they had seen a VISION, but in truth, they had seen the LITERAL FLESH and BONE BODY of Jesus, which has many features that our natural MORTAL bodies do not have and ONE of those features of our NEW glorified SPIRITUAL BODIES of FLESH and BONE will be that we can to VANISH right before the very eyes of mortal people just like Jesus did during these forty days that he showed himself ALIVE by many infallible proofs the Bible says) 32. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? 33. And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34. Saying, The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. 35. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Jesus said whenever we partake of communion we REMEMBER his SUFFERING and his DEATH) 36. And as they thus spoke, Jesus HIMSELF stood in the midst of them, (So in a like manner that Jesus VANISH he now APPEARED seemingly out of nowhere and STOOD in their midst) and said unto them, Peace be unto you. 37. But they were terrified and afraid, and SUPPOSED that they had seen a SPIRIT. (Or a GHOST) 38. And he (Jesus HIMSELF) said unto them, Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I MYSELF: handle me, and see; for (Or BECAUSE) a SPIRIT has NOT FLESH and BONES, as you SEE me HAVE. (So then, the FIRST FRUIT, Jesus our Lord was resurrected in his physical body that he would NOT allow Mary Magdalene to TOUCH saying that he had NOT YET ASCENDED to HIS God and his Father, but the hear we see that Jesus NOW has a LITERAL FLESH and BONE BODY that he is ASKING his disciples to TOUCH. So this tells me that Jesus was given his NEW IMMORTAL LITERAL BODY of FLESH and BONE when he ASCENDED into heaven and then came back to the earth. My point is that as Jesus IS so shall WE BE at his SECOND COMING. Jesus was NOT raised and given a SPIRIT or SPIRITUAL body like some FALSELY teach) 40. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41. And WHILE they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, (Or WHILE they were still PROCESSING this miracle, he said unto them, Have you here any MEAT? 42. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. 43. And he took it, and did EAT BEFORE them. (As ANOTHER PROOF that he was indeed ALIVE in a FLESH and BONE BODY that could enjoy food just as they) 44. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that ALL things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, 46. And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus, it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be PREACHED in his name among ALL nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (And NOT is just the CITIES in Israel, which was NOT preached repentance and the REMISSION of SIN, but rather was only preached the KINGDOM of heaven is AT HAND. You see dear child of God it was NEEDED that Jesus SUFFER and be crucified on the cross and be resurrected after the third day in order to BRING IN the KINGDOM of God. Please understand that the kingdom of God has not yet come in COMPLETION where ALL prophecy has been fulfilled. Anyone who tells you otherwise is DECEIVED. When one BELIEVES the gospel and accept the TRUTH that Jesus is the SON OF the living God whom Almighty God the Father made to be both Lord and CHRIST, and that Jesus died for their sins and that Jesus was RESURRECTED from the dead after three days are then TRANSLATED into the KINGDOM of the Son of God. We are no longer OF this world, BUT we are still yet LIVING IN this present world LOOKING for the SECOND coming of Jesus to bring in the NEW world they are YET to COME where we will LIVE and REIGN WITH Jesus for a LITERAL 1000 years) 48. And you are witnesses of these things. 49. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, UNTIL you be ENDUED with POWER from on high. (Speaking of being FILLED with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking of other tongues and the Holy Spirit gives utterance) 50. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53. And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”
Now in the above passage of Scripture, it is made perfectly clear to any who has eyes to see that the resurrection of Jesus was. indeed, without fail, a BODILY resurrection where the EYEWITNESSES of Jesus felt and TOUCHED our Lord's FLESH and BONE BODY. They WITNESSED Jesus EATING. So to the early disciples of Jesus and the early church, there was NO DOUBT that the resurrection of Jesus was a BODILY resurrection of a FLESH and BONE BODY. But some say HOW can this be seeing that other verses tell us that FLESH and blood CANNOT enter into heaven?
Please read 1 Corinthians 15:50, which has confused some Christians.
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and BLOOD cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does CORRUPTION inherit non-corruption.”
First, please notice that this verse says flesh and BLOOD as opposed to saying FLESH and BONE cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible says that LIFE is in the BLOOD and without the SHEDDING of BLOOD there is no remission of sins or no FLESH can be saved or justified by the OLD covenant law of Moses. Also, the Bible speaks of FLESH as be CORRUPTION where those who walk after the FLESH being DISOBEDIENT to the gospel cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But mainly, this verse is speaking of our CHANGE where God will give us a NEW glorified IMMORTAL BODY of FLESH and BONE like Jesus has now. Our new resurrected BODIES will NOT have BLOOD in them that can be shed. The LIFE of our new resurrected IMMORTAL BODIES will be given to us by Almighty God just as he gave his Son Jesus to have LIFE within himself. I believe that our new glorified BODIES of FLESH and BONE will be similar to the angels, which can appear and disappear, fly, and be translated from one place to another in an instant. Please read John 5:24-29 where we are clearly and plainly taught the Jesus was GIVEN immortality by his God and Father the one true and only Almighty God.
John 5:24-29.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Or they will not TASTE the STING of death if and when they TASTE death in the “NATURAL” normal way. The Bible tells us that AT the SECOND coming of Jesus that some will have remained ALIVE unto his COMING. Then we read in 1 Thessalonians 4 that those who have DIED as faithful believers in Jesus shall be RAISED from the dead and then we are have survived and have remained ALIVE shall be CHANGED along WITH the dead in Jesus Christ. And then we will all be CAUGHT UP together into the AIR or the atmosphere of the earth where the clouds abide to meet Jesus is the AIR. Now Jesus is NOT going to be omnipresent everywhere in every place in the air all around the earth, but rather the Bible says that the ANGELS will GATHER us together from all over the world and TAKE us to meet Jesus at the place called ARMAGEDDON where Jesus will fight against the Islamic Muslim armies that are fighting against Israel. Please read the study “COULD ISLAM BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?”) 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, (Yet FUTURE) and (Or and ALSO) now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (The NOW IS speaks of both the spiritually dead who hear the gospel and BELIEVE shall be raised from their spiritual death to a new life in Jesus Christ and given the promise of eternal life that will be granted to them ACCORDING to their WORKS. And the NOW IS also refers to Jesus and us his church being GIVEN the power and the authority to raise the dead in this PRESENT world where they are restored back to the life that the ENEMY STOLE from them. In other words, anyone who is resurrected in this way will DIE again. But the TWO and ONLY two resurrection yet to come the dead are raised to be JUDGED. In the FIRST resurrection that takes place AT the SECOND coming of Jesus, it is ONLY those who are IN Jesus Christ who shall be GIVEN ETERNAL LIFE to live and REIGN WITH Jesus in the LITERAL 1000 year reign. Then the REST of ALL the dead meaning ALL the wicked from Adam to the end of the final war of Gog and Magog at the END of the LITERAL 1000 year reign of Jesus shall be raised along WITH the RIGHTEOUS who DIED DURING the LITERAL 1000 year reign of Jesus. So the second and only other resurrection that takes place AFTER the literal 1000 year reign of Jesus has expired will be comprised of BOTH the wicked from ALL ages and the RIGHTEOUS who were in their MORTAL bodies have ONLY DIED DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus. In other words, the dead IN Jesus Christ were ALREADY given ETERNAL LIFE at SECOND COMING of Jesus IMMEDIATELY before the literal 1000 year reign of Jesus never more to die again. The Bible clearly teaches us that the SECOND DEATH will have NO POWER over those who are found to be a good and faithful servant when they died or when Jesus comes again, whichever comes first. So to us as Christians it is no matter whether we live or die, for we KNOW that we shall be RESURRECTED and given new IMMORTAL BODIES of FLESH and BONE just like Jesus has now) 26. For (Or BECAUSE) AS the Father has life in himself; so has he GIVEN to the Son to have life in himself; 27. And has given him authority to execute judgment ALSO, BECAUSE he is the Son of man. 28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the GRAVES shall hear his voice, 29. And shall COME FORTH; (Much like Lazarus came forth from the dead, THEN comes the JUDGMENT) they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Now, some Christians have interpreted this verse APART from the REST of God's word and thus have WRONGLY concluded that the second and final resurrection that takes place at the END of the literal 1000 year reign of Jesus is the resurrection of DAMNATION ONLY. But this is NOT what the WHOLE word of God teaches us. You can see how just ONE small error in INTERPRETING the word of God can lead to CONTRADICTIONS. Not that the word of God itself contradicts itself, but rather the INTERPRETATIONS of some who teach FALSE doctrines CONTRADICT other parts of God's word. This is HOW we KNOW that certain doctrines are FALSE. It is because they do NOT AGREE with the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So then, for a FULL preterist to dogmatically demands that the FIRST RESURRECTION has ALREADY passed and was FULFILLED in 70 AD is to DIRECTLY CONTRADICT other parts of God's word. It is NOT the verses themselves that they are using that contradict other parts of God's word, but rather it is their INTERPRETATION of those verses that CONTRADICT other parts of God's word. For example, to INTERPRET that the SECOND COMING and the FIRST RESURRECTION of the dead IN Jesus Christ has ALREADY taken place in 70 AD is to CONTRADICT Hebrews 11:39,40 where we are clearly taught that ALL the saints in the Old Testament, as well as all who have died being IN Jesus Christ during this PRESENT church age all the way to the SECOND COMING of Jesus at the END of this PRESENT age, are IN heaven now under the altar AWAITING their promise to be clothed with IMMORTALITY at the SECOND COMING of Jesus.
Hebrews 11:39,40.
“And these ALL, (Speaking of ALL the saints in the Old Testament who were raised with Jesus and taken to heaven, but also includes ALL the dead IN Jesus Christ as well) having obtained a good report through faith, received NOT the PROMISE: (Speaking of the PROMISE of ETERNAL LIFE that ALL believers in Jesus will RECEIVE at his COMING TOGETHER at the SAME TIME just like 1 Thessalonians 4 also clear teaches us) 40. God having provided some better thing for us, (Speaking of ALL believers in Jesus in this present world) that they (Those believers who have died IN Jesus Christ who are now PRESENT with our Lord being under the altar in heaven AWAITING their reward of ETERNAL LIFE) WITHOUT us (Speaking of us who are yet alive) should NOT be made PERFECT.”
In other words, it is IMPOSSIBLE for the FIRST RESURRECTION of the dead IN Jesus Christ to have already taken place in 70 AD or at ANY time in history, because the word of TRUTH clearly teaches us that we ALL will RECEIVE our PROMISE of ETERNAL LIFE to be made PERFECT or COMPLETE TOGETHER. In Hebrews 11:39,40 we are plainly taught that THEY, the dead in Christ. will NOT be made perfect of COMPLETE WITHOUT US who are alive and remain unto the COMING of Jesus. And in 1 Thessalonians we are clearly and plainly taught that WE who are alive and remain unto the coming of Jesus will NOT receive our reward of ETERNAL LIFE UNTIL the DEAD IN Christ rise FIRST and TOGETHER we will be caught up to meet our Lord in the AIR and NOT taken back to heaven as the PRE and MID tribulation, and pre-wrath doctrines falsely teach. They do ERROR not discerning the TRUTH that the time of Great tribulation is NOT the WRATH of Almighty God. Please read the study “THE GREAT TRIBULATION VERSUS THE WRATH OF GOD!” for all the Scriptures that prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that the WRATH of Almighty God is NOT the time of great tribulation. But for now, let us stay on track and continue this study at hand.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
“But I would not have you to be IGNORANT, brethren, CONCERNING them which are asleep, that YOU sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (Meaning that those who die WITHOUT believing in Jesus have NO HOPE in taking part of the FIRST resurrection AT the SECOND COMING of Jesus. BUT we as believers do have this BLESSED HOPE of our BODILY RESURRECTION to receive our reward of ETERNAL LIFE in the WORLD yet to come) 14. For IF we BELIEVE that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep IN Jesus will God bring with him. (Almighty God the Father will come WITH his Son Jesus at the SECOND coming of Jesus, but Almighty God the Father himself will remain in his Tabernacle in the heavens. Whether that be outer space in the orbit of the earth or whether it be in the sky over Jerusalem I myself have not discerned as yet. The main point, for now, is that those saints who are now, presently under the altar in heaven, will be brought BACK to the earth AT the SECOND COMING of Jesus) 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are ALIVE and REMAIN unto the COMING of the Lord shall NOT prevent them which are asleep. (Or those of us who are BELIEVERS in Jesus who will have survived and remained ALIVE unto the second coming of Jesus will NOT go BEFORE the dead in Jesus Christ) 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST: (This is speaking of the FIRST RESURRECTION spoken of in Revelation chapter 20 where the ALL Christians who have died being IN Jesus Christ INCLUDING ALL the Christians who will yet be BEHEADED DURING the time of GREAT tribulation who received NOT the MARK of ISLAM shall be raised FIRST. This speaks of a BODILY resurrection because the dead saints in Christ are NOT DEAD, but rather, they are ALIVE and CONSCIOUS under the ALTAR up in heaven AWAITING their CHANGE. Again, I IMPLORE you to read the study “COULD ISLAM BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?”) 17. THEN WE which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the AIR: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.”
Speaking of comforting all of the believers who have loved ones in Jesus that have died, that no matter if we LIVE or if we DIE we KNOW that we will LIVE AGAIN and forever be with our Lord. This passage of Scripture does NOT teach a PRE tribulation rapture of the church. Please read all the studies that I have on this subject of the second coming of Jesus to be rooted and grounded in the word of TRUTH that will always expose the ERRORS of false teaching. There is one more verse that preterist use to try and prove their theology, which teaches us that the KINGDOM of God will come WITHOUT OBSERVATION and thus they conclude that the terms every eye shall SEE the coming of Jesus MUST without fail be speaking of some kind of SPIRITUAL seeing and NOT a LITERAL seeing. Well, let us go to the word of TRUTH, the Holy Bible, and see if their INTERPRETATION is a correct interpretation or a false interpretation. Always remember that ANY interpretation that is CONCLUDED must AGREE with the WHOLE word of God, and if any interpretation does NOT AGREE with the WHOLE word of God, then that interpretation is NOT the CORRECT interpretation and therefore must be thrown aside or rejected as being FALSE teaching. The verse that preterists refer to is Luke 17:20, which we will first read OUT of its CONTEXT.
Luke 17:20.
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes NOT with observation:”
Now, obviously, the kingdom of God that was at hand did NOT come without observation to those whose eyes were OPEN to SEE the Jesus was indeed the CHRIST the anointed one which was prophesied to COME. However, the kingdom of God did indeed come WITHOUT observation to those who REFUSED and REJECTED Jesus as being their Messiah. And the SAME is still yet true today where NON-believers cannot SEE the kingdom of God it is FOOLISHNESS to THEM, but to us, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. You see dear child of God you must consider WHO is DEMANDING proof from Jesus as to when the kingdom of God will come. It was the UNBELIEVING Pharisees who were demanding that Jesus tell them when the kingdom of God would come. You also have to remember that at that particular time Jesus had NOT YET died of the cross and rose again so the kingdom of God was only AT HAND at that moment in time. The only message at that point in time was that kingdom of God was AT HAND ready to come, which we now know as being the CHURCH AGE. In truth, there was a TRANSITIONING time wherein part of the kingdom of God was already there being IN Jesus himself, but Jesus had NOT yet gone to the cross and risen from the dead so that the kingdom of God could COME and be IN BELIEVERS UNTIL Jesus ascended to the Father after his resurrection and then came back to show himself ALIVE for forty days. Please read the study “THE POWER AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER!” where I explain the TRUE meaning of the MANSION that Jesus died on the cross to PREPARE for us so that Almighty God the Father could come and DWELL IN us as he was ALREADY DWELLING IN his Son Jesus. Do you remember the words of Jesus saying WHY he must go away and prepare a place for us? Jesus went on to say, so that YOU may be where I AM right now, which is having the Father DWELL in ME. Jesus said the Holy Spirit is WITH you NOW, but he SHALL be IN you speaking of the day of Pentecost. But the day of the true Pentecost would not come UNTIL Jesus suffered and died and was raised from the dead. So then, the FIRST stage so to speak of the kingdom of God came without observation to ONLY those who did NOT BELIEVE that Jesus was the CHRIST. Well, if the FIRST coming of Jesus was WITHOUT OUT OBSERVATION to those UNBELIEVERS, then it makes sense that the SECOND COMING of Jesus will come upon those who DO NOT BELIEVE that Jesus will come as a THIEF in the night. And this is exactly what the whole word of God clearly and plainly teaches us. The UNBELIEVERS will NOT OBSERVE the RETURN of Jesus, as in, they will not be aware of what all the things happening in the world mean. Nut those of us who are WATCHING and LOOKING for his RETURN will SEE the SIGNS of his coming and KNOW that our redemption draws near. Therefore. there is no need to FEAR the things coming upon the earth. That is what the TRUE meaning of this verse means. It does NOT mean some kind of SECRET INVISIBLE coming as some falsely teach. The truth of the WHOLE matter is that the entire WORLD will literally SEE the second coming of Jesus. Now, SOME may view the second coming of Jesus as some kind of alien invasion and the armies will turn from fighting Israel to fight what THEY see as being attacked by UFOs. BEFORE you JUMP to the wrong conclusion that I am a mad man I implore you to read the study “WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT UFOS?” Remember to hear the WHOLE matter lest you are found to be the fool. My point is that Jesus says that the world will CONTINUE as they are now eating and drinking and marrying and be given in marriage going about their daily routine of serving mammon so they will NOT be looking for a MESSIAH, because in their mind they do not need to be saved. However WHEN they will indeed LITERALLY SEE the Son of man COMING in great clouds of glory SOME will indeed call upon the name of the Lord to be saved and God will save them ALIVE in their MORTAL bodies to go into the literal 1000 year reign of Jesus to be TAUGHT of the Lord. Now if there are ANY verses that I have missed that you are struggling over please do not hesitate to write to me and tell me why that verse is troubling you. Even though this study is quite long for SOME I still feel led to write more TRUTH which many of you may already know. What I am referring to is the Old Testament prophesies of a LITERAL paradise right here ON the earth that has NOT yet happened at any time in history to this present day so it is still yet FUTURE. Please read Isaiah 2:2-4, which clearly teaches us that there is yet coming a time when all the nations of the world will beat their swords into plowshares and pruning hooks and NOT learn WAR any more.
Isaiah 2:2-4.
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will TEACH us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Are people going up to Jerusalem every year to keep the ONE FINAL feast of tabernacles? No, they are NOT because we are NOT in the Millennial kingdom yet! Some may try and argue that this is just speaking of the Jews but when we read this SAME prophecy in Micah in a moment, we see that it is speaking of the NATIONS plural) 4. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall NOT lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn WAR any more.”
So DURING this yet coming age the will be NO WAR and men will not learn WAR and more during time age, because SATAN will be BOUND during this age. But when this age has EXPIRED Satan will be LOOSED for a little season and once again DECEIVE the nations to make WAR one last time. Now if you still want to CALL this age some kind on NON-LITERAL 1000 years of an undetermined unspecified number of years, then that is YOUR interpretation. But I myself will call this yet coming age the 1000 year reign of Jesus just like it says in Revelation chapter 20. It is a LITERAL 1000 years because there will be a resurretion BEFORE and AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus. Now some preterist Christianss may try and argue that the NATIONS here is just speaking of ISRAEL. Well if that is YOUR opinion what about Micah 4:1-3, which specifically identifies that some of these NATIONS as being A FAR OFF.
Micah 4:1-3.
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2. And MANY nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations AFAR OFF; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall NOT lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn WAR any more.”
No matter how hard one twists the Scriptures, these verses have NOT been fulfilled as yet. And to ME. the FULFILLMENT fits in PERFECTLY with a LITERAL 1000 years reign of Jesus that BEGINS at the LITERAL VISIBLE SECOND coming of Jesus. To try and place this yet coming age anywhere else only causes many, many CONTRADICTIONS in some other part of God's word. Some try and place the second coming of Jesus at the END of this yet coming age of paradise on earth, but the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus will rule and reign DURING this age. Then they try and argue that Jesus will rule and reign AFTER this yet coming age of paradise on earth. But yet the word of TRUTH teaches us that the FINAL JUDGMENT will take place after this age of paradise on earth and God will create the new heaven and the new earth when Almighty God himself will rule and reign seeing that Jesus will COMMIT his father's kingdom BACK into his Father's hands at the END of this age of paradise on earth. Therefore there will be NO 1000 year reign AFTER the 1000 year reign. So NO! Many thousands of times NO, dear children of God the SECOND coming of Jesus can NOT possibly be at the END of the 1000 year reign of Jesus where he is SUPPOSEDLY going to reign for another 1000 year reign that is NOT even spoken of anywhere in the Bible. The ONLY view that does NOT contradict ANY other part of God's word is the PRE-MILLENNIAL teaching that places the SECOND coming of Jesus BEFORE a LITERAL 1000 year period of time where Jesus will rule and reign for a LITERAL 1000 years. Now, please read Isaiah 65:17-25 where we see that those living in the MORTAL bodies during this age of paradise on earth shall live to be 100 years of age and there will be NO one who will die prematurely, but will live their full 100 years.
Isaiah 65 17-25.
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18. But be you glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20. There shall be NO MORE thence an infant of days, NOR an old man that has NOT FILLED his days: for the child shall die a HUNDRED YEARS OLD; but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their OFFSPRING with them. 24. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall NOT hurt nor destroy in ALL my holy mountain, says the LORD.”
Now some will argue and say that this is speaking of the ages to come AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus where God will create the new heavens and the new earth. If their INTERPRETATION is true, then ETERNAL LIFE does NOT mean ETERNAL LIFE, because the people being spoken of in this passage of scripture will only live to be 100 years of age. Their days shall be as the trees. Well, I do not know of any trees that live FOREVER. Also, notice that these people will have OFFSPRING and Jesus said that in the RESURRECTION we shall be as the angels in heaven that neither marry nor are given in marriage. So OBVIOUSLY these people have NOT YET been RESURRECTED, because they are still having OFFSPRING. I know that I always stress and teach CONTEXT, context, context, and the new heavens and the new earth is indeed in the context. But this is NOT the ONLY rule of interpretation. We just saw by COMPARING Scripture with Scripture that this age cannot possibly be the new heavens and the new earth, because there are MORTAL people living in this age having OFFSPRING. So what is the answer? How do we resolve the CONTEXT? We resolve the context by interpreting this passage of scripture with the REST of God's word. For example, we KNOW that there will be TWO resurrections, but in the PROPHECY of Daniel, there APPEARS to be only ONE resurrection. So are we going to take that ONE scripture in Daniel and refuse to interpret it in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of God? No of course not. So WHY then are some of you still holding on to the FALSE teaching of PRETERISM? Please read Daniel 12:1,2 where it APPEARS that both the dead IN Jesus Christ and the WICKED will be resurrected in this ONE resurrection.
Daniel 12:1,2.
“And AT THAT TIME shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and AT THAT TIME your people shall be DELIVERED, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall AWAKE, (Or be RESURRECTED from the dead) some to EVERLASTING LIFE, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Speaking of the destruction of the wicked and the SMOKE of their torment arising forever being a repulsive aversion in order to keep the righteous people from ever turning away from God ever again. Remember that the DAY of the Lord is 1000 years long and that there will be a resurrection BEFORE the 1000 year reign of Jesus and the FINAL resurrection AFTER the literal 1000 years. The FIRST resurrection will be ONLY those IN Jesus Christ IN this present world. But in the final resurrection BOTH the righteous and the wicked will be resurrected and judged according to the works. Then Jesus shares a little more showing us that there are indeed TWO resurrections, but still, they SEEM to be at the SAME time.
Please read John 5:29.
“And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of LIFE; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of DAMNATION.”
Or resurrection of JUDGING or JUDGMENT where they will be cast into the lake of fire. But how would we know the fate of the wicked without the REST of God's word? You see it is only when we have ALL the pieces of the puzzle that we can paint the ACCURATE picture of TRUTH, the WHOLE truth, and NOTHING but the TRUTH. So then, dear child of God the ONLY view or position of the interpretation of Bible prophecy that fits ALL the word of God is the POST tribulation PRE-MILLENNIAL teaching. In conclusion, if you have not understood what I myself believe, ALL preterism both FULL and PARTIAL is FALSE teaching right along with the PRE tribulation rapture teaching, the Mid tribulation rapture teaching, the PRE wrath rapture teaching, and the post MILLENNIAL second coming of Jesus teaching. Now it is TRUE that SOME things in the Book of Revelation have been fulfilled. And it is true that the destruction of the temple was indeed FULFILLED in 70 AD, but it is NOT true that ALL of Matthew 24 was fulfilled in 70 AD as some preterists try to prove by twisting the scriptures. Now I do not believe that they mishandle the word of God INTENTIONALLY, but none the less that is what is taking place. If for some reason that you have not read part 1 and part 2 of this study then here are the links to “PRETERISM, TRUE OF FALSE? - Part 1”, and “PRETERISM, TRUE OF FALSE? - Part 2” Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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