Israel and the Church 3 The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Last Days
Dr. Paul D. Feinberg Dr. Zola Levitt Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Marvin Rosenthal
Rapture and 2 nd Coming are separated by as little as 10 ten days Historic Premillennial Daniel Juster Asher (Keith) Intrater
Eschatology Amillenial Premillenial Postmillenial Historic Post-Trib Dispensational Pre- & Mid-Trib
Daniel 9:24-27 24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, [GAP]
Daniel 9:24-27 [GAP] and the people of the prince who is to come [Antichrist] will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he [Antichrist] will make a firm covenant with the many [Israel] for one week [70 th week, 7-year Tribulation], but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.
DISPENSATIONAL PREMILLENIAL Church Age - Kingdom Postponed GAP
John Gill (1697 1771) English Baptist pastor, scholar, and theologian Maintained a firm Calvinistic view Mastered the Latin classics and learned Greek by age eleven Self-studied logic and Hebrew, which he loved throughout his life
John Gill s Commentary on Daniel 9:27 [In] the remaining [70 th ] "one" week, or seven years a covenant should be confirmed with many; which is not to be understood of the Messiah's confirming the covenant of grace with many, for this is not for one week only, but for ever; but this is to be interpreted of the Roman people, spoken of in the latter part of the preceding verse; who, in order to accomplish their design to destroy the city and temple of Jerusalem, made peace with many nations, entered into covenant and alliance with them, particularly the Medes, Parthians, and Armenians, for the space of one week, or seven years; as it appears they did at the beginning of this week:
John Gill s Commentary on Daniel 9:27 and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; the daily sacrifice of the Jews, and all their other offerings; and which was literally fulfilled "in the half part" of this week, as it may be rendered; towards the close of the latter half of it, when the city of Jerusalem, being closely besieged by Titus, what through the closeness of the siege, the divisions of the people, and the want both of time and men, and beasts to offer, the daily sacrifice ceased, as Josephus says, to the great grief of the people; nor have the Jews, ever since the destruction of their city and temple, offered any sacrifice, esteeming it unlawful so to do in a strange land:
History of Millennial Views The 1 st century is usually not considered: 1. The millennium is introduced in Revelation 20:2. And he [an angel] laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 2. Revelation was written around 90 AD.
Historic Premillennialism Proponents from the 2 nd century AD: Irenaeus (140 203) Justin Martyr (100 165) and, possibly, the late 1 st century: Papias (80 155) Most notable proponent in the 20 th century: George Eldon Ladd
Amillennialism Proponents from the early 5 th century AD: Augustine (354 430) taught a version of amillennialism that influenced the church throughout the Middle Ages and into the Reformation. Notable proponent in the 20th century: Anthony Hoekema
Postmillennialism Widely held among the Puritans. Dominant view of Reformed theologians in the 18 th and 19 th centuries: Jonathan Edwards Charles and A.A. Hodge Declined in the 20 th century. Notable proponent: Loraine Boettner
Dispensational Premillennialism Originated in the 19 th century: John Nelson Darby (1800 1882) Popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible Systematized by Lewis Sperry Chafer (founder of Dallas Theological Seminary) Notable proponents in the 20th century: John Walvoord Charles Ryrie Hal Lindsey Tim LaHaye
Scriptures Interpreted to Reveal Bible Writers Believed Yeshua Would Return in Their Lifetime And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12) The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)
Scriptures Interpreted to Reveal Bible Writers Believed Yeshua Would Return in Their Lifetime The time is short, from now on it would be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not. (I Corinthians 7:29 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. (I Corinthians 10:11)
Scriptures Interpreted to Reveal Bible Writers Believed Yeshua Would Return in Their Lifetime Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.... You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. (Hebrews 10:25,36-37)
Scriptures Interpreted to Reveal Bible Writers Believed Yeshua Would Return in Their Lifetime The coming of the Lord is at hand... the Judge is standing right at the door (James 5:8,9)
Scriptures Interpreted to Reveal Bible Writers Believed Yeshua Would Return in Their Lifetime Christ was manifest in these last times. (I Peter 1:20) The end of all things is at hand. (I Peter 4:7) It is time for judgment to begin. (I Peter 4:17)
Did Yeshua Imply He d Return in Their Lifetime? All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Mt. 10:22-23) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (Mt. 16:27,28) Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?... This generation will not pass away until all of these things take place. (Mt. 24:3,34)
Did Yeshua Imply He d Return in Their Lifetime? You shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Mt. 26:64) If I want him (John) to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me! (Jn. 21:21-23) (According to church tradition, all the apostles except John died before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.) Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book. (Rev. 22:7,12,20)
Why Did God Tell His People That He Is Coming Soon? God allowed first the writers and then the readers to believe that God was coming in their day to make the book special to every generation. The kingdom was not going to be a literal, physical kingdom on earth. It is a spiritual kingdom within the hearts of those who are in Christ. (Amillenial, Postmillenial) Due to Israel's rejection of Christ, the kingdom was postponed and awaits future fulfillment. (Dispensational) The Kingdom had partially come. It is already, but not yet. (Historic Premillenial)
Pew Research Center Roughly as many Americans say Jesus Christ will return to earth in the next 40 years (41%) as say he won t make an appearance by 2050. By the year 2050, 41% of Americans believe that Jesus Christ definitely (23%) or probably (18%) will have returned to earth. However, a 46%-plurality of the public does not believe Christ will return during the next 40 years. Fully 58% of white evangelical Christians say Christ will return to earth in this period (highest in any group).
Pew Research Center Only about a third of Catholics (32%) and even fewer white mainline Protestants (27%) predict Christ s return to earth by 2050. One-in-five religiously unaffiliated Americans also see Christ returning during the next four decades. Americans with no college experience (59%) are much more likely than those with some college (35%) or college graduates (19%) to expect Jesus Christ s return. By region, those in the South (52%) are the most likely to predict a Second Coming by 2050.