In my earlier blog, I mentioned there are 4 Major / Popular views of the End Times / Last Days, and I believe that Preterism is correct view. I will give you the reasons why I believe it to be so.
Reason 1: AUDIENCE RELEVANCE
When we read about the last days, or end times in bible we need to read it as if the original readers or listeners understood these scriptures.
The Bible was written about 2000 years ago to a very different people from our 21st Century people. They have different cultures, different history, different languages and different world.
So the Bible was actually written TO them, but also FOR us.
I repeat: This is very important:
The Bible is not written To us, but FOR us.
It was addressed TO them as what Paul always start his message with "To the church at ...". But we can say it is also written FOR us to understand the way how God dealt with them, how the mind of God is, to understand the exact situation at that time.
Many of the writings were in Aramaic (and later Hebrew) and communication both written and spoken were mainly in their Semitic languages (Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic). Hebrew is a language and culture that uses lots of metaphors, symbols in their writings and prophecies.
Here is some writings on the use of the original language of Aramaic in the scripture:
We need to know how did the original audience understood these writings and words.
For example, the words like "heaven and earth burning up", "the sun, moon and stars getting darkened", "Jesus riding on a cloud with sword coming out of His mouth", these are common Hebrew metaphors and they know exactly what they mean (EXCEPT US in the 21st Century).
How do we understand these metaphors (since we are not Jews) .?
Answer: By comparing these metaphors with similar metaphors written in other scriptures that uses them. We have to find these terms and concepts in other parts of the scriptures, and see how they are used in the same context. So we let those similar scriptures give us understanding when we find similar metaphors in those New Testament prophecies.
Reason 2: TIME STATEMENTS
Or you can call it Historical Relevance.
Jesus and the apostles made many statements that the last days events would happen back then, and not in the 21st Century or much future.
The New Testament has many many many statements about events that are happening to those who are alive back then.
When the bible talks about these events that are going to happen:
SOON (Rev 1:1; 22:6)
SHORTLY (Rev 2:16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7; 22:12; 22:20)
NEAR (Rom 13: 11-12; Phil 4:5; Heb 10:25; Jam 5:8; 1Pet 4:7; Rev 1:3; Rev 22:10)
ABOUT TO (Acts 17:31; 24:15; 24:25; 26:22; Rom 8;18; Eph 1:21; 2Tim 4:1; 1Pet 5:1; Rev 1:19; 17:8)
Again we read Jesus telling those in front of Him, in Mat 24:34
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION shall not pass, till ALL THESE THINGS be fulfilled.
PRETERISM pays importance and attention to all these Time Statements above.
Question: Can we IGNORE all these Time Statements.? Of course, NOT.
If these reasons are not followed, then we can misinterpret the bible in hundreds of ways, and come up with many many interpretation of End Times / Last Days. Now you understand why there are so many people (quacks) in this past few centuries claiming themselves to be the Jesus of the Second Coming and bringing in the Last Days. All because of misinterpretation of scripture by not following the above 2 main reasons.
Don't just blame them. Blame also the millions of followers who follow after them blindly. Sadly, many lost their lives believing wrongly.
Argument:
To say that all the last days prophecies are going to happen in the far far future, because the bible says "for a 1000 years is but 1 day, and 1 day is but a 1000 years", is Incorrect. This is a terrible excuse for not paying attention to the Time Statements above. If you are really serious, we cannot Ignore such bold FACTS.
Let me ask these critics a few questions:
Did Jesus died for 3000 years after resurrection, since 3 days is equals to 3000 years.?
Was Jesus tempted in the desert for 40,000 years, since he was there for 40 days?
Did Moses and Israel wandered in the wilderness for (40 x 365 x 1000) years, since they were wandering for 40 years?
See, that argument does not hold.
When Peter wrote those words in 2Pet 3:8, he was quoting from Psalms 90:2-4.
And in Psalms, the Psalmist was praising God as an Ageless God, an God who is from everlasting to everlasting.
Psa 90:1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Psa 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Psa 90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
Psa 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
It wasn't writing about how God deals with time or measure time.
Throughout the bible, when God speaks about time events, He always uses the human time clock to say exactly what He means. When God put Moses in the wilderness for 40 years it was not meant to be (40 x 365 x 1000 = 14,600,000 years). No man can live so long. It is impossible. God does not confuse His people like that.
CONCLUSION:
So when the apostles said that the Last Days or End Times events were ABOUT TO take place, they meant what they say.
If they did not mean what it was supposed to say, and they mean the Last Days are about 21st Century or much more in the future, doesn't that make Jesus and the apostles liars.?
If we are honest and interpret correctly, the Last Days and End Times events DID happened in the 1st Century, and Jesus and the apostles DID mean what they said or wrote.
(updated March 2022)
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