I want to make a brief note responding to the annihilationist claim that unbelievers will not suffer conscious torment after judgment day (i.e. they will cease to exist all-together). They will be “annihilated,” it is claimed. The problem with this view is that Rev 19:20 contradicts this notion: “And the beast was captured, and with […]
Hermeneutics
The ‘Thousand Years’ Reference in Revelation 20 Indicates a Period of Time
Last week I responded to an objection that the thousand years reference in the book of Revelation is not literal. I want to address a similar objection. But this time it is not an objection by amillennialists. Premillennialists and amillennialists agree with each other that the thousand years reference denotes a temporal period, that is, a […]
Answering a Common Amillennial Objection to Premillennialism on When Death Is Eliminated in Relation to the Millennium
Leaving aside the question of the timing of the millennium for this article, though it is related to this issue here, amillennialists, such as Sam Storms, adduce a common objection against premillennialism. He and other amillennialists cite 1 Cor 15:25–26 as evidence for amillennialism: “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under […]
A brief reply to those who claim the ‘one thousand years’ millennium in the book of Revelation is ‘figurative’ rather than literal
Many interpreters claim that the references in the book of Revelation in Chapter 20 to the one thousand year millennium is figurative because (1) other references to numbers in the book of Revelation are figurative, and (2) the book of Revelation is full of figurative language. I would disagree with (1) because there are good […]
Pretribulational teachers add ANOTHER dispensation to human history in order to protect imminence theology against prewrath eschatology
All theologians believe the Bible teaches that human history is made up of a variety of dispensations where God works in a special redemptive mode and epoch. What is debated, however, is the number of dispensations and the nature of them. I believe Paul outlines at least four fundamental dispensations (oikonomia) in human history in […]
Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics
The Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics is a group of traditional dispensationalists made up of mostly pretribulationists, some I have interacted with on the blog. Even though I think they are wrong-headed on pretribulational theology, there are other points that I believe we can learn from them on, for example, the question of Israel’s future, premillennialism, […]
Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics by Moisés Silva (Book Notice)
Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics by Moisés Silva (Book Notice) Purchase his book on kindle or paperback When first published in 1983, Biblical Words and Their Meaning broke new ground by introducing to students of the Bible the principles of linguistics, in particular, on lexical semantics — that branch […]
A public debate challenge for Andy Woods to defend his new book: The Falling Away: Spiritual Departure or Physical Rapture?: A Second Look at 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Andy Woods has recently written a booklet (54 pages): The Falling Away: Spiritual Departure or Physical Rapture?: A Second Look at 2 Thessalonians 2:3. He interprets the Greek word apostasia (the apostasy/falling away) as referring to the rapture. “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes […]
Any Discussion on Who Is the Restrainer in 2 Thess 2 Must Contend with—Not Ignore—Colin Nicholl’s Research
Recently, there have been radio programs discussing the referent to the apostle Paul’s mention of a “restrainer.” What is baffling is that these programs have completely ignored Colin Nicholl’s research on the evidence of Michael being the Restrainer. Scholars in the last ten years who have been writing commentaries and other monographs have of course […]
Issues of Interpretation and Commentary on Matthew 24–25 – Jesus’s Olivet Discourse
I am asked frequently if I can recommend a commentary on Matthew’s Olivet Discourse. The problem is that (1) many commentaries on Matthew, in particular chapters 24–25, come from a historicist view, an interpretation that skews Matthew’s message and consequently distorts the application for the church today; (2) some commentaries come from a preterist view and/or […]
Fake Theology from Bob Ulrich of Prophecy Watchers (Video)
Years ago I gave up hope of many pretrib teachers, who claim to be concerned with that little thing called . . . “truth,” of representing the prewrath position accurately, even just the most basic facts. Today Gary Stearman of Prophecy Watchers had Bob Ulrich on promoting the upcoming pretrib prophecy conference of their 2nd […]