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 […]
Prewrath
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 […]
Pretrib Bill Salus Contradicts Pretrib Billy Crone on Prophecy Watchers (Video)
A few weeks back Gary Stearman host of Prophecy Watchers interviewed pretrib teacher Billy Crone about his book on the seals of Revelation where Crone takes the typical pretrib interpretation that the seals are part of the day of the Lord’s wrath. (I have written a refutation to Crone on his flawed interpretation of the […]
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, […]
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 […]
Why should I expect the Antichrist to arrive this generation?
I thought I made it clear in yesterday’s post why I believe this. But let me answer and clarify it again. I believe this for the same reason why I expect Jesus to arrive this generation. If we think that the Antichrist could not meaningfully arrive this generation, then we should not believe that Jesus […]
Why We Should Expect the Antichrist to Arrive THIS Generation
Premise 1: The Bible teaches that Jesus can return during any generation (e.g. Matt 24:36–25:30). Premise 2: The Bible teaches that the Antichrist will arrive before Jesus’s return (e.g. 2 Thess 2:8). Conclusion: Therefore, the church should have a real expectation to face the Antichrist’s arrival this generation. Conversely, if we think that the Antichrist […]
How Do We Know that the Events of the Great Tribulation Begin at Matt 24:9 and Not 24:15?
I am asked if the events in Matt 24:9–14 portray events throughout church history or during the future seven-year period. “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name. Then many will be led into sin, and they will […]
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 […]