Two Eschatological Views

 

 

The historicist and Idealist

The preterist and futurist,

Four eschatological positions

Comprise our last days list.

 

Feverish arguments

Concerning which one is right,

Each of the proponents

Claiming to have the light.

 

Like Armenians and Calvinists

Splitting Christendom in half

And people knowing no better

Sometimes having a laugh.

 

Mud-ites and non-Mud-ites

Arguing incessantly:

Concerning the healing of the blind

They disagree vehemently.

 

Four eschatological positions

Agreeing to disagree

And not necessarily agreeably

Or citing commonalities.

 

They have more in common

Than all that divide

But their focus on differences

Causes them to collide.

 

Two are particularly prominent

And two relatively mute,

I will focus attention on the two

At the centre of the dispute.

 

 

 

Preterist and Futurist:

These are the dominant two

The former adopts a past position

The latter: a future view.

 

Preterist indicates the past

Futurist is self-defining,

In terms of last days prophecies

Which, if either, is binding?

 

“Opinions” is not the truth

Though at times they converge

So, when arriving at a conclusion,

Hold to the Bible, I urge.

 

Neither position is salvific

Nor is a barrier to salvation

But both cannot be equally right

Is my humble submission.

 

Concerning last day prophecies

Most are already fulfilled,

The Futurist believe otherwise

They remain to be fulfilled still.

 

Concerning the Revelation

This book is about our future,

Preterist look at the 1^st century

And advance a different picture.

 

 

Preterist focus on stated time clues

And the audience relevance

While Futurist make light of these

And argue for a far distance.

 

Futurist prophetic stance

Is based on a modern-day Israel

Who from Old Testament times

Was God’s chosen people.

 

God broke off with the Jews

That Gentiles could be ushered in

And some spectacular event will occur

To bring most of the Jews to Him.

 

First: the rapture of the Church

Then a time of great trouble

For all those that are left-behind:

In particular the nation of Israel.

 

In this seven-year tribulation

The Jewish nation will turn to God

And in a single day

All Israel will answer God’s call.

  

Next will be the millennium

During which Christ will reign:

This will be an exact thousand years

Is what the Futurist claim.

 

The final judgment will follow

And the consummation of all things

And Jesus will hand over to God:

The Father and eternal King.

 

 

Conversely Preterist believe

In an inexact thousand years:

Of a period beginning at Pentecost

Till the second advent appears.

 

The time of the final judgment

When Satan is cast in the lake of fire

With all that rejected Jesus Christ

And were in Satan’s hire.

 

Futurist interpret prophecy

Via current events

The matter of signs and wonders

Is their intent.

 

Thus, they’ve erred many times

As to when the world will end,

Regarding world event after event

They often see a trend.

 

They use modern day tabloids

To make sense of the Word

As it especially relates to Israel

As we have already heard.

 

Conversely, for the Preterist

Revelation is an almost done deal

A record of 1^st century events

As they back then unreeled.

 

John’s generation back then

Not a 21^st century generation

Thus, the proof of Biblical prophecy

And the book of Revelation.

 

Some Preterist believe

No prophecy is left to be fulfilled

But their eschatological explanation 

Leaves me baffled still.

 

 

For Futurist Israel is the key

And it always has been,

God made a promise to Abraham

That all Israel will be redeemed.

 

The question, however arises:

Which Israel does the Bible mean?

“Since not all Israel is Israel”

This from Romans we glean.

 

Preterist believe Jesus is the key

As shown in Matthew 24

And all he said to his audience then

In Revelation he develops more.

 

It was urgent for them:

They would see Revelation unfold,

They were not left in the dark

By John they were told.

 

Let Scripture interpret Scripture

As you finally decide

But understand that on neither view

Does our salvation ride.

 

Salvation solely rests

On our acceptance of Christ

And the only offering that suffices

Is Christ’s expiatory sacrifice.

 

That’s soteriology not eschatology

Accept Christ today!

What think ye of Christ?

He is the only.

 

Stewart Russell © June 5, 2021

 

Spiritual Mental Cartwheels

 

 

Hey, what’s that topic?

What are you talking about?

Spiritual Mental Cartwheels?

You’ve lost it no doubt.

 

I am sure you have heard

About “stretching the truth”

And trying to fit into an agenda

Void of scriptural proof.

 

Denominations do it daily

Framing the Word in their view

And the purpose for this exercise

Is to convince me and you.

 

Jumping to conclusions

That definitely do not fit

The passage of scripture they read,

But forcing it to stick.

 

If it were just peripheral

We wouldn’t mind too much

But oft it touches on fundamentals

And is used as a crutch.

 

But here is a little caution:

Be careful on what you’re leaning,

Particularly on the Internet

And what people are streaming.

 

I will mention no names here

Maybe, to protect the guilty,

I prefer to note issues, anyway

Than behave irresponsibly.

 

If I were to raise some issues

Tithing would be one,

Prophecy would surely be another

And also, ritual and form.

 

 

Add to these, charismatic gifts

And the five-fold ministry,

Israel, the key to end-time prophecy

And of course, soteriology.

 

Of course, there is the matter,

Regarding who’s in the right church

And that those who are not in it

Will be left in the lurch.

 

Denominational leaders

Often do spiritual mental cartwheels

To convince gullible adherents

Theirs is the truth revealed.

 

Some people leave churches

For one reason or another

And their repetitive church hopping

Becomes a spiritual bother.

 

Sooner or later you’ll find

They are back out in the world

Sorely disappointed and mislead

And spiritually deterred.

 

 

 

It is not how bright you are

But how willing to be Spirit led,

Spiritual mental cartwheels

Causes giddiness in one’s head.

 

So be careful I would caution

Regarding such spiritual exercises,

Always be scripturally relevant

And scrutinize all surprises.

 

Stewart Russell © July 23, 2023