Proper Preterism shows God kept His promises to Israel and helps us understand Scripture

(The Sign of the Second Coming Parousia of Christ)

Note, this was originally a letter to an in-law and due to unfair dialogue, this may appear to be a little hard-ball, using the Titus 1:13 principle “… reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” in the nicest possible manner. Part 1 of 2 (Part 2 has the rebuttal to this letter) …

I think you’re a smart woman and I appreciate your input, and if I’m wrong I will reconsider my finds. First, I’d like to say I am not asking you to believe me. Be a noble Berean (Acts 17:11) and check the sources below, and if you see this, I will tell you that I was just as surprised (after many years of studying) as you will be.

Now, when you said “you have your truth, and I have mine,” I’m sure you know there is no such thing as “contradictory truth” and God’s word is not opinion – He is not the author of confusion, mankind is. Logically, we can both be wrong, or one of us can be right, but we can’t both be right on the topic discussed at the hotel, which YOU asked about or I would not had brought it up in the first place. I only wanted help with marketing.

Now that this has been brought up, I should defend this position that I think is truth, and that is “Christ’s presence or arrival on His heavenly throne (Greek PAROUSIA [defined later]), not coming as usually translated (He never said He was coming back to reign on planet Earth — that is what the churches teach), but a heavenly reign (1Pe 1:4; Col 1:5; 2Tim 4:18 et al) OCCURRED IN THE FIRST CENTURY, AS HE SAID IT WOULD (Mat 16:28, 24:34 et al) AND WE ARE NOT LIVING IN THE BIBLICAL LAST DAYS” as your Mother insisted.

THE LAST DAYS [of the old Jewish system – that’s what it means] WERE FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST (circa 1BC, see Heb 1:2; Acts 2:16, 17) TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, (ca. 70AD). THE BIBLICAL LAST DAYS ONLY LASTED ABOUT 70 YEARS. After that is when everything BEGAN for Christianity (i.e. Him and His saint’s reign from heaven). There are “plausible” scriptural reasons we live in an evil world until God becomes “all in all” (1Co 15:28).

Allow me to explain….

Most Christians would strongly affirm that the gospel message of Christ is an essential. I ask, how essential to the Gospel is the event commonly referred to as the “second coming,” then? The churches do not always realize the second coming of Christ is an essential and make it a side category (for prophecy)–hopefully you will see how wrong that is.

Heb 9:28  (ASV)  so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear A SECOND TIME, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, UNTO SALVATION

Based on the verse quoted above, there can be NO SALVATION apart from, (i.e. without) the commonly called “second coming!” See the vital importance? When that verse was written, they did not yet have the salvation they were promised, because it was a process. “Second coming” brings with it salvation here too: Joh 14:3; Rev 22:12. Then Paul describes how a believer receives immortality in the PAROUSIA (Greek word for PRESENCE, wrongly translated coming) of Jesus in 1Cor 15:23c and 15:45, 50-54.

NOTE: In Heb 9:28 (we just read) salvation does not occur at His cross and resurrection as most assume, because there is a process to our redemption. HIS RETURN HAS TO BE INCLUDED, as I tried to explain at the hotel (the Levitical [see Lev 16] priestly protocol, where the priest had to re-appear to the people showing God’s approval of the sacrifice – Christ is our high priest).  It’s the process of redemption and that process ended with the destruction of the old system ca. 70AD, then redemption/salvation began. They were sealed with the spirit (30-70AD), which was the EARNEST DOWN PAYMENT Eph 1:13-14; 2Cor 1:22, but did NOT have salvation at the cross and resurrection of Christ, and neither do we if we deny His parousia (usually called return or second coming) occurred.

The following time statements are taken from Book 1“Imminent Time Statements that have been Ignored & Distorted please consider them carefully. They demonstrate how the churches have not considered “audience relevance!

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it IS (not might be!) the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even NOW (at the time this was written!) have there arisen (past tense) MANY antichrists; whereby we KNOW that it IS the last hour. (I could not tell my children those words, and have it mean anything significant, if it were 2,000 years into the future!)

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for NOW is our salvation NEARER than when we believed. (Carefully consider this verse with Heb 9:28 above to see they did not have it yet, until His return.)

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; AND THEN SHALL THE END COME.” (Mat 24:14)

The “world” there is the Greek word oikoumene referring to the known world at that time – the world of the Roman Empire.

Compare in blue:

“if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, WHICH WAS (past tense) PREACHED IN ALL CREATION UNDER HEAVEN; whereof I Paul was made a minister.” (Col 1:23 cf. Romans 1:8)

The “kingdom” that they were to preach was the  “heavenly kingdom” of Jesus Christ (2Tim 4:18) which can only be entered through resurrection – upon physical death “unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU,” (1Pe 1:4; Col 1:5 et al)

2 Pet 3:8 that your Mother brought up “a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day with the Lord” has nothing to do with indicating when Christ would return, but does have relationship to the fact that the Day of the Lord will not last for 24 hours (e.g. my DAY will come – see “Day of the Lord” Book 1). Peter is assuring them God alloted that time for old covenant Israel that was scattered abroad to be reached with the gospel and the House of Judah (Jews) to repent, but was ensuring them that day was not being prolonged despite what the mockers and deniers were saying (2Pe 3:3, 4). Likewise, Peter is discussing how the covenantal heavens and earth have been kept in store for a long period of time, but no big deal to God because time affects Him different than us. That verse does not and CANNOT contradict, negate and nullify ALL time statements God was conveying to His poor, persecuted first century people when He told them to hang in there because the time was short! To say so, is to cling to our false traditions and would be dishonest. Point in tact…..

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  • Dan 8:26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings which hath been told is true: but SHUT YOU UP THE VISION; FOR IT BELONGS TO MANY DAYS TO COME (ABOUT 500 YEARS UNTIL THE 1ST CENTURY LAST DAYS BEGAN WITH THE BIRTH OF CHRIST). Dan 10:14  Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for the vision is yet for many days: Dan 12:9  And he said, GO THY WAY, DANIELFOR THE WORDS ARE SHUT UP AND SEALED TILL THE TIME OF THE END.

VERSUS:

  • Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand. Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, SEAL NOT UP THE WORDS OF THE PROPHECY OF THIS BOOK; FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND. (SECOND COMING OR GREEK PAROUSIA, CA. 70)

You should see by the vast contrast of the above two passages [with various verses] that God DOES know how to convey time to His people in a manner they would understand.

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How can we say we are “in Christ” if we deny what he plainly taught (these verses are not “last days sidenotes,” but once we are told, say if we deny WHAT HE SAYS, we will be denied John 12:48, 14:23-24; Mat 10:33), because we desire to cling to false traditions of men that make void the word of God (Mat 15:6), and want false teachers that tell us it doesn’t matter anyway? How can we have salvation if we deny what is clearly and plainly stated in the New Testament? It’s apparent to me God is opening the blind eyes and deaf ears of those willing to see and hear. Thus we should no longer be among the blind and non-hearing once we are given this light.

The truth of the matter is, the destruction of Jerusalem was only the visible and dramatic manifestation (“SIGN” Mat 24:2, 3) to them (and to us) that HE DID ascend to the throne of His glory in heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords (second coming) around the time of God’s judgment upon Jerusalem, as he said he would (ca. 70AD see Luk 21:28; Mat 21:43 when the kingdom was taken from the Jews); and since His accession to that throne was not visible to them (Luk 17:20), Christ gave them the sign they asked for before they even asked for it (i.e “not one stone will be left upon another”! Mat 24:2)

“Every Eye Shall See”, and We Shall See Him “AS HE IS”

Luk 17:20 And having been questioned by the Pharisees, when the reign of God doth come, he answered them, and said,
`The reign of God doth not come with observation (CANNOT SEE);

-VS.-
Mat 16:28 Verily I say to you, there are certain of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they may see (THEY CAN SEE) the Son of Man coming in his reign.’

Though it may appear so, there is no contradiction there; it’s only a matter of perspective:

REVELATION 1:7. Behold, HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, ….

There is a parallel here with … Exodus 24:10a “And THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL…”
-VS.-
But Christ said…. Joh 1:18a “NO MAN HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME…”

A person can see with their understanding (perceive) and or see with their eyes. It can be “seen” for certain that everything that Christ described was seen by the folks of that day in His coming judgment on Jerusalem, but do they perceive that was him? The heretics say no that was not Christ’s second coming (2Pe 2:1). So what Christ said is true every eye saw him, but the world does not see him… With the eye, they and others still today can see everything Christ described to have taken place, but some do not “keep” (believe, understand, perceive) his words, as such they do not see him nor shall they ever.

The saints are sitting on that Great White Throne and they will judge these deniers along with the rest of the world. (2Pe 2:1; Luk 12:9; 2Ti 3:5) Mat 24:48  “But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord DELAYS…” The church has developed a delay theory, and needs to come out of it!

“… to all them that love his appearing” (you cannot love what you deny 2Ti 4:8).

The saints are the body of Christ so they will see Christ, at least in that manner of speaking, but they will not see what they are expecting. If someone came and said I am coming to your town to destroy it and every eye will see it, who in their right mind would claim that every person who ever lived or will live, will see it? Even words like “all” and “everyone” have something called context that defines any limitations to scope.

1) While in the flesh they/we could/can only “see” him in the words and understanding of those words that came to pass (i.e. fulfilled prophecy we perceive, this is how He is manifested to us and not the world,) or

2) After the physical death of the body we/they were looking to see him “as he is” because we shall have new spiritual bodies and “be like Him,” (1Jo 3:2) because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom (reign); and in that day they will see him “face to face.”

3) And every man that hath THIS HOPE in him purified himself, even as he is pure…… Folks who deny the second coming of Christ at the end of the war of AD70 (AS HE SAID: Historically, the events prophetically described by Jesus as recorded in Luke 21:8-27 occurred in the years of ca. 36-70 AD. Jesus clearly instructed His listeners that “when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is NEAR!”) based on a physical bodily resurrection don’t have this hope and as such are not pure. [Titus 1:15-16] They are hoping for a physical bodily resurrection as such deny the faith and hope of true Christians. This is the whole point to Christ’s own statements about his second coming and what folks would see.

You might be thinking that all today do not “serve Him” (Dan 7:14, 27). But, it should be looked at as a long process (since 70AD) of subduing His enemies (1Co 15:25; Psa 110:1). “The police have dominion, but they do not have complete compliance.” Someday, and it may be soon, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, then we’ll have more compliance, too.

The ascension or coming of Christ to the Father to receive His Kingdom, was right after the destruction of the Judean (that’s why they would mourn) Kingdom exhibited in this verse:

Mat 24:30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. There were also heavenly signs  (read Josephus, The Wars Of The Jews), Josephus was a first century Jewish historian.

CONCLUSION

With this light now available to us, we can conclude: if that fulfillment and scripturally undeniable sign (i.e. Christ’s prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem) did not coincide with his 1st century return to get first-fruits of his bride (those waiting in the grave Mat 24:31; 1Th 4:15b then – after that – each Christian alive upon physical death,) that makes him a false prophet.  Christ predicted it in THEIR generation (Mat 24:34), when he would be seated in the throne of His glory in heaven (Mat 19:28).

If you want to know what Christ and His saints do after 70AD (i.e. during the thousands [Greek plural] years reign and beyond) get Book 1 – The Last Days Edition. Everything is progressively and systematically spelled out for you – you’re satisfaction is guaranteed!

So, contrary to the erroneous teachings of the church, there was no delay, especially not “a2,000-year delay.” He did not tarry, but came exactly according to prophecy and fulfilled everything He said He would right on His schedule as given in the New Testament.

For Christ is…entered into…heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Noryetthatheshouldofferhimselfoften,asthehighpriestentersintotheholy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the age He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him, He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation…For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and WILL NOT TARRY. (Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:37)

These verses clearly and unambiguously state that Christ appeared once in the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Then He entered into heaven to appear in the presence of God for those first century Hebrew Christians (and us), and He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation…FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, and He that shall come will come, and HE WILL NOT TARRY!

That Scripture clearly states from the time that the above statement was written, it would only be “A LITTLE WHILE” until Jesus Christ would “APPEAR AGAIN A SECOND TIME”, and “HE WILL NOT TARRY!”

It is very inconsistent, if not directly contrary to Scripture, to think that the Lord “tarries” when the Scriptures plainly states that “He will Not tarry!”

The above researched and verified argument – beyond any reasonable doubt – jives with all other scripture and refutes what the churches are teaching, and proves they promote a diluted and distorted (denying He did what He said He’d do), which some might call a false gospel (Gal 1:8-9)! Rest assured there are sufficient, biblical answers to ALL the objections to this; all you need to do is present the objections. Let me know if I can be of any other assistance.  Steve

GET BOOK 1 ~ THE LAST DAYS EDITION

(available in 3 formats)

Read a response to this letter in Pt. 2 titled ‘Is “Interpretation” Keeping People from Christ?’

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