Preterist Fantasies and Futurist Realities: An Essay on an Important Topic
Throughout many centuries, we have viewed the End Times prophecies of the Bible in many ways, ranging from the bizarre notion of the Messiah already reigning on Earth, to the idea there is no literal Second Coming.
Preterism suggests every prophecy of the Bible was fulfilled by 70 A.D. I don’t have enough hands and faces to react to this to do this preposterous idea justice.
In the other camp, we subscribe to a viewpoint in which the prophecies of the Holy Bible are yet to be fulfilled at a future time.
Which of these two views holds the most credibility according to the Scriptures? Most of Christianity believes the End Times are upon us, but there are still people who will never accept the idea the prophecies are literal, world-shaping events culminating in the Second Coming of the Messiah.
To understand which view is correct, the evidence needs to be examined from both perspectives so we can reach a logical conclusion congruent with the Bible.
The Case for the Next Temple
The Temple Mount is what remains of the Second Temple, and there are certainly prophetic markers that show a Third Temple is on its way which will lead to the Great Tribulation and the Day of the LORD. While I don’t believe we’re in the End Times just yet, I can’t ignore the drive to rebuild the foundations laid waste by the Romans.
The Apostle Paul warns us the Antichrist will sit in God’s Temple, proclaiming himself to be a god. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “…who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God (English Standard Version).” As preterist proponents focus on the Temple being destroyed as a primary source of evidence, it is necessary to look to the Old Testament prophets for insight and wisdom on the Final Temple. Next to the truth unveiled, one idea of the utmost importance is understanding if the prophecies are literal, rather than figurative.
It is a key point in Christian eschatology that there will be a time of trouble the likes of which humanity has never seen.
But could this have been fulfilled by 70 A.D?
Mere destruction of the Temple? Far too many scholars agree the prophecies are for the End of Days in the future, and not some metaphorical fulfillment in the past.
The preterist camp of theology sees the End of Days as already complete.
The word preterism comes from the Latin word “praeter” which means “past.”
However, the future fulfillment of the prophecy shows worshipers will build the next Temple during the time of the end, and even Jewish proponents of the End of Days are looking forward to the Temple of God being restored.
Check out the Temple Institute based in Israel for an example of one such movement.
In all actuality, even the Jewish non-believers in Christ are futurists!
Striking, isn’t it?
Could preterist proponents be correct when lined up with the Bible’s portrayal of the Temple and final political climate, or, are they missing out on vital information that sheds light upon the truth of the End of Days?
In the Book of Daniel, we find parallels to Paul’s warning that our Earth’s End Times cannot happen until the Antichrist takes his seat of power.
Daniel 11:36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.”
This king is not going to be here for a while, even in our day. Why the fuss about 70 A.D., then?
Ezekiel 40:48 “Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs of the vestibule, five cubits on either side.” The temple in Ezekiel’s vision is unlike any other temple that has been raised up in honor of Yahweh in history, with new customs such as entering through the East Gate rather than the South Gate, and a lack of a menorah. The Second Temple continued the traditions of the Levites from the Tabernacle and the First Temple, so there is no way it can vindicate preterist proponents considering the prophecies of Ezekiel.
And that’s not even speaking of the next Temple in line! If all the prophecies have been fulfilled, as they claim, when was this magnificent Temple constructed?
I haven’t seen it.
Have you?
Have historians?
Back to Rome….
During the siege of Jerusalem by Roman legions under Titus, there was no Antichrist, which means “in place of Christ” figure sitting in the Temple, and they used the treasures in the Colosseum and Roman architecture.
Why is this important?
Preterism suffers a critical wound to its theology with the Temple dilemma alone. Daniel’s Final Temple during the days of the final King of the North doesn’t show any sign of a parading campaign of the items to use in architecture. Rather, it seems to show a futuristic likeness of the Antichrist destroying everything as Revelation portrays the Image of the Beast. The focus will be on him, not on building architecture.
The Abomination of Desolation event will be the horrific introduction of a super artificial intelligence we haven’t even dreamed of. We can only guess. It could even be supernatural. But it destroys things. Lays the Temple waste except for our dreaded Antichrist king’s seat.
When did this happen in the first century?
Answer: It didn’t.
The Prophets Were Futurists
Throughout the text of the Bible, there are celestial events and supernatural signs that never occurred in 70 A.D., and the text makes it clear they will be literal.
Isaiah 13:9-10 “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light.”
In the Book of Isaiah, we have a supernatural event occurring where God will darken the stars, sun, and moon on the day of the Messiah’s return. He always presents the Day of the LORD as a dark day with no light except for the LORD’s glory during His Second Coming.
This can’t be possible under a past fulfillment viewpoint in any way unless we take it to be metaphorical.
The Bible has metaphorical language in many places, but the context in which it presented the Day of The LORD verses to us are always literal.
Jesus said on the day of His return, the sun will be dark and the moon will not give its light, in complete agreement with Isaiah, Joel, Ezekiel, the Psalms, Zechariah, Zephaniah, and even John’s Revelation account.
These many witnesses to the celestial conditions during the Messiah’s return to Earth never happened when the Second Temple was taken down.
Preterism doesn’t hold water when we study the prophets.
Besides the celestial signs of the Day of the LORD, we have indications all throughout the Bible that in that day, the mountains will be flattened as if to bow before the King. No proud and lofty thing can stand before God, and that includes the mountains of the planet.
This never happened during the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, and, it still has not happened yet.
Ezekiel 38:20 “The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble, and every wall will fall to the ground.”
I’ll take Ezekiel’s word over preterist hoop-jumping any day.
Futurism clearly has the stronger argument for the End of Days about the celestial and earthly signs, as preterism has to make these passages conform to non-literal language.
Has Death Been Defeated?
One of the most incredible themes of the Bible is, during the time of Christ’s rule on Earth in eternity, there will be no more death and suffering due to sin.
Can this be the case according to the preterist viewpoint?
The last enemy to be defeated is death, and the wicked will also be no more in the time following the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Preterist theologians cannot reconcile the idea of death being destroyed with the events of 70 A.D.
It’s impossible to quote the many passages of Isaiah, Revelation, and Paul’s letters and adopt the stance that Christians are in immortal and glorified bodies during the present time. According to futurist interpretation, the Messiah will raise the dead and the living believers at the time of the End of Days into incorruptible humans, and there is evidence throughout the Scriptures for this idea.
1 Corinthians 15:52 “…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
The prophet Isaiah also mentions the resurrection of the dead: Isaiah 26:19 “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.”
If everything was fulfilled in 70 A.D., then how can these verses possibly be true? Either the futurist interpretation is correct and the preterist interpretation is wrong, or the preterist viewpoint is correct in metaphor, and the futurists have it wrong while still being literal.
Something tells me that can’t be right. It would be the same as the new agers who think the Bible is an astrological metaphor and Jesus is really the Sun, and the two fish represent Pisces.
Nope.
There is no middle ground regarding this issue, and in a court of law, the evidence tips the scales in favor of futurist theology by a longshot.
A super long shot.
And the Winner Is…
It is clear the preterist viewpoint cannot be true. The evidence has been scrutinized, and preterism has failed the test.
While the adherents of preterism have remained true to their belief in figurative interpretation, the literal biblical worldview is the truest to the Bible itself.
The Scriptures are most often literal for historical matters, even if it is history that is yet to occur.
There are clear signs both preceding, and during the Day of The LORD as presented by the prophets, and the scholars and authors who study the text such as Garrow and Alkier both agree that while metaphorical interpretation can be valid, a literal lens best fits the overall picture.
To trivialize the prophecies of the Bible as mere metaphorical language is to trivialize the all-powerful God that humanity serves and who oversees history. God is loving enough to give His people warnings about future events, to prepare them for the final restoration of the Kingdom of God, and the defeat of the enemy of man, Satan.
This did not happen in the late first century, and it must be a future period. At least when we analyze the facts without bias.
To fully realize the effects the End of Days will have on God’s people, there must be accuracy and discernment to ensure the Elect are not deceived when the time of the end comes upon the entire world.
My Ultimate Point Brings It Home
When someone says the prophecies of the Bible are already fulfilled, my first reaction is to test everything according to the Scriptures like a good Berean of the faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 says: “Test everything; hold fast what is good.” To implement the correct eschatological viewpoint, it is of the utmost importance to go by the biblical presentation of the End of Days.
As far as I have come in my walk, eschatology is something that I am still diving into, so my understanding of the End Days isn’t as mature as I would like it to be.
However, I can say with confidence I do not believe the End Times already occurred in the past.
What would be the point of the Great Commission and the Olivet Discourse considering a simple and local event?
It doesn’t add up, and my spiritual barometer says that the events are yet to occur. Even in the far future. Monarchies don’t run the world anymore. Things must change, and shift into a new world order, so to speak.
While I do believe that the End Times are coming (though now I doubt I will live through the Great Tribulation or my kids even), I will not let that sadden me or keep me from living out a life of obedience to the Messiah. I understand these things will happen for God’s words to be fulfilled, so it is my prerogative as a Christian to bring as many to Christ as I can before this terrible time in history.
Let’s fulfill the Great Commission together because, in God’s mercy, we have time left to spare.
After all, the future awaits, not the past.
Some References May Be Helpful
Browning, W. (2009). The Oxford Dictionary of the Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Garrow, A. J. (1997). Revelation. London: Routledge.
Hays, R. B., & Alkier, S. (2012). Revelation and the politics of apocalyptic interpretation. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press.
Heart of the Matter. (2015, September 12). Don K Preston Debates Jason Wallace on the validity of Preterism. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjOMCLbPhvc.
Jackson, W. (2005). The Menace of Radical Preterism. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/91-menace-of-radical-preterism-the
