Days of Vengeance - The Preterist Archive

More documents

Recommendations

Info

INTRODUCTION TO PART THREE The laws of the Covenant decreed a program of conquest over the ungodly nations of Canaan: Israel defeated its enemies through the application of the Covenant. The holy war simply carried out the death sentence declared in the courtroom; it was fundamentally an ethical, judicial action, bringing the death penalty against the wicked. 4 The program of conquest, based on the law of God, thus issued from the central Sanctuary. (It is interesting that as this program is spelled out in Deuteronomy 7, Moses speaks symbolically of “seven nations” to be destroyed.) 5 Of course, the law provides not only for the judgment of the Canaanites, but also for Israelites who apostatize from the Covenant: Those who repudiate God’s authority and follow after other gods are to be put to death, a judgment that, like the others, proceeds ultimately from the altar in the central Sanctuary (Deut. 13:1-18; 17:1 -13). 6 As Deuteronomy 20 makes clear, this Sanctuaryjudicial aspect is central even to the warfare waged against foreign nations, beyond the borders of the theocracy: Battles were consecrated by the priest to the glory of God and His covenantal Kingdom (v. 1-4). A war of this kind was always preceded by an offer of peace; if the offer were refused, all the men of the city would be put to the sword. Kline explains the typology: “In Israel’s offer of peace (v. 10) and in the submission of the Gentile city as a covenant tributary to Yahweh (v. 11) there was imaged the saving mission of God’s people in the world (cf. Zech. 9:7b, 10b; Luke 10:5-16). The judgment of those who refuse to make their peace with God through Christ was exhibited in the siege, conquest, and punishment of the unsubmissive city (v. 13).” 7 We find all this in Revelation as well – with the difference that, as a Covenant Lawsuit against apostate Israel, the judgments once decreed against the ungodly Gentiles are now unleashed on the lawless Covenant people, who had rejected Christ’s offer of peace. As the book of the Covenant is opened, the cherubic creatures carrying the altar cry out: “Come!” – and four horsemen ride out to conquer the Land, bringing destruction and death in fulfillment of the covenantal curses, applying the just and holy judgment of the Sanctuary in heaven. Another major subject of the Stipulations section in Deuteronomy is the requirement to appear at the sacred feasts, involving three annual pilgrimages to the central Sanctuary: for the feasts of Passover/Unleavened Bread (16:1-8), Pentecost [Weeks] (16:9-12), and Tabernacles [Booths] (16:13-15). 8 The same order is followed in this section of Revelation. Chapter 5 contains imagery from Passover, where we see worshipers in the sanctuary giving thanks for “the Lamb that was slain.” Chapter 6 takes up the theme of Pentecost (the anniversary of the giving of the Law at Sinai): The lawbook of the Covenant is unsealed, bringing a series of judgments patterned after Habakkuk 3, a synagogue reading for Pentecost. 9 Then chapter 7 brings us into a vision of the eschatological Feast of Tabernacles, 10 in which the countless multitudes redeemed from every nation stand before the Throne with palm branches in their hands (cf. Lev. 23:39-43), praising God as their Redeemer-King (cf. Deut. 26:1-19) 11 and receiving the fullness of blessing foreshadowed in this feast: “And He who sits on the Throne shall spread His Tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the Throne shall be their Shepherd, and shall guide them to the springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:15-17). 1. See Meredith G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King: The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1963), pp. 62-120. 2. Ibid., p. 80. 3. Cf. Matt. 18:18, which literally reads: “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” In delivering righteous judgments, ministers on earth are manifesting the Judgment of heaven. 4. See Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant (Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987). 5. Cf. Kline, p. 68. 6. Ibid., pp. 84ff., 94ff. 7. Ibid., p. 106. 8. Ibid., pp. 91-94. 9. M. D. Goulder, The Evangelists’ Calendar: A Lectionary Explanation for the Development of Scripture (London: SPCK, 1978), P. 177. 10. See David Chilton, Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theology of Dominion (Ft. Worth, TX: Dominion Press, 1985), pp. 44ff., 60. 11. See Kline, pp. l18ff. 68
4:1 4 THE THRONE ABOVE THE SEA The Pattern for Worship (4:1-11) 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first Voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said: Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a Throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting 3 like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the Throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 And around the Throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 5 And from the ‘Throne proceed flashes of lightning and voices and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before His Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the Throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the middle of the Throne and around it were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 And the first creature was like a Lion, and the second creature was like a Bull, and the third creature had a face like that of a Man, and the fourth creature was like a flying Eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and they have no rest day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. 9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the Throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the Throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the Throne, saying: 11 Worthy art Thou, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created. 1 This verse is used by advocates of Dispensationalism to support their “Rapture Theory,” the notion that the Church will be snatched away from this world before a coming Tribulation; indeed, this verse seems to be the main proof-text for a pre-Tribulation rapture. St. John’s “rapture” into heaven is regarded as a sign that the whole Church will disappear before the plagues recorded in the following chapters are poured out. Part of the rationale for this understanding is that the Voice John heard was like the sound of a trumpet, and St. Paul says that a trumpet will sound at the “rapture” (1 Thess. 4:16). Some advocates of this position seem oblivious to the fact that God uses a trumpet on numerous occasions. In fact, as we have seen in the first chapter, the connection between God’s Voice and the sound of a trumpet occurs throughout Scripture, beginning with the judgment in the Garden of Eden. For that matter, St. John heard the voice like a trumpet in the first vision (Rev. 1:10). (Does this indicate a possible “double rapture”?) 1 The Dispensationalist school of interpretation also appeals to the fact that, after the Voice has said Come up here, “The word ‘church’ does not again occur in the Revelation till all is fulfilled.” 2 This singular observation is set forth as abundant proof that the Book of Revelation does not speak of the “Church” 3 from this point until the Second Coming (generally placed in 19:11), which in turn proves that the Church has been raptured and is absent, in heaven, away from all the excitement – all because the word “Church” is missing! On the basis of such a curious principle of interpretation we could say with assurance that Revelation doesn’t tell us anything about Jesus either until chapter 12, because the name “Jesus” does not occur until then (thus “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” and “the Lamb that was slam” [5: 5-6] must be terms for someone else). 4 Of course, this method of interpretation involves even more problems for the Dispensationalist: for the word “Church” never again appears in the entire Book of Revelation at all! This interpretation of the words Come up here does not, therefore, support the pretribulation rapture of the Church; it possibly even teaches the pretribulation annihilation of the Church. After the last verse in Revelation 3, the Church simply disappears, and is never heard from again. Obviously, this is not true. The Church is known by 1. But wait! Chapters 8-11 record the soundings of no less than seven more trumpets – could there be nine raptures? 2. The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, [1909] 1945), note on Rev. 4:1; cf. Hal Lindsey, There’s a New World Coming: A Prophetic Odyssey (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1973), pp. 74ff. 3. The Dispensationalist use of the word Church is very different from its use in historical, orthodox theology. See O. T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1945, 1947), PP. 54-110; L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., fourth revised cd., 1949), pp. 562-78; and Roderick Campbell, Israel and the New Covenant (Tyler, TX: Geneva Ministries, [1954] 1983). 4. This principle can be fruitfully applied elsewhere in Scripture as well. For example, the word love does not appear anywhere in the Book of Ruth; thus her story turns out not to be, after all, one of the greatest romances in the Bible, for Boaz and Ruth did not love each other. Again, the word God does not appear in the book of Esther; on these principles, He must not have been involved with those events, and the book must not tell us anything about Him. In addition, the first fifteen chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans doesn’t concern the Church, for the word Church doesn’t appear there either! 5. Paul Minear lists ninety-six of them in the New Testament alone: Images of the Church in the New Testament (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), pp. 222ff. , 268f. 69
Page 1:
But when you see Jerusalem surround
Page 4 and 5:
Copyright @ 1987 by Dominion Press
Page 6 and 7:
FOREWORD Foreword Readers of the Bo
Page 8 and 9:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE Publisher’s
Page 10 and 11:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE case for esch
Page 12 and 13:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE this book bec
Page 14 and 15:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE In contrast,
Page 16 and 17:
INTRODUCTION St. Irenaeus is somewh
Page 18 and 19: INTRODUCTION we must be saved” (A
Page 20 and 21: INTRODUCTION previous relationship
Page 22 and 23: INTRODUCTION You have lain down as
Page 24 and 25: INTRODUCTION are only elaborating a
Page 26 and 27: INTRODUCTION early churches had suc
Page 28 and 29: INTRODUCTION actions mean more than
Page 30 and 31: INTRODUCTION Some will complain tha
Page 32 and 33: INTRODUCTION Outline of Revelation
Page 34 and 35: 1:1-3 that must shortly take place.
Page 36 and 37: 1:4-6 accomplishment. We probably h
Page 38 and 39: 1:7-8 observe that a central aspect
Page 40 and 41: 1:9 14 And His head and His hair we
Page 42 and 43: 1:16 That all the peoples, nations,
Page 44 and 45: 1:20 things that must shortly take
Page 46 and 47: INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO Part Two H
Page 48 and 49: INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO The confli
Page 50 and 51: 2:4-6 endure evil men. . . . And yo
Page 52 and 53: 2:9-10 dead, and has come to life:
Page 54 and 55: 2:14-16 expression (none of which m
Page 56 and 57: 2:18-23 and leads my servants astra
Page 58 and 59: 2:26-29 end, to him I will give aut
Page 60 and 61: 3:4-6 church, or even against a nat
Page 62 and 63: 3:8-11 And I will clothe him with y
Page 64 and 65: 3:14-16 sons disinherited and cast
Page 66 and 67: 3:21-22 the elders of a church, and
Page 70 and 71: 4:2-3 numerous names and descriptio
Page 72 and 73: 4:5-8 superseded and transcended; t
Page 74 and 75: 4:5-8 19) led Biblical writers to s
Page 76 and 77: 5:1-4 family worship; it is radical
Page 78 and 79: 5:5-7 St. John; and it seems as if
Page 80 and 81: 5:8-10 have gained the victory for
Page 82 and 83: 6:1-2 6 IN THE PATH OF THE WHITE HO
Page 84 and 85: 6:3-4 forth conquering, and to conq
Page 86 and 87: 6:9-10 And authority was given to h
Page 88 and 89: 6:15-17 that Israel’s time has ru
Page 90 and 91: 7:4-8 Though he flourishes among th
Page 92 and 93: 7:4-8 they were listening to the Ap
Page 94 and 95: 7:9 is presumably deliberate, for i
Page 96 and 97: 7:10-14 inheriting the Kingdom (Mat
Page 98 and 99: 7:15-17 They will not hunger or thi
Page 100 and 101: 8:3-5 for that would be about the l
Page 102 and 103: 8:6-7 rout the Midianites, in Judge
Page 104 and 105: 8:12 13 And I looked, and I heard a
Page 106 and 107: 9:13 The vegetation of the earth is
Page 108 and 109: 9:20-21 lations advanced by some co
Page 110 and 111: 9:20-21 men much more atheistical t
Page 112 and 113: 10:2-4 beyond reasonable doubt that
Page 114 and 115: 10:8-10 the Spirit at Pentecost was
Page 116 and 117: 11:1-2 angelic priest measures the
Page 118 and 119:
11:7 have the power to shut up the
Page 120 and 121:
11:11-14 climax with the murder of
Page 122 and 123:
11:16-18 month in the liturgical ye
Page 124 and 125:
12:1-2 12 THE HOLY WAR The Book of
Page 126 and 127:
12:1-2 birth to the Christ, to brin
Page 128 and 129:
12:4 Daniel repeats the same idea i
Page 130 and 131:
12:5-9 Chronologically, this explan
Page 132 and 133:
12:12 And when we see the Lord warr
Page 134 and 135:
12:17 for the action of Pharaoh, wh
Page 136 and 137:
13:3-4 of the ten imperial province
Page 138 and 139:
13:8-10 The Beast was given authori
Page 140 and 141:
13:13-14 character and office (1 Co
Page 142 and 143:
13:18 work throughout Revelation ar
Page 144 and 145:
13:18 ✩ ✩✩ ✩★✩ ✩★
Page 146 and 147:
14:1 14 THE KING ON MOUNT ZION St.
Page 148 and 149:
14:6-7 have seen, the Church on ear
Page 150 and 151:
14:9-13 understanding (Prov. 9:1-6)
Page 152 and 153:
14:14-16 I may find them prompt; na
Page 154 and 155:
14:19-20 And now, O inhabitants of
Page 156 and 157:
their Chalices of wrath, one of the
Page 158 and 159:
15:3-4 sacrifices; and the Glory of
Page 160 and 161:
15:8 We should be reminded in this
Page 162 and 163:
16:1-3 5 And I heard the Angel of t
Page 164 and 165:
16:10-11 the heat of the sun by the
Page 166 and 167:
16:15-16 established here, for the
Page 168 and 169:
16:19 thereof, concerning which the
Page 170 and 171:
17:1 17 THE FALSE BRIDE While some
Page 172 and 173:
17:3 action throughout history in s
Page 174 and 175:
17:8 Jerusalem’s whole history, i
Page 176 and 177:
17:13-16 (v. 2), as the instruments
Page 178 and 179:
18:1-2 priority over the kingdoms o
Page 180 and 181:
18:6-8 His people to come out of Ba
Page 182 and 183:
18:17-19 sanctuary two lampstands r
Page 184 and 185:
18:20-21 They went down into the de
Page 186 and 187:
19:1-2 19 THE FEASTS OF THE KINGDOM
Page 188 and 189:
19:3-8 of vengeance, in order that
Page 190 and 191:
19:10 Church admitted its members t
Page 192 and 193:
19:12-15 Let the heavens be glad, a
Page 194 and 195:
19:16-18 of wealth, or wasting dise
Page 196 and 197:
20:1 20 THE MILLENNIUM AND THE JUDG
Page 198 and 199:
20:1-3 Christ established His media
Page 200 and 201:
20:1-3 The great fathers and teache
Page 202 and 203:
20:4 The relationship between the p
Page 204 and 205:
20:5-6 earth? The answer should be
Page 206 and 207:
20:7-8 ministry; that was Satan’s
Page 208 and 209:
20:9-10 St. John’s image for the
Page 210 and 211:
20:12 redeemed with Thy precious bl
Page 212 and 213:
21:1 21 THE NEW JERUSALEM The Bible
Page 214 and 215:
21:1 Pet. 3:5-7; cf. the same analo
Page 216 and 217:
21:3-5 will be established finally,
Page 218 and 219:
21:9-11 The New Jerusalem (21:9-27)
Page 220 and 221:
21:15-21 Covenant of Grace; the fac
Page 222 and 223:
21:24-27 And deep darkness the peop
Page 224 and 225:
22:3-4 Paradise is not, therefore,
Page 226 and 227:
22:6-9 Final Warnings and Blessings
Page 228 and 229:
22:17-21 unconquerable strength and
Page 230 and 231:
CONCLUSION the pure Bride-City, is
Page 232 and 233:
CONCLUSION does not exempt us from
Page 234 and 235:
APPENDIX A it is reflected in “It
Page 236 and 237:
APPENDIX A make him a pillar in the
Page 238 and 239:
APPENDIX A and wine the night befor
Page 240 and 241:
APPENDIX A Babylon, falsely priestl
Page 242 and 243:
APPENDIX A B. CHRISTIAN WORSHIP 1.
Page 244 and 245:
APPENDIX B been the defining mark o
Page 246 and 247:
APPENDIX B The Bible teaches us tha
Page 248 and 249:
APPENDIX C APPENDIX C Common Grace,
Page 250 and 251:
APPENDIX C for all eternity because
Page 252 and 253:
APPENDIX C better arrangement cultu
Page 254 and 255:
APPENDIX C be destroyed. The two ex
Page 256 and 257:
APPENDIX C universe. It is governed
Page 258 and 259:
APPENDIX C completed, the world was
Page 260 and 261:
APPENDIX C deceive the nations. The
Page 262 and 263:
APPENDIX C creeds and theological u
Page 264 and 265:
APPENDIX C coherence that at least
Page 266 and 267:
APPENDIX C There is continuity in l
Page 268 and 269:
Athanasius. On the Incarnation of t
Page 270:
________. The Institutes of Biblica
show all

Days of Vengeance - The Preterist Archive

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?