Intro to Covenant Eschatalogy

Introduction to Covenant Eschatology

Introduction to Covenant Eschatology The Generation Promise - The Generation Objection The Olivet Fulfillment The Gospel Preached Other Signs - Interpreting Scripture - Sun, Moon & Stars - Heaven & Earth - Did the Law Pass Away? - The Tribulation - Armageddon - Antichrists - The Last Days Time Statements Timeline of Events Salvation a Reality

The Generation Promise All these things include: Earthquakes The Gospel Preached Famines Abomination of Desolation Tribulation Destruction of the Temple False Prophets False Christs Wars ** Matthew 24:34, "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Objection #1: Certainly these events have not yet occurred, thus Jesus has yet to return. This generation must refer to something other than whom Jesus was speaking to.

The Generation Promise Generation means race . Generation means nation . Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon of the NT: genea “ The whole multitude of men living at the same time” If the authors wanted to portray the word generation with a more ethnic flavor they could have used the word: genos Galatians 1:14, “and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen( genos ).” Acts 7:19, 17:28; Philemon 3:5; 1 Peter 2:9 THE GENERATION OBJECTION

The Generation Promise David Chilton: “ Some have sought to get around the force of this text by saying that the word generation here really means race , and that Jesus was simply saying that the Jewish race would not die out until all these things took place. Is that true? I challenge you: Get out your concordance and look up every New Testament occurrence of the word generation and see if it ever means race in any other context” “ Not one of these references is speaking of the entire Jewish race over thousands of years; all use the word in its normal sense of the sum total of those living at the same time .” Matthew 1:17; 11:16; 12:39, 41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:34; Mark 8:12, 38; 9:19; 13:30; Luke 1:48, 50; 7:31; 9:41; 11:29, 30, 31, 32, 50, 51; 18:8; 17:25, 21:32 Conclusion: Generation in Matthew 24 does not mean race or nation .

The Generation Promise This Generation refers to the generation that would witness these events . Thus changing the scriptures to read something like: “ Truly I say to you, the generation that sees these things take place will not pass away until all these things take place.” This interpretation: - is needlessly redundant - adds things to the Word of God which are not there THE GENERATION OBJECTION

The Generation Promise Matthew 16:28, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Related Passage: Question: Are any of the disciples whom Jesus was speaking to alive today? Conclusion: Jesus arrived in His Kingdom while some of the disciples were still living. False Conclusion: Jesus broke His promise.

The Olivet Fulfillment The generation of the disciples did indeed experience and witness the signs Jesus proclaimed. Many Christians are unaware of the historical fulfillments concerning the Temple, Jerusalem and surrounding events in the first century. For the sake of our study, let’s assume that : This Generation refers to the generation that would witness these events . Let’s follow Matthew 24 verse by verse and compare the Lord’s eschatological predictions with documented, historical fulfillments.

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 2: Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another , which will not be torn down.” Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 5: Section 2 ”And now the Romans, judging that it was in vain to spare what was round about the holy house, burnt all those places, as also the remains of the cloisters and the gates, two excepted; the one on the east side, and the other on the south; both which, however, they burnt afterward.” Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 7: Chapter 1: Section 1 ”Now, as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder... Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple .”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 6: "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.” Reference Luke 21:21 – “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies , then recognize that her desolation is near.” Origen (AD 225) – Against Celsius – Book 2: Chapter 13 ”Now in these it is recorded, that ‘when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, then shall ye know that the desolation thereof is nigh.’ But at that time there were no armies around Jerusalem, encompassing and enclosing and besieging it; for the siege began in the reign of Nero , and lasted till the government of Vespasian, whose son Titus destroyed Jerusalem.”

The Olivet Fulfillment Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 3: Section 3 “Moreover, their hunger was so intolerable, that it obliged them to chew everything , while they gathered such things as the most sordid animals would not touch, and endured to eat them; nor did they at length abstain from girdles and shoes; and the very leather which belonged to their shields they pulled off and gnawed.” Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 3: Section 4 ”So those that were thus distressed by the famine were very desirous to die; and those already dead were esteemed happy, because they had not live long enough either to hear or see such miseries.” Acts 11:27-28 - ”And in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world , which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.” Verse 7: "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 7 (con’t): "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes .” Acts 16:26 - “Suddenly there was a great earthquake , so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.” Tacitus, The Annals, 12:43 “Several prodigies occurred in that year. Birds of evil omen perched on the Capitol; houses were thrown down by frequent shocks of earthquake , and as the panic spread, all the weak were trodden down in the hurry and confusion of the crowd.” Tacitus, The Annals, 12:58 “Apamea, too, which had been shaken by an earthquake , had its tribute remitted for five years.” Tacitus, The Annals, 14:27 “One of the famous cities of Asia, Laodicea, was that same year overthrown by an earthquake .”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 7 (con’t): Seneca, Epistulae Morales (65AD) “How often have cities in Asia, how often in Achaia, been laid low by a single shock of earthquake ! How many towns in Syria, how many in Macedonia, have been swallowed up! How often has this kind of devastation laid Cyprus in ruins! How often has Paphos collapsed! Not infrequently are tidings brought to us of the utter destruction of entire cities .” History also records earthquakes arising in Rome, Apamea, Hieropolis, and Colossae between 60-67AD. Commentary on Philostratos, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana IV.34 “The earthquake mentioned by Philostratus as affecting the site of Lebena in his account of the life of Apollonius of Tyana has been variously dated within the course of the I cent. A.D. In recent times the most popular hypotheses set the the available sources, that the visit of Apollonius to the Asclepieion of Lebena, and the subsequent earthquake, are to be dated to 66 A.D .”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 10: “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.” Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 3: Section 3 ”Now of those that perished by famine in the city, the number was prodigious, and the miseries they underwent were unspeakable ; for if so much as the shadow of any kind of food did anywhere appear, a war was commenced presently; and the dearest friends fell a-fighting one with another about it, snatching from each other the most miserable supports of life.” Verse 11: “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.” 1 John 4:1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 5: Section 2 ”A false prophet was the occasion of these people's destruction, who had made a public proclamation in the city that very day, that God commanded them to get upon the temple, and that there they should receive miraculous signs of their deliverance.”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 14: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations , and then the end will come.” R omans 16:25-26 - “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations , leading to obedience of faith;.” Verse 15: “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place let the reader understand).” Josephus – The Wars of the Jews – Book 6: Chapter 6: Section 1 “And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus imperator with the greatest acclamations of joy.”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 15: (cont) Chrysostom (AD 347) – Homilies on Matthew – Homily 74: Section 3 “Was their house left desolate ? Did all the vengeance come upon (that generation)? It is quite plain that it was so, and no man gainsays it.” Clement of Alexandria (AD 160) "We have still to add to our chronology the following, -- I mean the days which Daniel indicates from the desolation of Jerusalem, the seven years and seven months of the reign of Vespasian. For the two years are added to the seventeen months and eighteen days of Otho, and Galba, and Vitellius; and the result is three years and six months, which is "the half of the week," as Daniel the prophet said. For he said that there were two thousand three hundred days from the time that the abomination of Nero stood in the holy city, till its destruction.”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 16: “then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.” Eusebius (AD 263) – Church History – Book 3: Chapter 4: vs 9 But the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella..”

The Olivet Fulfillment Verse 21: “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.” Eusebius (AD 263) – Church History – Book 3: Chapter 7: vs 9 "It is fitting to add to these accounts the true prediction of our Savior in which he foretold these very events. The historian (Josephus), reckoning the whole number of the slain, says that eleven hundred thousand (1.1 million) persons perished by famine and sword , and that the rest of the rioters and robbers, being betrayed by each other after the taking of the city, were slain. But the tallest of the youths and those that were distinguished for beauty were preserved for the triumph. Of the rest of the multitude, those that were over seventeen years of age were sent as prisoners to labor in the works of Egypt, while still more were scattered through the provinces to meet their death in the theaters by the sword and by beasts. Those under seventeen years of age were carried away to be sold as slaves , and of these alone the number reached ninety thousand . These things took place in this manner in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, in accordance with the prophecies of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , who by divine power saw them beforehand as if they were already present”

The Olivet Fulfillment The First Century was a significant time of tribulation as God dismantled the imperfect covenant He had with mankind. Many signs and wonders accompanied the unveiling of His new, faultless covenant. The Historical fulfillments of such should raise some credibility and cause the skeptics to at least entertain the possibility that these events have already been fulfilled. Conclusion: Jesus’s prophecies concerning His return were fulfilled within the first century. Next, let’s take a more specific look at one of the predictions Jesus mentions in His Olivet Discourse – The Gospel Preached.

The Gospel Preached Matthew 24:14, “This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations , and then the end will come.” Mark 16:14-18, “Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into the entire world and preach the good news to all creation .” The Gospel had to be preached to: - the whole world - all nations - all of creation Objection #2: It’s impossible that every single person on this planet has heard the gospel!

The Gospel Preached ** Colossians 1:6, “ All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.” ** Romans 1:8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world .” ** Romans 16:25-26, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations , leading to obedience of faith;” ** 2 Timothy 4:6-17, “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: ....But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear.” ** Colossians 1:23, “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven , and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”

The Gospel Preached The Pauline scriptures are pretty clear that fulfillment of the words of Jesus came to pass in the first century. WAS PAUL WRONG? Conclusion: Jesus’s prophecies concerning the gospel being preached to the nations, whole world and all of creation were fulfilled inside the first century. Next, let’s transition into discussing the vivid imagery found within Matthew 24 and how it ties together with a first century return of Christ.

Other Signs SUN, MOON & STARS ** Matthew 24:14, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky , and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” Logically, if such physical events happen it could only mean the imminent destruction of our universe – which is exactly what many believe today! Rather, such poetic language is found elsewhere in the Bible to symbolically describe governing bodies. Objection #3: These events never were witnessed and recorded!

Other Signs SUN, MOON & STARS Celestial bodies were often used to symbolize the rulers (or leaders) of nations. ** Genesis 37:9-10, “Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, ‘Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground’?”

Other Signs SUN, MOON & STARS ** Isaiah 13:1-17, “ The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters the army for battle. Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand ! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp, every man's heart will melt , and they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; they will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; they will be amazed at one another; their faces will be like flames. Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine . I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them .”

Other Signs SUN, MOON & STARS Obviously there was no literal falling of stars in the days of Isaiah. He pictured the Babylonian Emperor as the sun, the queen as the moon, the military, political, business, and religious leaders as the stars, and the might of the empire as the powers of heaven. If you recall, the Median empire conquered Babylon in 538BC. So when Jesus uses these exact words, with the order slightly changed, he is using Isaiah's symbolic language to refer to the fall of Jerusalem in the lifetime of His hearers. Jerusalem (Israel) was going to be destroyed in the same way as Babylon was six centuries before. Conclusion: Jesus was referring to the destruction of Israel and its Old Covenant law.

Other Signs HEAVEN & EARTH ** Matthew 24:35, “ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” ** Isaiah 51:15-16, “I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth , and to say to Zion, 'You are My people ’.” ** Leviticus 26:19, “I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze .” Much like the celestial bodies, heaven and earth were also used symbolically to describe a government-ship.

Other Signs HEAVEN & EARTH ** Deuteronomy 29:19, 31:24-28, “These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb. And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them… It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, ‘ Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you . For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the Lord; how much more, then, after my death? Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them ’.”

Other Signs HEAVEN & EARTH The term heavens and earth represent more than just their physical manifestations. The term heavens and earth describe the covenant world which God created for Israel upon their deliverance from Egypt governed by the law which He had given to them. Conclusion: Jesus was referring to the destruction of the Old Covenant law and its constituent elements. Next, let’s take some time to discuss some of the other signs associated with Jesus’s return.

Other Signs THE TRIBULATION ** Revelation 1:9, “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Conclusion: The Tribulation has already occurred. History records the Christians of the first century enduring horrendous tribulation. - beheading - crucifixion - stoning - disemboweled - burned - fed to animals

Other Signs ARMAGEDDON - Means mountain (or valley) of Megiddo - Har-Magedon is a place, not an event - Megiddo is a city located at the southern entrance to the Jezre’el valley along the plain of Esdraelon. - Megiddo overlooked the crossroads to the Via Maris - Megiddo and the underlying Jezre’el valley were the scene for over 100 battles throughout history - Plain of Esdraelon and the Megiddo outpost was used by Roman forces in 67AD to gather and reinforce their legions. ( Josephus , Norman Bentwich) Revelation 16:16, “And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.”

Other Signs ARMAGEDDON Conclusion: The gathering of armies inside the valley of Megiddo occurred in 67AD when the Roman legions set out to attack Israel and her holy city, Jerusalem.

Other Signs ANITCHRISTS 1 John 2:22 ("He is antichrist who denies...") 1 John 4:3 ("this is the spirit of the antichrist...") 2 John 1:7 ("a deceiver and an antichrist.") ** 1 John 2:17-19, “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared ; from this we know that it is the last hour . They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.” Conclusion: Antichrist/s was a 1 st century movement.

Other Signs THE LAST DAYS ** Acts 2:14-16, “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: ‘Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel ’.” ** Joel 2:28-32, “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy , Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days . I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered.” Conclusion: The disciples were living in the last days .

Other Signs TIME STATEMENTS There are over 100 time statements in the New Testament supporting a soon-to-happen time of events. 1. Matt. 3:2 2. Matt. 3:7 3. Matt. 3:10 4. Matt. 3:12 5. Matt. 4:17 6. Matt. 10:7 7. Matt. 10:23 8. Matt. 12:32 9. Matt. 16:27 10. Matt. 16:28 11. Matt. 21:40-45 12. Matt. 24:34 13. Matt. 26:64 14. Mark 1:15 15. Mark 12:9,12 16. Mark 13:30 17. Luke 3:7 18. Luke 3:9 19. Luke 3:17 20. Luke 10:9 21. Luke 10:11 22. Luke 20:15-19 23. Luke 21:22 24. Luke 21:32 25. Luke 23:28-30 26. Luke 24:21 27. John 14:18,20,22 28. John 21:22 29. Acts 2:16-17 30. Acts 17:31 31. Acts 24:15 32. Acts 24:25 33. Rom. 4:23-24 34. Rom. 8:13 35. Rom. 8:18 36. Rom. 13:11-12 37. Rom. 16:20 38. I Cor. 7:29 39. I Cor. 7:31 40. I Cor. 10:11 41. I Cor. 15:51-52 42. I Cor. 16:22 43. Eph. 1:21 44. Phil. 4:5 45. Col. 1:23 46. Col. 2:16-17 47. I Thess. 4:15,17; 48. I Thess. 5:23 49. II Thess. 1:6-7 50. I Tim. 4:8 51. I Tim. 6:14 52. I Tim. 6:19 53. II Tim. 3:1-9 54. II Tim. 4:1 55. Heb. 1:1-2 56. Heb. 1:14 57. Heb. 2:5 58. Heb. 6:5 59. Heb. 6:7-8 60. Heb. 8:13 61. Heb. 9:8-10 62. Heb. 9:11 63. Heb. 9:26 64. Heb. 10:1 65. Heb. 10:25 66. Heb. 10:27 67. Heb. 10:37 68. Heb. 13:14 69. James 2:12 70. James 5:1,3 71. James 5:7 72. James 5:8 73. I Peter 1:6 74. I Peter 1:20 75. I Peter 4:5 76. I Peter 4:7 77. I Peter 4:17 78. I Peter 5:1 79. II Peter 1:19 80. II Peter 2:3 81. I Peter 3:3,5 82. II Peter 3:10-12 83. I John 2:8 84. I John 2:17 85. I John 2:18 86. I John 2:18 87. I John 4:3 88. Jude 1:4,14-15 89. Jude 1:17-19 90. Rev. 1:1 91. Rev. 1:3 92. Rev. 2:25 93. Rev. 3:10 94. Rev. 3:11 95. Rev. 12:5 96. Rev. 18:24 97. Rev. 22:6 98. Rev. 22:7 99. Rev. 22:10 100.Rev. 22:12 101.Rev. 22:20

Other Signs TIME STATEMENTS Read over a few of the aforementioned passages and take special note regarding the wording of the time statements. at hand is near maranatha these days are coming has come near about to come about to judge already the hour very very soon is passing away ready to disappear drawing near these last times In what language do any of these mean “2000+ years from now” ? Conclusion: The NT writers expected the events surrounding Christ’s return to happen soon – within their generation.

Other Signs Again, there is sufficient evidence to cause most skeptics to at least consider a first century return of Jesus possible. Our next topic will touch on a more sensitive idea regarding our orthodox belief on Salvation. Salvation can be a complicated word to interpret and understand, but for the sake of our discussion we will use it’s most commonly used definition - “ eternal life ”. Salvation Completed Question: Where do you go when you die?

Salvation a Reality The answer may surprise you. Rev. 20:11-15, “ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it…..Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Here we see Hades being discarded after the Great White Throne judgment. This can only mean that Hades is still in use. Also, take note of the distinction between Hades and the Lake of Fire – they are not the same thing! If the second coming has yet to occur, then we must admit that we still go to Hades when we die. Objection #4: Because Salvation was completed at the cross we can be assured that we will go to Heaven when we die.

Salvation a Reality 1 Peter 1:10, “ Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you .” 1 Peter 1:5, “ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time .” 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 .” ** Hebrews 9:28, “ so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Conclusion: Salvation was made complete at Christ’s return .

Salvation a Reality Under the Futurist model we demonstrate that currently we will not go to heaven to be with God when we die. Salvation is made complete at Jesus’s return. Under the Futurist model Christ is still in heaven with the Father preparing a place for us . Contrary to what you may hear, Covenant Eschatology offers a fulfilled and final victory to God’s corner. Much like the OT priests, Jesus ascended to God and supplicated Him to accept the proxy of His atonement so that man would now have a place with God. Jesus quickly returned to show us that God accepted the sacrifice, ushering in the new covenant with His creation. All creation is now free to have a relationship w/ God. And to think Preterists are often accused of diminishing the Christian hope (of Jesus’s return).

Timeline of Events Sometimes it helps us to have a diagram to help place events in respect to each other. The next slide features the best representation I could find of assembling eschatological events from a Preterist perspective. Special thanks to John Noe for the use of this diagram - I would also add the “tribulation” period between 30-70AD - I would place the first resurrection as occurring in 33-34 AD (Matthew 27:52, Revelation 20:1-5) - I would note the millennium period between 33/34 – @70 AD (Revelation 20:1-10)

CONCLUSION Introduction to Covenant Eschatology I hope this quick overview provided enough material to get you, or somebody else, started in their study of Covenant Eschatology. As you will find out Preterism encompasses much more than just “end times” events and will most likely challenge the deeply held traditional beliefs we grew up with. Don’t immediately believe everything you hear (including this tutorial) ! I highly encourage you to study these things for yourself and arrive at your own conclusions.

Intro to Covenant Eschatalogy

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Intro to Covenant Eschatalogy