The Appeal of Preterism

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Exactly. it's as though our brother is trying to tell us that unless a doctrien forces people to serve God out of fear then it must be a false doctrine.

I don't think this is what is meant.

I think Michael's position is that preterism is often warmly received by many because of their flesh, in that suffering for the Gospel as a martyr in a future Great Tribulation at the hands of the Beast is so unpalatable, that they refuse to believe anything else.

For them, it's not a truth issue; rather it's just an issue of how easy of a life they want.

[houston]

Originally Posted by bkstokes

Mike, I know Jerusalem is accused by the prophets to having been harlot. However, Rome who also claims a special relationship with God could be accused of committing adultery. Is not Rome the only city set on 7 hills (which would qualify as the harlot of Rev 17-18)?

[bkstokes]

My knowledge of the geography of Jerusalem is very limited. First are these are these hills or mountains? Second, it does not appear that the city of Jerusalem is actually built on these seven locations. The biblical text says that the city was built "on" seven hills. Not that the city was built in the midst of 7 hills or mountains.

[Sabby]

My PP position was strengthened over time when the pastor began preaching current events as fulfillment of end-time prophecy, mis-using Mk 13 and Mt 24. What was worse was the glorification of the nation of Israel, and not a peep about our orthodox forbears suffering persecution in the Middle East. It must be because the orthodox are not baptized in Jesus' name!
Wait! Neither is the nation of ISRAEL!
Well, I'll be...

[Sabby]

The toe nails of the iron/clay image are long, man.

[bkstokes]

Sabby, I lean towards PP. It was actually Hank Hanegraaf's (sp ?) book that got me going that way. However, it really seems that the woman who rides the Beast in Revelation refers to the Roman church.

[Sabby]

Another more forceful impression AGAINST Dispensationalism/Futurism was when I had a Bible study involving a Chick Track. Its design was similar to a comic book's and the artistry was well done. The cover showed an ob nurse running through the nursery of a hospital screaming, "The babies are missing!" Man, I had fun with that one...

[Monterrey]

Originally Posted by Sabby

Another more forceful impression AGAINST Dispensationalism/Futurism was when I had a Bible study involving a Chick Track. Its design was similar to a comic book's and the artistry was well done. The cover showed an ob nurse running through the nursery of a hospital screaming, "The babies are missing!" Man, I had fun with that one...

lol!!!!

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

I don't think this is what is meant.

I think Michael's position is that preterism is often warmly received by many because of their flesh, in that suffering for the Gospel as a martyr in a future Great Tribulation at the hands of the Beast is so unpalatable, that they refuse to believe anything else.

For them, it's not a truth issue; rather it's just an issue of how easy of a life they want.

I know of no preterist who uttered any such thing. I think only critics of it say that sort of thing. The appeal, as I said, is the overabundance of scriptural support and the correlations of what Jesus said about Jerusalem and, especially, the concept of the present kingdom as opposed to a yet future one in a millennium. Most preterists were STRONG post tribbers beforehand. Not pretrtibbers. And we;ve put up with TRIBULATION from preachers and churches more than any other view of prophecy. lol We do not mind tribulation at all.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by bkstokes

Mike, I know Jerusalem is accused by the prophets to having been harlot. However, Rome who also claims a special relationship with God could be accused of committing adultery. Is not Rome the only city set on 7 hills (which would qualify as the harlot of Rev 17-18)?

Rome is the city with seven hills in Rev 17-18!! I agree. The HARLOT sits on the SEVEN HEADED beast. THE SEVEN HEADS are not part of the woman but the beast whom the woman sits upon. And the woman is JERUSALEM and the BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS/HILLS is Rome. But it is not the ROMAN Catholic church, which was NEVER a bride of God to begin with as the harlot is accused of being. The BEAST IS PAGAN ROME with its Caesars who Jerusalem cried out to be their king instead of Jesus. ROME was in league with the Jews throughout Acts to persecute the church.

Jerusalem is the whore.

Isa 1:21 KJV How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

How can ROME be that?

Read Ezekiel 16. See JERUSALEM called a harlot time and time again!

If you BASE the identity of the HARLOT on the BIBLE, comparing Bible with Bible, JERUSALEM is the only entity that comes to the surface.

Jesus said JERUSALEM was guilty of all blood shed on earth, and that is what was found in the Harlot in Rev 18:24. TWO ENTITIES CANNOT BE GUILTY OF ALL OF THE SAME THING. In Matt 23, JESUS identified the harlot of Rev for us! She is the GREAT CITY where our Lord was crucified!

Rev 11:8 KJV And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.