Why I Am A Futurist

[Michael The Disciple]

Its simple.

The events of Matthew 24 and also the book of Revelation are not fulfilled. Jesus Christ has not come back to gather (rapture) the saints.

Yes he has come in the Holy Spirit into the physical bodies of believers but no he has not come and taken over the kingdoms of this world.

15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Matt 24:15-22

To limit this to ONLY the area of Jerusalem in 70ad one could certainly NOT believe that was the GREATEST TIME OF TRIBULATION that ever hit the world. Far more Jews were murdered by Adolf Hitler from 1939-1945. Not to mention that 10 times more Russians than Jews died about that same time also through the reign of Hitler. Not to mention that besides this millions of others were killed in the 1939-1945 time of tribulation.

Neither has this ever happened before.

29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And 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 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matt 24:29-31

Obviously this would be the greatest and most important event in all history. Yet nothing in history reports all the disciples of YESHUA suddenly vanished from the Earth.

But IF they did? What relevance would the Bible have for us today? Jesus already came and took away the people the Apostles wrote letters to and ministered to so WHO ARE WE?

We are not mentioned in scripture. It was not written TO US PERIOD according to such a belief.

This preterist doctrine is THE MOST EXTREME form of dispensationalism I ever encountered. It says Jesus teachings and promises were fulfilled to persons in the first century. He came and got his people and they went to Heaven.

So all the while they claim to attack "dispensationalism" THEY created their own form of it that robs every believer for over 2000 years of their BLESSED HOPE in the coming of YESHUA CHRIST.

So thats why I am what they would call a "futurist". I take the promised coming of Jesus to raise the dead and translate the living as my blessed hope and the full realization of my faith.

11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13

What I look for as a GLORIOUS APPEARING they say slipped by 2000 years ago!

Does not quite sound like THIS does it?

7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

2 Thess 2:7-10

Awesome and majestic! The greatest event in history of mankind! And yet it came and went. Nobody ever knew about it! All the unbelievers were punished with everlasting destruction! WOW!

So since all this happened in 70 AD WHO ARE WE? It seems as if all of us Christians since 70 ad got LEFT BEHIND!

Apostolic Friends let us return to our blessed hope.

[mfblume]

Using that reasoning, then this has not come to pass yet either.

Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Using that reasoning, then this has not come to pass yet either.

Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Very good point sir.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And 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 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mike, an extinguished sun, and stars falling towards earth? Are these literal stars and a sun going out? Does the rapture take place right when these things happen? Then these saints which have been taken up in a rapture are returned when the New Jerusalem comes down and touches down on a refurbished planet?

Please, I'm eager to hear your thoughts, or at least read them.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Mike, quick question?

Who is Mystery Babylon?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Using that reasoning, then this has not come to pass yet either.

Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Mike,

Has Yeshua already come and taken the saints to Heaven or is that a future event?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Mike, an extinguished sun, and stars falling towards earth? Are these literal stars and a sun going out? Does the rapture take place right when these things happen? Then these saints which have been taken up in a rapture are returned when the New Jerusalem comes down and touches down on a refurbished planet?

Please, I'm eager to hear your thoughts, or at least read them.

Dom,

Im eager to hear your thoughts on what I posted. WHO ARE WE?

Since the Bible was not written to us WHAT DO WE KNOW OF ANYTHING ABOUT GOD?

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Mike,

Has Yeshua already come and taken the saints to Heaven or is that a future event?

It is future. But you spoke about the sun and moon turning dark in Matt 24, which addresses beliefs I hold. That has happened I believe. Part of what you wrote conflicts with my beliefs. I addressed that part. But I agree the resurrection to glory is future.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by mfblume

It is future. But you spoke about the sun and moon turning dark in Matt 24, which addresses beliefs I hold. That has happened I believe. Part of what you wrote conflicts with my beliefs. I addressed that part. But I agree the resurrection to glory is future.

So you and I are both futurists! Now there are things I may agree or disagree with as to other futurists nonetheless we are "futurists".

So why is it you venomize futurists who you agree with and unite with Preterists who do not believe in the future resurrection?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Dom,

Im eager to hear your thoughts on what I posted. WHO ARE WE?

Since the Bible was not written to us WHAT DO WE KNOW OF ANYTHING ABOUT GOD?

Do you believe what I believe is the truth or that it is false?