Why I Became a Preterist
By Ward
Fenley
There are lots of articles
and posts entitled, "Why I am Not a Preterist." I felt I should take
the time to write why I am a Preterist. I am sure others have written about why
they are Preterists too. But this is my perspective.
Though 'Preterist' is somewhat of a crude-sounding word, it is the word used to
define a person who believes that Jesus Christ did not lie. I used to believe
that the rapture would take place in my future; that the tribulation would take
place immediately following the rapture and last for seven years; that the
antichrist would make a covenant with Israel in the middle of the seven years;
that one hundred forty-four thousand Jews would get saved and
then preach to the Gentiles and that all of those who got saved during that
seven-year period and escaped without getting killed by the antichrist would
repopulate the thousand year millennium after Christ returned at the end of the
seven years. I also believed that during the millennium those Christians would
repopulated the earth would have unsaved children who would ultimately revolt
against Christ. Those who didn't revolt would reinstitute animal
sacrifices and offer them up at
(Revelation 1:1-3) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to
show unto his servants things which must ***shortly*** come to pass; and he
sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: {2} Who bare record
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw. {3} Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of
this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is
***at hand.***
I also forgot to take these verses in Revelation literally:
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord
God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things
which must ***shortly*** be done.
I simply could not believe that Christ lied, therefore I now interpret those
verses literally.
The book of Revelation is couched in between verses that say it would be at
hand, shortly, quickly. So then, I have concluded that those events mentioned
in Revelation took place when Jesus and John said they would take place,
because I do not believe that Jesus and John lied.
This prompted me to study the use of apocalyptic language in the Old Testament
where God frequently speaks with the use of metaphors:
(Psalms 18:6-16) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God:
he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his
ears. {7} Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills
moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. {8} There went up a smoke out of
his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. {9}
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. {10}
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the
wind. {11} He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were
dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. {12} At the brightness that was
before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. {13} The
LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones
and coals of fire. {14} Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he
shot out lightning’s, and discomfited them. {15} Then the channels of waters
were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O
LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. {16} He sent from above, he
took me, he drew me out of many waters.
Revelation uses this type of metaphorical terminology throughout:
But I could never find where God used time statements metaphorically. In fact,
I found contrary:
(Ezekiel
When God uses time statements to men, He means them.
The conclusion, therefore, is that John and Jesus intended the seven churches
to understand the time statements literally and the apocalyptic statements
figuratively.
This statement of Jesus clarifies the issue:
(Matthew
This statement from John clarifies the issue:
1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is
coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the
last hour.
This statement from James clarifies the issue:
(James 5:8-9) Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh. {9} Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be
condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
This statement from Peter clarifies the issue:
1 Pet 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer.
Therefore, this statement of Jesus to Peter, James, and John (the writers just
mentioned), makes perfect sense and clarifies the issue:
(Matthew 24:2-3) And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily
I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall
not be thrown down. {3} And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples
came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
(Matthew 24:2-3) And Jesus said unto them (disciples), See ye not all these
things? verily I say unto you (disciples), There shall not be left here one
stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. {3} And as he sat upon the
mount of Olives, the disciples (disciples: Mark 13:3 And as he sat upon the
mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew
asked him privately,) came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end
of the age?........
Mark 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter
and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Still speaking to those same three:
(Matthew 24:32-34) Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: {33} So likewise
ye (disciples), when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even
at the doors. {34} Verily I say unto you (disciples), This generation shall not
pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
If Jesus did not return, Christianity is a hoax and every liberal
anti-Christian professor whoever darkened the doors of a Cathedral is correct.
But I don't believe that. I must believe that Christ meant what He said,
regardless of whether I have a difficult time understanding how it all worked
out. I would rather say that I don't know how it all worked out than deny the
absolutely clear statements of Jesus Christ and the apostles that His return
would take place within their lifetime.
That is why I am a Preterist. And there is no turning back, because I would
rather lack understanding of certain apocalyptic elements than have a supposed
Savior who lied and generated the most heinous and deceptive of all religions.
There are no two ways about it. Jesus Christ either returned or He is a
monstrous liar and everything every liberal and skeptic has every said against
Him is true. I cannot accept the latter.
In Christ,
Ward