While I have found the Preterist perspective to be very helpful in understanding many passages in the Bible which point to the future, I don’t believe it explains everything.

 

There are some good reasons for caution –

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1. The Preterist view hinges on all of the New Testament documents (at least all those having some references to future events) having been written before 70 AD; this seems likely, in my opinion, but others would disagree.​

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2. While some early church writings of the 2nd and 3rd centuries connect the events of the Jewish Revolt and Temple destruction to a Coming of the Lord, there are also numerous references in those writings to a future Coming, the Resurrection from death, and Final Judgment of everyone.

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3. Christian statements of faith, such as the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed, which are rooted in Scripture and have been affirmed in all branches of the Christian Church for many centuries, seem to point to these as still-future events.

 

4. There are some passages without clearly imminent time references (such as ‘near’ and soon’) in their context, which bring a measure of ambiguity to their interpretation (cf., John 5:28-29, Acts 1:11, Acts 3:19-21, Acts 17:31, 1 Cor. 15:22-28, 1 Jhn. 2:28 & 3:2, Rev.19:11-21).

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5. The statement in 2 Ptr. 3:8 that “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day”, has too often been inappropriately applied to texts which have a clear restraint of imminence language (which has the effect of making the text misleading to the initial hearers/readers). However, this passage is a helpful caution against dogmatism in interpreting other passages which look to the future.

 

6. Texts such as Matt.1:23 and 2:15 show a second, greater, fulfillment of an Old Testament prophetic word, speaking of Jesus. Similarly (though I don’t think it likely), I cannot discount the possibility of some texts with an 70 AD fulfillment having a later, ultimate fulfillment, as well, in speaking of Jesus.

 

What is clear to me from Scripture is this:

 

Now, the Kingdom of God continues to grow, like that tiny mustard seed (Mt.13:31-32), and, like yeast, is currently spreading throughout the whole world (Mt.13:33), as people trust themselves to Jesus as their Savior and surrender to Him as Lord and King.

 

The Lord Jesus is reigning now (Eph.1:20-21, Mat.28:18, Phlp.2:5-11).

 

Some day there will be a Final Coming which will consummate history as we know it. (Acts 3:19-21, 1 Cor.15:23-28, and possibly other ‘ambiguous’ texts as mentioned above).

 

There will be a Resurrection of everyone (John 5:24-29, Dan.12:2, John 11:21-27, Rom.8:11, 1 Thess.4:13-18, 1 Jhn 2:28-2:3).

 

There will be a final Judgment by Jesus for everyone (Mt.25:31-46, Rom.14:8-12, 1 Cor. 3:10-15, 1 Ptr. 4:5, 2 Cor.5:6-10, 1 Jhn 4:17-18, Rev.20:11-15).

 

In light of these realities, we should take Jesus seriously, for who He  claimed to be, and what He claimed to do, for you and for me.