Biblically Optimistic and Gospel-Based
"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:22)
Posted on 10/05/2009 8:47:16 AM PDT by topcat54
“ Charisma magazine provides news, analysis, prophetic commentary and teachings for charismatic and Pentecostal Christians.” Lee Grady, who came out of the Maranatha movement of the 1980s, is its editor. Since I don’t follow what goes on among charismatics, I can’t comment on all the diversity of opinion that’s in the movement, and there is a lot of it. The charismatic movement is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get doctrinally. That’s what makes Charisma magazine so intriguing. Sometimes the magazine tackles subjects that other magazines won’t touch with a ten-foot poll. One of them is Bible prophecy. Grady wrote Don’t Get Infected With Last Days Fever back in August of this year in his “Fire in My Bones” blog.
Troy Anderson’s “Last Days Fever” in the October issue of Charisma expands on what Lee wrote in his blog post. It’s a good attempt at sorting out various views on the subject of the last days. Instead of promoting speculation regarding the last days, Anderson presents several opinions, even including preterism: “Peter Wagner, president of Global Harvest Ministries, is an adherent of partial preterism, believing most end-times prophecies were fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.” Wagner is the author of Dominion! How Kingdom Action Can Change the World published by Chosen Book in 2008. There are better representatives for the partial preterist position than Wagner, but at least it’s a start.
A sidebar debate between Wagner and Perry Stone on the rapture is also included on pages 22 and 23. Stone’s explanation is pure dispensationalism with no bibliographical support for some of his historical claims. I would like to see him back up his assertion that John Gill taught a pre-tribulational rapture since dispensationalist Grant Jeffrey writes that “there is some ambiguity in Dr. Gill’s 1748 timing and sequence of prophetic events.”[1] Wagner, unfortunately, offers no exegetical rebuttal. Anderson should have called on a real preterist to counter Stone’s argument.
A great deal is said about Israel in this article. Some of it is quite encouraging:
David Brickner, executive director of the San Francisco-based Jews for Jesus, says a growing number of the world’s nearly 14 million Jews are discovering Jesus as their Messiah and revival is beginning in Israel.
“What we are seeing now in the beginning of the 21st century is openness and a surge of Israeli believers in Jesus,” Brickner says.
Because Charisma has a large charismatic audience, a number of prominent charismatic leaders often write for the magazine. Benny Hinn is one of them. The title of Hinn’s article is “The Fig Tree Is In Bloom.” He believes the fig tree represents modern-day Israel and it is the singular sign that is telling us when that the last days are upon us. We heard this with the signing of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, when Israel became a nation again in 1948, and when the Jews captured Israel in the Six-Day in 1967. Hinn has given himself some prophetic room by making a generation 100 years. Even so, he gets the fig tree sign wrong:
Many of these events [in Matthew 24] began to unfold immediately after Christ ascended back to the Father and have continued to this very day. But what was the one “sign” that would be unmistakable? As Jesus often did, He answered their question in the form of a simple story: “‘Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place’” (Matt. 24:32–34).
First, notice that it was Jesus’ present audience that would see the signs: “when you see all these signs.” Jesus does not have a future generation in view. Second, the “this generation” of Matthew 24:34 refers to the generation to whom Jesus was speaking. This includes the “parable of the fig tree.” Third, if you want a tree that represents Israel, it’s the olive tree (Rom. 11:17–24). Fourth, if the fig tree represents Israel in Matthew 24, then there is a problem with Matthew 21:19: “Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, [Jesus] came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, ‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.” Fifth, the parallel passage in Luke 21:29–30 shows that Jesus referred not only to the fig tree but to “all the trees”: “And He told them a parable: ‘Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that the summer is now near. Even so you, too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.’” (Luke 21:29B30). Thus, it’s not just the fig tree but all the trees whose leaves herald the nearness of summer. Sixth, Hinn needs to take a look at what dispensational scholar John F. Walvoord wrote about the fig tree being Israel:
Actually, while the fig tree could be an apt illustration of Israel, it is not so used in the Bible. In Jeremiah 24:1–8, good and bad figs illustrate Israel in the captivity, and there is also mention of figs in 29:17. The reference to the fig tree in Judges 9:10–11 is obviously not Israel. Neither the reference in Matthew 21:18–20 nor that in Mark 11:12–14 with its interpretation in 11:20–26, gives any indication that it is referring to Israel, any more than the mountain referred to in the passage. Accordingly, while this interpretation is held by many, there is no clear scriptural warrant.A better interpretation is that Christ was using a natural illustration. Because the fig tree brings forth new leaves late in the spring, the budding of the leaves is evidence that summer is near.[2]
When you see leaves on a fig tree, Jesus told His audience, and for that matter, when they see leaves on all the trees, they would know that summer is near. In a similar way, when they saw all these signs, they would know that Jesus was near, “right at the door” (Matt. 24:33). Near to what? Near to fulfilling the promise He made about coming within a generation to destroy the temple.[3]
In attempting to deal with Last Days Fever, Charisma at least is attempting to tackle some of the movement’s date-setting elements. But it can’t shake the paradigm that makes date setting or “generation setting” one of its main pillars. Benny Hinn’s article cancels out most of the good that is found in Troy Anderson’s article.
Endnotes:
[1] Grant Jeffrey, “A Pretrib Rapture Statement in the Medieval Church,” When the Trumpet Sounds: Today’s Foremost Authorities Speak Out on End-Time Controversies, eds. Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy (Eugene OR: Harvest House, 1995), 121–122. Quoted in James F. Stitzinger, “The Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical Interpretation,” The Masters Seminary Journal 13/2 (Fall 2002), 163. Stitzinger claims that Gill, Philip Doddridge, and Thomas Scott held to a pretribulational rapture position. This is a questionable conclusion based on referencing a secondary source. What is not questionable, however, is that all three men held to a preterist interpretation of Matthew 24.
[2] John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Chicago, IL: Moody, [1974] 1980), 191B92.
[3] For a comprehensive study of the fig tree parable, see DeMar, Last Days Madness, appendix 3.
"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:22)
"Rapture or Bust in 2041/2048" ping!
Thanks for posting it. I hadn’t gotten to it.
Sort of nice to see the standard REPLACEMENTARIAN et al
IDIOCIES paraded so absurdly as usual.
END TIMES PING LIST PING
Prayer for the lurkers and other FREEPERS who are vulnerable to the REPLACEMENTARIAN, PRETERIST, A-MIL, POST-MIL idiocies of such an article would be good.
Thanks for the ping!
Hmmmmm . . . maybe that FREEPER fellow is right and you are Gary DeMar.
I still think the odds are that you’re a woman, however.
Delusion or dishonesty. Jewish anti-missionary organizations, who have an interest in inflated numbers, put the number at 10-15 thousand. Possibly the big numbers include non-Jewish Christian Judaizers and non-Jewish Russians who see an advantage in claiming to be Jews.
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
all day and all night they will never keep silent
You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
And give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
(Isaiah 62:6-7)
AMEN! AMEN!
I just had an image fly thru my head . . . that one or more REPLACEMENTARIANS
in the very near future
is going to sit for hours
catatonic
because of unfolding END TIMES events.
At least for those hours, they won’t be spouting spiritually destructive absurdities.
They have been warned repeatedly.
They have been told the truth repeatedly.
They have the Scriptures.
There will be no excuse.
When the events begin to dramatically unfold, they will have a limited time to confess, repent and get clearly and firmly on the side of God and His angel armies.
None of their RELIGIOUS ‘doctrine’ will avail them anything useful at that point.
They will either believe THE UNRUBBERIZED WORD OF GOD AND FOLLOW GOD, HIS SON, AND HIS SPIRIT, OR THEY WON’T.
No rationalizing will work.
No “bbbbb but’s” about what they were taught or thought, will work.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
MS DeMar!
C. Peter Wagner and Perry Stone
THX
A GREAT LINK AND WEBSITE
A GREAT CHRISTIAN COUPLE.
However, if he is the least bit seduced by the
REPLACEMENTARIAN et al
blasphemous hideousness
he is wholesale wrong on that and on thin ice.
GOD WILL NOT BE LASTINGLY MOCKED NOR TURN A BLIND EYE TO MOCKERY OF HIS EVERLASTING PROMISES TOWARD THE CHILDREN OF JACOB.
Mockery against HIS FAITHFULNESS AND EVERLASTING PROMISES
will be met with consequences very faithfully. God will be faithful to exact consequences to the tiniest wayward, rebellious motive of the heart and action therefrom.
He alone sees the motives of the heart. And HE WILL DEAL WITH THOSE MOTIVES . . . redemptively where possible,
but certainly EMPHATICALLY AND LASTINGLY.
I'm beginning to feel a fierceness rise up within my spirit about such truths like even I have never felt before. It may have to do with a prayer session on the phone this morning via a very anointed prophetic FREEPER.
I just know that PLAYING CHURCH CHURCHIANITY RELIGION is doomed under any hint of a Christian banner (or any other banner). Folks clinging to such idolatrously will go down with it. They will be in danger of losing their eternal souls.
I know God is going to clean house on HIS BODY OF CHRIST more fiercely than ever before.
I know the Body of Christ will never be the same again and that it will then begin to look, smell and ACT LIKE the AUTHENTIC BODY OF CHRIST and that phoney shallow divisions will not exist for all those who truly LOVE JESUS ABOVE ALL ELSE.
I KNOW THAT THE ERA OF SIGNS AND WONDERS WE ARE CURRENTLY IN HAS HARDLY BEGUN TO BE EVEN INTRODUCED compared to what is coming in that department.
The mockers who claim to be Christians will be MOST SEVERELY DISCIPLINED OF THE LORD.
The charlatans will be even more disciplined, if that's possible.
The ignorant will have a chance to learn but they'd best get with the program speedily and avoid willfull foot-dragging.
SMUGNESS, PRIDE, ARROGANCE, CHEEKY HOSTILITY TO THE AUTHENTIC TRUE WORD OF GOD WILL INCREASINGLY CARRY A STIFFER AND STIFFER PENALTY THAT WILL BE DELIVERED MORE AND MORE CLOSELY TO THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE. And folks will know undoubtedly that they HAVE committed that offense AND THAT THE DISCIPLINE IS FOR their having committed that offense.
As I recall,
God had his own perspective
regarding Korah et al who mocked Moses in similar fashion.
Another day, another Bible prophecy fulfilled!!!
I don’t know that
THAT alliance is specifically in Scripture.
HOwever, it is in Dimitru Duduman’s dreams and visions from The Lord.
I think his grandson Michael Boldea has his docs on the grandson’s website.
1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.e-Sword: KJV
Certainly such an alliance would move the world closer toward Biblically predicted satanic globalism.
But there’s already a global government quite effective under the table.
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