I’ve actually tried this numerous times on Bible students who have not every heard of such eschatological doctrines as Dispensational Pretrib, Amillennialist, Preterist, and Postmillennialist. I live in a part of the world where this is a very valid test (before the internet)
I ask them what they come up with on the tribulation, resurrection, second coming, and millennial. Without fail, they come up with the view known today as “Historic Premillennialism, i.e., all these things have not yet happened, they lie in the future, the 1st resurrection and 2nd coming closes out the great tribulation while ushering in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this earth. Which, as you might guess, is also what I believe.
This is the same view we see in the ECF (Early Church Fathers, Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hippolytus, etc.).
Now why, we might ask, would these students come up with this view?
Because that’s the way Matt. 24, Thess. 1 & 2, and the Revelation naturally reads!
These other doctrines are pure theory read into the word of God. Concocted in the mind of man...a form of humanism. They are not there. Some, especially the Preterists, are the worst at twisting the scripture to make them fit their preconceived theory. Such doctrines had not been invented yet in the time of the ECF.
Very interesting. You stay out of a lot of trouble by taking that literal-grammatical approach.
>>>Now why, we might ask, would these students come up with this view? Because that’s the way Matt. 24, Thess. 1 & 2, and the Revelation naturally reads!<<<
I wouldn’t recommend anyone believe that for a second. The reason some people believe that way is because that is either: all they have ever heard (church, friends, etc.); or their concordance or “study guide” points them in that direction. An entire generation believing “this generation” means “that generation” cannot be explained away by a “natural reading of the Bible.” That kind of violence against the plain reading of the scriptures has to be learned from others.
Philip