[PhilipFreneau]

Well, I read the article from the so-called "Rapture Ready" site. It was difficult reading all that spiritualization; but I managed to plod through it. One of his first dispensational arguments was a very common one:

"It is in this work that he argues for an early date (pre-A.D. 70) of the giving of the Book of Revelation to the Apostle John. This is a necessary component for the preterist theory."

What the author doesn't tell you is dispensationalism: all futurism, for that matter, is in the same boat. If it is proven (and I believe it is) that the Revelation was written before 70 A.D., the entire dispensational house of cards comes crashing down, along with that enormous end-times book industry built on doom and gloom.

Here's more:

"Further, a natural, proper reading of the Book of Revelation, even though it uses symbols, has Christ returning physically in Revelation 19:11-21, just like He said in Acts 1:9-11, and then setting up His 1,000 year reign upon planet earth upon that return.?

Notice how the author provides no proof whatsoever that Christ returns physically to earth. He actually spiritualized Rev 19:11-21 and pretended he didn't. Spiritualization is the only way he could pretend Christ physically returns to earth. Not once in the entire chapter is Christ, or his armies, said to be on earth. For example:

"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev 19:14 KJV)

Another "return to earth" myth perpetuated by futurists is their spiritualization of Acts 1:9-11. Let's look at the text carefully:

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11 KJV)

What does that really say? It says, "when Christ returns from heaven, he returns in a cloud." Not once does it say he returns to earth. In fact, in all references to his coming, Christ indicated he would come in "clouds," in one manner or another. But he never said he would return physically to earth. One would think such an important event would have many references. But there are none.

The author finishes the article with the same tired misdirection:

"Preterism rises and falls upon the validity of their so-called "time texts.""

And so does dispensationalism.

Philip

[af_vet_1981]

Notice how the author provides no proof whatsoever that Christ returns physically to earth.

• When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
• And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
• But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
• And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
• And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
• Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
• Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

1. The context of Acts 1:6-11 is the Apostles asked Messiah Jesus if he was going to immediately restore the kingdom to Israel now that he was risen from the dead. He said it was not for them to know the time, implying a future restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
2. The angel said Messiah would come again in the same manner as they saw him go into heaven. They saw him taken up from the the Mount of Olives, from the very earth into a cloud, not from the cloud into heaven. The implication is he will return from a cloud to the earth.
3. Zechariah 14, is about the LORD coming to the earth, specifically to the Mount of Olives, to fight the Goim (nations/Gentiles) that have attacked Jerusalem, and afterward to be king over all the earth. It is right in front of you.

1. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
6. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
7. But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
9. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

We should listen to the Holy Spirit. It is a trap to point out the poor choice other generations made and then make them ourselves. Consider Psalm 95 with John 9.

• O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
• Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
• For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
• In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
• The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
• O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
• For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
• Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
• When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
• Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
• Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
  1. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
  2. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
  3. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
  4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
  5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
  6. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
  7. And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
  8. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
  9. Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
  10. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
  11. He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
  12. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
  13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
  14. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
  15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
  16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
  17. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
  18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
  19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
  20. His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
  21. But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
  22. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
  23. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
  24. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
  25. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
  26. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
  27. He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
  28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
  29. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
  30. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
  31. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
  32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
  33. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
  34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
  35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
  36. He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
  37. And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
  38. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
  39. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
  40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
  41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.