Prophecy Questions for Dispensationalists
Dispensationalism is an offshoot of premillennialism that is relatively new among eschatological theories. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) is usually credited with its invention, or at last its propagation. Its teachings include: (1) At the Second Coming, Christ will establish a literal utopian thousand-year period on earth, (2) A physical rapture of the church will occur before a future Great Tribulation, near the beginning of the millennium, and (3) The temple in Jerusalem will be re-built in which sacrifices for sin will be re-instituted. Here are some questions for dispensationalists:
1. If the land promise to Israel is forever and unconditional, why does God say it is conditional in Deuteronomy 28? Didn’t Israel receive all the land promised to Abraham in Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14-15?
2. Wasn’t the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15-16) given to those individuals, either Jew or Gentile, who believe (Romans 2:28-29; 10:1-4; Galatians 2:15-16; 3:28-29, 4:24-31; 1 Peter 2:5-10; Revelation 3:9)?
3. Doesn’t the New Testament explain that while the physical temple was about to be destroyed (Matthew 24:2; 34), it is being replaced by the church with Christ as the cornerstone and Christians as the living stones (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-8)?
4. Are there any references in the Bible to the temple being built a third time? If there is going to be a rebuilt Jewish temple in the future, why does Scripture say God does not dwell in temples made by hands anymore (Acts 7:48, 17:24)? Isn’t Christ the new temple (John 2:19-21; Revelation 21:22)?
5. Don’t all the New Testament texts comparing Israel to a fig tree point to Jerusalem’s destruction rather than its restoration (example: Luke 13:6-9)?
6. Do you believe that two-thirds of the Jews will be slaughtered in a Holocaust II (John Walvoord’s book Israel in Prophecy)? If so, how can you call yourself pro-Israel? When you pray for Jesus to come soon, or the supposed imminent rapture, aren’t you preaching or even asking for a near term slaughter of the Jews? Isn’t this teaching based almost entirely on one verse—Zechariah 13:8—yet the New Testament places the previous verse (13:7) squarely in the time of Christ (Hebrews 13:20)? Isn’t it clear enough that Zechariah 14:2 must refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70?
7. If we are in the New Covenant era, which Scripture says is FOREVER (Hebrews 13:20), why would God go back to a temple system of the Old Covenant which Paul called bondage (Galatians 4)?
8. If God was going to go back to animal sacrifices for sin in a future millennium, does that mean Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21)?
9. Why can Jesus’ earthly kingdom be set up in earthly Jerusalem, when Jesus himself said the hour was coming when worshipping God would NOT be in Jerusalem (John 4:21)?
10. Doesn’t every mention of the last days in the New Testament refer to the first century (Matthew 24:3, 14, 34; Acts 2:14-20; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; 10:11; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 1:2; 9:26; James 5:3-9; 1 Peter 1:5, 20; 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 18).
11. Is there anywhere in the New Testament a trace of evidence for a secret, invisible, instantaneous rapture of the church? If Jesus is going to rapture the church out of the world, why does Jesus pray for the exact opposite thing to happen—that the church would NOT be taken out of the world—in John 17:15?
12. Is there any verse in the Bible that teaches a “seven-year tribulation? If the great tribulation (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21) is global, why did Jesus tell those living in Judea to flee to the mountains to avoid the tribulation (Matthew 24:16)?
13. How can Jesus’ kingdom have not yet come, when John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles all declared the “kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 10:7; Acts 28:31)?
14. Is there a single verse that explicitly teaches that the antichrist will make a covenant with the Jews and then break it? Is the antichrist even mentioned in Revelation?
15. Can you prove that there is a two thousand-year gap between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9? Aren’t the 70 weeks confined to the AD 70 destruction of the temple per Daniel 9:27 and 12?
This is an excerpt from a longer article with more Questions for Dispensationalists at my website which I invite you to consider and comment upon:
https://prophecyquestions.com/2014/01/10/prophecy-questions-specifically-for-dispensationalists
“Dispensationalism is an offshoot of premillennialism that is relatively new among eschatological theories. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) is usually credited with its invention, or at last its propagation.”
I grew up in a Brethren Assembly and have attended such churches during my adult life. Though I no longer do, I have been blessed by many things I learned in this Bible-centered environment. This is the church movement Darby was instrumental in beginning, and it has had a huge impact on Evangelical Christianity. I used to own a Darby translation and set of his commentaries, but I gave them away about ten years ago. Darby, as I understand it, was a leader when the Brethren split into two groups known as “open” and “closed” assemblies. He was part of the closed which became less influential and were called this because they only received into fellowship believers from other similarly-practicing assemblies. I believe God did not bless this but did bless the open assemblies who welcomed all followers of Christ.
I rejected Darby’s views on the pre-trib rapture in my late teens as I discovered they are incompatible with a thorough examination of scripture. However, I was unable to figure out any systematic timeline on my own. Several years later a Bible teacher named Marv Rosenthal wrote a book titled “The Prewrath Rapture” which answered 90% of the rapture timeline issues I had up until then. Rosenthal is a strong dispensationalist, reform theologian, and was formerly a strong proponent of the pre-trib rapture.
“Its teachings include: (1) At the Second Coming, Christ will establish a literal utopian thousand-year period on earth, (2) A physical rapture of the church will occur before a future Great Tribulation, near the beginning of the millennium, and (3) The temple in Jerusalem will be re-built in which sacrifices for sin will be re-instituted.”
Not all premillinealists believe in a pretrib rapture, but I think most agree with dispensationalism generally. Temple sacrifices never took away sin:
Hebrews 10:11
And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Only Christ’s offering of Himself was ever sufficient to take away sins throughout human history. What is different now is our awareness of God’s plan of redemption, which specifically was carried out by His Son. Prior to the cross people could only trust that God would provide a way. Now we know what, or rather Who, that way is. The God that Abraham, Moses, David, and all of the prophets followed we now recognize to be the pre-incarnate Christ.
“If the land promise to Israel is forever and unconditional, why does God say it is conditional in Deuteronomy 28? Didn’t Israel receive all the land promised to Abraham in Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14-15?”
It is forever and conditional. All of Israel benefitted during certain times whether they were individually believers or not. However, only always ever have individual Jews received the eternal blessings of salvation in Christ through personal faith which precipitates a personal relationship with God. Those who believe are the “remnant” who receive eternal life.
“Wasn’t the ‘Israel of God’ (Galatians 6:15-16) given to those individuals, either Jew or Gentile, who believe (Romans 2:28-29; 10:1-4; Galatians 2:15-16; 3:28-29, 4:24-31; 1 Peter 2:5-10; Revelation 3:9)?”
The Church, including Gentile believers, is a spiritual Israel or Heavenly people of God, but Jews are God’s earthly chosen people. There are some who are part of both groups, some part of one or the other, and some part of neither. There are earthy blessings and spiritual blessings.
“Doesn’t the New Testament explain that while the physical temple was about to be destroyed (Matthew 24:2; 34), it is being replaced by the church with Christ as the cornerstone and Christians as the living stones (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-8)?”
No. The physical temple was always only a “pattern” of the heavenly temple which already existed prior to either physical temple. The spiritual temple existed first and those who trust in Christ become a part of this spiritual temple by virtue of the now permanently indwelling Holy Spirit which was not given to all in this way prior to Pentecost.
“Are there any references in the Bible to the temple being built a third time? If there is going to be a rebuilt Jewish temple in the future, why does Scripture say God does not dwell in temples made by hands anymore (Acts 7:48, 17:24)? Isn’t Christ the new temple (John 2:19-21; Revelation 21:22)?”
Revelation 11 describes a future third temple during the time of the two witnesses who will prophesy in Jerusalem for 42 months. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.
“Don’t all the New Testament texts comparing Israel to a fig tree point to Jerusalem’s destruction rather than its restoration (example: Luke 13:6-9)?”
Israel is also compared to an olive tree where the Gentile believers have been grafted in but unbelieving Jews have become like a branch broken off. But God is going to graft ALL of Israel (i.e. the final generation of Israel which will be brought to national repentance and salvation) back into the branch. See Romans 11.
“Do you believe that two-thirds of the Jews will be slaughtered in a Holocaust II (John Walvoord’s book Israel in Prophecy)? If so, how can you call yourself pro-Israel? When you pray for Jesus to come soon, or the supposed imminent rapture, aren’t you preaching or even asking for a near term slaughter of the Jews? Isn’t this teaching based almost entirely on one verse—Zechariah 13:8—yet the New Testament places the previous verse (13:7) squarely in the time of Christ (Hebrews 13:20)? Isn’t it clear enough that Zechariah 14:2 must refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70?”
At least half of the world’s population will die during Daniel’s seventieth week. This will certainly include believers and unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles. There is a reason why God is going to pour out judgment and after that His wrath upon the earth. Neither are arbitrary or capricious. Because of murder, theft, sexual immorality and perversion, idolatry, witchcraft, the persecution of God’s earthly and spiritual peoples, and other sins, God is going to judge the world in righteousness. Many Christians and Jews will perish during the final days. What happens after is more important. Rather than dreading the return of Christ because of the things that precede it, we should accept the inevitability of the things that are coming and see Christ’s return as the event that will rescue those who are alive at the time of His return IF they repent and believe.
When Christ returns all believers will be raptured and unbelieving Jews and Gentiles will not. But the remaining unbelieving Jews who live to see Christ’s return will repent and believe and be saved. The outcome of most Gentiles is less certain. Many will remain in unbelief and unrepentance even AFTER they see the return of Christ with their own eyes.
Unbelieving Jews will perish, and so will unbelieving Gentiles. The road to life has always been a narrow one.
“If we are in the New Covenant era, which Scripture says is FOREVER (Hebrews 13:20), why would God go back to a temple system of the Old Covenant which Paul called bondage (Galatians 4)?”
The second temple existed at the same time as the church for about 27 years. During this time the apostles continued to participate in temple worship and sacrifice.
Acts 3:1
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
Acts 5:20
Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.
Acts 5:41-42
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 21:26
Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.
“If God was going to go back to animal sacrifices for sin in a future millennium, does that mean Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21)?”
Animal sacrifices NEVER took away sin. They only foreshadowed and represented the sacrifice of Christ. Likewise, any sacrifices after the cross can only ever represent what Christ did on the cross.
“Why can Jesus’ earthly kingdom be set up in earthly Jerusalem, when Jesus himself said the hour was coming when worshipping God would NOT be in Jerusalem (John 4:21)?”
It won’t. Heavenly Jerusalem, which is a city roughly the size of the moon, will descend and Christ will reign from this New Jerusalem. Presently, we do not require the earthly temple or its host city in order to make spiritual sacrifices (such as praise) and worship God because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
“Doesn’t every mention of the last days in the New Testament refer to the first century (Matthew 24:3, 14, 34; Acts 2:14-20; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; 10:11; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 1:2; 9:26; James 5:3-9; 1 Peter 1:5, 20; 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 18).”
It must refer to the first century and every other century since. The present dispensation of the superabounding grace of God is the final age before Christ sets up His earthly kingdom. I personally do not view dispensationalism as the exclusive prism through which to view Bible prophecy, the timing of Christ’s return, or the relationship between Israel and the Church. However, the concept of dispensations is a Biblical one, and it should at least be part of how we interpret and understand scriptures.
Some of the Olivet discourse about persecution was fulfilled in Acts before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. However, not all of it has been fulfilled. In fact, most has not.
“Is there anywhere in the New Testament a trace of evidence for a secret, invisible, instantaneous rapture of the church? If Jesus is going to rapture the church out of the world, why does Jesus pray for the exact opposite thing to happen—that the church would NOT be taken out of the world—in John 17:15?”
No. There is no secret, invisible rapture as popularized by Darby or more recently by Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind fame.
The return of Christ is described in numerous places as being “like a thief” meaning surprisingly and unexpectedly... not invisibly or unnoticed. It is the case in the Olivet discourse in which the elect are gathered from the earth by holy angels.
Why would Christ take the elect out and then subsequently return with the elect to the earth to establish His kingdom? Because the antichrist’s kingdom must first be destroyed. Christ is going to go to war with those on the earth who follow antichrist. His wrath is going to be poured out in this time called the Day of the Lord/the End. Only a small number who remain on earth will be protected during this time.
Christ does not pray to take the church out of this world in relation to persecution. Correct. Instead He prays to protect and preserve us. However, we are not appointed to wrath. We will be spared when Christ pours out His wrath on the earth.
“Is there any verse in the Bible that teaches a ‘seven-year tribulation’? If the great tribulation (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21) is global, why did Jesus tell those living in Judea to flee to the mountains to avoid the tribulation (Matthew 24:16)?”
Daniel’s seventieth week in chapter 9 is the final 7 years during which God will work with national Israel to bring about repentance and salvation. In the middle there will be the abomination of desolation which marks the onset of the Great Tribulation. As to the rest, some of the Olivet answers were about the destruction of the temple which occurred in 70 A.D. Other parts of the discourse concern the end of the world which has not yet arrived.
“How can Jesus’ kingdom have not yet come, when John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles all declared the ‘kingdom of God is at hand’ (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 10:7; Acts 28:31)?”
The invisible kingdom began with God replacing our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh and then writing a New Covenant and laws on our hearts rather than tablets of stone. This visible kingdom will be established when Christ returns to the earth.
“Is there a single verse that explicitly teaches that the antichrist will make a covenant with the Jews and then break it? Is the antichrist even mentioned in Revelation?”
Daniel 9.
Yes. He is the beast and the head of the beast that was wounded by a sword and lived. And early church fathers who knew the apostles indicate so.
“Can you prove that there is a two thousand-year gap between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9? Aren’t the 70 weeks confined to the AD 70 destruction of the temple per Daniel 9:27 and 12?”
Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy.
And to anoint the Most Holy.
Have these things been accomplished? Not yet. We don’t know from the passage there is a gap of hundreds of years, but we know there are parts that have not yet been fulfilled.