At the heart of understanding prophecy within the Bible is the matter of interpretation. There are people who claim that the Bible is merely a fable. Others claim that it is the writing of men, who use religion as a means for controlling the masses. Some say the Bible consists of writings that are merely the ranting of lunatics, because there are so many contradictory passages. The fact the Bible has so many seemingly contradictory passages, and includes the foibles of humankind, for many is evidence of its authenticity, because fraudulent authors would promote improbable fairy-tales or idealistic lifestyles. There are those who claim the Bible is inerrant. Some insisting that this applies only to the King James Bible. Some more people claim any version of the Bible is inerrant. Then there are those who claim that only the original writings are inerrant. Large bodies of believers insist that every Scripture in the Bible was inspired by God, while others only acknowledge the words of Moses or the words of Jesus as being authoritative, if not both. Even more selective are those who insist that only the writings of the Apostle Paul are valid for understanding God’s message to the Gentiles; for them the rest of the writings were directed to Jews.
A
Trustworthy Authority
It
is apparent that not everybody agrees on the degree of authority that should be
accredited to Scripture; also upon what basis this authority should be claimed.
If you accept the Bible as the authoritative written Word of God, the following
discussion may seem unnecessary, but we need to establish the reasons why a
person accepts anything to be true. Just making an assumption and asserting
that assumption to be true is presumption; those who do this find themselves
not walking in the truth, but in the evil of their hearts (cf. 2 Chron. 12:14;
Jer. 14:14; Deut 18:20; Pr. 30:6).
Therefore, we ask the question: What does the Bible itself say about its authority? Or, if you like, what do those who have written the Scriptures included in the Bible have to say about its authenticity and authority?
Isaiah stated that if people did not speak according to the Law and the testimony, then what was said by them need not be heeded (Isaiah 8:20). The law in this context means the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. The testimony is that which attests to what God wrote as being true.
Jesus spoke of fulfilling the law and the prophets in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17). Then in the following verse, Jesus only mentions what was written by the Finger of God, saying that Heaven and Earth shall pass away before any dot or iota of the Law will pass away. From this, we can assume the Law[i] is more binding than all the other Scriptures, even though they attest to it. The words the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy are considered by many to be the final arbiter as to the authority of Scripture:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)
However, skeptics claim that there are some issues with this statement, because there is evidence within the Bible to suggest that this might not be the case. Paul claims that he expresses his own opinion or judgment (1 Corinthians 7:40) and Luke sought out historical veracity for his account (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1) from various sources and eyewitnesses. The four gospels provide seemingly conflicting accounts of events. Moses recorded his own death (Deuteronomy 34:7). Some Bibles exclude the books of the apocrypha. Then there is the question of who decides what writings are inspired by God or not? Taken further, the question is asked, Who can prove that the Koran or the Talmud or the Bhagavad Gita are not inspired by God?
The reason for raising the issue of biblical authority here is to stress the importance of sound biblical theology that is based not on assumptions but truth. Misconception distorts truth. This is the reason so many people come up with different answers to the same question. However, when we understand that everything must be sifted, so that which is proven to be true remains, we are beginning to grasp the need to be thorough.
Jesus said of Peter that he was to be sifted as wheat (Luke 22:31). In Peter’s case, his faith had to be proven as genuine, if he were to be used by the Lord God to usher in the new dispensation of the Spirit. Somehow, Satan had gotten wind of Peter’s selection, or obvious candidacy for selection as a spokesman, and demanded that he be proven. Likewise, we need to prove the validity of the claims by those who interpret the Scriptures. When it comes to prophecy, we need to see whether the prophecy truly fits what is claimed.
Investigative
Judgment
To illustrate this point, let us consider the controversial 1844 Investigative Judgment doctrine, which is a distinctive teaching promulgated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. This teaching claims that Jesus entered into the last phase of His judgment of the saints in 1844. Using the King James Version, this interpretation is based on 2300 days (Daniel 8:14) representing years and the judgment of the peoples (Dan 7:10; Rev. 20:12). Unfortunately, the translators of the King James Version of the Bible took the liberty of misrepresenting the truth in the Hebrew text and, through their interpretation, stated that the 2300 evening and mornings (Daniel 8:14) were actually 2300 days. People reading the King James Version were mislead and overlooked a very important aspect of this prophecy (which we will address later). As for the judgment of the peoples and the sanctuary being cleansed in Heaven, there is no evidence of such an event, or anything like it, actually happening in the year 1844.
However, if we take what Peter states about judgment beginning with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17), what Paul states about Christians being judged (1 Corinthians 11:32) and what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit bringing judgment (John 16:7-11), then the concept of Investigative Judgment sounds very similar to the pouring out of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that began at Pentecost. Somehow, Ellen White, who devised the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment and is accredited to be the founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, has missed the truth about Pentecost. If anyone does not believe that the Holy Spirit judges people within the Church (1 Peter 4:17), the account of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) is worth reading.
Regarding the previous quoted Scripture from the book of Second Timothy (3:16) about all Scripture being inspired by God, this Scripture is better translated as “every Scripture God-breathed is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and instruction.” Taken literally, what this means is that not all Scripture is inspired by God, while on the other hand, Scripture that is inspired by God is worthy of our utmost attention.
Many exegetes argue that this really means that all Scripture (the Bible) is the Word of God. Only if we are honest, as noted before, even if we can establish many references within the Bible that indicate the Scriptures are trustworthy, there are problems, and it becomes a matter of overlooking them and believing whatever we want to believe. This actually fosters a false witness, which is sufficient for the Accuser to have a claim against us. We really need to be honest and accept what the Bible actually states and not be found developing (or subscribing to) doctrines that lead away from the fact Lord Jesus Christ is the reason the Sacred Scriptures exist.
Bibliolatry
vs. Bearing Witness to Jesus
There is a sin known as bibliolatry; where we might idolize a book, or put a book before our personal relationship with God. In a nutshell, sin means missing the mark, or missing the truth. If we say that the Bible is the Living Word of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:6) and put it on a pedestal, where we equate it with the One who is called THE WORD OF GOD (John 1:1-4; Rev. 19:13), or if we attribute life to the written word of the Scriptures in some way, we are guilty of idolatry and false witness. For instance, one absurd argument that has been put forth by one individual is the Bible only becomes a dead book when the words referring to the blood of Christ are removed from it, until then it is alive and active.
Those who claim that the Bible is alive and active take out of context a particular Scripture that refers to Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who searches the hearts of every person to see who is genuine and not merely a lip worshiper (faking it, to make it—so to speak).
These people draw near to me with their
mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (Matt.
15:8)
For the Word of God is living and
active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of
soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the
thoughts and intentions of the heart. There is no creature that is hidden
from His sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes
of Him to whom we must give an account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)
I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. (Rev. 2:23)
Still, how can we know which Scripture is inspired by God and which is not? What is the litmus test? What is the gold standard by which we can assure ourselves that we are reading the truth? The Bible helps us answer this. For Jesus is recorded as having said:
You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to Me, that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)
Certain
individuals disagree with these words of Jesus. But they are very conclusive.
They tell us that the Scriptures that bear witness to Jesus can be proven
because they can be tested.
If a person does not come to Jesus, then no matter what the situation, that person is not going to accept the truth of the Scriptures. If we come to Jesus as He asks, then we will have a personal relationship with Him and there is no need for doubt. For we know that the Scriptures that bear witness to Jesus and the purpose of God in establishing that the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath are the ones we need to know. Any other Scripture (be it from the apocrypha—which we will later see cannot be canonical, pseudepigrapha, or any text) is like a red herring or a deviation that does not come from God.
All Scripture inspired by God shall lead, or point, to Jesus. This is not to take away from the fact that, from a historical point of view, the Bible is reliable, and from a legal perspective in a court of law, the evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus within its pages, qualify as trustworthy beyond any reasonable doubt. Many archeologists, historians, lawyers and judges have honestly attempted to demonstrate that the Bible is unreliable and the witnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus are untrustworthy, but, as the result of their investigations, these professionals in their field have become convinced of its veracity. These people attest and have borne witness to the fact the Bible is trustworthy beyond any reasonable doubt. Consequently, many professional researchers have come to know Jesus Christ, because of the witness they have found in the Bible. Essentially, they have accepted that if Jesus rose from the dead, He must be alive today; therefore, they have sought to know Him as their personal Savior.
This is a defining point when it comes to understanding the Scriptures of the Holy Bible that contains the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Unless we know Lord Jesus Christ and we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to understand or recognize the truth. However, there is a test that every one of us needs to pass, if we are to qualify for salvation. For Jesus said that if we do not believe Moses, we would not believe Him, for Moses spoke of Him.
For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:46-47)
Apart from the fact that Moses gave the Ten Commandments that define sin, what this means for us, the books of Moses are to be accepted as bearing witness to Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, they are authoritative. This also means the books of Moses and the Gospels and the writings of the Apostles and the Prophets that all bear witness to Jesus Christ are authoritative. Therefore, we need not worry about arguing over which Bible is correct, or which testament, which covenant, which dispensation, which religious writing, or anything else for that matter. Unfortunately, those who insist that the King James Version of the Bible is the only authoritative written word of God miss the mark—and to miss the mark is sin.
Actually, Jesus settled the matter when He stated that all writings that bear witness to Him could be proven by knowing Him. As the Apostle John recorded:
He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. (John 3:18)
Jesus said that He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Because Jesus said this, we know that there is going to be a resurrection and the discussion of this topic is not in vain. This is especially the case for us who have come to know the resurrected Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and possess the assurance of eternal life within our spirits; having received the joy of salvation through the infilling and baptism of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). In fact, if we do not possess the guarantee of the Holy Spirit bearing witness within us (2 Corinthians 5:5), we are at loss. For Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you....When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.... However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you. (John 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-14)
Dispensations
In
the book of Second Corinthians, chapter three, the Apostle Paul speaks about
the ministry of Moses and the ministry of the Spirit. These two ministries are
effectively two different dispensations of time. The Revised Standard Version
of the Bible refers to these dispensations as the dispensation of death and the
dispensation of life. A little investigation into the basic meaning of the word
“dispensation” is helpful here. The etymology of the word “dispense” means “to
weigh out”. Basically, the word “dispensation” means “proportionate
distribution”. It makes sense then that
the dispensation of death was a distribution of justice for deeds done, and the
dispensation of life is the distribution of the inheritance made available
through the death and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ and the impartation of
the Holy Spirit.
To understand this better, we may need to see matters from God’s perspective, as He looks upon Earth. Maybe it can help us a little if we think of ants. We can watch ants, and we can interfere with their activities, if we so desire, by placing obstacles in their way or making changes to their habitat, or killing them. But when it comes to God, He is not like an interfering person being an ogre to ants. To use a weak but applicable analogy, God is more like a kind person, who loves ants and protects them from the anteater. Except, unlike ants, humans have freewill. We can reject what God is attempting to do for us or what He has done for us. In which case, if we were ants, the anteater would devour us.
These two dispensations or administrations or (if you like) ministries under which God has been watching over the Earth, as His plan to establish the Son of Man as the Lord of the Sabbath is being worked out, are effectively pre-resurrection and post-resurrection. From God’s perspective, outside of time, the resurrection of Jesus is the pivotal point upon which history has climaxed and everything else has revolved. The Apostle Paul speaks of the dispensation of the fullness of time (Ephesians 1:10) as if there is only one dispensation and God was in control from the beginning to the end, even though Lucifer has tried in vain to thwart His Creator’s plan to establish the Son of Man as the Lord of the Sabbath.
Some say that there are three dispensations: that of the Father, that of the Son, and that of the Holy Spirit. The dispensation of the Father was before the Law. The dispensation of the Son was from the Law until the death of Jesus. The dispensation of the Holy Spirit has been since the resurrection.
Dispensationalists have carved up history into various epochs: innocence, conscience, government, promise, law, grace, tribulation and kingdom. While these might be handy references, they could also be misleading, because when we start with an assumption, this will lead us down the wrong road, which is not the way to discover and understand truth. And all too often, adherents to assumptions assert these as true (even if not) by beginning their assertions with the words: “We believe….”
Inductive
Reasoning vs. Deductive Reasoning
At
the beginning of this chapter, an inductive means of establishing the validity
of the Bible was used. An inductive approach to establish truth is alarming for
many people who prefer to begin with an assumption, which theologians and
philosophers are in the habit of calling a propositional truth; with some even
calling a propositional truth, absolute truth.
The difference between a propositional truth and absolute truth is the first is proposed by somebody; whereas absolute truth holds up no matter what. In reality, only absolute truth can be truly used in deductive reasoning and remain true. However, the method known as deductive reasoning requires the use of assumptions as a basis for making conclusions that are then considered true. In the case of inductive reasoning, only faulty inductive reasoning will incorporate the use of assumptions. The dissimilarity between the two methods is they start at different ends of the stick, or spectrum, as they are applied to work towards conclusions. However, reasoning requires the use of both methods, as particulars are built upon to establish generalities and generalities are reduced to particulars.
Probably, the best way to understand how deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning work together is to picture an hourglass that is filled with sand, which takes an hour to pour through the narrow pass between the two ends of the wider balloon-like portions of the apparatus. The top portion of the hourglass represents deductive reasoning and the bottom portion represents inductive reasoning.
Deductive reasoning works by taking the whole, breaking it down, and drawing a specific conclusion. As an analogy, this is evidenced by observing that all the sand is located in the top end of the hourglass and one piece of sand is observed falling through the narrow opening. Deductive reasoning, therefore, follows this line of thinking:
1.
Containers
should lose their contents when a hole is at the bottom.
2.
This
container has no hole in its bottom.
3. Therefore, we should be able to empty this container if we put a hole in the bottom.
Inductive reasoning requires the specific elements (one piece of sand falling through the narrow opening) being built upon piece by piece to form a conclusive result (so now we see the bottom portion of the hourglass is full and the top portion is empty). This is how inductive reasoning works:
1.
Only
one grain of sand is observed falling into the container at a time.
2.
As
more sand falls into the container, one grain at a time, the space begins to
fill.
3.
Therefore,
all containers can be filled with sand, one grain at a time.
The
inductive method of reasoning is the approach taken in the earlier part of this
chapter, when considering the validity of the Bible as an authoritative source
of information.
Deductive reasoning used to determine whether the Bible was important to be understood, could start with a proposition that assumes a dogmatic statement, as per below:
1.
We
believe God breathed every word that is in the Bible and it is the Living Word
Of God.
2.
The
Bible is living and capable of imparting life.
3. Therefore by reading the Bible we can be assured that we will obtain eternal life.
Inductive reasoning would look for a reference to begin with that is found in the Bible, then begin with what the Bible states:
1.
The
Bible records the statement of Lord Jesus that the Scriptures do not give life,
for only those who come to Him can receive eternal life.
2.
I
called upon Lord Jesus to give me life and He gave me the assurance of eternal
life.
3. Therefore, all people who call upon Lord Jesus to give them life can expect to receive the assurance of eternal life.
Determining
Truth
Interestingly, evolutionists begin with an assumption to their theory of origins by asserting that everything evolved from nothing, having by chance become complex through a process of selective adaptation to environ-mental conditions that occurred over trillions of years—sometimes expressed: from primordial goo through the zoo to you. Unlike people who claim that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, evolutionists claim they are scientific because they use an inductive method of reasoning to establish their initial proposition. Unfortunately, for the evolutionists, they forget that they began with a proposition that cannot be tested. In the same way, we cannot prove God actually breathed every word of the Bible.
However, if we assume that nothing can produce something as being true, we should be able to demonstrate this in the now. This, of course, is impossible, unless we can isolate a vacuum that contains nothing. While there are vacuums created in flasks and various containers, the truth is we cannot be sure that what is perceived to be a vacuum actually contains nothing at all. This is because something always exists. For we can never be sure that there are no particles existing within any man-made vacuum that are smaller than what we can detect with the instruments that we currently possess. The smallest cell we are supposed to be able to detect with the naked eye is that belonging to our hair—although, I have never seen one of the hair cells on its own with my two eyes. Then there is a bacterium, which is undetectable by our eyes except through a microscope. We are told that smaller than this still is the virion, a particle that replicates to form a virus. Only we are not restricted to the virion, atoms are smaller still, not to forget that which is contained in the nuclei of the atom: neutrons, electrons and quarks that possess the least mass, except for the higgs boson—the “God particle”—which is declared to be the ultimate in non-detectable particles by the eye.
The test for establishing the veracity of an event is witnesses. There are no witnesses to the beginning of the evolution process, so we are unable to verify the truth of the evolutionists’ claim.[ii]
The same argument can be postulated about the existence of God, since nobody was there to see how the Creator came into being; but then this presupposes that an infinite being exists that is greater than the Holy Lord God Almighty. Of course, this is impossible because God is the Infinite One. However, an appeal to nature and its complexity is an argument for a Creator of the Universe and the life that exists within it. Evolutionists attempt to contradict this because they claim life came about by selective adaptation; except, they overlook that there is no real proof of one family of species changing into another family of a different species, such as a cat morphing into a dog. Since true science demands such proofs, until they are produced, we can only conclude the evolutionary theory proposed as fact is nothing but a conspiracy theory that is yet to be proven.
When
it comes to establishing the veracity of the Bible being the infallible word of
God, once more, there are problems. This is not something that can be proven
objectively because of the inconsistencies within the Bible, the fact we do not
possess the original monographs, and we do not have the testimony of
eyewitnesses to its creation. Nevertheless, as pointed out earlier, the Bible,
regardless of which version[iii] used, has an inherent witness as to how
a person can prove its validity. Unlike the Theory of Evolution, our inductive
method of reasoning need not begin with an assumption that is then declared a
propositional truth; rather it begins with us as individuals who, like the seed
of a tree that brings forth fruit, grow in understanding of our relationship
with our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, and produce evidence of this experience.
Hence, Jesus said that we should recognize those who belong to Him by their
fruits. In which case, self-evident truths become our guide to what is
absolute and reliable.
When it comes to prophecy, we have to work towards arriving at truth, which means using an inductive method of reasoning. What this means is we cannot be fully sure whether our interpretation is correct until the time comes. However, this does not mean that we cannot arrive at truth. Nevertheless, if we are truthful with ourselves, we must always acknowledge that as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of who we are in relation to God, we will possess more light and the ability to grasp more truth. The one thing that we can be sure will happen, as the log is taken out of our own eyes, we will be able to see more clearly to discern what is true.
Theodore D Pestor from the World Wide Outreach Ministry Inc writes:[iv]
Accuracy is very important in Biblical studies not only for word studies, but also for understanding the paramount view of God’s working throughout the history of mankind from the beginning of creation to the end of all things found in the Bible.... We need to examine God’s word when someone points us to a truth we may have missed or have been misinformed about.
A lack of good judgment becomes evident when disagreeing with another’s view of Scripture or dismissing it without having a full understanding.
Dispensational
Truth
Clarence Larkin published Dispensational Truth in 1920 and for many it has been the authoritative work on God’s plan and purpose for mankind—but not all, because some seek to examine God’s word under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; who often only reveals truth in accordance to the degree that we have died to sin and not necessarily beforehand. Unfortunately, presumption often leads people into error. To quote Clarence Larkin in Chapter Four of Dispensational Truth, The Second Coming of Christ:
If our inference is correct, then it follows that the Return of the Lord will take place before the close of this present century. How much before is uncertain. If the Millennium-is to be ushered in A. D. 2000, then the "Rapture" must take place at least 7 years before that.
Many have presumptuously made claims about the return of Lord Jesus Christ based on what they have read in Larkin’s work. Overlooking the conditional element of Larkin’s hypothesis, they have become adamant that their particular view is correct. In particular, we have to be ever so careful and note that “if” means “in the event such and such a proposition is correct”, then we can expect to see it verified. Only, when it comes to an event like the rapture, if we are expecting to be caught up in it, we do not want to merely verify that it has happened because we were alive to witness other people being raised into the clouds. We want to be a part of this great occasion ourselves. However, not all believe in the doctrine of “the rapture up to the clouds of the saints who are alive at the appearing of Lord Jesus,” for there are differing interpretations of Scripture regarding the end-times.
Most dispensationalists view the millennium as the seventh dispensation.[v] Dispensationalist Theodore Pestor exhibits a different view when writes:
The first five dispensations, God does not give or reveal the length of time for the dispensation governing existence. However, the 6th and 7th dispensations God does reveal the length of time; it is a thousand-year for the earthly Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, called the Dispensation of the Kingdom, Revelation 20:4-6, and the 7th Dispensation, is the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time is eternal, Revelation 21-22.[vi]
Clearly
dispensations are periods of time determined by individuals like Larkin, Pestor
and Ryrie.[vii]
However, apart from the dispensation of death and the dispensation of the
Spirit, the Bible clearly states that from God’s point of view there is the
dispensation of the fullness of time[viii]
(Ephesians 1:10).
Azotus (1 Samuel 5:1-7): he had face and hands and a portion of his body resembled that of a fish,
This can be regarded as a propositional truth; however, it is more than a manmade propositional truth, as it is, in fact, an absolute biblical truth. As a propositional truth used in deductive reasoning, we could say:
God knows only one dispensation of time.
Time is always present.
Therefore, God’s time is now.
In the book of Hebrews and Corinthians, it is no coincidence that we read:
For he has said this somewhere about the
seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; and in this
place again, “They will not enter into my rest.” Seeing therefore it remains that some should
enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to
enter in because of disobedience, he again defines a certain day, today,
saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today
if you will hear his voice, don’t harden
your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:4-7)
For he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
But how can we apply this to the working out of God’s plan for what He is doing on Earth? We need not concern ourselves with dispensations, for there are only three mentioned in the Bible, and one refers to ever-present time.
End-Time
Views[ix]
The
following well-known graphic (fig. 1) provides a comparison of the main
views found in Christian eschatological teaching. The various dogmas regarding end-time teaching are split into a number of different camps. There are the amillennial, premillennial and postmillennial camps.
(fig.1) [x]
The premillennial view is divided into what are known as the pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation camps. The tribulation referred to is the GREAT TRIBULATION mentioned in the book of Revelation. Within each of these different camps, there are various interpretations due to differing points of view. However, it is important to understand that what is often referred to as the mid-tribulation camp is actually a pre-tribulation perspective. This is because the great tribulation is to last only three and a half years, not seven years, as many are led to believe. This misconception is based on Clarence Larkin's interpretation, as noted in the aforementioned quotation from the inappropriately named Dispensational Truth. The truth is that no seven-year tribulation is mentioned in the Bible. While a three-and-a-half-year great tribulation is indicated, there is no mention of a seven-year period. Therefore, there are really only pre-tribulation and post-tribulation premillennial views, with no valid mid-tribulation premillennial view.
The Cross **Table of Five Views** Judgment
✝ Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã ⚖
|
Pre- ✝ millennial |
Rapture |
3.5 year Tribulation |
Second Advent |
Millennium |
Judgment |
|
Pre- ✝ millennial |
Rapture |
7 year Tribulation |
Second Advent |
Millennium |
Judgment |
|
Pre- ✝millennial |
Tribulation |
Rapture |
Second Advent |
Millennium |
Judgment |
|
Post- ✝millennial |
Tribulation |
Second Advent |
Millennium |
Rapture |
Judgment |
|
✝Amillennial |
Symbolic- |
Thousand |
-Year- |
Millennium |
Judgment |
(fig. 2)
Amillenniumism came into vogue after 1000 AD. That this would be the case, makes sense, because for many in that day it looked like Jesus Christ was ruling the world through the church. John Calvin[xi] was convinced of this, writing:
“But a little later there followed the Chiliasts, who limited the reign of Christ to a 1000 years. Now their fiction is too childish either to need or to be worth a refutation. And the Apocalypse, from which they undoubtedly drew a pretext for their error, does not support them. For the number 1000 (Rev 20:4) does not apply to the eternal blessedness of the church, but only to the various disturbances that awaited the church, while still toiling on the earth.”
Calvin,
of course, decided the reign of Jesus Christ on Earth was more than a thousand
years and the thousand year reign mentioned in the book of Revelation was
symbolic and not literal.
The term “amillennium” means “not one thousand years”. One key feature of amillennial teachings is the declaration that the Pope is the Antichrist who is the abomination of desolation.
Among the amillennialists are those known as preterists. Preterists can also be found among postmillennialists and millennialists who believe in the thousand-year reign. Preterists believe that the prophecies in the Old Testament about the end times were mostly fulfilled (partial preterists) or completely fulfilled by the time of the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Postmillennialism incorporates various views among those that claim there will be a thousand-year peace after the return of Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the just will not occur until after the thousand years. Then there will be Armageddon and the resurrection before the Great White Throne Judgment begins, where the sheep will be separated from the goats, with those whose names are not in the Book of Life of the Lamb being cast into the lake of eternal torment reserved for the Devil and his angels.
Premillennialism includes post-tribulation and pre-tribulation; for as we have established, there is no mid-tribulation. The post-tribulationists believe that only those who live through the tribulation and refuse the mark of the beast will be resurrected, along with the dead in Christ, when Jesus returns. In large measure, this is based on an angel telling John that the all the people who stand before the throne of God are those who have come out of the great tribulation (Revelation 7:14). Pre-tribulationists are of the view that the Bible teaches a resurrection of the saints prior to the tribulation mentioned in Revelation, with one view being that this will occur before the revealing of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:7), and the other that this will occur after the revealing of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
The idea that Jesus was going to reign for a millennium on Earth is not a recent conception. Tertullian, one of the early Church notables, who became a Montanist (which was a movement very similar to the Pentecostal movement of the twentieth century in that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were encouraged), believed that Jesus would reign for a thousand years, as this is what is stated in the book of Revelation. Augustine[xii] opposed Montanism[xiii] and his teachings on amillennialism and predestination have influenced Roman Catholicism and the Reformed Movement. The Reformed Movement adheres to Calvin’s teachings. As we have noted previously, Calvin[xiv] claimed that the idea of a thousand year reign of Christ and the claims of the premillennialists to be childish. Philip Schaff wrote in his History of the Christian Church,[xv]
From the time of Constantine and Augustine chiliasm took its place among the heresies, and was rejected subsequently even by the Protestant reformers as a Jewish dream. Chiliasm was the term used for millenniumism, the belief that Jesus Christ will reign for a thousand years on Earth.
Twisting
Truth
The following comes from a group who claim to be a Christian organization but who are often fifty-fifty in their statements. They do not appear to believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifest today as they were in the days of the Apostles. From their site Got Questions, the following has been obtained, which begins with “We believe”:
We believe the Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. In faith we hold the Bible to be inerrant in the original writings, God-breathed, and the complete and final authority for faith and practice.[xvi]
Now we would expect this group of people to be thorough and not make assumptions or take guesses or reject Scripture. These people hold the Bible in such high regard that to add or take away from the truth, or be guilty of doing so, would be anathema to them.
However, the following is how this group develop their understanding of the Bible, when attempting to explain the duration of Jesus’ ministry:
According to Luke 3:1, John the Baptist
began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign.
Tiberius was appointed as co-regent with Augustus in AD 11, and 15 years later
would be AD 26. Jesus began His ministry shortly thereafter at approximately
the age of thirty (Luke 3:23). This gives us a basis upon which we can
approximate what year Jesus began His public ministry: around AD 26. As for the
end of His ministry, we know that it culminated with His crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension.
According to John’s
Gospel, Jesus attended at least three annual Feasts of Passover through the
course of His ministry: one in John 2:13, another in 6:4, and then the Passover
of His crucifixion in 11:55–57. Just based on that information, Jesus’
ministry lasted 2 years, at the very least.
Because of the amount of
things that Jesus accomplished and the places He traveled during His ministry,
many scholars believe there was another Passover, not mentioned in the Gospels,
which fell between the Passovers of John 2 and John 6. This would lengthen
Jesus’ ministry to at least 3 years.
We can add more time because of all that took
place before the first Passover of Jesus’ ministry in John 2. By the time of
that first Passover (in the spring of 27), Jesus had already traveled from the
area of the Jordan to Cana to Capernaum to Jerusalem. He had been baptized by
John (Matthew 3:13–17), been tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–2), began
His preaching ministry (Matthew 4:17), called His first disciples (John
1:35–51), performed His first miracle (John 2:1–11), and made a trip to
Capernaum with His family (John 2:12). All this would have taken several
months, at least.
Add to that the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension (Acts 1:3), and we have a total length of Jesus’ earthly ministry. From His baptism to His ascension, the late summer of AD 26 to the spring of AD 30, we have approximately 3½ years.[xvii]
While the publishers are quoting the Scriptures, at the least, the claim is Jesus spent two years exercising his public ministry, which includes the performing of miracles and preaching. But because they do not believe what the Bible states, that Jesus was capable of fitting within two years what is recorded in the Gospels, they have made the claim that He had to have taken longer. Yet these same people state that God created the Heavens and the Earth in six twenty-four hour days.[xviii] However, to support their proposition that Jesus had to have preached for more than two years, they reference some unidentified scholars who claim that there were more Passovers than are mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, they feel justified in their belief to conclude that Jesus was preaching for around 3½ years. Because of this sloppy investigation into truth, these people will (in all likelihood) become defensive about these beliefs and they will not accept truth when it is pointed out to them. False teaching always contains some element of truth, but then leads people away from the truth. For we saw them sticking to the Scriptures and then they digressed along another path, away from what the Bible actually states. These people state: “We believe….” We learn that they do not accept the truth, only their belief.
Establishing
Historical Truth
When a detective does his job, he operates according to a set of guidelines. These guidelines are what enable him to follow the clues and come up with the most probable scenario and discover sufficient evidence to prove who is the perpetrator of the crime being investigated. Ideally, eyewitnesses are sought and then corroborating evidence, which takes on the form of circumstantial evidence. Corroborating evidence has to be identified as having some relevance to what has taken place and then established as being of high value or low value. Similarly, when we consider the facts to build a case for Jesus’ ministry, we have to consider who the eyewitnesses were, what is the corroborating evidence, and establish whether it is of high value or low value. This is how historical analysis has to be conducted.
If we begin with an assumption—such as, “we believe”—we have already jeopardized our quest for the truth. An assumption is the equivalent of building upon sand instead of rock. Jesus said that the wise person builds his house on the rock.
Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. But he who hears, and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:47-49)
If we start with the premise that we do not know what happened, or how anything might have happened, but we will let the evidence tell the story, then we are letting the Scriptures show us what is the truth. This being the case, we begin with the Scriptures to see what they have to say, and look for corroborating evidence if we discover weakness in the biblical account, such as not being able to determine a date.
For instance when determining the length of Jesus’ ministry, we require the time of commencement and the date of its cessation. From the Bible, we know that Jesus’ ministry began when he came back from the wilderness and concluded at His death on the Cross. The Bible tells us that there were three Passovers, the third being the one Jesus was crucified on. This represents two years. The Got Questions site tells us this and declares that from the Bible the evidence is Jesus conducted his preaching ministry for no less than two years.
Is there any evidence in the Bible that points to Jesus’ ministry being three years?
None! But, circumstantially, for some people, it seems that what Jesus did must have taken much more than two years. The Got Questions writer claims that “many scholars believe there was another Passover, not mentioned in the Gospels”.
Is this claim of another Passover, high value evidence, or can it easily be challenged?
First, it is not in the Scriptures. Although it might seem to be prima facie evidence, because the writer at Got Questions claims scholars have said that there is an additional Passover that is not mentioned—this is really of no value; for only what is written in the Scriptures is prima facie evidence. Corroborating evidence from outside sources can only support what is written in the Bible. We cannot add or take away from what is written in the Scriptures. This is because what is written in the Bible is considered to be a true witness—but doesn’t this tell you something about these people who claim they have got answers for people who have got questions. The Bible advises to take no heed of the presumptuous (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
When it comes to interpreting the Bible, once we have established legitimate grounds for accepting it is the written word of God—which we have demonstrated earlier in this chapter—we can begin to accept its authenticity as a document that declares God’s purpose for mankind. If we do not accept the Bible as being an authentic reliable document, there is no point in attempting to understand it. However, since we do accept that the Bible bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ and God’s purpose for mankind, we are in the position to understand it. Bear in mind that the Bible is written so that only those who desire the truth will understand its truths. Many things will seem difficult to understand until we are ready to grasp what they mean. Just as a mathematician has to understand the basics before he is capable of calculating and figuring out the answers to more difficult equations, we, too, need to be willing to learn the basics before we can interpret the truths of the Bible. Let our prayer be, “Lord, please show me the truth, and give me the wisdom to understand and apply it.”
Let us be willing to learn and seek to establish ourselves on the Rock of Salvation, upon Whom all things are established and through Whom all things consist.
***
[i] The Law in this
context needs to be understood as meaning the Ten Commandments and not the
ceremonial and covenantal laws that pertain to the Mosaic Covenant in
particular.
[ii] There is a claim that
witness testimony is unreliable whereas scientific evidence is irrefutable;
however, this claim overlooks one very important fact: all scientific
evidence requires witnesses for that evidence, and sometimes those
witnesses prove to be just as unreliable as any other form of witness.
[iii] Those who claim that
the King James Version is the Only Word of God do not take kindly to other
translations, but whether they like it or not, as soon as The King James Bible
is translated into another language other than English, is it NO LONGER the
King James Bible, but another translation; besides, as we have established, the
King James Bible at best ONLY bears witness to the True Word of God:
The Living Word of God. But when it comes to prophecy, the translation of 2300
evenings and mornings as 2300 days in Daniel as per the KJV has led many people
astray when it comes to interpreting that particular prophetic reference; not
only the Millerite Movement and the Seventh Day Adventists, who arrived at 1844
as the year for the Second Coming of Lord Jesus Christ.
[iv] Theodore Pestor, “A
Professional and Lay Believer’s Dispensational Theology,” World Outreach Ministries,
accessed June 1, 2025, https://www.pestor.com/Bible/Dispensational/DisBook/2%20Documents%20used%20for%20site%20Dispensations/Chapter%2005c%20The%207%20Keys%20to%20Dispensational.htm.
[v] “What Are the Seven
Dispensations?” Got
Questions, accessed June 1, 2025, https://www.gotquestions.org/seven-dispensations.html.
[vi] Theodore Pestor, A Professional and Lay believers
Dispensational Theology, World Outreach Ministries, accessed June 1, 2025.
https://www.pestor.com/Bible/Dispensational/DisBook/2%20Documents%20used%20for%20site%20Dispensations/Chapter%2005c%20The%207%20Keys%20to%20Dispensational.htm
[vii] Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1965)..
[viii] "At least three
dispensations (as commonly understood in dispensational teaching) are mentioned
by Paul. In Ephesians 1 :10 he writes of "the dispensation of the fullness
of times," which seems to be a future period. In Ephesians 3 :2 he
designates the "dispensation of the grace of God," which was the
emphasis of the content of his preaching at that time. In Colossians 1 :25-26
it is implied that another dispensation preceded the present one...".
Charles C. Ryrie, “Dispensationalism Today,” Moody
Monthly, November 1965, accessed June 1, 2025, https://ryrielibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Article_Dispensationalism-Today_11.65_OCR.pdf.
[ix] Modified chart.
Original copyright owner unable to be found. Used under fair use
[x] This graphic is
widely circulated online; the original creator could not be identified. Used
here for educational/reference purposes only. All rights remain with the
respective copyright holder.
[xi] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion,
Book 3, chap. 25, para. 5.
[xii] Alberto Rivera was a
Jesuit priest who became a Christian. He claimed that one of his superiors in
the order told him that Augustine was responsible for Islam. Islam was created
to round up the Montanists and others who rejected Roman Catholicism, except
the movement got out of control.
Augustine himself could only have proposed the
idea, as he died some 150 years before Muhammad was born.
Roman Catholic Church history does nothing to
indicate that this could not have happened, rather more to confirm the
likelihood that this was the case.
Nevertheless, Alberto Rivera claims that
Augustine was instrumental in devising the plan to
set
up Islam through selecting
someone such as
Muhammad, so that the true Christians who opposed Romanists (probably
Montanists) could be defeated. (The
Prophet. Chick Publications.) There are also numerous videos of Rivera
testifying on different occasions that he was told this by a Cardinal
Bea, as part of his church history lesson. Alberto Rivera, The Prophet (Chick
Publications, n.d.); see also Rivera's interviews archived on YouTube and
alternative media.
[xiii] Matthew W. Tallman, Demos Shakarian: The Life, Legacy, and
Vision of a Full Gospel Business Man (PhD diss., ProQuest, 2009),
66.
[xiv]The Jew, Jehan Cauvin,
changed his name to Jean Calvin (later John Calvin). His teachings parallel
those of the Jews at the time of Jesus, who thought that they were chosen
before they were born, and therefore possessed eternal life. The doctrine of
Predestination is the John Calvin distinctive. Once this is understood, the
likelihood that John Calvin was a crypto-Jew seems to be the case. His penchant
for signing death warrants, most notably that of Michael Servetus, is strong
evidence for Calvin not being a Christian, for no murderer or anyone who hates
his brother, has eternal life. (Compare: 1 John 3:15; John 8:44.) The exact
number of people killed with Calvin’s authorization is not accurate, but this
is what biography.com has to say: “In the first five
years of his rule in Geneva, 58 people were executed and 76 exiled for their
religious beliefs.” Biography.com Editors, “John Calvin,” Biography, last modified
July 15, 2017, https://www.biography.com/people/john-calvin-9235788.
[xv] Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church,
vol. 2 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, n.d.), 384.
[xvi] “What Is Saving
Faith?” Got Questions,
accessed June 20, 2016, http://www.gotquestions.org/faith.html.
[xvii] “Length of Jesus’
Ministry,” Got Questions,
accessed June 20, 2016, http://www.gotquestions.org/length-Jesus-ministry.html.
[xviii] “What Is the Day-Age
Theory?” Got Questions
Ministries, accessed June 20, 2016, http://www.gotquestions.org/Day-Age-Theory.html.
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